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The Au Pair
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…The Au Pair – the chilling psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Stepson and The Child Who Never Was.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
June 26, 2024
Alice Snyder, an 18-year-old American au pair, arrives in Scottland overflowing with youthful naivete and optimism. She is on a mission to prove to her overprotective parents that she can handle being independent and responsible for herself in a foreign country; however, she planned to showcase that maturity by packing up on whim, running away overseas, and cutting contact with everyone until she can build an effective argument for herself…okay, so maybe not the best plan retrospectively. But she’s in Scottland now, and there’s no turning back!
She got the job after interviewing with Ken and Caro Davidson, and she is to be au pair to the children of the Davidson family—Christina, Tess, and Isabel. Once she arrives to Scallon Lodge, a remote hunting estate along Scottland’s coastline, she’s totally enamored by the perfect little family living their perfect little lives in their Hogwarts Castle by the sea. At first Alice only sees everyone and everything at Scallon Lodge as being so magical and picturesque, but she slowly starts to experience disturbing situations in the house and feel aberrant vibes around the whole family. Before she can figure things out, she suddenly vanishes.
Melanie MacFarlane (AKA Donna) is the replacement au pair who arrives when Alice’s disappearance is still very fresh. She immediately sees the family in a very different way. She’s older than Alice and not so easily impressed. Melanie thinks she’s got it figured out who took Alice, but she hasn’t worked out how or why yet. She’s on a mission to figure out what happened to Alice, save her before it’s too late (being dead is not an option), and hand over the person responsible to the authorities. Something sinister is a foot in that house, and Melanie instinctively knows there is a predator on the prowl. In a thrilling conclusion, Melanie must move quickly to avoid becoming the next victim and be ready to do anything it takes to find Alice.
This was a very well written suspenseful thriller! Full of surprises and heart-pounding moments, I really loved the plot and the writing style. It was a very fast read, and I was literally on the edge of my seat at times, deeply invested in the characters and getting to that next page! I really got Haunting of Bly Manor vibes when Melanie shows up. She’s able to see more clearly through the thinly veiled evil present at the house. She’s still questioning herself, but she knows something’s up, and she’s going to put her Nancy Drew hat on to do something about it! She may not be ghost hunting, but she’s potentially hunting something much scarier---a killer hiding in plain sight.
I for sure recommend this book, and I will be looking out for more books by this author!
Thank you so much Net Galley and Inkubator Books for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
She got the job after interviewing with Ken and Caro Davidson, and she is to be au pair to the children of the Davidson family—Christina, Tess, and Isabel. Once she arrives to Scallon Lodge, a remote hunting estate along Scottland’s coastline, she’s totally enamored by the perfect little family living their perfect little lives in their Hogwarts Castle by the sea. At first Alice only sees everyone and everything at Scallon Lodge as being so magical and picturesque, but she slowly starts to experience disturbing situations in the house and feel aberrant vibes around the whole family. Before she can figure things out, she suddenly vanishes.
Melanie MacFarlane (AKA Donna) is the replacement au pair who arrives when Alice’s disappearance is still very fresh. She immediately sees the family in a very different way. She’s older than Alice and not so easily impressed. Melanie thinks she’s got it figured out who took Alice, but she hasn’t worked out how or why yet. She’s on a mission to figure out what happened to Alice, save her before it’s too late (being dead is not an option), and hand over the person responsible to the authorities. Something sinister is a foot in that house, and Melanie instinctively knows there is a predator on the prowl. In a thrilling conclusion, Melanie must move quickly to avoid becoming the next victim and be ready to do anything it takes to find Alice.
This was a very well written suspenseful thriller! Full of surprises and heart-pounding moments, I really loved the plot and the writing style. It was a very fast read, and I was literally on the edge of my seat at times, deeply invested in the characters and getting to that next page! I really got Haunting of Bly Manor vibes when Melanie shows up. She’s able to see more clearly through the thinly veiled evil present at the house. She’s still questioning herself, but she knows something’s up, and she’s going to put her Nancy Drew hat on to do something about it! She may not be ghost hunting, but she’s potentially hunting something much scarier---a killer hiding in plain sight.
