The Playdate - by Louise Millar (Paperback)

About the Book

A debut thriller from a striking new talent, "The Playdate" is a chilling evocation of modern life, where seemingly long-standing friendships are superficial, and overwork and exhaustion lead parents to make impulsive decisions about the care of their children.

Book Synopsis

You leave your kids with a friend down the street. Everyone does it. Until the day it goes wrong.TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. . . . In a quiet London suburb, a group of mothers relies on each other for friendship, favors, and gossip. But some of them shouldn't be trusted, and others have dark secrets. When Callie moved into her new neighborhood, she thought it would be easy to fit in. The other parents have been strangely hostile, though, and her frail daughter Rae is finding it impossible to make friends. Suzy, with her rich husband and her three energetic children, has been the only one to reach out, although their friendship has recently felt inexplicably strained. Now the police have suggested that someone dangerous may be living in their neighborhood, and the atmosphere feels even more toxic. Then there's the matter of Callie's ex-husband, and the shocking truth behind their divorce . . . a truth that she would do anything to hide.

Review Quotes

"British author Millar's engrossing debut offers an unsettling, realistic view of friendships, gossip, and loneliness . . . What starts as a quiet story about neighbors soon builds into a gripping psychological thriller."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

About the Author

Louise Millar was raised in Scotland. She began her journalism career in music and film magazines. A former senior editor at Marie Claire, she has written for Red, Psychologies, Stella, the Observer, Glamour, Stylist, and The Guardian. She lives in London with her husband and daughters.