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The Caretaker

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A slightly twisted and wholly terrifying thriller in which the only sin is a wish come true....

Samantha Henderson is a devoted wife and mother.  But life as she knows it is about to change.  Sam's about to have her every dream fulfilled--but, in return, she and her family will pay a price, a very high price, for all this love and luxury....

It all starts when Sam's smooth-talking husband accepts a once-in-a-lifetime job.  The perks seem too good to be an extravagant salary, a country club membership.  Even a seaside mansion, complete with a cook, a limo driver, and the perfect caretaker, Brady.


Brady is thoughtful and honest.  He's eager to please.  But there's more to Brady than meets the eye.  He will cater to Sam's most intimate needs.  Then he'll teach her the true meaning of terror.

For Sam and her family have fallen into the hands of a psychopath.  Their lives will be cruelly sliced open.  Their deepest secrets will be exposed for all to see.

Why?

The answer lies within.  The answer lies with... The Caretaker.

576 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 2, 1998

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174 people want to read

About the author

Thomas William Simpson

34 books20 followers

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5 stars
71 (24%)
4 stars
110 (37%)
3 stars
79 (27%)
2 stars
22 (7%)
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9 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Donna.
1,568 reviews10 followers
November 9, 2013
A twisted plot. Lots of suspense. Dumb ending.
Profile Image for Courtney Wooten-Burkey.
8 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2018
I read The Caretaker by Thomas William Simpson after picking it up randomly in a bookstore. A self-proclaimed thriller novel, The Caretaker was an enjoyable enough read, but lacked developed characters, creative writing, and suspense. (Warning: Spoilers past the third paragraph.)

The Caretaker centers around Sam and Gunn Henderson, taking turns between them and occasionally Brady or Mrs. Griner in a 3rd person omniscient point of view. Gunn is an absolute troll of a character who is an aggressive salesman, the sole breadwinner, and emotionally abusive of his wife. Gunn is meant to be hated in many ways. Sam is a sweet, stay-at-home, my-true-calling-is-a-mother, long-suffering wife. Their two kids, Jason and Megan, are miniature copies of their parents. These are not merely summaries of the main family, but encompass their entire character. Gunn and Sam lack deeper layers and most of their actions can be guessed by these single sentence descriptions. Each character in the book is picked out of a grab bag of stereotypes, most of which are sexist.

Mr. Simpson seems to be aware of the stereotypical nature of the characters when Sam and Gunn are thought to be "tediously predictable" by another character. This lack of character development leads to suspension-breaking writing. For example, when a minor character is introduced and intended to be portrayed as a venomous, bitter woman, Mr. Simpson instead describes that her life circumstances have "caused her to reach new levels of bitchdom". At first I wondered if this was from Gunn's perspective, but it's not. I laughed out loud at the absurdity of the phrase. Overall, the writing is sufficient to preserve the storytelling, but every few chapters there's another line that breaks immersion. It happens again when Sam tells Gunn, "I want to go back to sleep with your hand cupped lightly around my breast". That's not a phrase that ever gets used in real life, and if it ever does for any reason, the person that says it is going to get some strange looks. Real people do not use language in that manner, so the illusion is disrupted.

(Warning: spoilers ahead)

Writing is what governs suspense. The best writing provides a taste of the ending by use of foreshadowing. Clumsy writing takes foreshadowing and turns it into spoilers. Mr. Simpson walks the line between the two.

Admittedly, by the time I reached the end of the novel, I was laughing at many of the writing choices Mr. Simpson made. I hated all of the characters by the end of the novel. The word "bitch" was used entirely too frequently for me to enjoy some of the chapters. Gunn and Sam were indeed "tediously predictable".

But I did finish the novel.
Profile Image for Janet.
3,326 reviews24 followers
October 28, 2019
I gave this 4 stars for its engaging plot. Kept my interest and I liked Sam.
Profile Image for Deb Coon.
68 reviews2 followers
June 17, 2025
This book was quite the sleeper…at first. But the twists and turns started. This is truly one of the best books of this genre ever. Ever!
Profile Image for Eric.
Author 3 books14 followers
June 20, 2008
This is a lighthearted and moderately fun suspense thriller. It's not very serious, or even that good, but it's an enjoyable read nonetheless.

