The Au Pair

Written by Emma Rous

Narrated by Elizabeth Sastre and Nicola Barber

If V. C. Andrews and Kate Morton had a literary love child, Emma Rous' USA Today bestseller The Au Pair would be it.

One of the most anticipated books of 2019 from Pop Sugar, Bustle, Cosmo, Parade, and Goodreads!

Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. 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, 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 a family photograph that raises dangerous 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 smiling serenely and holding just one baby.

Who is the child, and what really happened that day?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Jan 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781984827166

Emma Rous

Emma Rous is the USA Today bestselling author of The Au Pair. She grew up in England, Indonesia, Kuwait, Portugal and Fiji, and from a young age she had two ambitions: to write stories, and to look after animals. She studied veterinary medicine and zoology at the University of Cambridge, and worked as a small animal veterinarian for eighteen years before starting to write fiction. Emma lives near Cambridge in England with her husband and three sons, and she now writes full time.

Reviews for The Au Pair

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Whew....how did Rous manage to work her way through all of the back and forth between the characters in this fascinating drama/mystery of family relationships? I felt so connected to the characters...especially Laura and Seraphine. Who is or is not related??? Really fun to read, right up to the very last word.

[bookofsecrets · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seraphine and Danny are twins, and on the day they were born back in 1992, their mother jumped from the cliffs behind their coastal estate of Summerbourne. Much later, after the death of their father, Seraphine comes across an old photo from that fateful day that raises suspicions about their family. The one person that may have answers to her questions is Laura, the au pair who disappeared shortly after her mother’s suicide. But as it turns out, someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the truth buried.

I greatly enjoyed this twisted tale of family secrets, told in dual timelines and points of view with Laura in the past, and Seraphine in the present. I couldn’t resist the Gothic feeling and setting on the windswept coast of England. The writing and descriptions were lovely, and I had to pause and reread certain passages to savor. I enjoyed trying to figure out how the puzzle pieces fit, and nope, I did not have it right! I was easily entangled in the mystery of this dysfunctional family. Highly recommended for fans of domestic suspense.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[muumuumousie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A nice twisty drama with some memorable characters. I liked that the focus was on adult siblings, since I feel there aren't a whole lot of books out there with that particular focus. This was done very well. I enjoyed the surprises along the way, and the plot was plenty compelling: I didn't even want to put the book down. It's been a while since I last stayed up late to read! I was sad to get to the end just because I didn't want to stop reading these characters. All in all, this was quite enjoyable.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is shrouded in mystery from the very beginning. So many unanswered questions, and each quest for answers just leads to more questions. Within hours of the birth of Seraphine and her twin brother Danny, their mother throws herself to her death from a cliff. Now an adult, Seraphine’s father is dead from an accidental fall. While going through some of his belongings, she finds a picture of her parents, posing with her older brother and a baby, but just one baby. In trying to discover why that picture doesn’t show twin babies, she unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that will shatter what family she has left. Set in two time frames, the events of the past are slowly revealed as the characters in the present day deal with the findings. But someone is determined the that truth does not see the light of day, even if that means threats and murder. This story is a page turner, especially when you get to the last third of the book. There are some clues that are dropped along the way, but it is doubtful that even careful readers will figure it all out. That being said, there are some story threads that are left hanging. Still, a few unanswered questions don’t detract from the enjoyment of this suspenseful mystery. The characters are intriguing and well developed, and the fast-paced story is engrossing. It’s an gripping premise, and not one commonly used in this genre. Highly recommended for readers of suspense.

[purple_pisces22 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First I was thrilled to win this book from a Goodreads Giveaway. Unfortunately it took me a while to get to it as I had so many ahead of it. I must say it was not what I was expecting and that’s a good thing. A book with a title like this you’d expect the au pair to be some psycho crazy lady, and though there may have been a little bit of that, it wasn’t what the story was about ultimately. I liked the different and unexpected twists. The ending was kind of tough to figure out. My biggest issue is probably that it felt to me as though it was written historically, yet it actually begins in the 1990’s. Not a huge deal, I just had to keep reminding myself of this.

[smik_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seraphine and Danny's father has recently died from falling off a ladder and now who will inherit Summerbourne House hangs in the balance. The decision is in the hands of Vera, Seraphine's maternal grandmother.

In her father's possessions Seraphine finds a photo of her mother holding a baby, looking happy, just hours before she jumped over the cliff to her death. But which baby is it? Why is there only one baby in the photo? Seraphine and Danny are twins although she was born first.

Seraphine is gripped with a passion to know who she really is. Is she the baby in the photo? She needs to find the au pair who was there at her birth. But someone does not want her to find out the truth.

