Ratings2
Average rating3.5
I was hesitant to read this book because I'm not a huge fan of domestic thrillers. At first, I was not enjoying it much. I found the characters to be frustratingly obsessive and unlikeable. As the book went on, the plot intensified and became a bit more engaging. In the end, it is a solid 3 stars for me.
The book is told in dual timelines. In the present, Sara Goldman, her husband, and her son are moving into a new home in a new city. It immediately becomes clear that they have run away from something in their previous city, and they are on edge, especially Sarah. She finds hidden cameras in the new home and feels like she is being watched. Her husband does not seem as concerned about these things, making the reader believe that maybe Sarah is paranoid. Then, the timeline switches to a few months before when the Goldmans hired a new babysitter for their son. Holly Munroe seems like a perfect babysitter at first, but Sarah begins to suspect that there are secrets Holly is concealing.
The chapters alternate timelines and character point of view. They are told from Sarah's and Holly's perspectives, so the reader gets some insight into both of their feelings and motivations. The plot is well constructed to keep the reader in suspense as to what is really going on and who is responsible for the things that are happening to the Goldman's in the present timeline.
I would have enjoyed the book more if at least one of the characters had been likeable. I struggled to feel sympathy for anyone. I also am not a fan of domestic thrillers as previously stated, so the fault may not be entirely in the book. It is just not to my tastes.
Overall, I found the book to be okay. I am not likely to want to reread it, but I would recommend it to fans of domestic thrillers with dual timelines and suspicious characters.