A little predictable but a perfect escape read!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jodi Bishop is a successful real estate agent, married to handsome novelist Harrison, with two adorable kids. She feels some competition with her sister Tracy, who is effortlessly stylish but can’t seem to settle on a career path. And Jodi has watched for years as her aging father has cared for their mother, Audrey, who has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

As Jodi watches as her mother loses her ability to get around, she encourages her father Vic to hire a housekeeper. She thinks it would be easier on him if they had someone to help with the cleaning and the cooking, and who could also give him a hand with Audrey’s care. Jodi interviews several potential helpers, but none of them seem quite right. And then she interviews Elyse.

Elyse is kind and charming and seems to be just what Jodi was looking for. She is willing to cook and clean, and she has some experience helping someone with a debilitating disease. When Jodi calls her references to check, they give her glowing reviews. Jodi sets up a meeting with her parents, hoping they love her as much as she does.

Elyse makes herself right at home, cooking delicious food for them and helping keep Audrey clean and comfortable. She even offers to look after Jodi’s kids when she has to show a house on a weekend. Everything seems perfect.

Until it doesn’t.

At first, it’s small things. Jodi sees Elyse wearing her mother’s Cartier watch. Elyse explains it away by saying that her watch had stopped and Vic had loaned her that one until she got a new battery in her watch. Elyse happened to see her mother’s green silk blouse in her closet. Elyse explained that she had found it on the floor of her mother’s closet and took it to her room to iron it, and she hadn’t yet had a chance to hang it back in Audrey’s closet. No matter what Jodi finds that makes her radar go off, Elyse has a reasonable explanation for.

Meanwhile, Jodi is struggling at home. Her husband is teaching a summer writing course, and he has one young student in particular who seems very keen on him. Harrison is picking fights with her, accusing her of dumping the childcare on him and caring more about her parents than about him and their kids. Jodi tries to make more of an effort at home, but it is her salary that is paying the bills for the family.

She feels unappreciated and frustrated. And then, when her mother’s condition seems to be going downhill quickly, Jodi starts to worry about the housekeeper that she had hired. She has trouble getting Elyse or her father to answer the phone, and they get irritated with her when she drops by unexpectedly. She tries to talk to Tracy, and her sister agrees that things are strange between the sisters and their parents and the housekeeper, but she doesn’t know what to do about it either.

But will they be able to figure out how to stop Elyse before it’s too late for Audrey and Vic? Or now that she’s in the house, is it already too late?

The Housekeeper is Joy Fielding’s pandemic novel, having written it in less than six months during lockdown. It’s a propulsive domestic thriller that fees into the worst fears of the sandwich generation. Those who are struggling to care for aging parents at the same time they are raising their own kids find themselves in a challenging position, but the thought of accidently hiring someone with evil intent to help out is terrifying. And Fielding takes you right there.

I really enjoyed The Housekeeper. I thought that the characters set up the plot really well, so a lot of it seemed inevitable. But there were some interesting surprises along the way, along with a lovely coup de grace at the end. Loved that ending! But I have to admit that I struggled with some of the relationships through the story, as there was some long-time emotional and mental abuse in that family, and some of it was hard to read. But the writing was beautiful, and I thought the end of the story brought it all together beautifully. Fans of thrillers with lots of tension, then interview The Housekeeper for the job.

Egalleys for The Housekeeper were provided by Ballantine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Jodi is mother to Sam, 8, and Daphne, 3. She is married to Harrison who has written a successful book and is now having a difficult time getting a second one written. He stays at home while doing some teaching part-time. Harrison is short and snide when he talks to Jodi because he realizes he is a failure living on his wife’s salary. Much of the day Sam is in school and Daphne is in day care. Jodi is a successful read estate agent with her father’s firm. Now that he is in his upper 70s, he has decided to stay at home and care for his wife who has advanced Parkinson’s disease. They live in a huge house and Jodi knows that it’s more than her father can keep up by himself.

Jodi’s sister, Tracy, is single and depends up their parents for money to support herself. So, Jodi suggests that they look for a housekeeper to help care for her mother and the house. It takes awhile to convince her father who is a disagreeable man, but she persists and finally hires Elyse Woodley, age 62. The woman is kind and friendly and her references are so great that they find they are lucky to get her.

