Superbly tense and oozing with atmosphere, Anna Downes’s debut, The Safe Place, is the perfect summer suspense, with the modern gothic feel of Ruth Ware and the morally complex family dynamics of Lisa Jewell.Welcome to paradise…will you ever be able to leave?Emily is a mess.Emily Proudman just lost her acting agent, her job, and her apartment in one miserable day.Emily is desperate.Scott Denny, … apartment in one miserable day.
Emily is desperate.
Scott Denny, a successful and charismatic CEO, has a problem that neither his business acumen nor vast wealth can fix. Until he meets Emily.
Emily is perfect.
Scott offers Emily a summer job as a housekeeper on his remote, beautiful French estate. Enchanted by his lovely wife Nina, and his eccentric young daughter, Aurelia, Emily falls headlong into this oasis of wine-soaked days by the pool. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn’t play along, the consequences could be deadly.
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An atmospheric, slow-build suspense that lures you down a pretty garden path in France…
An exciting and compelling new voice, Anna Downes’ The Safe Place is a very accomplished debut.
I just finished an advanced reader’s edition of this book and I loved it! Emily’s acting career is going nowhere, she just lost another temp job and is feeling pretty desperate. Scott offers her a job that sounds too good to be true and she readily accepts it. She falls in love with the beautiful French estate and her job but soon things are not adding up. What is the big secret that her employers are hiding and is she in danger? This book will surprise you!
Emily Proudman is struggling to keep herself afloat, she’s lost her acting agent, lost her job, and has no money to pay her rent. She is starting to feel like someone has it out for her, nothing in her life is going right… little does she know that couldn’t be closer to the truth.
Then by a stroke of pure luck, she thinks, her ex-boss Scott offers her what is certain to be the deal of a lifetime. He needs a housekeeper, au pair for his daughter, and a personal assistant for his wife at their estate located in France. At first she thinks it sounds a little too good to be true, but with her current situation and the possibility of becoming homeless looming over her head, she decides to except his offer. Not realizing she just signed herself up for all sorts of danger!
The Safe Place is a story that will have you hanging on it’s every word, nothing is as it seems, and danger is constantly lurking around main character Emily. It’s evident from the beginning that something is amiss and that Scott and his family are hiding things, but poor naive Emily goes in willingly and all you can do is sit back and hope she didn’t make a terrible decision. This was an easy story to get wrapped up in, the words were engaging and thought-provoking, the story line was action packed and suspenseful and the characters drew me in instantly and put on quite a little show. If you like twisty suspenseful tales then I have no doubt this one will keep you thoroughly entertained! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
The Safe Place was hard to put down because I really needed to know the truth about this reclusive family. Halfway through, Anna Downes gives the reader enough clues to figure out the truth about this unique family situation, but then you just have to read to find out how it turns out! Emily Proudfoot in so far down on her luck there appears to be no hope for her recovering. Her acting agent is moving away, she lost her temporary job (and also has a poor work history to begin with), and she is about to be evicted. Out of the blue, Scott Denny, the owner of the company she just got fired from, makes her an offer that is way too good to be true. Scott offers Emily a job has a live in housekeeper at his remote estate in France. Suddenly, Emily has all the money she could ever want, a beautiful place to live, and she loves the family she is now working for. Except, there are weird things going on, and Emily’s hunt for the real story here may just get her killed. I found Emily a bit too nosy, and if she had left well enough alone, she would never have wanted for anything the rest of her life. But then again, that’s why she was picked for the job. Scott says she is perfect because of her past. Except we never learn about Emily’s past. That part is disappointing.
I absolutely devoured The Safe Place, and lived and breathed every second. The images Anna Downes creates are so vivid and real that I was transported between Soho and France in the flick of an eye. I had no idea where it was going; I just knew I had to hold onto Emily’s coattails and go along for the ride. This one is going to fly! If you love a suspense thriller with a punch, I’d highly recommend The Safe Place.
The Safe Place is compellingly disturbing. Anna Downes is a powerful story writer who will lull you into a false sense of security ― and then pounce. An author to be watched.
