Thank you Random House for the gifted copy.

I keep going back and forth about how I feel about this book. The premise was promising - Jodi needs to hire a live in housekeeper to help out her elderly parents, as mom has Parkinson's and dad can't do it all himself. She finds a woman who seems perfect, but after a bit, things start seeming a bit off. Elyse seems to be taking over completely, spending more and more time with Jodi's dad, not letting Jodi visit or talk to him on the phone. Then, Jodi's mom falls down the stairs and dies. Next thing you know, Elyse and Jodi's dad are married. Obviously, Elyse is in it for the money, but why, and what about her impeccable references? How far will she take it?

On top of all that, Jodi's sister is a narcissistic, selfish, immature 45 year old, and Jodi's husband is a narcissistic, gaslighting a-hole. I almost felt like too much was written about that, but then when everything gets pieced together, it made a little more sense why.

None of the characters are likable, and I think we are supposed to feel bad for Jodi, but I kind of didn't. I thought things were so weird and obvious, that I wanted to be like "heyyyy girl, WAKE UP for a sec, and look at what is right in front of your face!".

All that said, I read this in less than 24 hours, and it did keep me pretty engaged.

This is a decent domestic suspense (I think?) and a lot of people will probably really like it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding. All opinions are my own.

Jodi is the oldest sister and comes from a wealthy family. Her mother has advanced Parkinson’s, and her physical and mental state have declined. Although Jodi is a doting and dutiful daughter, she is very much unloved and unappreciated in her family. No matter what she does, she is ever under the shadow of her thinner and more beautiful - yet flighty and immature - sister Traci, who is clearly the favorite. Her perceived flaws are pointed out endlessly by her loved ones, particularly her domineering father.

In another fruitless attempt to get her father to appreciate her, and to have more assistance for her ailing mother, Jodi hires a housekeeper named Elyse. At first, Elyse seems like a godsend. But over time, Jodi comes to the realization that who Elyse presents herself as, and who she is under the veneer of helpfulness and false cheer, are two very different people. By then, it may be too late for her family to escape unscathed.

I enjoyed The Housekeeper. It had a fair number of twists and turns, although many of them were telegraphed well in advance. While I liked the novel, I had some real issues with the characters, particularly Jodi. A large part of the book focused on her stale, unhappy marriage. Jodi’s husband acts like a petulant, demanding child with a fragile ego. The readers must endure Jodi endlessly trying to placate him, as though she is the problem and not him. Naturally nothing she does is “right” in his eyes. In fact Jodi is the bread winner of the family, but her husband both resents and belittles her for her success, because it emasculates him.

The emotional and verbal abuse Jodi endured throughout the novel was difficult to bear as a reader. I kept hoping she would overcome her passiveness and finally stand up for herself. Jodi did grow a bit as a character by the end, but it was too little too late, and therefore a bit of a letdown. I would say the same for the ending. It was neatly wrapped up at the end, but not very satisfying.

I would give this a 3 out of 5.

Joy Fielding is an author I was introduced to years ago. She never fails to entertain me and satisfy my reading adventures.
Her characters are believable and all share an integral part of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. No compensation was received. Strictly my own opinion. Miss Fielding… you’re amazing!

Oh my what a ride! This book piqued my interest immediately and moved along at a swift pace that kept me reading 'just one more chapter' until I had stayed up way past my bedtime. The plot is completely realistic, scarily so, and I wanted to scream out so many times to Jodi to do something, anything to stop the train wreck I could see coming. The last third of the book was my favorite and I appreciated Jodi's persistence to reveal the truth and her resulting growth from the experience. Her sister Tracy drove me bonkers and made me roll my eyes quite a lot, but I ended up loving her too. These two sisters showed their strength and found their voices and I loved this aspect of the book. This was a fast, highly enjoyable read, with a realistic, yet also great ending. Joy Fielding hit the ball out of the park with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have been a huge fan of Joy Fielding for well over 30 years. I have read all of her books. Some are better than others, but I have enjoyed them all. This was between a 4 and a 5 for me. 4 because it is a pretty basic, Lifetime movie sort of plot. 5 because darned if she didn't make old new and fun again! I found this one infinitely readable and enjoyable. None of the characters are likeable and yet I still liked them and cared what happened to them. Loved the ending, there were some surprises. And on a side note, a book club could make a drinking game of each time a character says, "Oh for God's sake!". Yes, I recommend this and can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to Penguin/Random House for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Joy Fielding's absorbing 30th novel, "The Housekeeper", centers on the harried Jody who hires Elyse Woodley take care of her elderly parents particularly on her Parkinson stricken mother. Elyse presents herself as the perfect housekeeper, but then Jody starts to see straight through Elyse's perfect facade. Jody finds her life turning upside down as Elyse's role grows in her parent's household. Jody won't stop her probing until she uncovers the truth about Elyse while at the same time Elyse stays one step ahead to keep Jody from learning the truth about her past.