Right away, Elyse has things running well and her cooking is delicious. She is so friendly and welcoming to all of the family and the grandchildren as well. But when their mother is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Jodi and Tracy start to question things because they know their mother could not have made it from the bed to the stairs by herself. Was she pushed? Soon after, when they see Elyse wearing their mother’s jewelry that should by rights have come to them, they know they have made a big mistake by letting this woman into their lives. Now they know they cannot get rid of her when her father announces that they have gotten married.

Wow! This book really grabbed me and would not let me go. The characters are well written and the plot continues to build with tension. Jodi’s father and Harrison both needed a swift kick to the moon. Jodi is not a perfect person either, but who hasn’t made mistakes in life? However, she realizes the errors she has made and moves to make life better. A really good, tense, jaw-dropper here. Don’t miss it!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A mother with Parkinson's, a dad with little patience, and a daughter that wants to help.

Jodi Bishop has never been able to get her dad's approval. Her career, her weight, her clothing, the money she makes...none of it is good enough, and her aging father, Vic, is vocal about all of it.
But, still, Jodi wants to help her parents. Her mother is now bedridden and requires more and more care. Not to mention the care of the large home they live in.

So when Jodi mentions getting a housekeeper to help out her father and sister, they leave it all to her. Her dad doesn't feel it is needed, and her sister just can't be bothered.

Jodi has plenty going on in her life, too. Her husband had great success with the first book he published and is working on the second. He is irritable and stressed and seems to resent her time working as a realtor if he needs to have the kids with him. Jodi witnesses something that makes her question her trust in her husband.

After a fantastic interview and glowing references, Jodi hires the housekeeper, Elyse. She can fill every need they have; she is pleasant and well qualified to care for Jodi's mom.

Vic is won over quickly, and Jodi values Elyse more and more each day.

Until everything changes, and Jodi wonders how she could have made such a mistake.

This book is FABULOUS! I devoured it!
Here's why:
It is written in a style that feels conversational, which I love!
Any one of us would have hired this wonderful person!
The dad ... grrr.
The mystery of Jodi's husband.
Cute kiddo's.
Plenty of mystery, secrets, lies, and annoyance with characters.

Five stars! Great book!

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an Arc for this book. I really love Joy Fielding, so I was excited to dig right in. I was kind of bummed because of the slow burn it started with, but bam it picked up speed as it went along. It has lots of twists and turns; a few yikes moments along the way. I couldn't put it down! 4 stars for this one!

A master of domestic thrillers, Joy Fielding has been entertaining me for years. And I am thrilled, though by means surprised, to announce her latest, The Housekeeper, is another masterpiece. I was hooked from the opening chapter where Jodi introduces us to her family and foreshadows the troubles to come.

Jodi is a successful real estate agent, with a husband (a wannabe author who pretty much lives off her success) and two children. Her mother, who has been suffering from Parkinsons for many years, now requires more assistance than Jodi’s father can manage on his own and she since she has responsibilities of her own Jodi insists that he hire a live in housekeeper to assist with care. This is where Elyse Woodley comes in. The sixty-something year old widow seems…well, almost too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that seem too good to be true, right? The characters are incredibly real, I could swear I’ve met them all at some point in my life. And the story in absolutely gripping, the subtle way things begin to change will having you asking yourself the same questions Jodi asks herself. Who is this woman really? And what exactly are her true intentions?

Once again Joy Fielding delivers an absolutely gripping domestic thriller that will no doubt delight her old fans while garnering her new ones as well. Thanks so much to Random House-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Housekeeper.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RP2FI9JMR9F4M/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I look forward to any domestic thriller that Joy Fielding writes as I am a longtime fan. This grabs your attention pretty quickly and keeps the reader engaged. This is another page-turner with realistic situations and a plot/subject matter that is prevalent in today’s times, the reliable care of elders and whom to trust with their professional care.

