Great read. Lots to intrigue you in this book. Also, a very clever ending. Would certainly recommend this author. Thanks Netgalley for sharing this book with me.

A genius idea! A childcare circle with five sets of parents and children, who all do one day per week of after school care for the group.

Three of the group are old friends from their own school days and feel that they’re above the other two, but every one of the five has secrets.

The characterisation was horribly spot on - if I think “toxic playground politics with a twist of prejudice”, this is exactly it! And actually it’s terrifying!

A weekend away brings everything to the surface with devastating consequences and some of the twists were proper gasp out loud moments!

I definitely had my suspicions about certain people, but there was so much more going on beneath the surface of everyone’s deception!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Hayley Smith and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Child Minder by Haley Smith, Kim and her daughter Dulcie are newcomers to the town so Kim is excited when she becomes a part of a child minding group with four other parents Jarvis is a single dad of little Hayden, Nina is a mother to Lil Bobby Stacy has Carly Joe and Rihanna is the mother to Freya they all struggled with childcare until joining the child minders group. With the exception of Jarvis and herself the other three ladies have known each other for years and were even at one point best friends so when they all receive a letter saying someone knows their deepest darkest secrets and they have five days to confess they all react differently. Jarvis has his own problems to deal with, but when he tries to do just that Something Happens that only makes his problems even worse. Thankfully they’re getting a bit of a break with the child minder group going on a bit of a holiday and it just so happens to be the last day they have to confess. Before it’s over their secrets will come out but they may just have to be coerced. They say confession is good for the soul, but may not be great for the extension of life because they don’t all make it out unscaved. I love Haley Smith‘s books her character they’re always multidimensional people with good and bad and every time you think the twist have been twisted there’s always more to come. Her books are like the gift that keeps on giving and I was down for all of it. There’s a few authors who no matter how tall my TBR list I never reject reading the arc in Miss Smith is definitely at the top of that list. She never disappoints and certainly didn’t with The Child Minder.#NetGalley, #Bookoucher, #HaleySmith, #TheChildMinder,

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Hayley Smith has not disappointed thus far, and she certainly didn’t start now. This story was full of twists and turns, some you think you see coming (and really don’t) and some that you don’t see coming at all. Another fantastic thriller!

I loved reading this book, where there have been twists after twists just when I thought it was the end. The only thing I wasn't a real fan of, was the
format of time switch. But overall, it was amazing to uncover all the secrets !!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Well, it's not a terrible book, but I did figure out a lot of the ending about halfway through. That was kind of disappointing. I like book that keep me guessing. I had a hard time staying focused on it but I will give it 3 stars.

WOW! This story was a real roller coaster. I was totally captivated by the beginning as we meet the 5 parents in the child minder circle and delve into their backgrounds. As the book progresses, I was then thinking that I knew exactly where the story was going, but I was so wrong. I had whiplash by the time we reached the end. As the group goes off on the ill-fated weekend, I had no idea had where the journey would end. I do not want to give any spoilers but I love how the loose ends were wrapped up in the end.

I loved this one, new Author for me and Hayley had a knack for weaving together a story that left you wanting more. I was hooked from the first few pages. Full of twists and turns and this kept me guessing. Excellent read if you want dark and a bit of scandal.

A childcare circle has been set up by a primary school, and the five parents within the circle each have a secret to keep. They plan a weekend away at the coast with their children, but then each one receives a letter asking them about their secrets. Who has the letter come from, and what do they know?

This book is full of twists, lies, and an ending that I loved. It is a perfect thriller, written so well by the author with more added to the story the further you get into the book.

It is a relatively slow start when the reader is introduced to the characters, but once the story kicks in and the pace speeds up, it becomes so gripping that I didn't want to put it down.

A definite five-star read that I would recommend. This is the third of Hayley Smith's novels that I have read, and I can't wait for the next one.

Thanks to Bookoture and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

A thoroughly enjoyable psychological thriller from the ever wonderful Hayley Smith!

I found this novel to be both original and gripping... also it had me seriously rethinking my childcare options!!

