Talk about a book full of twists!! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about a group of women with so many secrets!! This was a good book, it definitely kept me interested. I would give it 5 stars, but the relationship between the main character and her husband didn’t really make sense and I couldn’t get past that, but still a great read!!!

The Playgroup is a fast paced psychological thriller packed full of suspense and intrigue. I found myself racing through this book eager to find out what secrets everyone was hiding and yes everyone had something to hide. The main focus revolved around what happened to Florence and who was responsible. When the truth was finally revealed I was left speechless. This is a book I would highly recommend for psychological thriller fans.

After overcoming a case of postpartum depression that put her baby at risk, Lenore Morgan needs to prove to herself that she can be a good mother to her now eighteen-month-old daughter Florence. However, doing so proves impossible as long as her husband James is around. Even though she knows he does it out of love, he keeps a close watch over her every hour of the day to make sure that Florence is safe, and Lenore doesn’t need his help. The only way she’ll be able to trust herself as a mother again is to be away from him for a while so she can be alone to parent their daughter. That means leaving him if only temporarily.

Moving her and her daughter to the small village of Mapplestow not far outside of London, Lenore takes a job at a charming, idyllic nursery called The Nest. It’s a fairy tale-like place where Lenore finds not only employment for herself and daycare for Florence, but new friends as well. The head of the nursery, Alice, takes to her immediately. So does the ultra-responsible manager, Georgie, and the other employee, Beth. Lenore loves working at The Nest, and her confidence in herself as a mother is growing daily. But when Florence toddles into the road and is hit by an oncoming car, her new life comes to a screeching halt.

Not able to remember the details that led up to the accident, she believes her new friends when they insist the accident was her fault. She wasn’t paying attention, they tell her. Florence got away from her in the parking lot. But Alice, Georgie, and Beth aren’t the incredible, angelic daycare workers they seem to be. Each with secrets of their own, the three women have plenty of reasons to lie about what happened, especially when the police begin investigating. While little Florence fights for her life, Lenore fights to learn the truth. Her marriage depends on it. Being a good mother to Florence depends on it.

With more twists than a pretzel and an emotional punch that will leave you gasping, “The Playgroup” by Leah Mercer is not a book you’ll be able to read in one sitting. Between baby Florence fighting for her life in the hospital and the disgusting lengths the women go to gaslight Lenore to save themselves, you have to pull yourself out of the story a few times to calm yourself and breathe. It’s that anxiety-inducing. It’s that tense. Simply put, it’s that dang good.

Hidden pasts. Lies. Secrets. These are three of the top ingredients that make up a killer psychological thriller. And guess what? “The Playgroup” is jam-packed with all three. While the characters spill their secrets to the reader early in the story– each from their own point-of-view– it’s the disgusting actions they take to keep those secrets hidden that will have you slack-jawed. The twists that follow will keep you tail over tea kettle, trying to figure out who’s to blame for the accident. You might be able to figure it out for yourself. Or not. Either way, the final twist will blow your hair back.

With great writing, well-developed characters, and plenty of suspense to keep you glued to the page, “The Playgroup” is the next book to add to your TBR list. Do yourself a favor and move it straight to the top.

What a thrilling ride The Playgroup takes you on with Lenore. She wanted to learn to be independent with her daughter after a hard first year. The twists and turns this story takes will keep you on your toes. The moment you think you have it figured out, another twist arises. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

The Playgroup is a fast paced thriller that follows 4 moms who are tied by work at a nursery school. While I felt the story moved along well, the second half was slow moving until the end. I enjoyed the development of the characters, but there were a lot of moving pieces to keep up with. I often found myself distracted while reading this one.

There were a lot of twists and turns, but almost TOO many. I was kept guessing throughout the entire story, which I enjoyed. The final twist was somewhat of a disappointment and seemed farfetched. I will definitely try another book by Leah Mercer.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First by this author... wasnt impressed.

The first few chapters were confusing with trying to figure out the plot and what was going on in the marriage. It was just strange because the MC felt like they should have been divorced. They seem to love each other but the relationship was weird. The woman you could see had a very bad case of PPD but never found what caused this.

All the characters in the book were very much annoying and not likable. It just seemed the book went back and fourth like a dog chasing its tail. I wasnt impressed and it was not something i would recommend. I wanted to like this book but fell short.

