Maids should be seen, not heard, and June is good at fading in to the background. Quiet and unassuming, she is good at her job. It's always the quiet ones you have to watch though...

This is a reaaaal dark and twisty book. And I love a twisty book!

There is some darker content (self harm, suicide, child abuse) so it’s definitely not for everyone.

There were maybe a few too many twists for my liking, but it kept me on my toes throughout. It’s a solid 3 stars for me!

I absolutely loved this book!! Twists throughout the story that were completely unexpected. The multiple person perspective was incredibly fun and gave a full picture of the story without giving anything away. This story was full of emotion from each person's perspective that pulled you into their life and had you feel like you were right there with them. Highly recommend!! 5/5 stars for sure, and I cannot wait for another book from Michelle Donne.
Huge thank you to Michelle Donne, NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy.

3.5 stars for me. I will say that there are a few topics that may be upsetting for some listeners/readers, such as: self-harm; mental phsyical & emotional child abuse. The repeated use of the R-word as well was quite jarring but I understand in the context of Mammy/Erica Kelly's usage it is meant to be cruel and I highly doubt she is worried about being politically correct. The whole vibe of the book is dark and twisty and does keep you intrigued from the first page to the last. I do think that the several POVs switching between past and present was a little messy at times and particularly at the beginning of the book there was certainly a host of characters introduced quickly that I had to try and distinguish a few times before continuing. I do think, however, that the multiple POVs do help move the book along and keep a better pace. Overall, I do think that this was a good thriller, but not necessarily one I will read again.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy.

An enjoyable read that kept you guessing throughout, good character depth. Decent overall, would recommend!

I really enjoyed this book and felt it really pulled me in! Brilliant writing! I liked the characters and really liked the different perspectives from June and Mia. Would recommend this book!

June excels at blending into the background, embodying the quiet and unassuming maid archetype. However, it’s often the quiet ones you need to watch…

This thriller delves into dark themes, including suicide, self-harm, and child abuse, which may be distressing for some readers. A content warning would have been appreciated.

I found June relatable, and my heart ached for young Mia. The other characters are largely unlikeable, intensifying the emotional impact of the story. The pacing kept me engaged, and I finished the book quickly, eager to see how it unfolded.

3.5/5.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

This book starts off being about the maid at a hotel, but it soon ventures into dark spaces. The subject matter is difficult and dark. I enjoyed this book. I was interested and intrigued. I found myself very curious about what would happen at the end. A convoluted story that was full of secrets, lies, and twists! The characters and their secrets created such depth to this dark and twisted thriller. I will read more by this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read right to the very end. A good thriller that will have you guessing and full of twists and turns. This is one that I would recommend.

Wow, what a book! Thrilling from start to finish! Packed with twists. Great writing. Brilliant plot. Fast paced and absorbing. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this book. The main character, June, is a maid at Cedarwood Manor. She discovers a dead body in one of the rooms at the manor. It takes off from there. The story has a lot of twist and turns, some of them very dark. I really didn't expect the direction that the story went in, but it was intriguing. This is psychological thriller/mystery with some triggers.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this advance reading copy.

This book got 5 stars from me! I worked in a hotel and felt it portrayed the job correctly. It was one of my top favorites for 2024. It was entertaining and hard to put down. You will not regret reading this!

You will be awake long into the night reading this book. So many twists and turns. It is a great story.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. You should read it!

This is a dark, intense tale of the power of being invisible to others and the danger of secrets. I enjoyed how the story was told from multiple POVs. I was immensely engaged as secrets were revealed throughout this character-driven emotional mystery. I loved how cleverly the pieces of the story came together with a chilling twisted conclusion. Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy.

This book was a very well written book. The twist, that you absolutely know is coming, is so well hidden and shocked me in a way I did not see coming at all. If you love mystery/psychological thrillers, this is a book you should try.

Wow. This is a crazy psychological ride. I always love a good maid book. This one however, took a dark turn that I didn’t expect. There’s definitely a lot of triggers in here so check those if you need to. I liked the crazy, twisted way the characters all come together in the end. This book is a little dark for my preference but it had me quickly turning pages and needing to get some answers. This was my first book by this author, I’ll definitely be reading her again.

This was not at all what I expected. It started with what I felt were vibes of another book I’ve read then it veered off in another direction, a completely different direction. June Calloway has been working as a cleaner at the prestigious Cedarwood Manor hotel for six years and she is a perfect employee, the best cleaner. Told in dual timeline and dual POV, those of June and in the past 10 year old Mia. Very well plotted with a plethora of great characters.

Briefly, June lives with an elderly lady called Tess, they have barely enough money to eat and their home is a dump. Mia lives with her Mammy, Daddy and brother. Her mother treats her like a skivvy and her brother is cruel to her but Daddy is kind to her when no one is home to see them. June discovers a dead body in their hotel room one morning and she knows her, it’s a regular visitor to the hotel.

A very character driven novel that was a compelling read despite the very dark nature of the book. This is a very twisty story with some disturbing elements to it. It was only implied but June did appear to be on the Spectrum, but that may have just been her coping mechanism, she certainly had psychopathic tendencies. A dark psychological thriller that I found both shocking and heartbreaking.

At the start of this story, we learn that June Calloway is the most respected maid on staff at Cedarwood Manor, a luxury hotel for wealthy guests. June takes great pride in her work and enjoys seeing the job done properly. She also likes that this job gives her a sense of privacy. It has allowed her to get to know the guests, and their secrets, even though they don't seem to acknowledge her existence much at all. Just the way she likes it.

On the first day of the story, June opens a guest room to clean and finds the body of a woman who has been a frequent guest at the hotel for years. the story then backtracks to the previous weeks leading up to this mysterious death.

Soon after meeting June we also meet Mia. Mia is a young girl living a secluded and difficult life of her own. As The story unfolds, we learn more about both June and Mia and how they are connected to the shocking death at the Cedarwood Manor Hotel.

I enjoyed the characters of both June and Mia. The writing style of the author was easy to read and kept me wanting to know more at the end of each chapter. I did have a little trouble at times though because there are a lot of dark and disturbing things mentioned in this book. However, without knowing the history of the characters, we would not have come to fully understand the emotional state of those in the story.

Despite these triggers, I really enjoyed this book and found myself drawn into their lives. The twists and turns of the story were well plotted out and I look forward to seeing what this author will release next.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC copy. I am leaving a review of my thoughts and opinions voluntarily.

I’m sorry to say but this book didn’t grab me and I finished it feeling somewhat confused. The characters and timelines weren’t well enough defined for me - perhaps because I read last thing at night so wasn’t firing on all cylinders. Just not my cup of tea.

A lovely, cozy murder/mystery. A great read with lots of twists in it. I loved thecway it was written made it very interesting. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.