When I first read the description of this book, I knew I would love it. The main character, Emily, gets a "too good to be true" job offer in France. She takes it and immediately loves her interesting employers & unique work responsibilities. But as you guessed, it is too good to be true, and she begins to uncover some really shocking dark discoveries. What I love most about this thrilling mystery is that it is told from different perspectives. The author keeps you guessing the entire time with an ending that you won't see coming, I highly recommend this book and will be talking about it for a very long time!

An ARC of this novel was sent to me by NetGalley for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn't really enjoy this novel as it was very bland and not much original plot points.

“Querencia was a little like Narnia. You could spend weeks there without ever leaving, months even, and on your return to the real world it seemed that no time had passed at all.”

I really liked this. The Safe Place is this slow burn mystery suspense read. Like legitimately the entire time I was just waiting for our poor naive heroine to actually have something happen to her. Like something was there, out of focus, just waiting for this unsuspecting woman to get too close.

I think as you read things slowly click into place, but you don’t quite hear them clicking, and by the end I honestly felt like I was the naive heroine of the story. Like, what just happened? Have I been bamboozled. I clearly don’t want to say too much, because what mystery suspense reads well without the mystery? I was left with a few questions at the end, but I’m pretty sure that was intentional and while I wish I had actual answers, I understand that leaving the reader to dream up their own answers, leaves a certain strong impression as well.

All in all I enjoyed this one. I’d love to pick up another from this author in the future, because while a slow burn story isn’t usually my favorite, Anna Downes did a fabulous job keeping me interested in this cast of characters and all of their secrets.

Emily has nothing going for her until the job of a lifetime drops in her lap. Imagine! What could be more perfect? Her fabulously rich boss wants her to help out his wife at his beautiful estate in France. There’s a little girl, Scott and Nina’s daughter, Aurelia, who appears to be a handful. That’s pretty normal for children from time to time, though, and Emily feels she can win her over.
Emily finds her life busy and rich with Nina’s and even Aurelia’s friendships. Why Scott needed her to sign a contract protecting his family’s privacy and property isn’t of great concern, at least, at first. Why does Nina go off the deep end when strangers come accidentally close? Why can’t Aurelia speak and what is her strange medical condition? What is that smell in the Family House? The Safe Place may be anything but. You’ll find yourself holding your breath. This is a different kind of thriller, going into the past and bringing us into a dangerous future; the final decisions and actions for you to find out. Worse yet, is this more than fiction?
(I received this book as an advance reader's copy with permission given to post a review)

Review Copy

A good novel novel to escape and not think too much. A bit too predictable for my taste, however. By the time I finished reading I had asked myself several times when the big twist was coming. Without that, why did the characters even do what they did? It was a little too far fetched for me.

In spite of the plotting, it was well written, the sentences grammatically correct. That's a huge plus in my mind! Three stars for an ok, not bad read.

I really enjoyed this book. The idea of Emily taking care of his former boss’s wife and daughter in their safe place was different. I felt myself dragging it out because I didn’t want it to end. I wish there was a little more background on what made Nina tick.

This was a most unusual and well done read. Emily, an unemployed actress, was working as a temp Receptionist at a London company. After she was fired for incompetence she met the company’s owner who offered her a companion/housekeeper type job at his home on the French coast. She took the job and was flown there in a private plane. It was a gated two house estate in the middle of nowhere. His wife and child lived there with a very stoic handyman who came in daily. Emily and Nina (the wife) developed a very close relationship and she also became close to their child, a six year old girl who didn’t speak and also had some behavior issues. Going further into the plot would lead to too many spoilers but for anyone who enjoys reading psychological thrillers, I would highly recommend this novel. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur for an ARC for an honest review.

Anna Downes has won me over! I absolutely enjoyed every bit of this story and I found myself excited to head back to this beautiful French estate even if something is off and not right at all. Being cooped up in my home with what seems like the fifth winter this year I was so quickly lost into the story, the people and the setting. I felt the characters were likable and relatable. This is the summer read for 2020. A place you can go when you can't go on vacation. While some may find it predictable I did not at all and enjoyed the mystery unravel before me. I will put Anna Downes right next to my Ruth Ware books as she has earned my respect. Bravo! I highly recommend as the read to kick-off summer or a good mystery beach-read.

So this is definitely one of my favorite types of books where you have multiple characters telling the story. This makes it interesting because you are seeing both sides of the story as it happens. This style of storytelling also compels you to want to turn the page to the next chapter.

Poor Emily's day went from good to worse but little does she know that some of it is totally out of her control. I will be curious to find out why Scott has "chosen" Emily and what he has in store for her. Does it have something to do with Nina and if so what? At this point in time anything positive that is offered to her will be pleasing as her life cant get any worse than it currently is. Or can it??

My word, that has to be the best prologue I've ever read! It was funny and yet full of word pictures. I found myself laughing out loud at the flighty Emily. Loved it! Unfortunately the book went slightly downhill after that. Granted, it was still highly readable and suspenseful enough that you are kept reading. At the beginning, it was quite impossible to guess where the story was going to go.

I enjoyed reading most of the book but also found myself skipping some chunks of it. Wish the author kept up with the same writing style she had in the prologue...somehow...

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the review. This is my honest review.