Fielding's books always have had a heavy dose of reality and her latest is without exception. Jody is put through the emotional wringer throughout. She has a complicated relationship with her family. She is also emotionally manipulated by her husband. It takes time for Jody to find her inner strength, but when she finally finds it's worth the wait. There are some welcome moments of humor in the scenes between Jody and her sister Tracy. This is also effective thriller especially as Elyse begins to show her true colors.

"The Housekeeper"'is another fine example of Joy Fielding's great talent that can carry her through another 30 books to title list?

This was my first book by Joy Fielding, but I will be reading more of hers. I loved the characters and the plot. Well done!

Everyone relies on Jodi Bishop to keep things running. Between aging parents, one hit wonder author husband, two young children, and her successful career, its all she can do to keep her head above water. When she seemingly finds the perfect housekeeper to help out around her parents' house, the load off her shoulders seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, it is.

This novel is fun. I love the way each character was written - even those you are supposed to dislike, such as Jodi's spoiled sister and resentful husband, are colorful and believable. It was also very easy to 'get to know' Jodi. Her thoughts at the end of most chapters, while simple, add to her characterization and appeal. While I was unfamiliar with the author going into the book, I would definitely want to read more by her.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Housekeeper from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jodi is stretched too think, trying to care for her aging parents and hold a full time job as the bread-winner for her own family. Something has to change and hiring a housekeeper to help her parents seems like the perfect solution, especially when she meets Elyse. The woman is almost too good to be true, stepping in immediately to solve most of Jodi's problems. At first. Then things start to change and Jodi realizes that Elyse is wearing her mother's jewelry. The beginning hooked me and, even when I felt like the plot was starting to lag a bit, the writing style kept me reading until the end.

This was one awesome thriller journey! I couldn't put it down no matter how tired I was, I stayed up til 3am to finish this. I just had to know what happened. Packed with so much twists & turns. This was the first book from this author & I will be reading more of hers! There were some things that were predictable but I still thoroughly enjoyed every twist & turn!

Jodi hires the “perfect” housekeeper to look after her father, who is nearing 80, and her mother, whose condition has seriously deteriorated from Parkinson’s disease. Obviously, Elyse turns out to be less than perfect, or there wouldn’t be a book.

Parts of the book were too “women’s fiction” for me. Jodi’s father was a despicable old coot and I often wondered why Jodi bothered with him. Jodi’s sister and husband were also seriously defective. The book sets Jodi up to be the only responsible adult in the family. A lot of the twists in this book were too obvious and the story started to drag for me so I began to skim. Nevertheless, I still found the book entertaining. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Jodi's in her early 40's and part of the sandwich generation - young children and elderly parents, and her life is further challenged by a whiny husband. Growing up, her family was definitely dysfunctional but she's still trying to be a good daughter and sister (along with mother and wife). Now that her parents are older and her mother is bedridden with advanced Parkinsons, Jodi pushes them to have live in help and arranges the hiring of a housekeeper.
And then the challenges and intrigue begins! Ms. Fielding artfully rolls out the story and I found my anxiety level increasing with Jodi's. Some of the twists and turns are predictable, but I had quickly become invested in the story and kept reading. Definitely a reminder that you really need to thoroughly check the references of caregivers/household employees!
Another 4 star book by Ms. Fielding for me. Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read The Housekeeper in exchange for an honest review.

Jodi Bishop is a loving, dependable and supportive wife, mother, daughter and sister to a family who takes her for granted no matter how hard she tries to please and take care of them all. Jodi is finally reached the point of being over overwhelmed and stressed emotionally as well as.physically and she must make a decision that will benefit her whole family whether they're agreeable or not to a new change. Jodi is a top selling realtor at her retired father's real estate agency, her husband Harrison is an established writer although he hasn't written another book in ten years so Jodi is the main breadwinner in the family. Jodi's mother suffers from Parkinson's which is a horrid disease without a cure and just continues to worsen over time and her domineering, still strong eighty year old father has been caring for her but needs more help than he is willing to admit. So, Jodi decides to hire a live-in housekeeper.

