You leave your kids with a friend. Everyone does it. Until the day it goes wrong.
The Playdate
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Review
'I started reading and couldn't stop . . . a must-read that will tap into every mother's primal fears' Sophie Hannah
'A well-paced psychological thriller with more than a hint of Minette Walters about it' Sunday Express
'A thought provoking, taut and suspenseful thriller that you won't forget in a hurry.' Easy Living
‘Millar is a genius at capturing the complicated emotions of parenthood, and her taut, suspenseful plot makes this an unputdownable read’ MARIE CLAIRE ‘This compelling and impressive debut is told from the point of view of all three women, and the reader’s sympathy shifts constantly as the story becomes more creepy and unsettling when layers of intrigue and manipulation are slowly revealed’ GUARDIAN ‘Millar exposes brilliantly the dilemma of working mums and clearly has a lot of sympathy for a situation that seems loaded against them . . . perceptive and well-written, The Playdate is utterly compelling and a sure-fire winner’ RED ‘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 ‘Like the best thrillers, it is quietly creepy and expertly crafted. Add it to your book club reading list now’ STYLIST ‘Louise Millar’s stunning debut The Playdate [focuses] on three women, but, in the case of this impossible-to- put-down psychological thriller, their lives don’t simply intertwine, they collide, with disastrous consequences… The Playdate is an amazingly accomplished work for a first- time author and I can’t wait to read Louise Millar’s next book.’ IRISH INDEPENDENT ‘This gripping contemporary thriller will have you turning the pages, and re-evaluating people you call friends…’ SARAH BROADHURST, LOVE READING ‘Clever and scary. Millar plays with the darkness beneath apparently normal lives’ IRISH EXAMINER ‘Millar’s well-drawn characters and impeccably structured plot instantly grab the reader and may leave parents wondering who to trust with their children. A supremely accomplished debut thriller by a writer to watch’ BOOKLIST 'A pacy, beautifully written novel that will tap into every mother's nightmares' by Erin Kelly author of THE SICK ROSE
'A well-paced psychological thriller with more than a hint of Minette Walters about it' Sunday Express
'A thought provoking, taut and suspenseful thriller that you won't forget in a hurry.' Easy Living
‘Millar is a genius at capturing the complicated emotions of parenthood, and her taut, suspenseful plot makes this an unputdownable read’ MARIE CLAIRE ‘This compelling and impressive debut is told from the point of view of all three women, and the reader’s sympathy shifts constantly as the story becomes more creepy and unsettling when layers of intrigue and manipulation are slowly revealed’ GUARDIAN ‘Millar exposes brilliantly the dilemma of working mums and clearly has a lot of sympathy for a situation that seems loaded against them . . . perceptive and well-written, The Playdate is utterly compelling and a sure-fire winner’ RED ‘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 ‘Like the best thrillers, it is quietly creepy and expertly crafted. Add it to your book club reading list now’ STYLIST ‘Louise Millar’s stunning debut The Playdate [focuses] on three women, but, in the case of this impossible-to- put-down psychological thriller, their lives don’t simply intertwine, they collide, with disastrous consequences… The Playdate is an amazingly accomplished work for a first- time author and I can’t wait to read Louise Millar’s next book.’ IRISH INDEPENDENT ‘This gripping contemporary thriller will have you turning the pages, and re-evaluating people you call friends…’ SARAH BROADHURST, LOVE READING ‘Clever and scary. Millar plays with the darkness beneath apparently normal lives’ IRISH EXAMINER ‘Millar’s well-drawn characters and impeccably structured plot instantly grab the reader and may leave parents wondering who to trust with their children. A supremely accomplished debut thriller by a writer to watch’ BOOKLIST 'A pacy, beautifully written novel that will tap into every mother's nightmares' by Erin Kelly author of THE SICK ROSE
Book Description
Single mother Callie has come to rely heavily on her best friend Suzy. But Callie suspects Suzy's life isn't as simple as it seems. It's time she pulled away - going back to work is just the first step towards rediscovering her old confidence. So why does she keep putting off telling Suzy about her new job? Suzy and Callie live close to each other on a typical cramped, anonymous London street. Neighbours seem to move in, and move on, before you have even learned their names. Callie's increased sense of alienation leads her to try to befriend a new resident on her street, Debs. But Debs is anxious, odd. You wouldn't trust her with your child - especially not if you knew anything about her past. A brilliant and chilling evocation of modern life, The Playdate is a real talking-point book for mothers everywhere.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Callie and Suzy are neighbours on Churchill Road in north London. Callie is a single mother with a frail 5 year old daughter Rae while Suzy has 3 young sons, Henry also 5, and younger twin sons, Otto and Peter. The two women do everything together until Callie decides to dip her toe back into working life and Debs moves in to the same street.
Each of the three women narrate their own short chapters so as readers we are able to piece together their feelings, their secrets and what links these three women together.
The plot moves quickly and as the reader we know something amiss from the blurb. Who's child is in danger, who from and why? The themes in this story range through what makes a friendship, what part the past has to play on our lives and who should you trust? Some of the minor characters seemed to be clichéd but hey clichés exist for a reason!
