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The Babysitter
‘I loved it, those twists!’ B A Paris ‘This had me at the title. Fast-moving. Addictive. And all too possible’ Jane Corry ‘Smart, suspenseful and oh so twisty’ Victoria Selman ‘Another brilliant read – possibly my favourite of hers yet. Tense, twisty and gripping. I was NOT expecting that twist!’ Claire Allan
On the hottest day of the year, Caroline Harvey is found dead in Suffolk. Her body is left draped over a cot – but the baby she was looking after is missing.
Hundreds of miles away, Siobhan Dillon is on a luxurious family holiday in France when her husband, Callum, is arrested by French police on suspicion of murder.
As Siobhan’s perfect family is torn apart by the media in the nation’s frantic search for the missing baby, she desperately tries to piece together how Callum knew Caroline.
What happened that night? Was Caroline as innocent as she seemed – or was she hiding a secret of her own?
The thrilling new book from the number one digital bestselling author of The Doll House and The Girl Next Door.
Praise for The Babysitter:
‘I loved it, those twists!’ B A Paris, The Dilemma
‘This had me at the title. Fast-moving. Addictive. And all too possible’ Jane Corry, I Looked Away
‘Smart, suspenseful and oh so twisty’ Victoria Selman, Blood for Blood
‘Another brilliant read – possibly my favourite of hers yet. Tense, twisty and gripping. I was NOT expecting that twist!’ Claire Allan, Her Name Was Rose
'Everything I love in a crime novel – a race-against-time mystery full of betrayal, divided loyalties, dubious men and relationships strained to breaking point. Hugely enjoyable and impossible to put down' Jane Casey, Cruel Acts
‘Smart and sophisticated, with a payoff that’s well worth the wait. This is a dark, chilling thriller oozing with secrets, betrayals and twists’ John Marrs, The One
‘Brilliant – could not put it down’ Emma Curtis, The Night You Left
‘A tense, smart thriller about betrayal, loyalty and the lengths people will go to to protect their carefully constructed lives. The suspense builds beautifully on every page until the final killer twist’ Niki Mackay, Found Her
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2020
496 people are currently reading
3280 people want to read
About the author
Phoebe Morgan
12 books673 followersPhoebe Morgan is an author and editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. She lives in London and you can follow her on Twitter @Phoebe_A_Morgan. The Doll House is her debut novel. It became a bestseller, topping the iBooks charts at #1 and the Amazon charts at #35.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 559 reviews
June 3, 2020
After reading and loving The Girl Next Door I jumped at the chance to read Phoebe Morgan’s new book The Babysitter. This addictive story was hard to read on Pigeonhole and I am sure that I could have devoured the whole book in a day. Absolutely loved reading this and almost picked the ending... so close!
Read over 10 days it was fun and to throw around theories with other readers around the world. It is interesting to see how others think about the same story.
Caroline Harvey is found murdered in her apartment and the baby that she was looking after for a friend is missing. As you can imagine this is a wild ride of suspects and motives. The prime suspect is the man that the victim was having an affair with, the married TV executive Callum Dillon. Police track I’m down at his sister in laws French villa where he is on holiday with his wife and daughter. Sent back to the UK the investigation begins.
It is told from multiple points of view, telling the story of before and after the murder. Who killed her and why?
Big thank you to The Pigeonhole for having me along on this read. Highly recommend
Read over 10 days it was fun and to throw around theories with other readers around the world. It is interesting to see how others think about the same story.
Caroline Harvey is found murdered in her apartment and the baby that she was looking after for a friend is missing. As you can imagine this is a wild ride of suspects and motives. The prime suspect is the man that the victim was having an affair with, the married TV executive Callum Dillon. Police track I’m down at his sister in laws French villa where he is on holiday with his wife and daughter. Sent back to the UK the investigation begins.
It is told from multiple points of view, telling the story of before and after the murder. Who killed her and why?
Big thank you to The Pigeonhole for having me along on this read. Highly recommend
June 27, 2020
After reading ‘The Doll House” I was very excited to start this book and was soon hooked!!
Siobhan and Callum are on holiday in France staying with her sister Maria, in her holiday home with their 16 year old daughter Emma. All is going well until the police arrive and arrest Callum for murdering his former girlfriend Caroline. Caroline was babysitting for a friend when she was murdered and the child she was looking after has disappeared.
This amazing story is told from several people’s points of view, as we are given bite sized pieces leading up to the night Caroline was murdered.
This is a great psychological thriller with twists that will keep you on the edge of your sofa and with an ending I did not see coming. I love a book where it keeps you guessing and my amateur detective skills are put to the test!!
