The Playgroup

Breath catches in my throat and terror grips me as my daughter’s favourite jumper slides into focus. Time slows. Helpless, I watch my precious little girl run into the road. Screeching tyres slice through the quiet afternoon. Days from now, my friends will say the worst day of my life was all my fault…

A bright and welcoming haven, the playgroup sits at the heart of the town, tucked away inside a red-brick building. The Nest should have been the safest place for my rosy-cheeked, pink-obsessed daughter, Florence. Run by mothers like me, I trusted my newfound friends – Alice, Beth and Georgie – to take care of my child. But now my choice has left Florence fighting for her life.

My heart pounds thinking about what I will tell my husband, James. He stayed with me through the darkest times, and I thought some space would bring us closer. But as I watch our little girl sleeping in a hospital bed, I know our relationship may never recover from this.

How can I tell James what really happened if I don’t know myself? I can’t shake the feeling the other mothers are lying to me; they know I’d never let Florence leave the nursery by herself. We’ve all got dangerous secrets we want to protect, but if they expose mine, will anyone, including my husband, believe me when I say I didn’t harm my daughter?

A completely gripping psychological suspense about the dark price of protecting your family, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Adele Parks and Sally Hepworth.

What readers are saying about Leah Mercer:

‘Brilliant… a fantastic family drama… Emotional and heartbreaking… I was kept on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the end I just couldn't put it down… 5+ stars.’ Goodreads reviewer ?????

‘A cannot put down novel… A page turner… I did not want to stop reading… Don’t miss this book.’ NetGalley reviewer ?????

‘Gripping… I devoured in a day!… It had me on the edge of my chair all the way to the very end… This is a winner!’ Goodreads reviewer ?????

‘Wow! Great book! This book had a bit of everything! Kept me glued to my e-reader!… Definitely a page turner!’ Sassy Southern Books ?????

‘One of the best reads I've come across this year!… WTH?… Superb… Downright delicious!!!!’ The Secret Book Sleuth ?????

‘I couldn’t put it down… Just when you start thinking you know what's going on… WRONG!!!… The twists were sooo amazing and absolutely not what you expect… I loved every second.’ Goodreads reviewer ?????

‘Hooked on this book from the beginning! I loved the suspense… Does not disappoint.’ Goodreads reviewer ?????

‘Fantastic… I couldn’t put it down… stayed up late to finish it!’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end… An awesome read that kept me flipping the pages.’ @rubie_reads

‘Wow… Full of so many twists and turns I feel dizzy… It kept me on my toes.’ Goodreads reviewer