Book Description:
The latest dark and twisty thriller by the MILLION COPY bestselling author of SILENT CHILD.
Housemaid wanted.
Skills required: Discretion, and the willingness to go the extra mile.
It seems like the perfect job. Great wages, accommodation provided, and all located within the walls of Highwood Hall, a stunning stately home owned by the Howard family. Not many little girls dream of becoming a maid, but this is an opportunity for me to get back on my feet. And for me to revisit my past…
But I soon realise I’ve made a mistake. The strict housekeeper, Mrs Huxley, watches my every move, emerging from the shadows when least expected. Lord Howard’s son, Alex, takes an interest in me, and as a former addict, I find myself drawn to him because I know he’s bad for me. There’s a general atmosphere of unease at Highwood Hall, from the narrow tunnels laced throughout the sprawling house, to the abandoned north wing, rumoured to be haunted. It’s easy to imagine the secrets hidden within these walls, like the secrets I hold close.
On my first day, I receive a mysterious package. I open up the pretty gift box to find a miniature doll version of me trapped inside a dollhouse. In this scene I’m dead, lying in a pool of red paint at the bottom of the perfectly recreated staircase. Someone sent this threatening diorama to me, but who even knows I work at the hall? And what do they want?
I know only one truth: my perfect job is turning into my perfect nightmare.
My Thoughts:
The stately home plays a big part in this story. The images were so vivid in my head as the author really brings it to life. You’ve got to love a house with a history and we keep learning more about what dark secrets it holds. With it being an old house, there are also lots of secret passageways which gave the whole feel of the story an even more edgier feel.
The Howard family all have their own if not somewhat warped personalities. Alex in particular and you feel early on that this is someone who is dangerous and things can’t possibly end well where he is concerned. Mrs Huxley, the house keeper, is also someone who creeped me out. In some ways she is your stereotypical house keeper that you come across in the sense that she is extremely strict with a no nonsense attitude that comes across as very unfeeling. It just added to the already tense atmosphere of the story.
The story is mainly set in present day with Ruby the new housemaid but it does jump back occasionally to her mother Emily. Ruby’s own connection with this house along with the ongoing events in the home make you keep turning those pages.
The Housemaid was a tense and chilling story that was impossible to put down. The suspense was electrifying at times and I could see this making a great film. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I ended up reading it in two sittings as I found it so compelling. Another great read by the author!
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