Samantha Henderson is a stay-at-home, busy with shuttling her son and daughter to school and dance lessons and piano lessons, and dealing with a jerk of a husband, Gunn. He is a salesman, charming and witty when necessary, bossy, condescending, and rude the rest of the time.

In fact, Gunn is so unlikable that it's hard to believe Sam has put with him for so long - 15 years.

Anyway, Gunn gets a job offer he can't refuse - selling THE hot new toy for a six-figure base income and living in a seaside mansion complete with a cook, limo driver, and caretaker. It's an offer they couldn't refuse.

Simpson presents it very well. Early in the book, when Mr. Reilly, Gunn's new boss, is telling them that Gunn, if hired, would be traveling quite a bit, and would that be a problem? Sam is hesitant, since she doesn't want her children's father gone too much, but then Reilly tells them the mansion in The Hamptons would be their home. As Simpson put it, "that's when Samantha Ann Quincy Henderson redefined sacrifice."

Simpson employs this device throughout the book, dropping little hints and clues. We know right away the whole job offer and job itself is a scam. We know Gunn Henderson somehow winds up in jail. We know Brady, the caretaker, isn't everything he seems to be (same with the cook).

The device is entertaining but too intrusive. It's the author showing how clever he is. The characters are not telling their story, the author is showing off his plotting skills.

But what the hey. It's fun, and I only paid a couple bucks for the book at a used bookstore.

Anyway, the rest of the book is fairly conventional, and could be sub-titled The Tempting of Gunn and Samantha Henderson. Brady the caretaker is the tempter, and in Sam's case, the seducer (are you surprised?).

The Caretaker is worth a trip to the library, a pleasant few days worth of reading, and a breezy read. That's about it.
Profile Image for Gabby.
204 reviews45 followers
January 23, 2013
A very clever, very engrossing story I found difficult to put down. There are some minor plotting flaws, but over all, for those who like to root for the bad guy in the piece, this is the book to read. And then, just when you think you've got it all figured out, there's this sneaky twist that turns everything completely around. I enjoyed that Simpson planted teasers where they were least expected, but best of all, I enjoyed the sense that sometimes justice, or at least a version of it, is served in very non-traditional ways.
Profile Image for Carol Brannigan.
119 reviews8 followers
February 2, 2011
Having picked this up only from the back cover synopsis- I was pleasantly surprised that it was such a good read. Up until the end when all the truth is revealed I actually felt myself rooting for the bad guy because the "good" guy was so awful. There was a piece of information that changed that quickly around though. I enjoy stories that force you to evaluate your own morality and ethics- which this one did. And I loved the nice little twist in the end.
Profile Image for Gina Jantz.
54 reviews
October 26, 2013
I didn't like this book at all - I didn't care about any of the characters and I felt like the story could have been like 200 pages shorter. I only finished this book because I have issues with not finishing books.
Profile Image for Rosalind.
370 reviews12 followers
July 29, 2011
I loved this book! Excellently written, very suspenful. Kept you guessing for sure! I will definitely be looking up more from this author, hope the rest are as good as this one.
Profile Image for Laura.
4 reviews
October 7, 2008
i like sick twisted perverted stuff from time to time and this is one of those books. i loved it!
Profile Image for books_to_calm_my_mind.
103 reviews
April 24, 2023
Lo único que me gustó de este libro fue el último capítulo. PERIOD.

Por qué no me gustó:
No creo que la premisa sea buena, estamos hablando de un hombre (Carl) de un IQ de 185, bastante inteligente se supone, creyéndose la idea de que Gunn Henderson tiene que pagar por toda la tragedia que ha sucedido en su vida. Cuando él no tiene ningún papel en ello. Se supone que es una historia de venganza con un Poot twist que me hizo reafirmar que este libro merece solo una estrella, entiendo que cada persona tiene su motor, pero este motor es bastante tonto, realmente. O al menos a mi parecer.

Los personajes no me inspiraban nada, pude sentir algo de empatía hacia Sam hasta el último del libro pero eso no me basta, no pude conectar con ninguno más que con la mejor amiga de Sam, Mandy, y eso que ella no es la protagonista.