I for sure recommend this book, and I will be looking out for more books by this author!
Thank you so much Net Galley and Inkubator Books for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
January 5, 2024
This thriller gripped me immediately. I enjoyed how the mystery was told by alternating points of view. Atmospheric and foreboding describe this intriguing, addictive thriller. This story made me care about the characters which is not always the case with this genre. The plot is compelling and perfectly paced with unexpected turns throughout. Thank you Booksprout and Inkubator Books for my copy.
January 14, 2024
American student Alice Synder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace. Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There's the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.
Why does anyone want to go and work somewhere that's remote? Yes, come to Scotland, but get a job in a town or a city - even though the remote scenery is beautiful.
Not long after Alice arrived in Scotland to work as an au pair for the Davidsons, she disappeared without trace. Melanie soon replaces Alice, and it's not long before she notices that the Davidsons are a little strange. She also realises that something terrible is going on. The story is told from Alice and Donna's (Melanie) perspectives. This has a well-written and thought out plot. The characters are well-developed. This was my first read by the author, but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #JaneRenshaw for my ARC of #TheAuPair in exchange for an honest review.
Why does anyone want to go and work somewhere that's remote? Yes, come to Scotland, but get a job in a town or a city - even though the remote scenery is beautiful.
Not long after Alice arrived in Scotland to work as an au pair for the Davidsons, she disappeared without trace. Melanie soon replaces Alice, and it's not long before she notices that the Davidsons are a little strange. She also realises that something terrible is going on. The story is told from Alice and Donna's (Melanie) perspectives. This has a well-written and thought out plot. The characters are well-developed. This was my first read by the author, but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #JaneRenshaw for my ARC of #TheAuPair in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2024
This was a great book. It kept me engaged and the storyline was intriguing. This story is about an American girl named Alice who became an au pair for a wealthy family in Scotland. Alice adored the children she worked for but she was weary of the rest of the family. One day Alice doesn’t come home. The family hires a new au pair. This au pair is very interested in finding out the truth of what happened to Alice. In my opinion, it was easy to predict who was responsible for Alice’s disappearance. The story remained interesting by the telling of the story. The story went back and forth between two characters and also between past and present until the two storylines eventually came together. The was really enjoyable to read.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this. ARC.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this. ARC.
January 26, 2024
I thought this book was OK; it had a promising premise and there were some unique attributes, but I also found myself having to suspend disbelief throughout. The story centers on Alice, who is a young and naïve American that somehow managers to procure and travel to an au pare job in Scotland without the knowledge of her friends and family. She bonds with the 2 younger kids but finds that the rest of the family isn't all that they seem, and then she disappears without a trace a month later. There are alternating chapters narrated by Melanie (aka Donna), who replaces Alice in the job after she disappears. Melanie is also hiding secret, but is also determined to figure out what the family is really doing.
I didn't find the characters super believable- the things Alice did didn't really seem to jive with the background we were given on her. I felt the same way about the family mom Caro, and older sister Christina, who I felt never really developed cohesive characterization. Melanie was the one I felt was built out the most, but I had some questions there too. I also struggled a bit with the fact that Alice managed to make lifelong friends with the kids she nannied in less than a month; more time would have made the story more realistic to me. This all being said, there were some creepy characters that kept the book interesting, where I couldn't tell if they were just weird or truly sinister. The big twist was a little out there, but was also unique. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the house and thought the book was atmospheric in general.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but wasn't fully invested for the reasons listed above. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't find the characters super believable- the things Alice did didn't really seem to jive with the background we were given on her. I felt the same way about the family mom Caro, and older sister Christina, who I felt never really developed cohesive characterization. Melanie was the one I felt was built out the most, but I had some questions there too. I also struggled a bit with the fact that Alice managed to make lifelong friends with the kids she nannied in less than a month; more time would have made the story more realistic to me. This all being said, there were some creepy characters that kept the book interesting, where I couldn't tell if they were just weird or truly sinister. The big twist was a little out there, but was also unique. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the house and thought the book was atmospheric in general.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but wasn't fully invested for the reasons listed above. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2024
This new novel in the au pair in jeopardy theme, is set in Scotland where a young woman has run away from home to explore the world. Alice applied for a summer au pair position in Scotland after her parents refuse to let her go on a trip to Europe with friends. Alice is 18 and was born in Scotland to a 16 year old mother who couldn't care for her. Her adoptive parents moved to the United States and are over protective of their daughter. After applying for the job in secret, Alice took money from her father's church and ran away to work at this castle- like house deep in the Scottish countryside. The house is owned by a couple named Ken and Caro who live with their three daughters and also Ken's brother Gary who looks like a pirate and is very flirty with Alice.
