3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found this story intriguing and the plot had me interested from the start. I found the story telling to be vivid and I felt like I was right there working out who done it along with the MC. That being said the plot fell a little short for me. I found parts to be slow and finding out the “suspect” wasnt all that surprising (its kind of a “lock room” setting so there were only so many charactors to pick from). I did not see some of the twist though and I thought the ending was gripping with a happy ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC! I was excited to read this one, but it quickly fell flat for me. I found the writing to be childish, the main character Alice to be so immature and ridiculous that I could never believe she was an adult (though 18 is hardly an adult, but still). The creepy uncle was so transparent and the heavy religious overtones just thoroughly grossed me out. Alice’s POV often read like a child’s diary and there was just no redemption for me after that. With some heavy editing, this could be a decent read.

Wow! The Au Pair was a fantastic thriller, full of intrigue and mystery.
It was very well written. I loved Jane's writing style, it drew me into the story straight away.

The main characters Alice and Melanie were interesting, charismatic and complex. I really enjoyed reading the book from both of their perspectives.
There were many tense and heart pounding moments throughout. The twists were great, I really didn't see them coming.

I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and I stayed up far too late to finish it. It was well worth the lost sleep though. 😆

This is the first book I've read from Jane Renshaw and it definitely won't be the last.

I very highly recommend.

5 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A young au pair from the US, arrives in Scotland and quickly realises things aren't quite right in the family home . She disappears, without a trace and another au pair joins the family. But she's not exactly honest about her reasons for being there. I liked the style of writing, and the dual story lines, that eventually run side by side. Some clever twists, not totally unexpected. But a good read.

Alice Synder is an American student who is excited to be spending her summer in Scotland. She's going to be an Au Pair for the Davidson family.
However, one month after she arrives, Alice disappears without a trace.
The family hires a new Au Pair named Melanie. A little while after she arrives, she notices that the family seems a bit odd.
There's someone who keeps leaving and going at night, creepy paying guests, and Uncle Gray who makes her skin crawl. There's scratch marks on the floor of the Au Pair's bedroom. It makes her question if Alice barricaded herself in. Melanie wonders if she's in danger herself.
As she tries to find out what happened to Alice, she begins to realize that the house holds a horrifying secret.
This book was a decent read. It kept me intrigued and I didn't expect what was happening to happen.
I'd rate this book 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

This thriller gripped me immediately. I loved how it was written and the dual POV was easy to read.

Some things seemed a bit out of character for Alice and Melanie (Donna), but I’m unsure if that was done on purpose since they grew throughout it all.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! It was a fun read and I will definitely recommend it!

I loved this book.
When I'm reading a mystery I like thinking that I know what's going on, especially if I second guess myself and think that I'm totally off, and then you manage to surprise me again after that? I love it. (I know that was word salad but I don't want to give anything away).

When we meet 18 year old Alice as she arrives in Scotland as an Au Pair for a mysterious family in a secluded location. The location is transportive. Hearing her describe the beaches and woods and rolling hills made me want to book a ticket (just not to where she was working).
Alice is a sheltered teenager that hasn't had any real experiences outside of her family and friend network in her small town. She acts naive, which makes sense for her character. But she's also youthful and optimistic and has rose colored glasses about the world and people, and it was really nice to see that portrayed in a positive way of a young person. Slowly you see the rose colored glasses come off and you get to see more and more of who Alice is at her core.

Then there's Melanie. I really enjoyed her character and seeing the inverse of Alice, someone who is older and hardened by a hard life. Seeing bits of her past and her present was really interesting to see how her life was shaped into what it is when we meet her. I don't want to say too much about Melanie because you really don't know who she is when you first meet her.

I really enjoyed the converging timelines of the story. If I was listening to it on audiobook I could see how it might be difficult to follow along with the dates from where the book began to where each chapter is taking place on the timeline. I think it worked really well to up the ante of suspense.

Overall, I don't want to say too much and give away anything but I will say that it was an enjoyable mystery. It deals with hard topics but in an easily digestible way, nothing is too graphic (IMO).

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator books for the ARC. I look forward to reading more by Jane Renshaw in the future.

The Davidsons appear to be an ordinary family, but behind their appearance lies a hidden truth. Alice, an enthusiastic American student, was so excited to work as an au pair for the Davidson family in their Scottish lodge over the summer. But after just one month she disappeared

Now, the new au pair, Melanie, has taken over the role, and it doesn't take long for her to notice odd things about the Davidsons. The unsettling nightly activities, strange guests, and Uncle Gray raise red flags. The scratch marks on the floor of the previous au pair's room intensify the mystery—did Alice attempt to protect herself? What terror haunted her, and could the Davidsons be connected to her disappearance? Is Melanie herself at risk?

