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The Assistant
I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.
Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.
And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.
Entrusted with her secrets and running her diary from the bijou basement flat, I’m on hand to fulfil Ris’ every need. Her right-hand woman. But what she doesn’t know is why I’m really here.
I’ve put a lot on the line to get this job, and now my plan can begin.
I’ve waited long enough.
From the bestselling author of Close to Me , now a major TV series starring Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston
'This book! The tension , the intrigue ! I was desperate to know what “The Assistant“ was up to… loved every second.' Jackie Kabler
'Brilliantly written ... Twisty, dark and witty. A total page turner! ' Karen Hamilton
'A smouldering tale of obsession ... Amanda Reynolds weaves a skilful web of lies and intrigue, suffused with menace until the last killer twist .' Jane Bailey
' Sharp and fresh! A thrilling page-turner that captures the fake world of influencers, social media, and those in the shadows.' Lauren North
'The Assistant ; will keep you up all night! A smart and twisty thriller, laced with dark humour and menace. A morality tale for our times.' Tracey Emerson
'I was completely absorbed by the twists and turns and the unsettling atmosphere ... the twists and turns at the end made it impossible to want to do anything but read, read, read.... Such a great book' Alice Kuipers
'Brilliant - unique voice and structure, with twists in plot and perspective that kept me guessing to the end.' Jo Callaghan
'An absolutely gripping story, told in such a unique way.' Melanie Golding
‘ Marvellously dark, clever, twisty and relevant. Highsmith for the modern age. I was completely gripped.’ Anna Mazzola
'Beautifully written … Gail is a superbly drawn, fascinating character and it’s a refreshing change to read something from the viewpoint of a woman ‘of a certain age'.' Nikki Smith
'A cracking twist ' Kate Riordan
Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.
And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.
Entrusted with her secrets and running her diary from the bijou basement flat, I’m on hand to fulfil Ris’ every need. Her right-hand woman. But what she doesn’t know is why I’m really here.
I’ve put a lot on the line to get this job, and now my plan can begin.
I’ve waited long enough.
From the bestselling author of Close to Me , now a major TV series starring Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston
'This book! The tension , the intrigue ! I was desperate to know what “The Assistant“ was up to… loved every second.' Jackie Kabler
'Brilliantly written ... Twisty, dark and witty. A total page turner! ' Karen Hamilton
'A smouldering tale of obsession ... Amanda Reynolds weaves a skilful web of lies and intrigue, suffused with menace until the last killer twist .' Jane Bailey
' Sharp and fresh! A thrilling page-turner that captures the fake world of influencers, social media, and those in the shadows.' Lauren North
'The Assistant ; will keep you up all night! A smart and twisty thriller, laced with dark humour and menace. A morality tale for our times.' Tracey Emerson
'I was completely absorbed by the twists and turns and the unsettling atmosphere ... the twists and turns at the end made it impossible to want to do anything but read, read, read.... Such a great book' Alice Kuipers
'Brilliant - unique voice and structure, with twists in plot and perspective that kept me guessing to the end.' Jo Callaghan
'An absolutely gripping story, told in such a unique way.' Melanie Golding
‘ Marvellously dark, clever, twisty and relevant. Highsmith for the modern age. I was completely gripped.’ Anna Mazzola
'Beautifully written … Gail is a superbly drawn, fascinating character and it’s a refreshing change to read something from the viewpoint of a woman ‘of a certain age'.' Nikki Smith
'A cracking twist ' Kate Riordan
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2023
746 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Reynolds
20 books29 followersLibrarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile contains books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
March 25, 2023
3.5 stars rounded down.
I know many things about Larissa. I know what she eats, what must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected 'piece' in her multi=million-pound home in Belgravia. Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share. And now I'm here, in her home, watching her every move.
This book is written in the form of emails, interviews and texts. The pace is quite slow for the first quarter of the book. It was also confusing and easy to follow until I got used to the way the book is written. The plot structure is social media based. I had high expectations after reading the premise, but unfortunately it fell a bit short. The characters came across a bit flat and hard to connect to. It's not all a bad read, it just takes a while to get to the better parts.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #AmandaReynolds for my ARC of #TheAssistant in exchange for an honest review.
I know many things about Larissa. I know what she eats, what must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected 'piece' in her multi=million-pound home in Belgravia. Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share. And now I'm here, in her home, watching her every move.
This book is written in the form of emails, interviews and texts. The pace is quite slow for the first quarter of the book. It was also confusing and easy to follow until I got used to the way the book is written. The plot structure is social media based. I had high expectations after reading the premise, but unfortunately it fell a bit short. The characters came across a bit flat and hard to connect to. It's not all a bad read, it just takes a while to get to the better parts.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #AmandaReynolds for my ARC of #TheAssistant in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2023
This book was written in an interesting style, through interviews, diary entries, and emails, but I found the first 3/4 of it to be somewhat boring. The book centers on Gail, who applies to be an Executive Assistant for Ris, making it clear she has some kind of plot in mind to which the reader isn’t privy. All is revealed (slowly!) as the book leads up to the current time.
I liked the style of the book and I even kind of liked Gail (though I am clearly in the minority) but, as mentioned above, I found most of the book to be boring and slow. Lots of day to day happenings and repetitive inner thoughts. That being said, the last 25% of the book was really good and moved at a much faster pace. There were a couple big twists in the story- one that I figured out early, and one that came as a surprise. The end was OK- I didn’t have a strong opinion on how it all wrapped up.
Overall, this was definitely a unique storytelling style and an overall good story, but I wish it had been shorter and more crisp for the majority of the book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the style of the book and I even kind of liked Gail (though I am clearly in the minority) but, as mentioned above, I found most of the book to be boring and slow. Lots of day to day happenings and repetitive inner thoughts. That being said, the last 25% of the book was really good and moved at a much faster pace. There were a couple big twists in the story- one that I figured out early, and one that came as a surprise. The end was OK- I didn’t have a strong opinion on how it all wrapped up.
Overall, this was definitely a unique storytelling style and an overall good story, but I wish it had been shorter and more crisp for the majority of the book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2023
I know many things about Larissa.
I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.
Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.
And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.
Sounds exciting doesn't it and I was very much expecting to love this book after reading the blurb, I definitely had high expectations. Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite slow and I had to push myself through the first third of it. At around the 30% mark it did pick up but in saying that I still found this a bit of a drag. I didn't find the story particularly compelling and I felt the characters lacked a lot of depth which did not aid in any plot development.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.
Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.
And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.
Sounds exciting doesn't it and I was very much expecting to love this book after reading the blurb, I definitely had high expectations. Unfortunately, I found this book to be quite slow and I had to push myself through the first third of it. At around the 30% mark it did pick up but in saying that I still found this a bit of a drag. I didn't find the story particularly compelling and I felt the characters lacked a lot of depth which did not aid in any plot development.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 4, 2023
She's in your house...she knows your secrets...
Gail is on a mission...to take down Larissa. Why? I'm not sure I could really work that out. But even so, she wants her revenge on Larissa so much that she becomes her personal executive assistant. And as her assistant, she knows all her habits and her secrets.
Larissa, a social media influencer, married a much older and very wealthy man Miles Fox, who incidentally gained the nickname "Air Miles" due to his love for hostesses and waitresses and the like. Together they bought an eighteen room five story mansion house at number 56 Lexington Gardens, an exclusive address on millionaire's row in London's affluent Belgravia.
Gail knows everything about Larissa. She knows what she eats, what cosmetics and perfumes she uses, the price of each carefully selected piece in her multi-million pound home. She even knows the value of each stem of flower freshly adorning the rooms of that home that Larissa discards weekly for a fresh bunch.
