This was such a mixed read for me. The premise is great, but the first half of The Nursery was so incredibly slow I struggled to get through it. Each chapter would end with ominous sentences about hidden secrets and dark fears coming to light, but then the next chapter would just be them going about their days again, instead of building suspension it just built my frustration. I was constantly waiting for something, anything, to happen.

That being said, around the last third of the book, it picked up, it was great, all the twists came and things slotted into place, some of my guesses were true, and others were so incredibly far fetched i hadn't even considered them. The last few chapters especially were my favourite, and I think they did make getting through the slow parts worth it in the end. I really feel like some of the twists could have been played out differently, spreading out the information dump so it didn't all come out at once, but I guess the 'big climax' is a tempting trope.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and my issues with the pacing aside I did like the writing so I doubt it will be the last!

Emily & her daughter Sofia live quietly in the seaside town. They arrived fleeing from something & the generosity of strangers gave them security- a job for Emily & a nice little flat. However as Sofia gets older she naturally wants some independence & finds her mother's fussing an irritant. But is there something Emily is hiding & are her warnings more that the usual 'Stranger Danger' one would expect.

I'm afraid I'm going against the flow of most of the reviews. Firstly the 'Nursery Scenario' in the blurb doesn't exist (either that or I missed it!) Emily was not someone I warmed to & I wanted to shake her for being such a doormat for her friend Nancy. Sofia was a bit of a brat but if you can't be one when you're 15 when can you? Especially with a mother like Emily. I was engaged enough to read to the end although the 'Little did she know...' bits at the end of chapters made me want to scream!

Sorry I can't be more positive. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book

The first half of the book is super slow, the only reason I stuck with it is because I’ve loved other books by this author. I found the storyline intriguing and lots of twists and turns in the second half. It ended up being a good book but I don’t like slow burns.

Emily and her daughter Sofia are living a quiet life in a flat. Emily works in a perfume store while Sofia is a star student. Emily starts feeling as tho Gh so,e one is watching her. This book starts out slowly and then builds up. Lots of twists with this book!

How can Emily expect her daughter to be open and honest with her, when she's keeping a gigantic secret of her own?

We know that Emily and her daughter Sofia have been living quietly in Sidmouth for the past 12 years. We also know that Emily was escaping her ex, and also something that she did. But that quiet life is about to blow up when Emily finds her daughter chatting with a stranger online. Then her friend Nancy is hospitalized and has only Emily to turn to. To top it off, Emily was just starting to feel something for Oliver, a handsome and wealthy retiree, who she now puts on the back burner to care for her friend and be there for her daughter.

Just when things start looking up again, Watson throws in another bombshell! Bam!

This one was a bit of a slow burn, but you can't lose with a book by Sue Watson. Her prose is wonderful, and you can almost feel her winking conspiratorially with you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader's copy.

My Goodness! Can Sue Watson do any wrong? No! Love this Author and was so excited to read her latest. Couldn't put it down and you won't either.

Sue Watson does not disappoint. I've recommended this book to everyone that can read. Highly recommend!

If this is your first book of hers then when you finish go back and read them all.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers giving me the chance to read this arc.

Sue great author keeps you entertained from beginning to end. Fabulous read.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily and her teenage daughter Sofia are living a normal, peaceful life until Emily begins to feel someone is watching them. Sofia begins chatting with someone online, Emily becomes paranoid and her secret from twelve years ago comes to light. This is a slow burn suspense. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy.

It's a decent read. It starts out strong as you know something bad is bound to happen and that Emily has a past that she doesn't want to share. The story jumps between the past and the present as we learn who or what Emily is running from and what it means for her future. However, none of the characters were likable and it was slow and drawn out. The couple of twists at the end were a bit too much. This one just wasn't for me.

This psych thriller seems fairly straightforward, but the reader quickly learns that there are dark currents flowing underneath. Emily and her daughter Sofia have led a quiet life, but all of that changes in the blink of an eye (almost literally). There are twists, red herrings, and more than a few of the requisite “jaw-dropping” moments, including one near the end that you may not see coming. For more details, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.

3.5

Emily ran away from those she feared most 12 years ago taking her daughter with her, she found sanctuary in a seaside town where she was taken in by an elderly couple who gave her a job, a nice place to rent and her ultimate goal, safety. Until now that is, Emily has a bad feeling and rightly so when someone breaks into her house and she discovers somebody is watching them. She just knows her past has come back to haunt her..

