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What the nanny said
by Lara Finch

Lucy, Evie, Sam, Taylor-die Hauptprotagonisten dieses Buches, die alle unterschiedliche Versionen ihres Zusammenlebens erzählen, durchleben ein intensives Netz aus Geschehnissen, die jeder anders schildert.
Evie von früher, die noch ein Kleinkind ist, bekommt wenig mit. Evie heute entdeckt nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter Bilder und Zeitungsartikel, die den Mord an ihrer biologischen Mutter, das Verschwinden ihres leiblichen Vaters und die mysteriöse Nanny namens Taylor beinhalten. Der Fall ist bis heute nicht aufgeklärt. Evie begibt sich schließlich nach London, um ihrer eigenen Geschichte auf den Grund zu gehen. Was sie erfährt, ändert ihr Leben komplett.
Parallel dazu erfährt der Leser über die Erzählungen Lucy's und ein Verhör mit der vermeintlichen Taylor Love, alles über die Monate vor dem Mord.
Wer ist wer, wer ist schuldig, wem soll der Leser glauben?


Dieses Buch fesselte mich von Anfang an. Das Konzept, aus den unterschiedlichen Perspektiven und Zeiten die Geschichte von Lucy, Taylor und Evie erzählt zu bekommen verursachte von Anfang an Spekulationen, Theorien und Spannung. Bis zum Ende der Geschichte war keine klare Antwort zu erkennen und Evies Entwicklung über das Buch hinweg ist inspirierend.

Der Schreibstil war angenehm zu lesen, die Pace des Buches war moderat aber der Geschichte angepasst.
Leider enttäuschte mich das Ende ein wenig-zumindest die Aufklärung der Geschichte. Das Ganze kam mir etwas chaotisch und wenig überraschend vor. Ein genialer Plottwist hat mir gefehlt.
Im Gesamtpaket gefiel mir das Buch super.

Well this was an unexpected, twisty, puzzling entertaining read!

Evie is living in Mexico, and one day goes to visit her mother. As she is there, her mother suffers from an aneurism and dies. While cleaning out her mother's closet, Evie discovers several newspaper article from 25 years ago about the murder/disappearance of a mother, father and their young 3 year old daughter named Evie. More searching has Evie discovering passports and information that makes her realize that she is that little girl, and her mother might not be her biological mother. Twice devastated- by the loss of the woman she knows and loves as her "mother", and the shocking discovery that her life may not be real, Evie decides to travel to the neighborhood of Little Venice in London where it all happened. She is looking for answers!

This is a very fast paced, draw you right in kind of story. It is a psychological thriller, with a mystery and a head puzzler thrown in! It is told between 3 POV's: Evie, Lucy and Taylor (with the last two narratives taking place in the past). Evie is struggling with anxiety, depression and self confidence. One day at the park, she and Evie (her young daughter) meet Taylor. Taylor is enigmatic, beautiful, magnetic. The two women become friends, and eventually Taylor becomes the nanny for Lucy and her BCC journalist husband, Sam.

The POV's from Lucy and Taylor demonstrate that both of these characters are unreliable narrators. The question is- which one is manipulating the truth- or is someone else driving the narrative? Lucy comes across as paranoid and submissive. Taylor seems very empathetic and kind, but soon cracks can be seen in her character. Sam seems charming at first- but soon he is revealed to be narcissistic, controlling and vile.

There are so many variations of what really happened. At first, I thought I knew exactly what was happening. However, as more info was revealed, I realized that each narrative held elements of the truth. This is a twisty, puzzling story. I could not stop turning the pages and stayed up way too late reading (probably because I thought I needed a Dr. Pepper at 9pm!!🤣🤪). It is hard to write this review, because I do not want to give any hints of spoilers!!

This is an impressive debut, and I look forward to reading more from Lara Finch!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had such an amazing premise and I was so excited to dive in. But the book fell a little flat for me and took me on an adventure I was not a fan of with the ending being lackluster. 2.5 stars for me.

