Review ~ The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan

✲ I'm really excited to share my review of this compelling thriller ✲

Century
27 June 2019

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Seven-year-old Jocelyn loves her nanny more than her own mother.

When her nanny disappears one night, Jo never gets over the loss.

How could she vanish without saying goodbye?

Thirty years on, Jo is forced to return to her family home and confront her troubled relationship with her mother. When human remains are discovered in the grounds of the house, Jo begins to question everything.

Then an unexpected visitor knocks at the door and Jo’s world is destroyed again as, one by one, she discovers her childhood memories aren’t what they seemed.

What secrets was her nanny hiding – and what was she running away from? And can Jo trust what her mother tells her?

Sometimes the truth hurts so much you’d rather hear the lie.

What did I think about it..

Jocelyn has returned to the home of her childhood, a place where her fractured relationship with her mother dominates, and even though Jo is now an adult, the memories of the time when her beloved nanny disappeared are still very much at the forefront of her thoughts.  When a discovery of human remains is made near to the family home, it opens up a whole bucket load of secrets which have been hidden for over thirty years.

Whilst weaving together some really deep family troubles the author does a great job of setting the scene and brings the rather uneasy life of the Holt family at Lake Hall to vibrant life.The underlying theme of creeping menace never really goes away, as all the way through the novel you never quite know who is telling the truth. Filled with an abundance of very clever twists and turns, The Nanny really kept my attention from start to finish. I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists which I never saw coming and that's all credit to this author's clever ability to keep you guessing.

The Nanny is a great summer read and one that will definitely keep your attention whether you're having a lazy afternoon in the garden, or whiling away long hours on a flight to somewhere hot and sunny.

About the Author

Gilly Macmillan is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar-nominated author of What She Knew(aka Burnt Paper Sky) The Perfect Girl, Odd Child Out and I Know You Know.

Gilly grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and lived in Northern California in her late teens. She studied history and worked at the Burlington Magazine and the Hayward Gallery in London before starting a family.

Gilly has since worked as a photography teacher and she knows writes full time. She lives in Bristol with her family.

Website

Twitter @GillyMacmillan #TheNanny