What sounds like the dream job working for her ex – boss, Scott and his family in France soon turns into a nightmare for Emily. Swapping her tiny flat in London for a picturesque estate in France, things quickly start to unravel for Emily, Nina (Scott's wife) and their daughter Aurelia.

This book was just perfection. Wonderfully written, with the perfect level of suspense building throughout. The ending put all of the puzzle pieces together, and made you understand the characters ways throughout.

It truly was a book I found impossible to put down, and I would recommend it highly to anyone and everyone!.

Thank you to Anna Downes, Hodder & Staughton and Netgalley for my ARC copy of this wonderful book.

Emily Proudman starts a job working for her ex-boss Scott, at his second home in France. Swapping her flat for a glorious estate in France sounded like a perfect swap. Emily's arrival at this perfect haven in France sets off a dangerous chain of events. We meet Scott's wife, Nina and daughter Aurelia. A terrible truth begins to reveal its self, dark devastating secrets emerge. Emily needs to find a way out.
This high tension exciting thriller creeps up on the reader in this compelling novel.
I thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Author Anna Downes for allowing me to review pre-publication.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was such a surprise to me. The cover makes me think it'll be a beach read, the opening made me think it would be chic lit/love story but it's actually a fantastic psychological thriller. Incredibly characters, the writing is fantastic and had me hooked from page 1. Highly recommend, don't trust your judgement of what this book will be!

Thank you NetGalley and Anna Downes for the chance to read an advanced copy of The Safe Place.

What starts out as a dream job working for her enigmatic ex – boss, Scott, at his second home in France turns into a nightmare for Emily Proudman.

Swapping her dismal flat in the UK for a gorgeous estate in France sounds like the perfect antidote to a run of disappointing years for aspiring actress Emily but her arrival at this perfect haven in France sets off a dangerous chain of events for our happy-go-lucky if a little ditzy protagonist.

We meet Scott’s beautiful if fragile wife Nina and their daughter Aurelia and almost immediately things start to feel off. The stylish, happy veneer beginning to peel and crack until the terrible truth beneath begins to come together for the reader and Emily.

Her fear is utterly absorbed by us as we will her to ger away from that perfect damaged place and it’s devastating secrets. To run as fast and as far as she can, If only she can find a way out.

Truly spine tingling, the tension creeps up on you in this subtly compelling novel.

I can’t wait to read the next book by this author.

I read this book in two days, a sure sign of a good book for me. I thought it was fantastic. It had the right level of realism to make me 'believe' in the characters and events but also kept me guessing until about 70% through as to what it was all about. I could really picture the french mansion and Emily's reaction to arriving there. For once in a novel I felt that the ending was not only suitable but delivered at the right moment and pace.
What a great debut by Anna Downes, thank you for letting me read it!

A really good debut novel set in a location that you will love. Anna Downes' writing is very good and not one of my theories proved right. I especially enjoyed the ending as I found it dramatic, fair and satisfying. The perfect psychological thriller to lose yourself in by the pool or on the beach...

This book had me gripped, I enjoyed seeing the story unravel and loved that it wasn't a 'typical' storyline. I would recommend this book and this author to others 100%.

Perfect summer read!
This is exactly the kind of book that you can pick up and lose yourself in! I literally couldn’t put it down and read it in a single afternoon.
It’s dark, twisty and chilling.

A great read with a fantastic ending. Really wasn’t sure where this book was going to go. Complex character, lovely locations and a chilling undertone. Brilliant. Thank you for letting me review this book. Definitely worth adding to the must read pile x

