This was a really great psychological thriller and this was the first time I have read a book by Ruth Heald.

Haley Taylor is a mum who has been holding a secret for the last twenty years about her time in Thailand serving as a nanny for a British couple. What happened to the missing baby? and could someone resurfacing in Haley’s life twenty years later be connected to her past?

I love that the story is told through flashbacks and through the present time, adding suspense and helping to build the story.

Overall I really enjoyed the twist and turns in this one, the pace of the story and an ending you don't see coming.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC in return for an honest review.

This thriller was a little confusing at first because it was told through two different time frames. What I loved however was how clearly the author showed the difference between each of them so it made it much easier on the reader. The book starts out with our main character Hayley who decides with her husband to take on a lodger. They hope this will give them some much needed extra money. The other story line is about when Hayley was younger and she was the Nanny for a young couple in Thailand. When the baby she is responsible for suddenly disappears everyone is left wondering what happened and who was responsible. This story was full of twists and turns and a story like I had never read before. Every character left the reader suspicious on their motives so it was lots of fun to try to figure it all out before the author got to the end of the novel. The best part about this book was every time I thought I knew what was going on in this story the author threw another huge curveball at me that I never could have seen coming. It kept me on my toes as a reader and had me guessing through the whole book. Great read I loved trying to figure everything out along with our main character. I loved our main character Hayley. She was very well written and even though she had her struggles in the past you could tell that she was still a good person and I really rooted for her through the whole thing. I loved how the book was also told in the third person because it gave the reader much more knowledge than they would have would have had access to otherwise. With so many twists and turns this book is one that you won't be able to put down until you get to the end. Great read and I'm so glad that I got the chance to check it out. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC it is one that I cannot wait to have on my shelf, and this is now an author that I can't wait to see what else they come out with in the future. The ending of this book was amazing and I never saw it coming in a million years. This is one book that I will never stop recommending to everyone I know. I cannot wait to see what else Ruth Heald comes out with because if they are anything like this then I know that it wont disappoint.

As a student, Hayley worked for a while as a nanny in Bangkok. However, the baby she cared for mysteriously disappeared and no-one knows whether she is alive or dead. Twenty years later, Hayley is married with a daughter of her own, but the past is coming back to haunt her.

This is an unputdownable story with several twists and turns. Alternate chapters focus on the present day and 1999, often ending with a cliff hanger which forces you to read on.

None of the characters are who they seem, which makes the story somewhat unbelievable, as it is unlikely that all the characters would interact at the same time - why now and not at any time in the past 20 years? Also, I guessed the plot twists and thought the ending was weak, but nevertheless, I still gave this five stars as, up to the final few chapters, it was a cracking read.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Nanny’ written by Ruth Heald in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Hayley Taylor is working in Thailand caring for Julie and David McFarlane’s daughters Eva and Emily and new-born baby Chloe. When baby Chloe falls off the bed as Hayley is changing her nappy David says she’s died, but that Hayley must tell the police she’s missing or face a prison sentence. With no evidence to prove that Hayley was involved the police release her but she’s always blamed herself for not giving the baby enough care and attention.

The story of ‘The Nanny’ is told through the eyes of Hayley with the time period moving from Thailand in 1999 to the present time when she’s married to Lars with five-year-old Alice and living in London. The story has spells of drama, suspense and surprising twists and turns, especially in the latter chapters, but on the whole the plot doesn’t seem to be realistic and there are some parts that are so far-fetched they don’t stand up to scrutiny. It’s a good solid read with the characters so well-described that I wanted to give Hayley a good shake and I really disliked Julie and David, and although it isn’t my favourite book by this author it’s worth reading.

The Nanny is a dual timeline story set between 1999 and present day. As a nineteen year old, Hayley Taylor had been working as a nanny to the McFarlane family in Bangkok. When baby Chloe mysteriously disappeared she was arrested but later released through lack of evidence. Now, twenty years later she is married and living in London with a five year old daughter, Alice. Her mother, suffering from dementia also lives with the family, together with newly arrived lodger Johanna. Hayley, who works with the student support team at her local uni, is approached by student Ryan Davies. He has become interested in Chloe's case and plans to write a book about it.. But digging up her past is the last thing Hayley wants to happen.

Told from Hayley's viewpoint the switch between present day and past is well done, creating just the right level of suspense each time to move the reader on. Chloe's mother, Julie McFarlane is a nightmare - such an awful woman. Cruel to Hayley, her stepchildren (Emily and Eva) and neglectful of her own baby. Husband David seems at a loss to do anything about it as the drama unfolds. In both time zones the author did an excellent job of taking me in a certain direction and then springing surprises. The story grips from start to finish and made me wonder how everything would play out. I have to say, I was not disappointed.

I would like to thank Ruth Heald, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of The Nanny in exchange for an honest review.

.