An interesting read but I think the author was confronted with an almost impossible problem at the end which I am not sure she resolved all that well.

[flourgirl49 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story was chugging along pretty good with some fairly interesting characters, but when we get to the point where all of the mysteries are revealed, it veers off into the realm of implausibility. Plus, how many sets of twins is too many for one story? There were four in this book, which is at least two, if not three, too many.

[rbeffa_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An impressive first novel. A gothic suspense and mystery rolled into one. Smartly written with alternating viewpoint characters. Part is told from 1991-2 and it alternates with essentially the present (2017).

I did think I knew how this would turn out, from the beginning, but even though I was on the right path the story became increasingly complex as things were revealed about character's pasts. The story was initially very compelling but as it neared the halfway point it started to get a little tedious. In particular, one of the two viewpoint characters who we alternate with becomes increasingly annoying and I lost just about any sympathy with her. We also veer a bit too much into chick lit territory and at that stage this became much less of a page turner. Looked at from the beginning, the actual ending was pretty unpredictable although looking back one can see the hints and crumbs left for the trail.

A lot of angst in the 2017 end of the story could have been resolved with simple DNA tests from 23 and me or Ancestry. In fact I'd suggest these characters still do it!

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

The Au Pair by Emma Rous is an atmospheric mystery set on the Norfolk coast.

Seraphine Mayes is still in shock over her father Dominic's death when she finds a puzzling photo whilst going through his papers.  Their family is no stranger to tragedy since her mother, Ruth, committed suicide the day she gave birth to Seraphine and her twin brother Danny. Which is why it is so surprising her father kept this photo hidden since it was obviously take the day the twins were born.  However, Ruth is only holding one baby in the picture which brings up several questions. Who is the baby in the photo? Why is Ruth only holding one baby? And who took the picture?

Seraphine has never felt like she fit in with her family so she cannot help but worry this picture holds the truth about her.  Her older brother Edwin provides a vital clue when he mentions his former au pair Laura Silveira took the photo.   Seraphine immediately begins searching for her although she is not certain she is ready for answers to her questions. Needless to say, Laura is not happy when Seraphine confronts her and she does not provide any useful information.

Undaunted, Seraphine continues to try to find answers that she hopes will quiet the doubts that haunt her. She reaches out to quite a few people as she tries to unearth the truth. After a few scary occurrences, Seraphine has  clearly rattled someone who wants the secrets of the past to remain buried.  She is not ready to give up her quest despite her fears and her brothers' pleas. Will Seraphine unravel the mystery that continues to plague her?

Chapters detailing Seraphine's efforts to find the truth alternate with chapters from Laura's perspective in the past.  These entries provide fascinating insight into the eleven months leading up to Ruth giving birth. Laura is a wonderful au pair and she spends a great deal of time with Dominic, Ruth and Edwin.  She can definitely fill in the blanks for Seraphine, but why is Laura reluctant to discuss what happened that fateful day Ruth gave birth then took her own life?

The Au Pair is a suspenseful mystery with an eerie setting and a clever storyline.  The cast of characters are superbly developed with realistic strengths and all too human weaknesses.  Seraphine's quest for the truth in the present is interesting and she does not allow anyone to dissuade her from finding answers.  Laura's chapters paint a picture of a somewhat troubled family who has shouldered more than their fair share of tragedy.  Emma Rous brings the novel to a twist-filled conclusion as the convoluted truth about Laura's final day as an au pair is revealed. A marvelous debut that I highly recommend fans of modern Gothic mysteries.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Au Pair by Emma Rous is a 2019 Berkley Books publication.

A wickedly dark, wildly entertaining, mesmerizing tale!

Seraphine Mayes is mourning the untimely death of her father, who died in a freak accident. Staying on at her family’s summer home, she is going through her father’s things, when she finds a photo of her mother taken on the day she committed suicide by throwing herself off a cliff. But, what strikes her as odd, is that her mother had just given birth to twins- Seraphine and her brother Danny- when the photo was snapped. However, her mother is only holding one baby.

At the edge of the photo is a woman, later identified as ‘Laura’, the au pair, who had been hired to care for Seraphine’s older brother, at the time.

Why is there only one baby in the photo? Which baby is in the picture? Is it Seraphine or Danny?

With no one willing, or able, to answer her questions, Seraphine goes in search of the only other adult present that day who can provide her with answers- the Au Pair.

