The Tutor by Daniel Hurst
⨠"A house full of secrets and a family on the brinkâwhat could possibly go wrong?" â¨
đ Spoiler-Free Section đ
Alright, witches, gather 'round. If youâve ever wondered what happens when a stunning Swedish tutor enters a suburban familyâs picture-perfect life, The Tutor by Daniel Hurst spills all the teaâand then some. â
Meet Amy and Nick, a seemingly happy couple navigating life with their two children. When their struggling teen son, Michael, needs help preparing for his GCSEs, they decide to hire a tutor. Enter Petra: a gorgeous, young, blonde bombshell whoâs more than just qualified to teach. From the moment she steps into their lives, cracks in their seemingly solid foundation begin to show.
On the surface, The Tutor offers a juicy setup full of tension, temptation, and domestic drama. You can feel the tension simmering, waiting to boil over, and itâs impossible not to cringe in anticipation of the chaos Petra's arrival will unleash.
Hurstâs writing builds the suspense slowly, with alternating points of view from Amy, Nick, and others in the family. While this adds depth and intrigue, the story feels like itâs teasing you with a climax that doesnât quite live up to its potential. The pacing? A little uneven. The payoff? Well, letâs just say it left me side-eyeing the ending harder than a witch whose potion didnât brew correctly.
⨠Things I Loved
đŽ The concept. A family slowly unraveling under the weight of secrets and lies? Sign me up!
đ The dual POVs. Seeing the situation from Amy and Nickâs perspectives is like watching a car crash in slow motionâyou have to keep looking.
đĄ The setup. Hurst knows how to craft an engaging premise, and the early chapters pull you right in.
⨠Things That Left Me Cackling (Not in a Good Way)
đ Nick. Oh, sweetie. This man is one bad decision away from being banished to the doghouse permanently. His obsession with Petra is so blatant, itâs almost comedic.
đ The ending. After all the buildup, the twist felt... underwhelming. Like stirring a cauldron for hours only to discover youâve brewed plain water.
đˇď¸ Spoiler Zone: Youâve Been Warned! đˇď¸
Letâs spill the potion here: Nick. Freaking. Annoyed. Me. This man has been with Amy since they were 16, and yet heâs out here thirsting after Petra like a lovesick teenager. Itâs not even subtle. The way he admits to himself that he canât be alone with Petra because he âwonât be able to help himselfâ? Gag me with a broomstick. đ And donât even get me started on how Amy notices Nickâs sudden spike in âenthusiasmâ (read: lust) whenever Petra is around. Girl, just fire her at this point!
And letâs not forget the moment Amy does fire Petra after realizing Nick is clearly fantasizing about herâonly for Nick to go behind Amyâs back and contact Petra anyway.
Itâs no surprise he eventually sleeps with Petra, all while justifying it with the classic, âItâs just a one-time thing; Amy wonât find out.â Nick, honey, youâre not slick.
While the tension between the characters is juicy, the story itself drags in the middle. I kept waiting for the big, explosive twist that would blow my witch hat off. Instead, we get a reveal that, while mildly surprising, doesnât feel earned or even realistic.
đ¤ Witchy Final Verdict đ¤
The Tutor has all the ingredients for a captivating domestic thriller, but the execution didnât quite cast the spell I was hoping for. The characters are messy in a way that will have you yelling at the pages, but the plot doesnât fully deliver on its promise.
⨠Will I recommend it? Sure, if youâre in the mood for a quick, drama-filled read with questionable decision-making.
⨠Will I ever forgive Nick? Not in this lifetime.