Member Reviews

Painfully slow and not engaging enough for me, I found it quite boring. It feels like it tried to be a gothic atmospheric vibe but didn't gripped me at all. Also as a nanny myself I hate seeing inconsistencied related to the job in these type of books.

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Rating: 3.6/5

"Nanny Wanted" is an entertaining piece of dramatic fiction, packed with gradually developing suspense and more than a hint of a modern Daphne du Maurier feel about it - in fact, du Maurier's works are referred to several times during the course of the narrative in a nod to their clear influence.

Having left behind a toxic relationship in London, Lily has headed for Cornwall. There she finds employment as a children's nanny at Kewney Manor, a substantial and impressive old house owned by Charles and Laurie Rowe. All seems well in the early days, but it isn't long before Lily starts to wonder whether everything is as perfect as it appears on the surface.

This compelling story held my attention throughout and it was a pleasure to read a novel that was so reminiscent of the wonderfully atmospheric books penned by Daphne du Maurier. Clearly, the setting is a huge help, but the author still needs to build on that backdrop and create characters and a plot that firmly grip the reader's attention. For the most part Lizzy Barber does a creditable job and there are a number of sections that are evocatively written and create appropriately atmospheric scenes. Were it not for occasional stylistic lapses and a few other shortcomings this book could have been not just a very enjoyable read, but a top-notch example of a suspense thriller. I detest spoilers in reviews, but I think can safely refer to one puzzlingly disappointing example to illustrate my point without risk of giving away any key information: There is a point in the main body of the story where the author clearly displays that she does not understand the difference between compulsory vehicle insurance and optional breakdown cover, as provided by the likes of the AA and RAC. It may be that the author is a non-driver and doesn't really appreciate that there is a very distinct difference, but it is the kind of error that suggests a lack of basic research and has the potential to reflect badly on the rest of the novel, or at least be an irritant. If not the author herself, then one of the editing team should really have picked up on this and had that section of the book re-written.

Nonetheless, in spite of these less positive aspects, I thoroughly enjoyed "Nanny Wanted". I would happily recommend that you pick up a copy and I will be looking forward to reading more from Lizzy Barber in future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

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A slow burning tale of love and murder. Quite reminiscent of a gothic story but set in the modern day.

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I enjoyed this, it was intriguing and I wanted to keep reading to see what happened. I guessed one half of the ending but not the other so that was good!

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Lily finds herself running from her life in London, escaping her past relationship. When she comes across an advert for a nanny in remote Cornwall, it couldn't be better timing.

Before you know it, Lily is delivered to the imposing Kewney Manor with it's eccentric owners, the Rowes. All is not what it seems and Lily finds herself embroiled within it's mystery.

Nanny Wanted is a suspense thriller that builds throughout the story. There are a few predictable twists and turns and a couple that actually did take me by surprise.

Overall, an enjoyable read that paints a beautiful picture of Cornwall. It just makes you want to pack up your case and head off down south.

Although, I did struggle to gel with the main character and I wish the nanny's charges were developed a little more throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in lieu of an honest review.

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This was a good read plenty going on to keep my interest definitely worth a read its 4 stars from me I've had a previous book of hers on my kindle for a while so I'll be checking that one out now

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To flee an abusive relationship, Lily takes a job as a nanny at a remote mansion in Cornwall but soon finds herself being manipulated again and in even greater danger. Ideal for fans of domestic suspense infused with the dramatic atmosphere of a Daphne Du Maurier novel.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

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Thank you for my copy of this book to review.

I liked the setting of this story, in a remote mansion in Cornwall but I found it very slow moving and struggled to keep going with it. I found it quite predictable and I’m sure I’ve read something similar before.

An ok, easy read. It just didn’t grip me the way I would have hoped.

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Nicely written and vivid characters. However I find it a bit slow as I personally like fast pacing thrillers fully of twists. I would still recommend this book to someone that’s new to this category though.

