Two young people, teens, run away from their foster home to try and find safety. Joe abandons Nell and she finds a job, but has she gone from the frying pan into the fire? This book is all about control, jealousy, manipulation. It's disturbing and gritty. A real psychological thriller!

I found this to be a strange and unsettling read, something of a 21st century take on a 19th century Gothic novel. The setting is a large house which is almost invisible in the middle of a seedy city centre location and the heroine, Nell, is a homeless care leaver who sees an opportunity for structure, stability and shelter when she takes the job of housekeeper at this strange place. Nell comes across as both vulnerable and hardened by her experiences and throughout the book she is surrounded by disturbed adults who do not appear to have her best interests at heart. There is a back story that Nell is escaping from which is revealed as the story progresses but otherwise there isn’t much going on, only people seeming to take advantage of one another. Well written but not quite compelling enough and not much to empathise with.

The writing was brilliant, and it was a very atmospheric book. My main problem with it was that it was very difficult to identify with any of the characters. One could sympathise with the children who had been so damaged in the care system, but not like them as adults. From the descriptive point of view however, it was faultless. I really felt that I was there in every scene.

Like some other reviewers I agree that the ending seemed rather rushed after a slow pace in the middle of the book.

I found this a very difficult book to get into to begin with and it certainly is what it says on the front a very dark thriller. It was a very grim storyline and very grim characters, however the writing was compelling and kept me wanting to read more and I was very glad I did.
The writing made it a great page Turner and you just want to keep going to know what is going to happen.
The story follows Nell and Joe from living in a foster home to them becoming surrogate parents to little Rosie, until a tragedy occurs which is what keeps you wanting more as you have no idea what the tragedy is.
I would highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Having read the authors other books and loved them I was pleased to be offered the opportunity to read her latest release early and started this book with high expectations. I found this to be a dark, disturbing and very atmospheric read. Sarah Hilary is eloquent, expressive and descriptive with her writing here which I can’t fault. My problem was that I wasn’t able to relate to the characters and didn’t particularly like them, and because of this the story didn’t really engage me fully and I found it a hard read that was just not for me.

Well this book is about as far from the world of Marnie Rome as you could get. That is no bad thing at all, not where this book is concerned, but if you have come looking for something similar, you will not find it. This is a truly absorbing and twisting psychological suspense, somewhere between thriller and a kind of gothic mystery. There is something strange and hypnotic about what goes on within the story of Nell Ballard, something melancholic and hard to describe, but certainly very beautiful in the telling.

This is not a fast paced story, there real are no moments of high tension or action, or even really any major twists, although there is a definite sting in this particular tale. It is a far more contemplative, a study of people, both of the protagonist Nell, but also those that she watches. For a young woman she is quite astute, forced to get the measure of people from an tragically early age. She is a character I found myself both rooting for and also slightly wary of, partly due to her obsessive behaviour when it came to finding her lost companion, but there is such sadness within her, such a sense of loss that envelops her, that you'd be hard pressed not to feel some sympathy towards her, no matter how she is seen to behave.

Nell spends a good proportion of her life in the foster care system, living under the watchful eye of Meagan. There were very much echoes of Miss Brannigan about Meagan, although Nell is far from being as wholesome as little orphan Annie, and Nell's tale has far more tragedy and loss casting shadows over her future. It is clear that Meagan holds a grudge towards Nell, the reasons for which are unraveled in a slow and considered manner throughout. the novel. The story is told from the points of view of both women, casting suspicion upon each other and meaning that there is always an edge to what you are reading, never a full sense of being able to trust either of them which only adds to the mystery.

