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The Nanny
Two years after killing his younger brother, an eight-year-old confronts a menacing nanny
In the High House School for Disturbed Children, the windows are narrow, the shadows are dark, and the secrets can be deadly. Unable to cope with his guilt, Joey Fane has been here ever since the afternoon when his little brother wouldn't leave him alone in the bathroom--the day that Joey cracked a block across his Ralphie's head and left him to bleed. Two years after the incident, Joey finally recovers and is released and sent back home--but he will soon wish he could have stayed locked away forever.
While Joey was away, his mother fell completely under the spell of the nanny who was hired before the accident to care for Joey's now-long-dead brother. With Joey's return, it's time for Nanny to leave, but she's not ready to go. Between these two ruthless souls, battle will be waged, and more blood will be spilled.
In the High House School for Disturbed Children, the windows are narrow, the shadows are dark, and the secrets can be deadly. Unable to cope with his guilt, Joey Fane has been here ever since the afternoon when his little brother wouldn't leave him alone in the bathroom--the day that Joey cracked a block across his Ralphie's head and left him to bleed. Two years after the incident, Joey finally recovers and is released and sent back home--but he will soon wish he could have stayed locked away forever.
While Joey was away, his mother fell completely under the spell of the nanny who was hired before the accident to care for Joey's now-long-dead brother. With Joey's return, it's time for Nanny to leave, but she's not ready to go. Between these two ruthless souls, battle will be waged, and more blood will be spilled.
325 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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348 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 13, 2018
My first fiction book of the year. A little light relief ... two psychopaths, nanny and child, pitted against each other is what it looks like, but what with all the twists and turns only one of them turns out to be. Quite good, very dated. 3 stars.
March 23, 2018
From 1964. I didn't like this much, but I love the writer, and there were some pretty terrific parts. Evelyn Piper (the name is a nom de plume of Merriam Modell) also wrote Bunny Lake is Missing, which I adored, and many other things I want to read. It is too much effort say why I feel the way I feel about this book (conflicted). It is genuinely dark, though.
March 27, 2011
Evelyn Piper (pseudonym of Merriam Modell [19 May 1908 - 1 July 1994]) is virtually unknown today, though she published many novels and short-stories between the mid-1940s and 1970, when her last novel, THE STAND-IN, was published). Her legacy today stems from two 1965 films based on two of those novels: BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING (published 1957) and THE NANNY (published 1964). I know I made a couple of attempts at THE NANNY a long, long time ago – I’ve decided it’s time to give it a serious go.
Starring Bette Davis, whose career had been given a huge boost with 1962's WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, THE NANNY was filmed by Hammer Films, known primarily for their Technicolor Frankenstein and Dracula films – THE NANNY, however, did not fall into that category – rather, it was what I affectionately call “one of Hammer’s nice little black-and-white psychological thrillers.” Within the first dozen pages a number of changes from page to screen (courtesy of producer/screenwriter Jimmy Sangster) are evident:
1) The setting of the story was transferred from Manhattan to London for the film (which should come as no surprise, since Hammer was a British film company - the casting of Davis, however, ensured wider international recognition for the film);
2) In the novel it’s Joey’s younger brother who was accidentally killed – the brother becomes a little sister in the film;
3) Nanny’s services were obtained through Victor Fane’s secretary, Althea, with whom he has an affair – Nanny has served Althea’s family for decades – in the film Nanny had been in service to Virgie Fane’s family, had been Nanny for herself and her sister.
3/27: A thoroughly unpleasant book; more than halfway through (it's only 152 pages in paperback), I'm tempted not to finish it, but while I have to admit I want to see how it all comes out, I'm not particularly enjoying the proceedings - none of the primary characters is particularly sympathetic - this is one of those novels in which the author reveals certain things early on, and then must devise ways of keeping the characters from knowing what we know.
If Ruth Rendell wrote a novel that combined a psychotic nanny, a teenaged sociopath and the neurotic mother of a frightened eight-year old whom nobody believes, it would probably be spellbinding. Evelyn Piper concocted such a mixture with The Nanny and it’s just, as I've said – unpleasant all around. It's hard to see what attracted a film company to this novel, and easy to see why it was altered for the screen, especially as the title character dies 37 pages before the end of the book (Sangster reconfigured the story as a battle of wills between Nanny and the boy, Joey, which Piper only partially develops in the novel).
Starring Bette Davis, whose career had been given a huge boost with 1962's WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, THE NANNY was filmed by Hammer Films, known primarily for their Technicolor Frankenstein and Dracula films – THE NANNY, however, did not fall into that category – rather, it was what I affectionately call “one of Hammer’s nice little black-and-white psychological thrillers.” Within the first dozen pages a number of changes from page to screen (courtesy of producer/screenwriter Jimmy Sangster) are evident:
1) The setting of the story was transferred from Manhattan to London for the film (which should come as no surprise, since Hammer was a British film company - the casting of Davis, however, ensured wider international recognition for the film);
2) In the novel it’s Joey’s younger brother who was accidentally killed – the brother becomes a little sister in the film;
3) Nanny’s services were obtained through Victor Fane’s secretary, Althea, with whom he has an affair – Nanny has served Althea’s family for decades – in the film Nanny had been in service to Virgie Fane’s family, had been Nanny for herself and her sister.
3/27: A thoroughly unpleasant book; more than halfway through (it's only 152 pages in paperback), I'm tempted not to finish it, but while I have to admit I want to see how it all comes out, I'm not particularly enjoying the proceedings - none of the primary characters is particularly sympathetic - this is one of those novels in which the author reveals certain things early on, and then must devise ways of keeping the characters from knowing what we know.