Being a social media influencer, Larissa likes to share. Everything.
And now Gail is in her home, as her personal executive assistant, watching her every move.
Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Well, that's about all it sounds because believe me it isn't. Told through a series of interviews with Gail (mostly), emails and diary entries, THE ASSISTANT is a slow burning psychological thriller...a very slow burn. It's a tale of revenge that was a so glacial I began to wonder if anything was going to happen. Because all that was happening was a disgruntled ex-employee mouthing off to a a journalist about anything and everything, complaining about her lot. It was clear Gail hated Larissa. Honestly, I didn't care. I skipped to the end and you know what? I still didn't care. The story went absolutely nowhere.
I hate DNFing a book and leaving a negative review. But I was bored and Gail irritated me no end with her endless waffling. I am really sorry but I did try. I wanted to like this book...but I just couldn't.
I would like to thank #AmandaReynolds, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheAssistant in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Gail is on a mission...to take down Larissa. Why? I'm not sure I could really work that out. But even so, she wants her revenge on Larissa so much that she becomes her personal executive assistant. And as her assistant, she knows all her habits and her secrets.
Larissa, a social media influencer, married a much older and very wealthy man Miles Fox, who incidentally gained the nickname "Air Miles" due to his love for hostesses and waitresses and the like. Together they bought an eighteen room five story mansion house at number 56 Lexington Gardens, an exclusive address on millionaire's row in London's affluent Belgravia.
Gail knows everything about Larissa. She knows what she eats, what cosmetics and perfumes she uses, the price of each carefully selected piece in her multi-million pound home. She even knows the value of each stem of flower freshly adorning the rooms of that home that Larissa discards weekly for a fresh bunch.
Being a social media influencer, Larissa likes to share. Everything.
And now Gail is in her home, as her personal executive assistant, watching her every move.
Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Well, that's about all it sounds because believe me it isn't. Told through a series of interviews with Gail (mostly), emails and diary entries, THE ASSISTANT is a slow burning psychological thriller...a very slow burn. It's a tale of revenge that was a so glacial I began to wonder if anything was going to happen. Because all that was happening was a disgruntled ex-employee mouthing off to a a journalist about anything and everything, complaining about her lot. It was clear Gail hated Larissa. Honestly, I didn't care. I skipped to the end and you know what? I still didn't care. The story went absolutely nowhere.
I hate DNFing a book and leaving a negative review. But I was bored and Gail irritated me no end with her endless waffling. I am really sorry but I did try. I wanted to like this book...but I just couldn't.
I would like to thank #AmandaReynolds, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheAssistant in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 18, 2023
Social media themed thrillers are a new and popular genre and "The Assistant" tells the story from the perspective of the scammer rather than the victim which is the norm. Gail Frost is a woman with a mission; a mission to destroy the life of Larissa Fox, a social media influencer and the wife of an older, wealthy man named Miles. We don't find out why Gail wants to destroy Larissa for quite a while but the author does leave enough clues to figure it out before it gets revealed. Gail tells her story in the form of interviews with a reporter and occasional emails between this reporter and another person. The first part of the book was kind of slow for me and Gail's endless complaints about Larissa's large size 8 feet, her clothes, her makeup etc got old pretty quickly.
Gail is able to enter Larissa's life by forging an identity as a personal assistant and Larissa falls for it, quickly brining Gail in to handle her social media accounts and run errands. While Larissa seems vapid and lonely, Gail's complete hatred of her doesn't make much sense. There are a couple of big twists in the book and I guessed one but not the other but both are very clever. I would have liked the story to have some feedback from Larissa's point of view.. The last few chapters of the book do a good job at tying the various parts of the story together and bring the then and now chapters together to explain the plot. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
Gail is able to enter Larissa's life by forging an identity as a personal assistant and Larissa falls for it, quickly brining Gail in to handle her social media accounts and run errands. While Larissa seems vapid and lonely, Gail's complete hatred of her doesn't make much sense. There are a couple of big twists in the book and I guessed one but not the other but both are very clever. I would have liked the story to have some feedback from Larissa's point of view.. The last few chapters of the book do a good job at tying the various parts of the story together and bring the then and now chapters together to explain the plot. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
April 18, 2023
This book has a great premise. I loved the storyline but I think this book needed more editing. The chapters are divided into "interviews" yet the chapters aren't written in an interview style, or any format that comes across as an interview. I've never read any Amanda Reynolds books before that I can remember so maybe it's just me not being familiar with her format of writing.
I liked the characters and the building suspense - the writing is good - I just think with a little more editing and formatting this book could be a 4-5 star read.
I liked the characters and the building suspense - the writing is good - I just think with a little more editing and formatting this book could be a 4-5 star read.
November 15, 2025
This book was great! It kept me guessing as I didn’t know what to expect especially when you get to the end and learn the truth about everything that has previously go on in the book. I liked how the book was an interview about things that had happened in the past, it did feel like you were living in it not going through an interview! However, the book wasn’t as tied up at the end as I would of like it to be, hence why it got 4 stars and not 5.
The end of this book left me with questions, more than anything else ‘what happened next?’ I do like when a book has you by the throat like that but only when a second book follows! I didn’t like how the last pages where the same as the first pages as I got bored with them as I knew I had already read them before. I know that is there for some sort of affect, but it wasn’t what I was looking for, I wanted a neat bow tied at the end not a messy one.
I liked the characters throughout this book, I felt sorry for each and everyone of them at times but at other times throughout the book I hated them. I like when a book has that power emotionally over you that you fall so deep into it you feel like you are living alongside the characters. This is my first book by this author and I can say she definitely didn’t disappoint. It wont be my last book by her I can say that with certainty.
The end of this book left me with questions, more than anything else ‘what happened next?’ I do like when a book has you by the throat like that but only when a second book follows! I didn’t like how the last pages where the same as the first pages as I got bored with them as I knew I had already read them before. I know that is there for some sort of affect, but it wasn’t what I was looking for, I wanted a neat bow tied at the end not a messy one.
I liked the characters throughout this book, I felt sorry for each and everyone of them at times but at other times throughout the book I hated them. I like when a book has that power emotionally over you that you fall so deep into it you feel like you are living alongside the characters. This is my first book by this author and I can say she definitely didn’t disappoint. It wont be my last book by her I can say that with certainty.
February 22, 2023
Many thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Amanda for the advanced copy.
The blurb was intriguing to readers, including myself. I had high expectation on this thriller, but I found it not too easy to follow the storyline through the interview and report ways.
Ris was an influencer, always busy with her online social platform life to show her followers how awesome and untouchable her life was. Gail applied to be Ris’s Executive Assistant purposely and Gail knew all her secret…
The tension the writer built up was well, so if you enjoy reading gripping thriller, it is worth to read this book.
The blurb was intriguing to readers, including myself. I had high expectation on this thriller, but I found it not too easy to follow the storyline through the interview and report ways.
Ris was an influencer, always busy with her online social platform life to show her followers how awesome and untouchable her life was. Gail applied to be Ris’s Executive Assistant purposely and Gail knew all her secret…
The tension the writer built up was well, so if you enjoy reading gripping thriller, it is worth to read this book.
April 14, 2023
The Assistant is cleverly told through emails, diary entries, interviews and social media.
Larissa is a social media influencer who shares everything and anything about her life as long as it brings her the attention she craves. Gail is her new assistant whose soul mission is to singlehandedly destroy 'Ris.
I found myself staying up till the early hours reading it. It was intriguing, compelling and oh, so twisty.