This is a truly atmospheric read in which setting is key. Although it is clear that this is set in modern times, it could easily be a period drama unfolding in front of our eyes. That whole idea of the master and servant, that strained relationship between Nell and her new employer, which is suffused with tension, plays out like it could have been written and set at the turn of the twentieth century. Robin Wilder is a stanged character, hard to get the measure of. He is stoic, reserved, and yet seemingly teeming with anger, although whether towards Nell or someone else is not immediately clear. His home makes for a perfectly creepy and isolating setting, again at odds with the modernity of London all around it. Scenes that play out within the walls of his home feel entirely different to others, somehow claustrophobic and layered with an unseen tension that just adds to the story.

There are so many aspects to the story that are hard to talk about without giving too much away. But this is most certainly a story of obsession and of passion. Exploring the intensity of relationships within the novel and they way in which it drives the characters to behaviour which will shock and appall, the story will bewitch you and draw you in without you even realising it. The tone and the narrative are perfect, creating uncertainty and apprehension, and often putting me as reader in a dream like state, never sure what was real and what all within the confines of Nell's imagination. Dark, melancholic and suspenseful, it's definitely recommended.

This is a powerful standalone psychological thriller with elements of the gothic from Sarah Hilary, a departure from her stellar award winning crime series featuring DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake, although what they have in common is the author's trademark thread of social commentary, here on class, and the relationships between the rich and the powerless. Young Nell Ballard has been hard hit by the misfortune to have been rejected and discarded by her mother at the age of 8, an encumbrance to her life, and let down by the last figure that should have been a foster mother in Wales, Meagan Flack, more interested in the financial advantages of fostering than taking care of the children. Despite being a child, it is Nell who takes on the mothering care responsibilities.

Unsurprisingly, at the heart of Nell is a desperate need to be loved, secure, and feel a sense of belonging, longings that allow her to be abused and exploited. She falls for Joe Beach, but after tragedy strikes, Nell and Joe run away, finding themselves homeless and unsettled, living in the underbelly of London, for some time. Joe turns out to be a fickle, unstable and uncommitted personality, swayed hither and thither, as once again Nell is let down. Nell manages to secure a position in the neglected, dark and creepy Starling Villas. She is to be housekeeper to the middle aged, strange and unnerving Dr Robert Wilder, who demands she adheres to his rigid rules and duties. She is working long hours, there is so much to do, then the manipulative wife turns up. It is no accident that Nell comes to work at Starling Villas, she has an agenda.

In a story of twists and turns, that goes back and forth in time, we learn of Nell and Joe's background, the nature of the tragedy in Wales and why Nell is working at Starling Villas, despite the sense of dread, menace and lurking dangers. There is no denying this is grim and discomfiting, yet a wonderful character driven read, complex and multilayered, so well written and with oodles of intrigue. The characters are emotionally damaged, fragile, some that are highly dislikeable and manipulative, broken, and unreliable, a novel of secrets, deception, revenge, loss, and grief. A disturbing, chilling but compelling novel that I recommend. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

The thing I loved about this book was the beautiful descriptive writing. It was this that compelled me to read on, even though after the first few chapters I knew I wasn’t going to enjoy the story. It follows two damaged and fragile children, Nell and Joe, who are put into a foster home under the care of Meagan Flack, the most dreadful woman you could imagine. Nell and Joe share a dark secret, and eventually escape and run away to London. All they want is to be needed and loved. I found all the characters to be grim, all lost interest in their story quite quickly. Nowhere did I find it gripping or thrilling, but it was certainly dark and disturbing. I hope many others will enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. The writing, however, was unbelievably good.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise from the blurb is intriguing and the author writes beautifully. I just couldn't engage with it at enough of a level to keep me interested.

I found this to be more about the psychology of the characters rather than plot driven. There's nothing wrong with this if that's what you're looking for. For me, the plot felt slow and rather like not much happened until the end when it what happened in the past was wrapped up quickly.

There is no denying Sarah Hilary has a way with words. This is just a case of a novel that unfortunately wasn't for me this time. I'm sure it will enjoy success.

