An easy, quick, undemanding read, full of plot twists and menace. I did not warm to the characters, in truth, and found their motivations largely implausible. Still, a few hours raced by.

Still grieving after the death of her beloved mother, Una is delighted to learn that she has landed a job as a live-in companion to an elderly lady in Bristol. She is impressed by the beautiful home and surroundings, and in awe of Elspeth her glamourous employer. She is somewhat less enchanted by Katherine, the daughter. Slowly Una begins to notice things; the relationship between mother and daughter is somewhat fraught; Elspeth is not as frail as she presents herself; and they do not welcome questions. Her only insight comes from gossip from the cook – and that is scant.

But Una is nosey and this gets her into trouble. How much trouble, you could never guess. One clue, the Clifton Suspension Bridge features heavily in this thriller.

Well done Ms Douglas for such an exciting, twisty, surprising tale. One slight hesitation (tiny one) – is it likely, would you stay?

That said, I can only recommend this highly. Loved it.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Una has found a perfect job: she’s going to be a live-in carer to an older lady, Elspeth, in a palatial house in Bristol. But when she arrives she finds that her predecessors - all young women looking very much like her - have died in mysterious circumstances.
What happened, and how did it involve Elspeth’s cold fish daughter and another daughter who disappeared thirty years ago?
This is a very plot-driven and pacy thriller that skips between past and present.
It’s like watching a horror film through your fingers.
And it’s no surprise when the novel takes some unexpected twists and turns.
If you’re looking for a page-turner that would make a great beach read, I’d recommend this.

Great story - the ending was a real surprise. The book starts off with the story of Una, who needs a new start after the death of her beloved mother. She takes a position as a companion to Elspeth, a rich, spoiled elderly lady. Una finds out that her two predecessors both died in strange circumstances and the story unfolds. Great twist and easy to read.

While this is far fetched, it is a lot of fun.

It surrounds Elspeth, a rich old woman, and her string of live in carers who all seem to come to an unfortunate end. As we learn more about her past and what happened to the other girls, it soon becomes apparent that many of the family secrets are deadly.

It's not a perfect book. Some of the characterisation is up and down, particularly that of Elspeth's adopted daughter Kathryn who seems to change voice and tone all the time. But despite the flaws, it's a strong enough plot to rise above them, and while it's clear what the red herrings are, there's still enough surprises to keep this entertaining.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I’ve read other books by the author and have been impressed. So, I was looking forward to this. The premise really intrigued me. I wanted to know what was going on. I read this book quickly because I couldn’t stop reading once I’d started it. I’m a big fan of thriller and there are certain things I look for in them. This book ticks all of the boxes for me; great plot, great twists, great characters and intensity. There is a lot of emotion in the book, despite the dark undertones so I really connected with it. This is a definition of a page-turner.

Oh this was really good. I couldn't wait to get reading this book whenever I had the chance, there were so many red herrings and twists that kept the pace going. I certainly didn't expect the outcomes that emerged! Very evocative of the area round about the Clifton suspension bridge, there was quite an eerie atmosphere at times. Plenty of twists and surprises, you do need to concentrate though as there are quite a few characters but it does all come together! This is the third book I have read of this author, I really enjoy her books.

Another fabulously tense and thrilling page turner by one of my favourite authors. The novel begins with a young girl, Una whose mother has recently passed away and is looking for a fresh start. She is offered a position as companion to an elderly, wealthy but cantankerous woman. Her daughter lives close by but she is openly cold and unfriendly. As Una settles in, she discovers disturbing facts regarding her predecessors and starts to question and probe into what actually transpired with them. However, someone is not at all happy with her raking up the past. There are numerous red herrings and twists in this fantastic book. A truly exciting and gripping read.

