This debut novel was predictable yet absorbing. It was a fast read, that I was 99.9% sure I knew what would happen from the first few chapters, but I could not put it down.

Emily, an aspiring actress who lost her temp job, her agency, and her hope is offered a job as a housekeeper by her former boss, Scott that seems to be all the answers she needs. Good pay, access to Scott’s credit card, a place to stay, in France nonetheless, and company of Nina and Aurelia. Helpless, hard headed Emily jumps on the offer without a hitch. Whisking away to remote France, isolated from everything in a home with high security and no service, I was anticipating every thing that came to Emily from the start. In the beginning Scott’s odd internal monologue and actions made me think that he had something more sinister in store for Emily but shortly after her arrival to Querencia the plot was more evident.

Even with its predictability, I enjoyed this read and am thankful to have gotten an ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press! Thank you!

If every thriller was as good as this one I’d be a happy reader!

This was a fun, perfectly paced, addictive thriller. The mystery was woven so deftly throughout the story, and the tidbits of clues were dropped at the perfect times. This was a two sitting read; I could barely put it down!

CREEPY AND DOWNRIGHT AMAZING. The cover alone gives this book spooky vibes and it delivers on the character development and the twists. I absolutely loved this!

I was really intrigued by the synopsis and the cover, but to me this thriller fell flat.

The beginning was slloooowww. I liked that it gave enough time to understand the main character Emily more, but the rest of the story wasn't as fleshed out especially considering how slow the beginning was. It was so slow that by the time the action was finally happening, I wasn't as interested as I should have been. There were some elements that were very unique and some that felt trite and overdone.

This was a standard thriller that was enjoyable and had a few surprises.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was a bit predictable but gave me a chance to escape the world right now. The writing was good but it just needed more. I was waiting for it to be over.

I wanted to love this book but it was a bit too slow of a build up for me. I feel like it is a 3 star read. It didn't really get moving until almost the very end of the book. Emily is basically a hot mess and just cannot seem to get her life together. When her old boss Scott offers her the job of a lifetime, she quickly agrees. Emily is going to France to become an au pair for Aurelia and helper to Scott's wife, Nina. At first everything is perfect and Emily can't believe how she lucked into this "job". Soon, perfection moves to weird and then to suspicion as Emily begins to see that all may not be as it appears.
Unfortunately the fast moving, thrilling bit came a little too late in the novel for redemption. I felt as though I spent too much time in the dark with Emily. 3 stars.

You know, when everything is going badly, and suddenly everything is looking up... But too good to be true? Well, maybe it is. Emily discovers that the plan is not all sunshine and rainbows... And she has to make a hard choice.

I didn't know if I'd like this one until everything started to unfold (after maybe half of the book)... Everything was too calm, too beautiful, too perfect, I kept waiting for the moment when it would all fall down. And it did. Spectacularly!!

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and Affirm Press for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thought this was a good thriller. It was interesting, kept me engaged even though it was predictable at times. Still a strong debut.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of The Safe Place.

Emily is a down and out actress who has just been fired from her temp job, evicted from her flat and at bitter odds with her parents, not sure what else she can do she agrees to a strange offer from her former boss. He has asked her to move into his place in France and befriend his wife and become a bit of a caretaker for their ill daughter. Emily quickly bonds with the family and begins helping them repair the dilapidated home. While working on the property she begins to realize not everything is what it seems and they may be more dangerous then she ever expected.

This is a good thriller especially for a debut novelist. It has an intriguing premise and twisty subplots. However, I struggled to connect to the characters and their emotions. The ending was a little but of a let down but overall I liked Anna's writing style.