If Ruth Rendell wrote a novel that combined a psychotic nanny, a teenaged sociopath and the neurotic mother of a frightened eight-year old whom nobody believes, it would probably be spellbinding. Evelyn Piper concocted such a mixture with The Nanny and it’s just, as I've said – unpleasant all around. It's hard to see what attracted a film company to this novel, and easy to see why it was altered for the screen, especially as the title character dies 37 pages before the end of the book (Sangster reconfigured the story as a battle of wills between Nanny and the boy, Joey, which Piper only partially develops in the novel).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2016
Wow. Shocking and suspenseful, this book kept me on the edge of my seat for every page.
I've been wanting to read this book for years. I first saw the film version (1965 starring Bette Davis) some 20 years ago and have wanting to read the original novel ever since I discovered it existed, perhaps 10 years ago. So when I saw that Open Road Integrated Media was re-releasing this, I requested it from NetGalley right away and started reading it as soon as I was approved.
There are some books/film combos where I think that, if you've tried one, there's really no need to delve into the other Example: The Exorcist. I think that, if you have seen the movie, there's really no reason to read the book. You don't get anything more out of it. The Nanny is the exact opposite. The film is wonderful in its own right, but it is almost NOTHING like the book. The book turns the volume of everything in the film up to 11. Character relationships, plot-line details, and the ending are all different than in the film. From the psychopathic and promiscuous teenager, to the adulterous relationships, these changes lead to so much more drama and suspense in this version verses the film. Even the ending kept me guessing and my insides tied up in knots until the last sentence.
If you love suspense, DEFINITELY pick this one up.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I've been wanting to read this book for years. I first saw the film version (1965 starring Bette Davis) some 20 years ago and have wanting to read the original novel ever since I discovered it existed, perhaps 10 years ago. So when I saw that Open Road Integrated Media was re-releasing this, I requested it from NetGalley right away and started reading it as soon as I was approved.
There are some books/film combos where I think that, if you've tried one, there's really no need to delve into the other Example: The Exorcist. I think that, if you have seen the movie, there's really no reason to read the book. You don't get anything more out of it. The Nanny is the exact opposite. The film is wonderful in its own right, but it is almost NOTHING like the book. The book turns the volume of everything in the film up to 11. Character relationships, plot-line details, and the ending are all different than in the film. From the psychopathic and promiscuous teenager, to the adulterous relationships, these changes lead to so much more drama and suspense in this version verses the film. Even the ending kept me guessing and my insides tied up in knots until the last sentence.
If you love suspense, DEFINITELY pick this one up.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
August 27, 2025
Coup de cœur pour ce livre des années 60, haletant, au suspense psychologique Hitchcockien bien présent.
Joey a 6 ans quand son petit frère meurt de manière tragique, il est confié à un institut spécialisé.
A 8 ans, il rentre chez lui mais il a une peur bleue de retrouver sa nounou, il prétend même qu’elle va le tuer.
Que s’est t’il passé 2 ans plus tôt ?
Et que va t’il se passer à son retour dans la maison en présence de la nounou ?
Joey a 6 ans quand son petit frère meurt de manière tragique, il est confié à un institut spécialisé.
A 8 ans, il rentre chez lui mais il a une peur bleue de retrouver sa nounou, il prétend même qu’elle va le tuer.
Que s’est t’il passé 2 ans plus tôt ?
Et que va t’il se passer à son retour dans la maison en présence de la nounou ?
January 2, 2024
A book with no chapters?! Well, that was definitely something new.
This book isn't all it seems. Yes, I wanted to know what was going to happen next but I had figured out early on that 'The nanny' wasn't very nice- to put it politely!
Although I wanted to know what going to happen next, it wasn't overly thrilling as I'd hoped it was going to be.
Despite this, it was an easy read. Although, I did find some parts of the books less believable than others. The first half of the book is quite slow-paced compared to the second half.
All in all, it was a good read. Overall rating 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 on here, as you can't do half stars.)
This book isn't all it seems. Yes, I wanted to know what was going to happen next but I had figured out early on that 'The nanny' wasn't very nice- to put it politely!
Although I wanted to know what going to happen next, it wasn't overly thrilling as I'd hoped it was going to be.
Despite this, it was an easy read. Although, I did find some parts of the books less believable than others. The first half of the book is quite slow-paced compared to the second half.
All in all, it was a good read. Overall rating 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 on here, as you can't do half stars.)
December 10, 2022
Having heard of the film, I decided to read the book. I was thoroughly disappointed when I remembered how much had been ripped out of the film!
It is a brilliant book with much psychological thrills about it. The story has multiple parts for different characters, whereas the film is all about the nanny and the two children.
I would recommend watching the film before you read the book, IF YOU ARE GOING TO WATCH IT. The book is far superior and unputdownable once you get going...
It is a brilliant book with much psychological thrills about it. The story has multiple parts for different characters, whereas the film is all about the nanny and the two children.
I would recommend watching the film before you read the book, IF YOU ARE GOING TO WATCH IT. The book is far superior and unputdownable once you get going...
October 12, 2020
I'd previously read Bunny Lake is Missing by Evelyn Piper. I discovered this book, The Nanny (yes I know I could have just googled it), when checking out movies by Better Davis. The movie sounded creepy and so I thought I should try the book as I'd quite enjoyed Bunny Lake, both as a book and a movie. This book ended up being quite excellent.
The Nanny is packed with tension and action and it comes at you from all sides. 8-year old Joey Fane has spent two years at a mental hospital. He was sent there after the death of his younger brother, Ralphie, a tragic accident. Joey's mother, Virgie, is under a thrall of the Nanny and is very nervous about Joey coming home. She blames herself for the tragedy and feels she might let Joey down. Bill Fane, the father, is in a relationship with his secretary but wants to try again and agrees with the hospital that Nanny should be sent away as Joey is terrified of her. Her old boss, Aunt Pen, agrees to take the Nanny back. Even she seems to be under a thrall of the Nanny.