I loved the premise of the book - creepy atmosphere, dual timelines that kept me guessing, and mystery that I really wanted to get to the heart of. Unfortunately, this book was a bit too slow for me and I feel like Sam and Lucy's characters and relationships weren't really flushed out for me so it was hard to feel invested and connected to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What The Nanny Said by Lara Finch delivers a suspenseful narrative with a mix of high points and moments that fall short. The novel shows real promise in parts, with well-crafted scenes that build intrigue and effectively draw the reader into the unfolding mystery. Finch’s writing shines in these moments, showcasing her ability to create tension and emotional weight.

However, the story occasionally veers into confusion, with certain sections feeling muddled or underdeveloped. These lapses can disrupt the flow and detract from the overall impact, making it harder to stay fully engaged. Despite this, the ending offers a satisfying payoff, tying together the loose threads and providing a conclusion that resonates.

Overall, while What The Nanny Said may not hit every mark, it presents enough strong elements to make it a worthwhile read for fans of domestic thrillers.

I knew when I read the title of this book I was going to like it and it was going to be messy. This was such a twisty thriller that kept me on my toes the entire time.

A great read. I was gripped of the story of Lucy Sam and Evie and the troubles they have in life. It is awful to think that they met someone who was so evil and manipulative.

Thank you for the advanced copy NetGalley! Creepy and twisty, but a bit slow for me. The dual timelines were interesting, and the mystery kept me curious, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters. A decent read, just not as gripping as I expected.

I love a good Nanny trope so I was thrilled to get my hands on this. This book caught my attention from the start and that first twist caught me off guard. I was so intertwined with these people that I just needed to know how it ended. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

What The Nanny Said by Lara Finch is a riveting read.
From the beginning of the chapter to the end of the book, I was literally hooked into the story.
Its so engaging... Lara did a phenomenal job with the gripping suspense and fantastic characters.

Wowsers! What a gripping read. Set in the present day with flashbacks to 1999, What The Nanny Said details the story of Lucy, Sam and their toddler daughter Evie whose lives are blown apart by the arrival of Taylor, the nanny almost took good to be true. Without giving away too much, you're taken through Lucy's viewpoint in 1999 and Evie's viewpoint in the present day. There are times when you're questioning what is true & what isn't, always the sign of a great psychological thriller. Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

As a mystery fan, I found this chilling and emotionally layered. Twists, secrets, and a slow-burning unease kept me hooked. A dark tale of motherhood and obsession.

Every now and then, a book comes along that transcends its genre, From the very first page, I was captivated by the author's masterful storytelling and I was hooked ..

It is one of those reads that keeps you turning pages long past your bedtime. With fabulous characters and a strong plot, the pacing is expertly managed, building tension and intrigue at every turn.

The characters, are well-developed. This is a plot that gives a touch of reality with a sense of a really good TV drama.

I loved it

Relatively predictable, biu did have some unforseen twists. Not a standout in the genre, but still a very fun and fast read. This has become such a popular genre recently though that it is so difficult to be a standout in it so I would say that this book is good for what it is competing against.

Lara Finch’s What The Nanny Said is a slow-burning, elegantly sinister thriller that unwraps its secrets with a quiet kind of dread — the kind that lingers long after the final page.

Set in the moody backdrop of Little Venice, London, we meet a fragile young mother unraveling in silence… until the perfect nanny appears.

Beautiful. Calm. Capable.
But this isn’t a story about help.
It’s about control.

Twenty-five years later, Evie stumbles across old newspaper clippings in her late mother’s belongings. Stories of a murdered woman. A missing child. A name and birthdate that match her own.
And just like that, her sense of identity begins to crumble.

What follows is a dual-timeline mystery soaked in psychological tension, maternal obsession, and the haunting realization that what we remember — and what we’re told — aren’t always the same.

