This book starts very pleasant, so much so that it made me wonder whether I requested the wrong genre.
Emily loses her job, she’s getting evicted, her acting career is going nowhere and her relationship with her parents is strained. Then all of a sudden her boss offers her a dream job as a housekeeper for his house in France and companion for his wife and daughter who live there. Emily accepts and for the first few weeks she fits in really well and falls in love with the place and the family. Then she starts realising that all is not well and things starts spiralling from there.
From about half way I was literally holding my breath and I could not put the book down, the ending is gripping and intense and I loved it.
Thank you to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for letting me review this book.

3.5 ⭐️‘s

Emily is having a rough day, a really rough day!! First her audition was a disaster, then fired from her temp job, losing her apartment and lastly her agent! She is at the bottom of the barrel when she runs into her old boss, Scott. When he offers her a new job, a job that seems to good to be true, she jumps at the chance. As she travels to an isolated estate in France to be a companion/assistant to Scott’s wife, Nina, things start to get a bit creepy. Emily knows that there’s something not quite right, but what is she missing? Dark and atmospheric, this book had an intriguing premise, but ended up being rather predictable.

3 stars. This was a quick read but the ending left me wanting so much more :( it may have been a bit overhyped for me, but I still flew through it. It follows the synopsis to the T!

Immensely entertaining and highly enjoyable. This book was impossible to put down. The perfect pool side read that will keep you reading all day.

Are you ready to get your mind blown? Your heart pumping out of your chest? Then your ready to pick up a copy of The Safe Place by Anna Downes! I couldn't put this book down. My husband ate cereal for dinner because I wasn't taking time out to cook.

This was one of the best debut novels I have read in a long time. If Anna Downes comes out this strong, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Her characters are fabulous and you don't really see their cracks until about two thirds into the story. She gives you such a false sense of security and then BANG! You're racing for the finish. Oh boy! It's quite a ride.

The Safe Place is so well crafted. I didn't find any flaws. There were a few clues along the way but, to tell you the truth, I was so lulled by the story I didn't pay much attention to them.

The setting was idyllic. A private and secluded property on the coast of France with anything your heart desires except for internet, phone service and a connection to the outside world. Sounds like heaven. Doesn't it?

If you like Psychological Suspense like I do, don't put this on your "To Be Read" list. Get it now! Read it NOW! You'll love it. I promise.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.

Did you ever read a book that you couldn't stop thinking about for days after you finished it? The Safe Place by Anna Downes was one of those books for me.

Emily is extremely likable as a somewhat scatterbrained, out-of-work actress desperately in need of a job. Her ex-boss, Scott, offers her a job as the housekeeper at his very private, beautiful French estate where his wife, Nina, and their daughter, Aurelia, reside. Nina is upset that Scott spends most of his time in England working instead of in France with his family. However, Nina likes to spend money on the estate so Scott has a legitimate reason for staying away. Emily falls in love with the estate and enjoys spending time with Nina and Aurelia. However, there is deception, and Emily realizes the estate may be beautiful but deadly.

The character development in the story was great. All the characters were believable and the plot sucked me in immediately. The ending wasn't what I expected and, as mentioned above, haunted me for days. Any author who can do that has me waiting for their next book to come out.

3.5 Stars rounded down

Emily has lost it all; her job, her flat, her acting hopes, and finally her family's faith in her. She feels out of options, she needs money, and somehow her old boss holds the key to her future. Scott Denny is a successful businessman and an even more successful career in keeping secrets. He's been watching Emily and she's perfect for a job at his remote French estate. Taking care of a beautiful home and the handsome Scott's wife and daughter sounds like the perfect job, the perfect solution, but there's something lurking under the surface and Emily doesn't realize it until it's too late.

Creepy, atmospheric, and at times quite predictable, The Safe Place is a fast-paced thriller that I zoomed through in one sitting. It was quite a fun read, especially with the alternating perspectives. Emily's would have bored me, Scott's was mysterious, and Nina...she's completely bonkers. Anna Downes engaged me instantly with Scott and Nina's perspectives, especially the flashback chapters. I really liked this book initially, Emily is so gullible, but I knew immediately something was off and I just really wanted to know what it was. I loved the setting, I loved the creepy, big house, and I loved that Emily was enticed with the idea of wealth and freedom without ever noticing she really had none of that.