There is so much to take in in this relatively short horror story. The Nanny's resentment of being taken away from her latest child, mother Virgie Fane, by the return of Joey will result in her to commit dangerous, but subtle acts as she tries to regain control in the family. Joey is a strong, brave boy fighting against her control, and also against those who believe the Nanny; that being Aunt Pen and Doctor Medman. Aunt Pen is a fascinating character, controlled by the Nanny from childhood, with a severe heart condition, but her efforts at the end are heroic. The Dr's daughter, Bobbie, who is a psychopath, provides many interesting, scary twists and turns. The Doctor's feelings towards his daughter color his feelings toward Joey. The other major character is Virgie, desperately dependent, almost childlike towards the Nanny, but one who changes as the story progresses.
I don't want to ruin the ultimate plot, suffice it to say that it is creepy, at times down right scary and filled with tension and moments where you will be shouting at the book, to 'hurry up', stop wasting time!! Very impressed with this. (4.5 stars)
The Nanny is packed with tension and action and it comes at you from all sides. 8-year old Joey Fane has spent two years at a mental hospital. He was sent there after the death of his younger brother, Ralphie, a tragic accident. Joey's mother, Virgie, is under a thrall of the Nanny and is very nervous about Joey coming home. She blames herself for the tragedy and feels she might let Joey down. Bill Fane, the father, is in a relationship with his secretary but wants to try again and agrees with the hospital that Nanny should be sent away as Joey is terrified of her. Her old boss, Aunt Pen, agrees to take the Nanny back. Even she seems to be under a thrall of the Nanny.
There is so much to take in in this relatively short horror story. The Nanny's resentment of being taken away from her latest child, mother Virgie Fane, by the return of Joey will result in her to commit dangerous, but subtle acts as she tries to regain control in the family. Joey is a strong, brave boy fighting against her control, and also against those who believe the Nanny; that being Aunt Pen and Doctor Medman. Aunt Pen is a fascinating character, controlled by the Nanny from childhood, with a severe heart condition, but her efforts at the end are heroic. The Dr's daughter, Bobbie, who is a psychopath, provides many interesting, scary twists and turns. The Doctor's feelings towards his daughter color his feelings toward Joey. The other major character is Virgie, desperately dependent, almost childlike towards the Nanny, but one who changes as the story progresses.
I don't want to ruin the ultimate plot, suffice it to say that it is creepy, at times down right scary and filled with tension and moments where you will be shouting at the book, to 'hurry up', stop wasting time!! Very impressed with this. (4.5 stars)
April 4, 2016
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for a digital copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed herein, however, are my own.
Also, let me say that this book is chilling and suspenseful, and if that's what you're looking for, this may fit the bill. The titular character is cunning and creepy, and the angst created by her makes one quite anxious for little Joey.
I won't go into any of the plot points, because I don't want to have nothing but a bunch of spoiler tags, but I will tell you that the anxiety will hold til the very last page.
Unfortunately, the tense nature of the plot was not enough to retrieve the rest of the book. The characterization, the language, the style - all seemed outdated and tired and just did not live up to the plot of the novel.
The secondary characters serve no purpose, it seems, aside that of annoyance. Most of them annoyed me. Joey's mother, Virgie, in particular, is one of those anti-feminist pieces of work that makes me want to scream.
I realize that this was written a long time ago, but it is in no way a classic. A classic transcends the time period in which it was written, and can be read decades or even centuries later and stand up to an assessment based on a different set of values. This novel, though, can't. This book doesn't just contain misogyny, tropes, and stereotypes, it wallows in them.
It's also told with a heavy emphasis on dialogue, in parts, without narrative to support it, almost like a script. I don't know about anyone else, but this format drives me to distraction.
These issues repeatedly kicked me out of the flow of the narrative, and ruined the tension of the plot for me.
Others less sensitive to these things may enjoy this novel, but I, unfortunately, did not.
TL;DR: Old-school, ratcheting tension, somewhat spoiled by stereotypical characters. If you won't notice that issue, then this will probably be incredibly suspenseful for you.
************************************
This book made me queasy, but not really afraid. And stylistically, I hated it. 2 stars. Full review to come.
Also, let me say that this book is chilling and suspenseful, and if that's what you're looking for, this may fit the bill. The titular character is cunning and creepy, and the angst created by her makes one quite anxious for little Joey.
I won't go into any of the plot points, because I don't want to have nothing but a bunch of spoiler tags, but I will tell you that the anxiety will hold til the very last page.
Unfortunately, the tense nature of the plot was not enough to retrieve the rest of the book. The characterization, the language, the style - all seemed outdated and tired and just did not live up to the plot of the novel.
The secondary characters serve no purpose, it seems, aside that of annoyance. Most of them annoyed me. Joey's mother, Virgie, in particular, is one of those anti-feminist pieces of work that makes me want to scream.
I realize that this was written a long time ago, but it is in no way a classic. A classic transcends the time period in which it was written, and can be read decades or even centuries later and stand up to an assessment based on a different set of values. This novel, though, can't. This book doesn't just contain misogyny, tropes, and stereotypes, it wallows in them.
It's also told with a heavy emphasis on dialogue, in parts, without narrative to support it, almost like a script. I don't know about anyone else, but this format drives me to distraction.
These issues repeatedly kicked me out of the flow of the narrative, and ruined the tension of the plot for me.
Others less sensitive to these things may enjoy this novel, but I, unfortunately, did not.
TL;DR: Old-school, ratcheting tension, somewhat spoiled by stereotypical characters. If you won't notice that issue, then this will probably be incredibly suspenseful for you.
