The Safe Place

A remote and idyllic French estate is the setting for this addictive thriller from a major new Australian talent.

Published worldwide in Australia and New Zealand (Affirm Press), UK (Hodder) and the USA (St Martin’s), The Safe Place by Anna Downes was one of the most exciting and most talked about thriller debut of 2020.

Emily Proudman is a struggling actor in London, whose life is falling apart. When she is offered a job as live-in assistant for a family on a remote French estate, she jumps at the chance to start over. But her charismatic new employers are hiding dangerous secrets, and what at first appears to be a dream come true turns out to a be a prison from which none of them will ever escape – unless Emily can find a way to set them all free.

Where To Get It

Reviews

Christian White

‘A dark and wonderful debut that lulls you in with beautiful prose and complex, believable characters, then beats you over the head with a killer plot and a thrilling climax. Everyone will be talking about this book!’

Sally Hepworth

‘I devoured this suspenseful, atmospheric, twisty novel. This one is a must-read for sure.’

New York Times

‘(Downes is) skilled at ratcheting up the tension and conveying Emily’s sense of thrumming unease… an unusual and thrilling narrative.’

Stephen Romei, The Australian

‘The author is brilliant at keeping us on tenterhooks … It all comes together in a story that rattles the nerves.’

ArtsHub

‘I could not put this book down. I read it in two days, I dreamt about the characters, and I couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding and tension even after I’d finished the final intense chapters. 5 stars.’

Readings

‘A satisfying and devastating debut.’

The Herald Sun

‘An engaging thriller and a promising debut.’

The Washington Post

‘Downes keeps the sense of foreboding building.’

Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman

‘I absolutely devoured The Safe Place, and lived and breathed every second. The images Anna Downes creates are so vivid and real that I was transported between Soho and France in the flick of an eye. I had no idea where it was going; I just knew I had to hold onto Emily’s coattails and go along for the ride. This one is going to fly! If you love a suspense thriller with a punch, I’d highly recommend The Safe Place.’

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

‘Downes imbues The Safe Place with a strong sense of the gothic, keeping the suspense high and the tension in the Querencia household palpable. Surrounded by decay, Emily proves her mettle as her maturation and emotional growth enhance the solid plot with its myriad surprises and twists. The Safe Place delivers a deliciously creepy debut.’

PopSugar

‘The perfect summer mystery read.’

Annabel Crabb, Chat 10 Looks 3

‘A total page-turner … She’s nailed it.’

Chris Hammer

‘The tension ratchets up and up in this beautifully paced thriller – an outstanding debut, populated by complex and sympathetic characters. You’ll be thinking about them long after you’ve finished reading.’

J.P. Pomare

‘A brilliantly atmospheric novel that keeps you equally gripped and unsettled from page one. Starkly original and with an alarmingly plausible premise, this is destined to be a bestseller.’

Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband’s Wife and I Made a Mistake

‘The Safe Place is compellingly disturbing. Anna Downes is a powerful story writer who will lull you into a false sense of security—and then pounce. An author to be watched.’