“Stay” by Jane Bailey is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a harrowing journey. The novel follows 19 year old Caitlin, who, after leaving her boyfriend in Europe, hitches a ride back home with a seemingly friendly family. They invite her to stay the night at their remote country house, but what begins as a temporary stop turns into an extended stay when a lockdown is imposed. Caitlin agrees to tutor the family’s daughters, only to find herself in a place with no internet and her phone mysteriously gone. The family’s charming facade begins to crumble as Caitlin realizes their sinister intentions, and she must find a way to escape with the children before it’s too late.

The story is set against the backdrop of a global lockdown, which adds a layer of claustrophobia and urgency to the narrative. The novel explores themes of trust, manipulation, and survival. Caitlin’s journey from a carefree traveler to a determined survivor is compelling, and her interactions with the family highlight the dangers of misplaced trust. The psychological aspect of the story is well-executed, with the isolation of the setting amplifying the characters’ fears and motivations.

“Stay” is a captivating read. It’s a novel that not only entertains but also makes you think about the lengths people will go to protect themselves and those they care about.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Stay" by Jane Bailey is a gripping psychological thriller that ensnares the reader in a web of suspense and mystery. The novel follows the journey of Caitlin, a nineteen-year-old who, after leaving her boyfriend in Europe, finds herself hitchhiking back home. Her fate takes an unexpected turn when she accepts a lift from a young family, leading her to their remote country house. As the world outside grapples with lockdown, Caitlin agrees to tutor the family's daughters, only to discover that the house has no internet, and her phone mysteriously vanishes.

The narrative unfolds with a quietly sinister tone, as Caitlin becomes entangled in the family's peculiar dynamics. Marcus, the family's patriarch, seduces her with what appears to be the consent of his wife, Mimi. However, as the family's sinister motives unravel, Caitlin realizes she is trapped. The tension escalates rapidly, transforming the story into a claustrophobic and creepy thriller that is impossible to put down.

Bailey's writing is beautifully crafted, with a narrative that is both compelling and harrowing. The isolation of the lockdown setting amplifies the sense of entrapment, making "Stay" a resonant tale for our times. The characters are well-developed, with each revealing layers of complexity that keep the reader guessing until the very end.

Overall, "Stay" is a masterful blend of suspense and psychological intrigue. It's a novel that not only provides entertainment but also invites reflection on the nature of trust and the lengths to which people will go to fulfill their desires. Jane Bailey has delivered a page-turner that is sure to be a hit with fans of psychological thrillers.

A tense and suspenseful thriller that explores the dark secrets that can hide behind closed doors, with a gripping plot and an unexpected twist.

So much unanticipated suspense building as you read this book. I love little Daisy as she seemed to be just a innocent child. The story became frightening at times and felt very atmospheric.

I’m struggles with this one, mainly because I couldn’t get behind the protagonist. She was so unlikeable and drove me mad with some of the choices she made. It was also so slow which just made it feel like a slog getting to the end. Sadly, not for me, but I’m sure this will find the right readers.

I just reviewed Stay by Jane Bailey. I really loved this book! The story was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for more and unexpected! I also love the book cover and characters! This is a must read!!

I really enjoyed this! Set during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, Caitlin hitches a lift with a family after leaving Italy and decides to stay with them, as a tutor to their two daughters.

I liked Caitlin, a typical 19 year old who thinks she is worldly-wise, but in reality is naive and easily convinced. I adored her bond with Henna and Daisy.

Once Caitlin realises what she’s got herself into, she is trapped and getting away isn’t going to be easy.

Creepy and twisty!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jane Bailey and Orion for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is an enjoyable read, despite wanting to punch Caitlin and her stupidity, I mean deciding to live with strangers is clever thinking isn’t it 😂

I’m a massive fan of the author and she has given a slow but creepy thriller, so many eerie characters that got right under my skin.

I have added one of Janes other books to my tbr to read, so as soon as I saw this, I wanted to read it. I liked it, but I struggled to connecting with Caitlin's character, and I found it to be a bit predictable.

In the last days before the lockdown, Caitlin is hitchhiking home and accepts a ride from a happy couple and their young daughters. They seem like a perfect family and she's in no hurry to face her parents so she accepts their offer to stay the night. Then she accepts their offer to stay longer and help homeschool the girls. Something about Marcus and Mimi and their hippy lifestyle seems a bit off, but they're so welcoming she just wants to settle in for a while. I keep picking up books that are set during lockdown and, so far, this has been one of the best. The author uses the pandemic, along with the isolated setting, to keep Caitlin isolated and it works extremely well. As she walks through the fields with the girls, Caitlin sings songs from traditional Irish folklore that echo her situation and add to the atmosphere. I can't wait to read more by this author!

