I have read and enjoyed all of the previous books by this author but, for me, this was a DNF. I read 30% before I gave up. This read like a Victorian novel, but it wasn’t, it was present day. Not a lot seemed to happen and I didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up and read more. However, it hasn’t put me off the author and I will read her next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

Another great read by Sarah Denzil. Slower initially than some of her other books I've read but the crescendo was AMAZING. An unexpected ended and a book I'd highly recommend to a friend.

This is only the 2nd Sarah Denzil book I've read and unfortunately I didn't find it very engaging or believable.
Perhaps the subject matter didn't appeal to me as I do think the author is talented and I will read another one her novels in future. This one was just not for me!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book! This book was a little creepy at times, but I enjoyed it! The way it all unfolded and how the past came out kept me reading to find out how it was all going to come together. I will be reading more books by this author! Thank you again to NetGalley!

Sarah Denzil is a writer that just keeps getting better and better. The Howard family are fascinating to read about and have a dark secret they don't want revealed. This book will keep you intrigued and it is a really good book. Denzil has a great talent and this book is a prime example.

Amazing thriller that sucks you in from the start and doesn’t let you leave till the last word. Well done characters that seem so real. Great story.

(I’m a bit late on this one!)

4.25 stars

I’ve read a few books now from this author. They usually draw me in pretty quickly, and this one in particular did so right away; I love a good gothic-inspired thriller, especially one set in a dark and mysterious castle. Elements of it reminded me of You Are Invited, which was great. I was also happy that the ultimate twist in this story wasn’t focused on (minor spoiler) some kind of sexual assault or abuse, the way a lot of the writer’s work seems to be. Ultimately, I liked this one and will be sure to keep an eye out for her next book.

She's applied for the of housekeeper and to her delight she is hired. The job comes with a great pay, a room of her own, and in a stunning stately home owned by the Howard family.

But she soon realizes she's made a mistake. The strict housekeeper, Mrs Huxley, watches her every move, emerging from the shadows when least expected. Lord Howard’s son, Alex, takes an interest in her, and as a former addict, she finds herself drawn to him. There’s a general atmosphere of unease at Highwood Hall, from the narrow tunnels laced throughout the sprawling house, to the abandoned north wing, rumored to be haunted. It’s easy to imagine the secrets hidden within these walls, like the secrets she holds close.

On her first day of work she receives a package .. but she's told no one where she's working. It's a gruesome miniature doll in her likeness, trapped inside a dollhouse, lying in a pool of blood. Who sent it .... what does it mean? Is this a threat .. or a warning?

Everyone is suspect in this well-written novel with compelling twists and turns at every corner leading to a killer of a conclusion. The characters are deftly drawn and all seem to have deep, dark secrets.

Many thanks to the author / Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op / Netgalley for the digital copy of this riveting psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed hear are unbiased and entirely my own.

People really like this. Cool, cool...

I thought I was going to like this. It started out well. Gothic setting and brooding dude. Our Brontë-esque main character actually has a little more edge than expected. I was in.

Until I wasn't.

See...this whole diorama thing was kind of like that CSI Miniature Killer story line, only toothless and kind of useless. Even the teeny explanation behind it all in the end didn't really make sense to me. I mean...why even do that?

There's no real surprise about the who of anything and the why is surface-level villain behavior. And even though I liked our edgy main character, I still didn't get *why* she would put up with certain things.

It's a fast read and it is interesting, but I couldn't help feel that much of it was illogical and really a stretch.

*ARC via Net Galley

Whoa! The Housemaid was SO atmospheric and dark. This book is full of family secrets and secret passages and mysterious characters and anonymous threats. This thriller is beautifully plotted and most certainly kept me turning pages faster than Mrs. Huxley can move around Highwood Hall. SO good!

Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A girl in her early 20’s becomes a maid at a very strange estate. She is there searching for clues because her mother who abandoned her as a baby once worked there. While there she meets some strange people and starts a relationship with the son of the estate owner.

This book was ok at best for me. When I put it down I really wasn’t interested in picking it up again. I am not sure why but this particular story just didn’t resonate with me. I really didn’t care what had gone on at this estate and when I found out I wasn’t that wowed. I have liked other books from this author more. Hoping for better luck next time.

What an uneasy story! The Housemaid will keep you reading late into the night.

Very creepy and guaranteed to catch your attention! The twist came out of nowhere and leave me staring at my kindle in shock. A must read!

What would you do to find out what happened to your mother in a place she warned you that nothing good happened in? Hire detectives? Seek legal help?

Well, our main character takes a job as a maid in the house to find out what happened to her mother.

This novel is atmospheric and creepy, yet a tale that is fast paced and will grab your attention.

