The Nanny Problem by Nolon King and Lauren Street is the first book in the new The Nanny Problem series This is a domestic thriller, which was full with secrets and big lies, which made it a rollercoaster ride. However, the first few chapters was slow paced and I was going t give up on it, But then Bang it all started to happen and became fast paced and became a good read. So don;'t give up on it. I only stayed with it as I love the way Nolon King and Lauren Street write and I have loved their other books I have read, as they are my must read authors.

I am looking forward reading the next book within this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for this ARC!

I’ve seen a few readers compare this story to The Housemaid, but I have to strongly disagree with that. Despite its issues (don't worry, we’ll get to those), I enjoyed this one A LOT more than I did The Housemaid. This one kept me turning the pages, even if I occasionally rolled my eyes while doing it.

Let’s start with the characters. The adult cast feels like it was cut from a very familiar cloth; we have the down-on-her-luck nanny who can’t afford to lose her job, the volatile housewife who flips between extremes (but curiously only when it comes to Zoe or Brenden), and a husband who’s… well, there. The wife, in particular, seems completely apathetic when it comes to her child, except for one oddly intense moment that felt more like a plot device than a genuine reaction.

And speaking of the child. Something is definitely up with Cece. She’s just too chill for a toddler. Like, eerily so. It had me wondering if either of the authors has ever spent more than five consecutive minutes with a young child as she doesn't act like any toddler I’ve ever known, and I’ve raised two of my own.

That being said, even with the thin characters and questionable toddler behavior, the story still managed to hook me. There’s something about the pacing, the atmosphere, or maybe just the general mess of it all that worked. It was entertaining, which, at the end of the day, is exactly what I was looking for.

Until it went completely off the rails for me. Because you see, once the book reaches a certain point it becomes clear that certain people deserve each other, and it really pushes the bounds of plausibility. How was someone able to get away with what they did? How was required testing passed? Why was everyone so in love with Brenden? These were all questions that I needed answers to. At least everyone got what they deserved in the end, so there was that.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This was good some of the characters were unlikable but I enjoyed this one a page turner and a wtf I just read moment

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK. I couldn’t put it down. There was one typo but it honestly made the book better!! Can’t wait to read more from this author!

This book represents exactly what i love about thrillers. I cant wait to not shut up about it. The pacing made it hard to put down. I was skeptical as to why theres no low star reviews and its clearly because this book is so good. It kept reminding me of hidden pictures but if hidden pictures didnt flop at the end.

A great thriller and a great author pairing! I’m glad to know this is part of a series, I’ll definitely be reading the next installment. Thanks for early access!

Fantastic, fast paced and twisty. These two authors do an incredible job of delivering a plot which is detailed and complex without being confusing and a set of characters who all have their own agendas. Collaborations can seem disjointed but King and Street have created a seamless, elegant offering which will please their fans and new readers alike.

Zoe Smith accepts a Nanny position
The house house is lovely and she will be looking after a little girl
When another nanny has been found dead
And she is wearing Zoe hood on
I had an ARC

I actually really liked this book, I finished it in less than 12 hours with two young kids! It was so captivating and caught my attention immediately. some things I do wish were a little different or more in depth.

The Nanny Problem is an absolutely wild read!!

You'll want ot cancel all your plans before starting this one, because it is an absolute page turner!

A 5-star read!

eeesh you dont accept a job thinking you will be stepping into this do you!? wow. what a domestic thriller that packs an exciting punch.i love the story behind the authors too. it must be kind of cool to work like they do. or perhaps sometimes not too! it takes school to come together to write something never mind something so good.
Zoe doesn't think she can get any worse in life. shes low. things just seem to be going wrong. so when the chance to escape that life and be a live in nanny with good salary comes up she knows its going to be an automatic yes.
but almost on arrival there is a off feeling about this all. she cant shake the feeling she gets from the couple. but is she being paranoid? is her past clouding her judgements?
it turns out everyone has secrets in this household. but are some more dangerous than others?
the tense feelings and unease that the authors creates is really great in this book. i enjoyed that feeling of being on edge and never quite knowing...never quite knowing what though?
in these books i always hope im rooting for the right thing and part of the excitement is the pay off at the end.or not as the case has been a few times! either way i love it.

