The Housekeeper

As Jodi’s mother faces her final battle with Parkinson’s, balancing her parents’ needs with her family and career becomes too much. Disrespected by her family and desperate for help, Jodi interviews candidates to step in as housekeeper and health aide. When the practically perfect Elyse comes along, with knowledge of degenerative diseases and a seemingly genuine kindness and compassion, Jodi can’t hire her fast enough. Things take a dark turn, however, as Elyse gets a little too friendly with Jodi’s father and a little too comfortable “borrowing” jewelry and clothing from Jodi’s ailing mother. Too late, Jodi remembers what they say about things that seem too good to be true. Fielding (All the Wrong Places; The Bad Daughter) has created a compelling, character-driven story full of secrets and suspense. Cliffhangers and foreshadowing keep the narrative fast-paced, while narrator Finlay Stevenson enhances the unsettling atmosphere with tones varying from fragile to frantic.