An author that I will look out for.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Siobhan and Callum are on holiday in France staying with her sister Maria, in her holiday home with their 16 year old daughter Emma. All is going well until the police arrive and arrest Callum for murdering his former girlfriend Caroline. Caroline was babysitting for a friend when she was murdered and the child she was looking after has disappeared.
This amazing story is told from several people’s points of view, as we are given bite sized pieces leading up to the night Caroline was murdered.
This is a great psychological thriller with twists that will keep you on the edge of your sofa and with an ending I did not see coming. I love a book where it keeps you guessing and my amateur detective skills are put to the test!!
An author that I will look out for.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
March 2, 2022
Another really gripping psychological thriller from Phoebe Morgan, she's fast becoming one of my go to authors.
With the murder of Caroline Harvey whilst babysitting little Eve sparks two mysteries as the child is no where to be seen.
Who would murder Caroline?
Where is Eve now?
Things get even more twisty as Callum Dillion is arrested for the murder whilst holidaying in France with his wife Siobhan and his family.
The novel switches between the past and present with various perspectives that builds up a greater picture as what happened that night.
There's also a spattering of police interview transcripts and Twitter posts that adds to the mood.
Especially as the longer the investigation took made me more concerned for Eve's safety.
I was completely hooked and even nicely suprised with a strong reveal.
With the murder of Caroline Harvey whilst babysitting little Eve sparks two mysteries as the child is no where to be seen.
Who would murder Caroline?
Where is Eve now?
Things get even more twisty as Callum Dillion is arrested for the murder whilst holidaying in France with his wife Siobhan and his family.
The novel switches between the past and present with various perspectives that builds up a greater picture as what happened that night.
There's also a spattering of police interview transcripts and Twitter posts that adds to the mood.
Especially as the longer the investigation took made me more concerned for Eve's safety.
I was completely hooked and even nicely suprised with a strong reveal.
March 10, 2020
Siobhan and Callum are on holiday in France when Callum is arrested for murder of his former girlfriend Caroline.
Caroline was babysitting when she was murdered and the baby is nowhere to be found.
A thriller that kept me guessing.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Caroline was babysitting when she was murdered and the baby is nowhere to be found.
A thriller that kept me guessing.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2020
Caroline Harvey has been murdered and the baby she had been watching has disappeared. The prime suspect is Callum, a tv executive who was having an affair with Caroline. The Dillon's are in France on holiday when when they arrest Callum. His wife, Siobhan, daughter Emma and sister-in-law Maria are left wondering who Caroline was. It soon becomes clear that everyone has their own secrets.
This story is told from multiple points of view. It also switches from before and after the crime took place. There's several twists and clues to spot along the way. The story focuses on: infidelity, loneliness, family and loyalty. The characters are well rounded and believable. The pace is steady and I was drawn into the story straight away. I kept changing my mind about who had killed Caroline but eventually, I got it right. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Phoebe Morgan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review .
This story is told from multiple points of view. It also switches from before and after the crime took place. There's several twists and clues to spot along the way. The story focuses on: infidelity, loneliness, family and loyalty. The characters are well rounded and believable. The pace is steady and I was drawn into the story straight away. I kept changing my mind about who had killed Caroline but eventually, I got it right. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Phoebe Morgan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review .
January 20, 2020
Didn't want to put this one down. I love a good psychological thriller and I read loads of them , often getting a bit bored in the middle even when I love them ultimately but The Babysitter held my attention throughout. Great writing, intriguing cast of characters with a taut piece of plotting that whilst it only allows a small suspect pool as to who may have done what, never the less manages to stay unpredictable. Very good indeed.
Full review in May for publication.
Full review in May for publication.
May 29, 2020
This is an example of great storytelling. Just when you think you have it figured out, there's another twist that makes you question your detective skills.
Caroline, a needy, unstable and in my opinion idiotic single woman is murdered while babysitting her friend Jenny's baby, Eve. Caroline has been having an affair with the outwardly attractive and charming but inwardly deceitful and despicable Callum who is married to Siobhan, a somewhat pitiful character... They have a 16 year old needy, emotionally unstable daughter, Emma.
Callum, Siobhan and Emma are invited to St Juliette in France by Maria, sister of Siobhan and a successful, strong-willed single woman for a summer break. They’ve barely arrived when the police show up to arrest Callum for the murder of Caroline and abduction of Eve.
We then go back in time where little by little blanks are filled in amidst numerous turns and twists that left readers in my book club (Pigeonhole) hot under the collar. If you want to escape into a tale that is filled with sadness, madness and in my opinion quite a bit of badness, then this is the book for you. 5 Stars. Congratulations to the author. I look forward to your next book as will most people who have read this one.