It's a slow starter that soon picks up a steady pace , and when it does, you'll not want to put it down, I didn't until I'd finished.
Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Larissa is a social media influencer who shares everything and anything about her life as long as it brings her the attention she craves. Gail is her new assistant whose soul mission is to singlehandedly destroy 'Ris.
I found myself staying up till the early hours reading it. It was intriguing, compelling and oh, so twisty.
It's a slow starter that soon picks up a steady pace , and when it does, you'll not want to put it down, I didn't until I'd finished.
Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 16, 2024
This was an odd one it’s writing style isn’t something I’ve come across before in the books I’ve read, however it did it’s job in capturing one’s attention as you delve further into the book.
For people who like a bit of thriller/mystery/crime this would be right up your street.
Telling the story of an assistant to an influencer, and the lies and deception that start to unravel.
The ending was a little disappointing for me and if you have read it or will read it you might figure out why.
For people who like a bit of thriller/mystery/crime this would be right up your street.
Telling the story of an assistant to an influencer, and the lies and deception that start to unravel.
The ending was a little disappointing for me and if you have read it or will read it you might figure out why.
March 31, 2025
This was like hard to explain how I feel about this one. It wasn’t a horrible read. It just was sorta missing somethings. I don’t like how it was literally one person perspective so it was hard to really get to know the other characters. And the interview style threw me off a bit. I can’t explain it really lol. But I finished it regardless so it wasn’t too bad of a read.
March 29, 2024
Delightfully mindblowing! So excited I’ve been invited to read an early copy of Her Husband’s Lies!
February 5, 2025
3.5! The first maybe 2/3rds were slow but started to pick up towards the end! A tad predictable but I liked the twists
May 5, 2023
TRIGGER WARNING: Some violence and a death
Gail enters Larissa's home to become her personal assistant. Larisa is known as Ris and has a large social media following. I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, but was doubting a bit before joining the blog tour, as I've reviewed books with people joining families and with social media in their plots that have been great and others that were not so great.
I believe in giving every book a chance though, so I gave this a chance too. The opening paragraphs were mysterious and then it was SLOW. The plot washed over me as uneventful and bland and I wasn't able to feel anything for the characters (who I so wanted to find out more about). I couldn't even visualise anything about the setting in my mind. The characters could have been more fleshed out and the setting and descriptions of people, places and things could have been much more visual.
I ended up skimming a lot of the book as it was monotonous and I wanted to know how things ended.
I felt disappointed by this as I really wanted to like this book. I tried to persevere with it and skipped some parts, hoping it would get more interesting. It didn't though.
I felt the pace was quick, but the writing style was too wordy. I didn't like the POVs. The interviews didn't grab my attention and I didn't glean any information from the texts.
This book just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Amanda Reynolds, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
3 stars.
Gail enters Larissa's home to become her personal assistant. Larisa is known as Ris and has a large social media following. I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, but was doubting a bit before joining the blog tour, as I've reviewed books with people joining families and with social media in their plots that have been great and others that were not so great.
I believe in giving every book a chance though, so I gave this a chance too. The opening paragraphs were mysterious and then it was SLOW. The plot washed over me as uneventful and bland and I wasn't able to feel anything for the characters (who I so wanted to find out more about). I couldn't even visualise anything about the setting in my mind. The characters could have been more fleshed out and the setting and descriptions of people, places and things could have been much more visual.
I ended up skimming a lot of the book as it was monotonous and I wanted to know how things ended.
I felt disappointed by this as I really wanted to like this book. I tried to persevere with it and skipped some parts, hoping it would get more interesting. It didn't though.
I felt the pace was quick, but the writing style was too wordy. I didn't like the POVs. The interviews didn't grab my attention and I didn't glean any information from the texts.
This book just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Amanda Reynolds, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
3 stars.
April 6, 2023
If you like your crime fiction twisty and twisted, THE ASSISTANT was written with you in mind. Think 'Notes On A Scandal’ for the Instagram age, as the lives, secrets, and wildly incompatible goals of two formidable women go head-to-head.
Ris is a social media sensation who appears to have it all. But her seemingly perfect life has reached a critical juncture. All that glamorous lunching, pampering and influencing won’t do itself, now will it? What choice does she have but to enlist the help of a new right hand woman? Enter Gail. Uh-oh.
I won’t risk any spoilers, other than to say even if I did let half a dozen of the twists slip that would still leave plenty hidden in plain sight to discover, Personally, I find those the most satisfying twists. The ones where it’s all right there in front of me and yet I still failed to see it. Amanda Reynolds excels at this. A few times I thought I’d worked things out; I was wrong.
The story hinges on social media in various guises and I enjoyed the way Ms Reynolds used this to pepper proceedings with different sorts of prose. Emails, voice mails, posts, interviews and script snippets all feature. It gives the novel added pace, as well as the opportunity for us to see what other make of Gail.
The plot structure feels very social media inspired as well, with things bursting into sudden frenzied activity out of nowhere before appearing to temporarily subside, only to then kick back off again, the twists gleefully increasing rather than winding down.
But the best thing about this is Gail’s voice. The language and preoccupations are a joy, and her ability to raise self-denial to breathtaking levels had me chuckling along in dread.
The Assistant is a one-off and I can’t wait to hear an Audible reading of Gail’s voice or, indeed, who will play her on TV.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me see an advance copy of this title.
Ris is a social media sensation who appears to have it all. But her seemingly perfect life has reached a critical juncture. All that glamorous lunching, pampering and influencing won’t do itself, now will it? What choice does she have but to enlist the help of a new right hand woman? Enter Gail. Uh-oh.
I won’t risk any spoilers, other than to say even if I did let half a dozen of the twists slip that would still leave plenty hidden in plain sight to discover, Personally, I find those the most satisfying twists. The ones where it’s all right there in front of me and yet I still failed to see it. Amanda Reynolds excels at this. A few times I thought I’d worked things out; I was wrong.
The story hinges on social media in various guises and I enjoyed the way Ms Reynolds used this to pepper proceedings with different sorts of prose. Emails, voice mails, posts, interviews and script snippets all feature. It gives the novel added pace, as well as the opportunity for us to see what other make of Gail.
The plot structure feels very social media inspired as well, with things bursting into sudden frenzied activity out of nowhere before appearing to temporarily subside, only to then kick back off again, the twists gleefully increasing rather than winding down.
But the best thing about this is Gail’s voice. The language and preoccupations are a joy, and her ability to raise self-denial to breathtaking levels had me chuckling along in dread.
The Assistant is a one-off and I can’t wait to hear an Audible reading of Gail’s voice or, indeed, who will play her on TV.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me see an advance copy of this title.
February 22, 2023
This is a seriously brilliant read. I loved Gail and her quirky mysterious ways. The interview and email format drew me in as a reader and submerged me so much that I read it in two sittings.
The plot is full of uncertainty, which keeps the pace galloping along. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Louise Candlish and Lisa Jewell. Five stars!
The plot is full of uncertainty, which keeps the pace galloping along. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Louise Candlish and Lisa Jewell. Five stars!
June 23, 2023
Didn’t like the style of the writing. Too many editing errors, things overlooked while editing.
October 27, 2023
Obsession and deception
Amanda Reynolds wrote “The Assistant” a crime fiction that kept me guessing. I hung onto every word like I was listening to juicy gossip from a friend. The twists in the end were a surprise.
This is a modern-day story. The setting is at the ritzy home of Ris and Miles Fox who live at 56 Lexington Gardens, Belgravia, London, England. A soap opera life of the rich and famous.
