If you are after a really great twisty psychological thriller, then look no further ...... you must read this book.

Gemma has everything and life is good, but then one morning her youngest daughter goes missing from the house. After a very tense and traumatic time searching for her, Gemma’s mother-in-law arrives with her daughter in tow, who she has found wandering up the road. This is the start of Gemma’s life spiralling. She has the perfect husband, two gorgeous well behaved children, a lovely home and an ever expanding business, what could possibly go wrong ? From that morning there is one event after the other that has Gemma going from a confident mother and businesswoman to a suspicious and forgetful woman. Then Sadie arrives !! She is the Nanny that is there to solve all their worries and stresses but despite everyone loving her Gemma just isn’t sure. Could Sadie have another agenda ? Or is it all in Gemma’s imagination ?

This book had me hooked from the very first pages. It will just keep you wanting more until you realise you have divulged the whole book in one day. A fantastic read and one that you really need to add to your reading pile, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

I struggled to get through the opening chapters of this book (perhaps I have read too many other child abduction novels this month?). Since I was not able to complete the book, it is not fair of me to recommend or not someone from reading this tale. Perhaps the author's voice would be a better fit for someone else.

Shalini Boland is one of my favourite authors and she's done it again! The Perfect Family was a gripping, fast paced read. I loved Gemma, the main character and he mother of two, and actually liked the whole setting. I liked the whole "Sadie the nanny" storyline. I couldn't work out what was going on, I had my suspicions but wasn't completely sure. It is literally the kind of book that you will pick up and not put down until you've finished it- something's happening all the time, things go from bad to worse and you basically get totally sucked in. Well I did anyway ;)
Boland's characters are always so real, the situations they find themselves in are quite realistic too, her writing is simple and easy to follow, a joy to read.
I figured out part of the ending but didn't guess the main reveal/twist. I must say, I was shocked!
This was my second favourite Shalini Boland book. My favourite is still The Secret Mother but this comes very close! Highly recommended if you enjoy those "mess with your head" type of books!

This is my second book by this author and she simply is brilliant. When I announced on twitter that I was reading this book, she said she hoped that I would enjoy it and my answer was that I was already captivated and I had only read about 10% by then. Well, I did not lie. I was captivated and that did not change throughout the whole story. 

It was utterly and totally mindblowing. It was very hard to put down. 

The story shows how money can drive people to ask for the strangest and craziest things and it works as long as you find someone willing to do them for you.

I had an inkling about the brain behind the scheme and I was willing the author to go in the same direction. I was very pleased when everything was revealed. This book was a masterpiece. 5 stars.

Thank you, Shalini Boland, Bookouture and Netgalley.

No family is truly perfect but Gemma thinks things are pretty darn good until she hires Sadie as a nanny and tutor for her girls Eva and Katie. Hah! Who is Sadie, really, and why does life begin to spiral wonky once she arrives? Diane, Gemma's mother in law, found Sadie. What does she know? This is one which is hard to review without spoilers but suffice it to say that it gets tense. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good twisty read.

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for an early release of The Perfect Family. ShaIini Boland is an AMAZING writer. I am totally hooked on her books, I’ve read them all. The Perfect Family is Absolutely Unputdownable!!! The characters reel you right in. I’m always sad when her books end. She’s one of the Best writers of psychological thrillers. You will NOT be disappointed with The Perfect Family, HEART PALPATATING!

Another enjoyable mystery by Shalini Boland! I'll write a more detailed review closer to publication when I'm joining the blog tour for this book:-)

Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy of The Perfect Family in exchange for an honest review.

I am a massive fan of this author and always excited when a new book comes out. Another suspenseful and easy read which didn’t let me down.
Told from the perspective of Gemma , a successful career woman, Mother and Wife and with a second story running alongside it from , at first, a mystery but very important character.
I loved the story which was suspenseful yet easy to read and although I did suspect who was behind the wrongdoings in the story I didn’t understand why until the end.
I finished the book slightly confused regarding early chapters by the unknown narrator and how this fit in with the story as a whole but this was altogether another great read by a great author.

You have done it again Shalini, but this book is your best yet! Pure Genius!!!!

The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland is just Brilliant and Perfect in every way....... and what a Fantastic twist to the end of this book. What a Shocker!!!

So get yourself comfy, and open your kindle/book. This is an author I would highly recommend. However, this book has to come with a "Big Warning sign"........."Don't start to read when you are about to go to bed.....You will be hooked after a few pages and before you know it the birds will be singing outside and it will be time to get up."