Thanks NEtGalley for letting me read and review.

I really wanted to like to book as I have experience working in childcare and thought it could be an interesting premise but I was sadly disappointed. I was appalled and found myself shaking my head at so many rules and safety procedures not followed at this nursery that could have deterred majority of this plot to happen.

There were way too many tropes, storylines and twists that it was overwhelming and unenjoyable. The characters were not likable and the book just focused on everyone’s flaws.

I appreciate the attempt to bring attention to important and controversial topics such as mental illness, miscarriages, addiction, chronic illness, criminal acts and parenting; unfortunately this book tried to tackle a bit of everything and didn’t succeed in the proper representation.

Trigger/Content Warning: Mental illness, Chronic illness, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Self harm, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Infertility

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lenore and her young daughter, Florence, have recently moved to a small village near London. This is Lenore's chance to prove to her husband, James, that she is more than capable of taking care of Florence on her own. She knows it's difficult to trust her after what happened before, but she has changed. When she comes upon The Nest, a local co-op nursery, she thinks it's the perfect place for Florence. She's even more thrilled when she is offered a job there and befriends the other women, Alice, Beth, and Georgie. She feels so comfortable with The Nest and her colleagues that she doesn't worry when she has to leave Florence there while she runs an errand. As she's walking back towards the nursery, she watches in horror as her daughter runs out into the street and is hit by a car. Why was Florence in the road? Why were the others not watching her? How is James going to react when he realizes he can not trust Lenore again?

I spent the first few chapters of this book trying to figure out what kind of marriage Lenore and James had. They weren't divorced, and they obviously loved each other, but the only way to prove herself a worthy mother was to move out and to a different town?? What kind of husband agrees to that? I wish the dynamics of this situation had been explained better. We are given bits and pieces of an obviously serious case of post partum depression, but we're never told exactly what happened.
As for the characters, none of them were exactly likable. Alice was the absolute worst, Georgie was tolerable, and Beth was the only one I had slight sympathy for, but her big secret wasn't as big a deal as it was made out to be. I wanted to feel bad for Alice, but it was really hard to sympathize with her character.
The first 3/4th's of the book kept going in circles and was mainly a whole bunch of gaslighting between characters. It finally picked up a bit, but by then, I just wanted it to end. The twist wasn't anything outstanding or unexpected. The end wrapped up but wasn't very satisfying.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Leah Mercer's latest psychological suspense, THE PLAYGROUP, is a tense, compelling thriller with gasp-worthy twists and loads of dark secrets, lies, deception, and gaslighting connected by "The Nest," a co-op nursery school.

I stayed up until 5 am because this one is unputdownable. The last two twists were dynamite and unpredictable. It's a compulsively twisty, keeps-you-guessing ride to the end.

Lenore Morgan has suffered from postpartum after the birth of her daughter, Florence—now eighteen months old. She is doing better but needs to get away from her controlling husband, James, and try to make it on her own for a while. She leaves London and rents a flat temporarily in the village of Mapplestow.

She sees a beautiful co-op nursery called The Nest. She winds up getting a part-time teaching position there, and among the perks is that she can leave Florence there at no charge and meet other children. The Nest has the best reputation, and she is excited! The Nest was a refuge from the outside world, a world of responsibility and burden—a dream that becomes a nightmare.

There, Lenore meets the nursery's founder, Alice (an attorney), the manager, Georgia, and her assistant, Beth. Malena, a police officer supporting The Nest, is also present. Each of the women has dark secrets and deals with struggles and demons. We get to know each woman and their personal and past secrets.

All is going well until Lenore drives back to The Nest after running an errand and sees her beautiful little girl running out in the traffic. The accident happens so quickly, right before her eyes. Her daughter is hit by a truck in the incoming traffic. Who was watching her, and why was she alone to get in the street? Why was she in the road? Frantic, her daughter is taken to the hospital in critical condition.

What comes next is a combo of lies, deception, coverups, manipulation, and gaslighting. Who is to blame blame for the accident?

Nothing or no one is as they appear.

Georgie knew she had closed the gate, so how did she get out? Alice knows her other secrets could be revealed if the media or authorities learn about this. There is much more to The Nest than meets the eye. It has dark secrets, and if everything comes to light, it will be shut down. Alice, Georgie, and Beth also have secrets they are hiding.

