𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑰 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒚, 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈.

Miranda Rijks' latest thriller touched on one of my most irrational yet deep-seated fears...having someone in my house whose motives are sketchy, and I'm powerless to get them out.

Such is the case with Imogen. She's got a lot on her plate with running a bed and breakfast out of the stately home she shares with her husband and daughter, and now has just found out she’s pregnant. To lighten the load, she hires Maria as a housekeeper to assist mainly with the bed and breakfast. Maria has no family of her own and is eager to help Imogen. She effortlessly ingratiates herself into this family's life and is soon living in the family home. Maria's plans are far more sinister than just assisting a young family...she wants to be a part of this family, and she has a nasty trick up her sleeve that will just about guarantee it.

My only flaw with the book was I found Imogen's husband and step-son oddly oppressive. I'm totally used to an overbearing husband, but a teenage boy? I didn't like that at all, even though I knew those character traits were the whole point. Also, I would have liked a deeper dive into Maria and her backstory, as I think that would have fleshed out her motives more, but all in all, this was yet another winner from this author. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early copy. This title will publish October 22, 2023.

I would like to start out by saying I was very interested in this book by the description. Once I started reading it I couldn’t get enough. It was so twisted and a rollercoaster of emotions. I enjoyed reading it so very much! Just when I thought I had something figured out, I didn’t. Which kept me wondering through out the whole book. It ended up ending happily. I got everything I was looking for in this book. I do feel like it’s missing something in the end. A question of mine that wasn’t answered. It would be great for a book number two bi would love to keep hearing about this family. In all, I rate this book a five. I just started reading so I’ve never really had a favorite book until now. Thank you Miranda Rijks.

The Homemaker by Miranda Rijks is a chilling domestic thriller that had me flying through the pages in a desperate bid to untangle a diabolical plot.

Imogen is feeling overwhelmed with her responsibilities to her husband, young daughter, and a fledgling business, and an unexpected pregnancy is the last thing that she needs on top of it all. Advertising for a housekeeper, she is relieved when Maria turns up at her door, anxious to help lighten the load. But as Maria begins to infiltrate herself into the young family, things seem to unravel further for Imogen, and she begins to question just whom she has let into her home. It seems that everyone has secrets, and Maria will not stop until her very specific agenda has been carried out, but what carnage will she leave in her wake?

This is a disturbing and utterly compelling read that will have you biting your nails to the quick in nervous anticipation of what is to come. Ms Rijks, you have done it yet again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

This book was a mega bummer. I wanted to love it as I have loved all her books I have read. The writing was at times cringey in more than one scene. I found the flow of the book to be off and this didn't work for me. I had to force myself to finish it, shocking really as I have loved all of her other books.

The synopsis of this book got me intrigued and very excited to read it and i was not disappointed. A very well written story, great characters, fantastic storyline and a powerful ending. The author really pulled you into believing everyone was innocent and then hit you with the truth. Great book, one i would certainly recommend to my book loving friends.

Thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

I have never been so hooked in with a book! I managed to finish this within 3 hours, as I couldn’t put it down. Miranda’s writing style is so good, you’re drawn into every work and feel like you’re in the story. This is definitely a new thriller classic for me. It gives very The Housemaid vibes but with added twists and I LOVE it. 100/100 would recommend adding this book to your shelves!

Maria has always wanted a family. Now she's found one.

Imogen has never been so busy - she's juggling two jobs, has a young family, and now she's pregnant again.

Enter Maria, the perfect housekeeper. Hardworking and capable, she seems the ideal solution to Imogen's chaotic life. But Maria isn't all what she seems - she has a sinister agenda of her own. Little by little, she installs herself into the heart of Imogen's family - doing the school run, cooking meals, and caring for Imogen's little girl. But once she has won the family's trust, Maria starts to do some digging. And discovers that Imogen has been keeping a terrible secret, a secret which Maria threatens to reveal unless Imogen starts to run her home the way Maria sees fit.

What a twisted psychological thriller this book was. When someone feels too good to be true, be wary. This is told from Maria and Imogen's perspectives. Just when you think you have it all worked out, I was sent off in a different direction. You can feel the tension through the pages. I read this gripping read in one sitting.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #MirandaRijkis for my ARC of #TheHomemaker in exchange for an honest review.

“The Homemaker” is a thriller by Miranda Rijks. This was a weird interesting book. It was weird because there seemed to be a number of odd red herrings thrown in about who Maria was - was she a disgruntled person Imogen once fired? Did Maria have knowledge to hurt Imogen and her family? However, odd red herrings aside (and one weird trainer -> boot -> trainer continuity error aside) this was a pretty decent read. I would’ve loved to have more information about Claire and how she was tied to Maria (though I’m glad the truth came out in the neatly wrapped up ending) but overall this was a pretty decent book. I felt at times it dragged a bit, but those moments were necessary for filling in backstory or more information that became clearer past the 75% mark.

I was hooked from the first page in this book! Imogen is a mother, wife and running a bed and breakfast and a consulting job and just found out she is pregnant so she runs ad to find a housekeeper to help out. She hires Maria and feels like she will be a good fit for the family. I felt bad for her as her husband and step son seemed like jerks and Ava seemed like such a sweet kid. Maria doesn't call herself housekeeper but homemaker which gives you a totally creepy vibe.

