Mrs. England: A Novel

When Ruby takes a job as a children’s nurse in Yorkshire, she does so with the sole intention of remaining close to her family. Looking after four children will be difficult, but she comes from a large family and is certain she is capable of it.

As it turns out, the four children are not the most difficult part of the job. That would be navigating the strange, unsettling relationship between her employers. Charles England is a gregarious, friendly man who takes to Ruby at once; his wife Lilian is more reserved, keeping her distance even from her own children. The closer Ruby draws to the family, the closer she draws to their secrets, and the closer to her own being revealed.

Mrs. England is a deeply chilling book that left me guessing with each chapter. The mystery spun out slowly at first, but before long, I was deeply invested. While I felt Halls could have gone further in places, especially during the last third, this was nevertheless one of the most intriguing mysteries I’ve read lately.