Cracks and fissures will soon be unraveled. Secrets do not stay hidden. Is the Nest safe? Then James comes involved, and more tragic events occur, leading to an explosive conclusion! Secrets have a way of coming out, ensuring you get what you deserve.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE PLAYGROUP. It was highly creative, intriguing, and unique. Ripped from today's headlines, how well do we know those who care for our children? Told from POVs: Lenore, Alice, Beth, and Georgie. Everyone used Lenore's delicate past health to throw her under the bus to make her second-guess her mental health.

THE PLAYGROUP is an impressive, pulse-pounding, emotionally charged, smartly written domestic thriller. It is dark and suspenseful, exposing the fears of everyday women with delicious twists and compelling characters.

This is my first book by the author, and I'm looking forward to reading more! #CoverCrush
For fans of Sally Hepworth and Nora Murphy.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for introducing this author and the early reading copy.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: 21 March 2024
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
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Wow this book had me guessing the whole time who was in the wrong, and who’s actions caused Florence’s accident ..
Written from different POVs, this book shows that everyone has secrets, and will do anything to protect themselves..
Thankyou NetGalley for my early access to this book.

This book left me feeling *Icky* about human beings, and what we are capable of doing wrong to each other.
Imagine you just had a baby, and are going through a depressive episode. You pull through, but your husband is being a helicopter partner and you just need a little break. You decide to take a little break, taking your daughter with you. You stumble across the perfect situation! A friend needs someone to watch her house, you find a job at a daycare coop and your daughter can be with you all day while you work. I’m so happy!! Then one day as you are coming back from a Dr appt for your child, your child is safely at daycare, but then you see her run out into the road, and struck by a car. How in the world did that happen? One of the worst nightmares has come true. Who’s to blame? How did it happen? Am I dreaming? Start the gaslighting …. You, the mom are being blamed, saying you must not have been paying attention and let your daughter out of the gate, it’s all your fault! Then someone else thinks it’s their fault, they weren’t paying attention a d she must have snuck out of the garden, yet another wasn’t in her “right mind” and fears the medication she’s taking has her at fault, as she cannot recall what happened (even though she was standing right there). The owner “forgets” to turn on the CCTV that day so there is no surveillance footage, and a repair person swears he fixed the gate, but there’s no info for when the gate opened and closed as proof as to what may have occurred. A twisty and psychological thriller that will have you wondering what secrets people are willing to hide, and what they are willing to do to keep them hidden.

The Playgroup by Leah Mercer is a domestic , psychological thriller full of lies , deceit , shocking secrets and enough twists and turns that kept me thoroughly entertained.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

When Lenore and her baby daughter Florence relocate to a small town tragedy strikes as Florence is involved in a serious accident. As Lenore grapples with the aftermath, discrepancies emerge between the stories told and her own recollections of the events, casting doubt on loyalties.

The Playgroup by Leah Mercer is not an easy read, as it confronts challenging topics head-on. However, Mercer's well developed characters and skillful weaving of twists in the story make for a deeply satisfying reading experience

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. While Leah Mercer's latest thriller was both fast-paced and suspenseful, it felt too predictable and cliched to be enjoyable. I usually like Mercer's work but this time, it missed the mark for me.

Mercer creates the best stories that always keeps so intrigued.
The Playgroup by Leah Mercer is a suspenseful story that had me glued to my Kindle.
This book is extremely well written with fantastic descriptions that really set the scene and put you in the storyline.
There are so many twists and turns in this novel and a cast of characters that leaves you questioning just who you can trust. The characters were all well written and strong.
We had suspense, intrigue and so many crazy twists!
The Playgroup will have you glued to your chair and everything you had planned may go out of the window.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Nest. A community ran creche, where the children from a small village should be safe, and well cared for. Not all is as it seems though. The members of staff all have there own secrets, and when a terrible accident occurs, they all start to unravel. But who is ultimately responsible?
This is the first book by Leah Mercer that I have read, and it did not disappoint. The characters are well developed, and the story is captivating. There was one particular turn of events that I did not see coming, and finally tied up what exactly happened the day of the accident. I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from Leah Mercer.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Leonre has just moved away from her husband to spend some time bonding with her daughter Florence. On her way to her rented apartment Lenore passes a nursery called the nest and is straight away drawn in.

