Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Amanda Reynolds for letting me read “The Assistant” in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like this book had the potential to be really good, but I feel that the layout let this down. Think dual POV's, but instead dual writing styles - sometimes this can work well in a book if youre given more information during these. Think multi chapters where you have a police interview and then the storyline.

I found I really had to focus on reading this book to be able to keep up with the storyline, I think people who can focus on the dual styles will really enjoy this book, as the storyline was very strong and there were lots of interesting shocks / turns in the story line.

If you like your crime fiction twisty and twisted, THE ASSISTANT was written with you in mind. ‘Think Notes On A Scandal’ for the Instagram age, as the lives, secrets, and wildly incompatible goals of two formidable women go head-to-head.

Ris is a social media sensation who appears to have it all. But her seemingly perfect life has reached a critical juncture. All that glamorous lunching, pampering and influencing won’t do itself, now will it? What choice does she have but to enlist the help of a new right hand woman? Enter Gail. Uh-oh.

I won’t risk any spoilers, other than to say even if I did let half a dozen of the twists slip that would still leave plenty hidden in plain sight to discover, Personally, I find those the most satisfying twists. The ones where it’s all right there in front of me and yet I still failed to see it. Amanda Reynolds excels at this. A few times I thought I’d worked things out; I was wrong.

The story hinges on social media in various guises and I enjoyed the way Ms Reynolds used this to pepper proceedings with different sorts of prose. Emails, voice mails, posts, interviews and script snippets all feature. It gives the novel added pace, as well as the opportunity for us to see what other make of Gail.

The plot structure feels very social media inspired as well, with things bursting into sudden frenzied activity out of nowhere before appearing to temporarily subside, only to then kick back off again, the twists gleefully increasing rather than winding down.

But the best thing about this is Gail’s voice. The language and preoccupations are a joy, and her ability to raise self-denial to breathtaking levels had me chuckling along in dread.

The Assistant is a one-off and I can’t wait to hear an Audible reading of Gail’s voice or, indeed, who will play her on TV.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me see an advance copy of this title.

I found this a strange book. Normally I can give up on a book if the first few pages don’t grab my attention, but this one, despite not doing that, kept me reading as I simply wanted to see how it paned out.
Not the best book I have read recently, but certainly not the worst.

This was a heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat right to the end. Will definitely be recommending this to all thriller book fans.

They Know Everything…?
The personal assistant knows everything about you - your habits, your likes and dislikes, your lifestyle, your movements - in short your whole life. But, they are trustworthy- right? This engaging psychological suspense deals with just such an issue. With snappy chapters, a cast of well crafted characters and an immersive narrative the reader is taken into this tension fuelled tale. The mix of media/interviews works well as a technique and keeps the storyline fresh, interesting and fast moving as the plot is revealed and twists come thick and fast.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an early copy of The Assistant. This definitely started off very sloooooooow, I wanted to stop reading quite a bit because it was sooooo long getting to the point but then around 26% BAM I was truly interested and couldn’t get enough. Strange book, weird plot, what an INCREDIBLE TWIST about 75% in. This was a mind blowing, head turner of a book!!! I am sooo glad I stayed with it. Thank you again.

I was intrigued by the title and description of this book, but the way it was written did not appeal to me. Enjoyable plot. I would recommend this for fans of the author and/or readers who enjoy unusual forms of narrative. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Gail has fabricated her way into working for Ria, an influencer who lives in Belgravia. Gail has an agenda, we know not quite what and her story is told by interview after the events as she gives her story to a journalist. Gail comes from having very little and Ria is totally spoiled, not appearing to know the value of money or not even caring. Gail keeps a journal of her time with Ria and spies on her as much as she is able. There’s a hint of something in the past again we know not what, which may be the reason for all this. Alternate chapters give the journalists’ emails advising her publisher as to her thoughts on the interviews so far which makes this a very different read but one I still found myself absolutely engrossed in.
There’s a wonderful tension and for once I wasn’t sure if I liked the main character but still wanted to know more, much more as I was so intrigued at what her plan really was. This is brilliantly written from a seasoned author who has a wonderful way with words, many of which resonated. Gail’s perspective of Ria comes from a mature person having experienced the world and those in it and I had to smile and nod at some of her comments. A twist I didn’t see coming and a very cleverly thought out and well written read which kept me very much between the pages. A villainous perpetrator or is she? Just what was her agenda? Loved it. A stunning read I highly recommend.

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The Assistant started off great, the whole idea and plot appealed to me.
Unfortunately the way it was written really got to me in the end.
I just couldn't get my head around how it came from the journalist relating the events? .
So overall a good story but written in a very unusual way.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
Others may find this style ok but sadly it wasn't for me.

Larissa is an 'influencer'. Rich, entitled and selfish.
She employs a mature Executive Assistant, Gail Frost, who runs her diary and who lives in the shabby basement. And who is privy to all her secrets.

But Larissa does not know that Gail has purposely made sure she got the job, and does not know why.

This book did grab me, I was intrigued at the secrecy and the build up. Although it was strangely weird. reading this book from the viewpoint of a journalist relating the events, and from the interviews given by Gail Frost.

All in all, a very good book. I did enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.