I really enjoyed this novel! It was a pretty classic take on the housemaid trope, but it was done really well! It was a super easy, quick read. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to binge a book.

I loved this short story! Such a good thriller read with a great twist! Highly recommend worth a read

I was gripped from the first paragraph of this suspenseful and chilling novel.
Rijiks has a way of weaving intrigue and spine tingling unease throughout, keeping you engaged to the last page.

The story is told in duel perspectives by Maria and Imogen, and it works beautifully here as you just NEED to know what Maria is thinking and doing next.

Imogen's daily life is relatable as she tries to keep up with raising her child and running her new business. While she is somewhat scattered and irrational, she also possesses a core strength when needed.

It's important to note that the ending is somewhat puzzling , leaving a few unanswered questions. It definitely needed an epilogue to tie things up.

However, this book is still highly recommended, and readers who love psychological thrillers will want to pick this book up.

Thank uou to netgally and incubator books for this ARC.

This was a very good story. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this advanced copy. Recommend for fans of physiological thrillers.

This was a fast paced domestic thriller that I enjoyed reading. Maria is a character you love to hate and Imogen is just not a great person either! I thought the husband could have been a little more fleshed out.
It's not really a whodunit but more psychological and a war of the wills. Who will come out on top? I didn't think it really had any twists or surprises. Also, I don't feel the end gave any real reasoning behind what happened. Just another crazy woman? Not my favorite trope. Give me a backstory. All in all, it was still a good read and I would recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This short and sweet thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. The only reason I didn’t give it 5/5 is because I wouldn’t necessarily read it again. I did enjoy it for what it was though, and I do recommend it if you like thriller/suspense reads. Even when I had to put it down, I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen next. I liked the dual perspective of two different characters narrating at the same time. One character was so cringe, but I was excited every time I got to her chapters out of morbid curiosity. I also liked how the ending wrapped up nice and neat. Sometimes, authors in this genre can end on such huge cliffhangers, it makes me wish I wouldn’t have read the book to begin with, but not this one. I speak and read mostly American English, so this book was very cool from a cultural perspective too. None of the words or phrases were so far out there that I didn’t understand the meaning, but I did have to use my context clues more than once to gather what things meant. Overall, a great read and I will definitely be reading more by this author!

From the very first pages, "The Homemaker" had me hooked. This psychological thriller keeps you questioning the sanity of its characters throughout the story. With alternating perspectives between Imogen and Maria, the narrative offers a captivating exploration of their minds.

Maria is a character that you will undoubtedly despise. Her actions and choices are infuriating, making her a perfect antagonist. On the other hand, Imogen's character is more complex. While I appreciated some of her qualities, there were moments when she frustrated me. This duality in character development adds depth to the story.

The plot maintains a relentless grip on your attention from start to finish. The author skillfully weaves a tale that keeps you engrossed, making it an ideal choice for reading during the spooky season. The tension builds steadily, and you'll find yourself eagerly turning the pages to uncover the secrets lurking beneath the surface.

However, it's important to note that the ending may leave you with mixed feelings. While it provides closure to some aspects of the story, it falls somewhat flat, leaving several unanswered questions. A more in-depth exploration or an epilogue could have provided a more satisfying conclusion.

In summary, "The Homemaker" is a highly recommended read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers with complex characters and an engaging plot. While the ending may leave you wanting more in terms of resolution, the overall experience is gripping and well worth your time. Mark your calendars for its publication on October 22, 2023. Thanks to Netgalley, Inkubator Books, and Miranda Rijks for the e-arc.

Whenever I see a book from this author I know there is no need to read the synopsis as it’s always a rollercoaster of a read and this was no exception. The homemaker had me gripped from the first few pages it was a very twisty read which had me hooked from start to finish.

Imogen is busy balancing work and her young family, and now to add to her business and fatigue, she's pregnant again. Although Imogen and her husband are wealthy, living in a huge house, Imogen rents out a couple of rooms and runs a bed and breakfast. With the pregnancy, Imogen and her husband decide that she could use some help. They hire a housekeeper, Maria.
Maria completely intertwines herself in the family, including cooking and caring for Imogen's young daughter. As Maria becomes immersed in the family, she begins to dig into Imogen's past. Maria discovers some shocking secrets about Imogen, Imogen will do anything to keep these secrets hidden. But Maria had her own secret which could alter Imogen’s life forever.

This was a fantastic thriller which I highly recommend it was a very addictive read. Thanks to netgallery and the publisher for my advanced copy.

This book had me gripped from the first few pages.
You will constantly wonder who is the sane person. The story goes back and forth between Imogen and Maria’s POV’s. I absolutely despised Maria. Imogen I had mixed feelings on. While I liked and appreciated some of her characteristics there was just others that annoyed me.