I loved the two different point of views from Imogen's and Maria's. Maria just really wanted to be part of the family and was willing to do anything to get there. Maria went out of her way to try and make Imogen feel like she was loosing her mind. It was so bizarre to see things from Maria's perspective and how she justified what she was doing.

This was a great psychological thriller and just love the authors writing style.

This book was well written, and engaging from the first page!
The Homemaker herself is Maria, who gets a job in a beautiful home with a lovely family. She’s thrilled to work in such beautiful surroundings, and devotes herself to the job at hand. As Maria
ingrains herself into the family, Josh, Imogen and their daughter Ava, she becomes obsessed with them, and imagines that she’s become a family member.
What will she not do to make her dreams become reality?
Who is this homemaker?
This was a twisty thriller with a stunning ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for the ARC in return for my honest review.
4 stars

What a scary read !! The housekeeper from hell worms her way into every aspect of your family .I really enjoyed it .

Imogen has never been so busy - she’s running a bed and breakfast on top of her consulting job, raising a young daughter and now has just found out she’s pregnant. To lighten the load, she hires a housekeeper named Maria to help with the bed and breakfast. It seems like the perfect solution; Maria is a fast worker and has no family of her own, so she is all too eager to work with Imogen’s family. But Maria doesn’t just want to help Imogen’s family; she wants to JOIN Imogen’s family. And unfortunately, she has a secret that may help her do just that.

Miranda Rijks always writes twisty, domestic and psychological thrillers - this one was no different! I was swept away in the frustration Imogen felt and the feeling of it being too good to be true when she found such a perfect housekeeper. I found Imogen’s husband and stepson SO frustrating, but they added to the isolation that she was feeling. Told in dual perspectives, Maria’s chapters were so interesting to me. She clearly has no grip on reality and to see her processing it as though it was normal added to her character. I also was amused that she strictly referred to herself as the “homemaker”, instead of the housekeeper she was hired as. There was also a twist towards the end I did not see coming!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Miranda Rijks for the ARC! “The Homemaker” will release October 22, 2023. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

Amazing! I could not put this book down!
When Imogine advertises for cleaning help for her B & B, she has no idea of the trouble she has invited in!
As her family falls apart around her, she resolves to find out the truth.
Brilliantly written, great characters and plot. Highly recommend.

Imogen needs help, she has two jobs, is a mother and a wife, and finds out she is pregnant again.
Maria applies for the job, and Imogen is curiously drawn to this woman who has taken on more than she was employed to do.
Maria has done some digging and has uncovered some things that Imogen wanted to keep hidden, and all Imogen wants to do is get Maria out of her life, but Maria has decided she wants to stay, at any cost.

A creepy psychological thriller that left me with some questions.
Maria used Josh's trainers when she went to Clara's house, was she hoping that Josh would be implicated in Clara's murder?
Why did Maria want to take Ava to 'the big park' across town? What was the purpose of that?
Also, why was Imogen drawn to Maria?

However, I did enjoy this novel, creepy as it was, and wonder how safe it actually is to have people working in our homes, having access to our private documents and other items.
Maria definitely has mental health issues.
I wasn't very taken with Josh, he didn't seem to believe Imogen when she told him about her problems with his son.

Not my personal favourite book by Miranda Rijks, but it was very engaging, and I was kept in suspense.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I always love every single book I read that Miranda Rijks writes, and this one is no exception.
The Homemaker is very well written with well developed characters. The storyline is paced perfectly. My attention was captured the entire time and I devoured it in one day because I just couldn't put it down. If you are looking for a chilly thriller, this one will leave you breathless and guessing the entire time.

This is one of the best thrillers that I have read this year.

A real meaty thriller. Well written characters and a really different storyline. Expect to be surprised, the story twisted so well and really didn't end up how i thought it would. Maria was so well written i found myself getting really angry with her and wondering what i would do in Imogen's position.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Fantastic Read! I enjoyed every page and didn’t wNt to put it down.
Now I will say I thought the “secret” our sweet Imogen was hiding, was not what I expected, and had a hard time trying to figure out why she was keeping it a secret … the other secret, well, that one I got. She had me a bit frazzled with the lengths she went to, to keep it a secret, and her openly trusting a stranger with her daughter so quickly sent up red flags. The husbands lack of “trust” with his wife’s instincts and feelings was frustrating, it it added to the story, This book kept me engaged, and had me trying to figure out what Maria’s end game was, I knew she was hiding something. It was a fun, fast read, with a nice ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Maria, an 50 something year old, applies for a housekeeper role with Imogen and her family and what a crazy ride it is from there! I promise you you will be second guessing anyone who enters your home after this thrilling story. From a crazed woman to an unsuspecting family, the drama keeps you hanging on page after page. From secrets to blackmail to murder, you don’t want to miss this one!

The Homemaker by Miranda Rijks is an enthralling psychological thriller.
This book as always was well written with interesting characters and a story that is paced perfectly. The characters were realistic which I loved.
The narrative is filled with twists and turns, ensuring that the story remains unpredictable until the final pages
With its well-developed characters, relentless suspense, and shocking twists, it is a chilling and engrossing tale that will leave readers eagerly anticipating Miranda Rijks' future works.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Inkubator Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Entertaining thriller that kept me wanting to read more! The plot was a little predictable, but it was a light and easy read!