The ending had a nice Alfred Hitchcock twist to it, but getting there was long and tedious.

Since my introduction to Joy Fielding with Run Jane Run, I’ve thrilled to most of her books. I can still remember the heart stopping tension of Run Jane Run from 30 years ago.

The Housekeeper had lots of excess and filler which did nothing to advance the plot nor create tension. The story didn’t really take off until about the 75% mark and even then it was mostly predictable.

In all honesty I may have been turned off by the unpleasant characters and the fact that not one single character was worth cheering on. I need a hero. The other turn off to me was the very dysfunctional family. I guess both of these complaints are part and parcel of the same thing.

This generation seems to like self seeking people so I guess the book was written for them and I’m sure they’ll enjoy it. It was just a bit out of my comfort zone.

I appreciate the early reader’s copy from NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an early copy of The Housekeeper. Awesome, fast reading novel. Loved it! The characters were not kind towards one another and that made it an even better read because you were hoping there would be a better outcome. Fast moving book.

Thank you Random House Publishing - Ballantine and Net Galley for an early copy of The Housekeeper. This was a great, fast read!! I truly enjoyed it. Of course everything was obvious very early in the book and it still played out great. What manipulation! I love books like these, thank you again.

I am an avid fan of Joy Fielding's writing, so I am grateful to @netgalley and @randomhouse for offering me an advanced copy of her upcoming book "The Housekeeper" for my honest review.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Housekeeper gripped me from the start and did not let go until the very end. This book kept me up at night as I raced to the ending.

A "perfect" housekeeper, Elyse, is hired to care for Jodi's aging parents. She offers Jodi much needed time to devote to her family and her career. She seems too good to be true. Is she? Prepare yourself for a roller-coaster ride as Elyse's true colors are revealed, a little bit at a time.

I highly recommend this book.

@fieldingjoy

WOW! Another winner by Joy Fielding. I should have known better than to start this book at night.. I read the first 50 pages and went to sleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night wondering what would happen next. Long story short, Joy Fielding is responsible for my sleepless night!
It’s a great story about a Jodi, a realtor whose mother is in the last stages of Parkinson’s. Jodi’s father is her caregiver and Jodi hires a housekeeper to help him. There are multiple family dynamics going on. Jodi’s relationship with her sister, her father, her husband and children. It’s a great read. I’ll be recommending it to all my book reading friends and family. #Thehousekeeper #netgalley #joyfielding

Joy Fielding never disappoints and The Housekeeper was no exception. A quick, interesting read even though I found it pretty predictable and figured out the twist quickly on, still enjoyable.

This is my first Joy Fielding book, and now I will read them all. The housekeeper was a great read. Thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to read.
Jodi and Tracy's mother is suffering from Parkinsons disease, and their father is the main care giver. As their mothers condition worsens they worry it is to much for their aging father to handle alone. Jodi sets out to find live in help for them. In comes Elyse, the house keeper, who checks off all the boxes of what they need and then some. Within weeks of hiring her, Jodi finds her mother dead and Elyse and Vic the father a little too close for comfort. After the funeral their is an all to quick wedding and the sisters are being kept at a distance. Jodi and Tracy begin to investigate Elyse, because they feel she is not all she seems to be and worry now for their father's well being.
If you love a good domestic thriller, definitely flag this as your next To Be Read book.

Last year I read 𝐶𝑢𝑙 𝐷𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑐 by @fieldingjoy and loved all the drama, so when I saw her newest novel on @netgalley I was so excited!

Author @fieldingjoy has written a ton of books, her newest 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟 is her THIRTIETH novel - how amazing is that?!

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟 is a domestic drama filled with secrets and tons of plot twists! There are many layers to this story- some parts are predictable like Elyse’s motives, but also tons of unpredictable twists and turns. The family drama is intense and it keeps you hooked from page one.

The characters are well developed and even relatable - especially Jodi who is a mom of two littles. I really enjoyed this one I found it entertaining and although somewhat predictable it was super addicting and I could not wait to see how it all ended!

If you enjoyed @fieldingjoy’s 𝐶𝑢𝑙 𝐷𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑐 you’ll love this one too! Special thanks to @netgalley and @fieldingjoy for the early copy!

✨release date is August 16!✨

SYNOPSIS: “ Exhausted from trying to balance her career, her family, and her parents’ needs, Jodi starts interviewing housekeepers to help care for her parents- Audrey and Vic. She settles on Elyse Woodley, an energetic and attractive widow in her early sixties, who seems perfect for the job.