************************************
This book made me queasy, but not really afraid. And stylistically, I hated it. 2 stars. Full review to come.
January 10, 2018
Quite ironic that this book describes itself as 'a thriller you won't be able to put down', as it's one of the rare books I just gave up on 3/4 of the way through! The writing is poor and it becomes quite confusing at times. The characters aren't relatable or very realistic.
Overall I wouldn't recommend it.
Overall I wouldn't recommend it.
April 18, 2020
The 1965 film starring Bette Davis as Nanny is one of my favourites. Finally having read the book, I'm actually quite surprised how different the original source is. While I enjoyed the book well enough (I loved the over the top melodramatic 1960s dialogue, which is much more subtle in the film), I still do prefer the film.
August 14, 2019
A painful, tedious read.
October 2, 2019
I almost gave up reading this book and I am sorry that I wasted my time reading it. It was very confusing reading as an ebook without any chapters.
August 16, 2025
C’est un roman écrit dans les années 60, et franchement… ça se sent. Le style, les tournures de phrases, la manière de poser les dialogues : tout ça donne un côté un peu daté qui m’a souvent sortie du récit. J’ai eu du mal à entrer dans l’histoire.
On suit Joey, un petit garçon qui rentre chez lui après avoir passé deux ans dans un institut spécialisé, à la suite de la mort de son petit frère. Ce soir-là, ses parents sont envoyés d’urgence à l’hôpital, et Joey se retrouve seul avec sa nounou… qu’il redoute profondément. Il est terrifié à l’idée de passer la nuit avec elle. L’ambiance devient vite étrange, pesante.
J’ai trouvé que l’autrice mettait beaucoup (trop) de temps à poser les éléments. L’action démarre vraiment tard, ce qui m’a demandé pas mal de persévérance. Et pourtant, une fois que ça commence… là, ça devient prenant ! L’ambiance est tendue, presque suffocante, et les rebondissements captent l’attention.
Mais ça ne représente qu’une petite partie du livre (environ une centaine de pages), donc le reste m’a un peu ennuyée. Et puis, malheureusement, la fin ne m’a pas convaincue : j’ai trouvé les enchaînements confus, j’ai perdu le fil des personnages et des situations.
Bref, une lecture en demi-teinte pour moi. L’histoire devient captivante par moments, mais j’ai eu du mal à m’immerger et à suivre jusqu’au bout.
On suit Joey, un petit garçon qui rentre chez lui après avoir passé deux ans dans un institut spécialisé, à la suite de la mort de son petit frère. Ce soir-là, ses parents sont envoyés d’urgence à l’hôpital, et Joey se retrouve seul avec sa nounou… qu’il redoute profondément. Il est terrifié à l’idée de passer la nuit avec elle. L’ambiance devient vite étrange, pesante.
J’ai trouvé que l’autrice mettait beaucoup (trop) de temps à poser les éléments. L’action démarre vraiment tard, ce qui m’a demandé pas mal de persévérance. Et pourtant, une fois que ça commence… là, ça devient prenant ! L’ambiance est tendue, presque suffocante, et les rebondissements captent l’attention.
Mais ça ne représente qu’une petite partie du livre (environ une centaine de pages), donc le reste m’a un peu ennuyée. Et puis, malheureusement, la fin ne m’a pas convaincue : j’ai trouvé les enchaînements confus, j’ai perdu le fil des personnages et des situations.
Bref, une lecture en demi-teinte pour moi. L’histoire devient captivante par moments, mais j’ai eu du mal à m’immerger et à suivre jusqu’au bout.
February 23, 2018
For a book that I found mostly preposterous, this is actually quite an entertaining light read – but it doesn’t really stand up to any great scrutiny. I can see why it has polarised readers, with as many 5* reviews as 1* ones. I think I’m somewhat in the middle, as I did in fact quite enjoy it even whilst furrowing my brow at the sillier bits. It opens with little Joey incarcerated in the High House School for Disturbed Children, but having met his nanny you can quite see why he might be disturbed. Although to be fair that adjective can be applied to most of the characters before us here. Strange nannies are a trope in literature and this one is up there with the best. She actually is quite creepy and the way she manipulates everyone is quite well done. I did actually feel quite scared on occasion and there are enough plot twists and turns to retain the reader’s interest, even if you do have to suspend disbelief quite regularly. Nevertheless, poor little Joey does engage the reader’s (or at least this reader’s) sympathies and I found it quite a fun on the whole. It’s no surprise to discover that it was made into a film, with Bette Davis as the Nanny, one of Hammer’s typical offerings.
May 28, 2023
Does someone want to please tell me what in the effing eff I just read? Written in 1964, Evelyn Piper wrote in the same paragraph- what the person is thinking, then what the person is saying. Giving me the confusion of whether they are actually saying that sentence out loud or not.
The Nanny is also beyond outdated with phrases you would never see currently. Someone in a review said that Virgie, the boy’s mother, is a major feminist. That’s where that reviewer was kind of wrong because there is something else to the story wrapped around Virgie.
Basically this is a clusterfuck situation that happens when Joey comes home. Who’s to trust? Did the nanny do it, Joey? The butler? Oh wait, there wasn’t a butler in this book.
I did hear that the movie was way better than this book. I am not surprised. I actually fell asleep a couple pages periodically then turned some pages while I was sleeping. So the front cover of the book saying that it is suspenseful is a load of horse manure.
⚠️. So read at your own risk.
The Nanny is also beyond outdated with phrases you would never see currently. Someone in a review said that Virgie, the boy’s mother, is a major feminist. That’s where that reviewer was kind of wrong because there is something else to the story wrapped around Virgie.
Basically this is a clusterfuck situation that happens when Joey comes home. Who’s to trust? Did the nanny do it, Joey? The butler? Oh wait, there wasn’t a butler in this book.
