The Playground
Published on 8. June 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
464 pages
978-1-5290-4968-8 (ISBN)
Description
From the bestselling author of The Girlfriend, now a number one Amazon Original series.
'I couldn't put this one down' - Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
Wry, twisting and suspenseful, bestselling author Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.
Looking to escape her old life, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara move to Ripton. A quiet, picturesque village in the rolling Derbyshire countryside, it seems like the perfect place to settle down. At first.
But when Nancy reaches the school gates, she learns that beneath the quaint village atmosphere is a minefield. And after her daughter clashes with her school friends, Nancy quickly finds herself outside the whispering circle of parents.
As much as Nancy finds the playground politics absurd, they soon become impossible to ignore when Lara is accused of hurting another girl.
Desperate to clear Lara's name, Nancy is about to learn just what lengths a parent will go to for their child . . .
Praise for the number one bestselling author Michelle Frances:
'Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about' - Jilly Cooper
'Taut, dark, and seriously addictive' - Will Dean, author of The Last Passenger
'I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel' - Louise Candlish, author of The Only Suspect
'Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint' - Daily Mail
'An intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust' - Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet
'I couldn't put this one down' - Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
Wry, twisting and suspenseful, bestselling author Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.
Looking to escape her old life, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara move to Ripton. A quiet, picturesque village in the rolling Derbyshire countryside, it seems like the perfect place to settle down. At first.
But when Nancy reaches the school gates, she learns that beneath the quaint village atmosphere is a minefield. And after her daughter clashes with her school friends, Nancy quickly finds herself outside the whispering circle of parents.
As much as Nancy finds the playground politics absurd, they soon become impossible to ignore when Lara is accused of hurting another girl.
Desperate to clear Lara's name, Nancy is about to learn just what lengths a parent will go to for their child . . .
Praise for the number one bestselling author Michelle Frances:
'Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about' - Jilly Cooper
'Taut, dark, and seriously addictive' - Will Dean, author of The Last Passenger
'I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel' - Louise Candlish, author of The Only Suspect
'Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint' - Daily Mail
'An intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust' - Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet
Reviews / Votes
Delicious tensions between parents and squabbles among their children seem so harmless, yet every one has the potential to start a devastating snowball of events. I couldn't put this one down -- Janice Hallett, author of <i>The Appeal</i> and <i>The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels</i> Taut, dark, and seriously addictive -- Will Dean author of <i>Dark Pines</i> A slow burn, tense tale of the repercussions of both adult and child bullying and secret WhatsApp groups which almost any parent will relate to. Highly readable and horrifying. -- Catherine Cooper, author of <i>The Chalet</i> I was blown away. The Girlfriend is the most marvellous psychological thriller . . . I couldn't put it down and kept sneaking upstairs to read another few pages . . . Michelle Frances is a writer we're going to hear a great deal about. Please read this genuinely exciting novel -- Jilly Cooper, author of <i>Tackle!</i> and <i>Riders</i> A brilliant thriller -- <i>Bella</i> on <i>The Boyfriend</i> A thriller that will have you gripped -- <i>Closer</i> on <i>The Boyfriend</i> There's something more sinister than sibling rivalry lurking in Sisters and I tore through the pages, desperate to discover the terrible secret that separates Abby and Ellie. This high-speed chase of a novel is a perfect summer read -- Louise Candlish on <i>Sisters</i> Terrific . . . Twisted, fraught with suspense, a proper summer page-turner -- Jo Spain on<i> Sisters</i> Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust - an ideal read for the beach -- Catherine Cooper, author of <i>The Chalet,</i> on <i>Sisters</i> Fans of BBC drama The Replacement will lap up this taut and suspenseful tale -- <i>Heat</i> on <i>The Temp</i> Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of sibling rivalry and family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint -- <i>Daily Mail</i> on <i>Sisters</i>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
328 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5290-4968-8 (9781529049688)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2023
Pan Books
€13.49
Available for download
Person
Michelle Frances has worked in television drama as a producer and script editor for many years, both for the independent sector and the BBC. She is the number one bestselling author of The Girlfriend. The Playground is her sixth novel.