January 13, 2025
In Stava’s devilishly plotted if somewhat far-fetched debut, a seemingly chance encounter with a wealthy man in a Brooklyn park transforms a young woman’s life. Toiling in an upscale nail salon after being fired from her preschool teaching job, Sloane Caraway is desperate for change. When she bumps into the distractingly handsome Jay Lockhart one afternoon, she tells him she’s a nurse named Caitlin and starts ingratiating herself with him and his wife, Violet. Soon, Sloane lands a full-time gig nannying the couple’s daughter, Harper, in their multi-million dollar brownstone. Though workaholic Jay is seldom around, the charming Violet treats Sloane so warmly that the emotionally needy sitter starts to view her as the sister she never had. But Sloane’s perception of what’s actually going on proves dangerously far from reality. The Lockharts’ marriage, it turns out, is less idyllic than it appears—and when it comes to lying, Sloane is punching way above her weight class. Though not every twist in the breakneck home stretch is believable, Stava keeps the pages turning. This is good fun. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group. (Mar.)This review has been edited to remove spoilers.