The novel goes back and forth between Alice's story and a later time period when Alice is missing, her clothes found on a rock near the ocean. She is feared dead and a woman named Melanie replaces Alice as au pair to Christina, Isabel and Tess. Melanie is using a fake name because she is not really an au pair but is the birth mother of Alice and investigating her disappearance. I thought the explanation of how Melanie was connected to Alice was handled in an awkward way but I liked the character and her love for the daughter she was not allowed to raise.
There were some twists and turns as we discover what is going on with Ken and Caro and how the fates of Alice and Melanie between intertwined. I thought the book held my interest and had a fair amount of suspense especially toward the end but I thought the story could have been plotted out in a less confusing way as he characters veered between being nice and helpful and full out evil. The subplots with Alice's parents and some kids from the village was a bit underdeveloped but I did like the story and was rooting for Alice and Melanie. Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.
The novel goes back and forth between Alice's story and a later time period when Alice is missing, her clothes found on a rock near the ocean. She is feared dead and a woman named Melanie replaces Alice as au pair to Christina, Isabel and Tess. Melanie is using a fake name because she is not really an au pair but is the birth mother of Alice and investigating her disappearance. I thought the explanation of how Melanie was connected to Alice was handled in an awkward way but I liked the character and her love for the daughter she was not allowed to raise.
There were some twists and turns as we discover what is going on with Ken and Caro and how the fates of Alice and Melanie between intertwined. I thought the book held my interest and had a fair amount of suspense especially toward the end but I thought the story could have been plotted out in a less confusing way as he characters veered between being nice and helpful and full out evil. The subplots with Alice's parents and some kids from the village was a bit underdeveloped but I did like the story and was rooting for Alice and Melanie. Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.
January 31, 2024
In my next life, I aspire to be Jane Renshaw.
This sassy little lady has one of the most creative writing styles I have ever experienced.
Imagine being teleported right into the book before you. You can see, smell, and feel everything around you. The emotions are raw, but real.
The chills ran down my spine, I found myself shuddering and almost looking away, to only look back just as quick.
Every time I thought I had it all figured out I was dead wrong. I would say I am a fairly "seasoned" thriller book reader and I thought I had seen and heard it all. What a naive little soul I was.
I mean come on, did we expect anything less from Renshaw? I still remember the feeling I had after concluding both The Child Who Never Was, and the The Stepson (fave!).
Check out this teaser :
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…
American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.
Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.
And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?
As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
The Au Pair – the chilling psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Stepson and The Child Who Never Was.
This sassy little lady has one of the most creative writing styles I have ever experienced.
Imagine being teleported right into the book before you. You can see, smell, and feel everything around you. The emotions are raw, but real.
The chills ran down my spine, I found myself shuddering and almost looking away, to only look back just as quick.
Every time I thought I had it all figured out I was dead wrong. I would say I am a fairly "seasoned" thriller book reader and I thought I had seen and heard it all. What a naive little soul I was.
I mean come on, did we expect anything less from Renshaw? I still remember the feeling I had after concluding both The Child Who Never Was, and the The Stepson (fave!).
Check out this teaser :
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…
American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.
Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.
And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?
As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
The Au Pair – the chilling psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Stepson and The Child Who Never Was.