Beautifully written psychological thriller. Gorgeous, taut turn of phrasing and a real gothic feel.
Loved this book and was entranced and saddened by the story of Nell and Joe.
A very authentic tale of what can happen to those that slip through the system in this cruel world.
Highly Recommended.

From the description of this book I thought it had so much potential but I really struggled to keep reading. To begin with the writing is really engaging with setting up the mystery of the main characters past with the two opposing view points but after that I found the present day plot unengaging. Although there is good descriptions of setting and the toxity of each characters, I found the plot slow moving and not surprising at all. At one point I skipped ahead a few chapters and the plot still made sense and when I went back to read the chapters I missed, they didn't add anything to be understanding of what I had read ahead.

Overall this had the premise of being a very good dark psychological thriller but it lacked engagement and was too slow and predictable. Even with the open ended ending, I didn't find myself actually wanting to know what happened to them.

Nell grew up in a foster home, neglected and left to look after the younger children, the only ray of sunshine in her life her relationship with Joe, another of the children from the home. FInally running away, she and Joe end up separated from each other, her only way of finding him to go back to the last place she saw him - Starling Villas, a house with as many secrets as Nell herself.

With some "Jane Eyre"/"Rebecca" vibes, this is a domestic thriller that draws you in as the various mysteries and lies are untangled, gripping while also having some moments that are really beautifully written. Each of the characters, even the supporting cast, feel wholly fleshed out and real. Highly recommended.

Fragile had me hooked from the beginning and I was compelled to read it it over a couple of days.

Nell and Joe grew up together in a foster home. Their carer, Meagan, was happy for Nell to take on cooking, cleaning and looking after the little ones. Nell had a special affinity with 6 year old Rosie, until tragedy struck and she and Joe ran away together.

After a short time homeless, Nell ends up working as a housekeeper to Robin. The setup he has with his ex wife Carolyn all appears very strange.

I thought Nell's backstory was nicely woven through the narrative. I enjoyed following her emotional journey. She is haunted with guilt about her past and confused about the love she has for Joe and her growing affection for Robin, coupled with hatred for Meagan and Carolyn.

The ending took me by surprise. It left me hanging- looking for another chapter.

I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading more by Sarah Hilary.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Great plot, nice modern gothic tense thriller.
Kept me guessing. Would happily recommend to friends

I was really enjoying this book, until I got to the end and then Meh. I have no idea what happened and why. I felt the author ran out of time on this, but maybe that was just me.

It was very disturbing and then some parts were just unbelievable. I can well believe that some foster homes were terrible, but I'm surprised that a lone woman was fostering so many at a time, or at least it appeared to be. Seemed more like a small children's home, only it wasn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

So difficult to write a review for this book. I’ll be honest, while reading it, I did refer to it as ‘my misery book’. It certainly lives up to its description of a dark thriller. After just a short way into it, 20% or so, I thought that I would give up on it. It’s unsettling with a grim story line and grim characters. Even so the writing is compelling. I kept going because the writing makes you want to read just one more page, just one more chapter.

I haven’t read anything else by this author but understand it to be a slight departure from her crime fiction. It is beautifully written, creating a palpable atmosphere within the walls of Starling Villas – a house tucked away, almost unnoticeable in a busy London street. With its odd and sinister occupants, at times you could almost think the story was set in Victorian times, for life in that house for 18 year old Nell is so austere.

Nell and Joe lived in a foster home run by the least motherly woman you could ever envisage caring for foster children. For the most part she left the children to more or less to look after each other, with them all having their own chores to do, Nell became a surrogate mum to little Rosie who was just a toddler. Nell and Joe became close, with Nell worshipping the ground Joe walked on and little Rosie worshipped both of them but more so Joe. When they’re just 15/16 something tragic happens with Rosie but the reader never finds out exactly what happened until almost the end of the book. This led Nell and Joe to run away to London.