I liked this book but the first half or so is pretty slow and dull to be honest, I don't really get why the book is titled as it is since it's only the last few chapters that the nursery is actually mentioned but what can you do. None of the characters are really that likeable except for Mr woods, especially Emily and Sofia. Sofia is just a brat and Emily is such a pushover it's infuriating. Also did we forget to teach our child about stranger danger Emily?

I will say that towards the end of the book things really did pick up, there were a few twists that I didn't see coming and I actually really enjoyed and it was much more fast paced. There was one twist I did guess quite early on which is to do with who is involved in what's going on (all parties) but it didn't really take away from the enjoyment of finding out etc.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc of this book

This was a fantastic read, I would class it as a psychological family drama.
I was totally hooked and ended up reading into the early hours as I couldn't put it down.
I found the book action packed and fast paced with some likeable characters and some not so nice. There was plenty of twists and the ending took me by surprise.
In conclusion, without any spoilers, this is a must read that I highly recommend. I shall be purchasing more from this author now.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this advance read.

Creepy. Lots of twists in the tale. Not something to read late at night, whilst alone. A little unbelievable that someone could have that much bad luck in a short space of time.

Emily and her teenage daughter Sofia moved to Sidmouth when Sofia was three and we are led to believe she has left to escape her ex-husband, they are taken in by Mr & Mrs Woods who give them a home and Emily a job, and treat them like family, Mr Woods continues to be there for them, even after the loss of his dear wife, then Sofia starts asking questions about when she was little and has struck up a friendship with someone online, who Emily is certain is from her past, especially when she sees the last message her daughter receives 'your mother isn't who you think she is'. Days later Sofia disappears, Emily is certain her past has come back to haunt her and she will do anything to avoid losing her daughter for good.

The Nursery, as with all Watson's books, hits the ground running with the prologue drawing me in and I knew that I was in for a bumpy ride. This is an author whose books I will read without even looking at the synopsis because i know I'm going to enjoy them, and this was no exception. The plot is dark, the characters are well drawn and the twists just keep on coming, I guessed a couple of them but that final one hit me like an unexpected pothole on a dark night, no way was I prepared for that! This is an intriguing read that will have you second guessing right to the end and is not one you want to miss!!

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

I love Sue Watson's books so was thrilled to get an ARC of this one!
Firstly, the cover and title made me so excited! But I was reading it at the start thinking, "have I opened the wrong book on my kindle? Where's the nursery? I got to halfway before it's been mentioned!" So I think they didn't really match the actual book too well.
Once I ignored that, it was a really enjoyable read!
I liked the characters on the whole, I loved the references to the protagonist's past to keep the suspense going, and this made me race through the pages to find out her secrets (and about the nursery!)
I loved the ending! Sue Watson has a fantastic skill of throwing her readers off the scent and completely blindsiding them!

The book starts off a bit slow, with a mother who is very much concerned about her and her daughter's safety. She is afraid her ex will show up one day and destroy everything. Her life is good, she has a job, a cheap place to stay, and a father figure to protect her. Life seems to be going well, but then things start happening, and nothing is like it seems.

The book gets better and better, and really hooked me. It was impossible to quit reading it. It got hold of me and would not let me go. I had this haunting feeling once I was done. this book stayed with me for a long time, and still has not left me alone. Creepy, good, entertaining, scary, and filled with twists!

Emily and her teenage daughter live a simple happy life.
Emily works in a local perfumery and Sofia is a star pupil. When a mysterious package turns up their world is about to be turned upside down.
As always with Sue’s books there are moments that leave your jaw dropping and this one has a few of those! Superb read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a twisty story and very readable. I found myself picking it up to read during the day and reading another chapter, I just wanted to find out what would happen. A brilliant book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I knew this was going to be a good read because it’s written by Sue Watson but it is actually a great read. Emily has a secret. Actually Emily has several secrets and she is terrified if any of them come out she will lose the love and trust of her beloved daughter Sofia. To this end she tries dissuade Sofia from being too trusting on social media. But Sofia is a teenager, just finding her way outside of her mother’s protection. Who exactly is her new online BFF Pink Girl who seems to know so much about Emily’s life? Who is watching their flat and leaving debris in their garden?

Despite Emily’s best efforts the life she has built for herself and Sofia starts to unravel as more and more of her past is discovered. With chapters ending “But little did I know what was just around the corner” it is hardly surprising that this book was hard to put down. I worked out some of what was going on but the end left me in shock. Never in a million years did I expect that.

I wasn't hooked immediately which is odd because Watson is darn good writer. It actually took me a little while to get into this story.

You have an adopted child and social media shoves its way into your relationship with her and twists it and knots it. It's a story filled with drama and emotion. It also has some unexpected twists.

A pretty good domestic thriller!