A good story,liked the main characters of mother and daughter. You could definately imagine someone like the mother living in a large house and handing out little love to the daughter. Plot they has quite a twist at the end,one that I did not see coming.

For me, ‘Just like the other Girls’ is undoubtably one of Clare Douglas’ most gripping novels (which says it all, as in my opinion she can do no wrong when it comes to grip lit / psychological fiction)

This is the book that makes me wish I could downgrade other books I’ve rated 5 stars to as they just can’t compare to this riveting read!

The plot is refreshingly original - the elderly Elspeth and her aloof and somewhat stuffy middle age daughter Kathryn interview for a carer / companion for Elspeth. A cushy job, as Elspeth is far from as infirm as she makes out. Una makes the cut but soon discovers things are not what they seem - why does Elspeth have a penchant for pretty, young blonde girls? More worryingly, why do they keep dying?!

All the elements of a great read are packed in this novel: its twisty, compelling, has a great story line and is nice and easy to read - all in all, pure pleasure to be devoured unashamedly!

My gratitude to author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Completely gripping... this was a very clever and engaging story which kept me guessing until the end which was in itself totally unexpected! Really enjoyed, thank you..

Well, I didn’t see that one coming. Or that. Or that. More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing!

The basic story is fairly straightforward; rich widow needs a companion. This book is their story because they keep disappearing or dying and the reader doesn’t know whether rich widow Elspeth is responsible or is it Kathy, her daughter who may be keen to protect her inheritance. The narrative switches between the main characters As each bit of the story develops, along with flashbacks to the past and a long lost daughter, it’s diff to judge who’s doing what to whom. There’s the needy, greedy disaffected Kath, a manipulative and controlling mother, various companions each with their own agenda. Very clever and intricate plotting, characters that feel real and a plausible setting make this a first rate read. I romped through it in a couple of sittings.

I am a huge fan of Claire Douglas and I have been since I read her first book. So when I saw this book I couldnt resist.

This book is no different to any of the others that I have read by her. There are so many twists and turns that make you constantly question whether you have it right. I dont think I have ever guessed the ending.

With this one however I was right, but the author was able to make me question that quite a bit and whether I was wrong. Especially towards the end. I really enjoyed this and will look forward to the next book by Claire Douglas.

I have read and loved all of Claire Douglas’s books but have to say this is my favourite. Oh boy you’re in for a bumpy ride, so buckle up and enjoy!!

When Una sees the ad;

“ Carer/ companion wanted for elderly lady. Young female preferred. Competitive salary. Room and board included”

She applies and gets the job to care for Mrs Elspeth Mackenzie, who lives in a large luxurious home with a cook, cleaner and gardener looking after her. She is more of a companion than a carer to Elspeth, but the money is good and she is saving to go travelling with her best friend Courtney. The only downside is Elspeth’s daughter Kathryn who is cold and rude to her for no reason.

Una discovers that the last 2 girls who worked at the home have died and bizarrely they all look similar to her. Is she safe in the house and why does she feel like she is being followed whenever she is out alone!!

This is such a wonderful book. I was hooked from the first page and found myself holding my breath as the suspense built up. There are lots of twists and red herrings along the way. I kept changing my mind on who the guilty party was and would never have guessed the ending!!

A MUST read book that will have you telling all you’re friends about it. Get yourselves comfortable as you will not want to put this down. I cannot recommend this enough.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Ferociously smart and electric from start to finish! Just Like the Other Girls is cleverly plotted and wholly absorbing, delving deep into twisted families and their devastating secrets.

After the death of her mother, Una accepts a job as a carer for an elderly woman. But she soon finds out that two girls who worked as carers before her have died. As the walls close in around her, Una wonders if she’s next.

A novel that genuinely surprised me time and again, I genuinely didn’t know how the book would end. Claire Douglas is a master at tense thrillers with relatable, likeable protagonists, and this one was no exception. A thoroughly enjoyable gem that I highly recommend!

I’ve read six other books by Claire Douglas and thought all were terrific but this one is the best! I didn’t want to put it down but equally I didn’t want it to finish as I was enjoying the read so much.

It is set in Bristol where widow Elspeth lives in a very grand house. Despite having a daughter, Kathryn, who is keen to take care of her Elspeth wants to have a live in carer and makes a series of appointments of young, blonde girls who all look similar. They keep leaving in mysterious and tragic circumstances. I had so many theories as the book progressed as to who the perpetrator of the crimes was. I kept changing my mind as it kept me guessing until almost the last page. It was a great story and great conclusion. Five stars easily.

I still have some books on my Kindle by Claire Douglas that I look forward to as well as future ones she writes. One of my top five authors.

With thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Claire Douglas is one of my favourite authors. I’ve given all of her books 5 stars. So this was an automatic read for me. I was interested if my rating would be different as I now use CAWPILE.

Something felt missing at the beginning. But looking back I feel like because I went into this completely blind it was just me trying to know what the mystery was supposed to be.

Part one of this was very much building the atmosphere and suspicions around one character. But I felt like it couldn’t be that easy. Claire Douglas books are never that easy.