Whoa! Anna Downes' "The Safe Place" blew me away! I didn't know what to expect from one page to the next and read it straight through in one day. Suspenseful and creepy in the best kinda way

Mixed views parts of it were predictable and then parts you were shocked when something occurred. It is worth persevering as it has it's good and bad poonts

I don’t really know how I felt about this, I saw all the incredible reviews and had high expectations. Those expectations were not met, and I am disappointed. I thought this was a very drawn out thriller, that you figure out very soon into the book. I didn’t have that, “wow” moment where my jaw drops open. While the author did a great job at adding in very peculiar thoughts throughout that kind of made you eerie, it didn’t add up to this huge plot twist.

The Safe Place had so much potential, but it just felt short. I really thought in the beginning it was going to be great, the author set up such a good plot line, but she just didn’t follow through. I didn’t like any of the characters really. Emily the main character was very annoying, she gets this job offer from a guy she hardly knows and says yes? To moving to a remote location that has no service or wifi and she is okay with that? If it seems to good to be true it probably is, not to mention all the weird things that start happening and she still acts stupid. While the ending was crazy, I knew exactly what was coming and not shocked.

The Safe Place — Review

Spoiler Alert: The Safe Place by Anna Downes is one of those “can’t put down” books.

A huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this work.

My genre is thrillers, and this thriller had everything I wanted, which is why I blissfully give The Safe Place 5 stars.

Sweet, pitiful Emily was such a lovable character from the very beginning. There is no trace of self-confidence when it comes to this protagonist. She’s smart, but gullible. She just wants to be seen; she wants to be heard.

Then marches in Scott Denny. I have to admit something here. I have an uncle by the same name, so I didn’t quite fall for this character in the way that I think Downes intended for her readers. Emily, however, is smitten from the beginning.

I will say, Scott was definitely a man of mystery. He hides his baggage well.

Speaking of his baggage, let’s call them Nina (Scott’s wife) and Aurelia (Scott’s daughter), you’ll want to pay close attention to these characters. There’s a lot of unpacking to do.

The location of this story is a character in itself. Querencia is a beautiful beachfront estate on the French coast. You could call the Dennys Pandora and Querencia their box. This place is their home and it houses all of their secrets.


Favorite Quote
“Everyone was carrying something, she was beginning to realize. The world was a much darker and more complicated place than she’d ever thought.”

This dark horror novel drew me in from the start with its spooky atmosphere, compelling characters and well-written story. The pacing was strong and the main characters we’re perfectly fleshed out. The Safe Place is a perfect story for readers who love their narratives razor-sharp and their secrets dark and deadly.

Emily’s life is in shambles! She had hoped to be an actress, but that hasn’t worked out. She’s lost numerous part time jobs and now learns that she is also being evicted from her flat!

For years she’s dreamed of leaving her small English village to have a successful career and live a happy, carefree life. Now she thinks she may have to swallow her pride and return home.

When her former boss offers her a position as personal assistant to his wife, Emily jumps at the chance. The job is located at a huge estate on the coast of France. The family is endearing and welcoming. Emily feels as if she is part of their family.

As the months go by, however, Emily begins to see that everything is not as perfect as it seems. The family is keeping dangerous secrets that envelope Emily and become life threatening.

This debut novel has a real sense of place with complex relationships and characters. Tension builds slowly with a twist at the end.

Thank you to author Anna Downes, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this suspenseful novel.

A great summer read that kept me intrigued to know what happens in the novel. This was a fast-paced, edge of your seat, heart-pounding read. It was well written and everything was paced well. Nothing felt rushed or too over the top.

I received a copy of this already.

This is one of those books that without prior knowledge of it being a debut, you would not believe it by the writing. It is absolutely well written, chilling, shocking, and unputdownable! It was one of my favorite reads of the year, and I know I’ll be looking for more and more by Anna Downes! This book was written in a way that really makes sure to leave you chilled to the bone, gasping in shock, and utterly mind blown! Highly, highly recommend, if you love lots of twists and turns, chills, and thrills!
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms!

The Safe Place is the perfect read for when you don't want to think too much and want to escape to a beautiful home off the coast of France. AKA the perfect read for someone who wants to travel to Europe, but doesn't want to leave their own safe place! 😂

Emily, the main character is a lost little lamb who stumbles her way into an ideal job as a housekeeper for a wealthy family in remote France. The estate is beautiful and she's in awe of the wife and cute animals everywhere.
So what, if the daughter is a bit of a weirdo who can't be touched and doesn't speak?!
Who cares if there's WiFi when you can have a glass of French wine in a pool overlooking the beautiful coast?!
Yeah, the husband is never around and when he is he's ogling you, but he's handsome, so it's flattering--right?!
Oh, and the family house is off-limits to you, but it's only because they are fiercely private... obviously, there's nothing odd about that when you have a stunning guest house all to yourself!

Emily is in paradise! And getting paid nicely for it! What's not to love?!

🐚🌊🍷🏖️


This was a fun if a bit predictable thriller that remained tense throughout! I wanted to scream at Emily a lot, but she pulls through in the end!

⭐⭐⭐🌠3.5 rounded to 4 for this incredibly tense mysterious thriller! The Safe Place is out July 14th 2020 and would make the perfect beach read!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review

Emily is a flighty, lost 20-something working for Simon, a high-powered private equity manager. After being fired from her temp job, Simon gives her what seems like a perfect job: being a nanny, caretaker, and companion to Nina, his wife, and their daughter Aurelia. But all is not as it seems, and Emily realizes it is too good to be true. Emily is also adopted, and this is utilized as an underlying theme.

Wow! This was a great read and suspenseful from start to finish. You know something is *off* but you don't know what it is and the twists are fresh and original. A perfect beach read -- the book is fast-paced and had me googling French chateaux for sale in between chapters. The characters were in-depth and I was captivated throughout the book. A must-read for summer 2020!