Just Like the Other Girls

November 29, 2021
Una Richardson, the protagonist of this seductive psychological thriller from Douglas (The Sisters), is still mourning her mother’s death when she accepts a job as a live-in companion and carer for wealthy Elspeth McKenzie. Elspeth immediately forms a strong attachment to her, much to the chagrin of the old woman’s middle-aged daughter, Kathryn, who doesn’t hide her resentment. Still, Una considers herself lucky to have found a well-paying job in a beautiful house in a desirable suburb of Bristol, England. Soon after her arrival, Una learns her predecessor left suddenly, never to be seen again. After a little investigation, she discovers that other McKenzie companions/carers have died of apparent accidents or suicide. When the police enter the picture, Una and her best friend, Courtney, decide to find out what secrets might be lurking in the McKenzie family home. Douglas builds suspense through multiple points of view, including the endearing Una’s vivid first-person narration, Kathryn’s reminiscences, and a stalker’s disturbing commentary. Fully formed characters, plausible red herrings, and plenty of surprises keep the pages turning. Readers will eagerly await the author’s next. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency.

February 4, 2022

Douglas (Last Seen Alive) creates an appealing character in Una, a young woman working to improve her life and attain her dreams. Grand Georgian townhouses line the streets of affluent Clifton. Una, who recently lost her mother, is seeking a better job and is astounded when wealthy Elspeth McKenzie offers her a generous wage to serve as her live-in caregiver. Elspeth, business owner and widow, has a commanding presence which regularly conflicts with that of her adopted adult daughter, Kathryn, whose cold manner is hardly welcoming. When Una learns that two other recent caregivers have died, it seems like an unimaginable coincidence, until she discovers they both looked just like her. This rather boring job in a lovely setting is not so appealing now that there is a chilling suggestion of danger. As Una seeks to learn more, a literal and metaphorical menacing fog obscures the half-lies, past secrets, and especially the truth while a stunning unsettling twist in the middle changes the thie novel's entire trajectory. VERDICT While too neatly wrapped up with some almost cloying concluding developments, readers will steadily question what they know about the dysfunctional McKenzies. For fans of Fiona Barton.--Gloria Drake

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