BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Nanny' by Ruth Heald.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ruth Heald, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 8th September 2022.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have also read 'The New Girl' which I would also highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I am a huge fan of Ruth and if this book is half as good as 'The New Girl' it is guaranteed to be a great read! The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Shalini Boland.' I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and Shalini Boland so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 2 prologues and 72 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Bangkok, Thailand 🇹🇭 and London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have visited London recently so I'm looking forward to seeing if I recognise any places named.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Hayley. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


'The Nanny' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Ruth discusses/includes harm of a child.


WOW!!! What an absolutely page turning domestic and psychological thriller!!! This is the first book I've read by Ruth but it most definitely won't be the last!!!


I started this in the morning and I couldn't put it down until I finished at 2am!!! Clear your schedules before you pick this up!!

This book is fantastically written with in depth and vivid descriptions that leave you hearing the noises of Thailand and your heart pounding. The cover and synopsis suit the book perfectly.

The storyline is scarily realistic and extremely believable. The fact that Ruth has done her research definitely shines through so a huge congratulations!! There is nothing worse than reading a book which is filled with errors but I didn't find a single one here. The plot exposes the reality of the vulnerability of Nannies and Au Pairs around the world. Regardless of their age they are responsible for somebody else's child and if anything happens sometimes the only witness is a child who may not be old enough to talk or may not understand. There is also the vulnerability from their employers as there is a huge power difference and again, if something was to happen and many depending on the carers age or the parents and carers social and work status there is the added burden and stress of who would be believed. This book really does bring up some thought provoking topics that are weaved into a fascinating and page turning storyline.



The plot is absolutely filled with suspense, twists, shocks, tension, romance, lies, friendship, deceit, family and so much more, everything you could want in a domestic drama and psychological thriller. It was very fast paced with so much going on to keep the reader turning the pages. I didn't know who to trust and at one point I think I had suspected all the characters of doing one thing or another!! I was completely absorbed throughout and it really felt like I was in Thailand and London with Hayley thanks to Ruth's fantastic descriptions. I loved how the book was wrapped up and although I would have loved to see more done to certain people Ruth kept the ending realistic to what the outcome would actually be. Throughout the book my heart was pounding and I was filled with a range of emotions from sorrow to anger, disgust to shocked. I was absolutely blown away by the twists and was definitely not expecting them so another HUGE congratulations to Ruth. I have read so many books now it does get harder and harder to surprise me but you definitely managed it. I thought I had it all worked out until BOOM!!! ABSOLUTE BOMB SHELL!! It goes to show how one moment in your life can have such a large ripple effect and affect so many people and lead to changes of so many lives I am looking forward to reading the rest of your books and if they are half as good as this one they are bound to be amazing!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

THIS IS A BOOK THAT SHOULD BE READ, SHARED AND TALKED ABOUT BY EVERYONE!!!


The characters were all strong and well developed. I really connected With Hayley from start to finish. During the present chapters my heart completely went out to her and as a mum myself my heart was pounding along with hers in some of the situations!! It is always great seeing strong female leads in books especially those who have not had a perfect life and represent reality. I enjoyed watching her personality develop and change from beginning to end and how she went from a young girl who had the responsibility of another person's children on her shoulders to a mum with her own child while still having the burden of thoughts of other people's children. I could not stand Julie and how she treated Eva and Emily made feel sick and my blood boil. The fact that they were not her blood should make no difference but the fact that they were David's meant I could not stand him either. I really don't understand how someone would reproduce with another who treats their own child/ren in that way!!! I was cursing at her through my kindle, well at them both, so many times and I got several odd looks from my partner so thanks for thar Ruth!! I won't say anything about more about Hayley. Julie. David or any of the other characters as I do not want to give anything away. However, there was a mix of personalities which all worked perfectly for the storyline.


CONGRATULATIONS RUTH ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTE SUCCESS!! This has got to be one of the most realistic fiction novels I have ever read and I can't wait to see what topic your next book will feature!! This is exactly why you are on my top author club and here is to your next success 🥂



Overall an absolutely page turning psychological thriller that will suck you in, keep you turning the pages hooked until you have finished and will blow your mind.