The protagonist, Jodi has hired help for her mother a victim of Parkinson's and is now bed-ridden. The rest of Jodi’s family, her husband and sister are selfish, unlikable people and no help to her. It’s all on Jodi’s shoulders, who has way too much on her plate. At times I felt she was being a doormat and wished she would stand up for herself, but she was doing her best in a bad situation. She brought in help in good faith, which unfortunately was a drastic mistake but IMO she did do her due diligence, and had no idea what was in store for her. The old adage “be careful what you wish for” truly resonates here.

This is crafted brilliantly, with believable scenarios and characterization, albeit a difficult topic for those of us with elder parents to care for and wanting to do the best for them. Thankfully it brings the reader to a satisfactory conclusion with a few unexpected twists along the wonderful way of this effort. Happy to recommend this to fans of domestic thrillers.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine, and Joy Fielding for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of #TheHousekeeper and post an unbiased opinion.

Entertaining, domestic suspense. Well written (no surprise as Ms. Fielding is highly talented) but maybe a bit predictable. Still enjoyed this quick read. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I love the way Joy Fielding writes. I love how well developed her characters are. I loved the suspense, I loved everything about it. Running to read every book she has written after loving this one so much!

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding is an insidious and deceptive domestic thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
The cover doesn't give much away. It's the back of a more traditional-looking housekeeper – hair in a bun and wearing a uniform or conservative clothing. Without the title, I probably wouldn't even think that it is a housekeeper pictured. The blurb tells a deliciously devious tale I can't wait to sink my teeth into. So, my initial expectations are for a chilling, thrilling story
.
Actual Reading Experience:
The first thing that stands out is that the men in this story are just awful. Self-serving with a tendency to stray, they are not winning husband-of-the-year awards anytime soon or ever. I just wanted Jodi (the main character) to get away from the men in her life, forget about the housekeeper, and just go far away and enjoy a much-needed journey of self-discovery.
The plot was very predictable, except maybe the ending. But, boy, it didn't matter at all because I couldn't put it down regardless. My need for Jodi to be free drove me, though, rather than what evil the to-good-to-be-true housekeeper was doing. But I was completely fine with that.
I love that the story addresses real concerns, such as elder abuse and schemes to rob the elderly of their retirement nest egg. This is a not-often-enough-talked-about reality in our society that needs some more definitive solutions. And it covers these topics without ever preaching but instead showing you a thrilling story that you can't put down. I think books like that can have a much more lasting impact than ones that preach.

Characters:
All the characters are developed through the support characters could have developed a bit more. However, I did feel that they were fleshed out enough for this story, especially Jodi. Her layers are shown in tragic detail.
Jodi Bishop is the person telling this tale. She is a real estate agent in Toronto and a wife and mother of two young children. She has been made to feel inferior to her sister, Tracy, and she lives with the many scars of being told how she's not good enough.
Tracy is Jodi's sister. She has never worked a day in her life, even though she is now in her 40s. Instead, her father pays for everything, including her expensive taste in designer clothes.
Harrison Bishop is Jodi's husband. He is a published author working on his second novel (for the last 10 years) and teaches a writing course in the summer at the local college.
Elyse Woodley is the housekeeper Jodi finds to help her parents daily. At first, she seems too good to be true, and you know what people say about that – if something or someone appears too good, they probably are.

Narration & Pacing:
This story is told through 1st person narration by Jodi. This helps keep the pacing fast as the reader sees everything through her tension and anxiety. Even in parts where not much is happening, the story still moved quickly for me due in part to Jodi and in part to the very short chapters.

Setting:
Toronto is technically the setting, but I would consider Jodi's childhood home the actual setting. The house is where everything happens, and it is used quite effectively to keep the suspense levels high and to reflect important aspects of the different characters.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you enjoy deliciously devious domestic thrillers, The Housekeeper is a story you will enjoy from start to finish!

