{I've Been Reading} The Housemaid

 

 

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden 

Millie's new job is too good to be true. The salary is beyond her expectations, the house she'll be living in is gorgeous, and even if the attic room is cramped and dark it's a huge improvement over sleeping in her car.  AND her new employers apparently didn't both with a background check. By the time she realizes just how erratic Mrs. Winchester's behavior is, she's determined to hold onto the job at all costs. 

I can't get enough of Frida McFadden's domestic thrillers. They're fast paced and entertaining and a great way to spend a couple of hours. In this one, the plot shifts, then twists, then twists again. Millie is a likable protagonist and I genuinely cared what was going to happen to her in the end. 

Disclosure -- The publisher provided me with an advance review copy. This post contains affiliate links. 

{I've Been Reading} The Art of the Decoy

 

 

The Art of the Decoy Trish Esden 

I'm not sure how I feel about the first book in the Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery series. The writing is fantastic. The mystery is complex and interesting. The cover is GORGEOUS! I'm curious to see how some of the relationships develop in future books.  But I didn't like the protagonist, Edie Brown, all that much. After a chance encounter with a stranger at an appraisal event, she's hoping to save her family's antique business by appraising the woman's relative's collection of rare decoys and either receiving one of the best examples in trade for her services or earning a commission by coordinating an auction of the pieces. The more she talked about ethics and doing things that "might be interpreted as illegal by someone not familiar with the business" the less I liked her.  

Disclosure -- The publisher provided me with an advance review copy. This post contains affiliate links.