Amanda wrote the story in colloquial style as her character Ax, a true crime writer, was interviewing Gail. Gail knew Ax was a writer, so she set next to Ax on the train on purpose. Ax thought she and Gail met my coincidence. All of Gail’s ramblings ended up being a significant testimony as to what happened. Gail wanted to tell her side of the story, a sort of confession, to someone who would listen and not judge her. At first Ax didn’t take Gail seriously. She thought Gail was a bit eccentric but kept listening.
Gail explains how she landed a job as Ris’ assistant. A job she made up and Ris fell for. She manipulated her way into Ris’ life. Gail lived in the basement of the Fox’s home watching every move Ris made. Gail did her homework about Ris’ life before they met.
Gail was working for Ris under an assumed name. She suspected Ris was lying about her life and Gail wanted to protect Ris’ husband, Miles. Gail gained Ris’ trust. Gail almost lost her job after she pulled some antics when Ris went to Paris for the weekend that were quite hilarious, like sleeping in her bed and drinking her champagne, that Ris had no sense of humor about. Ris came home a day early and caught Gail. After making amends Gail worked hard to help Ris launch her book.
Ris took in a 19-year-old pregnant girl named Mia because Ris wanted Mia’s baby. Ris’ plan was to have Miles payoff Mia. Ris’ plans to take Mia’s baby backfired and Gail’s plans to protect Miles backfired. Ris wanted to have a baby and would go to any length to have one. Ris was her own worst enemy who was also leading a double life.
Gail and Ris had their own greedy reasons for wanting Miles. It was Gail’s plan to “topple” Ris. I thought Gail was after Ris, but it turns out she was after something else. Gail was obsessed with Miles. Ris was obsessed about having a baby.
The twists in Gails accounting of what happened in the house shocked me. I had to rethink the timeline. There was more than one twist in the conclusion.
I was rooting for Gail and Miles all the way up to the end.
The strong points are Ax’s ability to hang in there with Gail’s account of what happened, the writer’s ability to keep feeding the reader with enough information with each interview to compel the reader to keep reading.
There are a couple of violence scenes.
Amanda Reynolds wrote “The Assistant” a crime fiction that kept me guessing. I hung onto every word like I was listening to juicy gossip from a friend. The twists in the end were a surprise.
This is a modern-day story. The setting is at the ritzy home of Ris and Miles Fox who live at 56 Lexington Gardens, Belgravia, London, England. A soap opera life of the rich and famous.
Amanda wrote the story in colloquial style as her character Ax, a true crime writer, was interviewing Gail. Gail knew Ax was a writer, so she set next to Ax on the train on purpose. Ax thought she and Gail met my coincidence. All of Gail’s ramblings ended up being a significant testimony as to what happened. Gail wanted to tell her side of the story, a sort of confession, to someone who would listen and not judge her. At first Ax didn’t take Gail seriously. She thought Gail was a bit eccentric but kept listening.
Gail explains how she landed a job as Ris’ assistant. A job she made up and Ris fell for. She manipulated her way into Ris’ life. Gail lived in the basement of the Fox’s home watching every move Ris made. Gail did her homework about Ris’ life before they met.
Gail was working for Ris under an assumed name. She suspected Ris was lying about her life and Gail wanted to protect Ris’ husband, Miles. Gail gained Ris’ trust. Gail almost lost her job after she pulled some antics when Ris went to Paris for the weekend that were quite hilarious, like sleeping in her bed and drinking her champagne, that Ris had no sense of humor about. Ris came home a day early and caught Gail. After making amends Gail worked hard to help Ris launch her book.
Ris took in a 19-year-old pregnant girl named Mia because Ris wanted Mia’s baby. Ris’ plan was to have Miles payoff Mia. Ris’ plans to take Mia’s baby backfired and Gail’s plans to protect Miles backfired. Ris wanted to have a baby and would go to any length to have one. Ris was her own worst enemy who was also leading a double life.
Gail and Ris had their own greedy reasons for wanting Miles. It was Gail’s plan to “topple” Ris. I thought Gail was after Ris, but it turns out she was after something else. Gail was obsessed with Miles. Ris was obsessed about having a baby.
The twists in Gails accounting of what happened in the house shocked me. I had to rethink the timeline. There was more than one twist in the conclusion.
I was rooting for Gail and Miles all the way up to the end.
The strong points are Ax’s ability to hang in there with Gail’s account of what happened, the writer’s ability to keep feeding the reader with enough information with each interview to compel the reader to keep reading.
There are a couple of violence scenes.
February 15, 2024
Amanda Reynolds wrote “The Assistant” a crime fiction that kept me guessing. I hung onto every word like I was listening to juicy gossip from a friend. The twists in the end were a surprise.
This is a modern-day story. The setting is at the ritzy home of Ris and Miles Fox who live at 56 Lexington Gardens, Belgravia, London, England. A soap opera life of the rich and famous.
Amanda wrote the story in colloquial style as her character Ax, a true crime writer, was interviewing Gail. Gail knew Ax was a writer, so she set next to Ax on the train on purpose. Ax thought she and Gail met my coincidence. All of Gail’s ramblings ended up being a significant testimony as to what happened. Gail wanted to tell her side of the story, a sort of confession, to someone who would listen and not judge her. At first Ax didn’t take Gail seriously. She thought Gail was a bit eccentric but kept listening.
Gail explains how she landed a job as Ris’ assistant. A job she made up and Ris fell for. She manipulated her way into Ris’ life. Gail lived in the basement of the Fox’s home watching every move Ris made. Gail did her homework about Ris’ life before they met.
Gail was working for Ris under an assumed name. She suspected Ris was lying about her life and Gail wanted to protect Ris’ husband, Miles. Gail gained Ris’ trust. Gail almost lost her job after she pulled some antics when Ris went to Paris for the weekend that were quite hilarious, like sleeping in her bed and drinking her champagne, that Ris had no sense of humor about. Ris came home a day early and caught Gail. After making amends Gail worked hard to help Ris launch her book.
Ris took in a 19-year-old pregnant girl named Mia because Ris wanted Mia’s baby. Ris’ plan was to have Miles payoff Mia. Ris’ plans to take Mia’s baby backfired and Gail’s plans to protect Miles backfired. Ris wanted to have a baby and would go to any length to have one. Ris was her own worst enemy who was also leading a double life.
Gail and Ris had their own greedy reasons for wanting Miles. It was Gail’s plan to “topple” Ris. I thought Gail was after Ris, but it turns out she was after something else. Gail was obsessed with Miles. Ris was obsessed about having a baby.
The twists in Gails accounting of what happened in the house shocked me. I had to rethink the timeline. There was more than one twist in the conclusion.
I was rooting for Gail and Miles all the way up to the end.
The strong points are Ax’s ability to hang in there with Gail’s account of what happened, the writer’s ability to keep feeding the reader with enough information with each interview to compel the reader to keep reading.
There are a couple of violence scenes.
This is a modern-day story. The setting is at the ritzy home of Ris and Miles Fox who live at 56 Lexington Gardens, Belgravia, London, England. A soap opera life of the rich and famous.
Amanda wrote the story in colloquial style as her character Ax, a true crime writer, was interviewing Gail. Gail knew Ax was a writer, so she set next to Ax on the train on purpose. Ax thought she and Gail met my coincidence. All of Gail’s ramblings ended up being a significant testimony as to what happened. Gail wanted to tell her side of the story, a sort of confession, to someone who would listen and not judge her. At first Ax didn’t take Gail seriously. She thought Gail was a bit eccentric but kept listening.
Gail explains how she landed a job as Ris’ assistant. A job she made up and Ris fell for. She manipulated her way into Ris’ life. Gail lived in the basement of the Fox’s home watching every move Ris made. Gail did her homework about Ris’ life before they met.