Caroline, a needy, unstable and in my opinion idiotic single woman is murdered while babysitting her friend Jenny's baby, Eve. Caroline has been having an affair with the outwardly attractive and charming but inwardly deceitful and despicable Callum who is married to Siobhan, a somewhat pitiful character... They have a 16 year old needy, emotionally unstable daughter, Emma.
Callum, Siobhan and Emma are invited to St Juliette in France by Maria, sister of Siobhan and a successful, strong-willed single woman for a summer break. They’ve barely arrived when the police show up to arrest Callum for the murder of Caroline and abduction of Eve.
We then go back in time where little by little blanks are filled in amidst numerous turns and twists that left readers in my book club (Pigeonhole) hot under the collar. If you want to escape into a tale that is filled with sadness, madness and in my opinion quite a bit of badness, then this is the book for you. 5 Stars. Congratulations to the author. I look forward to your next book as will most people who have read this one.
February 29, 2020
Caroline Harvey is found murdered in her flat; the baby she was looking after, her friend’s daughter, is missing. The man Caroline has been having an affair with, Callum Dillon, is arrested while on holiday with his family - wife Siobhan, daughter Emma and sister in law Maria -on suspicion of murder and abduction.
Selfish, philandering Callum is undoubtedly a jerk, but is he a murderer? And where is baby Eve?
The story has plenty of twists and turns, and kept me guessing till the end - I had no idea for a long time who had murdered Caroline, and although I did get an inkling about this towards the end, I still had no idea what had happened to the baby. While it did take me a while to get into the story, the last half of the book had me gripped.
(At one point, the missing baby plot brought back unfortunate memories of the dreaded The Couple Next Door - though thankfully this is much better written and better plotted.)
A great read.
Selfish, philandering Callum is undoubtedly a jerk, but is he a murderer? And where is baby Eve?
The story has plenty of twists and turns, and kept me guessing till the end - I had no idea for a long time who had murdered Caroline, and although I did get an inkling about this towards the end, I still had no idea what had happened to the baby. While it did take me a while to get into the story, the last half of the book had me gripped.
(At one point, the missing baby plot brought back unfortunate memories of the dreaded The Couple Next Door - though thankfully this is much better written and better plotted.)
A great read.
November 3, 2020
Siobhan and her family are holidaying in her sister’s villa when the police arrive and arrest her husband under suspicion of murder. It appears her husband was having an affair with the deceased, but he vehemently denies killing her. And what about the baby, who the deceased was babysitting at the time? Where is she?
What follows is a fabulously twisty and clever plot which kept me entertained and guessing all the way through. This is my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book. All opinions are my own.
What follows is a fabulously twisty and clever plot which kept me entertained and guessing all the way through. This is my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book. All opinions are my own.
June 4, 2020
So many unanswered question......
Why the killer let someone else go down when so close to them?
How did the killer get home without being seen covered in blood.
You cant send a letter like the one at the end to a prison without it being questioned in a murder case as all post is open and read by officers first.
Easy to workout who the killer was.
Jumped a bit over all not a fan off this book.
Why the killer let someone else go down when so close to them?
How did the killer get home without being seen covered in blood.
You cant send a letter like the one at the end to a prison without it being questioned in a murder case as all post is open and read by officers first.
Easy to workout who the killer was.
Jumped a bit over all not a fan off this book.
June 26, 2020
My review on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
I bought my own paperback for £4.50 in Tesco, it’s the best £4.50 I’ve ever spent. I was absolutely glued to every word, sentence, page, and chapter. I totally adored the mystery surrounding a murder.
Although Phoebe Morgan has written 2 other books , The Babysitter is my only paperback that I have read by Phoebe Morgan.
I’m a great fiction reader of a husband having an affair.
Callum is a high powered well liked TV executive. All the women love him. Caroline Harvey gets to meet Callum, and they both begin an affair.
Hold your breath, Callum’s wife Siobhan turned an blind eye to his affairs.
Siobhan’s sister Maria owns a luxurious villa in France, and Siobhan, Callum and their daughter head of to France, with disastrous consequences. The French police turn up at Maria’s villia and arrest Callum of Caroline Harvey’s murder and a missing baby, and fly him back to England to be questioned by the English police.
I recommend The Babysister by Phoebe Morgan to everyone, with its unexpected twists within a family that’s full of surprises. Here is everything you all will love in a crime novel,with a fantastic plot that keeps you guessing until the end.
I bought my own paperback for £4.50 in Tesco, it’s the best £4.50 I’ve ever spent. I was absolutely glued to every word, sentence, page, and chapter. I totally adored the mystery surrounding a murder.