The book will keep you engrossed the entire time. I will say that the ending fell flat for me a little. It left me wanting more. I had so many unanswered questions I wish there would have been more in depth answers too, or maybe an epilogue to kind of round it out better.

Overall, a great read! Highly Recommend. Will be a perfect read during spooky season.

Thank you Netgalley, Inkubator Books, and Miranda Rijks for the e-arc.

Be on the lookout. Pub date 10/22/23.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the suspenseful read!! This page-turner I completed within twenty-four hours, because I could not put it down. In The Homemaker, Imogen Letwin ran a bed & breakfast out of her home. With her mother just passing, taking care of her young daughter, and running her business Imogen's husband Josh suggested getting some help around the home. Contemplating the idea, she made the decision to begin interviewing people. It did not take Imogen long to find what she believed to be a perfect fit. With her past experience and references she hired fifty-five-year-old woman Maria. Little did she know her new employee had a dark side and was about to flip Imogen's life upside down. Strange things begin happening, deaths start arising, and Maria is threatening to expose Imogen's past to Josh. She was not sure how to get this crazy woman out of her house without hurting everyone around her in the process. The author, Miranda Rijks had me biting my nails with moments of tension and startling events in this book. Definitely in the top five of my favorite books for 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC. I love an unreliable narrator/ crazy obsessive stalker and this one didn’t disappoint. The author pulled strategically released plot twists throughout the book so just when you thought you had it figured out, she sent you in a different direction.

Imogene is battling her own secrets when Maria comes into her life and helps out with her business, but weasels her way into her family’s daily lives. Through twists and turns, Maria changes Imogene’s life in ways she could never imagine.

This was a fast, fun read for thriller-lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

A fast paced thriller that keeps you on your toes from the get go. I continually needed to know what happened next, and what Maria’s next psychotic step was. Some unanswered questions, however they are more to fix my need to know rather than affecting the outcome of the story. Enjoyable read which I would recommend to other thriller readers.

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of different mysteries to figure out. Book kept me reading to find out more. My first book as well for the author. I am going to look at the rest of her books for my next read.

This was a good book it’s not my favorite of the authors buts it’s not bad. It’s about Imogen and the housekeeper that claims to be her birth mom. This book has all the good stuff murder, infertility and blackmail.

Imogen is busy balancing work and her young family, and now to add to her business and fatigue, she's pregnant again. Although Imogen and her husband are wealthy, living in a huge house, Imogen rents out a couple of rooms and runs a bed and breakfast. With the pregnancy, Imogen and her husband decide that she could use some help. They hire a housekeeper, Maria.

Maria completely intertwines herself in the family, including cooking and caring for Imogen's young daughter. As Maria becomes immersed in the family, she begins to dig into Imogen's past. Maria discovers some shocking secrets about Imogen, Imogen will do anything to keep these secrets hidden. As such, she gives into Maria's blackmail letting the housekeeper move into the house and run things her way.

The story alternates between Maria and Imogen's perspectives. The dual perspectives works really well for this novel. I found myself racing through the chapters, as I couldn't wait to see what the other woman was thinking. I also found Imogen and her husband's relationship quite interesting and also quite frustrating at times. This only added to the storyline, showing the isolation and desperation of Imogen.

There are some good twists and turns in this book - no surprise for a Miranda Rijks novel! I did not see the final twist coming, I was genuinely shocked. This is a quick read and the suspense keeps the reader fully engaged. Highly recommend!

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely a whirlwind of a book. Scary letting a stranger into your house and life and having them try to basically take over.
The characters were all very well played out.
Secrets, murder, craziness and love. A book that has it all

Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

The perils and dangers of allowing a relative stranger into your home is the subject of the latest fast paced psychological thriller by Miranda Rijks. Imogen needs help in her home and Maria needs a family, but putting the 2 women together is a recipe for disaster.
This is an unsettling read at times as Imogens life unravels and Maria becomes more sinister. Told from each women's perspective its a great read

This book was definitely fast paced. It was a nice change from the slow burn thrillers I’ve read lately. Some of the story line was a bit predictable, however there will still some satisfying twists interspersed throughout. This is definitely a book I would recommend others read.

Pretty fast paced book that has you second guessing what is happening. I love a book that I thought I’ve figured out and then haven’t. I wouldn’t say there were huge twists but it was a fast paced book that caught me from the beginning. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

Imogen clearly needs help with her life, and Maria is happy to step in. But when things start going awry, who is to blame? This was a twisty thriller with a very good plot! Enjoyed it!