The Vacation Rental

A Novel

By: Katie Sise

Narrated by: Michelle Price, Anne Marie Lewis

A summer getaway triggers a psychological game of cat and mouse in a novel about the frightening damages of love, family, and obsession by the bestselling author of Open House and We Were Mothers.

When Georgia rents her country home for the month of August, it’s off to the relaxing Connecticut shore for her; her husband, Tom; and their young daughter. It’s just what they need to ease family tensions and reconnect. All that’s left to do is leave behind their house keys—to a stranger.

For Anna, Georgia and Tom’s house in the cool woodlands is a dream break from the oppressive heat of a New York City summer—and from an increasingly ill-fated relationship with her lover. A month apart and Anna can clear her head and reassess her future. She’s found the perfect place to do it.

As the weeks wear on, Georgia and Anna discover that the pleasures of escape are as difficult to trust in as the comforts of home. And neither one can shake the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

©2024 Katie Sise (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“With superb plotting and finely crafted characters, The Vacation Rental surprised me at every turn! An insightful thriller about family secrets and long-held grudges, written by a truly talented author.”—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of What Remains

A tearjerker thriller

I was quite surprised to find myself crying several times during this book. The chaos and destruction of people’s lives all stemmed from heartache. I don’t condone how they dealt with their pain, which ended up causing pain to more people, but I can understand why they acted out in the ways that they did.
Along the way, there’s also a thrilling psychological story full of suspense and complex characters. Excellent book!

Didn't care for the characters

I'm sort of torn. It was a good book and kept my interest pretty good but also seemed drug out. I wasn't crazy about any of the characters and Millie acted like a 4 yr old until the very end, her parents also treated her like she was 4. They just all fell flat for me in personality. I gave it 4 stars because it was a good plot and written good.

The audiobook was ok. The narrator was good but I didn't like the characters' voices. I think because it sounded just like the characters would in real life.

story line

was a great story with interesting plot twists. good characters development. held my interest throughout the entire book.

Decent story, terrible reader

I liked the story but I really had to grit my teeth to listen to the "Anna" reader. One of the most irritating, breathy, whiny, high pitched voices...painful to listen to.

A slow burn that picks up the pace!

When the first twist is revealed, you won’t know what hit you. When the next twists comes in, you will be floored. When the final twist lands, you might do what I did and drop the bowl you were holding and watch it shatter to the floor as you listen, aghast at what you missed from the beginning.

I wasn’t sure what to make of this book at first, and I am so happy I stuck with it! It does start a little more slowly than other novels I have read in the psychological thriller category, weaving a story of two seemingly unrelated women going through regular, everyday problems and feelings that plague us on the daily. Despite its slow start, you won’t be able to put it down.

The writing is captivating, and the performance is oddly soothing in a stark contrast to the intensity that is present in the back half of the novel.

From an avid reader, I highly recommend The Vacation Rental!

Had some good twists

I enjoyed this book. For a while, there were aspects that seemed just too unbelievable, but then some twists came along that explained them. I was really surprised by a couple of the twists, so really enjoyed this.

Slow Start

This book had a very slow/strange start that made me want to stop listening. I'm glad I did continue because it was a pretty good book in the end.

A highly recommended novel

I will begin by writing that the narration is wonderful and so it was a real easy listen. The plot was good, but more important was the depth of the offer as she describes trauma and heartache. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Good Story

It took a while to get into this book, but I am glad I stuck with it. There were a few unexpected twists and turns, and the narration was excellent.

So Intriguing!

Although it took me just a little while to get totally involved in this story, once I was past this point, I was so hooked! I love the twists and turns in this book and you’re never quite sure what the real truth is as to what happened in the past with the death of the beloved nanny. The interaction and the way the main characters end up being intertwined is just simply fascinating. The narration was excellent. Highly recommend.