The plot is based around an after school childcare circle - 5 parents are matched, the children of whom are looked after by one parent each day of the week. All goes well until 2 things happen - the group arrange a weekend away, and all receive a threatening note - demanding that they share their darkest secret. This book delves into secrets, lives lived in the care system and the experiences of old age. It is escapism, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining. Overall a really great read! 100% recommend!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Child Minder by Hayley Smith due to be published September 18, 2024.
A group of five parents take turns watching each other’s children after school. Each one receives a note that scares them – asking what there secret might be. They have five days to tell the truth or there will be consequences. Who is sending the notes? Are they all in danger?
This book was definitely a page turner – I read it in one day. All the parents had secrets – and so did one of their friends. Secrets are revealed, someone ends up dead, and there are many twists as to how all the people are connected. Makes for a good thriller – I will definitely check out other books by Hayley Smith!
#NetGalley #HayleySmith #Bookouture #TheChildMinder

It seemed a good idea for five people to share the after school childcare, therefore removing the need for costly childminding services. Five children, all friends in the same class at school, five parents each taking care of the children one day a week after school. Three of the parents knew each other, and the two newcomers seemed to fit into the group with minimal reservations from the others. The childcare circle appeared to be working well. A weekend break had been organised for the parents and children to go on all together, and everyone was looking forward to it.. Then the letters arrived.
A letter sent to each parent, claiming to know their darkest secrets. And of course, everyone has secrets. But the letters appeared threatening, mentioning the children, and also if the truth is not told in five days, there will be consequences. It could be just a joke, someone with a twisted sense of humour, something to just ignore as, surely, no ones little secrets could be of such importance for anyone else.
This psychological thriller kept me turning the pages, I did not want to stop reading until I had reached the ending. A surprise ending I did not see coming at all. The plot twists and turns, and kept me guessing, I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.

Sharing childcare…friends and family…secrets…murder and intrigue. Realistic characters keep this story moving quickly. Do not try to guess the ending too early. It is not easily done. This author has written a page turner. Thanks Netgalley

The Childminder is a fast-paced and compelling read that held my attention from beginning to end.

Five people, Rhiannon, Nina, Stacey, Kim, and Jarvis, form a childcare circle, with each of them being responsible for all of the group's children for one day a week. When an opportunity for a weekend away presents itself, the members of the group decide that it will be the perfect chance to really get to know one another. After all, wouldn't you want to know everything about the person who is sometimes responsible for your child? But things take a deadly turn when secrets begin to surface, and each of the five starts to suspect that the others are not at all what they seem.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

“The Childminder” by Hayley Smith, is a thriller following two timelines - the past and now. There are five main characters (the people going away for a weekend to get to know each other better) and two (or maybe three) supporting characters. This book started slowly - setting up a bit of background and setting up the characters (and which child belonged to which parent). I cannot say that I enjoyed any of the characters - except for one of the supporting ones (Mrs. Coates!) - so that was a bit disappointing. Also, I saw the “twist” at the end coming, which was a bit disappointing too. However, this book, once the pacing picked up, did hold my attention, even though I have to admit that I didn’t like the solution the women came up with at the house. Overall, a good read, but it wasn’t a memorable read. However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t read another book by this author - far from it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

5 strangers for a child care circle each looking after the children one night a week after school. Each of the have a secret and when they decide to go away for a group weekend the secrets start to spill.

This is told from the pov of each to the 5 characters and takes place both in the present and in the past. This starts if quite light hearted but there are quickly darker tones to the story. I enjoyed that none of the loose ends are left and everything is tied up, with everyone’s secret revealed. The last chapter contains a cliffhanger I never saw coming.

A bit of a slow start but soon became a gripping read.
Well written, if not particularly likeable characters.
A worthy four star read for me.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This is great from Hayley Smith. I was hooked from the start. A real page turner. Lots of people keeping secrets that combine to ultimately make everything worse.

Hayley is a new author for me and I really looked forward to this one. It did not disappoint! Such a great thriller and something many parents use for childcare! I really enjoyed it and didn’t see the twists coming at times! A really solid, well written thriller!

Kim, Rhiannon, Jarvis, Nina, and Stacey form a childcare circle, each watching all of the children one day per week. The girls are suspicious about Jarvis watching their children. They witness Kim doing a few suspicious things, making them think she is not the person she says she is. Nina plans a weekend away for them. The return to a seaside town from their past. Rhiannon, Stacey, and Nina competed in a dance competition when they were younger. For Kim, it was a place in which she lost her brother. Who is really behind the trip? And what is the motive? Things go wrong right away. Secrets come out, Someone ends up dead. Good suspense in this book; good twists on how some of these people were connected and never knew it. Shocking shocking ending for all of these characters!