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The Playground

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Looking to start afresh, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara relocate to Ripton, a seemingly tranquil village in Derbyshire. However, beneath its picturesque facade lies a complex web of playground politics. When Lara is accused of hurting another child, Nancy finds herself ostracised by the local parents and drawn into a tense struggle to protect her daughter. Michelle Frances weaves a dark, twisting tale of schoolyard tensions escalating into something far more sinister.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for fans of psychological crime thrillers and contemporary domestic suspense, especially those who appreciate intricate plots focused on family dynamics and small-community secrets. Readers who enjoy authors like Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks will find this novel engaging.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The only thing more unkind than children are their mothers . . . A brilliant domestic suspense that any parent will relate to, from the bestselling author of The Girlfriend.

The only thing more unkind than children are their mothers . . .

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about — Jilly Cooper

Brilliant (toxic) context. Loved the epistolary touches. Taut, dark, and seriously addictive. — Will Dean

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.

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...

Wry, twisting and suspenseful, Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.


Praise for the number one bestselling author Michelle Frances:

I tore through the pages... A high-speed chase of a novel — Louise Candlish

Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets... The finale doesn't disappoint — Daily Mail

Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust — Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its taut, dark, and seriously addictive storytelling by Will Dean and lauded for capturing the nuance of parental tensions by Janice Hallett, The Playground delivers a gripping psychological thriller. Catherine Cooper highlights its chilling depiction of bullying and secret WhatsApp groups, making it relatable for parents. Jilly Cooper declares Michelle Frances an author to watch, endorsing the book as genuinely exciting.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529049688

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 June 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pan Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 33.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 322g

Pages: 464

About the Author

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.

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