The Caretaker is a psychological thriller that preys on the fear someone is watching you. The feeling you just can’t shake, even as you try to convince yourself otherwise. This story had my skin crawling.

Told from three points of view, this story follows married couple, Tim and Amy, and the hired caretaker, Paul. Tim and Amy move into their new fixer-upper, sure that this is the step they need to leave the past behind. They soon find the gardens are just too much for them alone, and they hire Paul. Paul has been waiting years to exact his revenge, and now his plan is coming to fruition.

Each character is well developed and has a clear voice. Shiner has done a great job refining those voices. Tim, Amy and Paul each have distinct personas and backgrounds that allow the reader to have a clear understanding of who they are and why they make the decisions they do.

I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book - the tension from Amy, the inner thoughts of Paul, Tim’s indecision, it all created such an unsettling feeling which you crave as the reader in these types of stories! The last 1/4 dragged - it didn’t seem to match the pace of the rest of the book and felt slow.

Overall, this book will make you wonder if what goes bump in the night is really all in your imagination. There couldn’t be someone else in your house…. Right?

The caretaker

The opening prologue wasn’t my favorite, it felt a little stiff and like the author was going for a vague sense of forboding but that’s not what I got from it. Instead it felt a little bit like it was trying too hard to hit that and missed the mark.

The writing feels very stop and start, very abrupt. I found it was also sorely lacking details and descriptions, there wasn’t any real scene setting.

The more I read, knowing that there is a mystery person already set up for the revenge plan of making the main character Amy feel crazy, really takes away from a lot of the story. It doesn’t feel suspenseful or scary at all, more like a listing of events with no good lead up. Holly the realtor was pretty obviously holly the child from the prologue and from there it’s not hard to put two and two together.

Nine chapters in and there is no real background or any real character building. It makes it hard to feel any kind of attachemenr to the characters or their emotions.

The switch to including Paul and his perspective was the most intriguing. His first couple chapters felt very predictable and a bit annoying, since it was so obvious originally where the story was heading, but his chapters started to pick up and make me curious about what he was planning or where it was going.

The chapters with tim still feel rather stop and start, but the writing on Paul’s chapters drew me in a lot more. Character background and development on tim and Amy still felt very messy and incomplete but with Paul it felt a lot more organic in his thought patterns and logic with the way his character was being set up.

Unfortunately the last third of the book wasn’t as interesting. All the he said she said jumping to conclusions got old pretty quickly. Tim assuming a week talking with a guy would make his wife want to kill him, It turned into a lot of chasing each other, especially once holly got involved in the whole mess.

Paul’s rationale to himself however did feel pretty on point, the progress of his obsession and his consistent ability to talk around the situation to make it Tim’s fault and keep the focus of his desire, Amy, on a pedestal felt real and very much so like someone who had mentally snapped.

All in all, it was predictable and not the most well written. The epilogue was actually my favorite part of the whole book, but Even then I can’t say I loved it.

I was interested from the very beginning. There were twists, which some of them I had figured out.
There were some places in the book where I didn’t want to put it down.
The ending was very shocking!
This was a very good book!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This author hooks her readers and keeps them dangling till the very last page….. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a great thriller to start the new week! Begs to be read in one sitting…loved the twists and turns and red herrings along the way!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Inkubator Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

This one is a non-stop thriller, fast-paced, you’ll read it all in one sitting.

This book started off with a bang! I read it quickly but slowly, wanting it to last, to savoring the reveals as each one grew more and more sinister. But I had to take off stars as the book neared its conclusion and the last few chapters got so repetitive I almost wanted to skip to the end.

I loved the idea of a big old house, with secrets of its own, the kind of house I dreamed about as a kid. There is a little fairy cottage that sat on the property, perfectly maintained. There is a sprawling garden with a promise of its former splendor.