This is a bizarre, twisted family saga filled to the brim with secrets, misconceptions, coverups, and deceptions. The atmosphere drew me it immediately, as did the stylish blend of noir mixed with contemporary Gothic. The dual timeline is the perfect format for this type of story, with Laura narrating events from the past, and Seraphine providing the present -day narrative. The past and present slowly converges with ripples of shockwaves building to a massive eruption, leaving every single character-and the reader- shaken to the core.

There’s plenty to chew on if one wishes to delve into the psychology of the story, which is deeper than it may appear. Seraphine, especially, has specific fears which drive her to obsessively seek proof of her heritage and identity. The folklore tales of “Sprites” and the rumor of a family cure only heightens Seraphine’s paranoia. The many revelations and mind-bending twists, however, are jaw-droppingly entertaining.

This book has been compared to the V.C. Andrews’ style of shocking Gothic family theatrics by some editorial reviewers, as well as to Kate Morton, who famously combines the past with the present, and adds a Gothic flavor to her stories, as well. Initially, I scoffed at such a notion, but strange as it sounds, the two styles do complement one another. So, I’m going to concur. However, I think this book can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It is historical fiction, a domestic family drama, and a suspenseful mystery. Also, if you are a fan of Gothic novels, old or new, or if you like a story with a ‘noir-ish’ atmosphere, this book is one you might want to consider.

Overall, this is my kind of book! A gripping, spellbinding tale and a very impressive debut by Emma Rous.

[miss.mesmerized · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After her beloved father has died, Seraphine Mayes digs into her family’s history. When she finds a photograph of her mother, her older brother Edwin and one baby, she is astonished: it must have been taken on the day of her birth, but which one is the baby? Seraphine or her twin brother Danny? And why does the mother look so happy, only hours before she committed suicide? The photo must have been taken by the au pair who was then looking for Edwin, a certain Laura. When the young woman starts her search for the former babysitter, memories of rumours surrounding her family home Summerbourne also come back to her mind: why did everybody in the small village always say that twins do not survive in that house? When Seraphine tracks down Laura and tries to contact her, she inadvertently sets in motion a series of events.

Emma Rous’ mystery starts as a simply family story and then develops into a suspenseful crime novel. The story is told alternatingly between Seraphine’s search for Laura and the latter’s experiences as an au pair 25 years before. Two young women full of distress who cannot foresee what they run into. The plot is carefully crafted and to sort out the complex connections takes some time thanks to unexpected twists and turns.

“The Au Pair” clearly lives on the two protagonists. I liked both of them dearly, Seraphine’s stubbornness is quite convincing, she does not give up even when being threatened, actually this only spurs her curiosity and fervour to uncover the events surrounding her birth. On the other hand, Laura had to flee from her evil stepfather and tries to regain control over her life. Both women are created multifacetedly, especially their relationships are complicated which makes them authentic and believable. Apart from the characters, I especially liked the atmosphere of the novel and the spooky tales that circle around the two family homes which give you the impression of old gothic homes which have some secrets buried that are never meant to come to the light.

[atreic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this page turning story, set half in the present and half twenty-five years previously, as Seraphine Mayes tries to uncover the mystery of her birth.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I felt this book did not live up to the hype around it. It was billed as suspenseful, but I never had any feeling of suspense. It was mildly mysterious regarding the events that were happening to Seraphine, but nothing truly suspenseful. I had most of the mystery figured out very early in the book, especially regarding the suspect behind the odd occurrences, plus the mystery of the babies.
I also felt the book went on a bit longer than necessary. It could have been edited to less than 300 pages in my opinion, giving it a crisper and more tense feel, making it a better mystery.

#TheAuPair #EmmaRous

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a surprisingly good book. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I decided to take the advice of a friend and read it, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is a thriller that jumps back and forth between two timelines, 1992 and 25 years later in 2017. It is set on an estate on the Norfolk coast. Seraphine and her twin brother Danny, and their older brother Edwin have just lost their father, and when Seraphine is going through some of her father's papers she finds a picture that sets her on a quest to find out the truth about her birth. She crosses a few people and steps on others' toes, but is driven to know the truth. As she digs, the truth gets murkier and murkier. Long buried secrets are uncovered and family relationships are tested until everything that Seraphine and her brothers think they know about their family and their lives is put into doubt. I bought the whole thing right up until the end, but then thought everything was still left a bit murky and lots of things hadn't been really believably tied off. But all in all, it was a good read and different enough from what we usually get in a thriller to make it interesting.