So fast paced I would say one more chapter and before I knew it I had finished the whole book. It is absolutely twisted. My heart broke for Cece. I am glad that she had such a good nanny. The plot is highly addictive and impossible to turn away from. This was the book I needed to get me out of a slump.

Great read
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2025
I devoured this book as it caught my attention from the beginning. I found it to be an easy fast paced read. There are so many twists and turns that you never guess who is lying. I highly recommend this book!

THE NANNY PROBLEM - A joint effort between Nolon King and Lauren Street, one of my must read authors. I was not disappointed and really enjoyed the meaty last quarter of the book especially. Interesting story lines, a variety of characters, some giveaways - in my opinion, and a good pace. Good twists here and there. I'm ready for the next book, although the gist appears as the nanny is sorta set up like an unwilling agent as a in Thriller genre. Source: Netgalley. 4*

The Nanny Problem by Nolan King and Lauren Street is a gripping domestic thriller packed with secrets, lies, and emotional intensity. From the very first chapter, the authors create a slow-burning sense of unease that builds into a thrilling, twist-filled unraveling of truth and betrayal.

The heart of the story lies with Zoe, a character who is both relatable and compelling. As layers of deception begin to peel away, the emotional weight of her journey becomes palpable. Her vulnerability, confusion, and determination are portrayed with depth and empathy, making the revelations all the more impactful.

The pacing is well-executed, with tension mounting at just the right moments. When the truth is finally revealed, it hits hard, delivering not only shock but emotional resonance that lingers long after the final page.

With its well-crafted plot and emotionally charged storytelling, The Nanny Problem is a standout psychological drama. King and Street have delivered a taut, addictive read that will satisfy any fan of twisty, character-driven suspense.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only is our FMC deeply relatable and personable, following her POV while going through the twists and turns of the plot was both thrilling and hilarious. The plot itself was captivating and although some of it was predictable, plenty of it was not. I highly recommend for anyone who wants to get started in the mystery/thriller genre without anything too graphic or heavy. The only reason why i didn’t give this five stars (and i really considered it) was the use of dramatic effect that was either out of place or had no payout. Phrases like “they were a minefield of secrets” when nothing remotely suspicious had actually happened yet were so out of context it jolted me out of the story. Thankfully this didn’t happen often, but it left me expecting bigger things to happen than what actually did.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful thriller. The character development was great and I found myself relating to Zoe. The ending left me satisfied. I've read several books by this author team before and I hope they continue to write many more books together. Can't wait for the next installment in this series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Enjoyed this domestic thriller, it definitely brought the heat in the last third of the book. Although the first part wasn’t action packed, it set the premises of a mysterious story that will keep readers engaged and curious.

Zoe has hit rock bottom, and when an opportunity presents itself to be a nanny for the Stockports, she simply can’t refuse this live in nanny position with a good salary. When she arrives, she begins to immediately think something is very suspicious with this couple, Lili & Brendan Stockport. The truth is eventually uncovered about this wealthy, narcissistic couple.

Overall, a great thriller that makes me want to dive more into Nolon & Lauren’s catalogue. This story was suspenseful, intriguing, and held my attention throughout the entire story. The writing style with sharp, precise and although this was my first read by these authors, it certainly won’t be my last. Thank you Sterling & Stone and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Publication 🗓️ : 06.24.25

The Nanny Problem has the bones of a good thriller.

The Nanny Problem will feel familiar for fans of The Housemaid. An unstable wealthy household, a desperate outsider nanny, a too-perfect family hiding a mess of secrets, and an undercurrent of danger.

However, it left me wishing for sharper prose, more thoughtful characterization, and a faster pace. With tighter editing and non-robotic dialogue, this story could have been a banger.

Zoe is out of options when her friend helps her land a job as a live-in nanny for a wealthy family. Lili, the mom, is ice-cold towards her own daughter and seems vaguely unhinged. Brendan, the father, is charming and attractive but seems aloof and pretty absent from the day to day of his own household.