Just Like the Other Girls
Una starts a new job as a carer in a push home for an elderly lady whose not as fragile as she makes out to be, but it's a lot better than the care home she was working in before and the money's a lot better as well so all is good. Well obviously not for it would be a bit dull and not a thriller, which this definitely is. As you may guess not everyone is as they seem (like real life there), and as the story progresses you will be blindsided a few times with the excellent twists that you won't be expecting.
This was a special read for me in the fact I felt really connected to the characters well the ones I was meant to and felt their sadness and joy so it was an emotional journey which normally books haven't often got me like that. So Claire (the author) took me where not many others have and made this a must just read the next bit, and then the next as in I couldn't put it down. The characters were fascinating very believable as was their storylines so basically it's a true 5 star read as I hope you will discover for yourself..

A really good, twisty thriller that kept me guessing. The story is written in a clever way, the underlying, emotional themes delicately interwoven.

Thanks to Michael Joseph Marketing Team for inviting me to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read that kept me wanting more. Chapters would be from different characters perspectives and would end on a cliffhanger making me read on when I really needed to put the book down and start adulting.
Reading this book made me go back and forth questioning people and guessing who would be the baddie - although it had more twists and turns than I could have predicted.

I would definitely recommend this book. Go preorder it now!

Really enjoyed this book. The story revolves around a rich old lady living in Bristol who hires a series of companions who all die in mysterious circumstances. Not your usual who done it. The story concludes with a conclusion you don’t see coming! Great read!

A really good read and interesting twists at the end.
I enjoyed this book and thoroughly recommend it.
A story of adoption and emotion along with loss and misunderstanding. The main characters are unusual, an elderly mother looking for a paid companion and her daughter trying to be important to her. This is a murder investigation with a difference and it was difficult to anticipate what was to come.

A great read

I've enjoyed all her previous books so was looking forward to this one as well. Another page Turner once I got into the story with a slightly unexpected ending.

When Una becomes the live-in companion to elderly Elspeth, she’s hoping to earn enough money so that she can fulfil a promise to her recently deceased mum that she will go travelling. But the job doesn’t turn out quite like Una expected once she discovers the fate of Elspeth’s previous companions. As she looks into what happened to her predecessors, she realises that she could also be in danger. Can she keep herself safe or will she end up just like the other girls?

A clever twisty tale which will keep you guessing until the end.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The story is gripping, and I loved the fact that it is set in Bristol. It kept me guessing right to the end, and I will definitely be recommending this very clever thriller to my friends.

She's done it again! Another fantastic book from Claire Douglas. I only wanted to read a chapter or two in one sitting but I was drawn in and managed to read the whole book in one sitting. It was so gripping that I just had to find out what was going to happen and boy did i not see that ending coming!

Just Like The Other Girls - Claire Douglas ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Huge thanks to Michael Joseph & Netgalley for this absolutely fantastic and tense read.

I'm a huge Claire Douglas fan so I jumped at the opportunity to read this one. She never fails to disappoint when it comes to the thrillers.

Una a pretty young girl goes to work as a live in companion for the very wealthy and elderly Elspeth. She thinks she's hit the jackpot, living in a beautiful house, a cook, with a fantastic wage. But is it worth it? Having to endure Kathryn Elspeths daughter who seems to have taken a strong dislike to Una. Una begins to discover the fate of the two previous companions Elspeth had hired and suddenly things aren't looking so great.

The tensions within this book slowly builds as the story unfolds. It's a constant who done it mind boggler. Very well twisted.

Claire Douglas does it again 👏

It was a treat and privilege to be able to read and review this book. With libraries being closed, I am struggling to find quality digital books. Claire Douglas never disappoints. Instantly gripping with intriguing characters and a page turning plot. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing but sufficient clues to keep you engaged. The characters are well rounded and credible. Overall this was an entertaining and enjoyable read and definitely one to include on your worth reading list.

This is a really great read. Written so well, it cranks up the tension slowy and insidiously. I have loved Claire's other books, and this is another brilliant read. Her first novel has always been my favourite, but this isn't far behind. Defintely 5 stars!