January 18, 2024
2.5⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of The Au Pair by Jane Renshaw. This is a thriller about an Au Pair who goes missing when nannying abroad for the summer and is presumed dead… although some people think there is more to the story. We follow a past-present timeline; the past being when Alice first goes to nanny for the family and the present being when a woman who thinks the family covered something up becomes the replacement Au Pair. I enjoyed the premise of the book and the storyline but the victim blaming was honestly enraging to read. Telling an 18 year old who has just been assaulted by a 36 year old to stop dressing provocatively and leading him on is ridiculous. There is a lot of victim blaming with sexual assault in this book and that’s something I didn’t want to read about.
The overuse of exclamation marks in Alice’s point of view - which I assume was used to try and make her seem young and naïve - made it seem like I was reading a diary instead of a thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of The Au Pair by Jane Renshaw. This is a thriller about an Au Pair who goes missing when nannying abroad for the summer and is presumed dead… although some people think there is more to the story. We follow a past-present timeline; the past being when Alice first goes to nanny for the family and the present being when a woman who thinks the family covered something up becomes the replacement Au Pair. I enjoyed the premise of the book and the storyline but the victim blaming was honestly enraging to read. Telling an 18 year old who has just been assaulted by a 36 year old to stop dressing provocatively and leading him on is ridiculous. There is a lot of victim blaming with sexual assault in this book and that’s something I didn’t want to read about.
The overuse of exclamation marks in Alice’s point of view - which I assume was used to try and make her seem young and naïve - made it seem like I was reading a diary instead of a thriller.
January 17, 2024
I loved this from the beginning! The plot was great and had me hooked ! I’m a dual pov kinda girl and I loved that the second pov wasn’t a cop/journalist it felt unique and something that I haven’t read much of at all!
Highly recommend this book!! It’s a solid 4⭐️
Arc recived from #netgalley but my review and opinions are mye own! Thank you for letting me read it
Highly recommend this book!! It’s a solid 4⭐️
Arc recived from #netgalley but my review and opinions are mye own! Thank you for letting me read it
January 28, 2024
Thanks to Booksprout for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Au Pair by Jane Renshaw. This book was a little slow for me. It actually got good at around 70% but then slowed down again. The book had a promising premise but fell short. I certainly was not fully engaged in this one. I gave it 3 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 16, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…
American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.
Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.
And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?
As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
This is told in a dual timeline of pre Alice’s disappearance, from her POV, and post her disappearance from Melanie’s aka Donna’s POV. The times lines were going to meet at some point, and I loved the suspense it created.
I was intrigued to see what Melanie’s role in the story was, as it wasn’t clear from the outset and I couldn’t wait to uncover what had happened to Alice.
The whole Davidson family were odd - from the parents Caro any Ken, to the creep brother Gray and the strange children Izzy and Tess, and spoilt Christina.
It all amassed to a great psychological thriller and one that I just couldn’t put down!
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…
American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.
Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.
And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?
As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
This is told in a dual timeline of pre Alice’s disappearance, from her POV, and post her disappearance from Melanie’s aka Donna’s POV. The times lines were going to meet at some point, and I loved the suspense it created.
I was intrigued to see what Melanie’s role in the story was, as it wasn’t clear from the outset and I couldn’t wait to uncover what had happened to Alice.
The whole Davidson family were odd - from the parents Caro any Ken, to the creep brother Gray and the strange children Izzy and Tess, and spoilt Christina.
It all amassed to a great psychological thriller and one that I just couldn’t put down!
February 20, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Scotland and a disappearing AuPair? What more is there to love than a mystery in Scotland?
January 29, 2024
The Au Pair had a mysterious title, I was constantly wanting to know what was going to happen, and I was concerned for the two au pairs, given what the family were like.
Jane Renshaw is a new-to-me author, and The Au Pair is atmospheric. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Jane Renshaw.
4 stars
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jane Renshaw is a new-to-me author, and The Au Pair is atmospheric. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Jane Renshaw.
4 stars
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 12, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. It always excites me when I can read books early. This book was so good! I thought I had the twist figured out but.. the author surprised me. Those are my favorite types of books. I highly recommend this one to anyone that loves thriller books!