In comes Elyse, A lovely, efficient attractive woman in her early sixties that has impeccable references and the attitude and patience of a saint. When something seems to good to be true it usually isn't true in the end. Jodi thinks Elyse is a gift from heaven and one day she will realize that Elyse, indeed is a fallen angel from heaven.

I loved this fantastic book that is filled with twisty, domestic suspense. Joy Fielding has written another winner and I can't wait for her next book. The story is engaging from page one and held my deadfast attention until the very end. Most of the characters are unlikeable yet they are the type you love to hate and can't wait to see what they'll say or do next. Jodi is a people pleaser and allows herself to be walked on because she hates confrontation of any kind and she is just a good person inside. As Jodi slowly finds her life turning upside down and questioning Elyse's role behind many suspicious happenings at her parent's home and also finding her own home life in a.downward spiral, she knows she must take a new stand but unfortunately it may be too late in.every avenue that Jodi travels down and she will soon find out that everything changed for the worse the moment she hired the "The Housekeeper".

I have enjoyed all of the Joy Fielding's books that I have read, some more than others but she is an author that I will never pass up. Many of her earlier books are a real treat and almost timeless so I highly recommend trying some of them as well as her recent novels. This book was so much fun and a delight to read with the very flawed cast of characters who were quite despicable at times and to see Jodi slowly begin to grow and become a much stronger woman and person. If any reader enjoys domestic suspense or a tantalizing and fun drama which includes murder, blackmail, lies, adultery, manipulation, wealth and so much more then please, don't miss out on reading this book.

I want to thank the publisher " Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the.opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this terrific novel A rating of 4 1/2 TWISTED AND CAPTIVATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this domestic suspense, and though at times it was predictable, I couldn’t put it down!

Jodi’s father, Vic, is almost eighty and has struggled with taking care of his ailing wife, Audrey, for years. Jodi begins the process of looking for a housekeeper to alleviate some of the burden from her father, and when she meets Elyse, she thinks she has found the answer to all of their problems. Little did she know, their problems had only just begun.

I thought Jodi was a wonderful character, and she clearly cared about her family’s well-being, but I hated how her husband and her father treated her like crap. They would often twist her words around or blatantly ignore her concerns whenever she voiced them. On top of that, her father always had something negative to say about her and had no issue with saying it straight to her face. With everything she had on her plate—work, the kids, making sure her parents were well looked after—I don’t know how she put up with all of the additional BS thrown her way.

While many of the scenes leading up to end weren’t a complete surprise, I felt that the last chapter was a perfect way to finish the story. And though Jodi’s sister, Tracy, wasn’t my favorite character, it was nice to see her actually work hard for a change. Overall, I definitely recommend his book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Joy Fielding never disappoints, and this was a domestic drama that was not only character driven but thrilling. Is Elyse, the housekeeper chosen by Jodi to assist her parents, all that she seems? Or is she the reason Jodi gets a call one day saying her mother has fallen down the stairs? This book was propulsive and impossible to put down and highly intriguing. Highly recommend.



Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sooo much better than what I was expecting, I’m not sure why I didn’t read it sooner. Parts were a tad predictable, but I devoured the book.

This was the first book I’ve read by Joy Fielding, but I will definitely go back and read some of her older books,

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in return for my honest opinion!

Joy Fielding has a bestseller on her hands. Elyse seems to be the answer to Jodi’s prayers. She is hired as the housekeeper for Jodi’s parents and to help her ailing mother. Just remember things are not as good as they seem.
The book is told from Jodi’s POV and early on in the book she has concerns about Elyse. I liked Jodi for her persistence and loving others no matter what. This book is a delightful mystery and I never knew what surprise was going to come next.

A little predictable but a perfect escape read!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jodi Bishop is a successful real estate agent, married to handsome novelist Harrison, with two adorable kids. She feels some competition with her sister Tracy, who is effortlessly stylish but can’t seem to settle on a career path. And Jodi has watched for years as her aging father has cared for their mother, Audrey, who has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

As Jodi watches as her mother loses her ability to get around, she encourages her father Vic to hire a housekeeper. She thinks it would be easier on him if they had someone to help with the cleaning and the cooking, and who could also give him a hand with Audrey’s care. Jodi interviews several potential helpers, but none of them seem quite right. And then she interviews Elyse.