Although Phoebe Morgan has written 2 other books , The Babysitter is my only paperback that I have read by Phoebe Morgan.
I’m a great fiction reader of a husband having an affair.
Callum is a high powered well liked TV executive. All the women love him. Caroline Harvey gets to meet Callum, and they both begin an affair.
Hold your breath, Callum’s wife Siobhan turned an blind eye to his affairs.
Siobhan’s sister Maria owns a luxurious villa in France, and Siobhan, Callum and their daughter head of to France, with disastrous consequences. The French police turn up at Maria’s villia and arrest Callum of Caroline Harvey’s murder and a missing baby, and fly him back to England to be questioned by the English police.
I recommend The Babysister by Phoebe Morgan to everyone, with its unexpected twists within a family that’s full of surprises. Here is everything you all will love in a crime novel,with a fantastic plot that keeps you guessing until the end.
May 1, 2020
I recieved a digital arc from the publishers through netgalley in exchanhe for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and given freely.
My actual rating is 2.5⭐
So i expected to really like this one... I was a little annoyed at the way the time jumps back and forward but i got used to it and was eager to see where the story went...
I was thoroughly bored with most of the book... We start out when Callum gets arrested and then it goes back over to a week before... So I knew what happened befoee it did but i didn't believe it was him who murdered Caroline... But i couldn't figure out who it was.
The writing was dull and the stotyline was sooo slow, it felt like nothing was happening despite the chapters from Caroline's pov... I ended up skipping the chapters that didn't have Caroline in them until Emma came along... The ending was very disappointing and was totally boring. I expected more reaction from Siobhan, Maria folded quickly and it wasn't even shown, and Emma writing to her years later was over kill. Overall it was disappointing... The chapters from Caroline's pov were the only good ones... Setting up the murder and pointing at most of the characters.
I didnt sympathise or empathise with any of the characters becaise they were all flat. There was nothing remotely interesting about Caroline except her death and nothing that would strike me as anything to connect any of them.
Siobhan was a wet blanket, totally and utterly unlikeable and very boring and so pathetic.
Emma was annoying amd hardly there and the best bit was the couple of chapters in her pov. And even then I didn't like her character.
Callum is boring and pathetic and I have no clue how he gets all these women to faun over him and sleep with him.
Maria... There was something i disliked about her from the beginning i think it was the fact that she thought she w so much better than Siobhan and her calling her S annoyed the shit out of me.
My actual rating is 2.5⭐
So i expected to really like this one... I was a little annoyed at the way the time jumps back and forward but i got used to it and was eager to see where the story went...
I was thoroughly bored with most of the book... We start out when Callum gets arrested and then it goes back over to a week before... So I knew what happened befoee it did but i didn't believe it was him who murdered Caroline... But i couldn't figure out who it was.
The writing was dull and the stotyline was sooo slow, it felt like nothing was happening despite the chapters from Caroline's pov... I ended up skipping the chapters that didn't have Caroline in them until Emma came along... The ending was very disappointing and was totally boring. I expected more reaction from Siobhan, Maria folded quickly and it wasn't even shown, and Emma writing to her years later was over kill. Overall it was disappointing... The chapters from Caroline's pov were the only good ones... Setting up the murder and pointing at most of the characters.
I didnt sympathise or empathise with any of the characters becaise they were all flat. There was nothing remotely interesting about Caroline except her death and nothing that would strike me as anything to connect any of them.
Siobhan was a wet blanket, totally and utterly unlikeable and very boring and so pathetic.
Emma was annoying amd hardly there and the best bit was the couple of chapters in her pov. And even then I didn't like her character.
Callum is boring and pathetic and I have no clue how he gets all these women to faun over him and sleep with him.
Maria... There was something i disliked about her from the beginning i think it was the fact that she thought she w so much better than Siobhan and her calling her S annoyed the shit out of me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2020
Poor Caroline, I have to admit my heart went out to her, of all the characters in the book, she was the one I empathised with. But who killed her and where the heck is baby Eve? This is a suspenseful read as we learn more about all the characters. I wasn't a big fan of the interview format for the police elements - for me, that held me at a distance whereas I wanted to be in the room with the suspects, watching them! That apart, it's a fantastic read with a very satisfying ending.
May 28, 2020
Another great book by Phoebe! Having read her previous novels, I was excited to read this with Pigeonhole and it didn’t disappoint. There were lots of twists and the suspense surrounding the murder of Caroline and disappearance of Eve built up slowly to the final climax. I am pleased to say that I did guess quite a lot correctly! Loved the final little barb at the very end too! Thanks Phoebe and Pigeon!
