Everything and Nothing by Araminta Hall

I needed a quick read in between two chunky novels, and when this popped through the door the other day it was just the ticket. This debut novel has been picked up by Richard & Judy for their autumn list, and is billed as a Nanny chiller – shades of Sophie Hannah perhaps I thought?

It’s about a family trying to have it all but failing. Ruth & Christian have baggage – him from an affair that went very wrong, and not understanding his wife at all; her from not being able to totally forgive him, plus shedloads of guilt at being a working, i.e. bad in her books, mother – both are in the middle of deep mid-life crises. Their young kids are suffering too. Betty can’t sleep, and Hal won’t eat, and their parents just can’t work out what to do with them, so they get a Nanny.

Agatha comes ‘recommended’- she’s young, doesn’t mind doing some light housework and instantly gets on with both the children.  In fact she gets on so well with them, that Ruth and Christian could just let her do everything – except that does make them uneasy (phew!). Aggie also turns out to be an obsessive cleaner, the house has never looked so spick and span – she’s too perfect!

But of course she’s no Mary Poppins – Aggie has a dark side. We get little hints at the start, and as the story builds up, we find out the true and perhaps inevitable truth.  Parallel to this is the decay of Ruth and Christian’s ever more creaky marriage.  Christian’s old lover comes back on the scene, and he manages to get himself in big trouble again…

Although Aggie’s story is sad and tragic, this novel is ‘chiller-lite’. Ruth and Christian were particularly irritating and I found it hard to care about them at all, although I could sympathise with their children, especially Hal.  An assured debut, it was a quick and enjoyable read, but compared to the aforementioned Sophie Hannah, was rather predictable. I’d like to see her next novel develop some real twists if she goes the chiller route. (6.5/10)

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My copy was sent by the publisher. Thank you.
To explore further on Amazon UK, click below:
Everything and Nothing by Araminta Hall
Little Face by Sophie Hannah