Jodi has a lot on her hands. Her mother is dying, her father is unable to fully take care of his wife or himself, her husband is a complete a$$ (there, I said it!), and her sister is over the top self-centered. I struggled a lot with Harrison and Tracy for the first part of the book. I am not sure if the author emphasized this aspect of the relationships on purpose to excuse Jodi hiring Elyse. But, despite how the book presents it, I do not think Jodi did anything wrong. She checked Elyse's references. What else could she have done? This was one of those chance situations and I wish Jodi had given herself some grace. After Elyse is hired to take care of Jodi's mother, everything calms down like the eye of the storm. Even Harrison and Tracy are less annoying. But then, of course, things begin to change and there are more twists than a southern California freeway interchange! From this point on, I was turning pages wondering what was going to happen next or to confirm what I knew must be ready to happen. The story flow is good. I could feel Jodi's stress and her sense of helplessness. I did have an issue with the police since there usually is an elder abuse/fraud department that should have gotten involved. And while I doubt it would have changed the story much, it would have helped shine a little light on an increasingly prevalent topic.

Jodi Bishop has a lot on her plate. She's a mother of two juggling family life with her job as a real estate broker. Her husband Harrison had seen early success with his first novel and has yet to write another book. He's unsupportive of Jodi's successful career and is a bit of a jerk. Vic and Audrey Dundas are Jodi's parents. Her mother's Parkinson's disease is worsening so Jodi hires Elyse Woodley as a live-in housekeeper to help them, even though her father initially objects. The 62-year-old, widowed Elyse seems perfect. Jodi is initially thrilled and even Vic ends up being very happy with her. But the clever and manipulative Elyse is soon calling the shots in the household leaving Jodi with no means to protect her parents from the very woman she hired.

The Housekeeper is a captivating domestic thriller. Most people are faced with the challenge of ensuring the care of elderly parents at some point making this story very relevant. Abuse of the aged is all too real a problem. Author Joy Fielding has such a talent for creating interesting characters. In addition to Elyse, who is clearly not the ideal housekeeper Jodi was convinced she was, most of the men are duds. There's good tension and suspense. When Audrey's possessions start finding their way into Elyse's hands, you can feel Jodi's angst. Check out this fast-paced book from an author who never lets me down.

4.25 stars.

Nobody does domestic thrillers better than Joy Fielding, and The Housekeeper is another twisty page-turner with realistic situations and a plot that grabs you from the very first chapter.

Jodi's mother has Parkinson's and is now bed-ridden. Her mother's care is becoming more of a burden than her aging father is able to handle, not that he would ever admit it, and certainly not to Jodi. Tracy, her sister, is the golden child, the favorite even though she is not willing to work her parents'/sister's concerns into her busy schedule. Enter the housekeeper, Elyse, who seems to be the perfect person to help out...'seems to be' being the key.

I really enjoyed the novel, it was light, don't have to think too deeply, entertainment. The characters were well developed, and their relationships with each other had the ups and downs typical of any family. The ending was satisfying, with a bit of a twist, and although a couple of the twists along the way were not a huge surprise, they moved the plot along in a wonderful way.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House/Ballantine, and Joy Fielding for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of The Housekeeper. The opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Let me take a minute to pick my jaw off of the floor! Wow! I have been totally immersed into the world of this book for hours. I could not put it down. Jodi Bishop only wants what is best for her mother and to help her father who is caring for his ailing wife. She finds the "perfect" housekeeper. Red alert - there is no such thing as perfect! Elyse Woodley has a sunny personality and is immediately helpful in her parents' home, as well as compassionate with Jodi's mother. She even wins over Jodi's father, Vic. I immediately disliked Vic from the beginning pages with his condescending attitude and his constant insults directed at his very successful daughter regarding everything from her looks to her work. You will despise him and cheer for Jodi. I actually wanted to smack all of the characters in this book at some point except for Jodi! You can see where the story is headed, but your curiosity will not allow you to put the book down. However, there was one shocking twist that I never saw coming. Mr. Fielding knows how to draw the reader into the story.

I really struggled with this book. I did not care for any of the characters. Overall, there are a couple of OMG, shocking moments, but I found this book to be rather predictable.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Joy Fielding for an ARC of this book!**

Like the world's most famous nanny, she's practically perfect in every way...that is, if Mary Poppins were:

a) older
b) greyer
and
c) had a devious streak...or perhaps even a deadly one!