Based on the summary, this story had a lot of potential. Sadly, it missed the mark for me. It's classified as a thriller, but I didn't find that to be the case. The pace was way too slow, and the storyline way too predictable. I never felt a strong connection to the character, so it was hard to care about the outcome. Some overdetailing also stalled things. I tighter edit could've helped with that, as the details didn't really add to the story.

I absolutely loved this one. A woman and her husband decide that taking in a lodger is the best way to ease the strain on their finances. It's an idea that they've discussed and decided against before, but they're running out of choices and the young woman who comes to look at the room seems absolutely perfect. It has to be a coincidence that she looks like someone Hayley had spent twenty years trying to forget. Not even Hayley's husband knows the story of "Bangkok's Killer Nanny"...but suddenly a lot of people are curious about her gap years and what happened in Thailand twenty years ago.

The book alternates between past and present, always from Hayley's point of view. The story gradually unfolds, finally revealing what happened to baby Chloe and what's going on now, but the pace never drags and I never felt like the author was deliberately stretching things out or hiding things from the reader. It was an engrossing read that has me wanting to track down the author's earlier books as soon as I can.

Excellent and edgy telling of a naive young woman overseas who gets tangled up with the family she nannys for. There is much to unpack here and you will race through it just trying to uncover all the secrets and lies. Great read and a page-turner!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

First and foremost, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookoutre for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Nanny by Ruth Heald. I was intrigued by the synopsis and cover of the novel, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Switching back and forth from the present and past, The Nanny weaved a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat. There were a lot of twists and turns that threw me for a loop, and I was completely wrong in what I thought was going to happen.

Had it not been a work night, I would have stayed up until the wee hours of the night to finish this book. With that being said, I did finish it within twenty-four hours of starting the book. It really was that good!! I find my self still thinking about the story and characters.

There is nothing negative I could say about The Nanny by Ruth Heald, and I gave it five out of five stars. I can't wait to read other novels written by this author. The Nanny by Ruth Heald is due out on September 8, 2022.

I found this thriller is utterly gripping and unputdownable. 72 chapters in total, weaving pass and current which makes me addicted to the book.

The story traced back to 1999 in Bangkok, Thailand.

When Hayley was a University student and spending her gap year there with her friends. As a student, she had tight budget; until she was hired as a nanny aka babysitter aka domestic helper. Hayley stayed in a luxurious house to serve a married couple David and Julie, two kids (Emily and Eva from David's previous marriage) and a new born baby Chloe. One day...Chloe disappeared.

The front page of a local newspaper "BANGKOK'S KILLER NANNY?"

20 years later, Johanna applied to be a lodger in Hayley and Lars apartment. When Hayley opened the door and welcomed Johanna, Johanna looked so familiar which resembled someone in Hayley's past. The past that she would rather forget.

Where is Chloe? What did Hayley try to hide from her past?

I found myself really love this writing style and the twists. All the characters are prominent. The author left some hints for you to guess what happened to Hayley till the end. The before and now weaving chapters explain the reason behind, between 1999 and now.

If you like reading dark secret, you will definitely enjoy this - THE NANNY!

This is an amazing book. Truly enthralling. Every time you think you've solved it all, there's a new twist. And it just keeps you reading — prepare for sleepless nights and an ending you won't see coming!

A great story with so many twists and turns keeping you hooked in. Reasonably obvious where it is going but still gripping.

A fab thrilling read.
I loved the characters and loved the twist and turns
Ruth Heald has a brilliant writing style.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my copy.
This is one not to miss!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the two timelines and then the timelines converging to the present day. I genuinely felt sorry for the main character and the choices that she thought she had to make for herself and her child. Many families have secrets, how far do your secrets go? Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. I definably want to read more from this author in the future.

This was easily 5 stars for me. Ruth Heald's writing style is perfect for a psychological thriller! It was tense from beginning to end.

The story jumps back and forth from Hayley's year in Thailand when she was 19 to now, 20 years later.

I am not kidding when I say I couldn't put this one down. It is absolutely gripping.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book. I offer my review freely.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫. This is the second book I’ve read by Ruth Heald and it was good but not quite as good as the first one. I will start by saying that in general, I do like her writing style. As far as this particular book, there were many things that I did like like, so let me start with that list:

1. The cover and synopsis were very intriguing.
2. The characters weren’t annoying. I actually really liked Hayley’s character. I had mixed emotions about Johanna…but overall liked her character.
3. The short chapters switching from past to present.
4. The suspense for the first half of the book, wondering what happened to baby Chloe and what Hayley’s big secret was.

Now the list of where it fell short for me:

1. I figured out Hayley’s secret around the 60% mark and it was confirmed around 70%. I thought for sure it would have a lot more shockers since I still had 30% left of the book. Well, there were a couple things that should have been shockers but they just weren’t written very exciting in my opinion and were sort of predictable.
2. The way the characters all tied together in the end…especially Michelle and Ryan. Something just didn’t sit right with me and I felt like it was just a bit TOO much.
3. The way things were revealed didn’t seem to excite me as I was reading. It was kind of all over the place at times and I often felt like I was just waiting for it to wrap up and end.

