A story that’s not new, but I still enjoyed it!!

It does focus on some realities of how the elderly can be treated. Add in a dysfunctional family and you’ve got a decent formula.

I didn’t have any jarring or shocking moments. The twists were predictable, but the writing style keeps the reader engaged with the story.

I read this book in three days, which is pretty fast for me. . Two daughters and elderly wealthy parents hire a con artist housekeeper who tries to scam the parents. Its a pretty obvious story but the family dynamic and the relationship between the sisters, Jodi and Tracy, was interesting. I had a hard time understanding Jodi's acceptance and continued loyalty to her family. This book was a great lounge chair read.

I've read all the books written by Joy Fielding and unfortunately this was my least favorite one. I wouldn't classify it as a thriller or mystery, just mostly a novel of domestic problems. I didn't care for any of the characters, they all had their own problems that made them unlikable. It did though have a surprising twist at the end, otherwise it was pretty predictable.

The Housekeeper
by Joy Fielding
Pub Date: August 16, 2022
Ballantine
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of the book.
A woman hires a housekeeper to care for her aging parents—only to watch as she takes over their lives.
I feel like I've read this story or seen it on Netflix. That took away from the suspense for me.
Good book, the twist was great but not one I will recommend or buy for our library.
3 stars

Jodi Bishop has hired a housekeeper to help her Father take care of her invalid Mother. The housekeeper seems like a dream come true until disturbing things start to happen. This book was a slow start for me, I almost gave up. I’m glad I didn’t coz it finally hooked me and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. There is a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. The whole end of the book was a surprise. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I enjoyed reading this book, it does a great job of building up the suspense as we try to guess what the housekeeper has been up to. This is a quick read that keeps the reader guessing. Thanks, NetGalley!

When your invalid mother becomes bedridden and your father can no longer care for her by himself, what do you do? You hire The Housekeeper.
Not all housekeepers are the same; some are murderous.
How well do you know your housekeeper?
#JoyFielding
#TheHousekeeper

Before I even finished reading the first chapter, I knew exactly where the story was going to go--it was sooo predictable. And I kept thinking I had read this exact plot in another book! Many will like this book, but it was just ok for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A quick read that has just enough unlikeable characters and creepiness to keep the reader interested. I can’t say I didn’t see the way the story was going, but it was still worth the read to finish. This would probably be a good Netflix movie.

Thanks Netgalley for a copy 9f The HouseKeeper by Joy Fielding.
I absolutely love Joy Fielding's writing style, and The HouseKeeper is one of her best I have read in awhile. Highly recommend.

The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding. Jodi’s parents are getting older. Her mother has Parkinson’s and is failing fast. Her distant father is struggling to care for his wife while keeping their large Toronto home in good shape. Jodi hires too good to be true Elyse. Jodi is juggling so much (marriage on the rocks, high powered job), so she is thrilled at first with how seamlessly Elyse takes over. Then she notices little things. Elyse and her father are on a first name basis. They are sharing breakfast downstairs while Jodi’s bedridden mom is upstairs by herself. You can already see where this is going, right? Darker and more insidious things follow! Joy Fielding writes a good suspense novel. This would be a good one for the beach bag! I had trouble putting it down. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date is August 16, 2022.

Jodi Bishop is a real estate agent living in Toronto with her husband and two children. Her mother has been rapidly declining withParkinson’s disease and her father is finding it increasingly more difficult to take care of her. She decides to hire a housekeeper to help with her mother, clean the house, and prepare meals for her parents. Unfortunately, she hiresElyse - the housekeeper from hell. At first, Elyse seems wonderful, but once gets comfortable in the house and with Jodi’s father, her evil side comes out.  

I was hooked on “The Housekeeper” from the very first page and could not put it down until the end. Joy Fielding is the master of the family thriller! I love her writing and she does a great job of using foreshadowing in this book to pique the reader’s interest. The characters are well developed and relatable, although I hated all of them except Jodi. The book is narrated byJodi and is told from the point of view of looking back at the events as they unfolded. I find this to be a good storytelling method that I don’t see all that much. It seems like Jodi was the only sane one in this story, but also a little too gullible and if anything it was like she was everyone’s punching bag. From her ungrateful gas-lighting husband, to her controlling toxic father and then her annoying older sister who pretty much threw her under the bus at every chance she got.I sort of knew what kind of con was taking place but I was absolutely dying to find out how it would unfold and eventually end. I liked the end (though some of the characters deserved a less happy ending in my opinion) and felt like the loose ends were tied up. I look forward to reading what Fielding writes next. I would recommend it for those who like domestic suspense books. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballatine for this title in exchange for my honest review.

I’m giving this 4 stars, but I didn’t actually enjoy this novel that much, mostly because all of the characters are simply awful. Technically, the protagonist, Jodi, is a nice, hard-working person and she really cares about her family. However, I didn’t find her likeable because she let absolutely everyone walk all over her, which is not an admirable quality. Her kids are great, but everyone else is ghastly. Her husband had a successful novel 10 years ago, and even though their two young children are in school or daycare much of the time and Jodi is an equal partner raising the kids while being the breadwinner, he tries to blame the erratic schedule of her being a real estate agent on why he can’t finish his next novel. Even worse are her father who only says horrible things to her, and her incredibly lazy but beautiful 45-year-old sister. I really can’t imagine a 45-year-old who has never even attempted to make her own money but instead buys expensive name-brand clothes with an allowance from her wealthy father. I mean, to not even try to make a living?