May 27, 2020
When will men ever learn to keep it in their pants? No good will ever come of it but for Callum it makes him a murder suspect.
This book starts with the Dillon family on holiday in France. Siobhan, Callum and daughter Emma staying with Maria the sister in law and the police turning up early in the morning to arrest Callum. I have to say I pretty much thought he deserved it as the man was a big fat douchebag but was he capable of murder?
Switching narrators and timelines, we learn Caroline, who Callum had been having an affair with, is found murdered in Ipswich and the baby she was looking after is missing. Making this not just a classic whodunnit but giving you an extra mystery to solve. Great for all you armchair detectives out there. You will have a list of suspects and it will change frequently. I really liked the inclusion of the media picking apart the family like a starving man at an all you can eat buffet.
Adding to this you also get occasional insights into the police investigation and some Scooby Doo clues to help you try and figure it out. I didn’t but I’m notoriously bad and would make a terrible detective. But how rubbish would it be if you figured it out all the time! This has a good pace throughout and characters that are realistic in that some you will like and some you won’t.
Plenty of twists and turns and very clever writing ensures you won’t figure it out until the very end.
This book starts with the Dillon family on holiday in France. Siobhan, Callum and daughter Emma staying with Maria the sister in law and the police turning up early in the morning to arrest Callum. I have to say I pretty much thought he deserved it as the man was a big fat douchebag but was he capable of murder?
Switching narrators and timelines, we learn Caroline, who Callum had been having an affair with, is found murdered in Ipswich and the baby she was looking after is missing. Making this not just a classic whodunnit but giving you an extra mystery to solve. Great for all you armchair detectives out there. You will have a list of suspects and it will change frequently. I really liked the inclusion of the media picking apart the family like a starving man at an all you can eat buffet.
Adding to this you also get occasional insights into the police investigation and some Scooby Doo clues to help you try and figure it out. I didn’t but I’m notoriously bad and would make a terrible detective. But how rubbish would it be if you figured it out all the time! This has a good pace throughout and characters that are realistic in that some you will like and some you won’t.
Plenty of twists and turns and very clever writing ensures you won’t figure it out until the very end.
February 26, 2024
4.5 Loved this from the first page. It was really intriguing. How is a woman dead and the baby she was babysitting missing? Was it her boyfriend? The baby’s parents? A simple but yet addictive story. The only reason not a 5 is that I guessed by page 68 what had happened. I still very enjoyed it and am keen to read the author’s other books.
November 4, 2020
Siobhan’s sister, Maria is a successful, strong-willed single woman who owns a lovely villa in St Juliette in France. She invites Siobhan, her TV executive husband, Callum Dillion and their 16 year old daughter, Emma to spend their summer break with her.
Back in the UK, Caroline Harvey, a needy, unstable single woman, is found murdered in her apartment while babysitting her friend Jenny's baby, Eve, who is nowhere to be found.
All was going well until early one morning the police track Callum down at the French villa. Callum is arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of Caroline with whom he had an affair. Of course, this revelation is shocking news to his wife, daughter and sister-in-law.
He is sent back to the UK for interrogation which causes untold scandal for the entire family. Siobhan is hiding secrets of her own but she continues to do all she can to keep harmony in the family. At the same time, Emma is behaving erratic and emotionally unstable as she latches on to her doting aunt Maria.
Told from multiple points of view, the story tells what happened before and after the murder of Caroline. The questions that carry the plot are “Who killed Caroline and abducted Eve and why?” The author has written a compelling story with a variety of suspects and motives. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist that made me question my sleuthing skills.
Back in the UK, Caroline Harvey, a needy, unstable single woman, is found murdered in her apartment while babysitting her friend Jenny's baby, Eve, who is nowhere to be found.
All was going well until early one morning the police track Callum down at the French villa. Callum is arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of Caroline with whom he had an affair. Of course, this revelation is shocking news to his wife, daughter and sister-in-law.
He is sent back to the UK for interrogation which causes untold scandal for the entire family. Siobhan is hiding secrets of her own but she continues to do all she can to keep harmony in the family. At the same time, Emma is behaving erratic and emotionally unstable as she latches on to her doting aunt Maria.
Told from multiple points of view, the story tells what happened before and after the murder of Caroline. The questions that carry the plot are “Who killed Caroline and abducted Eve and why?” The author has written a compelling story with a variety of suspects and motives. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist that made me question my sleuthing skills.
February 12, 2020
What a fantastic book. I’m a fan of Phoebe after reading all of her books and this one didn’t disappoint. A fast placed thriller full of suspense, thrills and twists and a final plot change that I didn’t see coming. I loved how the story kept its fast pace throughout and that everything wasn’t what it seemed. Definitely a recommendation from me.