I did hear that the movie was way better than this book. I am not surprised. I actually fell asleep a couple pages periodically then turned some pages while I was sleeping. So the front cover of the book saying that it is suspenseful is a load of horse manure.
⚠️. So read at your own risk.
March 15, 2023
Published in 1964. This was my stationary bike book for a week or two but I decided I had to know what was going to happen and finished it off. 8-year-old Joey has been in a psychiatric facility after being blamed for his younger brother's death. Once home, he's convinced that the nanny is trying to kill him.
It was difficult setting aside disbelief after a certain point but I still enjoyed the tension, even if the story eventually became a bit ridiculous and implausible. Suspense/thrillers do tend to be hard to buy into (at least for me) and most don't hold my attention to the end so I gave The Nanny 4 stars because I didn't close it partway and throw it at the wall. Some might think it deserving of such fate.
Note: I read an original copy that looks like it survived being stored in a drippy shed (stained; maybe a bit moldy). I didn't read the Kindle Edition and can't speak to it. I just liked the cover so I chose this particular edition for display.
It was difficult setting aside disbelief after a certain point but I still enjoyed the tension, even if the story eventually became a bit ridiculous and implausible. Suspense/thrillers do tend to be hard to buy into (at least for me) and most don't hold my attention to the end so I gave The Nanny 4 stars because I didn't close it partway and throw it at the wall. Some might think it deserving of such fate.
Note: I read an original copy that looks like it survived being stored in a drippy shed (stained; maybe a bit moldy). I didn't read the Kindle Edition and can't speak to it. I just liked the cover so I chose this particular edition for display.
March 22, 2020
I love this movie, but I never knew it had a novel as its source material, so I had to read this. Sadly this is one of those cases (that are rare) that the movie was a huge improvement over the book.
The style was hard to follow, although I did enjoy the unusual mix of 3rd person with inner thoughts woven together. In general though, a hard read because some of the lines were so vague you weren't sure who is saying what and what was going on. I had to reread a lot of sentences which is frustrating and unusual for me.
The story is also hugely implausibe. Believeability goes out the window fairly quickly. The end was a little thrilling and then lost it again. I'm surprised I made it through this book.
The style was hard to follow, although I did enjoy the unusual mix of 3rd person with inner thoughts woven together. In general though, a hard read because some of the lines were so vague you weren't sure who is saying what and what was going on. I had to reread a lot of sentences which is frustrating and unusual for me.
The story is also hugely implausibe. Believeability goes out the window fairly quickly. The end was a little thrilling and then lost it again. I'm surprised I made it through this book.
August 26, 2017
great from start to finish. It was such a great twist and I couldn't put it down. I wou.ld highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers I don't think it would disappoint.
Great from start to finish. It had so many twists in and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers.
Great from start to finish. It had so many twists in and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers.
October 1, 2021
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
'A Psychological Thriller you won't be able to put down'. They weren't wrong. This was fantastic. Dark mysterious and scary.
Will make you never want to let your kids out of your sight.
#thenanny #evelynpiper #favouritebooks #goodreads📚 #psychologicalthriller
'A Psychological Thriller you won't be able to put down'. They weren't wrong. This was fantastic. Dark mysterious and scary.
Will make you never want to let your kids out of your sight.
#thenanny #evelynpiper #favouritebooks #goodreads📚 #psychologicalthriller
August 6, 2017
Twists and turns
Fantastic read twists. A book that you won't he able to put down. Keeps you guessing all the easy through.
Fantastic read twists. A book that you won't he able to put down. Keeps you guessing all the easy through.
August 25, 2017
H
Not as good as I'd hoped. Very quick ending, so felt rushed. . . . . . . . .
Not as good as I'd hoped. Very quick ending, so felt rushed. . . . . . . . .
September 10, 2017
Excellent read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story line. Great characters and Nanny was an evil witch. Very glad that the whole truth came out!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story line. Great characters and Nanny was an evil witch. Very glad that the whole truth came out!
October 24, 2017
An excellent start to this book and it was well written. Not sure what I expected but it wasn't what I got, a bit disappointing.
December 24, 2018
I really struggled with this book. I echo other people’s reviews in that it is dated. I didn’t find the story a particular page turner or engaging despite the fact I finished it within 3 days.
April 21, 2024
Don't trust the nanny..... 3.5 stars. Bette Davis is wonderful in the movie - check out IMDB or TCM.
August 14, 2024
It didn't keep me up at night, but last night as I was dropping off to sleep I told myself it would be best to start the morning by changing my rating for this novel from 4 stars down to a mere 3. Then, preparing for the day - specifically, while in the shower - I realized I wasn't going to make the change, when it comes to The Nanny. I'm going to stick with 3.5 stars rounded up, because I realized that seeing the movie version first - many years ago - has tainted my ability to deal with the book on its own.
The book seems gonzo, especially towards the end; the movie does not. The movie, though not the fastest paced thing in the world, seems streamlined and focused compared to the novel. Some supporting characters who appear in the film do not come anywhere close to contributing a wild and wooly, even forced or clumsily realized, subplot, such as they do in the book. Finally, the film throws in a backstory for a character that is not anywhere in the novel, and this, plus the final fate of that character in the film - different from the book - creates sympathy for this person that is not even an issue in the original novel.
It's like the movie prepared me to find parts of the book overly melodramatic or implausible without proper build-up, or padded on to a story that should have just focused on the battle of wits between a kid, and a nanny. It's like the screenwriter and director successfully said to the novelist, with their final product; "No, your idea is sound - but this is what you do with this material..". And I have to say, I probably will always feel the movie took a somewhat unwieldy mishmash and created a great film for Bette Davis.