Although there were some parts to this story which didn't seem to be followed through to their conclusion almost as if they were there to drive the story in one direction in an earlier draft which I found a little confusing. I enjoyed this book and will be keen to see what Louise Millar produces next.
Each of the three women narrate their own short chapters so as readers we are able to piece together their feelings, their secrets and what links these three women together.
The plot moves quickly and as the reader we know something amiss from the blurb. Who's child is in danger, who from and why? The themes in this story range through what makes a friendship, what part the past has to play on our lives and who should you trust? Some of the minor characters seemed to be clichéd but hey clichés exist for a reason!
Although there were some parts to this story which didn't seem to be followed through to their conclusion almost as if they were there to drive the story in one direction in an earlier draft which I found a little confusing. I enjoyed this book and will be keen to see what Louise Millar produces next.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By K. Wright
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
'The Playdate,' centres on three women, each harbouring their own secrets, living on the same street in Alexandra Park, London. Callie is a single mother who is over-protective of her daughter who suffers from a heart condition. Suzy, an American, is Callie's only friend yet she hides the truth of her failing marriage from her. Debs has just moved into the street, haunted by a traumatic incident from her past.
Whilst tension is built up well, particularly surrounding Debs' mysterious past, due to the blurb and own knowledge of this genre, it is obvious who the 'baddie' is and the actual event that puts a child in danger is not particularly eventful and is over before it even began. Callie's daughter Rae is a likeable character and there are interesting moments but overall it didn't have me turning the pages and it was a chore to find out how the thriller was resolved.
Whilst tension is built up well, particularly surrounding Debs' mysterious past, due to the blurb and own knowledge of this genre, it is obvious who the 'baddie' is and the actual event that puts a child in danger is not particularly eventful and is over before it even began. Callie's daughter Rae is a likeable character and there are interesting moments but overall it didn't have me turning the pages and it was a chore to find out how the thriller was resolved.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Brett H
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
You may need to be a parent - or at least someone who is involved with children on a regular basis - to fully appreciate the haunting quality of this narrative, but I doubt it. The suspense is just so finely tuned, with long periods of sweetness lulling you into a false feeling of security, to keep most readers enthralled.
I am not so sure about the title: it is a bit weak for a novel of this calibre in my opinion and not especially well linked to the overall plot.
However.....Callie is a single mum with a delicate child, Rae, who was born with a condition which necessitated open heart surgery. Understandably Callie is protective and Rae is keen to escape the cocoon. Their relationship with their neighbours and Rae's classmates' parents is a study in modern urban living. One, Suzy, befriends them both and takes them to the heart of her family. Callie gains enough confidence to return to her job as a specialised sound engineer.
Then the plot twists and turns its way around somewhat akin to a Disney roller coaster, often flicking back on itself and always turning up the unexpected for the reader. All is not as it seems at the outset. Can two blue eyed parents have a brown eyed daughter? And what of Debs and the odd Allen. The novel tears onto its somewhat sad penultimate, keeping the reader wanting to read on until the finale comes as something of a relief as everything becomes clear and the previously disparate pieces fall into place.
This is a novel which keeps the reader engaged throughout and which, whilst the end answers all your questions, still leaves you wanting to know more about what the future holds for the main characters. Highly recommended.
I am not so sure about the title: it is a bit weak for a novel of this calibre in my opinion and not especially well linked to the overall plot.
However.....Callie is a single mum with a delicate child, Rae, who was born with a condition which necessitated open heart surgery. Understandably Callie is protective and Rae is keen to escape the cocoon. Their relationship with their neighbours and Rae's classmates' parents is a study in modern urban living. One, Suzy, befriends them both and takes them to the heart of her family. Callie gains enough confidence to return to her job as a specialised sound engineer.
Then the plot twists and turns its way around somewhat akin to a Disney roller coaster, often flicking back on itself and always turning up the unexpected for the reader. All is not as it seems at the outset. Can two blue eyed parents have a brown eyed daughter? And what of Debs and the odd Allen. The novel tears onto its somewhat sad penultimate, keeping the reader wanting to read on until the finale comes as something of a relief as everything becomes clear and the previously disparate pieces fall into place.
This is a novel which keeps the reader engaged throughout and which, whilst the end answers all your questions, still leaves you wanting to know more about what the future holds for the main characters. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Arkgirl
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Having read the blurb I was expecting something quite different, although it does touch on 'who you can trust' it is much more about 3 very different neighbours and how their lives interact and collide:
Callie - a single mum with issues about trusting others with her daughter because of Rae's health issues;
Suzy - an American mum with 3 boys and marital problems who has befriended Callie and struggles with her desire to go back into the workplace; and
Debs - an older lady, recently married, and with a secret that has left her with mental health issues and possible paranoia.
The story that is woven provides tension, psychological mysteries and interesting twists and turns that make for a very satisfying read. It could be seen that there a few too many coincidences but it has an intriguing plot which draws you on and certainly made me stay up late to finish because I became so caught up in the tale. There are many aspects that could provoke great discussion and thus I can understand the comment about being good for book groups on the cover - I certainly would love to chat over some aspects with fellow readers.