[marykuhl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book from the publisher as a giveaway from Goodreads. This book tells the story of a family from the prospective of two of the main characters, Seraphine in present day, and Laura in 1991. Seraphine is trying to find out the truth about her childhood, and Laura holds the answers. The Summerbourne estate is the background of both stories. Seraphine, against the wishes of her family, tracks down Laura, the au pair. I love the way this story comes together. All questions are answered and everything is wrapped up. It took a few chapters to get into the story but after that, I didn't want to put down. This is definitely a 5-star book from me

[sbojo32 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm struggling with a rating for this book. I liked it enough, I guess. However, I wouldn't necessarily rush to recommend it. The story of a 25-year-old woman JUST NOW questioning who she is and where she came from is a little far-fetched. She comes across an old photograph and suddenly her whole life is in question?

I think that's my struggle with this book. I figured out all of the mysteries and whodunits while reading. I disliked Seraphine throughout the book. And even though everything was wrapped up nicely by the end, there were just too many potholes throughout. How did no one, to this point, question the things that Seraphine questioned? I'm not going to spoil it, but quite a few aspects seemed far-fetched.

[sheila1957 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Suspenseful story told from two points-of-view, one in the past, one in the present. Seraphine discovers a photo amongst her newly dead father's belongings that she has never seen before taken on the day of her and her twin's birth but her mother is only holding one baby. Why not both? This leads her to question who she is. She also learns that the au pair took the photo but she does not remember this au pair. As she searches out who she is, someone wants to keep her from the truth.

I liked this story. It had me on the edge of my seat. I was right with Seraphine on the mystery of her birth. I enjoyed the two points-of-view, Seraphine in the present and Laura, the au pair, in the past. I kept trying to guess about Seraphine but I was far along in the story before I figured it out. I was hooked on this book from page 1. I had to know what was the mystery behind Seraphine's birth. Well done!

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a chilling suspenseful novel that had me guessing until the last chapter. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I would find out a few pages later how wrong I was. This was a debut novel for this author and I think we'll see additional great books from her in the future.

After Seraphine's father dies, she goes through his desk trying to find out the mystery in her family. Her two brothers - Edwin and her twin Danny don't understand why she is so obsessed with her past.
She finds a picture of her mom the day she died holding one baby - but where was the other twin when this picture was taken? And why did her mom committ suicide on the same day the twins were born? Seraphine decides to track down Laura, the au pair who was living with the family at the time of the birth. Once she finds Laura, the pieces to the puzzle of the picture become clearer but when someone tries to kill Laura, the family wonders if they are all in danger.

This story is told in alternating chapters by Laura, the au pair who took care of Edwin and left on the day the twins were born and by Seraphine who is trying to solve the mystery. It was a great way to find out the past and present and to see how the stories came together at the end. This was a real page turner that kept me questioning everything until the surprising ending.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The premise of this book had me intrigued. The first opening chapter peaked my interest. I could not wait to read more. The next several chapters afterwards did keep my intrigue. Although, my excitement did not last long. While, I did finish the book, it was slow moving. In regards, to the characters in the story, they were fine but there was like a barrier that kept me from fully embracing the characters and getting emotionally connection to them.

The story flashes back from past to present. The past edged out the present just a little more. There is a small bright side and that is the last third of the story. It is the best and where the story picked up ground. Also, where all of the pieces came together. The ending was pretty good. Sadly, this book missed the mark for me.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 Doesn't it just figure that after making the decision to read many less psychological thrillers next year, I would finish this year with a couple I actually liked. This one begins with a death and a picture. A picture that sends a young woman, one of a set of twins, scrambling for answers. One baby, when there should have been two.

A gothic toned storyline, a past that holds many secrets and deceptions, and a determined young woman bent on finding answers. There were so many babies in this, it made my head hurt trying to figure out whose baby belonged to who. Where do they all belong? A young au pair that finds herself right in the middle of a drama. Folk takes about twins where one doesn't survive, because of a myth, z curse, human hand? Quite interesting trying to figure all this out before the denoument. A big bad wolf in someone else's clothes? That part I didn't figure on, but I actually did quite well with the rest of it.

The end, a little too dramatic for me, almost lost me there, but did enjoy getting there so...... Why don't authors realize that less is sometimes me and that they can leave the kitchen sink out.

ARC from Edelweiss.

[bonnie.franks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book held onto me from beginning to end. What characters! What a locale! This is a book that will stay with you long after you turn out the light on the last page. You will go over it and over it. You will do that the whole time you read it as well. You will think you know. You will know you know. You will find that what you know is not what you know. And you will love and appreciate every minute of it.

You can read the synopsis of the book on the back cover. I am here to tell you how reading the book will feel. It will draw you in for sure. The characters are so well-written that you will immediately feel as if you know them. Some you will like and root for and probably talk out loud to as you read. There will be doubts as to the goodness of some. And you will keep reading on, because you know there is a solution to your questions. It's almost in your grasp...….