When we meet Emily Proudman she is pretty much screwed. She's lost her temp job, stuffed up her latest audition, pissed off her parents, and is struggling to scrounge together enough money for a few groceries. But then her handsome, super-rich former boss, Scott, saves her from being hit by a bus. He offers her a job. Not just any job, a dream job. A live-in housekeeper – working for his wife and looking after their daughter in a beautiful estate on the French coast. Ooh la la!
But as we all know, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Emily arrives at Querencia and is immediately bewitched when she sees the "two huge white-washed castles standing sentinel over a fairy kingdom". Scott's wife, Nina, informs Emily that their 6-year-old daughter, Aurelia, is unwell. Her skin can't be exposed to the sunlight. She doesn't speak. And she's prone to sudden outbursts of aggression. However, Emily soon becomes fond of her charge, and develops a firm friendship with Nina.
Emily knows she isn't allowed in the main house, but one day decides to have a little peek. What she discovers is strange and baffling. Things get even more disturbing when a group of hikers stumble onto the property and Nina suddenly becomes hysterical. It's clear this family is hiding something, but Emily doesn't realise just how disturbing that something is until she's so firmly entrenched there's no possible way she can escape.
Querencia is the perfect setting for a psychological thriller. No phone reception. No internet. An idyllic, secluded property bordered by a forest – a smokescreen for something sinister. It's a place where anything could happen, and no one would ever find out about it. The setting also acts as a perfect conflict for Emily – she's finally found a place where she feels happy, something she hasn't experienced in a long time. Does she really want to mess it all up?
The narrative alternates between three point-of-view characters, the action unfolding in the present day with flashbacks to the past. This works well and there's some tragic reveals as we learn more about Scott and Nina's relationship. Anna Downes has written well-rounded, complex characters, evoking sympathy in the reader for them when they do things they shouldn't do. Emily is wide-eyed and innocent with a propensity to over share – qualities that means she easily succumbs to the charms and manipulations of Scott and Nina. Her journey from a clumsy Bambi into an empowered Belle makes for a very interesting read.
While the story is a little slow to start with, it's necessary in order for the reader to fully appreciate the explosive finale, and the horrifying moment Emily realises the safe place she's come to love couldn't be more unsafe.

I honestly thought this one was slow to get into. I read alot of reviews and was expecting as such based on what was said. I was skeptical to read anyways. But It got better and I was thrilled at the book toward the end!

I enjoyed the writing of the author and the story really intrigued me. It was a little bit predictable but I spent a good time reading it and imagining the next evolutions going chapters on chapters.

A gripping read once I got into it, but somewhat unsettling at times – overall a fairly easy read but a few places I found I had to put down for a while. Not sure if “A Safe Place” lived up to all the marketing hype – it definitely wasn’t unputdownable.

Anna Downes debut is a gripping, addictive thriller that grabs you from the first page and keeps you hooked until the last. The characters are fun, fresh, and relatable, and the plot is fast-paced and unique. This is definitely not one to be missed!

The Safe Place - you know those families where just everything is perfect but something just doesn't sit right with you about them? Their smiles are too wide. The kids too perfect in that they don't complain at all. The parents themselves are kind and not a care in the world. The Safe Place has just that kind of family, but you can't just put your finger on what's wrong, because on the surface everything is so right.

Emily, a down on her actress, thinks she's hit the jackpot when she's invited to help take care of a family estate in France. Both houses on the property on flawless, though need work. The garden is immaculate but needs tending to. The woman of the manor is sweet and caring, her child quiet but otherwise fine. As Emily starts to adjust to her new surroundings, little details come into focus - she can't do this, can't go into the main house, must sign an NDA before even accepting the job, leading her to ask the question what's so wrong with this perfect family?

The Safe Place is a solid thriller heavy with family drama and lush scenery making you crave your very own European chateau. Good for those that love a mystery that keeps you guessing...

Thank you to Affirm Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Loved it and devoured in just a day.

I really wanted enjoy this one after reading many great reviews (and as a huge fan of thrillers), but unfortunately it fell short for me. Although an easy read, the pace was a bit slow, the main character unlikeable and it was kind of predictable (not a surprise ending for me). Thanks for allowing me to read and provide an honest review!

I did not enjoy this book. If I had purchased or borrowed this book, I would not have finished it.

Emily. Oh, Emily. She may be the most unlikeable main character I’ve ever encountered. She is so completely incompetent and annoying.

The other characters were just as ridiculous. The gorgeous, traumatized wife, the billionaire husband who self harms, the mute child... I mean, come on.

The ending left too many questions unanswered. Why wasn’t more attention paid to Emily’s childhood? I think the author missed an opportunity to redeem the book.

2/5 stars

This book was super creepy, but in a sunshine and roses kind of way.

I enjoyed it as it portrayed a happy family with great wealth but underneath was an undercurrent of darkness.

I enjoyed this read and don't want to give anything away but you should definitely give it a go!

The premise looked very promising, and it almost accomplish my expectations, since a negative aspect is that the thrill of the real plot takes a long time to present itself. However, if you have free time and want to read something relatively light with suspense overtones and some well-constructed scenes, this book is for you.

Overall an enjoyable read! Good character development. And twists.
Emily learns real good yuck that if “if it looks to good to be true,” it comes with a lot of baggage!
Looking forward to this authors next book.