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Well, I definitely won't be applying for any nanny positions any time soon. A thrilling read which I couldnt put down. Left me guessing the whole way through

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What did I just read? This book was a zippy pace full of surprises! Shocks, twists , we all love a good Nanny story and this was no exception. My first by this author and not my last! 3 stars

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A very slow burner and not engaging plot - it's not what I expect from a gripping thriller. Half of the book is waffling about nothing.

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𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 - 𝐋𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫
⭐️⭐️⭐️(𝟑.𝟓)

I received this ARC from @netgalley and @panmacmillan in exchange for my honest review, so a huge Thankyou.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐞𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.

This book was very well written and I think it is a perfect read for those new to the thriller & mystery genre! This book is sinister and full of family forbidden secrets.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦.

The rating I have given this book is due to finding it quite a slow burner and personally myself I enjoy more of a fast pace, edge of your seat thriller, however that said I did find the storyline and plot did keep me reading as I was eager to see how the plot played out.

I loved the setting of this book. It was based in Cornwall and as a person who travels a lot there for holidays it was nice to be familiar with the name drops of villages within the Cornwall community.

I have heard great views on Out Of My Depth and I am keen to read this to compare.

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Lily is keen to escape an abusive relationship when she sees an advert for a nanny wanted in a remote home in Cornwall. She rushes into the job and is charmed by this seemingly perfect couple. Things take a sinister turn and secrets start to emerge about the family. It is suspected the husband was raised by his grandparents and his sister was actually his mother. Lily does some digging about the family that gets her into trouble. It's a gripping read and a bit silly in places but twisty and overall good fun.

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What a book , great psychological thriller , slow burn until middle of the book, twists and turns I did not see coming . Can say best psychological thriller I have read this year ,and I have read a lot.

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'Nanny Wanted' is an okay read but it did not fully deliver. I liked the premise and initially I was interested to see what would happen but somewhere along the way this got a bit lost and I ended up losing interest in it. The characters were okay but they are not the most likeable of characters and I did struggle to care about them and what would happen to them. I did really like the setting, both the house and Cornwall offered a balance between the beauty of the surroundings and the horror of the events that unravel.
I liked this book but it was missing some energy and a spark to maintain my interest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy.

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This book wasn’t as good as Out of my Depth but it was still good. The location was atmospheric and tue plot was engaging. The ending was predictable and not twisty enough for me. But I enjoyed it reading it nevertheless.

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Menacing Suspense..
Slow burn menacing suspense in this tension fuelled tale of secrets, lies and entanglements. Does something sinister lie behind the walls of Kewney Manor, the remote Cornish mansion owned by a seemingly perfect couple? For Lily, a job as a nanny there and working for the Rowes is a godsend - allowing her to leave behind a bad relationship and her old life. Something, however, is amiss and Lily is right in the middle of it all and who on earth can she trust? Well crafted characters populate a gradual creep of a plot bubbling with atmosphere and edge of seat suspense in a well realised setting.

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What a fun book! I was absolutely hooked from the first page and loved the twists and turns it through at me throughout. The writing started off a little clunky at first but I feel it really got into the rhythm as the chapters progressed! I really enjoyed our main character Lily, her relationship with Nick was just awful (what a horrible guy!) and I found her completely believable in the grand scheme of her behaviours and reactions after this.
I’ve definitely read a few books like this before and wasn’t incredibly by surprised but how it played out, which is why I gave it a 3 star, but I’d definitely recommend to thriller readers, especially those just getting into the genre.

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#NannyWanted #NetGalley
Good one.
When Lily finally leaves her toxic relationship, a job as a nanny at Kewney Manor seems like the perfect solution. There, she can cut herself off from her old life, and never have to see him again.
The Rowes seem like a model family, and Lily falls instantly in love with her new home. But she can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right. Why will nobody tell her about the nanny who came before her? Where does Laurie go at night? And what does Charles really want? As Lily becomes increasingly entangled in the Rowes’ lives, she realizes that the perfect family may not be all that they seem. And as that as much as she fears the past she is running from, perhaps the present is where the real danger lies . . .
I'm looking more from this author certainly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me an advance copy.

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