Book Club,  Book Review,  Gothic,  Psychological Thriller,  Suspense

Book Review: The Au Pair | Emma Rous

January 8, 2019 /

Even deeply buried secrets have a way of coming out. It takes only a small thread of information to unravel a tightly woven web of lies. And when we find those threads, it’s pretty hard not to pull them. But what if the truth is worse than the lie? That’s always the problem with secrets–once a secret comes to light, it can’t be reburied…

In the stunning debut novel by writer Emma Rous, an old photograph leads to the discovery of a terrible secret. With a sense of mysticism and lore, a seaside estate with a dark past, and dual timelines, The Au Pair is truly captivating. I couldn’t put it down!

About the Book

In a sprawling estate named Summerbourne on the Norfolk coast, Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother Danny were born in the middle of July. The Summerbourne summer born twins, they were called. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, sprites, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.

Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers an old family photograph that raises disturbing questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is beautifully dressed, smiling serenely, and holding just one baby. Her brothers tell her to drop it, but Seraphine has questions and she needs answers.

Who is the child in the photo? Why is there only one twin? And most importantly, what really happened that day?

One person still living knows the truth, if only Seraphine can find her.

Reflection

This book had a bit of a gothic feel mixed with domestic noir and a splash of folklore. The names of the two houses alone have an atmospheric vibe—Summerbourne and Winterbourne. Winterbourne is the much-needed escape from Summerbourne, where a darkness and loneliness seems to plague the yellow-bricked escape.

Twins never survive at Summerbourne, states an old curse. The villagers love to talk about Summerbourne because of the wealth, society, and tragedy plaguing the family homestead. Amidst whispering of changelings, babies replaced by sprites, and more sinister stories, Seraphine and her twin Danny managed to survive when their mother did not. There’s the sense that perhaps she was the sacrifice for the Summerbourne twins to finally survive.

I loved the town stories and the characters in the village. I could so vividly picture all of the settings in this book. Rous has a way with descriptive language that really builds an atmosphere to the story. I felt the swirling mist upon the cliff, and the heat of a summer day. The perfect place for a child to grow up, if it weren’t for the stories…

Seraphine was a completely fascinating character. She never felt like she fit in her family. She didn’t have the easy charm of her brothers, or the same sociability. Seraphine was always happiest home at Summerbourne with her brothers, away from the stories told about town. These very differences that make Seraphine feel isolated also lead to her allure. Seraphine doesn’t think about things the way her brothers do, and that’s why she can’t drop it when she finds the photograph.

Every other chapter is narrated by the mysterious au pair, Laura, back in the year before the twins were born. Laura is a bit withdrawn, but incredible as an au pair to Edwin. But as time went on, everything became twisted. Laura becomes more and more embedded in Summerbourne. Isolated from her friends and family for the year, Laura is the one who holds the secret to what happened that day…

As the clues start to be uncovered, this book is nearly impossible to set aside. I found myself thinking about the mystery while falling asleep, turning over possibilities. I completely loved the entire novel—and I loved the way it haunted my thoughts when I put it away. Rous has an incredible talent, and I’ll read anything she publishes next.

You May Also Like

BOOK REVIEW: Milady by Laura L. Sullivan @berkleypub #milady #lauralsullivan #bookreview

July 5, 2019

BOOK REVIEW: My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing @smariedowning @berkleypub #bookbestiesmylovelywife #bookreview #mylovelywife

March 26, 2019

Book Review: Solace Island | Meg Tilly

November 5, 2018

22 Comments

  • Shalini

    January 8, 2019 at 6:23 am Reply

    I told Berit… Mackie would come and fill me with jealousy with the review and the book. I got rejected by Berkley 🤣🤣😂😂😂😂
    Unanimous winner wow.. Haunted you… You were thinking while sleeping… All these are my clues I need to get this book😘

  • Stephanie

    January 8, 2019 at 10:39 am Reply

    Another fabulous review of this one! I loved this one too! It was consuming. The characters and the plot just stayed with you. I was shocked it was a debut! Great review, Mackenzie!

