Member Reviews

Complex drama with lots of strange goings on. Not entirely believable. Not my kind of story. Big twists.

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Elspeth an older lady hires companions to look after her, they all have one thing in common, they're young and have blonde hair like her missing daughter, her other daughter Kat appears cold and doesn't like the girls. Each girl has replaced another one who has died in mysterious circumstances. The last two's friends vow to find the truth as they don't believe they're accidents.
I gave it three stars as I found it dragged a bit and I couldn't take to Kat or Elspeth but liked Willow and her friend. I skim read a lot to find out who was responsible for all the deaths and it wasn't what I expected

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Wow what a page turne. Dont want to give anything away about this story so as not to spoil it for the readers,but it's a cracking story with a great who done it. When a rich old lady decides to hire Una a young girl to be her companion she finds out many secrets about former employees, and what she discovers forms the basis of the story. Great characters, great twists and a book that keeps you guessing right till the last page. A fantastic read

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If you're looking for a well written, fast paced book with plenty of twists and turns, then Just Like the Other Girls is for you.
When Una takes a job as a live in companion for elderly Elspeth, she realises she has to compete with Katheryn, her daughter, and why isn't she caring for her Mum? Does Elspeth really need a companion? What happened to the other young girls who worked here before?
Despite there being quite a few characters to live through, they are easy to get to know and every one of them has an important part to play in the weave of the plot.

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When Una takes on a new job as a live in companion to Elspeth she is overwhelmed. Good wage, living in the grand house, good food but she has to endure Elspeth’s daughter, Kathryn, who seems to hate her. Una discovers the previous two companions have both died in mysterious circumstances and she begins to worry for her own life. Well this book was a surprise! I enjoyed the way in which it twisted and you start to think who was responsible for the deaths. Well written and gripping I throughly enjoyed it. My favourite one by Claire to date.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

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This book was....just brilliant!! I am a huge fan of Claire Douglas and love her writing. This story was so exciting and so strange that I had no idea what was going to happen!! The ending was a total surprise, not what I was expecting at all! I loved all the characters, some of them were a little colourful if not odd but they definitely added that extra edge to the story....it was creepy and bizarre and also super exciting! If you love a good thriller that's easy to read, then I highly recommend that you buy this one on August 5th ❤❤

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After the death of hr mother, Una Richardson takes a job as a carer/ companion for the wealthy and elderly Elspeth McKenzie. Unfortunately, Elspeth’s daughter, Kathryn, makes no secret of her dislike of Una. Even more disturbing is the apparent disappearance of the two girls for lived in the home before the McKenzies. Exactly what has Una stumbled into, and will she escape?

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This was excellent! I have read and loved quite a few of Claire Douglas's books (especially Last Seen Alive) so I went into this one with high expectations.

I absolutely loved the setting. For some reason I seem to really enjoy books set in Bristol and the area and the house were really well described. I really liked Elspeth's character. She wasn't necessarily likeable but she was interesting to read about and I was fascinated by her motivations.

How the author ended Part One was incredibly brave and I wasn't expecting it at all. I did struggle a little bit to recalibrate and warm to the new characters in Part Two, but once I did I couldn't stop reading and just had to find out who was behind everything. I did guess some of the outcome, but I definitely didn't have the full story worked out.

I would definitely recommend this book.

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** spoiler alert ** The main character of this book,Una didn't interest me at all. She seemed a bit too simple for my liking. Or maybe too innocent. I can't put my finger on it.
So,I didn't find the first half all that engaging.
However,the second part picked up,with me suspecting all sorts of people of all sorts of Things,and it's always good when you're guessing.
The reveal who was the villain was fast and furious,and over in the blink of an eye.
Kept me entertained for a few hours,so can't complain

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I have read all of Claire Douglas' books, so thank you for the chance to read this one, NetGalley. This is absolutely a five star read. The author knows how to craft believable characters, and paint a beautiful picture of Clifton, where the story is set. I was rooting for Una and Willow from the moment we're introduced to them and so intrigued by Elspethm, Kathryn and their family secrets. Full of twists and turns, and moments of shock. Really enjoyed this.

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Una Richardson's heart is broken after the death of her mother. Seeking a place to heal, she responds to an advertisement and steps into the rich, comforting world of Elspeth McKenzie.
But Elspeth's home is not as safe as it seems.

I'd never rad a Claire Douglas book before. I enjoyed the story and will be seeking out her other books.