Elyse is kind and charming and seems to be just what Jodi was looking for. She is willing to cook and clean, and she has some experience helping someone with a debilitating disease. When Jodi calls her references to check, they give her glowing reviews. Jodi sets up a meeting with her parents, hoping they love her as much as she does.

Elyse makes herself right at home, cooking delicious food for them and helping keep Audrey clean and comfortable. She even offers to look after Jodi’s kids when she has to show a house on a weekend. Everything seems perfect.

Until it doesn’t.

At first, it’s small things. Jodi sees Elyse wearing her mother’s Cartier watch. Elyse explains it away by saying that her watch had stopped and Vic had loaned her that one until she got a new battery in her watch. Elyse happened to see her mother’s green silk blouse in her closet. Elyse explained that she had found it on the floor of her mother’s closet and took it to her room to iron it, and she hadn’t yet had a chance to hang it back in Audrey’s closet. No matter what Jodi finds that makes her radar go off, Elyse has a reasonable explanation for.

Meanwhile, Jodi is struggling at home. Her husband is teaching a summer writing course, and he has one young student in particular who seems very keen on him. Harrison is picking fights with her, accusing her of dumping the childcare on him and caring more about her parents than about him and their kids. Jodi tries to make more of an effort at home, but it is her salary that is paying the bills for the family.

She feels unappreciated and frustrated. And then, when her mother’s condition seems to be going downhill quickly, Jodi starts to worry about the housekeeper that she had hired. She has trouble getting Elyse or her father to answer the phone, and they get irritated with her when she drops by unexpectedly. She tries to talk to Tracy, and her sister agrees that things are strange between the sisters and their parents and the housekeeper, but she doesn’t know what to do about it either.

But will they be able to figure out how to stop Elyse before it’s too late for Audrey and Vic? Or now that she’s in the house, is it already too late?

The Housekeeper is Joy Fielding’s pandemic novel, having written it in less than six months during lockdown. It’s a propulsive domestic thriller that fees into the worst fears of the sandwich generation. Those who are struggling to care for aging parents at the same time they are raising their own kids find themselves in a challenging position, but the thought of accidently hiring someone with evil intent to help out is terrifying. And Fielding takes you right there.

I really enjoyed The Housekeeper. I thought that the characters set up the plot really well, so a lot of it seemed inevitable. But there were some interesting surprises along the way, along with a lovely coup de grace at the end. Loved that ending! But I have to admit that I struggled with some of the relationships through the story, as there was some long-time emotional and mental abuse in that family, and some of it was hard to read. But the writing was beautiful, and I thought the end of the story brought it all together beautifully. Fans of thrillers with lots of tension, then interview The Housekeeper for the job.

Egalleys for The Housekeeper were provided by Ballantine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Jodi is mother to Sam, 8, and Daphne, 3. She is married to Harrison who has written a successful book and is now having a difficult time getting a second one written. He stays at home while doing some teaching part-time. Harrison is short and snide when he talks to Jodi because he realizes he is a failure living on his wife’s salary. Much of the day Sam is in school and Daphne is in day care. Jodi is a successful read estate agent with her father’s firm. Now that he is in his upper 70s, he has decided to stay at home and care for his wife who has advanced Parkinson’s disease. They live in a huge house and Jodi knows that it’s more than her father can keep up by himself.

Jodi’s sister, Tracy, is single and depends up their parents for money to support herself. So, Jodi suggests that they look for a housekeeper to help care for her mother and the house. It takes awhile to convince her father who is a disagreeable man, but she persists and finally hires Elyse Woodley, age 62. The woman is kind and friendly and her references are so great that they find they are lucky to get her.

Right away, Elyse has things running well and her cooking is delicious. She is so friendly and welcoming to all of the family and the grandchildren as well. But when their mother is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Jodi and Tracy start to question things because they know their mother could not have made it from the bed to the stairs by herself. Was she pushed? Soon after, when they see Elyse wearing their mother’s jewelry that should by rights have come to them, they know they have made a big mistake by letting this woman into their lives. Now they know they cannot get rid of her when her father announces that they have gotten married.

Wow! This book really grabbed me and would not let me go. The characters are well written and the plot continues to build with tension. Jodi’s father and Harrison both needed a swift kick to the moon. Jodi is not a perfect person either, but who hasn’t made mistakes in life? However, she realizes the errors she has made and moves to make life better. A really good, tense, jaw-dropper here. Don’t miss it!

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