"The Childminder" captivated me with its unexpected twists and turns. It was such a gripping read that I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

This is the first book I’ve read by Hayley Smith and was interested in reading it after seeing the synopsis. I was not left disappointed!

The story is told by the different characters perspectives of the child minding circle and based on the weekend away and the week leading up to it.

The characters were well written and I particularly liked Kim, who seemed the odd one out from the other members of the circle due to her background and current circumstances. I also liked the fact that there was a single dad in the circle, who brought a different dynamic to the group. On the whole the characters weren’t the most likeable but this added to the enjoyment of the book and the anticipation as to what was going to happen next with this dysfunctional lot.

I found this really easy to read and the story kept me gripped throughout the majority of the book. The story development was great and gave off that “one more chapter” vibe. I did figure out the ending so was a bit gutted there wasn’t more to it. However, having said that, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book.

I’d definitely like to read more from this author after reading the Childminder.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great easy read, a thrilling classic whodunnit full of twists and tensions.

A very fast-paced gripping read that keeps you guessing until the very end.

I love psychological thrillers with unique plots. This book did not disappointment. It was a quick, unputdownable book. The characters were so developed. They were likeable but flawed. I couldn’t wait to see how the story ended.

Such a great read!! This book had me hooked from the very first page and I found it so hard to put down once I started.

In The Childminder, Hayley Smith delivers a thriller that explores the complexities of trust and community among parents. The story centers around a group that rotates the after school care of their children. One day, anonymous notes are sent to the group, shattering that peace and instilling fear.

One notable aspect of the book is the portrayal of its characters. They all come off as unlikable, which made it challenging for me to feel invested in their fates. As a result, it felt more like a race to finish the book rather than an eagerness to discover what happens next.

While the story's twists are intriguing, it does suffer from a few plot holes, a common occurrence in thrillers of this length and style. Fortunately, these inconsistencies are not overly distracting and do not detract significantly from the overall experience..

Loved this book. What an ending. The plot was new and refreshing. I honestly couldn't put it down. I love being surprised in a book and this one did with its twists that I didn't see coming.

The Childminder is the third psychological thriller by Hayley Smith. This gripping novel is packed with numerous twists you won’t see coming.

Her novels include:
The Perfect Girlfriend (2023)
Such a Loving Couple (2023)
The Childminder (2024)

This is my review of The Childminder.

This is the story of five parents who are all members of a childcare group devoted to providing free after-school childcare for their children, on a rotational daily basis. Each member of the group was given one day per week where they would pickup the children from school, give them a meal, and watch over them until 6:00P.M. when parents came to collect them. So, everyone in the circle got four days of free after-school childcare. A win/win for all!

The circle and their daily schedule included:
Monday-Stacey & daughter Coralie (7)
Tuesday-Kim & daughter Dulcie (6)
Wednesday-Rhiannon & daughter Freya (8)
Thursday-Nina & son Bobby (8)
Friday-Jarvis & son Hayden (7)

But one morning, they all received an anonymous note…and now were terrified.

I know your darkest secrets, it says.

None of you are what you seem. How could you have trusted each other with your children?

You have five days to tell the truth. Or there will be consequences.

But all of them have dark secrets they have kept hidden for years.

And the sender wasn’t joking, as one person in the group is killed.

Who sent these notes and why? Who will be next? And will revealing our secrets keep our precious children safe, or put them in even more danger?

This was a well written gripping psychological thriller packed with incredible twists you won’t see coming. An enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my digital copy.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Childminder.

This was a decent whodunit, with guessing and suspecting each of the characters until the truth is revealed.
Recommend, 3.5 stars

The title of this book was a bit misleading—it's not about a traditional childminder as I expected, but rather a Childcare Circle, a group of four mums and one dad who take turns picking up their children from school and watching them until the other parents finish work. The plot takes a dark turn when the group plans a holiday, only to discover that their chosen destination holds secrets for each of them. Just before the trip, they all receive anonymous letters warning them they have 5 days to tell the truth.

The story alternates between the present and flashbacks, unraveling each character’s backstory and hinting at the shared secret that binds them. It’s gripping and tense, with an ominous atmosphere as secrets slowly surface and the stakes rise, culminating in shocking revelations and tragic consequences.

