I loved this story. If something seems too good to be true then it probably is. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense part, and also the realisation by the main character that to some degree one had to be grateful for what one has.

Thanks to publisher, author and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! What a great debut by Anna Downes. I was completely hooked from the first few pages.

I was constantly guessing as to what was going to happen and found myself turning pages faster than Usain Bolt running 100m.

I really liked the authors writing style and the way she built the tension and suspense throughout the book. I just needed to know what was happening!

I think I would have liked to know more about the main character, Emily's, back story as it left me wondering. However this does not effect the story and doesnt stop this being an utterly brilliant thriller.

Np phones!? ha that first line on the cover will petrify many people. THAT IS NOTHING compared to what's inside haha

Emily gets a dream job in france looking after a couple's child who is ill. Parents weird, child stranger than strange and there are noises in the night....

Gripping thriller with a central character you may want to shout out for not getting out of that house and weird set up. It all unravels very satisfactorily and it's a great beach read. Maybe one in a remote house for maximum effect!

Go into this blind (like Emily) for the best reading experience. And remember kids - if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!

This was a great debut read. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

Emily is fired from her job and her future is looking bleak. Then she is offered a wonderful opportunity from her boss, Scott, who has just fired her. She is offered a housekeeping job at his house in France where she is also to help his wife look after their seven year old daughter, Aurelia.

This appears to be a dream job. Set in the very remote French countryside, Emily is to reside in their beautiful home, compete with infinity pool, and have use of one of their cars. What isn’t to love? She eventually gets on really well with Scott’s wife, Nina, and her days pass with some work, but more wine each day. Their daughter Aurelia, has many problems, the most concerning that she does not speak, and she is prone to many screaming temper tantrums. Emily soon becomes aware of many family secrets.

Emily starts to believe that Aurelia is not as sick as her parents make her out to be. As soon as she starts to have concerns about her surroundings and the family themselves, small things start to unravel. Anna Downes creates a lot of tension through her excellent writing. It becomes harder to put the book down as it goes on to what I thought was a great ending. I will definitely look out for Anna’s next book.

This book was a fairly quick read, it took me a little over a day to get through it and the story moves at a fairly good pace.
It's predominantly set in one location, which can be a hard task for an author to make interesting, but Downes moves the story along well and makes great use of her setting.

Often, thrillers can be very formulaic, and while this one wasn't particularly shocking, it was creative and a fun read.

My one criticism is around the character of Scott - at times, he seems like a cold, calculating psychopath type, and at others, a self flagellating, pathetic kind of character. It's unclear what exactly his motivations are or whether we're meant to like him or not. The character of Nina is a lot more clear cut, likewise with Emily - both have their positive points and their flaws but they feel more like real, well rounded characters.

I'd also add that the sexual tension scene in the pool was a bit odd and unnecessary. It seemed to be a prelude to both Nina and Scott seducing Emily, but fizzled out as jarringly as it started. I'm not sure what the purpose of this was, or indeed the subtext between Scott and Emily - it didn't really add to the story as it didn't really go anywhere.

Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read but lacks the ingenuity, deviousness and element of surprise that I feel a really great thriller brings.

This was an incredible domestic thriller that drew me in and never let go. I felt emotionally invested in the characters’ lives and couldn’t stop reading.

The Safe Place gripped me from the synopsis! An absolute must-read!

Following Emily Proudman who isn’t doing very well in life she gets the chance to change it all with a new job in France. Is this the perfect opportunity to start again?

Well after reading this I won’t be rushing to accept any similar jobs! Although escaping to France does sound promising. Haha no I’m kidding onto the review!

Honestly I guessed the twist around 40% of the way through but Anna’s writing style still made this a delight to finish. There was some unexpected bits that blew me away!

The chapters from Scott’s point of view need scrapping. They added nothing to the story and his voice isn’t developed enough....he feels like the first 25% of a character.

A fantastic summer read!

Who wouldnt swop a boring life for a life in France. After reading this book it does make you think twice before rushing into things

Wow, wow, wow! Excellent book that was absolutely well written, developed superbly, and engrossing!! What lies in THE SAFE PLACE, you need to read to find out! You’ll find yourself questioning so much when you finish, and having those mind boggling feelings which are exactly what you yearn for while reading thrillers/domestic suspense! This book should definitely be made into a movie, it’s one of those that will knock the breath out of you, just after you are holding it in chills! I highly, highly recommend! This is not to missed!
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms!

#TheSafePlace #NetGalley
A good read.
Emily Proudman has been offered the chance of a lifetime - leave her messy London life, move to a beautiful estate in France and help her boss's wife take care of their daughter. It seems like the perfect opportunity to start again.But once there, Emily soon starts to suspect that her charismatic new employers aren't telling her the whole truth. That there are even dangerous secrets hidden beneath the glamorous facade.Why have the family been moved to this isolated house so far from home? Why does her bosses' daughter refuse to speak or be touched? Why are there whispers in the night?
It was full of twists and turns.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette UK for giving me an advance copy.