Not only is Florence offered a place at the nursery Lenore is also offered a job there. It seems as though Lenore has landed on her feet and things couldn’t be going better for her, until one afternoon whilst on her way to pick her daughter up from nursery Lenore spots her daughter running into the road.

Tyres screech in an attempt to stop but Florence is hit and goes straight under the car. Gerogie one of the nursery staff runs out and cannot believe what has happened.

In a desperate bid to avoid blame the nursery staff, Beth, Georgie and Alice all come up with a story to avoid blame and pin it on Lenore. With the reputation of her nursery on the line Alice will do anything to protect that at all costs, and with Beth and Georgie hiding their own secrets they’re more than happy to go along with it.

Wow what a rollercoaster of a read I’ve never known so much to be packed into one book. I was honestly hooked from start to finish and I loved that twist at the end, didn’t see that one coming. Definitely recommend the playgroup to anyone looking for a fast paced and action packed thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

DNF at 20%
(E-ARC)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Leah Mercer and Bookouture for letting me have an E-ARC of this book before publication date. Thanks for letting me give my honest review of this book.

I have always wanted to get into thrillers so when I saw this on NetGalley this piped my interest and was excited to see that my request had been approved by Bookouture. I did not know what to expect, but was intrigued that this was about a nursery. Unfornately I had to dnf around the 20% mark. for many reasons which I am going to highlight down below.

This book was about a place that was welcoming to mothers who needed a fresh start called the Nest. This was where mothers came together to run this place along with nursery staff. But everyone one of them had secrets. Until one day the main character called Lenore goes to pick up her daughter from nursery only to see her pink jumper slide into focus. She watches as her little daughter runs into the road and there is nothing she can do other than watch her daughter get run over. Little does she know that her worst day is going to be the day everyone blames her for what happened.

From the very start, I had problems with this book. From the introduction of the nursery the fact that there were volunteers that went into the nursery on a rota screamed alarm bells. I know this is fictional but how did they know who was coming in and out of the building? It could have been anyone who knows? Furthermore, there WERE huge safeguarding issues in this book. Even before the incident there was major issues such as using the phones in the nursery (even when children have left they are not to be in the room at all), CCTV forgetting to be switched on by a member of staff etc. Codes and keys were not even remembered too so who knows if they were being used at all.

When the incident happened, I was confused and angry on why it happened but then with the things I saw I was not surprised at all. For the child to get out onto the main road, it looked like the child was not looked after or they were vigilant After the incident, the two nursery staff were adamant it was not them and that they were in the garden.. They had no idea how she got out. As someone who has worked in nurseries and in different settings, this made me so mad. No matter what you do you always do headcounts in the building, outside the building and making they get safely to the garden and to keep an eye on the children. Children's safety is paramount. After the incident, I expected the nursey to close and the rest of the children to be sent home but they were not. It did not feel right.

When the manager came to the nursery after getting a phone call off one of the staff, I thought that the manager would be mortified and would want to know the truth. Instead she wanted to hide the truth because she wanted to hide a huge secret about the nursery that nobody knew. At that point I had enough and dnf it because I felt it was messed up. She also told one of the workers that it was okay to slip up and she was doing amazing. That is so messed up and NO WAY should a nursery manger be saying that. That was my last straw.

Although this book was fast paced and full of twists and turns, this book had problems and I would not recommend this to anyone in my opinion. This book definitely needs trigger warnings which were not present in this book at all. This left me feeling uncomfortable even after 20% in. I am quite uncomfortable that this is going to be published on thursday.

This is one definitely that lives up to the hype that thrillers have these days. Akin to Freida McFadden, I very much enjoyed this read.

A woman recovers from post-pardem depression. She decides she needs a break from her hovering husband and takes her daughter to a small town an hour away. She finds this amazing nursery that offers her a job with free childcare. Everything is going amazing until the day her child is in their care and she is coming to pick her up and sees her 18 month running towards the street where she gets hit by a car. This is where we learn that all of the daycare workers have secrets that they don’t want exposed.

This is told through the mother, Lenore, and the three other daycare workers pov. I loved learning more about each character through their chapters. When I found out who was responsible for what happened in the prologue I was shocked! It was NOT who I was expecting! This was a good one!

This book comes out on MARCH 21! Make sure to grab your copy!