Genres covered in this book include Women's Psychological Fiction, Women's Crime Fiction, Women's Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery, Suspense and Psychological Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Girl on the Train','Gone Girl','You', KL Slater, Shalini Boland Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and anyone looking for a heart racing page turner.


364 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle or £9.43 on paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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The Nanny by Ruth Heald was an absolutely great read. This story gripped me from the very first page to the very last page.
The Nanny is a story about Haley and her time during her gap year while she was nannying for a family. This was a duel time novel that takes place in the present and the time in which Haley was the nanny. Haley was involved in a scandal while she was the nanny and now this scandal could be resurfacing.
This book had me saying what so many times. It keep my guessing throughout the story and I didn’t want to stop reading it.
Love this story.

Ruth Heald is a new-to-me author that I'll definitely be checking out again. The Nanny is a great suspenseful novel told in two timelines. Sometimes flipping between present day and the past doesn't work out as well, but The Nanny used the two timelines to build tension and doubts seamlessly. I was left questioning who each of the characters truly were up until the actual reveal. I read a good bit of suspense and often find myself feeling like the final reveals or twists are predictable -- and while there were pieces of this novel that *were* predictable, all of the lies and secrecy kept me questioning my predictions and incredibly engaged with the storyline. I appreciated that the characters were all given depth and mystery and felt like this kind of attention to the balance of storyline + character really added to the suspense of the novel in general: being able to see someone as a suspect while also empathizing with them is such an experience.

I felt like the book was fast-paced and engaging from start to finish and am thrilled to know and get a hold of more of Ruth Heald's writing soon!

thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. Fantastic story. It never got boring. I looked forward to go back to this story until I finished it. I enjoyed this thriller from beginning to end. Will keep reading from this author for sure.

I am a big fan of Lisa Jewell’s brand of domestic suspense and, on the evidence of this novel, Ruth Heald shares many of her strengths. For instance, there’s the masterly way the novel’s dual timeline is handled as the events of 20 years ago when Hayley was a gap year nanny to a dysfunctional family in Thailand gradually explain what’s happening to Hayley’s family in the present day. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way which added to the enjoyment, although I did feel the novel’s dramatic conclusion stretched my credulity a little too far.
Like Jewell, Ruth Heald is strong on characterisation and the reader is able to identify with and really get into the head of Hayley so I was totally enthralled by her predicament and desperate to read on to discover the outcome. I will definitely read more of Ruth’s novels and would strongly recommend ‘The Nanny’.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty years ago, a little girl disappeared. You thought it was your fault. Until now,,,,

To the outside world, I'm just like any other mother. I juggle my job with the school run and taking care of my mum, and I wouldn't have it any other way. My family is everything and I want to keep them safe. But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep. a past secret that I've spent years running from comes hurtling into my present. In an instant, I'm taken back to a dream trip tp Thailand and a job as a nanny that changed my life forever.

Filled with secrets and lies, this steady paced read will have you hooked from beginning to end. The story has a dual timeline that's told in the past - When Haley was a nanny in Thailand, the present day. The chapters alternate between the before and after format. There's plenty of twists to keep you guessing, It's also a tense and captivating read. The story is told from Haley's point of view. Life was perfect, until it isn't. Secrets are revealed throughout as Haley's past is slowly revealed.

I would like to thank #Netgalley #Bookouture and the author #ruthHeald for my ARC of #TheNanny in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really great psychological thriller and this was the first time I have read a book by Ruth Heald.

Haley Taylor is a mum who has been holding a secret for the last twenty years about her time in Thailand serving as a nanny for a British couple. What happened to the missing baby? and could someone resurfacing in Haley’s life twenty years later be connected to her past?

I love that the story is told through flashbacks and through the present time, adding suspense and helping to build the story.

Overall I really enjoyed the twist and turns in this one, the pace of the story and an ending you don't see coming.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC in return for an honest review.