Jodi is pleased to have an ally, someone she can talk to and occasionally even confide in. Until . . .

She shuts Jodi out. And Audrey's condition worsens—rapidly. Who is this woman suddenly wearing her mother’s jewelry? What is she after? And how far will she go to get it?”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for a honest review, all thoughts are my own. I absolutely loved this book! Joy Fielding has created a thriller that does not disappoint, I carried this book around to read every chance I got and finally I just said I need to see what happens! Jodi the dutiful daughter, sister, wife and mother has taken verbal abuse from her family her whole life. Now as a successful real estate agent following in the father's footsteps, she hires a housekeeper to help her dad with her very sick Mother who has Parkinson's. Jodi has never been good enough, weighs too much and she allows everyone to belittle her. Enter housekeeper Elyse who intertwines herself into the family, being perfect almost too perfect. Cozying up to Jodi's father and neglecting Jodi's Mom and once things are realized what can the daughters do? Missing jewelry, lies, affairs', bodies at the bottom of the stairs...…this book has everything. If you like domestic suspense, this is an absolute must read. This is going on my book club list when it comes out in August.

I want to thank Ballantine Books (Random House) and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding.
Many years ago I read See Jane Run and more recently Cul de Sac by Ms Fielding which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sorry to say I can’t say the same about The Housekeeper. It seemed to never end. Too much repetition.
This book publishes August 16, 2022.

Contains Spoilers: Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of one of my favorite author's upcoming books. I started with See Jane Run and since then have been a Joy Fielding fan. This book also did not disappoint. The book follows Jodi who hires a housekeeper to take care of her parents, specifically her mother who has Parkinson's Disease. The housekeeper Elyse seems perfect until it is obvious she has her eyes on Jodi's father and his money. Jodi is married with two young children and an author husband. Her husband had one best selling novel 10 years prior and is still trying for his next big hit. Jodi is a realtor who is the breadwinner and feels very neglected by her husband and his demands, as well as her concerns that he is having an affair with one of his young community college students in his writing class. Jodi's sister also seems to shine where ever she goes, using their parents' money to fund her extraordinary tastes in clothing and dining. Jodi winds up having a brief affair with a potential home buyer who turns out to be Elyse's son who now holds the cards to blackmail her if she says anything about Elyse. Jodi's mother dies suspiciously and then Elyse really takes over. It is an interesting story with a satisfying ending. I would definitely recommend.

This is my first book by Joy Fielding, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Housekeeper moves in, marries dad, and takes over, and the children are powerless to stop it. Is she really who she says or is she fooling everyone? Read it and find out. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It's every family's worst nightmare- you need to hire someone to come live in your elderly, loved one's home to help care for them, only things go horribly wrong. Jodi Bishop is wearing herself thin- she is a successful realtor, who is the main breadwinner in her family, so her author husband can stay home and focus on writing his second book. In addition, she has 2 young kids, and spends a great deal of time helping to take care of her mother, who has Parkinson's. Jodi begins interviewing housekeepers for her parents, and as soon as she meets Elyse Woodley, she knows she has found the perfect one. Amazingly, she gets her controlling father to agree to accepting the help, and Elyse is hired. Jodi finds herself becoming close to Elyse, especially as someone she can talk to, and her children adore her. Elyse appears to be attentive to her mom and what needs to be done at home, and she knows how to deal with Jodi's difficult father. Things seem to be going amazing well.....until they aren't. Soon, Jodi begins to notice that things don't seem to be quite right when she drops by, and little by little, Jodi notices that Elyse is shutting her out from what it going on at her parent's home, and she is sure that something sinister is taking place.

"The Housekeeper" is the first of Joy Fielding's books that I have read, but it certainly won't be the last! This was a fast-paced thriller that was hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest reveiw. "The Housekeeper" is scheduled to be released on 8/16/22.

Another fantastic book by an excellent author! Ending was great as well which seems to be uncommon lately with thrillers. Highly recommend!!

A domestic thriller about a not so perfect family and how “things can always get worse”. Joy Fielding hooked me from page 1 and kept me there till the very end. Her writing flows so easily that without realizing I read this in 1 day (not a typical feat for me).

I own several of Joy Fielding's books and only quit purchasing them, because the offensive language seemed to be getting worse with each one. I just don't find it necessary to the enjoyment of the story to include it. In fact, I'm sure I'm not the only one who cringes throughout reading it.