February 18, 2024
My first time experiencing the wonder of Jane Renshaw and it certainly won't be my last. She writes a story that makes you sweat and your pulse race. You think it's going one way and then before I know it, she twists and turns and it smacks me in the face. Superbly written psychological suspenseful thriller. I cannot wait to read more! Bravo, Jane!
February 18, 2024
Wow!
When I spotted this, I knew I'd have to read it! Having read The Other Sister last year, by this author, and absolutely loving it, I knew that this would be right up my reading street!
With a gripping hook right from the prologue I was instantly intrigued about what was going on inside the Davidson's household.
When Alice's dream job turns into a nightmare which then leads to her disappearance, I was already on the edge of my seat.
The outwardly normal Davidson family hire Melanie as their new au pair and she is determined to discover just what happened to her predecessor, Alice.
I love that this is told from the two pov's and therefore two timelines which slowly uncovers the details of what happened in small chunks - this format always makes me have to keep reading (just one more chapter) to find out what happened next and therefore has me racing through to the end before I know it.
This was another read with a really creepy theme throughout. Making me feel uncomfortable, but also completely immersed!
I loved the setting for this.
For some reason, I always find remote parts of Scotland to be a perfect backdrop to give that creepy vibe. Although the descriptions still portray a vivid and striking scene.
I was really quite wary of all the characters in this story.
Each with their own distinctive personality, making them all stand out, I wasn't quite sure I wanted to trust or like any of them.
I even wondered about it all being down to the house itself!
Another brilliant read, thoroughly enjoyable (in that "don't leave me alone in the dark" way!)
Can't wait to read more by this author!
When I spotted this, I knew I'd have to read it! Having read The Other Sister last year, by this author, and absolutely loving it, I knew that this would be right up my reading street!
With a gripping hook right from the prologue I was instantly intrigued about what was going on inside the Davidson's household.
When Alice's dream job turns into a nightmare which then leads to her disappearance, I was already on the edge of my seat.
The outwardly normal Davidson family hire Melanie as their new au pair and she is determined to discover just what happened to her predecessor, Alice.
I love that this is told from the two pov's and therefore two timelines which slowly uncovers the details of what happened in small chunks - this format always makes me have to keep reading (just one more chapter) to find out what happened next and therefore has me racing through to the end before I know it.
This was another read with a really creepy theme throughout. Making me feel uncomfortable, but also completely immersed!
I loved the setting for this.
For some reason, I always find remote parts of Scotland to be a perfect backdrop to give that creepy vibe. Although the descriptions still portray a vivid and striking scene.
I was really quite wary of all the characters in this story.
Each with their own distinctive personality, making them all stand out, I wasn't quite sure I wanted to trust or like any of them.
I even wondered about it all being down to the house itself!
Another brilliant read, thoroughly enjoyable (in that "don't leave me alone in the dark" way!)
Can't wait to read more by this author!
January 6, 2024
In "The Au Pair" by Jane Renshaw, I regretfully rate it 1 star with a DNF (Did Not Finish). Despite my attempt to engage with the story, I found the characters, especially Alice, to be unlikeable. The author's attempt to portray her innocence came across as cringey, with an excessive use of exclamation points that felt forced rather than quirky. Melanie, initially promising, also fell short of being a likable character. The inconsistent behavior of the mother resembled a pattern seen in another book, "Housemaid." Despite my initial efforts, nothing in the first 25% of the book captured my attention enough to continue the journey.
February 14, 2024
The au pair by Jane Renshaw.
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
A really enjoyable read. This is my 5th book I've read by this author. Twisty and Fast paced. Thought I had it figured out but who it was threw me and i was surprised aswell. I did like Melanie and Alice. I liked the plot. I was on the edge of my seat throughout. A few jaw dropping moments. I was rooting for Melanie and hoping Alice was OK. I did like the ending. 5*.
The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived - and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…
A really enjoyable read. This is my 5th book I've read by this author. Twisty and Fast paced. Thought I had it figured out but who it was threw me and i was surprised aswell. I did like Melanie and Alice. I liked the plot. I was on the edge of my seat throughout. A few jaw dropping moments. I was rooting for Melanie and hoping Alice was OK. I did like the ending. 5*.