Or is it?

You must read this book.

My copy of the book was provided to me by Berkley Publishing and I can't thank them enough.

[susan.h.schofield · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a strong, suspenseful thriller with a lot of family drama. It held my attention and kept me guessing. It's a well written solild debut from Emma Rous. I received an ARC of this book from Goodreads.

[squirrelhead_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There were so many things I liked about this book. We have an old English country estate called Summerbourne, a seemingly neurotic young woman named Seraphine Mayes who is obsessed with finding out about her early life, a mystery about Ruth (Seraphine and her twin brother Danny’s mother), Ruth’s suicide and an ending that will blow you away.

The Au Pair is Laura Silverira, hired to take care of young Edwin Mayes. The other players are Edwin’s parents, Ruth and Dominic Mayes, their friend Alex and Ruth’s mother Vera. In Laura’s chapters we see the interactions between these people. Ruth appears to vacillate between depression and paranoia 80% of the time. Her mother Vera is domineering and controlling, but perhaps she is trying to take care of Ruth. The time period is 1992, the year Seraphine and Danny were born.

Seraphine’s chapters are in present day. Her father Dominic recently died in an accident. As Seraphine goes through her father’s belongings she finds a photo of her parents and Edwin, her mother holding a newborn. Her mother is smiling yet hours later she throws herself off a cliff. Why is there only one baby in the photo when Ruth had twins and – which baby is it? Is it Seraphine or Danny? This is the catalyst setting Seraphine off in search of the au pair Laura, hoping to find out what happened all those years ago.

Her brothers urge her to leave it alone and of course she doesn’t. The consequences of her secret investigation into their past will have devastating consequences. As you get to know the characters you’ll wonder if Seraphine isn’t a fragile sort of person, perhaps suffering from mild depression or anxiety. Are some of her assumptions and theories valid or is she over the edge? This is all revealed as you read on and to mention some outcomes would certainly spoil your reading experience.

This story is like a fireworks display. It starts as a slow simmer, builds up steam and then blows up around the 85% mark with dynamic revelations. I am awaiting this author’s next book and hope it’s as engaging and mysterious as this book.

Food makes an appearance here and there:

“Edwin and I unpack the grocery bags together on Saturday morning. As ever, the effect the fresh ingredients have on him is powerful: he smiles as he rubs his thumbs over the onions, flexes the celery, sniffs at the Parmesan and inspects the prawns. He’s in his element, relaxed and happy.”

Chocolate tiffin, cinnamon pastries, slices of carrot cake with thick lemon frosting, an apple plum crumble, pots of homemade applesauce, flapjacks, chocolate sponge cake, speared pineapple and chunks of cheese.

“Dominic was pressing sprigs of rosemary into a joint of lamb, a mound of unwashed potatoes sat by the sink.”

Roasted turkey and potatoes and chipolatas.

I didn’t have the chipolatas but I do have turkey and roasted potatoes (Photos on my blog)

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one definitely had a bit of a gothic mystery/thriller vibe to it and I enjoyed every moment of it! I got this one from a goodreads giveaway a while back and finally sat down to read it today. I read it all in one sitting because I was hooked from the start and so curious where all the drama would lead. It was a fairly quick read that held my interest - I’d recommend it to those who enjoy suspenseful novels that bridge the past to the present.

[fastforward-46127 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars

Such a page turner, I ended up finishing it in a day. It's just one of those good old popcorn eating reads in which you can't wait to see how everything unfolds.

Seraphine and her twin brother Danny were only hours old when their mother committed suicide off the cliffs of the Norfolk coast. Now an adult, Seraphine is mourning the death of her father. While going through his possessions at the family estate, she uncovers a family photograph of her parents, older brother Edwin, and a baby on what looks like the day she and Danny were born. But what strikes Seraphine is odd is her mother is smiling in the photo even though in a mere matter of hours she kills herself and there is only one baby in the photograph. What does this mean and will she be able to find the answers she is looking for even though so many years have passed?

In terms of sheer entertainment, this was a 5 star read. I loved the dual timelines of the present with Seraphine and the past with the au pair, Laura. The story does become a little complicated towards the end and there were times I had to pause and get everything squared away in my head before I could continue reading. I think some valid points could be made on whether the story is realistic however this book has that weird, creepy but fun, trainwreck type vibe that whether or not it is believable doesn't really matter much to me. This is the type of book you read when you want to escape from your life and read about the crazy, messed up lives of other people. A perfect vacation read!

I received a free copy in the mail from the publisher but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.