What we have in both versions is a troubled boy coming home from a special school for just his sort, a child with bad inclinations but, at 8 years old, can be saved before it's too late. A family tragedy involving the loss of a younger sibling, and the boy's detestation for the nanny mommy leans on for emotional and household support, all play into why the kid got packed off in the first place. The backstory, plus the first few uneasy or downright awkward scenes that occur right when the boy finally comes home, lead to one supposition: either the kid is a liar and a fiend at heart, or there's something up with that nanny. Either way, it's potentially deadly situation, if it wasn't before...
The movie decides to hide the truth a lot longer. The movie feels more like a Horror/Mystery hybrid, IMO, than the Domestic Crime fiction the novel feels like - or at least, if the Doctor Bee and Roberta subplot in the novel is supposed to count as legit Horror element, it's fascinating that the movie feels more like full-on Horror even WITHOUT the very wild doctor-and-daughter shenanigans Evelyn Piper blasts into the book. But again, the film gets lots of healthy creepiness by making you wonder about the nanny versus the boy - who is actually a dangerous psychopath here, and why?
I've made my peace with the bizarre subplotting in the novel that got erased in time for the film. I'm more in tune with the author's original vision - where she was trying to generate extra tension, why she wants Doctor Bee and Roberta ripping through her story making things worse. It was fun to read this so soon after The Hours Before Dawn by Celia Fremlin, and see Domestic Horror alive and strange, in this era. Fremlin probably gives us a more believable scenario, not cluttered with mesmerizing but otherwise whacked subplots that create whirling frenzy at the finale.
Detaching this novel from the film - and I didn't feel this way for the first third of the book, but I'll say it firmly now: The film is very different! - thinking solely about what works well in the original novel while trying not to see frantic subplots as completely unnecessary (I mean, I've seen when they're totally removed), I think this book was entertaining and twisty enough that 3.5 stars rounded up is fair.
The book seems gonzo, especially towards the end; the movie does not. The movie, though not the fastest paced thing in the world, seems streamlined and focused compared to the novel. Some supporting characters who appear in the film do not come anywhere close to contributing a wild and wooly, even forced or clumsily realized, subplot, such as they do in the book. Finally, the film throws in a backstory for a character that is not anywhere in the novel, and this, plus the final fate of that character in the film - different from the book - creates sympathy for this person that is not even an issue in the original novel.
It's like the movie prepared me to find parts of the book overly melodramatic or implausible without proper build-up, or padded on to a story that should have just focused on the battle of wits between a kid, and a nanny. It's like the screenwriter and director successfully said to the novelist, with their final product; "No, your idea is sound - but this is what you do with this material..". And I have to say, I probably will always feel the movie took a somewhat unwieldy mishmash and created a great film for Bette Davis.
What we have in both versions is a troubled boy coming home from a special school for just his sort, a child with bad inclinations but, at 8 years old, can be saved before it's too late. A family tragedy involving the loss of a younger sibling, and the boy's detestation for the nanny mommy leans on for emotional and household support, all play into why the kid got packed off in the first place. The backstory, plus the first few uneasy or downright awkward scenes that occur right when the boy finally comes home, lead to one supposition: either the kid is a liar and a fiend at heart, or there's something up with that nanny. Either way, it's potentially deadly situation, if it wasn't before...
The movie decides to hide the truth a lot longer. The movie feels more like a Horror/Mystery hybrid, IMO, than the Domestic Crime fiction the novel feels like - or at least, if the Doctor Bee and Roberta subplot in the novel is supposed to count as legit Horror element, it's fascinating that the movie feels more like full-on Horror even WITHOUT the very wild doctor-and-daughter shenanigans Evelyn Piper blasts into the book. But again, the film gets lots of healthy creepiness by making you wonder about the nanny versus the boy - who is actually a dangerous psychopath here, and why?
I've made my peace with the bizarre subplotting in the novel that got erased in time for the film. I'm more in tune with the author's original vision - where she was trying to generate extra tension, why she wants Doctor Bee and Roberta ripping through her story making things worse. It was fun to read this so soon after The Hours Before Dawn by Celia Fremlin, and see Domestic Horror alive and strange, in this era. Fremlin probably gives us a more believable scenario, not cluttered with mesmerizing but otherwise whacked subplots that create whirling frenzy at the finale.
Detaching this novel from the film - and I didn't feel this way for the first third of the book, but I'll say it firmly now: The film is very different! - thinking solely about what works well in the original novel while trying not to see frantic subplots as completely unnecessary (I mean, I've seen when they're totally removed), I think this book was entertaining and twisty enough that 3.5 stars rounded up is fair.
March 1, 2025
La nounou d’Evelyn Piper, présentation
Le Dr Bé s’occupe d’enfants en difficulté psychiatriques. Sarah est stagiaire.
Ils doivent se prononcer sur l‘avenir de Joey, enfant de 8 ans, qui est dans cette école depuis deux ans, après la mort de son petit frère.
Avis La nounou d’Evelyn Piper
Joey, 8 ans, va retrouver sa famille après avoir passé deux ans dans une institution, suite à la mort de son petit frère. Les autorités semblent l’avoir jugé responsable de cette mort. La jeune stagiaire, Sarah, s’inquiète pour lui et avant de quitter son travail, préfère appeler le père de Joey, Victor, afin qu’il licencie la nounou. Ce que Victor fait. Mais il doit en informer sa femme, Virgie, l’ombre d’elle-même depuis la mort de son cadet et l’enfermement de son aîné.
La nounou n’a pas dit son dernier mot et commence son travail de sape. Auprès de la jeune femme embauchée pour la remplacer, auprès de Virgie, auprès des parents quand ils se retrouvent à dîner avec leur fils et que malades, ils sont hospitalisés, laissant Joey seul avec la nounou. Joey tente de trouver un allié auprès du médecin qui habite au rez-de-chaussée, auprès d’une femme appelée à la rescousse par Nounou car cette dernière l’a élevée.
