The Perfect Nanny

Leila Slimani's gripping novel is based on the actual killing of two children by their caretaker in New York in 2012. I vividly remember when this horrendous event occurred. Some of the details are different, such as the nationality of the nanny, the city in which the crime takes place, and the number of children in the family, but what a shocking truth upon which to base a novel. The Perfect Nanny won France’s most prestigious literary award, the Prix Goncourt, and I would not have read it otherwise. The subject matter, especially for a parent, is almost too terrifying to think about. This book is like the train wreck you can’t not look at—the ultimate guilty pleasure, made so by Slimani’s talented writing. It is a fascinating study in character and what drives people to do the things they do. I highly recommend!