The Housemaid

I loved Millie, the main character in this book. I think what makes her so compelling is how ordinary her hopes are - all she wants is a stable job and a clean slate. She's fresh out of prison and desperate for a fresh start, so she takes a live-in housekeeping job with a wealthy family that seems too good to be true. From the start, there's something a little off about her - she's guarded and hiding things, and you're really not sure you should trust her.

As the story peels back layers of her past and the family's secrets, she stops being just a "housemaid". She becomes someone far more complicated, resourceful, and sympathetic than she first appears. It's a quick, twisty read, and Millie is the reason it works.