I may have been expecting more from this book, expecting or hoping for a 5 star thriller but while it was a good story it was not a 5 star one in my opinion. The premise of this story is a young girl who left home with a boy and two friends just before the pandemic. Things went wrong and as she was trying to get home she was picked up by a family who seemed to have things she felt her family did not. From here, things start to go horribly wrong but the story was drawn out and I think could have been several chapters shorter.

While the ending as good the drawn out chapters took away from the climax at least for me. For those that may enjoy folk songs it may be of more interest as there were folk song lyrics interspersed throughout the book. I would rate this a solid 3.25 starts.

Just fine. One of those books that you can’t put down even when you know you should sleep. A gripping page turner, I loved it. Although it has a few edition mistakes, it was ok..

Slow burner with lots of good twists to keep me engaged. I enjoyed the story line and it was a very enjoyable read. Thanks.

My Thoughts: this book was slow paced but kept my attention throughout, it’s the kind of book that reels you in slowly and then catches you by surprise when you realise it’s got you completely compelled.

The main character Caitlin knew after a while that things were odd & wasn’t completely comfortable in the environment she’d found herself in, but they were in the middle of a lockdown & anyway she’d got herself too attached to the children to leave, or so she thought.. how far do you turn a blind eye before you can’t ignore what’s going on anymore?

When her phone goes missing and she’s not getting a reply to letters she’s sent to her family, she knows she has to get out.. can she find someone she can trust to help her?

Some of the things written about in this book were done so in incredible detail and were quite disturbing to read & the scary thing is that the things depicted in this story happen in real life all the time.

Absolutely brilliant story dealt with in a really sensitive way, this is my first read by Jane but I will be looking out for more in the future.

🐧🩷

To accept a simple gesture of a lift, turned out to be her worst nightmare. Why are these people so nice?
I really enjoyed this psychological thriller. Each chapter ended on a mini cliffhanger I could not put this book down.
This is the first book I have read of Jane Bailey's but it won't be my last!
I loved it! Grab a copy today.
Thanks to Netgalley, @JaneBailey and Orion Publishing for a free copy in return for an honest review

Stay is a slow burn psychological thriller set during the covid 19 pandemic. We follow Caitlin, who's returned to the UK from Italy after discovering her boyfriends betrayals. Due to having very little money left, Caitlin accepts a lift from a couple with two young girls. After being persuaded to accompany them to their house and home school, their children. But somethings abit off with the couple and their seemingly innocent arrangement, and before Caitlin knows it, she's not only in too deep, but she's isolated and unsure who she can trust. Caitlins character was rather naive and annoying at times, but this just added to the story, and she could get away with it in part due to her age. This had a great ending, and I couldn't put it down

Stay is the first book I have read by the author and it proved to be a captivating read, a creepy story full of unease set against the background of the Covid pandemic.

Caitlin returns home from Italy having been betrayed by her boyfriend - back in the UK she accepts a lift from a family who offer her an overnight stay en route. When the country goes into Covid lockdown the next day, and with the potential disapproval of her family making her reluctant to return home, Caitlin takes up the opportunity to stay with the family a little longer. But it soon becomes clear that the family are far from what they appear to be.

Told from Caitlin’s perspective we share her dawning realisation that this is far from a normal family - and whilst her niaivety is undoubtedly frustrating at times, as a 19 year old it’s hard not to give her the benefit of the doubt as she is hoodwinked by the family and builds a bond with the daughters.

It’s a book that doesn’t shy away from some difficult themes - cults, child abuse and trafficking loom large and not everyone wants to read books set in the pandemic - but I found it one of those slightly uncomfortable but compelling reads that kept me turning the pages.

This was fairly fast paced and engorging but I didn’t like Caitlin as found her to trusting and immature she was which frustrated me throughout! Great concept though.

A well written book with a story you can easily imagine has a great deal of truth behind. This is something that probably occurred, if not completely in this way, but under the circumstances of Covid. Quite a terrifying thought really, but we all know there are coercive people around that make these awful things happen. I really did enjoy this book, despite the uncomfortable subject, and it kept my interest throughout, so that I craved reading it to find out the resolution.

Caitlin places a lot of trust in a family on the side of the road when they offer her a ride. She’s exhausted and they seem nice enough. Once she gets to their remote house things keep happening to make her stay. I would say Caitlin is a naive girl to be in the situation she is in but you also need to consider that this is the very beginning of Covid when everything is starting to shut down. I really enjoyed the storyline. It gives off creepy vibes in the best way. You know something is not right but everyone seems harmless. The remote house and the people felt like a cult to me with their actions and words. I didn’t know what to make of this family but it made for a great read!