January 29, 2021
I literally couldn't put this book down and finished it within 24 hours! It was really easy to follow and the story kept me wanting more right until the end.
May 31, 2020
This is a page turner in the real sense of the word. Every time I thought I had figured out what had happened, something came along to change my mind!!!!
So we have a dead woman and a missing baby, but the thing that I kept asking myself was 'What was the perpetrator's intention?'. If you figure that you then you are better placed to try guess what happened. Did someone steal the baby and Caroline was collateral damage? Or was she killed and the baby Eve then kidnapped? Often I begin to figure out murder mystery type books about half way through reading, but as this is both a murder and a kidnapping the situation is so much more complex!
The characters are all very interesting and well rounded. Some of them are horrid, not least Callum the husband/adulterer. There are strong female characters, and not all of them are likeable, but it is great to feel so strongly about characters.
The book is told from multiple perspectives so we, the reader, are sometimes aware of facts that the police are not. This is a great position of power to be in as a reader! The setting(s) between Ipswich and a villa in France add an extra dimension and something else to factor into the reader-sleuthing!
You may predict some of the ending but you will definitely not predict the specifics as they unravel.
Highly recommended mystery/thriller/crime.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for providing access in daily staves - really increased the tension to have to wait for the next installment!
So we have a dead woman and a missing baby, but the thing that I kept asking myself was 'What was the perpetrator's intention?'. If you figure that you then you are better placed to try guess what happened. Did someone steal the baby and Caroline was collateral damage? Or was she killed and the baby Eve then kidnapped? Often I begin to figure out murder mystery type books about half way through reading, but as this is both a murder and a kidnapping the situation is so much more complex!
The characters are all very interesting and well rounded. Some of them are horrid, not least Callum the husband/adulterer. There are strong female characters, and not all of them are likeable, but it is great to feel so strongly about characters.
The book is told from multiple perspectives so we, the reader, are sometimes aware of facts that the police are not. This is a great position of power to be in as a reader! The setting(s) between Ipswich and a villa in France add an extra dimension and something else to factor into the reader-sleuthing!
You may predict some of the ending but you will definitely not predict the specifics as they unravel.
Highly recommended mystery/thriller/crime.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for providing access in daily staves - really increased the tension to have to wait for the next installment!
June 1, 2020
Phoebe Morgan certainly knows how to keep her readers on tenterhooks as this book is one that you won’t be able to put down until you discover exactly what happened to baby Eve who’s disappears the night that her babysitter Caroline is murdered. You may THINK you have it all worked out but there are twists and turns aplenty and a few shocking “gasp out loud” moments that will mean you are never quite sure if you have!
Although the murder of Caroline Harvey is a terrible crime, it’s the fate of baby Eve that really tugs at your heartstrings here. What really happened in Caroline’s flat that night? The police have plenty of suspects with her married lover top of the list but social media, being the judge, jury and executioner that it is, has already found the parents guilty. So the detective in charge certainly has his work cut out. I liked DS Wildy, the Ipswich detective who played his part in the investigation without the book becoming all about him, even though he did have plenty going on in his private life to get interested in. The other characters weren’t quite as likeable though! A wonderful collection of dysfunctional relationships that kept me muttering under breath!
The Babysitter is a gripping psychological thriller full of surprises that flowed flawlessly from start to finish. I love Phoebe Morgan’s style of storytelling and have done since her debut The Doll House so I’m with her all the way on this exciting writing journey she’s embarked upon! Highly recommended by me!
Although the murder of Caroline Harvey is a terrible crime, it’s the fate of baby Eve that really tugs at your heartstrings here. What really happened in Caroline’s flat that night? The police have plenty of suspects with her married lover top of the list but social media, being the judge, jury and executioner that it is, has already found the parents guilty. So the detective in charge certainly has his work cut out. I liked DS Wildy, the Ipswich detective who played his part in the investigation without the book becoming all about him, even though he did have plenty going on in his private life to get interested in. The other characters weren’t quite as likeable though! A wonderful collection of dysfunctional relationships that kept me muttering under breath!
The Babysitter is a gripping psychological thriller full of surprises that flowed flawlessly from start to finish. I love Phoebe Morgan’s style of storytelling and have done since her debut The Doll House so I’m with her all the way on this exciting writing journey she’s embarked upon! Highly recommended by me!