This thriller was a little confusing at first because it was told through two different time frames. What I loved however was how clearly the author showed the difference between each of them so it made it much easier on the reader. The book starts out with our main character Hayley who decides with her husband to take on a lodger. They hope this will give them some much needed extra money. The other story line is about when Hayley was younger and she was the Nanny for a young couple in Thailand. When the baby she is responsible for suddenly disappears everyone is left wondering what happened and who was responsible. This story was full of twists and turns and a story like I had never read before. Every character left the reader suspicious on their motives so it was lots of fun to try to figure it all out before the author got to the end of the novel. The best part about this book was every time I thought I knew what was going on in this story the author threw another huge curveball at me that I never could have seen coming. It kept me on my toes as a reader and had me guessing through the whole book. Great read I loved trying to figure everything out along with our main character. I loved our main character Hayley. She was very well written and even though she had her struggles in the past you could tell that she was still a good person and I really rooted for her through the whole thing. I loved how the book was also told in the third person because it gave the reader much more knowledge than they would have would have had access to otherwise. With so many twists and turns this book is one that you won't be able to put down until you get to the end. Great read and I'm so glad that I got the chance to check it out. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC it is one that I cannot wait to have on my shelf, and this is now an author that I can't wait to see what else they come out with in the future. The ending of this book was amazing and I never saw it coming in a million years. This is one book that I will never stop recommending to everyone I know. I cannot wait to see what else Ruth Heald comes out with because if they are anything like this then I know that it wont disappoint.

As a student, Hayley worked for a while as a nanny in Bangkok. However, the baby she cared for mysteriously disappeared and no-one knows whether she is alive or dead. Twenty years later, Hayley is married with a daughter of her own, but the past is coming back to haunt her.

This is an unputdownable story with several twists and turns. Alternate chapters focus on the present day and 1999, often ending with a cliff hanger which forces you to read on.

None of the characters are who they seem, which makes the story somewhat unbelievable, as it is unlikely that all the characters would interact at the same time - why now and not at any time in the past 20 years? Also, I guessed the plot twists and thought the ending was weak, but nevertheless, I still gave this five stars as, up to the final few chapters, it was a cracking read.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Nanny’ written by Ruth Heald in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Hayley Taylor is working in Thailand caring for Julie and David McFarlane’s daughters Eva and Emily and new-born baby Chloe. When baby Chloe falls off the bed as Hayley is changing her nappy David says she’s died, but that Hayley must tell the police she’s missing or face a prison sentence. With no evidence to prove that Hayley was involved the police release her but she’s always blamed herself for not giving the baby enough care and attention.

The story of ‘The Nanny’ is told through the eyes of Hayley with the time period moving from Thailand in 1999 to the present time when she’s married to Lars with five-year-old Alice and living in London. The story has spells of drama, suspense and surprising twists and turns, especially in the latter chapters, but on the whole the plot doesn’t seem to be realistic and there are some parts that are so far-fetched they don’t stand up to scrutiny. It’s a good solid read with the characters so well-described that I wanted to give Hayley a good shake and I really disliked Julie and David, and although it isn’t my favourite book by this author it’s worth reading.

The Nanny is a dual timeline story set between 1999 and present day. As a nineteen year old, Hayley Taylor had been working as a nanny to the McFarlane family in Bangkok. When baby Chloe mysteriously disappeared she was arrested but later released through lack of evidence. Now, twenty years later she is married and living in London with a five year old daughter, Alice. Her mother, suffering from dementia also lives with the family, together with newly arrived lodger Johanna. Hayley, who works with the student support team at her local uni, is approached by student Ryan Davies. He has become interested in Chloe's case and plans to write a book about it.. But digging up her past is the last thing Hayley wants to happen.

Told from Hayley's viewpoint the switch between present day and past is well done, creating just the right level of suspense each time to move the reader on. Chloe's mother, Julie McFarlane is a nightmare - such an awful woman. Cruel to Hayley, her stepchildren (Emily and Eva) and neglectful of her own baby. Husband David seems at a loss to do anything about it as the drama unfolds. In both time zones the author did an excellent job of taking me in a certain direction and then springing surprises. The story grips from start to finish and made me wonder how everything would play out. I have to say, I was not disappointed.