April 2, 2024
The Au Pair is a hell of a compulsive thriller that I read in 48hrs, which is rare for me. The plot was exciting, the Scottish location of Scallan Lodge was haunting and so atmospheric (it have me The Turn of the Key vibes, which I loved), the main character Alice was so well drafted: perfect young lady, the ideal daughter, yet not annoying.or boring. I also loved Tess and how she was setting the tone. Melanie/Donna was amazing, and her selflessness made me root for her up till the end! Alice decided to run away from her loving adoptive family in Indiana and flew to Scotland where she knew her adoptive mother was from. She found a job as an au pair on a large property named Scallan Lodge and had to take care of three girls: Isabel, Tess and Christina. She quickly realized that something was off about the place, the house, and the family. One morning, we found her clothes on the beach, and all assumed that she took a dip in the ocean and drowned, considering she was a bad swimmer. This book takes her on a roller coaster ride, hoping to find out what really happened to Alice. What a great thriller, a well-balanced quota of good a bad people, and I so loved the ending. I'm swooning!
April 21, 2025
Actual rating 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for sending me this for review.
in this book we follow two characters, first we meet 18 year old Alice who leaves America after she has stolen some money from her church to go and be an Au Pair to a family in Scotland, the family are a bit quirky but she soon sparks up a good relationship with the girls she looks after, and starts to have feelings for their Uncle, Alice goes missing (we know this from the prolouge) and it is assumed she drowned and we follow the strange events leading up to this and the Aftermath. We also follow Donna who takes a job as the families new Au Pair and soon discovers all isn't what it seems.
overall this one was fine. it's pretty easy to figure out what's gone on quite early on though and it kind of takes away from the twist, towards the end the pacing really speeds up and I was on the edge of my seat and really anxious for the characters.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for sending me this for review.
in this book we follow two characters, first we meet 18 year old Alice who leaves America after she has stolen some money from her church to go and be an Au Pair to a family in Scotland, the family are a bit quirky but she soon sparks up a good relationship with the girls she looks after, and starts to have feelings for their Uncle, Alice goes missing (we know this from the prolouge) and it is assumed she drowned and we follow the strange events leading up to this and the Aftermath. We also follow Donna who takes a job as the families new Au Pair and soon discovers all isn't what it seems.
overall this one was fine. it's pretty easy to figure out what's gone on quite early on though and it kind of takes away from the twist, towards the end the pacing really speeds up and I was on the edge of my seat and really anxious for the characters.
January 9, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
An American 18-year old girl, Alice, travels to Scotland to start her job as an au-pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge.
She loves the children, but finds herself nervous about the adults and increasingly anxious in the house. After about a month she disappears.
The new au-pair Donna (aka Melanie) wants to find out what happened to Alice and soon realizes there is something horrifying going on.
I liked both Alice and Melanie a lot and found the other characters (not the children!) absolutely evil.
Great story, difficult to put down, with a surprisingly sweet ending. I.enjoyed it immensely.
An American 18-year old girl, Alice, travels to Scotland to start her job as an au-pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge.
She loves the children, but finds herself nervous about the adults and increasingly anxious in the house. After about a month she disappears.
The new au-pair Donna (aka Melanie) wants to find out what happened to Alice and soon realizes there is something horrifying going on.
I liked both Alice and Melanie a lot and found the other characters (not the children!) absolutely evil.
Great story, difficult to put down, with a surprisingly sweet ending. I.enjoyed it immensely.
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January 25, 2024The Au Pair is about a young girl, Alice, going to work for a family as an au pair. Alice goes missing and in the current time frame Melanie goes to look into Alice's disappearance by becoming the same family's au pair. I thought the premise of the book was good. I honestly did not find any of the characters in the book likeable. Alice was written using a lot of exclamation marks possibly to make her seem young but it just got annoying. The whole book was to long and boring. Nothing happened for far too long.
February 26, 2024
Ideally I give this 4 1/2 stars. It was a good plot that kept you guessing. The beginning started off slow and probably could have been cut a little shorter. The last 25% was the best and I'm so pleased with the ending.
