A job in an isolated location seems perfect for a woman escaping her past and the danger connected to it.  Already on edge a series of strange incidents only exacerbates her nervousness and she doesn’t know who to trust in case they aren’t as they seem. 
Nice change to read something set in Australia and I really enjoyed the suspense. 
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

With The Caretaker, Bergmoser has given us one hell of a rollicking ride. And I climbed aboard, clung onto the safety bar, gasping in fright and whooping with delight, and having a whale of a time.

Charlotte has made some powerful enemies and is on the run. Taking a job as a caretaker in a closed-for-the-off-season ski resort, Charlotte is still expecting someone to track her down, hence she spends her days carefully considering all possibilities and plotting to combat any assassination attempts. But the arrival of John, a jovial Bee Gee fan who is also searching for isolation, claiming it's to write a book, causes a dilemma for which she isn’t completely prepared.

The setting is magical. It reminded me a lot of The Shining resort, only without so much snow. I always imagine how difficult it must be for writers to find an original location for their locked-in tropes but with this Alpine bushland setting Bergmoser has given us a unique twist from the typical Australian landscape.

The story unfolds in the present along with flashbacks showing how Charlotte came to be in her sticky situation. Bergmoser’s style, the gradual reveals and building of tension, leads to a fast paced addictive page turner.

Don’t read spoilers. There’s twists and turns I did not see coming at all but, I imagine, will be probably revealed all too often by readers and reviewers. Read it early or avoid!

The Hunted was pretty gory and, again, The Caretaker was probably more horror/graphic thriller than those books I usually find myself reading, but I found it didn't really worry me.

Easily a 5 out of 5

3★
“The first thing Charlotte did, every time she set foot in the lodge, was check the fine, thin thread that crossed the hall just past the front door. In the semi dark it was impossible to see. If you walked through and broke it, you wouldn’t notice.”

Yes, she sounds paranoid. With good reason. She’s terrified of being found. Why? This story is told in the third person, THEN and NOW. Just when it hits a point of high tension, it shifts to the other timeline – pretty much the definition of a cliffhanger.

Aussie author Bergmoser places Charlotte in Sydney (THEN) and the Snowy Mountains (NOW). Then she was in university, fell for a handsome, young, very wealthy man of whom her father did not approve. Dominic had nightclubs and she became a manager, setting aside her desire to be a writer.

Her best friend, Mel, warned her she should be more curious about who Dominic was and how he got so rich so young. But Charlotte was totally smitten and he seemed to be as well.

NOW she’s alone in the Snowy Mountains as the caretaker of a small resort that has just closed after the winter ski season. It is still cold, snow is still on the ground, and the roads are icy. She has driven the three hours down the mountain to town for supplies.

“She hadn’t noticed him. He was very good at going unnoticed. She was crossing the road. He watched her from his spot beside the post office and considered how best to make his approach. He bit his lip. He took a coin from his pocket and flipped it.”

We don’t know why she’s there – only this.

“She’d spent the last six months on the run, always looking over her shoulder, analysing every too-long look that came her way. But up there, alone, it was unlikely anyone would find her, cops or the others. It also meant that if they did, she was screwed.

But what was the alternative? Keep bouncing from town to town, waiting for the click of a cocked gun or a shriek of sirens?”

The switching between THEN and NOW is done well, and I was never confused about where I was. The characters were believable and the terror was real. I didn’t believe her clever protective devices or the number of people living double lives about which she (and we) knew nothing.

But it’s exciting and I had no idea how she could possibly extricate herself.

“She had been wrong. There was no uncorrupted pocket of the world where she could again feel like the person she’d once been. There was no part of her left untainted. There was no blank slate future. There was only running. Only surviving.”

The writing is uneven. Some of it reads smoothly, (meaning I’m just enjoying the story), but then I would run across misplaced words, awkward phrasing, and misspellings. Another good edit would have cleared a lot of that up.

There will be many readers who will overlook my gripes and enjoy the thrilling ride. Thanks to #NetGalley and Harper Collins for a copy of #TheCaretaker for review.