I would like to thank Ruth Heald, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of The Nanny in exchange for an honest review.

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Based on the summary, this story had a lot of potential. Sadly, it missed the mark for me. It's classified as a thriller, but I didn't find that to be the case. The pace was way too slow, and the storyline way too predictable. I never felt a strong connection to the character, so it was hard to care about the outcome. Some overdetailing also stalled things. I tighter edit could've helped with that, as the details didn't really add to the story.

I absolutely loved this one. A woman and her husband decide that taking in a lodger is the best way to ease the strain on their finances. It's an idea that they've discussed and decided against before, but they're running out of choices and the young woman who comes to look at the room seems absolutely perfect. It has to be a coincidence that she looks like someone Hayley had spent twenty years trying to forget. Not even Hayley's husband knows the story of "Bangkok's Killer Nanny"...but suddenly a lot of people are curious about her gap years and what happened in Thailand twenty years ago.

The book alternates between past and present, always from Hayley's point of view. The story gradually unfolds, finally revealing what happened to baby Chloe and what's going on now, but the pace never drags and I never felt like the author was deliberately stretching things out or hiding things from the reader. It was an engrossing read that has me wanting to track down the author's earlier books as soon as I can.

Excellent and edgy telling of a naive young woman overseas who gets tangled up with the family she nannys for. There is much to unpack here and you will race through it just trying to uncover all the secrets and lies. Great read and a page-turner!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

First and foremost, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookoutre for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Nanny by Ruth Heald. I was intrigued by the synopsis and cover of the novel, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Switching back and forth from the present and past, The Nanny weaved a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat. There were a lot of twists and turns that threw me for a loop, and I was completely wrong in what I thought was going to happen.

Had it not been a work night, I would have stayed up until the wee hours of the night to finish this book. With that being said, I did finish it within twenty-four hours of starting the book. It really was that good!! I find my self still thinking about the story and characters.

There is nothing negative I could say about The Nanny by Ruth Heald, and I gave it five out of five stars. I can't wait to read other novels written by this author. The Nanny by Ruth Heald is due out on September 8, 2022.

I found this thriller is utterly gripping and unputdownable. 72 chapters in total, weaving pass and current which makes me addicted to the book.

The story traced back to 1999 in Bangkok, Thailand.

When Hayley was a University student and spending her gap year there with her friends. As a student, she had tight budget; until she was hired as a nanny aka babysitter aka domestic helper. Hayley stayed in a luxurious house to serve a married couple David and Julie, two kids (Emily and Eva from David's previous marriage) and a new born baby Chloe. One day...Chloe disappeared.

The front page of a local newspaper "BANGKOK'S KILLER NANNY?"

20 years later, Johanna applied to be a lodger in Hayley and Lars apartment. When Hayley opened the door and welcomed Johanna, Johanna looked so familiar which resembled someone in Hayley's past. The past that she would rather forget.

Where is Chloe? What did Hayley try to hide from her past?

I found myself really love this writing style and the twists. All the characters are prominent. The author left some hints for you to guess what happened to Hayley till the end. The before and now weaving chapters explain the reason behind, between 1999 and now.

If you like reading dark secret, you will definitely enjoy this - THE NANNY!

This is an amazing book. Truly enthralling. Every time you think you've solved it all, there's a new twist. And it just keeps you reading — prepare for sleepless nights and an ending you won't see coming!

A great story with so many twists and turns keeping you hooked in. Reasonably obvious where it is going but still gripping.

A fab thrilling read.
I loved the characters and loved the twist and turns
Ruth Heald has a brilliant writing style.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my copy.
This is one not to miss!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the two timelines and then the timelines converging to the present day. I genuinely felt sorry for the main character and the choices that she thought she had to make for herself and her child. Many families have secrets, how far do your secrets go? Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. I definably want to read more from this author in the future.