Well worth a read and I will look for more by Louise Millar.
Callie - a single mum with issues about trusting others with her daughter because of Rae's health issues;
Suzy - an American mum with 3 boys and marital problems who has befriended Callie and struggles with her desire to go back into the workplace; and
Debs - an older lady, recently married, and with a secret that has left her with mental health issues and possible paranoia.
The story that is woven provides tension, psychological mysteries and interesting twists and turns that make for a very satisfying read. It could be seen that there a few too many coincidences but it has an intriguing plot which draws you on and certainly made me stay up late to finish because I became so caught up in the tale. There are many aspects that could provoke great discussion and thus I can understand the comment about being good for book groups on the cover - I certainly would love to chat over some aspects with fellow readers.
Well worth a read and I will look for more by Louise Millar.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Favourini
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I downloaded a sample of this in an idle moment and when I saw it was about mothers living in North London I'm afraid my heart sank. However, two or three pages in, I was hooked. This is a cracking story, more tense thriller than family drama, fast paced and densely plotted, with enough twists to keep you alert and interested to the end.
The author deftly builds up your expectations of the characters, playing with stereotypes and the reader's expectations of how they will behave. Nothing is quite what it seems and you are forced to review your opinion of every character from chapter to chapter. The central theme is a child in danger, and the adults' confusion and paranoia about what or who is the source of this threat, and how easily people jump to conclusions. For readers who don't have children (and it is certainly not necessary to be a parent to enjoy the book), Millar draws attention to the difference between the fantasy of idyllic family life in an affluent suburb of London with the often lonely reality of bringing up children when fathers are absent or disengaged, and when friends and work contacts have faded away. The story is as much about friendship and loneliness as it is about parenthood. She is also excellent about the impossible demands put on working mothers living in big cities and relying on dodgy public transport - there are some terrific descriptions of Callie's efforts to get to and from work and nursery against the clock by Tube which made my blood-pressure soar in sympathy.
Only two criticisms: the very first paragraph is clunky and almost put me off. Second, without wanting to give anything away, I found one character's transformation too abrupt, particularly her conversation with her husband from the wood.... Read more ›
The author deftly builds up your expectations of the characters, playing with stereotypes and the reader's expectations of how they will behave. Nothing is quite what it seems and you are forced to review your opinion of every character from chapter to chapter. The central theme is a child in danger, and the adults' confusion and paranoia about what or who is the source of this threat, and how easily people jump to conclusions. For readers who don't have children (and it is certainly not necessary to be a parent to enjoy the book), Millar draws attention to the difference between the fantasy of idyllic family life in an affluent suburb of London with the often lonely reality of bringing up children when fathers are absent or disengaged, and when friends and work contacts have faded away. The story is as much about friendship and loneliness as it is about parenthood. She is also excellent about the impossible demands put on working mothers living in big cities and relying on dodgy public transport - there are some terrific descriptions of Callie's efforts to get to and from work and nursery against the clock by Tube which made my blood-pressure soar in sympathy.
Only two criticisms: the very first paragraph is clunky and almost put me off. Second, without wanting to give anything away, I found one character's transformation too abrupt, particularly her conversation with her husband from the wood.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love Louise Millar!
An excellently written thrilling book. I loved the interplay between the three main characters and each narrative voice was authentic and fascinating. Read more
Published 1 day ago by randomfemale
5.0 out of 5 stars
enjoyable
The basic concept of this story has been used before however the author manages to successfully put her own spin on the tale and makes for a highly entertaining if slightly... Read more
Published 16 days ago by bookworm77
5.0 out of 5 stars
Got better and better until I was totally hooked
I bought this initially because I was going to a literary event at which the author would be talking, and wanted to read something of her's before I went. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Kate Muggleton
5.0 out of 5 stars
A real page turner
Not my usual read but this was quite interesting. The plot kept me interested and the characters were not too one dimensional as to be boring
Published 25 days ago by Samantha Watkins
4.0 out of 5 stars
louise millar
I can not remember this one but must have enjoyed it as it is on the pile of read books that I pass on.
Published 1 month ago by mr darcy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark and disturbing
A very well written tale about the complexities of friendships and family. How well do we really know each other? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Eleanor Barker-White
3.0 out of 5 stars
Didn't really do it for me.
The author of this volume shows potential but I found that the characters lacked detail, I found it very difficult to decide which character was which. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sandford
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
Brilliant. Cleverly written, quite a few twists that had me guessing. If you like psychological thrillers, I thoroughly recommend this x
Published 1 month ago by Ickle Em
5.0 out of 5 stars
Playdate by Louise Millar
There were so many unexpected twists and turns, that I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next .
I do highly recommend this book
D Forsyth
I do highly recommend this book
D Forsyth
Published 2 months ago by D. H. Forsyth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone has secrets.....
A thoroughly enjoyable read with a good plot and twist in the tail! About real life and what could and can happen and could happen to anyone! Read more
Published 2 months ago by BusyReader
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