This book has lots of twists and turns in this brilliant psychological thriller to keep you hooked throughout.
I loved all the characters in The Perfect family.

ALL the stars!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐and so much more ❤️❤️!

Well Done Shalini, You have done it again.........Another Brilliant Book - But the BEST SO FAR.


I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for my e- copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Perfect Family’ by Shalini Boland in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Gemma Ballantine and her husband Robert runs their own businesses and although there are never enough hours in the day, Gemma always has time to feed, protect and most importantly hug their two little girls, Eva 10 and Katie 6. But she feels guilty that she isn’t giving her family enough of her time and when friends tell her that Eva needs extra tuition to ensure she gets through her exams, and her car is sprayed with the words ‘bad mother’, she reluctantly decides to employ a live-in nanny. Sadie seems to be the answer to their prayers but Gemma feels something isn’t quite right about her!

‘The Perfect Family’ is a brilliantly written thriller that had me enthralled from the start. It had a chilling plot that immediately picked up on every mother’s worst nightmare, when her child goes missing, and I was both worried and uncomfortable at times as I dreaded what was going to happen next. Reading it was an emotional roller-coaster with twists and turns, convincing characters, and an ending that was so unexpected it left me open-mouthed with shock. If you love a spine-tingling psychological thriller then this is the one for you and I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down.

Wow what an amazing read. Gemma has a great husband, gorgeous kids and a thriving business. Then things start going wrong. In order to make her life easier a nanny is recommended to her to make everyone’s life easier. Is Sadie the perfect nanny or is there something more sinister going on?

I loved this book - highly recommended

Gemma Ballantine appears to have a picture perfect life. She is a successful business owner, married to her wonderful handsome husband Robert. Together they have two little girls, Eva and Katie. What more could you ask for? Except Gemma seems to be burning the candle at both ends and can't seem to keep up the pace any longer.

Slowly things begin to fall apart making her question her ability to meet the needs of her family. Her 6 year old Katie is found wandering the streets, Gemma often misses school events, has no clean uniforms for the children, just to name a few of her struggles. Living in a posh suburban area where she is getting quite a bit of criticism for being a working mom, she begins to question if she is a bad mother.

Then along comes Sadie Lewis, a highly recommend nanny. Her mother in law Diane even offers to pay her salary to help Gemma out. Unsure at first, Gemma is pleasantly surprised at how well Sadie fits in with her perfect little family. Except it is almost too perfect. Is the nanny trying to win over her kids, friends, mother in law and lastly her husband? Is Sadie trying to steal her life? It sure appears that way to Gemma. Or is Gemma just paranoid after hearing her friends saying don't hire a pretty nanny, you will be sorry? After finding Sadie's hair in her bed ( yes you heard me right) and catching some flirty behavior going on, I too began to wonder.

This is the perfect psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. I could feel the tension building as I was waiting for the truth to unfold. I felt myself wanting to scream, get rid of this nanny! What are you waiting for? If you think you know what is going on, just think again because you are probably wrong. I loved the Silent Sister so I had high expectations for Shalani Boland's latest and let me tell you she exceeded them! She knows how to write a twisted story that will leave your mouth hanging open. Oh that ending, you just wait for that ending!

This was my first Shalini Borland novel but not my last. It was well written and interesting how they tied seemingly loose strands together. Just when I thought I had figured out the ending I was wrong. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

4.5/5 stars

I am left speechless what an atterly gripping read The Perfect Family was, I was absolutely captivated during the whole book, absolutely brilliant.

I've read one of Shalini Boland's books before and I absolutely adored it so I had very high hopes for The Perfect Family and it lived up to all my expectations. I even went on to purchase another one of Shalini's books straight away and started reading it immediately.

I was gripped as soon as I started reading, you are thrown right into the deep end when little Katie goes missing and it just sets the rest of the book up perfectly. The characters are introduced quickly and easily so you can get stuck in straight away and I loved that.
I found myself getting massively frustrated for the first half of the book though, which I think most of us did to be honest, but that is of course the aim. You are supposed to feel all the emotions while you go on this incredible roller coaster ride, and I definitely did. It made it a lot more enjoyable than you'd imagine though, I was thoroughly involved with the story and the characters from the start.
I started to love it even more though when the main character, Gemma, has that realisation, I felt even closer to her then. I was even more involved and even more gripped that I finished the whole of the second half in one go. The ending was crazy, nothing like you'd expect, the twist blew me away. It was perfect.
Highly recommend to any thriller lover, especially if you love being dragged back and forth and guessing 'whodunnit'. Incredible book, written perfectly. Loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for my ARC copy to review.