Part two however is where things changed. It starts months after the end of part one. With a new POV of a character we have never met before. Which intrigued me. I had questions left from part one.

At first I wished we didn’t get the main answer regarding Una straight away. We knew what happened but not who did it. But after finishing the book it made perfect sense to go the way Claire did.

Claire Douglas has a way of making everyone look suspicious. This is no exception. Even a random boyfriend of a side character with no obvious connections to majority of the characters. Which when trying to think of some theories can be a bit frustrating. In a good way. You have no idea where it could possibly go.

Right up until the end I was changing my mind of who was the killer and why they did it. Especially as the victims only had one thing in common. Where they began working.

The twists kept me on the edge of my seat. Wondering where it could go. Throughout the book I don’t think I guessed a single twist.

I will say the final twist/reveal in the epilogue wasn’t really necessary. It made sense to explain Jacob behaviour but I feel like it was just to add some final drama.

After splitting up with her boyfriend Una starts a new job as a companion to a wealthy lady.
Una finds out that the two girls who previously did her job died.
She starts to ask questions and wonders if she is safe.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another great psychological thriller by the author.
Perfect job at the perfect time for the perfect girl.
Taking up a job to live in with an elderly woman in her beautiful mansion and with a perfect view, plus free of rent and bills seems like the winning lottery.
But something is not adding up. Every day there are small things happening that make you guess yourself and also find that the previous girls that lived in the same place have all disappeared or were found dead.
That’s the story of our main heroine Una.
It’s fast-paced, suspenseful and full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge because I thought I knew what’s happening and who’s the villain in this story, but the author has managed to surprise me once again with the unveiling of the real culprit.
Another great story by a favourite author now.

Good. Interesting characters and concept, a real page turner. An atmospheric book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Even though you think you have worked it out, the author twists the story so it that when the revelation comes you will never have seen it coming.

Really enjoyed this. Gripping and with so many twists. As the plot unravelled, I found myself struggling to follow all the characters and their relation to each other but it was clever and what I have come to expect from Douglas' books.

As all good thrillers do, this starts innocently enough. Una has lost her mum and needs a fresh start. She answers an advert for a carer/ companion for an elderly lady and is taken on. Lovely house, self contained rooms, what can go wrong? Then she finds there were two previous girls in her position who have disappeared, and the story takes off. I really couldn’t put it down. Forget everything, even sleep until the climax which is totally unexpected but satisfying. An excellent thriller and I loved it.

A psychological thriller at it's best. The story is about Elspeth McKenzie who is an elderly lady who would like a carer. Elspeth has a daughter called Kathryn who doesn't like the fact that her mother keeps bringing in all these carers and tries to bring them down a notch but why? and what secrets is she hiding. When Una finds something of the previous carer she decides to do some digging and then lies, twists and secrets surface. Is Elspeth all she is cracked up to be or is there more going on behind closed doors. I liked how the lies and secrets unravel to make for a book that you just wont want to put down.

This is a book of two halves. I enjoyed the first half, though I found it a little slow, but it also set up a creepy sense of mystery that kept me reading. And I really liked the main character, Una. Then something happened halfway through the book that was highly unexpected, and I didn't know how to feel about it. Yes, it had an impact, but it also destroyed my relationship with the book. I almost felt betrayed.

After that, I just couldn't like the second half as much. Not to give too much away, but I didn't connect with it as much as I had the first half. And the denouement turned out to be just a bit prosaic, with none of the creepiness of earlier. I was expecting a more chilling secret to lie at the heart of this story, so in all honesty, I found the truth a letdown.

The book also needs a damn good proofread, but I assume that will be sorted out before publication.

Overall, quite good, but didn't entirely work for me.

A gripping read for fans of Leiïla Slimani! Kept me guessing right to the end, and normally I guess and ruin it for myself. I would have liked more insights into the characters though - they did feel a bit superficial, but the plot more than made up for that!

Wow I can honestly say this is a truely great read. From beginning to end I was totally engaged. Elspeth, an weathly elderly woman living alone advertises for a live-in carer and companion. She has a daughter, Kathryn who is married with two sons. Kathryn is a cold-hearted woman, vindictive and jealous towards her mother's carers. Elspeth also had another daughter Viola who went missing when she was eighteen. This book will have you on the edge of your seat unable to put it down. It is a brilliantly capivating ride which has everything from manipulation to revenge. It will be hard to follow.

Rating 4 stars

I have enjoyed Douglas' work in the past, so I was excited to bite into this one, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. There were so many twists and turns, every time I thought I knew what was happening, it turned out I was wrong. And Douglas' writing is so great, it really makes you feel what the character is going through and all the goings on rather gets to you.

Highly recommend!

Just Like Other Girls was a mixed bag of a story! While setting a terrifying sense of dread and fear I was unimpressed by the part 1 / part 2 divide. I don’t read 55% of a story to then have it finish and begin from another characters point of view. I’d like to add this new character lives the same life as the first. It made the read feel a little pointless even with such wonderful writing