Lara Finch reminds us that motherhood is sacred — and terrifying. And sometimes, the people who say they love you the most… are the ones you should fear the most.

Lucy and Sam began their relationship like any other couple. When Sam is left a lot of money they move to a rich London neighbourhood where Lucy takes care of their 2 year old daughter, Evie. Lucy, lonely and depressed, meets Taylor, who quickly becomes her friend and wants to help take care of Evie. Soon strange things begin to occur and Taylor is not who she appears to be. Simultaneously, we read about grown up Evie who has just lost her mother, Mia, to a brain anneurism. She discovers that Mia may not have been her biological mother - who may have been murdered along with her biological father. Evie, now living in Mexico City, leaves for London to find out what happened to her parents. Good plot, interesting characters, I enjoyed reading it!

This was... interesting I'll say.

It was a slow start, and it took me a bit to get into, but once it started to get interesting, it could keep my attention. The story itself was interesting and the twists were good, though some points were just unnecessary. Why couldn't Mia tell Evie that the two of them escaped an abusive father/husband and that is why she is so weird about Evie's dad?? That would have made a lot more sense, but also Evie deserved that. I think all children should be told where they come from. Maybe don't tell a 2 year old about how terrible mommy/daddy was, but she's in her 20's, she could have handled knowing that her absent father was a bad man.

There were a few phrases here and there that didn't make sense to me personally, or words were added/omitted that made it a little confusing to read at times. Though it didn't hinder the overall reading experience I'd say.

The only thing that I actually could not stand in the book was Antonio. I don't know if were meant to dislike him, or if we are supposed to think he is simply a goofy puppy dog character who means well but can mess up in the moment. No idea, but I hated him and honestly I think he added nothing to the story. Evie should have dumped him well before he randomly proposed to her when she was in the middle of trying to have a serious conversation about this part of her identity that had been hidden from her. The fact they are still together at the end of the book, astounds me, and I think it is stupid.

I also was not the biggest fan of everyone calling Lucy crazy. Not that I have a problem with the word in the context, but more that everyone ganged up on her, even after it came out that he was a certifiably terrible person that "admitted" to killing his wife! But nope, because Lucy was "crazy" (as Sam had made her out to be) everyone had to have his back about it. Rachel was almost a decent character until she was revealed to STILL be obsessed with the man who admitted to her that he killed his wife.

The part that I am unsure about, accuracy wise, was Taylor's interview/escape. They interviewed her in a cell and not an integration room? Even if she was a suspect from the jump, they wouldn't do it in a cell. Then there are the parts where Adra tells the recorded that Sinead left the room, or what Taylor's actions were. I don't understand how either of those things warranted telling the recording rather than just making a note of it, but I could be wrong and it was portrayed accurately. Then her escape... I have no idea how they did it in 1999, specifically in England, but as far as I know even back then they would have kept an eye on Taylor, regardless of her status as a murder suspect, she was escorted in by police, so they should have had someone on her at all times, no?

Overall, I would probably recommend this book, but it isn't one of my favorites.

The premise for this one is what drew me to it. The beginning was strong and it was super fast but then it just fizzled out for me. The first twist was just so underwhelming and I was very disappointed. The following twist was definitely much better and enhanced my experience of the book, but I just felt like I wanted more from the direction this novel took.

3,75 stars.
What the Nanny Said is filled with secrets, manipulation and gaslighting. Nothing is as it seems which had me questioning everything all the time: who was “good” and who was “bad”? Is the narrator reliable? What is the real version of the events that took place?

The story has a dual timeline, the past and the present, both full of twists and turns. This kept me engaged throughout the whole book, except that at times it was a bit too dragged out. Also the police interviews were so exaggerated that Taylor’s story came over pretty unbelievable since she had thought of every single detail.

All in all it’s a really good book for people who want to get into thrillers, and I highly recommend reading it!

This was a well written, spooky thriller of a book. Not my usual type of book but one I enjoyed. A tale of suspense and wanting what other people have.