March 28, 2024
I liked Alice and Melanie and I instantly connected with them and the plot. The twists were somewhat predictable but still enjoyable. I had predicted the outcome but I didn't know how it would play out so I had to keep reading to find out.
April 2, 2024
I was able to read this book through kindle unlimited.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved how everything tied together and the final surprise was wonderful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC
I really enjoyed this book. I loved how everything tied together and the final surprise was wonderful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC
February 19, 2024
What a suspenseful read! Poor Alice. So innocent and trusting and the two youngest girls in her charge, Tess and Isabel, adore her. Not so much 16-year-old Christina, but then she’s a teenager and doesn’t need a nanny, especially one only two years older than her.
Alice lives with her mum and dad in the US, but runs away to take up a post as an au pair in a remote Scottish manor house – Scallon Lodge. It’s in a state of disrepair, but that’s because the Davidsons’ business went bust and they can’t afford to do it up. As well as Ken and Caro, there’s Ken’s dodgy brother Gray and the three girls. Alice initially thinks they are all cool and wonderful, even Gray, and the younger girls are a delight.
Then Alice disappears, her clothes found by the sea, and the police believe she got into trouble while swimming and drowned. But Alice could barely swim and would NEVER have gone into the water by herself. I swim 3-4 times a week and I would never swim alone in the rough seas. Or anywhere remote by myself.
Almost immediately after Alice’s disappearance, a new au pair arrives. Melanie AKA ‘Donna’ is a lot older than Alice, and shall we just say, she’s streetwise. She wasn’t exactly an angel in her youth, but she’s turned her life around. She’s never worked as an au pair though, but hopefully she’ll get away with it, because she’s determined to find out what happened to Alice. And she’s not fooled by Ken or Caro of even creepy Gray. He won’t pull the wool over her eyes like he did Alice. And then there’s the so-called ‘paying guests’. What are they really up to?
What happened to Alice and were the Davidsons involved? And is Melanie/Donna herself now in danger? She can take care of herself, but how far would these people be prepared to go to hide their dirty little secrets?
The Au Pair is full of twists and surprises – the biggest is revealed fairly early on – and would make a fantastic holiday read. Just one word of advice. If you plan to take up a post as an au pair, make sure you check out the references for your employers. But then if Alice had done so, this book wouldn’t have been any fun.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
Alice lives with her mum and dad in the US, but runs away to take up a post as an au pair in a remote Scottish manor house – Scallon Lodge. It’s in a state of disrepair, but that’s because the Davidsons’ business went bust and they can’t afford to do it up. As well as Ken and Caro, there’s Ken’s dodgy brother Gray and the three girls. Alice initially thinks they are all cool and wonderful, even Gray, and the younger girls are a delight.
Then Alice disappears, her clothes found by the sea, and the police believe she got into trouble while swimming and drowned. But Alice could barely swim and would NEVER have gone into the water by herself. I swim 3-4 times a week and I would never swim alone in the rough seas. Or anywhere remote by myself.
Almost immediately after Alice’s disappearance, a new au pair arrives. Melanie AKA ‘Donna’ is a lot older than Alice, and shall we just say, she’s streetwise. She wasn’t exactly an angel in her youth, but she’s turned her life around. She’s never worked as an au pair though, but hopefully she’ll get away with it, because she’s determined to find out what happened to Alice. And she’s not fooled by Ken or Caro of even creepy Gray. He won’t pull the wool over her eyes like he did Alice. And then there’s the so-called ‘paying guests’. What are they really up to?
What happened to Alice and were the Davidsons involved? And is Melanie/Donna herself now in danger? She can take care of herself, but how far would these people be prepared to go to hide their dirty little secrets?
The Au Pair is full of twists and surprises – the biggest is revealed fairly early on – and would make a fantastic holiday read. Just one word of advice. If you plan to take up a post as an au pair, make sure you check out the references for your employers. But then if Alice had done so, this book wouldn’t have been any fun.
Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
July 3, 2024
Fast paced and engaging, love a female heroine and full circle happy ending
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book!