Shalini Boland has done it again with her latest psychological thriller The Perfect Family ! it is without a doubt one of the best books i have read this year in this genre.Gemma thinks she has the perfect family married to Robert with daughters Eva and Katie and no money worries,but when little things start to happen in her life she realises that she is stretching her self to far and so agrees with Robert to employ nanny/tutor Sadie who it seems is perfect.But is she ? what follows is truly a rollercoaster of a book that i couldn't put down and is full of twists and turns until the very last page,just when you think you have it worked out the story takes another twist and leaves you wondering yet again what's going on ? A superb 5 star read yet again from Shalini Boland who has again proved how good she is when writing psychological thrillers with a twist.

I've been a big fan of Shalini Boland's psychological thrillers ever since my first experience back in 2016 and I have read every single one she wrote since. Delivering one gripping and well written story after the other has turned her into one of my favorite psychological thriller writers, and of course I'm always highly anticipating any new title. Book number seven The Perfect Family is yet another strong addition to the family. There is just something about the writing style that draws you right in, grabs you and won't let you go until you reach the final page. This is one of those books you'll have to clear up your schedule for, because you'll want to read it in one sitting! The funny thing is that initially I wasn't too sure about the characters. I didn't find them particularly enchanting, and I was worrying whether I would be able to properly connect to them or the story. I shouldn't have worried, because as soon as the two different POVs started to merge those feelings don't matter anymore. The suspense and plot twists are spot on and will create an atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue. You will want to scream at some characters, tell them to open their eyes, while you are also biting your nails as you wonder how things would continue. I did see part of the final twist coming, as it's pretty obvious, but there is also an extra spin that most definitely will come as a surprise. The Perfect Family is another well crafted, suspenseful and deceiving psychological thriller that won't let you go until you know it all... Perfect for fans of the genre.

I have enjoyed every single of the psychological thrillers Shalini Boland has written so far, and The Perfect Family is no exception. The writing is just as strong as ever, drawing you in from the start. The plot is very cleverly constructed and the final reveals definitely add an original touch to the story (despite the fact I saw part of it coming). The development of the plot and the plot twists are excellent, revealing just enough each time to keep you on your toes at all times. Without doubt a suspenseful, well crafted and simply splendid psychological thriller!

I LOVE THIS AUTHOR! Shalini Boland’s books are so good, I highly recommend every single thing writes. I’ve read a few of her books and have the rest marked to read. Like authors Peter Swanson, J.P. Delaney, Shari Lapena, and Fiona Barton, Shalini writes page-turners that keep you intrigued from the first sentence of the first chapter and doesn’t stop until the book is over.

The Perfect Family will earn a spot on your favorites list, I promise!

Gemma is working hard to do everything from holding down a job to caring for her daughters and making sure the house is running smoothly. But when her daughter wanders off and is lost temporarily, Gemma must face the fact that she’s doing too much. As her mother in law points out, she needs help.

Eventually, at the encouragement of her mother in law, Gemma hires a live-in nanny. Sadie steps in to care for the girls and pick up the slack and even though she makes Gemma’s life a lot easier, there is something about her that Gemma begins to worry about. Can she trust Sadie?

Here’s the synopsis:



Gemma Ballantine is getting ready for work one morning when her eldest child comes running down the stairs, saying the words every mother dreads. The front door is open. And her six-year-old daughter has disappeared. Frantic with fear, Gemma starts a nail-biting search for her little girl.

After what feels like forever, her mother-in-law Diane finds Katie wandering lost a few streets away. Relieved to have her youngest child back in her arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, Gemma thinks the nightmare is over. But then her perfect family starts to fall apart. And she realises it’s only just beginning…



This kept me guessing which is always the best kind of thriller.

Due out in November 2018.

The Perfect Family

I really enjoyed this book. Every spare minute I had I was picking it up so it definitely had me gripped. The story kept pace throughout the whole book, there wasn’t a dull moment. I sort of thought I knew where it was going but I was so wrong, brilliant twists, turns and shocks. Very different. Highly recommended.

Really enjoyed this book. I was gripped throughout and didn’t guess the outcome. I think that this is definitely her best so far.