A mi no me importa si los autores escriben personajes machistas, misóginos y tóxicos, siempre y cuando me des una resolución de qué vas a hacer con ellos (van al psiquiatra? Al psicólogo? Van a irse a la cárcel tal vez? Qué vas a hacer) en esto Thomas me dio una resolución agradable con ese último capítulo tanto para Gunn como para Carl.

Otro aspecto del por qué no me gustó es qué tal parece que el autor no se tomaba en serio a sus personajes, tal parece que el autor era un personaje más, que se burlaba de uno y de otro y hacía comentarios sarcásticos que pudieron haber ahorrado unas 100 páginas (porque este libro tiene 700 páginas malgastadas), a veces hablaba en tercera persona y a veces les hablaba directamente, literal. Creo que el autor incluso se pude haber reflejado en Carl, ya que lo eximió totalmente en el sentido mental de su responsabilidad para con las tonterías que cometió, comentarios que hizo y actitudes que reflejaban a una persona bastante inmadura e infantil, pues con el epílogo se nos da a entender que al pobre hombre (nótese mi sarcasmo) lo manipuló la tía, la mente maestra de todo esta pérdida de tiempo.

El final del epílogo es horrible, lo deja a nuestra interpretación como si imaginar la salida de otro libro y la creación de otro conflicto fuera agradable. No me la pasé nada bien, estuve frustrado toda la lectura, enojado y los comentarios sarcásticos del autor, si bien en un inicio eran graciosos, dejaron de serlo después de las 100 páginas.

En fin, no lo recomiendo para nada, ni siquiera es un libro para perder bloqueo lector pues mi meta de lectura diaria no pasaba de lo establecido como haría cualquier otro thriller medianamente bueno.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Plum-crazy.
2,466 reviews42 followers
October 15, 2017
Gunn Henderson is offered an amazing job - extravagant salary, seaside mansion, private schools for his kids etc etc How could he refuse? Of course, he can't....but what Gunn& his family don't know - but we readers do!- is that it's all a big con.

From a couple of comments in the first two or three chapters it's clear how it's all going to end for Gunn....& who's behind the con isn't that hard to work out but that only adds to the suspense because you can never be 100% sure what will happen next or how the outcome for Gunn will be achieved....& there's a nice little twist at the end.

The cover says "A slightly twisted & wholly terrifying thriller in which the only sin is a wish come true" & "An elaborate & sinister con game...genuinely surprising". Yeah, I'd agree with that - a good, gripping read.

Profile Image for Lois Bouchard.
404 reviews5 followers
January 20, 2019
This book was terrifying and creepy with many twists and deceptions. I'll admit that the characters were a little one dimensional, but, overall the book was a great listen.

My daughter hated Gunn Hendersen from the beginning of the book, but I felt a little sorry for him. He was so easily manipulated.

I loved the final twist. The character of the caretaker was so carefully developed and fulfilled that I couldn't help but be startled by the end. I was a little unhappy that the narrator seemed to stumble over his words a bit, but his voice was perfect. The supporting characters were well done too.
Profile Image for Howard Cruz.
217 reviews19 followers
February 12, 2025
The tagline intriguing me. I wanted to keep reading the story and find out why, the why of everything. And when I knew why, I wanted to know how it ended. There was a very cerebral element to the story but I still wonder how plausible it is the lengths the characters would go through which explained the why. The obsession with revenge seems a touch strong. That aside, I did like this book and would be interested in Reading More from Thomas William Simpson.
1 review
June 22, 2022
I loved this book... When I read this book for the first time I was just introducing myself to the world of literature, I was 15 years-old.
It's a simple thriller and keep you engage to it to the end.
I would give it 5 stars, but the end leaves much to be desired. Whatever, if you want something quick and entertaining, you definetely need to read this one.
Profile Image for Jules Poet.
1,117 reviews6 followers
April 16, 2024
I first read this 20 years ago and some parts of it stayed with me. I enjoyed the audiobook. I am surprised there aren’t other books to listen to by him. Definitely chilling, mind games, suspense. Definitely worth a listen!!
118 reviews26 followers
January 7, 2019
Not nearly as bad as I suspected it would be after reading THE HANCOCK BOYS. This was pretty good.
Profile Image for Shannon.
368 reviews1 follower
August 23, 2020
Ick! This one was just creepy and disturbing and Bleh! Good suspense. It kept me wondering. Decent.
Profile Image for Steve  .
267 reviews6 followers
February 21, 2023
Longer than my usual reads but never once dragged. brilliant twist. Would recommend to anyone. Loved it!
6 reviews
May 8, 2014
Full Disclosure: I work with the author. Simpson wrote several novels back in the 90s and at the turn of the century. He then quit publishing to pursue other interests. But he kept writing. And now several of us have taken on the task of bringing his old Warner and Bantam Books and almost a dozen of his new books to the reading public. He had a fairly large audience at one time and hopefully a few of those readers will be interested to see what Simpson has been writing.

