I hugely enjoyed this book, best twist I've read since Clare Mackintosh. Really believable characters and a relatable story. Highly Recommended

Woke up at 6am to finish this book had no clue where the final twist was going to take the storyline lots of side stories to give some depth and detail and views from both sides and how quickly those opinions can change. Great book not read this author before but will certainly look out for more books in the future

A superb read. The story is very well written and although it starts slow, it really does pick up quite quickly.

A serviceable psychological thriller with a readable, engaging style. I didn't guess the twist and it knocked me for six, but the earlier chapters in particular got very bogged down with minor details from Joanna's life. Little things so banal I thought they must be part of a bigger picture—her young son eating alone at lunchtime at school, her boss's wife being suspicious of her, the babysitting group and the book club's many, many characters, most never mentioned again—had nothing to do with the final reveal, in the end. But it was entertaining enough and pulled me along.

A beautifully written book about a school yard rumour about a convicted child killer living in a local seaside town. As the rumours spread and people jump to all kind of conclusions as too who the person is one woman’s life is turned upside down as we plunge head first into a chilling conclusion.

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Be careful what you gossip about and who to.....is the immediate lesson learnt from this very clever and unique book!
Joanna returns to her sleepyish seaside childhood town with her son, sick of London she wants more time spent with her family etc, she finds it hard to adjust and fit in with all the ‘schoolground mum’s’ and when she hears ( via the gossiping Mum’s) that a notorious child killer ( a child herself when killed ) COULD be living under a new identity in the town she researches and googles this and passes on a bit more info she has gleaned to these Mums........the WORST thing she has ever done.....this then starts a storm of rumour and well to say it gets out of hand would be an understatement!
What follows is suspicion, lies, paranoia and anguish, soon the sleepy town is alive with it all
A great story then emerges and it really is a race against time to save another child......
Its intriguing, fascinating and enjoyable ( if thats the right word ) to see how this rumour causes utter chaos in so many lives
The ending....well yep there is one but more than its brilliant I am not saying.....and nor am I saying about the post ending ending which left me shaking my head and wowwing
Brilliant debut novel, my only criticism and it isent really one is that the ‘cast’ is plentiful and at times I had to ‘take stock’ and think who was who again, but thats going to happen with any book with a lot of similar aged characters in it
Loved it and will be wary of gossiping in future ( maybe 😃 )
10/10 5 stars

A fabulous story. I was hooked from the beginning and read it in one sitting. Great, descriptive scene setting, the book flows seamlessly throughout. Engaging characters, behaving in a very easy to believe and realistic manner. The main theme of this book is a highly debatable and often controversial subject, shown from the differing views of the characters. Keeps you guessing right to the very unexpected ending. I loved everything about this book and will probably read it again and again.

Joanna, 30-something yr old, moves back to her childhood coast with her young son to be closer to her mother. Joanna is new in town, trying to fit in with the group of mummies for the sake of her boy. She overhears a rumour on the playground by a parent that a child-killer is living among them under a new identity. Desperate to fit in Joanna inadvertently spreads the rumour spreading paranoia and suspicion in the small town, causing a disastrous chain of events to unleash...
This is a well-written debut. I binge-read it in a day and a half, it’s so gripping and pacy. I did, however, find that the last 20% became predictable and thriller cliche, but barring a mildly satisfying ending this was overall a terrific read. Recommended! 👍