While some of the twists felt a bit far-fetched, the book’s strong narrative and suspense carried it off effortlessly. I loved every minute of it and sped through the pages. It’s creepy, dark, and packed with tension—I highly recommend it!

At first I thought this was going to be an adult version of 'Five Go To Kirrin Island'. Little did I know!

We had four young mums and one dad in a small 'club' taking it in turns watching their respective children after school every day. To add to the story the respective parents had also received a mysterious letter.

However, the five parents and children go away to the seaside for a weekend in a large not so modern house. More secrets emerge from each of them with many twists - some of which were predictable.

Apart from the many time and character switches in each paragraph, this was an excellent read with a satisfactory ending.

Thanks to Net Galley and, Bookouture for a chance to read and review.

This is my very first book by Hailey Smith and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way till the end. Lots of secrets and lies throughout along twists and turns I did not see coming. Really enjoyed this one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. Out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of The Childminder.

3.7 stars - was a good, easy read. Started off a little slow but definitely picked up about half way through. Some of the twists were a little predictable but the last two, I definitely didn’t see coming! Loved that the chapters were short and even though the storyline jumped around from different points of view and timeline, the author indicated exactly both of those at the start of each chapter! Overall an enjoyable read!

Haley Smith has long become an auto-buy author for me. Her third thriller is no exception to the first two gripping thrillers.

The childcare circle are a group of parents who take turns to care for the children each weekday after school. The arrangement is working perfectly, until each parent receives an ominous letter threatening to reveal their secrets. We are soon delivered several twists, as each parent’s deepest secrets are revealed and no one is innocent… but as more than one is revealed to be implicated in another’s secret, will everyone leave alive?

An atmospheric, chilling, page turner. It really kicks up a gear once the parents begin their weekend away in an eery old house on an eroding cliff edge. Twist after twist. Impossible to put down. The ending will leave you thinking about it long after you’ve put it down.

A group of parents come together to form a babysitting circle. Each takes their turn with the children. Everything seems to be working out just fine. But as we all know there are many secrets behind closed doors.
Then the parents recieve a note. Telling them that the author knows of their secret. What do they have to hide.
Things come to a head when a trip for the daters and their children is made to the coast. On there arrival at the deserted holiday home it sound becomes apparent that more than one member of the party have memories of this place.

This book was a slow start as we were introduced to the characters. But the pace soon picked up. It was an engrossing read to the end.

After reading a different very slow moving book, “The Childminder” was exactly what I needed to get back into reading! This book is what I would call a bite sized thriller. It moves quickly, and keeps you hooked so much you can’t stop turning the pages. I didn’t see the ending coming, and it was still believeable. Overall, an enjoyable read!

I enjoyed this book, the first I have read but have read similar style books from this publisher. This seemed like a book I would enjoy so was keen to pick it up,

An interesting psychological thriller that explores a group of parents who take it in turns to look after their children for free, but can they all be trusted and what goes on behind closed doors? A note is received and a weekend away, brings everything to a head, with lots of twists and turns along the way. Very engrossing and cant wait to find out what happens next with some great atmospheric writing from this author helps you imagine the scene and locations in this book.

A solid 4 stars for this entertaining book

I look forward to finding out what comes next from this author.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutre for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a book! The author has created a story that keeps you guessing right until the end. Just as I thought I had figured out what happened, the twist at the end completely catches you by surprise!
A must read for those who want to keep guessing all the way until the end of the book.

This book was really good!! As someone with personal experience with Erb's Palsy, I loved that it was a part of this book. It was refreshing to see that disability given a voice. I've never seen that mentioned in a book, so I loved that. At times, this book was heartbreaking. The premise of this book was unique, which is always refreshing in a genre where all the storylines resemble each other.

The characters were very well developed. This story unfolds in dual timelines, which provided depth to the plot. This book is full of twists and lies, and has an ending that packs a punch! This book pulled me in from the very beginning, and it kept me fully invested right up until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one takes a while to get going. There is a lot of backstory and setup, but once things get moving along, there are a lot of twisty paths and secrets spilled. I absolutely loved the idea of a group of parents, each taking a turn at one day of the week to gather up the kidlets after school. In theory that sounds fabulous, but in practice perhaps not so much!! Because...who can you really trust? Three of the five in this group have a history, but the other two are outside the clique, and don't feel very welcome. There are many secrets to be revealed, and it was a gripping read that I didn't want to put down until it was all figured out.