Like many thrillers, The Safe Place pulls from what's popular in the media right now and that made it fall a bit flat. I so wish Emily had been a more engaging character and I definitely needed more of her past history to understand how she connected so much with Scott and Nina's daughter. While I found it predictable and I wasn't attached to the main character, I found the story suspenseful and interesting all the way to the end. The Safe Place had an excellent set up, but the final execution ended up being too simple and I felt like it was tied up too quickly, it needed just a bit more and it would've pushed my enjoyment and rating just that much further.

Despite it's pitfalls, The Safe Place is the perfect summer domestic thriller read.

3.5!

I honestly LOVED this one, which I know makes my 3.5 stars look odd but keep reading to find out why. It was SO suspenseful and while I feel like it may have been predictable for a lot of people, I didn't find out the twist until Emily herself was figuring it out. I had an idea the entire time but didn't *know* until she did.

This book was weird. Like, from the get-go, I got major creepy vibes from Scott and Yves and then semi-creepy vibes from Nina and then Aurelia was just plain weird, but I felt bad for her. I knew the entire time obviously something wasn't right with her and her situation, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was.

I loved how close Nina and Emily got, and how you saw that relationship change as Emily began to figure more and more out, and as Aurelia started opening up more and more to her. I wish we would have found out more about the secret room and seen what happened to Aurelia at the end, as I was rooting for some normalcy for that little girl. I also wish there'd been a little more

I did find the ending a little strange and it didn't quite sit right with me. Without giving spoilers, it almost felt like Emily thought money could solve everything. I also found Scott's reactions to everything very strange. I wanted a little more closure that I feel like wasn't given.

Overall, definitely a good thriller that keeps you on your toes!

The Safe Place hooked me right away. Telling the story from Emily and Scott's perspectives really helped fuel the plot. It is a great debut book for Anna Downed and I will be on the lookout for new books written by her. I recommend The Safe Place to readers who enjoy slow burn thrillers and domestic thrillers. 4 stars

Emily is walking into the perfect storm, though she doesn’t see it coming. Even as she loses her temp position she finds another job, one that enables her to keep from drowning in her financial responsibilities. Though she has many responsibilities at the mansion and its grounds, she quickly makes friends with Nina and her daughter Aurelia. Nina’s husband Scott is away most of the time, though the trio of females are safe behind the gated walls.

Emily is the outsider, trying to understand the family issues and trying to fit in. There is one way in to the mansion’s grounds, and that gate is locked at all times. The nearest town is miles away and the property is surrounded by woods. One can already envision what comes next.

Lovers of suspense will enjoy this novel. Emily and Scott tell the story through assigned chapters, although occasionally Nina pops in and we receive much of the back story through her memories. Using this technique, author Anna Downes builds to a climax that, while possibly expected, still will hold your interest. The character of Emily was a huge part in keeping me turning pages, a person with dreams and aspirations who flitters from level-headed and sweet to flighty. Recommended. Four stars.

My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

For me, this book had a slow start but once you made it through 1/3 of the way in, it really turned into a good story. I was pleasantly surprised that the ending was not similar to so many out there, as aniticpated.

When you’ve hit rock bottom and you get an offer that’s too good to be true… it probably is. But Emily is so desperate (and so naive) that she thinks Scott Denny has handed her the golden ticket to solve all of her problems with his mysterious job offer. Scott needs someone to be a housekeeper/nanny/companion/gardener for his wife Nina and daughter Aurelia at their remote residence in coastal France.

Emily jumps at the chance even though she’s never met Nina, barely speaks French, and is told the property is extremely remote. And her internal alarm bells never really go off when she discovers there is no internet or no cell service at the property. Apparently she’s never seen a horror movie or read a thriller book...

It’s so hard when you have zero sympathy for the main character. I know I was supposed to feel bad for Emily’s situation but she really struck me as a spoiled brat in the first chapters and that really left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the book.