Gail was working for Ris under an assumed name. She suspected Ris was lying about her life and Gail wanted to protect Ris’ husband, Miles. Gail gained Ris’ trust. Gail almost lost her job after she pulled some antics when Ris went to Paris for the weekend that were quite hilarious, like sleeping in her bed and drinking her champagne, that Ris had no sense of humor about. Ris came home a day early and caught Gail. After making amends Gail worked hard to help Ris launch her book.
Ris took in a 19-year-old pregnant girl named Mia because Ris wanted Mia’s baby. Ris’ plan was to have Miles payoff Mia. Ris’ plans to take Mia’s baby backfired and Gail’s plans to protect Miles backfired. Ris wanted to have a baby and would go to any length to have one. Ris was her own worst enemy who was also leading a double life.
Gail and Ris had their own greedy reasons for wanting Miles. It was Gail’s plan to “topple” Ris. I thought Gail was after Ris, but it turns out she was after something else. Gail was obsessed with Miles. Ris was obsessed about having a baby.
The twists in Gails accounting of what happened in the house shocked me. I had to rethink the timeline. There was more than one twist in the conclusion.
I was rooting for Gail and Miles all the way up to the end.
The strong points are Ax’s ability to hang in there with Gail’s account of what happened, the writer’s ability to keep feeding the reader with enough information with each interview to compel the reader to keep reading.
There are a couple of violence scenes.
April 12, 2023
Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
I really appreciated the twist in viewpoints within The Assistant. Going in, we learn from the get go that Gail, the assistant, isn’t there for honest reasons. We know there is something deeper, potentially nefarious, yet despite that I couldn’t help but side with her. One of my favorite things is to see characters who aren’t starkly protagonists or antagonists, and both Gail and Ris check that box. Gail is obviously the “bad guy,” but is she really? Given how she describes her experiences with Ris, it’s hard to really pinpoint who that actually is.
Both are polar opposites. Gail describes her life as a hard one, living on the edge of poverty, while Ris resides in luxury. Gail prefers to live a more quiet life, without the use of social media, while Ris is defined by it. It’s like some sort of perverse Odd Couple situation, with glimpses of humanity. There are times where Gail shows obvious remorse, particularly when she feels that Ris has been wronged in some way, but not enough to change her course. She’s there for a reason, and she’s going to do everything she can to fulfill that. Ris often disregards others, yet there are moments when she shows that she might actually care for Gail, but not if it means putting anyone else first in her life. The person Ris loves the most is Ris.
The story is told in an interesting way, with sections of interviews, diary entries, and email correspondence between individuals who are seeking to find out the real truth about what really happened. At first, the initial diary entries made me think that it might be Ris and what she’s reflecting on from the past, but I quickly learned that it was definitely not her. There is that kind of built-up throughout. I would think the clues led to one person, but it ends up not being that person at all. Or, what I thought might happen, or where a path was leading to, ended up not being the way I imagined it at all. It’s big twists like that that kept me guessing. But the biggest question of all had always been: Why is Gail there?
It was a fitting story to relate to the times we live in now, with our direct need for social media–the likes, the loves, the comments that can either make us or break us. The sensationalization of trauma and clickbait-able situations that holds someone’s interest for just long enough before they move onto something else. The Assistant was a unique perspective, while also providing plenty of mystery and thrill.
I really appreciated the twist in viewpoints within The Assistant. Going in, we learn from the get go that Gail, the assistant, isn’t there for honest reasons. We know there is something deeper, potentially nefarious, yet despite that I couldn’t help but side with her. One of my favorite things is to see characters who aren’t starkly protagonists or antagonists, and both Gail and Ris check that box. Gail is obviously the “bad guy,” but is she really? Given how she describes her experiences with Ris, it’s hard to really pinpoint who that actually is.
Both are polar opposites. Gail describes her life as a hard one, living on the edge of poverty, while Ris resides in luxury. Gail prefers to live a more quiet life, without the use of social media, while Ris is defined by it. It’s like some sort of perverse Odd Couple situation, with glimpses of humanity. There are times where Gail shows obvious remorse, particularly when she feels that Ris has been wronged in some way, but not enough to change her course. She’s there for a reason, and she’s going to do everything she can to fulfill that. Ris often disregards others, yet there are moments when she shows that she might actually care for Gail, but not if it means putting anyone else first in her life. The person Ris loves the most is Ris.
The story is told in an interesting way, with sections of interviews, diary entries, and email correspondence between individuals who are seeking to find out the real truth about what really happened. At first, the initial diary entries made me think that it might be Ris and what she’s reflecting on from the past, but I quickly learned that it was definitely not her. There is that kind of built-up throughout. I would think the clues led to one person, but it ends up not being that person at all. Or, what I thought might happen, or where a path was leading to, ended up not being the way I imagined it at all. It’s big twists like that that kept me guessing. But the biggest question of all had always been: Why is Gail there?
It was a fitting story to relate to the times we live in now, with our direct need for social media–the likes, the loves, the comments that can either make us or break us. The sensationalization of trauma and clickbait-able situations that holds someone’s interest for just long enough before they move onto something else. The Assistant was a unique perspective, while also providing plenty of mystery and thrill.
February 12, 2023
Rating: 2.8/5
I liked this novel - but it fell short of making me really, really like it. The format may not appeal to everyone. If you like to see plenty of flowing prose in your fictional literature, then this may well not be one for you. The format is a variation from the norm and the narrative is presented by means of interviews, diary entries and email correspondence. In this respect "The Assistant" did put me in mind of the work of Janice Hallett, who has employed similar literary techniques in her three novels to date.
There is plenty to like and admire about this book. The set-up is engaging - it piques the interest and adds the allure of quite a glitzy, "how the other half live" setting. The characterisation is solid and the central protagonist, Gail, is particularly well done. There are some astute social observations along the way and a fair sprinkling of humour accompanying the intrigue of the unfolding mystery. But the highlight for me is a brilliant piece of blindsiding with one of the plot twists. When you read a lot of this type of fiction, you tend to become quite adept at seeing the twists coming - unless they are ludicrously contrived. It is a satisfying rarity when a plot development is legitimately handled, but still catches you unawares - and that was certainly the case here.
However, on the downside, there were times when I felt that the narrative was dragging. This sensation was perhaps exacerbated by the format the author chose. While it is good to challenge the expectations of the reader and to present something in an alternative format, it can increase the risk of becoming tired and irritating once the initial freshness has worn off. I felt that was the case here at times and the overall impact of the novel suffered as a result. Certain sections seemed to re-tread similar ground, while adding little to the story progression. Personally, I think this novel would have been more punchy and impressive if it had been 15-20% shorter.
Nonetheless, I would still recommend this as a worthwhile read and I may well be back for more from Amanda Reynolds.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
I liked this novel - but it fell short of making me really, really like it. The format may not appeal to everyone. If you like to see plenty of flowing prose in your fictional literature, then this may well not be one for you. The format is a variation from the norm and the narrative is presented by means of interviews, diary entries and email correspondence. In this respect "The Assistant" did put me in mind of the work of Janice Hallett, who has employed similar literary techniques in her three novels to date.
There is plenty to like and admire about this book. The set-up is engaging - it piques the interest and adds the allure of quite a glitzy, "how the other half live" setting. The characterisation is solid and the central protagonist, Gail, is particularly well done. There are some astute social observations along the way and a fair sprinkling of humour accompanying the intrigue of the unfolding mystery. But the highlight for me is a brilliant piece of blindsiding with one of the plot twists. When you read a lot of this type of fiction, you tend to become quite adept at seeing the twists coming - unless they are ludicrously contrived. It is a satisfying rarity when a plot development is legitimately handled, but still catches you unawares - and that was certainly the case here.