Jodi has had to work twice as hard in life, just to be noticed in her own family Golden child sister Tracy is quite LITERALLY golden...blond, slender, and beautiful, and the apple of her parents' eyes. Jodi has tried to make a name for herself in her own way, fighting and clawing her way to success in the real estate world, working for her wealthy father Vic's company. She has a writer husband Harrison, on a mission to write the Next Great American Novel, and two adorable kids to boot.

All is not well, however...Jodi's mom Audrey has been suffering with Parkinson's for ten years and her husband is growing weary of being her primary caretaker. When slim, trim, and fashionable Elyse shows up to interview for a housekeeper position in Vic's home, Jodi feels an overwhelming sense of calm and relief: THIS woman is the answer to her prayers and will keep the family running. And from jump, she settles smoothly into the family, even helping with the grandchildren and ticking off every box.

...Until Jodi notices her mother's blouse in Elyse's closet and her Cartier watch dangling from Elyse's wrist. Is there more to this 'charming widow than meets the eye...and is this PERFECT stranger more of a...perfect stranger? Can Jodi and sister Tracy protect their father, their mother, and themselves before Elyse 'cleans house'...for good?

Joy Fielding is one of those authors I've been meaning to get to for ages, and the creepy cover (which gave me Bates Motel vibes!) and the synopsis drew me in and got me excited to pick this particular book up. I'm happy to say that this was a solid, quick, and fun domestic suspense book, and was JUST the sort of read I needed!

Fielding drew me in right away with her character development (FABULOUS), her sharp, snappy writing, and one of my favorite elements in thrillers or suspense: short chapters that WORK and make you think "Eh, I can read a few more, why not?"...and then by the time you look up, you realize you've blown through 5 or 6 of them! It's so rare I finish a book in a few days lately, but this was an EASY read. And yep, just like that easy Sunday morning the Commodores sang about, this book doesn't try too hard, doesn't reinvent the wheel...and doesn't NEED to do any of that. It's absolutely PERFECT beach reading, which is not what I suspected going in, but I was pleasantly surprised to not have to sift through an overwrought plot, suspend my disbelief too much, or groan my way through an ending.

There's also an extra DELIGHTFULLY devious little twist thrown in towards the end, like the perfect dessert you didn't know you needed (but are THOROUGHLY going to enjoy anyway, thank you!)

The plot of this book may not be new, but Fieldng uses just enough of her own personal flair and crafty writing to make it FEEL new. And best of all?

No spoonful of sugar required!

4 stars

Having long been a fan of Joy Fielding, since Deep End many years ago, I eagerly started reading The Housekeeper. I was frustrated with Jodi who just accepted everyone in her life except her children treating her so poorly. I had a hard time feeling sympathy for her. Vic was a very mean father who definitely damaged Jodi’s self esteem throughout her life, especially the constant nagging comments about her eating. Traci was such a caricature of the spoiled little rich girl - living off her dad forever. Harrison was a narcissistic man, consistently putting himself first. Then into this sad collection of a disjointed family walks the amazing Elyse. And what a web she wove!
Domestic drama but nothing really knew. I felt as if I had read this story before but Fielding’s writing is still so compelling. Three and a half stars.
Many thanks to Joy Fielding and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this soon to be published story.

Totally predictable and yet enjoyable domestic thriller by fellow Canadian Joy Fielding :)
Jodi Bishop is a successful real estate agent in her father’s firm with a husband and 2 kids. Her parents are getting older and her mother has Parkinson’s which requires a lot of care and attention. Since it is taking so much time away from her career and her own home, she decides to hire a housekeeper to help out with her parents and when she meets Elyse, everything seems to be a perfect fit. She gets along good with all the family and takes good care of her mother-things are almost too good. Especially when Jodi and her sister see Elyse wearing their mothers watch. Is there more to the housekeeper than meets the eye?

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

While there are some great things about The Housekeeper, I had a hard time with this. The predictability and the unlikability of every character made this a difficult and slower read. On the positive side, there was one big twist I didn’t see coming that shocked me.

I think I might be done with domestic suspense for awhile. The writing in this novel felt incredibly repetitive and overly simplistic.