28.3.17

BLOG TOUR: The Housekeeper by Suellen Dainty

Some dirty secrets can't be scrubbed away.
When Anne Morgan's successful restaurateur boyfriend- who happens to be her boss- leaves her for another woman, Anne finds herself in desperate need of a new job and quiet place to recover.
Meanwhile, her celebrity idol, Emma Helmsley- England's answer to Oprah Winfrey- is in need of a housekeeper. The opportunity seems too good to be true.
Landing the job, Anne is soon enthralled by a high-profile world of parties and media appearances. Emma's husband Ron, is a prominent academic and television personality in the midst of writing a book about a rogue psychologist who once led a notorious cult. They're a successful and sought after couple with two well-adjusted teenage children, Jake and Lily. To the outside world, they're the perfect modern family.
But as Anne becomes more enmeshed in the Helmsley's dirty laundry, both literally and figuratively, she discovers that underneath the dust, grime and whimsical clutter, everyone has a secret to hide. And as she frantically strives to maintain order, Anne's own disturbing past threatens to unhinge everything. 



Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 309


The Housekeeper by Suellen Dainty is one of those books that creeps up on you a little. At first I felt like I was having a bit of trouble getting into it and then suddenly I was completely absorbed and couldn't put it down. Suellen Dainty is so clever, it seemed as though it was all very normal and mundane  and then you realise that Anne has unwittingly entered a very sinister new world at the Helmsley's; a world that she wasn't expecting and one where she doesn't know the rules.
Taking the job at the Helmsley's is a new start for Anne; she discovers that her boyfriend, a famous chef has been cheating on her. She needs a new job and new challenges. Becoming a housekeeper for celebrity couple Emma and Rob is a totally new type of job for Anne. She quickly becomes part of the family but it takes her a while to realise that the perfect facade they present is actually hiding a lot of cracks.
Suellen Dainty creates a beautifully sinister atmosphere, I don't want to give the plot away but the author offers up many surprises and plot twists along the way. Emma and Rob are very interesting characters and; Anne is almost a little naive at the beginning and is in awe of their fame and success. Initially she just wants to help them, even if that means helping them to keep up the pretence of being the perfect family. However, when she begins to question things at the Helmsley's, she is shocked at how involved she has become in their lives and that it may not be that easy to leave.
The Housekeeper is tense and sinister; in a world seemingly driven by fame and picture-perfect images, it will make you question your perception of others, I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to Eve at Midas PR for inviting me to take part in the blog tour! 


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