Slow starter but not a bad read. Emily Lancing is a nurse who applies for a job at the home of the Roth household. Dr. Henry Roth is a known psychiatrist. He hires her to be the personal nurse for his wife Sabrina. Emily is expected to not only be a nurse but to serve as a housekeeper and escort Sabrina around, among other things. She must make sure that Sabrina takes all her medication because Henry claims that Sabrina suffers from delusions and other mental health issues that require consistent medication to prevent her condition from deteriorating. Emily gets right into a routine and is right at Sabrina’s side daily. Emily begins to suspect that Dr. Roth is overly medicating his wife so she tries to determine if he is trustworthy. She needs to determine whether he is a trusted husband or if he is out to control his wife for his own benefit. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

Jenna Kernan’s The Nurse is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first chapter. As a longtime lover of thrillers, I appreciated the way Kernan built tension, keeping me on edge as I unraveled the chilling mystery alongside the characters.

The story follows a nurse who wakes up in a psychiatric hospital with no memory of how she got there—or why she’s accused of a horrific crime. As she pieces together the truth, the twists come fast and furious, making it impossible to put the book down. The unreliable narrator element was done well, keeping me second-guessing what was real and who could be trusted.

I gave this book four stars because while the plot was engaging and full of surprises, I found some of the secondary characters a bit underdeveloped. There were moments where I wanted a deeper dive into their motivations. That said, the pacing was excellent, and the final reveal was satisfying without feeling too far-fetched.

Jenna Kernan is back with an unsettling chiller that will keep you reading all through the night: The Nurse.

Emily thinks that she has landed on her feet with her latest job. She has just started working in the private residence of Dr Roth, looking after his perfect wife, Sabrina who has just fallen ill. The job might pay well, but Sabrina is a nightmare patient. She constantly sneers at Emily and treats her like something she’s trodden on yet the nurse knows that she must grit her teeth, put up with it and think of the generous salary she is being paid.

Dr Roth has made it painfully clear that Emily must cater to Sabrina’s every whim and give her her medication three times a day. The sedative pills have quite an alarming effect on Sabrina, who rambles on about the heartbreaking death of a child. When she asked Dr Roth about it, he had said that delusion is a common side effect of this medication, however, Emily cannot shake off this feeling that there is far more to this story than meets the eye.

When she is alone with Sabrina, Emily finds herself stunned by her patient’s shocking admission: that her husband is lying and that he is punishing her for something she did a long time ago. Emily is Sabrina’s only hope of escaping this prison she is trapped in, but can the nurse trust her? Who is lying and who is telling the truth? Dr Roth? Or Sabrina?

Worse, Emily has a devastating secret of her own that if discovered could have horrifying repercussions for them all…

Jenna Kernan writes captivating psychological crime thrillers you just have to gulp down in one sitting and she’s done it again with The Nurse. A creepy, nail-biting and shocking domestic noir page-turner that holds you in its grip from start to finish, Jenna Kernan’s The Nurse is a shocking, propulsive and jaw-dropping thriller chiller fans will thoroughly enjoy.

*The Nurse* by Jenna Kernan is a compelling psychological thriller that had me gripped from start to finish. The tension is palpable, and the dark atmosphere is skilfully crafted. The story follows the narrator, a nurse working for the wealthy and seemingly perfect Roth family. Her job seems simple enough—look after Sabrina, a woman who has everything, but is struggling with her mental health. However, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems in the Roth household.

The premise of the book is intriguing, with the unreliable narrator keeping readers on edge as she navigates her role in the household while trying to uncover the truth behind Sabrina’s supposed delusions. Sabrina’s claims that her husband, Dr Roth, is lying about her illness and keeping her trapped add an unsettling layer to the narrative. As the reader, you’re left questioning who can be trusted, which makes the twists and turns all the more effective.

Kernan’s writing is sharp, and she does an excellent job of building suspense. The pacing is quick, with plenty of dramatic moments to keep you flipping pages. The plot unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing, and just when you think you know where it's heading, it takes an unexpected turn.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the psychological tension it created, I did feel that some elements could have been explored a little further. Certain plot points were a bit predictable, and I found myself wishing for a little more depth in the character development of some of the secondary characters. Nevertheless, the jaw-dropping twist towards the end definitely redeemed it and took the story to another level.

Overall, *The Nurse* is a solid, fast-paced psychological thriller that will keep you hooked until the very last page. It’s a four-star read for anyone who enjoys a gripping, twist-filled story with plenty of intrigue.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

Thank you so much @bookouture and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!

This book is a total rollercoaster ride—one minute you're up, the next you're down, and it’s impossible to put down! It’s not a quick read, so you’ll need to pay close attention to the details, but once you immerse yourself in the story, each page becomes more gripping. The ending completely blindsided me—my jaw dropped. I didn’t see that twist coming at all.

The story follows Emily, a newly graduated LPN, who takes a job caring for the wife of a psychiatrist. He tells her his wife suffers from mania, poor impulse control, and has trouble distinguishing fiction from reality. The wife is heavily medicated, with the husband being her sole physician.

The book is packed with detail, but every bit of it is essential. As Emily tries to understand whether the wife is truly ill or if something more sinister is happening, the suspense builds. Emily’s investigation into the wife’s condition uncovers dark secrets, leading to a thrilling, slow-burn mystery.

