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

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 The Appeal and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels
Taut, dark, and seriously addictive -- Will Dean author of Dark Pines
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 The Chalet
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 Tackle! and Riders
A brilliant thriller -- Bella on The Boyfriend
A thriller that will have you gripped -- Closer on The Boyfriend
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 Sisters
Terrific . . . Twisted, fraught with suspense, a proper summer page-turner -- Jo Spain on Sisters
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 The Chalet, on Sisters
Fans of BBC drama The Replacement will lap up this taut and suspenseful tale -- Heat on The Temp
Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of sibling rivalry and family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint -- Daily Mail on Sisters

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.