Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Stay

By: Jane Bailey
Narrated by: Imogen Church
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.15

Buy for $18.15

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

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
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

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)

What listeners say about Stay

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    84
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    106
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    79
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The characters

The story had a great start; the characters overall were written well. But the story dragged on and I was not impressed with the ending, I expected a more dramatic ending!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Definitely kept me engaged

The narrator was absolutely excellent. The story wouldn't have been so engaging without her. You'll roll your eyes at all the red flags ignored by the main character, but the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I'd definitely recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story but more politics than i like in my books

The amount of covid and global warming talk got old and annoying. But other than that I did enjoy this story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty Good

First, I love Imogen and will listen to almost anything that she narrates. This book went in a different direction than what I had originally expected. I did catch my attention wandering a little bit throughout the first half, but I eventually was fully immersed in the story and really wanted to see how it would end. I liked it and felt like it was worth the credit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Narration MADE the story... and the story is GOOD. Suspenseful and humorous at times. Listened at every chance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heart pounding story!

As always I love Imogen Church’s narration. She seems to become one with each and every character and does a superb job.
I loved this story! As much as I wanted to see what was going to happen, I didn’t want it to end. I was st the edge of my seat several times. Highly recommend!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!