Commencent les premières accusations de Joey contre Nounou. Il refuse d’être seul avec elle. Il ne veut pas dormir. Il lui interdit de l’approcher. Il lui interdit de toucher à ses affaires.
Nounou est une femme diabolique qui semble arriver à ses fins. Tout le monde la croit car elle a élevé de nombreux enfants pendant plusieurs années. C’est la parfaite nounou anglaise qui élève mais aussi semble détruire ces enfants. Mais une de ses anciennes protégées va réfléchir, se poser des questions, la surveiller et elle se rend compte que Joey n’a pas forcément tort dans ce qu’il annonce.
Ce sera un médecin, dont la fille est psychopathe, passé les premiers instants avec Joey, va changer d’avis concernant l’enfant et se rappellera toute sa vie avec sa fille et les protections voulues par sa femme. Ce sera une mère qui va apprendre l’infidélité de son mari, qui, au fur et à mesure, va se rebeller, va se révéler une femme et surtout une mère. Elle croit son fils et va tout faire pour qu’il soit protégé et surtout que la vérité éclate. Car bien que sous la coupe de Nounou, car bien que critique envers son rôle de maman, son fils est tout pour elle. Et le père dans tout ça ? Il n’a jamais aimé Nounou mais a cédé face à sa femme. Raison pour laquelle il s’est éloigné quand son cadet est décédé ?
Les personnages sont très bien étudiés, que ce soit les parents, Joey et surtout Nounou. Elle rappelle réellement les vieilles nounous anglaises qui élèvent les enfants de leurs riches employeurs. Ces derniers n’ont pratiquement aucun contact avec leur progéniture. Donc la nounou est le seul lien avec l’enfant. Une belle relation peut se développer mais d’autres sont ancrées dans ce qu’elles ont appris, l’éducation qu’elles veulent transmettre. Un très bon roman qui détaille parfaitement l’âme humaine, la peur et le désarroi des enfants qui ne sont pas crus, la main mise sur autrui. C’est très facile de culpabiliser ceux qui ont souffert, surtout les parents quand ils ont perdu leur enfant. Et comment ne pas prendre fait et cause pour cet enfant qui semble avoir souffert depuis 8 ans.
Note : 8/10
Le Dr Bé s’occupe d’enfants en difficulté psychiatriques. Sarah est stagiaire.
Ils doivent se prononcer sur l‘avenir de Joey, enfant de 8 ans, qui est dans cette école depuis deux ans, après la mort de son petit frère.
Avis La nounou d’Evelyn Piper
Joey, 8 ans, va retrouver sa famille après avoir passé deux ans dans une institution, suite à la mort de son petit frère. Les autorités semblent l’avoir jugé responsable de cette mort. La jeune stagiaire, Sarah, s’inquiète pour lui et avant de quitter son travail, préfère appeler le père de Joey, Victor, afin qu’il licencie la nounou. Ce que Victor fait. Mais il doit en informer sa femme, Virgie, l’ombre d’elle-même depuis la mort de son cadet et l’enfermement de son aîné.
La nounou n’a pas dit son dernier mot et commence son travail de sape. Auprès de la jeune femme embauchée pour la remplacer, auprès de Virgie, auprès des parents quand ils se retrouvent à dîner avec leur fils et que malades, ils sont hospitalisés, laissant Joey seul avec la nounou. Joey tente de trouver un allié auprès du médecin qui habite au rez-de-chaussée, auprès d’une femme appelée à la rescousse par Nounou car cette dernière l’a élevée.
Commencent les premières accusations de Joey contre Nounou. Il refuse d’être seul avec elle. Il ne veut pas dormir. Il lui interdit de l’approcher. Il lui interdit de toucher à ses affaires.
Nounou est une femme diabolique qui semble arriver à ses fins. Tout le monde la croit car elle a élevé de nombreux enfants pendant plusieurs années. C’est la parfaite nounou anglaise qui élève mais aussi semble détruire ces enfants. Mais une de ses anciennes protégées va réfléchir, se poser des questions, la surveiller et elle se rend compte que Joey n’a pas forcément tort dans ce qu’il annonce.
Ce sera un médecin, dont la fille est psychopathe, passé les premiers instants avec Joey, va changer d’avis concernant l’enfant et se rappellera toute sa vie avec sa fille et les protections voulues par sa femme. Ce sera une mère qui va apprendre l’infidélité de son mari, qui, au fur et à mesure, va se rebeller, va se révéler une femme et surtout une mère. Elle croit son fils et va tout faire pour qu’il soit protégé et surtout que la vérité éclate. Car bien que sous la coupe de Nounou, car bien que critique envers son rôle de maman, son fils est tout pour elle. Et le père dans tout ça ? Il n’a jamais aimé Nounou mais a cédé face à sa femme. Raison pour laquelle il s’est éloigné quand son cadet est décédé ?
Les personnages sont très bien étudiés, que ce soit les parents, Joey et surtout Nounou. Elle rappelle réellement les vieilles nounous anglaises qui élèvent les enfants de leurs riches employeurs. Ces derniers n’ont pratiquement aucun contact avec leur progéniture. Donc la nounou est le seul lien avec l’enfant. Une belle relation peut se développer mais d’autres sont ancrées dans ce qu’elles ont appris, l’éducation qu’elles veulent transmettre. Un très bon roman qui détaille parfaitement l’âme humaine, la peur et le désarroi des enfants qui ne sont pas crus, la main mise sur autrui. C’est très facile de culpabiliser ceux qui ont souffert, surtout les parents quand ils ont perdu leur enfant. Et comment ne pas prendre fait et cause pour cet enfant qui semble avoir souffert depuis 8 ans.
