Seven-year-old Jocelyn Holt is devastated when Hannah, her beloved nanny, suddenly leaves and vanishes without a trace. This monumental loss in Jo's life haunts her to this day. She grew up bitter and distant from her parents, eventually leaving Lake Hall, the family's aristocratic residence.
Thirty years later, Jo confronts her complicated relationship with her mother when she is forced to return to Lake Hall after the death of her husband. To add to the sting, Jo's daughter, Ruby, seems to be enamoured with her grandmother, Lady Victoria Holt.
In an attempt at mother-daughter bonding, Jo takes Ruby on a boat ride because it was something she loved to do as a child. The pair make a grisly discovery of some human remains in the lake that is on the grounds of the estate. Jo begins to question her past and everything she thought she knew may not be as it once appeared.
An unexpected visitor comes calling and sends Jo into a tailspin. She is desperate to piece together the mystery of who her nanny really was, why she left Jo all those years ago, and what role her mother played in all of it. The only problem is she can't seem to trust her memories.
The Nanny is a diabolical tale that exposes the dark impulses and lengths people will go to not only protect themselves, but to hurt one another. Sometimes the truth hurts so much that you live the lie instead.
Gilly is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors. When I read the synopsis for this dark and twisty Mary Poppins, I was smitten! Macmillan is an accomplished and methodical writer. This book is equally as polished as her other four novels, but more of a psychological thriller/character study versus a classic thriller type story.
Opening with the sudden disappearance of Jo's beloved nanny, Hannah, Macmillan hooks her reader right away. The strained relationship between Jo and her mother (if it's not one thing, it's your mother) adds another layer to the plot and ratchets up the tension. Gilly expertly plays this off the dynamic between Victoria and Ruby.
A slow burn, The Nanny is a a tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, and revenge. I highly recommend this book.
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GILLY MACMILLAN is the New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew (previously published as Burnt Paper Sky in some territories), The Perfect Girl, Odd Child Out, and I Know You Know.
Gilly is Edgar Award nominated and an ITW award finalist. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.
She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Macmillan lives in Bristol, UK with her husband, three children and two dogs and writes full time. She’s currently working on her sixth novel.
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