Gabriel Bergmoser does it again!! Which each book comes faster page turning, and The Caretaker had me flicking at warp speed. This book is an edge of your seat thrill ride from start to finish, with the second half keeping me stuck in one spot until I reached the epic conclusion. I love the strong female characters and the weaving of past books villains into the new ones. Very clever writing and wicked storylines make this my favourite so far from this author. Thank you to Harper Collins for the early reading copy it is one I highly recommend.

📕 The Caretaker - Gabriel Bergmoser
This absolute page turner will have you questioning everyone! A classic trust no one, psychological thriller. I’ve been lucky enough to read all of Bergmoser’s books and they just keep getting better. This is one of those books that you’re best to go into blind - be prepared to be taken on a thrilling, wild ride. Another winner from a phenomenal Australian author.
Brilliant 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🙏 @harpercollinsaus

Gabriel Bergmoser’s first novel, The Hunted (2020) was a wild ride of a read that kept you frantically turning the pages all the way to the end. He followed it up with the even better The Inheritance (2021), and now with The Caretaker we have another totally gripping thriller.

Charlotte is hiding out with a new identity in a small ski resort in the Australian alpine region. On the run from the police, and some very dangerous criminal associates of her former husband, Charlotte has taken a job as an off-season caretaker for a small clutch of deserted lodges. The lodges are pleasingly empty, but Charlotte still jumps every time the floor creaks or the wind blows through the buildings. Charlotte thinks that she is safe and alone, but suddenly she is not.

The Caretaker is a more measured thriller than Bergmoser’s earlier novels, but it is still a very exciting read. The opening scenes nicely set the sense of mystery and uneasiness, and just when you are beginning to wonder when the action is going to start, the first twist sets the adrenaline pumping.

The pace is quick throughout and Bergmoser skilfully shifts the action between the present and the events in the past that have led to Charlotte’s current situation. There is suspense and surprises in both storylines and Bergmoser steadily builds the tension as the two parts merge. The suspense really lifts over the final quarter, and there is the usual visceral action that we expect from a Bergmoser book, as well as a neat ending.

The writing is probably more polished this time, and mixed in with the action there are some spot-on reflections on life and a convincing portrayal of how easy it is to become caught up in a life of crime. The milieu of the Australian alpine region and the Melbourne club scene are both convincingly portrayed, and there are enjoyable flashes of dark humour, especially around writing and literary pretensions.

The Caretaker is a top notch thriller and one of my favourite crime novels of 2023.

This book was another wild ride by the fabulous Gabriel Bergmoser!

I am always kept on the edge of my seat with his books! While this one started out more of a slow burn, I was still completely engaged and actually went a bit rogue in my buddy read with the lovely @piccolos_teacups_and_books @lilyraiti and @cassiehale71 because I just could.not.put.it.down!!

It was one of those books that had you questioning everyone, such unreliable characters that throw you off guard and you just don't know who or what to believe!

The main character, Charlotte was a gutsy woman no matter what was thrown her way and I was cheering her on all the way!

An absolute page turner that my fellow psychological thriller lovers will devour!

Gabriel Bergmoser has done it again! What a ripper of a book! Chilling, nerve-wracking, suspenseful, riveting. His latest thriller is just brilliant. The junction of the two timelines was perfectly crafted, the characterisation is strong, and the pace after the midway point is fast! I loved and devoured every page of this book, as I have loved all of Bergmoser's prior stories. Get this book on your shelves! Pronto!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia for an ARC of this book to read and review.

I've loved all of this author's works so far, but I think this might be my favourite!
This book feels like you're watching over your should waiting for something to go wrong. That eerie, edge of your seat feeling blasts through the whole book, and the story builds as we learn about Charlotte as chapters swap between past and present. I love the multifaceted characters Bergmoser creates; I found myself feeling sorry for Charlotte as she tries to run from her troubled past, despite her making the choices to get there. Of course things eventually catch up with her, and the heart racing action doesn't let up, particularly in the last third of the book. It's hard to say much without giving spoilers, but if you're wanting great pace and plenty of twists and turns, this is Aussie crime at its best!