We meet up with them in London 2 years later after they’ve slept rough and sofa surfed, keeping the company of undesirables just to try to keep a roof over their heads and keep them off the street. That is until Joe disappears and Nell finds herself a job as a housekeeper for the mysterious Robin Wilder, whilst looking for Joe.

The rest of the book gradually reveals Nell and Joe’s backstory and what really happened to little Rosie. The chapters to and fro over time and between what is going on with Nell at Starling Villas and Meagan the foster mother back in Wales.

It is a somewhat morose story with a constant air of gloom hanging over the plot. Even so it is compelling and as I reached half way, I became very engrossed in it. In keeping with the whole book there is no happy ending, nevertheless it was very poignant and stayed with me for a while after I’d finished it. I have only briefly covered the surface of the story, it runs far deeper than I have described, but it is certainly unusual.

This was my first read by this author and it didn’t disappoint. I found it well written, the storyline was interesting especially in some parts (I don’t want to give too much away) the story is told through Nell who is the fist person narrator, woven throughout the first person narration is a third person narrator who describes events through the eyes of other characters. The mixture between the two is interesting because there is no clear indication of the different POV. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, I mainly felt sorry for Nell because of her horrible childhood.

I will definitely be checking out more of this authors work and will be recommending to some of my bookish friends who I know will enjoy this type of book.

I’m a huge, huge fan of Sarah Hilary’s writing, having loved her DI Marnie Rome series, which I’m hoping Sarah Hilary will return to at some point. I was really intrigued to see that she was releasing a new standalone novel. Fragile is her latest book, and it is an intense, beautifully written psychological thriller.

We meet Nell, who has recently applied work for a Robert Wilder at his home in London, Starling Villas and eventually becomes his housekeeper. Nell is a former foster child, but lately, she has been living on the streets. But Nell also has a dark secret, and there is a reason why she has applied for the position at Starling Villas.
Ever since I read Sarah Hilary’s debut, Someone Else’s Skin, she has been an auto-buy author for me. I always recommend her work when people ask me to recommend them a good book to read. I connected to Nell straight away. I wanted to know why she specifically wanted to come to Starling Villas and what it had to do with her childhood. Sarah Hilary builds on the atmosphere as the novel progresses and things become darker and more intense, particularly when Robert’s wife arrives on the scene.

Robert, who Nell works for, is a very strange character. I did find him unnerving as well when Nell firsts comes to his house, and I wanted to learn more about who he was. I felt fearful for Nell when she first arrived as I wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into here. Any minute I kept thinking that something terrible was going to happen to her, or she was going to uncover a dark secret. It’s clear from the outset that she is here on a mission and she is determined to see it through. I wanted to find out what it was she wanted to achieve by coming here.

Sarah Hilary’s writing draws you into the story from the very first page. As the plot unfolds, we begin to learn more about Nell and her childhood. Sarah Hilary reveals what Nell went through when she was a child living in foster care, and it makes for gripping reading. We know that something terrible happened when she was living in foster care, but it’s only when we reach the chapters, do we understand the full, terrible truth.

If you haven’t yet discovered Sarah Hilary’s writing, this is the perfect time to do so. Fragile is a haunting, exceptionally well written novel. I highly recommend it!

This is a superbly written, well laid out, hauntingly beautiful book that I really, really enjoyed reading. I will definitely be looking out for more titles by this author

devoured this novel in short order, not only is it a beautifully plotted emotional mystery, with some brilliantly evocative writing and layered, memorable characters but it has such a kick ass ending that I sobbed for a good while when I’d finished it.

Sarah Hilary’s writing super power is in her exploration of social issues within the narrative, letting the characters shine through whilst they remind you that so many live a difficult, imperfect life. Never preaching but always aware, the journeys that unfold in all her stories are utterly compelling and intense- Fragile has this in spades and it is a joy to read.

Fragile digs deep into the vagaries of human nature and how we are affected by the things that happen to us and the people we connect with. As such it is an excellent read, entertaining yes, but so much more.

Highly recommended.