May 28, 2020
This was a great read! I was hooked from the beginning and engrossed until the very end. It was set both in France and in England, I particularly enjoyed the stunning setting of the French villa. This is my first time reading a book by this author but it will definitely not be the last
May 28, 2020
This book had me tied in knots. It's a domestic story, which can sometimes be rather mundane, but not this one. Interesting family with some well drawn, but not particularly likeable characters. When Caroline is found dead and baby Eve missing, EVERYONE seems to have a motive and come under suspicion. The writing is very well done, drip feeding the reader with clues and red herrings throughout. Just when you think you've figured it out, something else is dropped into the mix and you are kept guessing.
I enjoyed the suspense, which continued to the very last, and was particularly happy with the ending.
Thank you Phoebe and Pigeonhole for this fantastic read.
I enjoyed the suspense, which continued to the very last, and was particularly happy with the ending.
Thank you Phoebe and Pigeonhole for this fantastic read.
May 28, 2020
Great book that I really enjoyed reading! I read it on the Pigeonhole app, so I read it in staves (one a day), but if I'd had an actual copy of the book I probably would have read it in one go!The twists and turns kept coming and it had me totally hooked.
The characters weren't particularly likeable apart from the Detectives, but that didn't stop it from being a compelling read! Callum was an arrogant ass and I honestly don't know what the women in the story saw in him!
Would definitely recommend it to others!
The characters weren't particularly likeable apart from the Detectives, but that didn't stop it from being a compelling read! Callum was an arrogant ass and I honestly don't know what the women in the story saw in him!
Would definitely recommend it to others!
April 13, 2020
This was an interesting domestic thriller but unfortunately I've read so many thrillers like this before, it just wasn't anything special.
In this book, you find out a woman called Caroline has been found dead, her body draped over the cot of the baby she was supposed to be looking after. The baby has now gone missing. You also follow the perspective of a family, who are in holiday in France which suddenly gets brought to a close when the husband is arrested, but how are these two people connected?
There wasn't anything particularly wrong with this book, it just felt very average and done before.
The writing was okay and the plot was okay, but nothing special.
I think people who haven't read many thrillers, would really enjoy this one.
But unfortunately I saw the ending coming a mile off!
I do think the ending was dragged out a bit longer than it needed to be.
But honestly, apart from that, there isn't much to say about this book. An average domestic thriller, which may be fun to read during summer as it's set during a heatwave.
TW: abortion, child abduction and murder
In this book, you find out a woman called Caroline has been found dead, her body draped over the cot of the baby she was supposed to be looking after. The baby has now gone missing. You also follow the perspective of a family, who are in holiday in France which suddenly gets brought to a close when the husband is arrested, but how are these two people connected?
There wasn't anything particularly wrong with this book, it just felt very average and done before.
The writing was okay and the plot was okay, but nothing special.
I think people who haven't read many thrillers, would really enjoy this one.
But unfortunately I saw the ending coming a mile off!
I do think the ending was dragged out a bit longer than it needed to be.
But honestly, apart from that, there isn't much to say about this book. An average domestic thriller, which may be fun to read during summer as it's set during a heatwave.
TW: abortion, child abduction and murder
August 31, 2020
This was such an anticipated book for me but I was really disappointed.
- First of all, from the fifth chapter it was obvious what happened. The way the story was laid out made that clear and I wasn’t left reeling at the ending because it was predictable.
- I hated all the characters. Siobhan, Maria, Emma, Caroline etc, I hated them all. None of them had any redeemable qualities and I didn’t feel sorry for anyone in the end.
- I felt like the chapters with the detective were unnecessary. They didn’t really add anything to the story and it was told much better through Caroline and Siobhan’s point of views.
- I just felt like this book tried to be more than it was and I wasn’t hooked.
- First of all, from the fifth chapter it was obvious what happened. The way the story was laid out made that clear and I wasn’t left reeling at the ending because it was predictable.
- I hated all the characters. Siobhan, Maria, Emma, Caroline etc, I hated them all. None of them had any redeemable qualities and I didn’t feel sorry for anyone in the end.
- I felt like the chapters with the detective were unnecessary. They didn’t really add anything to the story and it was told much better through Caroline and Siobhan’s point of views.
- I just felt like this book tried to be more than it was and I wasn’t hooked.
June 4, 2020
This book failed to engage me. All the characters are flat and unrelatable. The writing style is dull. I read that the author is an editor, and I wonder about self-indulgence.
April 23, 2024
What we have here is an act of infidelity and revenge. Caroline Harvey was babysitting one year old Eve overnight. When Eve's mother arrived to pick her daughter up the next morning, Caroline was found dead. What's more, there was no trace of baby Eve in the flat, absent from her cot, where Caroline's body was draped over.