If you enjoy thrillers with a gradual build-up and a jaw-dropping twist, this is definitely for you. The final chapter? Absolutely incredible. It ties up every loose end and delivers the perfect conclusion to a tense, gripping story. The way everything comes together is so satisfying—it’s the kind of ending you hope for in a thriller!

This book started with giving major Verity vibes.

Emily is recently graduated nurse who landed a dream job of being the companion and caretaker of a renown doctor's wife. But not everything is rainbows and butterflies in the mansion by the lake.

As Emily learns more about her ward, is this really a case of a mentally ill wife or is the charming doctor more diabolical than he lets on? Who is the victim and who is the villain? Right when you think you have this book figured out, the author throws more twists in that has you grasping the pages trying to figure out who is really in control.

This was a very well written psychological thriller that had me gasping with the final twist.

It took me forever to read this because it just didn’t grab me, each time I picked it up. I finally did it today. I was very disappointed. I thought it would have more nurse drama, but it wasn’t mostly about an annoying rich couple, and descriptions of their rich lives. Also, it had so much unnecessary detail and repetition.

I eventually had to start skimming.after 50% it did get more interesting. At 75% tho, I just couldn’t continue. We got some resolution and a POV change but I just didn’t care anymore how it ultimately ended.

Could be fun for someone’s first thriller, but I don’t really recommend for advanced thriller readers

This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this thriller of book!!!

The title of this book didn't quite deliver the storyline I was expecting but a quick easy read with some twists along the way.

Part one of this story explores Lissa s childhood. Her father spends a great deal if time working away which has huge effects on her mothers moods. When he is present her mother is loving and happy , when he is away she withdraws from the world. Lissa is also having problems with bullying at school and her only option is to take matters into her own hands.

When Lissa s dad suddenly dies, her mother comes into a catatonic state, requiring 24 hr care in a home. It becomes apparent her father was living a bigamous life.

Lissa is now a nurse and should be upholding the values of the profession. However she has many scores to settle and takes drastic actions to settle old scores.

Well worth a read.

I loved the way the book started. It was interesting though i felt the information given a bit over the top. It felt quite stretched out. But i have to hand it to the author for surprising me with that twist. I really did not see it coming. Though the end could have shorter. All in all i would still say this was an interesting read.

Great psychology thriller that keeps you questioning who the real villain is! I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

Thank You to NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book!

A newly graduated nurse is hired to take care of a wealthy doctor's wife, making sure she takes her pills on time and eats her meals, driving her on her errands and to her golf club. Doctor Roth warns Emily that his wife has delusions, that she'll claim responsibility for things that never happened...but Emily soon begins to suspect that her client is over medicated and might need her help. This is a slow burn that has the feel of an old fashioned gothic thriller. Once Emily starts uncovering the Roth family's secrets, it's a wild ride to the conclusion.

An intricately plotted thriller that had me guessing until the very end. Gripping from start to finish! Really enjoyed this one and will defo read more by the author

Emily is in need of money, so when she gets a new job for Dr. Roth to care for his wife while he's gone during the day, she thinks she hit the lottery. She very quickly realizes Mrs. Roth is a host of several mental issues, is a nightmare to care for, and has more secrets than anyone is aware of. Emily is now involved in a very dangerous cat and mouse game, but who will have the last laugh?

This hooked me from the beginning; Jenna Kernan toys with your emotions and feelings towards each character throughout the book. You'll think you have it all figured out but I promise you, you're wrong.

I definitely recommend this one and it deserves more attention!

Fantastic book, really hard to put down, even for sleep! It kept me entralled right to the very end.

A perfect twist of is it him? Is it her? Who done it?! Dr. and Mrs. Roth are not your typical employers and have outlined duties that make you question if it's too good to be true. But what if it is? In this psychological thriller, you'll question everything you've read and just when you think you've figured it out, something comes along to make you doubt everything you've thought thus far. An incredible read and well thought out characters! 4 stars!

New graduate LPN lands a dream job- or is it? She may have taken more than she can handle when accepting this position. Who’s the bad guy though? The controlling husband? Or the deranged wife? This one was slowwww and way too long. Another round of editing with less repetition and detail and a more shocking twist and not long-winded twist would have been better. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and I am not sure what I think about it. It does have a lot of good reviews so I decided to leave my thoughts. It was slow with a lot of description. Even the big reveal at the end is tediously detailed and would have lent itself well to a TV crime drama. Perry Mason would have loved it. The book could probably be cut in half and be a really good book.
The characters were not particularly likeable. Emily was supposedly the valedictorian of her nursing class but she seemed a little stupid to me. I know she needed the job badly but I couldn't figure why she would stay in what is essentially a housekeeper's job where the employers were so nasty to her. Early on, she started snooping around the house. Sure, she had to be curious but she had to have some idea of what the consequences would be if she was caught, and since she needed the job so bad that would not have been good. The Roths were good characters, entitled rich people who expected their every order to be obeyed immediately, but not really likeable. That was probably the author's intention there.
And who really was the bad guy? I went back and forth throughout the book but the ultimate answer left me with my mouth hanging open. A lot of my problems with the book were solved by the totally unexpected twists at the end. That twist went a long way to redeeming the book. Wow! Everything becomes clear finally. I just wish it had been done in less time.
The book is definitely a psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist as advertised. I'm just not sure about the unputdownable part.

If you like your medical thrillers, you may like this one. The ending was superb and was actually what made the book for me. This book had me second guessing and I love that.