The Perfect Nanny by Shari J. Ryan
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 28th February 2024
Published: 9th February 2024
★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)
DESCRIPTION:
“My baby! You stole my baby!” Lara Smith is hysterical, her red lipstick smeared. A teddy lies abandoned in the empty crib. But I wasn't hired to look after a baby. I didn’t even know this nursery existed…
Lara’s husband calls the police and screams: “The nanny has taken our little girl.”
I’m frozen in shock. This is impossible. I was only meant to be looking after the Smiths' nine-year-old twins…
I'm certain that earlier this evening when they left for their fancy event—Lara in high heels and a floor-length gown, Corbin in a tux—they never mentioned a baby. And they definitely didn’t show me this nursery room, up in the eaves of their sprawling, beachfront mansion.
But their angelic blonde twins are now blinking at me in matching horror, and my heart pounds painfully as handcuffs snap shut around my wrists.
As I'm pushed towards the waiting police car, I look back one last time and meet Lara's eyes. Am I imagining the cold calculation in them?
I try to swallow my panic. Why was I really hired for this job?
And then an even more chilling thought races through my mind. Do Lara and Corbin know who I really am? Because if they do, my life is in terrible danger…
An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will get your heart racing like crazy. Prepare yourself for jaw-dropping, mind-blowing twists! Perfect for fans of addictive page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.
MY THOUGHTS:
They say I took their baby...but I didn't know she was there...
Well this is a convoluted tale if ever I heard one. What started out as a compelling mystery that flipped everything on its head got just a little bit drawn out into the ridiculous. I could kind of see where the author was going but some of it was just a little out of left field to be believable. I did enjoy the Psychology dissertation case study, as it was a clever touch to the story, but was disappointed with the outcome of that.
Haley Vaughn is a twenty seven year old psychology student on the cusp of a promising career. But first she just needs to complete her degree and get her doctorate and until then, money doesn't grow on trees. She'll be paying off her student loans by the time her own children graduate.
And so she places an ad in the local classifieds seeking a nanny position for the summer while her rich bestie plans on returning home at her parents' expense. When Lara Smith responds to Haley's ad, she's surprised when the mother of 9 year old twins books and pays for her to partake in a first aid certification course...followed by her $40 an hour rate to care for her twins for the evening as a trial run for the summer.
When Haley arrives at their multi-million home on the water, she is introduced to twins Madden and Blakely, before given a brief run-down of things. No entering their parents' bedroom and no hide and seek. Why this is not allowed Haley has no idea. But Corbin Smith was clear. And so Haley settles the twins down in front of a movie about mermaids (Madden's obsession) with two bowls of popcorn.
With the exception of the slight hiccup when the girls "tricked" Haley into a game of hide and seek without her knowledge, the evening goes along smoothly. Until Lara and Corbin return home from their gala event and frantically begin searching the house while asking Haley what the hell has she done with their 15 month old baby daughter Fallon.
Baby? What baby? No one mentioned a baby when she took this job. Lara Smith clearly stated her 9 year old twins. She never ever mentioned a baby.
Haley finds herself arrested and accused of kidnapping the baby she claims she never knew existed. Soon Haley finds herself questioning everyone and everything around her. And she isn't sure who she can trust. But in this game of manipulation, just where does the truth end and the lies begin?
This is a well plotted psychological thriller but it did end up a bit of convoluted tale that lost me a little along the way. I enjoyed it though I could see where it was going and the potential it had. It will have you second guessing everyone and everything too.
So why was Haley the perfect nanny? Where was baby Fallon, if she ever existed? You'll have to read it to find out. But be warned, you will have to suspend belief a little as it stretches the imagination with a little too much elasticity. But an entertaining read all the same.
I would like to thank #ShariJRyan, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #ThePerfectNanny in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Shortly after graduation from Johnson & Wales with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Shari began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer. She then found her passion for writing books in 2012 after her second son was born. Shari has been slaying words ever since.
With two Rone Awards and over 125k books sold, Shari has hit the USA Today Bestseller List, the Amazon's Top 100, Barnes & Noble's Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. Some of Shari’s bestselling books include Last Words, The Other Blue Sky, Unspoken Words and A Heart of Time.
Shari, a lifelong Boston girl, is happily married to her personal hero and US Marine and they have two wonderful little boys.
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