And something’s up with Cece, who is a little too chill for a toddler. The household is impressive, yet sterile. The other nannies and wives whisper of affairs and conspiracies. Worst of all, someone might be following Zoe. Zoe quickly realizes things don’t feel right, but doesn’t have much of a choice except to stick it out.

The atmosphere is tense from the start.

The authors are clearly going for a gothic, claustrophobic sense of dread that works well in domestic suspense novels like this one. The setting details are engaging. There are a few late-stage twists that genuinely surprised me, and if you don’t mind a slow burn, you might be willing to overlook some of the execution flaws and find some enjoyment in the plot.

If you’re willing to go along for the ride, you’ll be waiting until the pacing picks up in the final third to enjoy any pay off.

I really don’t care how authors want to use AI to help them write their books, but I certainly shouldn’t be able to tell that they used it through the glaringly AI-driven sentence structure, repetition, and lack of creative figurative language.

The prose is repetitive, the metaphors are tired, and the dialogue painfully unnatural. (No one under the age of 40 says, “that’s rich,” and the emojis attached to the texts are very cringe as well). The abundance of unnecessary em dashes gives it away as well (I love a well-placed em dash as much as the next guy, but this manuscript is riddled with poorly used em dashes. So, this loses a star for me.

Character development is frustrating as well.

Zoe, our protagonist, has no clear inner life, no emotional depth despite her life falling apart, and requires too much suspension of disbelief. Cece, the toddler, behaves in ways that make me wonder if the authors have never spent time with an actual child.

And Lili, Cece’s mother, is reduced to a single character trait: obsessed with her husband. She’s a glaring attempt at replicating the wife from The Housemaid, down to the fact that she’s bi-polar in her treatment towards the nanny and always wearing white.

The “must be that time of the month” quip that Zoe makes along with the fact that THREE different women in the story are apparently all in a cat fight with each other over Brenden made me roll my eyes.

The middle of the book drags a bit. For 30+ chapters, almost nothing happens beyond vague marital tension, tense social interactions, and clunky Zoe inner monologues. The book also weirdly reminds you of its own mysteries multiple times, even going so far as to list out clues and recap big plot questions as if it doesn’t trust the reader to keep up.

There were a couple of editing misses and errors. I found a reference to a “Rosie” in chapter 22 (there is no character named Rosie) and an errant apostrophe in chapter 19. Do a search and find for the repetition that AI is known for, specifically around the phrase “by the time” and recurring words like “symphony.”

Where The Housemaid succeeds in creating character arcs grounded in trauma and survival, The Nanny Problem falls pretty flat in the depth department. The narrative leans more into soap opera tropes than anything else. There is some exploration of classism, but it’s primarily focused on being underdressed and feeling judged rather than the real effects of classism or its power dynamics.

If you’re looking for something tightly written with vivid characters and a twist that feels earned, you’re better off rereading The Housemaid. Worth a read if you don’t mind unimpressive prose and just want a twisty plot.

2.5/5 stars – Two stars for an interesting atmosphere and plot. Minus one star for lacking binge-worthiness due to the slow pace, minus half a star for lack of being genuinely scary or thrilling at any point (seems like a symptom of the slow plot so won’t take a full star for this), and minus one star for unimpressive craft that sometimes reads like ChatGPT. I will round up out of respect for the authors and their effort in creating this story.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When Zoe Smith accepts a nanny position with the wealthy Stockport family, it feels like the fresh start she’s always wanted: a beautiful home, a privileged life, and a sweet little girl who needs her. But something is off at Stockport Estate. Cece’s mother is distant, her father is cold, and Zoe can’t shake the feeling that she’s the only one truly looking out for the child. Then, a stranger arrives, delivering a cryptic warning before trying to kidnap Cece. When a neighbor’s nanny is found dead, dressed in Zoe’s hoodie, the message is clear: someone wants her gone! Fantastic read! This book had chilling suspense, murder, dark secrets, mystery, intrigue, kidnapping, and a few jaw dropping twists! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!