Note : 8/10
March 7, 2025
Laissez moi vous conter ma dernière découverte, un joyau des sixties qui m'a tenu en haleine. Figurez-vous un roman qui vous happe dès les premières lignes dans un univers rétro délicieusement suranné. L'auteure, tisse une toile de suspense psychologique qui vous enserre progressivement.
Au cœur de ce récit, on trouve le jeune Joey, un bambin de huit ans au passé trouble. Après un séjour en institution suite au décès mystérieux de son jeune frère, le voilà qui regagne le nid, portant sur ses frêles épaules le poids d'une culpabilité diffuse. Le retour au bercail s'annonce délicat, la nounou qui s’occupait de son frère doit partir immédiatement.
Mais voilà, le sort en décide autrement. À la nuit tombée, Joey se retrouve en tête-à-tête avec cette femme énigmatique, dans un huis clos qui n’est pas sans rappeler ceux du maître Hitchcock. S'ensuit un duel psychologique d'une intensité rare, magistralement orchestré par l'auteure.
Joey est-il réellement en danger ou victime de ses propres peurs ? La nounou est-elle aussi manipulatrice et dangereuse qu’il le croit ? L’autrice joue habilement avec nos nerfs, semant le doute dans notre esprit à mesure que l’intrigue progresse.
Loin d’être démodé, ce roman m'a impressionnée par sa parfaite maîtrise du genre, avec une plume élégante et un sens du suspense digne des meilleurs thrillers classiques. Si le début du roman pose magnifiquement les bases et les personnages, la deuxième moitié introduit de nouveaux éléments qui peuvent surprendre, et la fin, bien que percutante, aurait peut-être mérité d’être davantage développée.
Néanmoins, la nounou reste une lecture captivante, où le charme des romans noirs du siècle dernier opère à merveille. Un classique à redécouvrir pour les amateurs de thrillers psychologiques et d’ambiances angoissantes ! Ce qui m'a particulièrement séduit, c'est la finesse avec laquelle l'écrivain distille le malaise, sans jamais verser dans la facilité de la violence. Bonne lecture.
https://latelierdelitote.canalblog.co...
Au cœur de ce récit, on trouve le jeune Joey, un bambin de huit ans au passé trouble. Après un séjour en institution suite au décès mystérieux de son jeune frère, le voilà qui regagne le nid, portant sur ses frêles épaules le poids d'une culpabilité diffuse. Le retour au bercail s'annonce délicat, la nounou qui s’occupait de son frère doit partir immédiatement.
Mais voilà, le sort en décide autrement. À la nuit tombée, Joey se retrouve en tête-à-tête avec cette femme énigmatique, dans un huis clos qui n’est pas sans rappeler ceux du maître Hitchcock. S'ensuit un duel psychologique d'une intensité rare, magistralement orchestré par l'auteure.
Joey est-il réellement en danger ou victime de ses propres peurs ? La nounou est-elle aussi manipulatrice et dangereuse qu’il le croit ? L’autrice joue habilement avec nos nerfs, semant le doute dans notre esprit à mesure que l’intrigue progresse.
Loin d’être démodé, ce roman m'a impressionnée par sa parfaite maîtrise du genre, avec une plume élégante et un sens du suspense digne des meilleurs thrillers classiques. Si le début du roman pose magnifiquement les bases et les personnages, la deuxième moitié introduit de nouveaux éléments qui peuvent surprendre, et la fin, bien que percutante, aurait peut-être mérité d’être davantage développée.
Néanmoins, la nounou reste une lecture captivante, où le charme des romans noirs du siècle dernier opère à merveille. Un classique à redécouvrir pour les amateurs de thrillers psychologiques et d’ambiances angoissantes ! Ce qui m'a particulièrement séduit, c'est la finesse avec laquelle l'écrivain distille le malaise, sans jamais verser dans la facilité de la violence. Bonne lecture.
https://latelierdelitote.canalblog.co...
May 10, 2016
I received this book through NetGalley.
The Nanny by Evelyn Piper is a suspenseful novel that keeps the reader interested throughout its entirety. The story is about a young boy Joey who is affected when his younger brother dies and is sent to a home where he is treated by doctors. When he is improving he is sent home, however he is afraid of his nanny that the family has had since he was a little boy. The major events of this novel take place the night he comes home for the first time and I wont get more into that night so that I wont spoil anything for those who have not read the book yet.
I thought the beginning of the book was very good at developing the characters for the novel, however toward the middle of the book new characters start to appear and I was a little confused at first. Then at the end of the book is when Joey returns home and I feel like the events were very rushed and could have been expanded on. I also wasn't very happy with the ending and wanted to know what happened next.
Overall, I enjoyed Evelyn Piper's novel and how she kept me intrigued the entire time. I look forward to reading more novels of hers.
The Nanny by Evelyn Piper is a suspenseful novel that keeps the reader interested throughout its entirety. The story is about a young boy Joey who is affected when his younger brother dies and is sent to a home where he is treated by doctors. When he is improving he is sent home, however he is afraid of his nanny that the family has had since he was a little boy. The major events of this novel take place the night he comes home for the first time and I wont get more into that night so that I wont spoil anything for those who have not read the book yet.
I thought the beginning of the book was very good at developing the characters for the novel, however toward the middle of the book new characters start to appear and I was a little confused at first. Then at the end of the book is when Joey returns home and I feel like the events were very rushed and could have been expanded on. I also wasn't very happy with the ending and wanted to know what happened next.
Overall, I enjoyed Evelyn Piper's novel and how she kept me intrigued the entire time. I look forward to reading more novels of hers.
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