Hundreds of miles away, Siobhan Dillon is on a luxurious family holiday in France. There's a rude wakeup call for them one morning when French police arrest husband, Callum on suspicion for murder.
Law enforcement have a pretty solid case. Callum had been having an illicit affair with Caroline for months, recently breaking up with her. And he can't confirm his movements the night before they all flew to France...
As the investigation ramps up and the media attention for the nationwide search for Eve intensifies, the general consensus is clear. It's always the husband... so, did Callum break into Caroline's flat, murder her in cold blood and left with baby Eve in tow? If he's guilty, where's the infant right now? Time is sparse and the likelihood of Eve being found alive decreases by the minute.
Siobhan's seemingly perfect family will be ripped apart as the pieces all form together. Her marriage is already on the rocks and she has a daughter to protect. This shock revelation will most certainly send things over the edge. There are so many questions that Siobhan currently has no answers for.
What a page turner!! The Babysitter, my first ever Phoebe Morgan thriller certainly sucked me in! By the time all of this played out, I was in shock. How on earth did one little factor sway me otherwise? Nice way to lead us into the unexpected Ms Morgan!!
4.75 🌟
Hundreds of miles away, Siobhan Dillon is on a luxurious family holiday in France. There's a rude wakeup call for them one morning when French police arrest husband, Callum on suspicion for murder.
Law enforcement have a pretty solid case. Callum had been having an illicit affair with Caroline for months, recently breaking up with her. And he can't confirm his movements the night before they all flew to France...
As the investigation ramps up and the media attention for the nationwide search for Eve intensifies, the general consensus is clear. It's always the husband... so, did Callum break into Caroline's flat, murder her in cold blood and left with baby Eve in tow? If he's guilty, where's the infant right now? Time is sparse and the likelihood of Eve being found alive decreases by the minute.
Siobhan's seemingly perfect family will be ripped apart as the pieces all form together. Her marriage is already on the rocks and she has a daughter to protect. This shock revelation will most certainly send things over the edge. There are so many questions that Siobhan currently has no answers for.
What a page turner!! The Babysitter, my first ever Phoebe Morgan thriller certainly sucked me in! By the time all of this played out, I was in shock. How on earth did one little factor sway me otherwise? Nice way to lead us into the unexpected Ms Morgan!!
4.75 🌟
May 28, 2020
I’m a big fan of Phoebe Morgan and I read this book on the Pigeonhole app and so was able to read and comment along with other readers. Reading one stave per day was like eating just one square of chocolate when you really just want to stuff the whole bar! However, the upside was that this book had me addicted for all of the 10 days and I really had time to think about it. Lies and secrets abound and kept me guessing until the end. Thanks Phoebe for a great read and thanks Pigeonhole for the chance to read along with other Pigeons!
November 12, 2020
No tip for this "Babysitter"!
The beginning and middle of this book were both very, very, very, very slow, and repetitive. I listened to the book's audio version (an 11-hour book) and after listening to the book for 4.5 hours, I couldn't take it anymore and made the decision to skip ahead and listen to the last hour of the book because I wanted to know who killed the babysitter and what happened to the baby.
I also wanted to know what happened to the book's editor. Did the editor fall asleep while reading the first half of this book? This 11-hour book easily could have been an 8-hour book with a skilled editor.
Although the first part of the book was painfully slow, the last hour of the book was superb. Unfortunately, it took the author ten hours of dialogue to get her act together. The book's plot was brilliant and it was too bad that the author just could not get all of the pieces of this thriller right.
This book only had one narrator and would have benefitted from multiple narrators. The book unfolded from several POVs and two different time periods. This being said, it was difficult to identify who was who, as well as the time that was being referenced.
This book could have been one of my favorite reads of 2020, but it wasn't. Very disappointing.
The beginning and middle of this book were both very, very, very, very slow, and repetitive. I listened to the book's audio version (an 11-hour book) and after listening to the book for 4.5 hours, I couldn't take it anymore and made the decision to skip ahead and listen to the last hour of the book because I wanted to know who killed the babysitter and what happened to the baby.
I also wanted to know what happened to the book's editor. Did the editor fall asleep while reading the first half of this book? This 11-hour book easily could have been an 8-hour book with a skilled editor.
Although the first part of the book was painfully slow, the last hour of the book was superb. Unfortunately, it took the author ten hours of dialogue to get her act together. The book's plot was brilliant and it was too bad that the author just could not get all of the pieces of this thriller right.
This book only had one narrator and would have benefitted from multiple narrators. The book unfolded from several POVs and two different time periods. This being said, it was difficult to identify who was who, as well as the time that was being referenced.
This book could have been one of my favorite reads of 2020, but it wasn't. Very disappointing.
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