This debut novel by Anna Downes is a great psychological suspense novel. Parts of it were predictable but there were enough surprises to make it a great read. The main characters are all a bit creepy and I found it difficult to like a couple of them but Emily is young and very naive and I found myself rooting for her in the last half of the novel.
Emily’s life is a mess – she has lost her job, gotten an eviction notice from her landlord, keeps getting rejected from the acting auditions she has been going on plus lost her agent. She is an only child and isn’t close to her parents or have any friends. What is she going to do now?
Until…she gets handed the perfect job at an estate in the south of France by Scott, the CEO of the company that she just got fired from. He wants her to live with his wife and daughter and be housekeeper, landscaper, lawnmower, nanny, painter, cook etc. She decides to take the job offer – what does she have to lose and flies to the estate in a private jet. She’s amazed at the beauty of the estate but wonders about the isolation of it and the fact that there is no internet, no wifi and no phones to get in touch with the outside world. She enjoys her time with Nina and Aurelia but as time goes on, she begins to wonder why Aurelia acts so strangely – what is really wrong with the child and Nina’s response to her daughter is also questionable. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn’t play along, the consequences could be deadly.
I enjoyed this novel and the way that it ended. Scott and Nina are both strange characters and there is clearly something majorly wrong with Aurelia. Emily is a mess at the beginning of the book but gets stronger as her life at the estate keeps getting weirder. Will any of them get out unscathed?
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel to read and review. All opinions are my own.
The Safe Place by Anna Downes is an excellent suspense novel that adds thrills, twists, and turns from beginning to end. This book is the debut novel from Ms. Downes, and she does not disappoint with this psychological thriller that kept me guessing and kept me interested. There were even a few surprises and twists scattered throughout.
I enjoyed the characters of Emily, Scott, and Nina. Emily is thrust into what should be an ideal position and location in secluded France as a housekeeper/groundskeeper, all-in-one. What should be the first clue that there could be hiccups in the plan is the isolation factor of no phone/internet. What the reader then gets to experience is a slow burn of a mystery that picks up pace as the book proceeds.
The pace and dialogue were a breeze, and I enjoyed this book immensely. I look forward to future works from this author.
Thanks to Ms Downes and Minotaur Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I found this story well-written, with a good, slowly building and suspenseful plot. Fine character writing as well, and this is a really good “get away from the real world for a few days” book. Recommended for suspense fans, glad I read it. #TheSafePlace #NetGalley
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It was full of suspense and twists that get kept me guessing even when I thought I knew what was going on. This book had me reading well past my bedtime.
I reviewed an ARC provided by Minotaur Book for an honest review. Thank you.
Emily Proudman is sure she has found the solution to all her problems. Hired to be a housekeeper on a beautiful French estate she is happy and enjoying every minute. Until she realizes that her employer and his wife are hiding secrets. Secrets that could harm her. Fast paced read and a good mystery!
@kats49blue I got this book free in a giveaway. The premise of the story was very good being it was a suspense story. It kept my attention and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to each of the characters. It took several days for me to read completely and I felt the story was a good read. But I have to add, it contained a lot of cursing, which really turned me off. If you can overlook the language then you will like this book.
The Safe Place by Anna Downes was a wild ride, and it would definitely make the perfect beach read thanks to how quick and addicting it was. Oh Emily, if something sounds too good to be true it probably is right? Unfortunately, our Emily is just not that smart and jumps at the chance to be a housekeeper for her ex-boss/CEO on a French estate. I mean that does sound amazing for the location alone, but of course, I had a bad feeling the entire time which eventually pays off in a crazy ending. I thought this was a really solid debut and I absolutely loved the fact that Downes was inspired to write it from her own time as a housekeeper in exactly the same setting. I really enjoyed the mix of viewpoints with both Emily and Scott, and even with Scott’s POV, I had no idea where this one was going to end up. I saw some readers call it predictable, but I am one of those readers who never sees anything coming and I didn’t with this one either.