Realizing the house needed more work than they can handle, Amy and Tim hire a caretaker, recommended to them by their Realtor. The little cottage that sits at the back of the property is the perfect opportunity for a live-in caretaker, and it coincides with Tim's work trip. And it eases Tim's conscience when he has to go away, knowing someone will be there to provide a sense of security for Amy.

Paul is the perfect father figure for Amy. When bizarre things start happening to her, he's the voice of reason. And very, very protective of Amy. But he thinks Tim is bad for her, and he's determined to make her see that too. When Tim comes home from his work trip, things start to spiral out of control, leading to the explosive conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this advance reader's copy.

The Caretaker by Emily Shiner was my introduction to this author, and I have very quickly added her previous novels to my TBR. If you are looking for a fast-paced read that will have you looking over your shoulder with a sense of unease, this is it.

Amy and Tim have recently moved into their dream home, hoping to make a fresh start. With Tim having accepted a recent promotion, fixing up their new abode seems a daunting task, and they decide to seek out a reliable caretaker to help get things into shape. When Paul, a mature widower, answers the call, it seems that it is not only the grounds that will be well cared for, but also Amy herself, whom Paul quickly takes into his affections. What will transpire is far from what Tim and Amy had imagined for their new beginning.

This twisty tale had me hooked from the very start, and I was propelled through the pages to a satisfying and shocking conclusion. I look forward to reading more from this new to me author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

This was an enjoyable book and I read it in one sitting. It was well written with an engaging storyline that I was compelled to keep reading and well developed charcaters that were believeable. The book was unpredictable to a certain extent and there were twists but I guessed some of them so this for me is a 3 star read.

This was a quick read, but unfortunately not for the right reasons.
I found myself skimming the pages and to be honest, I felt shortchanged by this book.
It was not a thriller, it was not psychological nor gripping, and there was NO twist, but it indeed was a killer.
The characters seemed unfinished and kept doubting everything about themselves and each other, the plot just did not move anywhere since 10% in. I felt like there could be something coming, like the promised twist on the cover, or more character development with explanations about the cheating, why they got married so soon after this infidelity occurred, something sinister (it was advertised as a thriller after all), but nothing. Nothing at all. It fell so flat.
I could not believe how these two people got married and yet doubted each other, their relationships and love for each other constantly, as well as did not recognize their partner in the dark? What the heck?
The writing felt simple, repetitive and I felt like the very weak plot got explained to me again and again and again... and with no payback.
I feel harsh to leave a one-star review, but this is not a great book, in my opinion..
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, and a few crazy characters! There were a few twists and turns, the book is definitely worth reading but not one of my top favorites?! I'm not sure but I guess it fell flat to me?! It was a Decent read but just off for me a bit! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the copy of The Caretaker. This had a great plot but I didn’t think it was executed very well. The characters were all unlikable and unbelievable. Who buys a house sight unseen? Who what Tim did that started this whole story? I won’t give any spoilers but there were so many things and settings/incidents that made no sense at all. If you are willing to suspend belief and don’t mind unrealistic characters, you might like this book. Sadly, it wasn’t for me.

Did not enjoy this story. Backgrounds on characters was minimal and not believable. The last 20% I skimmed. Each character was in first person ….but their rankings were too repititive and not believable at all. Would not recommend.

Fast paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book. I was immediately transfixed by the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the characters. Sinister in all the right places this book is a winner.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. This is a story of mystery and intrigue. The couple that buys a house, fixer upper, has problems before moving in...after moving in, the problems multiply...a ghost? A stalker? A murderer? Who is doing the mysterious things that frighten the woman living in the house? What is the history of the house? This book is written by a gifted author who weaves an ingenious story...I could not put this book down...the wife is a likable character who writes, but her writing is not an important part of the book, or so it seems. The husband is a player...not really supporting his wife the way he might...they can hardly be apart one week and maintain a happy marriage. The ending is surprising...be ready for red herrings...and read until the conclusion. I can't wait for other books by this author.