#THE BABYSITTER BOOK SERIAL#

Rodman debuts with an engrossing memoir that focuses on her relationship with serial killer Tony Costa (aka the Cape Cod Cannibal). Now, she and cowriter Jennifer Jordan reveal “a suspenseful portrayal of murderous madness in tandem with a child’s growing loneliness, neglect, and despair, a narrative collision that will haunt” (Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita) you long after you finish it. Haunted by nightmares and horrified by what she learned, Liza became obsessed with the case. Though Tony Costa’s gruesome case made screaming headlines in 1969 and beyond, Liza never made the connection between her friendly babysitter and the infamous killer of numerous women, including four in Massachusetts, until decades later. To Liza, he was one of the few kind, understanding, and safe adults in her life.īut there was one thing she didn’t know their babysitter was a serial killer. He bought them popsicles and together, they visited his “secret garden” in the Truro woods. During the summers, while her mother worked days in a local motel and danced most nights in the Provincetown bars, her babysitter-the kind, handsome handyman at the motel where her mother worked-took her and her sister on adventures in his truck. Growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s, Liza Rodman was a lonely little girl. I’ll definitely be checking out Sheryl’s other books as this was a cracking read.This chilling true story and “harrowing account of the evil that can lurk around the edges of girlhood” (Carolyn Murnick, author of The Hot One)-reminiscent of Ann Rule’s classic The Stranger Beside Me-follows a little girl longing for love who finds friendship with her charismatic babysitter, unaware that he is a vicious serial killer. And it would be so interesting to see what happened after.

I would love a sequel, just to catch up because going through something like that changes people. I had no idea what was going to happen next, I didn’t know how the book would end, I just had so many questions. I raced through it in two days flat and it just had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Their marriage came across so real, after all the heartbreak etc and to witness it falling apart was awful. She was a brilliant character and it just broke my heart. I think the only thing it was lacking was a real explanation as to what led it to come to that conclusion.Īlso, because we knew what was going on, it made it so hard to read! It’s the kind of book where you want to reach in and clue someone in because you can barely believe what’s going on, it honestly hurt me so much to see what Melissa in particular was going through. It’s glaringly obvious, but like Criminal Minds, it’s nice sometimes to see who the baddie is and see how everyone else works it out and it didn’t dent my enjoyment of the book at all. It’s fairly obvious early on what’s going on, this isn’t a plot twist that’s left to ferment, and it really all depends on the reader if they clue themselves in. It’s amazing how a solid marriage, like Melissa and Mark’s can unravel so quickly, all because of one demented human being who seems to enjoy ruining other people’s lives. Thanks Sheryl! The Babysitter is so tightly plotted, so cleverly done, that I can do nothing but applaud. Just because this book has terrified me from being a nice person. Rest assured, I will never, ever help anybody ever again. I’ll be honest, you have to suspend a tiny bit of disbelief to read this book – what kind of cop just lets some random neighbour live in their house and take care of their children without actually vetting them? I mean, REALLY, Mark? But then, on the other hand, it all happens so fast and furiously that stuff like that gets missed so… 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ I’ve read some books in my time, with villains who think they’re doing the right think, but Jade actually takes the cake. It’s a psychological thriller and the plot is just absolutely crazy. The Babysitter is one of the most terrifying books I’ve ever read – and it’s not even a horror book. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home? My Review Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. And now he suspects he might know what she wants … Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it’s Jade who is left picking up the pieces.īut Mark soon notices things aren’t quite as they seem. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can’t it?Īs Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children.

The babysitter book