However, on the downside, there were times when I felt that the narrative was dragging. This sensation was perhaps exacerbated by the format the author chose. While it is good to challenge the expectations of the reader and to present something in an alternative format, it can increase the risk of becoming tired and irritating once the initial freshness has worn off. I felt that was the case here at times and the overall impact of the novel suffered as a result. Certain sections seemed to re-tread similar ground, while adding little to the story progression. Personally, I think this novel would have been more punchy and impressive if it had been 15-20% shorter.
Nonetheless, I would still recommend this as a worthwhile read and I may well be back for more from Amanda Reynolds.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
April 16, 2024
Everyone knows everything about Larissa, or Ris - as she is known to her followers. And this is because she is transparent on social media with a lack of privacy for herself and those around here. However, Gail, knows something about Larissa, something truly deceitful. And she's now in her home, on a mission to expose her... no matter the cost.
The Assistant is written in a very unique style. It's a mixture of script writing, diary entries, emails and texts, with the bulk of the plot being revealed in monologues from Gail that are delivered as if she is having a conversation with the author. Though this blend is very unique and interesting, it certainly took a while to get into and can verge on the side of slow. My boyfriend often asks me how my book is and for the longest time I was saying "I don't know yet". The monologue style takes a while to get into but once you're in that flow, it can be gripping!
There isn't a huge cast in The Assistant, the main focus being Gail and Ris. Gail was unlikeable at times but her way of dialogue feels like chatting to your nan over tea, which feels comforting and unique in a thriller. It's an interesting way to deliver some disturbing plot points. It sort of gave me Three Things About Elsie vibes which was nice.
In terms of plot, this isn't the most exciting book. Overall, it is full of lies and deceit, but with it being such a slow burner I found myself wondering what on Earth we're meant to be thrilled about. It was clear it was about revenge but for the longest time, I had no idea why Gail was so upset with Ris and why she was determined to bring her down. When it eventually became clear as to why Gail was hell-bent on bringing Ris down, the pace certainly picked up, but the big reveal was not as exciting as I thought it would be.
The Assistant promises a psychological thriller that delves into the sordid life of an influencer who is clutching to bring her brand to life, whilst her assistant is set on revenge and exposing some serious secrets. In reality, The Assistant delivers an 'okay' story that doesn't really leave you guessing or wanting more.
The Assistant is written in a very unique style. It's a mixture of script writing, diary entries, emails and texts, with the bulk of the plot being revealed in monologues from Gail that are delivered as if she is having a conversation with the author. Though this blend is very unique and interesting, it certainly took a while to get into and can verge on the side of slow. My boyfriend often asks me how my book is and for the longest time I was saying "I don't know yet". The monologue style takes a while to get into but once you're in that flow, it can be gripping!
There isn't a huge cast in The Assistant, the main focus being Gail and Ris. Gail was unlikeable at times but her way of dialogue feels like chatting to your nan over tea, which feels comforting and unique in a thriller. It's an interesting way to deliver some disturbing plot points. It sort of gave me Three Things About Elsie vibes which was nice.
In terms of plot, this isn't the most exciting book. Overall, it is full of lies and deceit, but with it being such a slow burner I found myself wondering what on Earth we're meant to be thrilled about. It was clear it was about revenge but for the longest time, I had no idea why Gail was so upset with Ris and why she was determined to bring her down. When it eventually became clear as to why Gail was hell-bent on bringing Ris down, the pace certainly picked up, but the big reveal was not as exciting as I thought it would be.
The Assistant promises a psychological thriller that delves into the sordid life of an influencer who is clutching to bring her brand to life, whilst her assistant is set on revenge and exposing some serious secrets. In reality, The Assistant delivers an 'okay' story that doesn't really leave you guessing or wanting more.
March 23, 2023
When the book starts we hear about an older woman knocking on the door of a fancy home we eventually find out this is Gail Frost and she is applying to be the assistant of an Instagram influencer and socialite name Rissa fox. Rissa is also the second Ian younger wife of Miles Foxx a billionaire hotel owner as a story goes along we find out Gail is there to find dirt on RZA because she wants to expose her for the fraud that she is and although RZA is a bit stern and standoffish after a disappointing trip to France they bond in a way only awkward people can. The story is told through interviews with Gail Frost by a journalist who we only know as A.G. and for some reason I kept imagining Ali G interviewing a middle-age woman in her basement flat. Eventually we’re alerted to a third woman who had an affair with Miles and Dooley becomes obsessed with him and imagines no one loves him the way she does and despite Rissa claiming to be pregnant she in her diary papers also says she’s having his baby. Eventually a girl named Maya is added to the mix and while everyone is getting ready for Rizz‘s book release party and Gail prepares to tell what she thinks she knows the story wraps up to be a doozy. Unfortunately it didn’t end up that way. I thought the story would end in a blast but found myself bored at the end. There were a couple of twist but nothing to write home about and I was very disappointed because I was loving this book 80% in but you win some you lose some. I have enjoyed other books by Amanda Reynolds but unfortunately this was not one of them at least not at the end. Also I found that ridiculous that this young woman is married to the 50 something-year-old man and yet barely sees him but what do I know people do strange things to have money and that’s probably one of them. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
April 29, 2023
Downloaded Amanda Reynolds’s new book after watching a webinar by her last week.
The Assistant is an interesting read that deals with issues around social media and jealousy. It also plays around with societal expectations about age, and particularly women’s ages.
It uses a mixture of formats to deliver several first person narratives - from a journalist trying to break a story in the form of emails to an unnamed recipient; from a flight attendant who had a disastrous affair; and from Gail Frost, the eponymous Assistant.
I chose to listen to the book while doing some admin, and I think it would have been better to read it on the page - partly for the formatting, but mainly because the experience was more intense hearing it read.
With first person, we’re always inside the head of the narrator and each of these was a bit much: the flight attendant was sad and delusional; the journalist was pushy and grabby; and Gail Frost was clearly quite mad. I honestly don’t think I would have found them so if I had read the words on the page for myself.
I think the tone of voice of the readers also made some of the twists more apparent than they would have been if I were reading for myself. Gail’s voice in particular is rendered in a way that makes her sound older than the character is and also quite unhinged.
It’s almost as if the audiobook readers did too good a job and so gave accidental bonus clues 🕵🏻♀️
So, I’d say read this one rather than listening to it. Reynolds has had great success in the past with TV dramatisations of her work and this one will, I think, make an *outstanding* series. It’s got all the key ingredients for Friday or Saturday night telly or a Netflix box set.
And now I’m off to binge Reynolds’s earlier books. It’s great when you come across an author whose work you’ve not read before (even if you’ve seen it adapted in screen without realising)! 💚
Three Word Review: women beware women.
The Assistant is an interesting read that deals with issues around social media and jealousy. It also plays around with societal expectations about age, and particularly women’s ages.
It uses a mixture of formats to deliver several first person narratives - from a journalist trying to break a story in the form of emails to an unnamed recipient; from a flight attendant who had a disastrous affair; and from Gail Frost, the eponymous Assistant.
I chose to listen to the book while doing some admin, and I think it would have been better to read it on the page - partly for the formatting, but mainly because the experience was more intense hearing it read.
With first person, we’re always inside the head of the narrator and each of these was a bit much: the flight attendant was sad and delusional; the journalist was pushy and grabby; and Gail Frost was clearly quite mad. I honestly don’t think I would have found them so if I had read the words on the page for myself.
