Review by Library Journal Review
Beatrice Meadows wakes in an unfamiliar location and is told by the woman who comes to her bedroom that "they" now employ her, and she must do as she's told. Beatrice was unemployed, facing eviction, and trying to figure out where she was going to sleep that night when a chance meeting with a sympathetic woman had her pouring out all her troubles. That interaction made clear to the powerful "them" that Beatrice was not likely to be missed. Now Beatrice is told that she'll act as a nanny to the children they bring her, and she has no clue as to why. Her only other contacts are Isabel, who controls the household (and the taser to keep Beatrice in line), and Aiden, the groundskeeper. When the first child is brought to her, unconscious and covered in blood in a duffel bag, Beatrice becomes even more determined to find an escape, no matter what she has to do. VERDICT Readers of Greenwood's (The Reckless Oath We Made) intense psychological thriller will be kept guessing from the beginning to the end. Recommended for fans of Taylor Adams.--Jane Jorgenson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In Greenwood's psychological thriller, a young woman uses her wits to survive after she's taken against her will. Recently rendered jobless, Beatrice Meadows worries she'll soon be on the streets. After meeting a kind stranger, she unexpectedly wakes up in a room she doesn't recognize. While food and clothes are made available to her, Beatrice is locked inside this room. According to her "jailer," Isabel, she's there to be nanny to the children (fellow abductees) that eventually show up. Not everything is harrowing--Beatrice cares for the kids and meets a seemingly warmhearted groundskeeper named Aiden. But she and the children most definitely can't leave, lest they be punished--possibly by one of the callous "goons" who occasionally drop off kidnap victims or, scarier still, take them away ("Maybe They would kill us all"). Beatrice, with no access to a cellphone or the internet, is ostensibly in the middle of nowhere. That, however, doesn't stop her from contemplating escape, or attempting it when she has the chance. Greenwood's novel is steeped in mysteries beyond Beatrice not knowing where she is; for example, she can't be sure her indifferent father, or anyone else, is even looking for her. Aiden and Isabel are likewise unpredictable--they also seem to be victims of whatever organization is behind the kidnappings, but how much of what they tell Beatrice is the truth? Beatrice, who narrates, makes for a laudable hero; she's bright, empathetic, patient when it counts the most, and a mental powerhouse. Some of what she endures is vicious, though the author implies much of the violence and consistently lets suspense drive the narrative. All of this begets a sublime final act that focuses on the enigmatic characters and their complicated relationships. A dynamic cast elevates this tense story of resolve in the face of captivity. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