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First time reading a book by this author but now wont be my last. The book is about an orphaned girl called UNA. The trials she comes to as a live in companion to Elspeth. Twists and turns cant wait to read more books by this author

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Una, a young woman still grieving the recent death of her mother, applies for a job as live-in companion to Elspeth Mackenzie, a wealthy elderly lady (she also employs a cook and a gardener) in a grand house. It’s a bit of an odd and anachronistic job, but Elspeth pays well and Una dreams of saving enough to go travelling the world one day soon with her friend Courtney.

Elspeth is demanding (and clearly capable of doing far more for herself than she admits to); daughter Kathryn is chilly and standoffish. But things take a definite turn for the worse when Una learns that the two previous holders of her job, Matilde and Jemima - both young blonde women like herself - ended up dead. It seems her post might be more dangerous than she thought...

I’ve really enjoyed Claire Douglas’s previous books and this was no exception - the plot is gripping and I liked the characters, too, especially Courtney. There was a big curveball halfway through which knocked me for six! And I definitely never guessed how it would end.

A great escapist read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas.
Thanks @netgalley @clairedouglasauthor @penguinukbooks for my arc
Publication date 6th August 2020
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Another absolute smash hit from one of my favourite authors. I was so excited to receive this arc I started it immediately and raced my way through, barely stopping for breath.
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The book follows Una, a recently orphaned young adult, who takes a new job as the live in ‘companion’ for the rich and mysterious Elspeth.
I don’t want to give too much away or any spoilers but this book is super creepy and utterly put downable. Una is a fantastic protagonist, a really lovable main character but he has one big flaw, her curiosity. When she discovers that her predecessor died under suspicious circumstances, Una’s investigative work gets takes her down a dark path, unraveling years of secrets and deceit. This is a crazy dysfunctional family! Absolutely fantastic book. My favourite so far of 2020. Highly recommended xxxxx

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Just like the other girls by Claire Douglas was a good fairly easy read with an underlying mystery about the relationships of everyone living or working in The Cuckoo’s Nest. The storyline trips along with well developed chapters and we get to know Una only to get a bit of a shock at the end of part one! Part two develops the plot a bit further and gradually things become clearer. My only criticism is that the last half chapter feels really rushed with the grammar and tying up of loose ends reading as a rougher draft than the preceding writing. A bit of a polish would really enhance the overall writing quality (although to be fair nothing is lost of the storyline. ) An enjoyable four star read

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After losing her mother and splitting with her boyfriend, Una feels like the perfect opportunity has come up when she sees an advertisement to be a companion for a rich, elderly lady, Elspeth McKenzie. It seems like the perfect job with plenty of money, free boarding and meals, and while a little boring it's an easy enough job. Apart from Elspeth's daughter Kathryn, who seems to hate Una being there from the start. Things get more disturbing when Una hears that the previous two companions ended up dead. As she finds out more secrets, Una realises she may be in danger and end up just like the other girls...

Wow, Claire Douglas has done it again! I absolutely love her books and this one definitely did not disappoint, in fact it is one of the best books I've read in a while. It has a tense, thrilling plot and it so well written. I loved how we got snippets of the past that start to explain the events happening in the present, and I really liked getting to know all the characters. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and was kept guessing right to the end, and I just loved the many shocking twists and turns. Just breathtaking! I really can't recommend this book enough, it is just fantastic. A true masterpiece!

Thanks so much to the brilliant author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for my honest feedback.

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Wow!! I haven’t been able to put this one down!! One sitting and I’m finished! I have absolutely loved this one, it’s kept me guessing from the very beginning and there is no way I could’ve predicted the ending. This is my first read by this author- I am extremely excited for more. I highly recommend this one.

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Just Like The Other Girls, is a twisty and jaw dropping masterpiece from Claire Douglas. It feels like every word written has a meaning and is used to draw you in to the plot. As you are swept along trying to uncover the truth of just what happened along with the main character. A book that you will not regret reading!

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#JustLikeTheOtherGirls #NetGalley
A tense psychological thriller. A must read.
I loved each and every book of hers but in this Clare goes one step forward in psychological thriller genre. Its so creepy and brilliant.
Una Richardson's heart is broken after the death of her mother. Seeking a place to heal, she responds to an advertisement and steps into the rich, comforting world of Elspeth McKenzie. But Elspeth's home is not as safe as it seems.Kathryn, her cold and bitter daughter, resents Una's presence. But more disturbing is the realization that two girls had lived here before. Two girls who ended up dead
Find the truth by reading this book. I don't want to reveal any twists here. I just say that it's so brilliant. Every word in this book is twisty.
Loved the characters of girls.
Narration of the story is excellent.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for giving me an advance copy.

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