Determined to find out what happened, Melanie realizes she could be next! Can you figure it out before she does?

Actual Rating 1.5

Alice is an American who decides to spend the summer in Scotland, taking a job as an au pair with a local family in a remote lodge. One of the young girls is lovely, the other is shy, and the teenager is…a teenager. Things seem fine, but a month later, Alice disappeared without a trace. Now Melanie arrives at the same family for the same position, hoping to find answers relating to Alice’s disappearance. But does the same fate await her?

This book wanted to be many things, but unfortunately it fell short. It relied on many standard tropes relating to this premise, but didn’t utilize any of them in new, engaging, or interesting ways. There was so much promise to explore real, emotional topics relating to powerful themes (mother/daughter relationships, protecting family at all costs, narcissism, etc.) but instead each thing just felt like it was tossed in without a second thought or any attempt at depth. The characters were also lacking depth and it was impossible to make any emotional connection with them. And the isolated Scottish setting could have been utilized to create a strong atmosphere and add tension, but it wasn’t.

The writing was extremely exaggerated and juvenile during Alice’s sections – I’m sure this was partially intentional, but the number of explanation points and italics for emphasis made her read like she was a manic 10-year-old rather than 18. It was likely supposed to be used to portray her innocence, but it failed. The other POV had some similar issues. The author also fluctuated whether she referred to a character going undercover as Melanie or Donna, and there didn’t appear to be any rhyme or reason for when the author chose to use what name.

It honestly kind of felt like someone dumped all the ingredients for a cake in a bowl but didn’t try to blend them or make them into something delicious and cohesive. I can’t recommend this to anyone, but I’m in a minority so check out other folks’ reviews if you’re interested in the premise. My thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a well-written suspense novel that I enjoyed! Lots of twists and unexpected turns. The “twist” or ending was predictable, but it is difficult to surprise someone who reads lots of suspense novels. Overall. I would recommend this to others because it is well-written and enjoyable.

Alice was your typical sheltered valedictorian, until she decided to runaway for the summer and join a family in Scotland agreeing to work as their au pair. But naive Alice was not ready for what was in store for her. As odd things begin happening to Alice, we then begin reading the alternating timeline about a thirty something named Melanie, Alice's birth mother who is searching for Alice. Alice was reported missing after spending some time with the Davidson family in Scotland. Does the house hold secrets? Is something sinister is going with the Davidson family? This story will keep you guessing.

The Au Pair was a great read! The story included interlaced alternating timelines that were used to unfold the mystery in perfect timing.The Au Pair was surprisingly addictive.The deeper I found myself in the story the harder it was to put down. I felt like there were elements of this story that were unique and it wasn't especially predictable. The writing drew out the appropriate emotions towards the characters and their circumstances. The creepy elements were indeed creepy. Great read!

This thriller gripped me immediately. I enjoyed how the mystery was told by alternating points of view. Atmospheric and foreboding describe this intriguing, addictive thriller. This story made me care about the characters which is not always the case with this genre. The plot is compelling and perfectly paced with unexpected turns throughout

This book kept me up all night! I love that I was able to read this book. The mystery and drama are fantastic. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Loved this thriller - so many twists and turns all the way through out.
Very talented writer and such great descriptions. Read this in less than a day.
Excellent work - 5 tars. Highly recommended.

I love books like these- never know what to expect! Very cleverly written. Will be recommending !

I just reviewed The Au Pair by Jane Renshaw. #TheAuPair #NetGalley

I give this 4.5 stars. The beginning was slow and honestly probably longer of a backstory then was really needed. I enjoyed the slow reveal and trying to figure who the villain(s) were. I really enjoyed the dual pov and how it told the story. The last 25% of thr book was by far the best and I’m really satisfied with the ending though I do wish we would have gotten a reunion with Tess and Isabell as well.

The tension in this book is palpable from start to finish. A true nail-biter that will leave you breathless, I couldn’t put it down and read it in two sittings!!!!

This is the sort of book I really love , so full of mystery!
Alice is the families new Au Pair an you know she is going to be in for a time as the family are the nicest -
Things take a turn and Alice disappears. A new Au Pair joins the family but is she all she seems...
Such a good read, I loved it.

A really good book, it had everything and I was pleasantly surprised, I’m looking forward to the next one

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2-Format: ebook

A high school graduate runs away to the Scottish Highlands and nothing can go wrong, right? No. She disappears and is presumed dead but her body was never found. So what really happened to Alice? This was a pretty good read. It was short and moved fast. The story was interesting but predictable. It’s told from multiple points of view and multiple timelines, which I did really like. It was written well so that the reader isn’t confused by POV or time. The characters were a little bit flat but still likable. Overall, it was worth the read.