  • Jee Wan

    January 9, 2019 at 6:33 pm Reply

    I love how your described the setting and atmosphere! I love books like this-puts the reader in the right mood and all the right feels! Love this review, Mack!

  • carhicks

    January 10, 2019 at 4:37 pm Reply

    Another great Bestie success. I love how you described the atmosphere of this book. So many things mixed together. I’m not sure I want to think about it while I am sleeping, but I am definitely looking forward to this one. Great review Mackenzie.

  • davidamani082

    September 11, 2025 at 3:13 pm Reply

    CONTACT THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT TO RECOVER ALL YOUR LOST CRYPTO // BTC // USDT ASSETS

    The crypto market is very volatile and a lot of individuals have lost some of their crypto coins and crypto assets to these online scams. I just want the whole world to know about this expert hacker called THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT. I was going through online searching for help to recover my stolen funds. That’s when I meant this wonderful man’s testimony online on how THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT helped him to recover his stolen funds back. I lost $637,000 worth of USDT. I thought all hope was lost from the experience of losing my hard-earned money to scammers. I was devastated and believed there was no way to recover my funds. I’m so glad I came across them early because I thought I was never going to get my funds back from those scammers. This company is legitimate, and I am a living testimony. When I was about to lose everything they fought for me, and I am forever grateful. I highly recommend their recovery services, they are reliable and a trusted company to any individuals looking to recover lost funds. Contact

    WhatsApp +1(520)200-2320
    Email at support@thehackangels.com
    Website at http://www.thehackangels.com
    They seem capable of solving even the most complex problems.

  • Anonymous

    September 19, 2025 at 7:13 pm Reply

    HOW TO RECOVER LOST FUNDS / BITCOIN / AND OTHER CRYPTO ASSETS

    I almost thought I was going to lose everything I invested with this online broker who scammed me through BTC investment but thank God for THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT who help me recover everything, I would have been in a mess! but THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT help return my invested 550,000 USD to my BTC wallet!!!. I highly recommend them with full confidence CONTACT

    WhatsApp (+1(520)200-2320

    Email at support@thehackangels.com

    Website at http://www.thehackangels.com

    If you’re in London, you can even visit them in person at their office located at 45-46 Red Lion Street, London WC1R 4PF, UK.

  • marianlucas943

    September 25, 2025 at 8:13 pm Reply

    HIRE THE TOP CRYPTO & BITCOIN RECOVERY EXPERTS THE HACK ANGELS

    I have always thought it would be impossible to recover stolen cryptocurrency funds until I came across a hacker called THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT. Thanks to their expertise and dedication. If you’ve lost Bitcoin due to a wrong transaction, hacking, or forgotten private keys, THE HACK ANGELS RECOVERY EXPERT is here to help. If they could recover my $820,000 there’s hope for you too. I highly endorse their services to anyone looking to have their funds traced and recovered. You can get in touch with them through their Contact

    WhatsApp (+1(520)200-2320

    Email at support@thehackangels.com

    Website at http://www.thehackangels.com

    If you’re in London, you can even visit them in person at their office located at 45-46 Red Lion Street, London WC1R 4PF, UK.

  • jsuza54

    October 6, 2025 at 11:15 am Reply

    BEST BITCOIN RECOVERY EXPERT THE HACK ANGELS

    Contact THE HACK ANGELS. If you have lost money to scam. There are a lot of untrue recommendations and it’s hard to tell who is legit. But I am sure of THE HACK ANGELS and the team they will surely help you out. Took me a long time to locate them. They approach each case with precision and adaptability, always focused on delivering results. If you are facing fraud, scams, or other crypto-related challenges, contact a professional like THE HACK ANGELS before the trial runs out. They help clients reclaim what is rightfully theirs. CONTACT INFORMATION VIA:

    support@thehackangels.com

    Website at http://www.thehackangels.com

    WhatsApp +1(520)200-2320

    They did more than retrieve my Bitcoin; they gave me back my future.

Let me know your thoughts!!

Verified by MonsterInsights