So, obviously, I am a fan of his work. He wrote three psychological suspense novels for Bantam between 1998 and 2001. My favorite is The Hancock Boys but this one is plenty creepy and nicely plotted. It's essentially a revenge story taken to the extreme. I do not want to give away plot details but suffice is to say the individual seeking revenge takes, literally, decades, and goes to wild extremes to mete out justice against those who did him and his father wrong.

Like a good Stephen King novel, the story starts out as an apparently normal tale about a middle class family taking a chance on a new job and a better life. But this is suspense, not horror, so when the proverbial s--t hits the fan, the nightmarish plot feels all too real.

Simpson is first rate developer of characters (this may be his strongest suit), but with these suspense novels he was working with Kate Miciak at Bantam who has for years been a highly regarded editor of plot driven fiction. Together they made a strong team.

I strongly urge you to give this novel a try if psychological suspense is a genre you enjoy. But please go to www.simpson-books.com to discover numerous other books by Mr. Simpson. The Ferryman is my favorite.

Thank you and please keep reading and reviewing books!
Profile Image for Jesús Cabrera.
124 reviews7 followers
January 4, 2018
La historia de este libro me gusto mucho, siempre te deja con ganas de saber más. El final no me lo esperaba, enserio que todo fue muy rápido y te quedas de OMG, pero debo de decir que el protagonista Gunn Henderson nunca fue de mi agrado, tenia algo que no me agradaba a simple vista, era todo para él y solo él.
Debo de decir que es una lectura rápida, aparte de que esta un poco largo el libro, Yo sentí que lo devore por que tiene capítulos muy cortos.
Si recomiendo este libro.
1,929 reviews44 followers
Read
February 8, 2009
The Caretaker, by Thomas W. Simpson, B. narrated by Dale Hull, produced by Brilliance Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

Samantha Henderson's smooth-talking husband, Gunn, the King of Sales, is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. The proposal: come aboard a startup
company as national sales strategist and reap the enormous rewards - a $250,000 salary, private schools for the kids, a beachside estate complete with
cook, caretaker, and limo driver.Sam can hardly believe the offer. It all sounds too good to be true. And it is. It most certainly is. Make no mistake:
the Hendersons are in big trouble. Their lives are about to be sliced open and placed under a microscope manned by a psychopath. No one, with the exception of Sam and the two children, are who they seem. And even at the end when you think you know everything, there are surprises. An excellent psychological mystery.

Profile Image for T.L..
Author 28 books25 followers
September 25, 2013
Man oh man, Simpson did not disappoint with The Caretaker.
I couldn't put it down, I didn't want to finish it too fast, I cared about the characters I was supposed to care about, I despised the characters I was supposed to despise.

In short, this book did what a good thriller should do - draw you in and hold you tight, tighter, tightest, until the reveal - in the last two pages! I thought I had it mostly sussed out, but when it came right down to the wire, I didn't and I like that!
Profile Image for Linda Cordovite.
239 reviews40 followers
July 9, 2015
Una gran historia, excelentemente elaborada... sin embargo, pienso que durante todo el libro el curso fue un poco lento y al final, el autor aceleró mucho las cosas y todo pasó muy rápido, lo que dio como resultado un final abierto y con sabor a ¿Qué más?

De todas maneras, un libro al cual no pude soltar jamás, me encantó :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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