I think the tone of voice of the readers also made some of the twists more apparent than they would have been if I were reading for myself. Gail’s voice in particular is rendered in a way that makes her sound older than the character is and also quite unhinged.
It’s almost as if the audiobook readers did too good a job and so gave accidental bonus clues 🕵🏻♀️
So, I’d say read this one rather than listening to it. Reynolds has had great success in the past with TV dramatisations of her work and this one will, I think, make an *outstanding* series. It’s got all the key ingredients for Friday or Saturday night telly or a Netflix box set.
And now I’m off to binge Reynolds’s earlier books. It’s great when you come across an author whose work you’ve not read before (even if you’ve seen it adapted in screen without realising)! 💚
Three Word Review: women beware women.
April 11, 2023
The book is written as a series of interviews between an unnamed journalist and Gail Frost, the main character who has been employed as an Executive Assistant to Larissa ‘Ris’ Fox, cocktail waitress turned influencer married to the wealthy Hotel owner Miles Fox. The interview transcripts are in the first person from Gail’s pov and are interspersed with emails from the journalist to another unnamed person with whom she is planning a TV series based on her investigations. It took me a little while to get into the book because I kept expecting it to move beyond the interviews into standard prose but this didn’t happen. I got used to it after a while however and settled in to the story.
I was really intrigued by Gail. Her character was really well written and I kept trying to work out what her story was and why she was so interested in Ris. Gail clearly worked hard which made it more difficult to get the measure of her, although there were some pretty sneaky moments and some were excruciating! I loved the way the story unfolded, and although I had an inkling about a couple of the twists/ reveals it certainly kept me guessing, and I didn’t expect the outcome of the diary entries…
I didn’t trust Mia from the beginning and definitely felt that there were some dodgy dealings. She was well written and her character certainly increased the tension. The intrigue ramped up towards the end and we gained a better perspective of Gail’s idiosyncrasies and Ris’ problems. The theme of being desperate for pregnancy and a baby in order to mend a failing relationship was executed with real strength and the emotions were palpable. I enjoyed the ending and found it fitting, and it made me wonder what was next for the characters. This was a fresh rake on a thriller – I really enjoyed The Assistant and will definitely be seeking out more by the author.
I was really intrigued by Gail. Her character was really well written and I kept trying to work out what her story was and why she was so interested in Ris. Gail clearly worked hard which made it more difficult to get the measure of her, although there were some pretty sneaky moments and some were excruciating! I loved the way the story unfolded, and although I had an inkling about a couple of the twists/ reveals it certainly kept me guessing, and I didn’t expect the outcome of the diary entries…
I didn’t trust Mia from the beginning and definitely felt that there were some dodgy dealings. She was well written and her character certainly increased the tension. The intrigue ramped up towards the end and we gained a better perspective of Gail’s idiosyncrasies and Ris’ problems. The theme of being desperate for pregnancy and a baby in order to mend a failing relationship was executed with real strength and the emotions were palpable. I enjoyed the ending and found it fitting, and it made me wonder what was next for the characters. This was a fresh rake on a thriller – I really enjoyed The Assistant and will definitely be seeking out more by the author.
April 17, 2023
Tense, twisted and terrifying, Amanda Reynolds’ The Assistant is a juicy thriller you will not want to miss.
When it comes to online influencers, Larissa is one of the most popular names in the game. Her millions of followers await with baited breath her next post and they hang on to her every word as they try to emulate her. They buy whatever she recommends, get inspired by the wisdom she imparts and want to be just like her. Larissa’s followers think of her as having the perfect life and as being as close to perfect as it is possible to get. But, Larissa isn’t quite what she seems – as her assistant Gail knows only too well.
As an assistant to a high-maintenance influencer, Gail needs to be on the ball at all times. There is no slacking on this job and Gail can certainly not afford to take her position for granted. Gail needs to cater to Larissa’s every whim and ensure that her boss doesn’t have a single thing to complain about. Gail is very conscientious about her job. But it’s not because her career means everything to her. There is a very special reason why Gail wanted to become Larissa’s assistant and now that she knows all of her secrets, her nefarious plan can finally begin..
Gail knows Larissa inside and out and the time has come for her boss to pay for what she’s done.
Amanda Reynolds’ The Assistant is certainly not for the faint-hearted. A dark, disturbing and highly addictive thriller that will keep you up all night, The Assistant is a heart-pounding tale full of suspense, twists and turns and intrigue that kept me guessing until the final jaw-dropping conclusion.
A first-rate chiller that is a struggle to put down, Amanda Reynolds’ The Assistant is a creepy, unsettling and unpredictable page-turner I couldn’t read fast enough.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When it comes to online influencers, Larissa is one of the most popular names in the game. Her millions of followers await with baited breath her next post and they hang on to her every word as they try to emulate her. They buy whatever she recommends, get inspired by the wisdom she imparts and want to be just like her. Larissa’s followers think of her as having the perfect life and as being as close to perfect as it is possible to get. But, Larissa isn’t quite what she seems – as her assistant Gail knows only too well.
As an assistant to a high-maintenance influencer, Gail needs to be on the ball at all times. There is no slacking on this job and Gail can certainly not afford to take her position for granted. Gail needs to cater to Larissa’s every whim and ensure that her boss doesn’t have a single thing to complain about. Gail is very conscientious about her job. But it’s not because her career means everything to her. There is a very special reason why Gail wanted to become Larissa’s assistant and now that she knows all of her secrets, her nefarious plan can finally begin..
Gail knows Larissa inside and out and the time has come for her boss to pay for what she’s done.
Amanda Reynolds’ The Assistant is certainly not for the faint-hearted. A dark, disturbing and highly addictive thriller that will keep you up all night, The Assistant is a heart-pounding tale full of suspense, twists and turns and intrigue that kept me guessing until the final jaw-dropping conclusion.
A first-rate chiller that is a struggle to put down, Amanda Reynolds’ The Assistant is a creepy, unsettling and unpredictable page-turner I couldn’t read fast enough.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 21, 2023
This was a struggle for me. I just hate this kind of writing style when it's written in the form of emails or interviews. It really grates on me. I did continue with it as it was a semi interesting story but there was a lot of fluff in this story.
The story is written mostly with the words of Gail, approaching a house on a very upmarket street in London, having applied to be an executive assistant of a woman named Ris, a young woman married to a very wealthy man. The story is written in interviews by Gail to someone who is wanting a story of her time spent with Ris, and being her assistant. It's clear something happened at some point, but it doesn't become clear for a long time.
Ris is much younger than her husband and this has been a cause for gossip amongst many in their social circle. She doesn't work, and all Gail will seemingly have to do is assist her to make her appointments
for nails, hair, personal trainers, shopping trips etc. The story keeps building with Gail wanting to tell the story in her own time, and amongst this there are also emails featured to a publisher, as it's clear someone wants to make a series about the events in Lexington Gardens, the house where Ris lived.
Gail and Ris seemed to get on at first, as Ris' husband was away a lot, he didn't meet Gail for a long time, until the night of Ris' book launch. Only at this point does the story really get going when we discover something happened that night. I understand we have to have the picture in the events leading up to that night but a lot was long winded and unnecessary in my opinion. It all just felt a bit slow for my liking, and a little confusing when we found out the connection with Gail and Miles, Ris' husband.
I stuck with it, but I wasn't overly impressed unfortunately.
