1999, a child goes missing and the nanny is blamed. Present day, Hayley’s past comes back to haunt her…
The Nanny is a dual timeline book set in the UK and Thailand, in the present day and in 1999. The majority of the book alternates between the two times.
Hayley is a busy mum of Alice in the present day. But the events of 1999 are never far from her mind. The baby she was caring for disappeared and was never found. Now someone thinks Hayley knows the truth and is determined to uncover it at any cost.
There is a real tension to the book as there are plenty of clues that give us the opportunity to guess what really happened in the past. The writer gets plenty of emotion into her narrative as Hayley’s experiences and vulnerabilities in the past and present are described. I was so angry at how she is treated by a number of characters in both timelines (always a good sign when a book makes you feels something!)
The pace is quite slow as we gradually discover how the past timeline developed and how this has impacted on Hayley in the present. There are some big twists and I did guess one of them but there were more!
The Nanny is a highly emotive psychological thriller.
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The Nanny: An absolutely unputdownable, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller by Ruth Heald
As I clutched baby Chloe’s blanket, tears streamed down my face as I remembered what happened the night she disappeared. Looking up at the apartment block I once called home, my mind was crowded with memories. David’s words echoed in my head, telling me to get out and never come back. I understood why: our mistake had ruined everything.
When I accepted a job working as a nanny for David and Julie and their young children, I was excited to be making my own way in the world. I bonded with baby Chloe instantly and would have done anything for her. She had David’s thick, dark hair and smiling eyes. I fell in love with her and was excited for my future.
But when a terrible mistake led to Chloe disappearing, I was instantly blamed. With no evidence, I was let go and I returned home to rebuild my life.
Twenty years later and I am still haunted by what happened. I have a family of my own now and I’ve worked hard to be the best wife and mother I can be, but I’ve never forgotten the child who stole my heart.
Then a young woman arrives on my doorstep and the past secret that I have kept from my family comes hurtling into my present.
I try to tell myself that I am overreacting. But the woman in front of me looks so much like David. Who is she and why is she here? And if I welcome her in, will she want to be a part of my life, or destroy it?
A totally addictive psychological thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Shalini Boland.
Ruth Heald is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers THE WEDDING, I KNOW YOUR SECRET, THE MOTHER’S MISTAKE and THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS, and the relationship drama 27: SIX FRIENDS, ONE YEAR.
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor
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