“EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.” Macy Mullins is desperate for a job. After enduring countless interviews and rejections, she finds herself on a bus to a rich coastal neighborhood two hours away, in hopes to provide a better life for her younger sister.
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Although the interview process raised many red flags, Macy couldn’t turn down the generous offer. Deep in the isolated wilderness of the Oregon Coast, she’s given a simple assignment and a list of strict rules that must be followed without exception. What begins as an easy three-day job quickly spirals into something more sinister.
The Caretaker started off strong with a captivating premise and consistent pacing that kept me hooked after the first page. It reminded me of the TikTok trend, “Congratulations you’ve been hired,” where you are given a list of strange but specific rules you had to follow.
The author did an excellent job building a mysterious world that naturally made me wonder, “Why is this happening? How did it start? What’s the history behind this?” I was excited to see this concept expanded into a full-length novel, hoping it would provide deeper insights into these strange events, but unfortunately this book didn’t answer many questions. If we were given more information as to what was happening, then the ending wouldn’t have felt so abrupt or underdeveloped.
I was also disappointed by the main character’s arc. The author described Macy as a failure and inept, which seemed to be setting her up for meaningful growth, but that’s not the case. I was truly rooting for her, which is why it was disappointing that there wasn’t much character development there.
The Caretaker was on track to be a 4 or 5 star read for me, but towards the end I couldn’t help but feel like this was an unfinished idea rather than a fully developed story. But if you enjoy ambiguous endings or like open-ended tales, then this may work for you. If you like this concept be sure to check out these TikToks and the /NoSleep Reddit thread for more. Order your copy on Amazon today.
The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
Genre: Horror, Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 320
Rating: 3/5
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The way I would definitely take some random job like this XD Too bad it didn’t quite stick the landing here, though. It feels like it has so much promise.
An open-ended ending is a huge NO for me. It’s not something I would like either. You mentioned that the author didn’t explain everything at the end, and didn’t bring the story together, which is something that is absolutely a No for me, too. Thanks to your review, I won’t waste my time on it.
It sounded so promising but I’m sorry to read it had an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion. I appreciate your wonderful and honest review Winnie.
I’m never into the horror genre. But reading all the thrills you shared makes me intrigued to read this book. The plot sounds so exciting.