This is, and I'm not exaggerating, my FAVORITE thriller I've read so far. The book is set in the Scottish Highlands and described with beautiful and alluring imagery, and follows the differing perspectives of two women. Alice Snyder and Melanie McFarlane both make fantastic protagonists, especially because they have such different views of the world and the characters within it. I instantly adored Alice and her youthful and optimistic outlook, but I loved Melanie's snarky attitude just as much. The author does a great job of getting you fully invested in their fates right from the start.
This book does a great job of making you feel like YOU'RE the one in danger, always waiting for something bad to happen and looking too far into everything the characters say. You know that feeling you get when someone's watching you? That's the best way I can describe how this book makes you feel. But in the best way possible! I've always felt that thrillers can sometimes be ruined by being too predictable, but I didn't feel that way about this one.
To top it all off, the ending genuinely made me tear up. I had no idea that I'd get this emotionally attached to the characters. I recognize that I'm ranting at this point so I'll wrap it up, but consider me a super-fan <3
This is, and I'm not exaggerating, my FAVORITE thriller I've read so far. The book is set in the Scottish Highlands and described with beautiful and alluring imagery, and follows the differing perspectives of two women. Alice Snyder and Melanie McFarlane both make fantastic protagonists, especially because they have such different views of the world and the characters within it. I instantly adored Alice and her youthful and optimistic outlook, but I loved Melanie's snarky attitude just as much. The author does a great job of getting you fully invested in their fates right from the start.
This book does a great job of making you feel like YOU'RE the one in danger, always waiting for something bad to happen and looking too far into everything the characters say. You know that feeling you get when someone's watching you? That's the best way I can describe how this book makes you feel. But in the best way possible! I've always felt that thrillers can sometimes be ruined by being too predictable, but I didn't feel that way about this one.
To top it all off, the ending genuinely made me tear up. I had no idea that I'd get this emotionally attached to the characters. I recognize that I'm ranting at this point so I'll wrap it up, but consider me a super-fan <3
March 12, 2024
3.5* I figured out the twist pretty early on and the jumping between the sometimes non linear timelines irritated me a little but it was a decent enough book.
February 18, 2024
‼️I read & received this ebook in exchange for an honest review with @zooloobooktours, in collab with the author. Thank you both. All thoughts are my own.
Alice, a runaway from her mother and father, ends up becoming the au pair of the children at Scallon Lodge. What at first seems to be the perfect escape, quickly becomes an eery & unsettling place to be. Then one evening, Alice vanishes. People say she drowned in the river, though Alice hated swimming.. so where did she go? Or who, took her?
Enter Melanie, the newly appointed Au Pair with a secret agenda.. she knows Alice went missing, but she won’t stop searching for answers until she finds out the truth.
I really enjoyed this read. It was a strong plot and as a lover of au pair/nanny thrillers, it checked a lot of my boxes. I really enjoyed the POVs set in different times! The detective in me was trying to notice details which would lead to the truth & ending.. I was far from accurate 🤣
🌟Perfect for readers wanting an;
*easy & gripping read
*twisty & unreliable characters
*multiple POV
*missing person mystery
AVAILABLE on kindle unlimited now OR 99p for the ebook to buy 🤭
I rated this book a 4🌟s!
Alice, a runaway from her mother and father, ends up becoming the au pair of the children at Scallon Lodge. What at first seems to be the perfect escape, quickly becomes an eery & unsettling place to be. Then one evening, Alice vanishes. People say she drowned in the river, though Alice hated swimming.. so where did she go? Or who, took her?
Enter Melanie, the newly appointed Au Pair with a secret agenda.. she knows Alice went missing, but she won’t stop searching for answers until she finds out the truth.
I really enjoyed this read. It was a strong plot and as a lover of au pair/nanny thrillers, it checked a lot of my boxes. I really enjoyed the POVs set in different times! The detective in me was trying to notice details which would lead to the truth & ending.. I was far from accurate 🤣
🌟Perfect for readers wanting an;
*easy & gripping read
*twisty & unreliable characters
*multiple POV
*missing person mystery
AVAILABLE on kindle unlimited now OR 99p for the ebook to buy 🤭
I rated this book a 4🌟s!
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