The story is written mostly with the words of Gail, approaching a house on a very upmarket street in London, having applied to be an executive assistant of a woman named Ris, a young woman married to a very wealthy man. The story is written in interviews by Gail to someone who is wanting a story of her time spent with Ris, and being her assistant. It's clear something happened at some point, but it doesn't become clear for a long time.
Ris is much younger than her husband and this has been a cause for gossip amongst many in their social circle. She doesn't work, and all Gail will seemingly have to do is assist her to make her appointments
for nails, hair, personal trainers, shopping trips etc. The story keeps building with Gail wanting to tell the story in her own time, and amongst this there are also emails featured to a publisher, as it's clear someone wants to make a series about the events in Lexington Gardens, the house where Ris lived.
Gail and Ris seemed to get on at first, as Ris' husband was away a lot, he didn't meet Gail for a long time, until the night of Ris' book launch. Only at this point does the story really get going when we discover something happened that night. I understand we have to have the picture in the events leading up to that night but a lot was long winded and unnecessary in my opinion. It all just felt a bit slow for my liking, and a little confusing when we found out the connection with Gail and Miles, Ris' husband.
I stuck with it, but I wasn't overly impressed unfortunately.
February 2, 2023
Gail has fabricated her way into working for Ria, an influencer who lives in Belgravia. Gail has an agenda, we know not quite what and her story is told by interview after the events as she gives her story to a journalist. Gail comes from having very little and Ria is totally spoiled, not appearing to know the value of money or not even caring. Gail keeps a journal of her time with Ria and spies on her as much as she is able. There’s a hint of something in the past again we know not what, which may be the reason for all this. Alternate chapters give the journalists’ emails advising her publisher as to her thoughts on the interviews so far which makes this a very different read but one I still found myself absolutely engrossed in.
There’s a wonderful tension and for once I wasn’t sure if I liked the main character but still wanted to know more, much more as I was so intrigued at what her plan really was. This is brilliantly written from a seasoned author who has a wonderful way with words, many of which resonated. Gail’s perspective of Ria comes from a mature person having experienced the world and those in it and I had to smile and nod at some of her comments. A twist I didn’t see coming and a very cleverly thought out and well written read which kept me very much between the pages. A villainous perpetrator or is she? Just what was her agenda? Loved it. A stunning read I highly recommend.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
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There’s a wonderful tension and for once I wasn’t sure if I liked the main character but still wanted to know more, much more as I was so intrigued at what her plan really was. This is brilliantly written from a seasoned author who has a wonderful way with words, many of which resonated. Gail’s perspective of Ria comes from a mature person having experienced the world and those in it and I had to smile and nod at some of her comments. A twist I didn’t see coming and a very cleverly thought out and well written read which kept me very much between the pages. A villainous perpetrator or is she? Just what was her agenda? Loved it. A stunning read I highly recommend.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
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March 25, 2023
The Assistant, the latest novel by Amanda Reynolds, follows an intriguing set-up, where we see Gail apply for an assistant role to social media influencer and multi-millionaire, Larissa. The job is based at Larissa’s multi-million pound house in Belgravia, London. But Gail has another reason for being there and her intentions aren’t exactly honourable, she is there to bring Larissa down.
There is a really tense atmosphere throughout this book. It is told mostly through Gail’s memories of her time spent in the mansion, as Larissa’s assistant, but in the present day, she is also giving an interview about something big that happened between them. There isn’t a lot of dialogue in the book. Gail is the main narrator and we are seeing everything that unfolded through her memories. I thought this was an interesting way to tell the story. You know that we are leading up to something that has happened to the characters, and I wanted to know what that was going to be.
I don’t think I liked either Larissa or Gail. I especially grew to dislike them even more, especially as Amanda takes us deeper into their story. It soon becomes clear why Gail is doing what she is doing. I wondered just how far Gail was prepared to go to achieve what she wanted. Amanda Reynolds clearly paints what is driving her, as more revelations about her past come to light. Larissa is a social media influencer, and you can clearly see how influential she thinks she is, particularly around her book launch. You can see that she thinks about no one but herself and about making her life look absolutely perfect. I could see how people could grow to dislike her, especially people who are close to her and who work for her. But what is often the case with many people, who portray this type of existence on social media, is that their life isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks it is. And this is definitely true for Larissa. There is a lot more going on in her life that she doesn’t want the public to know.
The Assistant is a tense read that I really enjoyed. I loved getting inside Gail’s head as she recounts her time spent with Larissa and both their characters are developed so well. If you enjoy a character-driven psychological thriller, I highly recommend it.
There is a really tense atmosphere throughout this book. It is told mostly through Gail’s memories of her time spent in the mansion, as Larissa’s assistant, but in the present day, she is also giving an interview about something big that happened between them. There isn’t a lot of dialogue in the book. Gail is the main narrator and we are seeing everything that unfolded through her memories. I thought this was an interesting way to tell the story. You know that we are leading up to something that has happened to the characters, and I wanted to know what that was going to be.
I don’t think I liked either Larissa or Gail. I especially grew to dislike them even more, especially as Amanda takes us deeper into their story. It soon becomes clear why Gail is doing what she is doing. I wondered just how far Gail was prepared to go to achieve what she wanted. Amanda Reynolds clearly paints what is driving her, as more revelations about her past come to light. Larissa is a social media influencer, and you can clearly see how influential she thinks she is, particularly around her book launch. You can see that she thinks about no one but herself and about making her life look absolutely perfect. I could see how people could grow to dislike her, especially people who are close to her and who work for her. But what is often the case with many people, who portray this type of existence on social media, is that their life isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks it is. And this is definitely true for Larissa. There is a lot more going on in her life that she doesn’t want the public to know.
The Assistant is a tense read that I really enjoyed. I loved getting inside Gail’s head as she recounts her time spent with Larissa and both their characters are developed so well. If you enjoy a character-driven psychological thriller, I highly recommend it.
April 8, 2023
The picture of the assistant is an incomplete picture and a blank canvas that we fill in as bits of information are presented to the reader. Are we talking a psycho determined to get revenge for some obscure reason, is it just someone with mad ambition or is it just a comedy of misunderstanding and errors.
As Gail inserts herself into the life and times of Ris, who is more concerned about her image than the reality of her lived experience, the cracks begin to show for both of them. At the end of the day is there really a winner in this situation?
I think it's fair to say that this book has a good chance of being picked up for a tv adaptation too - it is an excellent cat and mouse dark domestic thriller. Written in a similar style to Hallett's Appeal - the audience or the reader becomes part of structure, suspicion and plot development.
The story is written in a variety of diary entries, communication between interviewer and interviewee, and a retelling of the past by one of the main characters. It's done well, the story runs without a disjointed feel, despite the rapid quick fire changes in the way the story is communicated.
I enjoyed it and it is definitely a read I would recommend. I especially liked the way the reader is kept in a constant state of imbalance - is there any person in this situation who is innocent or free from guilt or blame?
As Gail inserts herself into the life and times of Ris, who is more concerned about her image than the reality of her lived experience, the cracks begin to show for both of them. At the end of the day is there really a winner in this situation?
I think it's fair to say that this book has a good chance of being picked up for a tv adaptation too - it is an excellent cat and mouse dark domestic thriller. Written in a similar style to Hallett's Appeal - the audience or the reader becomes part of structure, suspicion and plot development.
The story is written in a variety of diary entries, communication between interviewer and interviewee, and a retelling of the past by one of the main characters. It's done well, the story runs without a disjointed feel, despite the rapid quick fire changes in the way the story is communicated.
I enjoyed it and it is definitely a read I would recommend. I especially liked the way the reader is kept in a constant state of imbalance - is there any person in this situation who is innocent or free from guilt or blame?
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