A good read, but my enthusiasm was dampened by my own expectations. Charlotte is not a patch on Maggie (from The Hunted). But there's definitely a good story and a few twists along the way to make it an entertaining read.

In The Caretaker, Charlotte is in hiding from her former life in Melbourne. Having altered her name and appearance, she takes on the job of off-season caretaker at a small and shabby ski resort, 3 hours away from the nearest small town. Technically it's available for letting, but guests are not really expected. Then along comes John, to work on his book in isolation. At first Charlotte keeps a very wary distance, but soon John's affable nature wins her over and they begin to spend some time together. Time passes, and Charlotte remains vigilant, but then one day she has her own unexpected visitor.

The story is told by way of the very familiar Now and Then structure. I found Charlotte's past fairly uncompelling and was always keen to get back to the present, to see when the action was going to ratchet up. Eventually it did, and there it was - Bergmoser's trademark frantic pace and violence. But for me it was too little too late to make this a memorable read like his adult fiction debut.

Well, The Caretaker by Gabriel Bergmoser, was an incredibly creepy story! Spine tingling to say the least…….just couldn’t put it down and had me on the edge of my chair wondering what twist or turn would come next.

Charlotte is captivating. Is she naive nor shrewd? Her character is wonderfully developed as the story unleashes complex aspects of her personality and capabilities. Unexpectedly finding herself involved with the underworld gangland of Melbourne and a controlling husband, she tries to flee and hide. Isolated at an out of season small ski resort in the role of caretaker she is jumpy and unsure of herself and anyone who she comes across. She is full of fear as there are dangerous men after her and she is unsure of trusting anyone.

A complex and compelling psychological thriller that is a highly recommended read.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from HarperCollins Australia via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheCaretaker #NetGalley #HarperCollinsAu

Well written and even paced thriller! I could feel atmospheric vibes that made the hairs on my arms stand up. The isolated mountain cabin set the scene for a great thriller.

Gabriel Bergmoser is adept at placing his lead characters into seemingly hopeless situations, stacks the odds against them in further and then allows us to watch them attempt to get out of it. He does it again in no less dramatic fashion in The Caretaker and it had me hooked in deep fascination.

The Caretaker is a psychological thriller that slowly and carefully builds up the tension with a growing great weight of expectation and dread pervading every page. The lead character is Charlotte Laurent and from the moment we meet her we get the sense that she’s on the run, in fear for her life.

“Charlotte Laurent stepped out of the car, quickly and carefully scanning her surrounds. She didn’t expect to see anything out of place. But then, expectations and reality did not always align…This was the second supply run she’d made since taking on the job. On the first she clearly hadn’t bought enough; that had only been three weeks ago. She could allow herself one mistake. She couldn’t afford a second.”

Charlotte has gone into hiding. She has taken on the job as the off-season caretaker of a tiny ski resort in Australia’s alps. She’s hoping to go unnoticed while she lies low. But even before she reaches the safety of her ski lodge residence she’s spooked by a stranger in the general goods store as she stocks up on provisions.

Right from the very first page the tension begins to build. Charlotte is skittish, she’s created traps and pitfalls around her hideaway, she has her getaway plans in place. There is no doubt, she believes someone’s coming to kill her. And then John, a pleasant, good-natured man with a love of the Bee Gees shows up and moves into one of the resort’s lodges.

We’re filled in on the backstory by switching between two time periods in alternating chapters: the frantic present day that simply oozes fear and a sense of impending doom and the past where she first meets her future husband, Dominic. We simultaneously grow to understand the type of man he was as we witness the extreme measures she’s now taking to protect herself from the attackers she’s sure are coming for her.

Gabriel Bergmoser has created a compelling story of suspense and intrigue. From a careful beginning we slowly get a picture of the situation Charlotte finds herself in. The location plays a key role in the mood of the story, too. It’s remoteness, the desolate nature of the landscape and the danger that may be hidden in the thick surrounding bushland. It all adds up to a heightened feeling of danger at every turn.

I found this to be an extremely intriguing thriller that offers up some added rewards by revealing a few deeper, unexpected secrets. Call them twists if you like, but there are times when the entire narrative tends to completely change course. It was simply up to me to try to put the pieces together.

