Stay

By: Jane Bailey

Narrated by: Imogen Church

It was meant to be Caitlin's perfect summer, but betrayed by her best friend and her boyfriend, she finds herself hitchhiking home alone, heartbroken, and penniless.

When a smiling family pulls up on the roadside to help her on her way, she's relieved - they seem so friendly, safe. And when they offer her a warm bed in their isolated house for the night, she's grateful not to have to travel back alone in the dark. In any case, she's in no rush to get home, where a grave secret is lying in wait to blow her family apart.

One night soon turns into two, and then three. The increasingly spellbinding couple wants her to stay, and why shouldn't she? Their children need a tutor, and the longer she can avoid home, the better. But then an older member of the household warns her to leave immediately. And when her phone suddenly goes missing, when she realises that this perfect family is a perfect lie, it might not be so easy for her to leave...

A brilliantly suspenseful read, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Mark Edwards and Claire Douglas.

Read what everyone is saying about Stay:


'Fantastic... The very definition of a page-turner. Jane's best yet!! So good! I loved it.' Jackie Kabler, #1 bestselling author of The Perfect Couple


'Will really get under your skin.' Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Keep Her Secret



'Unbearably dark and chilling. I couldn't put it down!' Shalini Boland, bestselling author of The Silent Bride



'Such a unique and suspenseful piece of drama, masterfully done.' Melanie Golding, #1 bestselling author of Little Darlings

©2023 Jane Bailey (P)2023 Orion Publishing Group Limited

Critic reviews

Fantastic. From a quietly sinister start this story escalates rapidly; so tense, so creepy! The very definition of a page-turner. Jane's best yet!! So good! I loved it. (Jackie Kabler)

Claustrophobic and creepy, Stay is a beautifully-written lockdown thriller that will really get under your skin. (Mark Edwards)

Unbearably dark and chilling. I couldn't put it down! (Shalini Boland)

Claustrophobic, creepy, heart-in-mouth perilous and - as with any Bailey novel - some superbly drawn child characters. (Caroline Sanderson)

I started reading Jane Bailey's Stay quite late at night, and that was my first mistake, because I couldn't put it down! Such a unique and suspenseful piece of drama, masterfully done. (Melanie Golding)

Stay brims with vivacity, verve, and energy. A brilliantly written, page-turning read. Loved it. (J. A. Corrigan)

Fiction that teaches and delights

Thrilling, poignant, sad triumphant and real.

Mild spoiler ahead.

This book made me really look at my role as a female in Western society that holds certain women and girls up as beautiful, rare flowers too precious to touch, while doing so in private.

Great read!!

This book was fantastic. With some books I lose my place but the narrator kept me in it the whole time! I really felt like I was in the book! Highly recommend!!

This is an amazing story

Jane Bailey is such a talented writer. This is no ordinary “murder-mystery”.
She has captured the era of the 2020 pandemic in captivating,understated prose.
It’s a page turner for sure. There are too many cliches I could offer but none would do justice to her skills as a first rate writer.
The performance is done well. No strange voices. Just the dialog of a family and friends that is not forced or overly dramatic. It’s all enjoyable and believable.

Always love listening to Imogen Church

Selected this book because of the narrator (Imogen Church) I love listening to anything she reads. It was alright, it did have a good amount of intrigue and build up but the ending kind of flopped. I was expecting a twist or a shock but it ended just as to be expected. Ok overall.

Too Sexual Needs a Trigger Warning

An interesting plot that had me very engaged, but overall too sexual and should really have a warning. Would not have bought the book otherwise and I’m not sure I will finish it.