THE HOUSEKEEPER by Joy Fielding

 

MY THOUGHTS

I've now read everyone of Joy Fielding's books. All thirteen of them. I love this author's work so much. I found the first one, first for me, in a condo in Florida while on vacation and yes I took it home with me to finish reading. I've been hooked ever since. I am a huge Joy Fielding fan. 

This book is about two sisters and their parents. And the housekeeper that Jodi, the youngest of the sisters, hires. Of course their dad, Vic, put up a fight first but ultimately gave in. Their mother has Parkinson and their dad has been caring for her. He's getting on in years though and Jodi feels like he may need so help. In walks Elyse. 

Elyse is almost perfect. She is sixty-two and has impeccable references. She seems to be great. She seems almost too perfect. 

The older sister Tracy has nothing to do with hiring Elyse. She really has nothing to do with her mother or even their dad. She's a self-centered woman who has never held a job but has the best of everything. She's in it for the inheritance. For what she can get. For what their dad always gives her. Money. He pays for everything and gives her a monthly allowance for clothes. She's always been the parents favorite daughter leaving Jodi out in the cold where affection is concerned. Their dad in very unkind to Jodi while lavishing Tracy with all the love and of course money. Until he stops...

Elyse moves in and things are great at first. After only a couple of month thing do south rather quickly. She's not a very good person it seems. She seems to be taking over the house and not letting the sisters visit like she should. 

Jodi is married to Harrison who you will love to hate. He's truly a jerk. A first class jerk. He complains about everything Jodi does. She works to much thus leaving him to care for their two small children and at times even cook. How dare she. I mean goodness he is only the dad so why should he be taxed with caring for his own flesh and blood. He's trying to write another book after all. He treats Jodi bad emotionally. Kind of like her dad has always done. She just can't seem to live up to their standards.

Some of these characters are very unlikable. Actually most are. I didn't like Tracy because she was just a grown spoiled rich woman with absolutely no skills at all. Handed everything and expected things to always go her way. Blaming her sister if things went wrong in any way at all. Alyse was not likable either. As a housekeeper it seems she did a great job. She was good to the older couple. Until she wasn't. Then we have the dad, Vic.. He was a huge jerk to Jodi. Never a kind word. Always making snide remarks about her work which she did trying to get his approval. She's a real estate agent working for the company that Vic started and built up. But even that was not good enough for him. Even their mother was cold towards Jodi. And don't get me started on Harrison again. I did not like him at all. I found Jodi to be responsible for the most part. She did make two pretty bad mistakes though in a way I didn't blame her. She was a hard working woman and she tried hard to make life easier on her family and her parents. She just never got their approval for anything. Her and Tracy had a crazy relationship. Up and down. As long as she did what Tracy wanted and took the blame when things went wrong then Tracy was happy. So the only characters I liked where Jodi and her two sweet children. The rest were just jerks. Tracy did kind of grow on me by the end but still she was selfish.

Thank you #NetGalley, #JoyFielding, #RandomHousePublishingGroup #ballantinebooks for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4.5 stars for this one. I recommend it as it's a great and very enjoyable read. It only lost a star because I figured out who Roger McAdams was almost instantly. But it didn't take away from the story so add half a star. 

SYNOPSIS

A woman hires a housekeeper to care for her aging parents—only to watch as she takes over their lives in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey calls “an ingenious master of domestic suspense.”

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Reader’s Digest

In the end, I have only myself to blame. I’m the one who let her in.

Jodi Bishop knows success. She’s the breadwinner, a top-notch real estate agent. Her husband, Harrison . . . not so much. Once, he had big dreams. But now, he’s a middling writer who resents his wife’s success.

Jodi’s father, Vic, now in his late seventies and retired, is a very controlling man. His wife, Audrey, was herself no shrinking violet. But things changed when Audrey developed Parkinson’s ten years ago and Vic retired to devote himself to her care. But while still reasonably spry and rakishly handsome, Vic is worn down by his wife’s deteriorating condition.

Exhausted from trying to balance her career, her family, and her parents’ needs, Jodi starts interviewing housekeepers to help care for Audrey and Vic. She settles on Elyse Woodley, an energetic and attractive widow in her early sixties, who seems perfect for the job. While Vic is initially resistant, he soon warms to Elyse’s sunny personality and engaging ways.

And Jodi is pleased to have an ally, someone she can talk to and occasionally even confide in. Until . . .

She shuts Jodi out. And Audrey’s condition worsens—rapidly. Who is this woman suddenly wearing her mother’s jewelry? What is she after? And how far will she go to get it?