Anyone who enjoys the anticipation of a plot that provides a slow, steady build up of tension before exploding into a fierce flurry of scarcely believable activity is going to really enjoy The Caretaker.

My thanks to the publisher HarperCollins and NetGalley for a digital ARC to read, enjoy and review.

Gabriel Bergmoser’s novel has all the elements necessary for a chilling psychological thriller.
A woman on the run in fear for her life, an isolated off season ski resort where she is the only person for miles, the Norwegian who has tracked her down, a strange but friendly man who claims to be a writer, and some very bad men with guns.

Charlotte Laurent, wanted by the police, has fled from her controlling husband and his underworld associates in Melbourne. She thinks she’ll be safe hiding in the Australian Alps in a small rundown ski resort where she has taken a job as caretaker for the off season. However, even as she is hiding, powerful men are tracking her down, determined to eliminate her and prevent her telling what she knows. But Charlotte is not without resources and will need to use every ounce of her wits and courage to survive.

Bergmoser’s writing style is perfect for this type of novel. Lean, mean and perfectly paced, he quickly establishes an atmospheric and chilling scenario with a suspenseful build up, plenty of creepiness and an action-packed climax that hooks the reader in from the start. Perhaps a bit predictable, in that when Charlotte takes the job at the isolated mountain resort, you just know someone is going to be coming for her, but those who do track her are not what you might expect (except for the very bad men with guns). Charlotte’s past and the events that got her into this predicament are gradually revealed and as you learn more you can’t help siding with her even though she knowingly made a lot of wrong choices. A gripping read, maybe somewhat implausible with a high body count, but nevertheless hugely entertaining.

This latest standalone novel by Aussie thriller writer, Gabriel Bergmoser is titled The Caretaker (2023). It is told in alternating time lines of Tracey’s life before she went on the run and her life as a caretaker now. Tracey felt she had found the safest hideaway, caretaking summer cabins on Mount Skillion. Fleeing her mob-connected husband, she can’t trust anyone, including John, another writer staying in one of the cabins and seemingly so friendly. The novel is typical of Bergmoser, with its engaging narrative, suspenseful build-up and explosive finale. A chilling thriller with a four star read rating. With thanks to HarperCollins Publishers Australia and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

Gabriel Bergmoser is not like most other crime authors in as much as his plot lines and characters can vary wildly from work to work. In the Caretaker, a young woman escaping a challenging past and unknown enemies takes on a role caretaking an empty, 2nd tier snow resort in the off season. As the book progresses Bergmoser subtly alters our affections for her as he reveals more of what led to her initial flight, whilst simultaneously insinuating threats to and defenders of her safety. We can rely on very little the author presents as being the absolute truth though, even to the very end. Very well written and paced.

As psychological thrillers go, The Caretaker is a cracker! Told in two timelines and packed with twists, this book had me on the edge of my seat till the very last page. Charlotte Laurent is a well-drawn and complex character, whom I empathised with while still wondering how she could have been so insecure, so naïve and so foolish as to get herself into the situation she faced. She was like a fly caught in a spider web and being toyed with, firstly by Dominic and later by the men hunting her. It made for fascinating and compelling reading. My thanks to Harper Collins for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

I must say I am in two minds about this book. Why? Because I liked parts of it and found other parts annoying and unbelievable. It made me want to keep reading but then when I did I found I was a bit disappointed.

Charlotte is a young women who finds herself in compromising and often difficult situation. She finds love but it is not all it is cracked up to be. She makes bad choices and founds out family secrets which has put her life in danger. This is her story and it is done in tow parts. Then and Now!

I found Charlotte annoying because of her decision making but that is what the story is all about in part. But I was getting into the story as it seemed to be going somewhere a bit dark and I did want to find out where that was. Must say I was disappointed as it dragged on and finally when all the action did start to happen it was just a bit far out and unreal.

Many twists you don't see coming which is good. Many outcomes that are so unreal and unbelievable (which isn't always bad) but I just found it lost me towards the end and I didn't enjoy it. So some good and some not so good.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.