Another thing I really liked was that Downes narrated her own audiobook! Obviously, an author knows exactly what tone she wants for her characters, and Downes did a really fantastic job here. She helped heighten the suspense for me during the times it was necessary, and I loved her tone for both Emily and Scott’s viewpoints. There are definitely some slower parts, but I listened to The Safe Place in just 2 days and enjoyed every minute of it. The remote setting was perfectly creepy, and I loved being transported to France. Of course, the secrets were doozies as well, and bit by bit we find out exactly what it is that Scott and his wife are hiding. I don’t know about everyone else, but my mind was completely blown at the end and it was definitely worth the read for me. Well done to Downes for this snappy debut, and I can’t wait to see what that brain thinks up next!
What a great book. It started out a bit slow but I stuck with it and WOW, it became a very interesting fast paced page turner. Lots of secrets to be learned. I’m not going to give any away, you will have to read it for yourselves! Thanks for the great read Anna!
Emily Proudman tries to juggle her work as a receptionist with acting auditions but she seems to be failing at both. Her relationship with her parents is damaged due to her keeping her distance from them until she has to ask them for money. When she loses her job, her agent and is facing eviction from her apartment, Emily doesn’t know what to do or where to turn for help. Her former boss, Scott Denny, swoops in to save the day with a job offer that’s too good to be true.
Emily travels to Scott’s remote, isolated French estate to help his wife and daughter. Emily will function as a housekeeper, help with renovations on the estate and whatever else Scott’s wife Nina needs. Emily develops a close friendship with Nina and her special needs daughter Aurelia. They spend days by the pool, drinking wine and exploring their own private paradise. However, Emily sees some troubling behaviors from both Nina and Aurelia. Eventually, Emily realizes there is something very, very wrong. However, is it too late?
I read The Safe Place in a day. It’s a fast-paced thriller that will have you guessing. The twists and turns were surprising and unpredictable. The characters are fascinating, well-described and interesting. The remote French setting was so vividly described. It was such a juxtaposition between the peaceful, beautiful estate and the building tension throughout the story. Emily makes some bad decisions that had me feeling frustrated but they were believable with how desperate she was. Overall, this was a compelling, unique thriller.
An intriguing beginning, when Emily meets Scott and they find an attraction to each other. She knows she shouldn’t get involved, but can’t help herself. When Scott offers her a chance at solidarity, she accepts. On her way to Quarencia, she’s expecting a chance to collect herself while taking care of the property, wife and daughter of Scott. Once she gets to the secluded area, she begins to wonder what she may have gotten herself into.
I think this is a great beach read and plenty suspenseful. I found myself captured in the beginning and then floundered through the next quarter of the story. About half way through, I didn’t want to put the book down and feel it ended on a quick paced note to the last page. There were many places this story could have gone and as I feel as if the story unfolded as if the story wasn’t really sure where it might land, near the beginning, I think once it fell into place the plot was well developed. The characters were intriguing enough for me to care what happened to them, but ultimately my favorite part was the setting!
My review of The Safe Place by Anna Downes
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Great page-turning thriller! The writing style was different for me, but once I understood it, I was able to enjoy the book even more. The setting of this story is breathtaking and definitely someplace I’m sure we’d all like to visit. This book makes you go back and think about what’s happening and why. I love stories that stick with me for while and this book is definitely one to ponder. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, yet creepy read.
Wow! This story was so different from what I expected…in a good way! Anna Downes kept me guessing and there were so many unexpected twists. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, there would be a plot twist that completely upended all of the scenarios I expected to be played out. Life has been busy the last few weeks so my reading time has been very limited. It took me over a week to even get a third of the way through the book but then I was so caught up it in that I devoured the rest of the book in two days. I even stayed up until 2am last night to finish it because I just had to know what happened. I loved the way the story was told back and forth from Emily and Scott’s present day perspectives with the flashbacks woven in from Nina. I also loved the way that it resolved. I really was drawn in and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. This story was full of mystery and suspense and I definitely recommend it if you enjoy being kept on the edge of your seat!
Great read! I kept thinking “What is going on”? Great story with a satisfying little twist at the end.