Since Jodi is doing everything for everyone, she needs help. Her mother has had Parkinson’s for the last ten years, and that’s a disease that just gets worse. When she finds Elyse, she thinks she’s found the jackpot. Elyse jumps at the chance to look after Jodi’s kids even though it’s not her job, and the dominating dickhead father likes her because she’s an attractive 60-something woman who knows how to say all the right things (he’s approaching 80). It’s little things at first that concern Jodi, but those concerns escalate. The resolution of the book is well done.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES AUGUST 16, 2022.

Joy Fielding is an author who has been writing for decades! I remember before having kids, I used to always look for her novels in the library! The Housekeeper was just as good as I had hoped it would be. It’s a suspenseful story about someone quite sinister…and I loved it. I was eagerly reading so I could get to the end and see how everything would conclude.

Jodi Bishop knows success. She’s the breadwinner, a top-notch real estate agent. Her husband, Harrison . . . not so much. Once, he had big dreams. But now, he’s a middling writer who resents his wife’s success.

Jodi’s father, Vic, now in his late seventies and retired, is a very controlling man. His wife, Audrey, was herself no shrinking violet. But things changed when Audrey developed Parkinson’s ten years ago and Vic retired to devote himself to her care. But while still reasonably spry and rakishly handsome, Vic is worn down by his wife’s deteriorating condition.

Exhausted from trying to balance her career, her family, and her parents’ needs, Jodi starts interviewing housekeepers to help care for Audrey and Vic. She settles on Elyse Woodley, an energetic and attractive widow in her early sixties, who seems perfect for the job. While Vic is initially resistant, he soon warms to Elyse’s sunny personality and engaging ways.

And Jodi is pleased to have an ally, someone she can talk to and occasionally even confide in. Until . . .

She shuts Jodi out. And Audrey’s condition worsens—rapidly. Who is this woman suddenly wearing her mother’s jewelry? What is she after? And how far will she go to get it?

This was a really good book and if you love suspense, you’ll want to read it! This comes out on August 16.

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. Hiring a housekeeper to take care of her father. She seems picture perfect. All of her references are flowering. But is everything truly as it seems? . And the truth is more astonishing than I ever imagined. Literally had me on the edge of my seat until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mom isn’t well with Parkinson’s and dad needs help with her. Daughters Jodi and Tracy are as opposite as can be and don’t always see eye to eye, but Jodi rushes ahead and hires a housekeeper. Elyse is a dream come true, She cooks, watches over mom, and although dad is an authoritative man she seems to know his every need. What could possibly go wrong? This great thriller kept me guessing and I didn’t see the big twist coming. The uncaring husband author, the self absorbed sister, the common sense Jodi, dad and poor mom, all on a collision with the perfect housekeeper. Who will die? #thehousekeeper.

Fielding knows how to craft a superb domestic thriller with several twists that i did NOT see coming! I’ve only read this and her previous book but I plan on diving into more of her backlist very soon, her books are extremely bingeable and she does a great job of writing some truly unlikeable characters

I first came across Joy Fielding’s work after seeing Cul-de-sac all over my goodreads page, I read it and was blown away, I loved it. After seeing The Housekeeper is set to be released in a couple of months, I knew I had to read it, and I’m glad I did.

Jodi is in charge of hiring a housekeeper for her mom and dad, her mom has Parkinson’s and the work is a lot for her aging dad. After countless interviews, she finally finds someone that is amazing for the job, possibly even too good to be true. Elyse is an angel, looking after Jodi’s kids, protecting Jodi from her fathers wrath, and taking great care of her mom. Jodi enjoys having Elyse in her life, but then she sees her wearing some of her moms treasured jewelry. It doesn’t help that Jodi’s husband gaslights her at every opportunity he gets, is Jodi just imagining everything, or is something actually going on? Is there more to Elyse than what she sees on the surface? Is Elyse truly just a great housekeeper or does she have a hidden agenda?

I loved this book! Admittedly, it did take me a couple of chapters to truly become invested in the book, but because I loved Fielding’s previous work, I knew I was in for a treat. I am incredibly glad I stuck to it, after about 15-20% in, I could not stop reading! It was suspenseful and I couldn’t wait to finish it.

It took me a couple of chapters to truly

This was so deliciously insidious. Just imagine inviting someone into your life who had such nefarious plans, but seemed so darn perfect that you question your own sanity. I probably would have fallen for it too, so that makes it all the more scary. And there were some twisty turny moments. All in all, I sped through it and barely was able to put it down.

3.5 STARS

Jodi Bishop has come to the conclusion that her parents can no longer manage on their own. Her dad is caring for her mom who has Parkinson’s while maintaining their creaky old house. He is nearing eighty years old himself. She finds the perfect housekeeper, Elyse. She is a spry sixty-two year old, short blond hair, slender with toned arms and an engaging smile.

Things were amazing for awhile......

Jodi blames herself for what transpired. The subtle clues, the red flags waving, the missing jewelry and abrupt phone calls. If only she could take it all back.

A tale of how someone can take advantage of the elderly. How things can get out of hand before you realize what is happening. Throw in a highly dysfunctional family, some super angsty characters who like to ruffle up feathers for fun and you have a recipe for disaster.

Much of the story focused on Jodi and the issues in her marriage. Everyone playing a game. I just never felt much tension or suspense. ALL the twists were all very predictable for me, but I still wanted to finish and see who would win the battle of deception.

This is the second book I've read by Fielding, and they both rated 3.5 for me, but I'd still pick up her next because there is something engaging about her writing that keeps me turning the pages and curious.