Definitely a 4 out of 5 stars review for me and I will be recommending to anyone who loves a quest, creepy places, missing family, and the mystery and suspense genres.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and author for the electronic ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

A young woman starts a job as a maid in Highwood Hall Manor in the hope of finding out what happened to her mother, who used to work there years ago.
It doesn't take her long to learn that her mother's words were right:
"...there is something wrong with Highwood Hall...:

I'm a great fan of Sarah A. Denzil, so I was delighted to receive a copy of her upcoming novel, and I was automatically expecting a gripping story.
I'm happy to report that my expectations were met.
The story builds up steadily, but it is so intriguing that the next thing you know, you're smacked in the face with a twist so shocking that you'd never have been able to predict it.
This is a suspenseful, creepy, and atmospheric tale, and I recommend you check it out.

This was my first book by Sarah A. Denzil and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her novels!
Recently, I'm focusing more on my Netgalley ARCs and I've put a hold on the "Bookstagram- made-me-do-it" books. By doing that, I can't believe how many wonderful books I have read & how many great authors I've come across!
I couldn't read much because of my exams, but I've certainly read some great ARCs this month. The Housemaid is no such exception.

This book is really unique. I mean,it's quite different from the usual "haunted house" stories that we read. But it's unexpectedly good. I did not expect to like this book so much, but it definitely impressed me.

The story has a good pace, it grabs your attention right from the start and intrigues you more as you proceed further. The continuous turn of events keep you hooked and the ending is oh-so-good! However, some parts did seem a bit slow and boring.

The author has discussed some serious matters and has masterfully portrayed the lifestyle and habits of rich, "psychopathic" men living in huge spooky mansions and having weird habits and traditions.
You probably won't understand what I'm talking about, but trust me, once you read the story, everything will be clear.

I would definitely recommend this book! Especially if you're looking for a dark, intense thriller with enough secrets and scary stuff.

Housemaids is a solid suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing until the end! The author did a great job creating a suspenseful plot and revealing just enough throughout the book to keep me hooked.

Sarah Denzil is one of those authors that always seems to impress me with her books and this one was no different! Kept me flipping pages, fast paced, engaging, and well written! It had plenty of fun twisty turns, thrills, chills, and shocks! Highly recommend!

I love how different and unique Denzil’s books are, and this was no exception. It was like nothing I’ve read before.
It was packed full of suspense and intrigue, and even though you are given tiny snippets as to what could be going on, it’s not until the end of part one that you really start to get the complete picture of what has been happening at Highwood Hall.
This is actually a challenging review to write without giving anything away. There is a big ‘what?!?!’ moment that changes everything so no details can be revealed, and everything needs to remain ambiguous!
I can say that I really enjoyed it; I couldn’t guess what was going on, the truth, who to trust or which direction the book was going in. It kept you hooked from the very beginning and didn’t let you go right until the end.
If anyone has ever visited an old National Trust house, it is quite easy to envisage what Highwood Hall would look like, and there are always the sections that are marked as ‘out of bounds’. I always imagine all the secrets lie behind those doors, and this is exactly how I was envisaging this grand Hall. The writer did an excellent job of depicting everything without going over the top and getting waylaid from the storyline.
So, once again, Sarah Denzil has written another corker of a five-star read that I would highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this book and I am grateful to Netgalley for the ARC.

There is definitely a brilliantly spooky and terse atmosphere created from the start, as we are told that "A bolt of electricity shivered down my spine. I couldn't work out if it represented pleasant nerves, the kind you get in anticipation of a new beginning, or the bad jitters, the kind that warn you that turning your back is the best option."

Learning about the unusual and complex history of the main character also helped develop my enjoyment of this book.

This has definitely been a gripping and engaging read with unusual twists and turns.

An unnamed young woman, age 21, applies for a job as housemaid at Highwood Hall, home of the Howards. Her mother had worked here as a maid 21 years ago but she disappeared. She had a baby that she had left her aunt saying she would be back for her when she had made some money. The Hall was built in the time of the Tudors and is quite large. Lord Bertie Howard is in his 50s, owns a successful finance company. Upon arrival, our housemaid is interviewed by Mrs. Huxley. She is a cold woman and obviously disapproving of her. But, Bertie has hired her from the Providence program for former addicts which he supports and she is now clean and sober. He believes in second chances. Bertie’s wife died when she fell down the stairs some years ago. They have two children, Alex, the heir, and a daughter named Lottie.

Our new maid is working and rooming with another maid, Roisin. They get along quite well and both work long, hard hours each day.

The second day of her employment, she receives a fancy box but inside is a diorama, or depiction of a doll that looks like her. She has fallen down the servants spiral staircase and her body is laying in a pool of blood. She and the entire family are shocked. When another box arrives for Lottie, it is not as sinister but the diorama is a depiction of something naughty Lottie had done as a child. That’s when Lord Howard insists on getting the police involved.

As things and people become even creepier, she is determined to find out more about the Hall and what happened to her mother.

There were some times I wasn’t sure about this book but as more secrets come to light, I realized that it is a very scary read. The evil that some people do is mind-boggling. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and is very much a spooky Gothic read.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.