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'The Safe Place' is a stunningly accomplished debut from Anna Downes. Indeed, despite the depth of talent in the crowded marketplace of crime fiction, Downes has the imagination and talent to emerge as one of the leading lights of this genre. Indeed, this is a psychological thriller that lives up to its billing. Taut, compelling and suspenseful, you won't want to put this book this down. It begins with the rapidly deteriorating circumstances of one Emily Proudman. Feckless, irresponsible and selfish, Emily. Wannabee actress, recently dismissed as a temp, rapidly accruing debts she can't afford to pay, and on the verge of eviction from her dingy flat. Oh, and then there is the simmering resentment towards her adopted parents. Life is not good for Emily, until that is she is offered her dream job in France by her erstwhile boss, Scott. With Scott's wife Nina, and daughter Aurelia, Emily lives a charmed life... well, initially at least. Until that is.... she doesn't. It is at this point that this twisty tale takes a dark turn. There are plenty of odd occurrences and the proverbial things that go bump in the night. Scott is certainly not who he seems, but yet again, is anyone? There is something very wrong with the intimate family unit with whom the fate of Emily is inextricably linked. Then there are the secrets and lies of which there are many. Just who are these people? I had my theories, but much to my delight I was wrong. Not once but twice, three times....This says much about the fiendishly clever imagination of Anna Downes and her infinite capacity to surprise her reader. This was a truly thrilling read, oozing suspense and that certain undefinable edge of your seat quality that so few authors infuse in their writing. A must-read for 2020.

The Safe Place by Anna Downes
Thanks @netgalley @anna_downes_writer and @hodderbooks for my arc
Publication date 20th August 2020

#netgalley #thesafeplace

Brilliant debut, psychological chick lit, an easy but compelling read and beautifully written - setting the scenes and characters perfectly.

Just as I would get frustrated wondering where the story was headed, I would be drip-fed some further information to keep me engaged and intrigued.

A lovely underlying message of the inability to ever fully run away from your problems, and being true to who you really are.

I never usually read Author’s Note but honestly, this one completed the book just perfectly for me (and felt entirely relatable too).

Bravo!

Emily is a would be actress stuck in a round of temporary office jobs. When she is sacked from the latest one she finds herself at rock bottom. No job, no money and an eviction notice to boot. So, when her erstwhile boss contacts her to offer her a dream job in France, she hesitates only for a few minutes before accepting. In France she finds herself in an isolated but beautiful setting with her boss' wife Nina and their child Aurelia. Everything is fine at first but bit by bit it all unravels.

I was disappointed in this book. I'd seen a preview of it with the author being interviewed and it sounded great. It didn't live up to its hype. There are two main problems. The first is the characterisation. None of the characters are rounded. Emily at least goes through some sort of epiphany but the other characters are inconsistent. Scott in particular is not believable. His reaction to things his wife has done doesn't ring true for a successful business man. The other problem is pace. It is very slow. Now this can be a good thing. A slow pace can build up tension very effectively but this was missing here. The book was 69% in before the pace picked up. The last third of the book was better but not enough for me to recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow a terrific psychological thriller.A book that drew me in tense chilling great characters.Will be recommending to all my thriller love friends.#netgalley#hooderstouton

A great debut and a new author to look out for. I thought I had guessed the outcome but I was proved wrong. Highly recommended

The Safe Place by Anna Downes
Thanks @netgalley @anna_downes_writer and @hodderbooks for my arc
Publication date 20th August 2020
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An absolutely incredible book. I literally
Couldn’t put it down. The author has an incredible way of keeping you on your toes, only giving tiny bits away and making you wonder, on numerous occasions ‘what the cr*p is going on? But it works so well. Full of creepy twists and turns this story is absolutely amazing. A great read to take your mind off everything else. Highly recommended xxx

This book was really good and had me hooked from the first page. I had my suspicions about the back story but it turned out I was wrong. I found myself identifying with some aspects of the main character and the dilemma she faced. Will look forward to reading more books by Anna in the future.

Emily is an aspiring actress who temps just to pay what she needs (or at least to attempt to) with no luck.
However her knight in shining armer comes and peels her off of that concrete after being knocked down again and turns her whole life around by offering her the job of a lifetime. What could go wrong?!
This was SUCH a good book! It was one of those that I literally had no clue what was going to happen and what any characters motivation could of been. It kept me gripped and guessing and definitely did not disappoint! I wish the end had delved a bit more into Emily, and when you read it I think you'll understand what I mean but that it the only bit of which I could of done with more!

I think I wanted more from this book than I got. I can’t say I have enjoyed being inside the characters minds but I have really liked the ending. As a result, it’s been hard to rate this book. Definitely 3.5 from me.

I think I wanted more from this book than I got. I can’t say I have enjoyed being inside the characters minds but I have really liked the ending. As a result, it’s been hard to rate this book. Definitely 3.5 from me.