I would have loved to read more from Nina’s perspective. I think she was the most compelling of the characters in the book. I want to know even more about her backstory. I found the ending to be a bit rushed and I still have lingering follow up questions that went unanswered.

That being said, I also enjoyed the author’s writing style and will definitely pick up any future books she writes.

3.5/5 stars

Posted to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3297807811
Posted to Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCUZlghAL2h/

With a cover like this, there's no way I would not be all over The Safe Place by Anna Downes and I'm pleased to report that it lives up to the hype! This is going to be one of the top psychological thrillers of the summer!
Emily is broke, her acting career prospects are drying up before her eyes, she's getting evicted, and she just lost her day job. Just when she thinks she's going to have to crawl back to her parents to beg for money- again- she gets offered an opportunity that just might solve all her problems.

When her old boss contacts her and says her firing has been a mistake she never expects to be offered another job- not the one she left, but a position helping his wife Nina and their daughter on their luxury estate in France. She accepts, all too eager to get away from London and the life she's messed up there.
Before long Emily realizes things at this idyllic home are far from perfect... and as it appears. The secrets she unearths may put her own life in danger.

This was a thriller with some stunning writing, which is something I really appreciate in the genre. Additionally, Downes gives us well-formed characters and a gorgeous setting, all elements that give nods to gothic novels of the past, but with juxtaposed with modern elements in today's world.

This book has so many fascinating ideas to explore and lots of shocking twists to keep you guessing.
This book was a bit of a slow burn with the writing taking its time, but was nonetheless a compelling page-turner and I couldn't wait to see all the secrets come to light.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Special thanks to Minotaur for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

I absolutely love the cover for this one but I just couldn't get invested in the story. I tried to read it on two different occasions. It may be a case of COVID - reading block, but the storyline was not working for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.

Anna Downes is a new author to note! There are unexpected plot twists and turns; at one point, I had no idea what was really going on. It really kept my attention. If you are a fan of modern Gothic and psychological thrillers, you don’t want to miss this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur books, and the author Anna Downes for an advanced digital review copy. This book will be published July 14th, 2020.

I really enjoyed The Safe Place. The writing was really good, the author really knows how to suck the reader in and engross them in the story!

From the beginning you can tell something crazy is going to happen. Emily is down on her luck and pretty much doesn’t have much of a choice other than to take Scott’s offer to become his families housekeeper, gardener, nanny, etc... from here the story just gets deeper and I couldn’t put the book down, I had to know what the family secret was and why all of the weird things kept happening! NeedLess to say I read this book quickly and I was happy with the ending. Very interesting way to end things :)

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a psychological thriller this summer. And although this is the first book I’ve read by Ana Downes, it won’t be my last.

I knew I had to read about this book when I saw everyone posting about this and how much they were loving it... and I will say it does pull you in straight away and hooks you when you start feeling like something is off. Once you get a good feel for what is wrong it's a mad dash for the finish and will keep you completely hooked. There isn't a time where I had felt like I was missing something or anything so I would say it was a good summery thriller!

Wow! You never know what someone else is going through until you get a lot closer to them and their family. Most secrets eventually come out so you have to be careful about how you live your life and how far you are willing to go to keep the secret and who you let into your life.

This debut thriller promised me a mix of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell. After reading this book for myself, I would definitely recommend "The Safe Place" to fans of both authors. Anna Downes has managed to give us a thrilling plot that gives us unexpected resolution for both of the POVs--Emily and Scott. There are some serious mental health issues exposed in this book. Emily shines as the most sane individual and that is not saying much. After all, she takes a job sight unseen after signing an ironclad NDA. Red flags all over the place. I found this to be an entertaining summer read and hope it will give others an escape to the coast of France in the midst of mask mandates and travel restrictions.

This is a very intense, gripping, cant put it down kind of book. Emily is naive & ripe for the taking. Scott is looking for someone to help out his wife, Nina, & their daughter, Aurelia, in France while he’s working in London. He thinks Emily is perfect because of her naïveté. Highly recommend reading this book to see how this story plays out,