In fact, as mesmerizing as this tale was, I did feel it necessary to deduct a point for that reason. I do love a story that holds my interest as this one did, though. You may have seen from other reviews about how the main character, Jodi, hires a housekeeper to help out with her elderly parents. A housekeeper who is so much more! And not always in a good way.

But it was the ending I liked the most. I did not see this coming and wondered throughout how it could possibly end.

Reviewed on GoodReads and will add Amazon and B&N upon publication.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4696999868

I love Joy Fielding. I actually just came across her on NetGalley and now have gone back and read all her books. The housekeeper is a mystery that kept me guessing. A loving daughter hires a live in housekeeper to help her aging parents. Everything seems perfect and the housekeeper is a dream come true. But is she too good to be true? I loved how the story unfolded and little by little we find out about the true motive of the housekeeper. An excellent read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for my honest review.

This is the year for thriller books about maids. This housekeeper will keep you on your toes and up all night to find out what happens here. A fast paced, who dunnit mystery. I love the ins and outs of peoples homes, so this was a fantastic read for me.

Thank you to Random House-Ballantine, NetGalley, and Joy Fielding for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/the-housekeeper/

” . . . what happened had all the elements of a good mystery novel: the creaky old house, the aging invalid and the duplicitous housekeeper assigned to her care, the subtle clues, the red herrings, the dead body at the foot of the stairs.” –Joy Fielding, The Housekeeper

Most of us will one day have to deal with aging parents and being torn between taking care of our family and our parents. Jodi Bishop’s marriage is suffering. She is the breadwinner while her husband tries to follow up the success of his first novel with his second for the past 10 years. Between her demanding job as a real estate agent, her two young children and her aging parents, with her mother dying from Parkinson’s disease, she has little time for her marriage. Forced into a corner, Jodi interviews a live-in housekeeper for her parents so she can spend more time with her family. When she meets Elyse, the perfect candidate, Jodi can’t believe her luck. Elyse is everything she is looking for, almost too good to be true, and you know what they say about that.

At first, everything was perfect. Vic, her difficult and controlling father, seems to approve of Elyse. She takes care of the house, Jodi’s mother, cooks, bakes, and even offers to watch the children while Jodi has appointments. As time goes on, she sees red flags. Is that her mom’s Cartier watch Elyse is wearing? Does that green silk blouse hanging in Elyse’s belong to her mother? When Elyse is confronted, she has perfectly reasonable explanations, but when Jodi stops by and finds her mother in a heap at the top of the stairs, she questions what else is going on.

Meanwhile, despite the help, Jodi’s marriage is falling apart. Her gaslighting husband, Harrison, is struggling to finish his second novel and becoming too close to one student he teaches. Tracy, her self-involved sister, suspects Harrison is cheating as she saw him at lunch with one of his students. Jodi feels like her life is spiraling out of her control.

The Housekeeper is told from Jodi’s point of view, which becomes very frustrating as Jodi is a “doormat.” One of the most non-confrontational characters I have read. From Harrison, who excels at gaslighting, to her father who calls her fat every chance he gets and puts her down any way he can, to her older sister, Tracy, who throws her under the bus all the time, It was hard to figure out why she cared so much about making sure her father was ok, when he clearly didn’t like her at all and let her know every chance he got. She is everyone’s punching bag.

This book is such a wild ride. All the characters, except for the two children, are all terrible people, but that is what made the book hard to put down. You never knew what anyone was going to do next. It is so addictive and hard to put down. I read it in one sitting, unable to resist what happens next.

ᎢᎻᎬ ᎻᎾᏌᏚᎬKᎬᎬᏢᎬᎡ
ᏴY ᏓᎾY FᏆᎬᏞᎠᏆNᏩ
ꭱꭼꮮꭼꭺꮪꭼ ꭰꭺꭲꭼ 08/16/2022


Come in, come in said the spider to the fly
Unto an evil counselor, close heart, and ear, and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
From the book :

Jodi Bishop knows success. She's the breadwinner, a top-notch real estate agent. Her husband, Harrison...not so much. Once, he had big dreams. But now, he's a mediocre writer who resents his wife's success.
From me :
Jodi's raising two kids and one husband, working full time to support all 3, all the while, her mom is dying from Parkinson’s, and her dad needs help. Her sister Tracy is only helping herself.
Enter 62-year-old Elyse, the housekeeper. At first, she’s excellent, and slowly her true colors begin to show. This book has a great sister dynamic which I love, and they learn to repair and trust each other and how much family needs each other.
4 S҉҉T҉҉A҉҉R҉҉S҉҉ ҉

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