I honestly feel like I’m just rambling with this review because I’m having a hard time processing an opinion on the book as a whole. Overall, it was a quick read that I enjoyed for the most part, but I wouldn’t say it was one of the most thrilling books I’ve ever read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve written, check out my Goodreads and Instagram pages:
*Goodreads - Cherihy808
*Instagram - bookworm_traveler808

Wow, what a rush. This is a really exciting read that positively oozes tension. With only alternate chapters dealing with Hayley's time in Thailand the feeling of anticipation is constant. I literally couldn't put this book down. I thought the characterisation was excellent with the contrast between Hayley and Julie being particularly strong.The fact that it is 9 am and I have just finished the story should show just how good it is. But don't just take my word for it, try the book for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Ruth Heald’s psychological thrillers investigate why people do what they do and the consequences they encounter. They are always well plotted with great twists. In this book Heald explores a nanny’s worst nightmare ~ a missing child.

Heald’s exploration begins with highlighting the power imbalance between Haley Taylor and her employers, Julie and David McFarlane, then shows how Hayley’s life is impacted forever by the incident in Thailand.

In writing from Haley’s perspective, Heald ensures that we are emotionally engaged and can fully understand the nanny’s experience. When the unthinkable happens and Chloe goes missing, Haley is arrested. As the timeline changes and we are introduced to Haley Taylor twenty years later, we see that the stakes are high; she’s a mother herself now. This adds another dimension to the story, and we understand her anxiety and paranoia. It all begins when the Taylors find themselves in dire straits financially and are forced to rent out their spare bedroom. It’s a choice they live to regret.

This has everything you expect from a Heald novel; seamless time hopping transitions, great characterization, taut plot, unreliable characters, secrets, lies, and an ending you won’t see coming. As always, I really enjoyed another nail-biting Ruth Heald read.

Heald’s latest book examines how the past will always come back to haunt you unless you find a way to work out the problems and let them go. Letting go, for Hayley, has a price. You’ll have to read to find out what’s involved and if Hayley can stop the cycle before it’s too late.

I was gifted this advance copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Nanny
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/8/22
Author: Ruth Heald
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 351
Goodreads Rating: 4.28

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 20 years ago, a little girl disappeared. You thought it was your fault. Until now… I juggle my job with the school run and taking care of my mum, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep, a past secret that I have spent years running from comes hurtling into my present. In an instant, I am taken back to a dream trip to Thailand and to a job as a nanny that changed my life forever. It it turned into a nightmare. I try to tell myself that I am overreacting. But the woman in front of me looks so much like him. Is she the child who vanished without a trace? Does she want to be part of my life, or destroy it?

My Thoughts: The story is narrated in alternating timelines through the present and flashbacks, through Haley’s POV. The flashbacks in Thailand are perfectly described, that you felt like you were there. This is a first time read author for me, I will definitely be intrigued to read more books by this author. To really enjoy this book, you have to fully commit to it, even if it seems implausible or impossible. The lies, secrets, deceptions, and betrayals are portrayed in such a way that everyone is a suspect! The characters are well developed with depth, mystery, x, and creatively written. The author’s writing style is complex, edgy, suspenseful, twisty, and kept me absolutely engaged. The story first builds the characters, and we learn a lot about Haley from the flashbacks, the plot is delivered in twisty layers, and then the ending was outstanding. This was a gripping, fast paced, page turning read that I got through pretty quickly. The other thing I would liked to have seen different is to shorten it up a little, at 72 chapters and 351 pages, it is a little long. This book releases next month and I would recommend that you preorder now!

I was hooked by the setting of this book, Bangkok in 1999. Haley, a nineteen-year-old from England took a gap year and the action begins when she is robbed and needs to get a job to stay afloat. Asking her mother for money is not an option so she applies for a nanny job and miraculously gets it. She works for an engineer, David, and a doctor, Julie who live in a spacious apartment in a wealthy neighborhood. David's two daughters from a previous marriage are staying there temporarily and Haley's main job is for the newborn, Chloe.

The relief of a nice place to live and work soon dissipates when Julie begins setting down difficult rules and is not interested in her baby. Julie decides to return to work early on in her maternity leave and Haley becomes overwhelmed with the care of the baby, the two sisters, and keeping the apartment in perfect order. Life becomes extremely difficult and then it crashes altogether.

The novel alternates with chapters in '99 Bangkok and present-day England. Haley's grown-up life with Lars, her Swedish husband, and their daughter, Alice. When a student appears at the door applying for the vacancy they have for a lodger, life turns into a familiar scenario of chaos and fear. The Nanny turned into a complex and intense thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for this e-ARC.