The Playground: A Novel

Written by Jane Shemilt

Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden

Big Little Lies meets Lord of The Flies in this electrifyingly twisty follow-up to Jane Shemilt’s breakout debut The Daughter.

Over the course of a long, hot summer in London, the lives of three very different married couples collide when their children join the same tutoring circle, resulting in illicit relationships, shocking violence, and unimaginable fallout. 

There’s Eve, a bougie earth mother with a well-stocked trust fund; she has three little ones, a blue-collar husband and is obsessed with her Instagrammable recipes and lifestyle. And Melissa, a successful interior designer whose casually cruel banker husband is careful not to leave visible bruises; she curates her perfectly thin body so closely she misses everything their teenage daughter is hiding. Then there’s Grace, a young Zimbabwean immigrant, who lives in high-rise housing project with her two children and their English father Martin, an award-winning but chronically broke novelist; she does far more for her family than she should have to. 

As the weeks go by, the couples become very close; there are barbecues, garden parties, a holiday at a country villa in Greece. Resentments flare. An affair begins. Unnoticed, the children run wild. The couples are busily watching each other, so distracted and self-absorbed that they forget to watch their children. No one sees the five children at their secret games or realize how much their family dynamics are changing until tragedy strikes.

The story twists and then twists again while the three families desperately search for answers. It’s only as they begin to unravel the truth of what happened over the summer that they realize evil has crept quietly into their world.

But has this knowledge come too late?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Dec 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062939449

Jane Shemilt

While working full time as a physician, Jane Shemilt received an M.A. in creative writing. She was shortlisted for the Janklow and Nesbit award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize for The Daughter, her first novel. She and her husband, a professor of neurosurgery, have five children and live in Bristol, England.

Reviews for The Playground

[Tori Gifford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I devoured this book in a day. I read The Daughter years ago and enjoyed it but at the time couldn’t find any other books by this author. I’m glad I looked again. Great narration and nice unique storyline that kept you intrigued.

[Valerie Light · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A lot of good twists n turns in this one

[B Hickerson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a private tutor myself, the premise drew me in. While nothing outside of our shared careers are similar, Eve's ( a her friend group's) life was....... complicated. So many problems, so little time. This book is definitely reminiscent of Big Little Lies. I really enjoyed it and loved the author's style. Without giving too much away, I'll just say that although the "twist" is not too unexpected, the journey this book will take you on is worth seeing it through. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[melfisher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Both the reading and the book. My new fave author. Can’t wait for more

[flourgirl49 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent psychological thriller, even though I figured it out before the end.

[kappadeemom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three couples and 5 kids all become friends when one of the parents starts a group for kids with dyslexia. Slowly the parents become closer and closer and are caught up in their own lives that they don’t pay attention to the children. The kids begin playing off to themselves and you see that train wreck coming miles away. When tragedy strikes you would think that those parents would sit up and take notice but, noooooooo...they keep on being up in LaLa land. This was a crazy book with lots of twists and turns and I really enjoyed it.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just GREAT! Although you can almost think you know what is going to happen, Shemilt manages to surprise the reader. I had tiny questions at the end because I couldn't figure who was speaking and even returning to the beginning of the book....do I really know "who" is thinking/talking? Shemilt had a terrific collection of characters and her descriptions and conversations between them really showed off her ability to write.

[carriewuj · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one kept me up until the wee hours, it was that compelling and addictive, but also the type to poke holes in after the adrenaline has worn off. Set in suburban London, the story brings together 3 families quite by chance in a toxic mash that will prove devastating. Eve is the hub, a generous earth-mother who has 3 children, one (Poppy) with dyslexia whom she decides to tutor over the summer school break. She advertises this service locally and 2 other families send their children: Grace and Martin send their son Blake and daughter Charley tags along to play with Eve's other children, and Paul and Melinda send Izzy, the oldest of the group at 13 and the soon-to-be ringleader. The house figures prominently: it is huge and child-friendly with an extensive garden and bordering woods - all freedom for the kids. Eric, Eve's husband is a landscaper and wants to tame some of the wildness (foreshadowing). He and Eve differ a bit on child-rearing: she is free-range and believes children are born innocent and become corrupted. He believes they are born "barbarians" and need to be civilized. The lessons are a hit - some schoolwork with lots of free play and the house quickly becomes the meeting point for all the families with summer barbecues and lots of wine and parental "fun" with benign neglect of the children, which leaves them plenty of time for unsupervised "games" under Izzy's direction. To say she has a mean streak is an understatement. Meanwhile, each unhappy familiy is unhappy in its own way, though the surface is all sweetness and light, and the underlying poison spreads in the groundwater of these relationships, making the adults more focused on each other than the kids. That's probably the main indictment here. The opposite is also true: over-indulgement of children also leads to trouble. When Ash, Eve's 3-year-old son goes missing, everything starts to unravel and this flimsy foundation of friendship cracks on many fronts. There are some worthwhile twists and turns and some social issues explored: racism, human trafficking, sexual abuse, which don't get the weight they deserve because there is so much here. The ending is not a great surprise in terms of "who" but a little bit in terms of "how." A worthwhile guilty-pleasure binge, which is paralleled in the content: how something that looks so appealing can be so damaging.

[ewhatley_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about three dysfunctional families who are connected by a tutoring class for dyslexia which a child from each family attends. There are clues that tell us disaster is coming so no surprise when it strikes. Even though it's predictable, it's a quick read. Maybe OK for a day by the pool or on the beach.

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

The Playground by Jane Shemilt  is a riveting mystery and fascinating character study.

Eve Kershaw is a stay at home mum to daughters Poppy and Sorrel and three year old Ash. She and her husband Eric live in her family home on a sprawling estate surrounded by dense woods. Eve provides minimal supervision as their children spend their days playing outdoors.  She is excited to begin tutoring  children with dyslexia and Eve is delighted by the unexpected friendships that form amongst both the children and their parents. But what will happen to their families and friendships after tragedy strikes?

Despite a few reservations, Grace is hopeful the sessions will be beneficial for her eleven year old son Blake.   Although her nine year old daughter Charley does not need any extra help, Grace is pleased when Eve invites her daughter to join them. Since Grace is the family's only source of income and works long hours, her husband Martin is responsible for the children's daily drop offs and pick-ups. Grace is surprised but unconcerned to discover that Eve and Martin have become somewhat close friends.

Interior designer Melissa and her architect husband Paul Chorley-Smith have also signed up their thirteen year old daughter Izzy for Eve's tutoring sessions.  Melissa has no choice but to allow Paul to closely monitor Izzy's lessons but she has no reason to believe her daughter is not thriving under Eve's tutelage. She is also thrilled to see that Izzy has become close friends with the other children.  Melissa is quite reserved and a little distant but she is soon an integral part of the circle of friends.

Over the summer, the three couples are soon spending lots of time in each other's company at the Kershaw's home and take a vacation together. With wine flowing freely, they enjoy raucous dinners while the children are largely unsupervised for large swaths of time. While the adults are absorbed with their own secrets, the kids are playing troubling games.  After a tragic accident, the friendships deepen but it takes another shocking event for them to realize something quite horrific is occurring in one of their homes.

The Playground is a spellbinding mystery that also serves as a bit of a cautionary tale for "free-range" parenting.  The characters are multi-faceted and each of the couples is dealing with a variety of issues behind closed doors. The plot is well-developed and easily captures readers' attention. With a stunning series of stunning twists and turns, Jane Shemilt  brings this suspenseful domestic mystery to a tense conclusion. Fans of the genre do not want to miss this enthralling mystery.

[shazjhb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book. Interesting twists.

[susan0316 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A new friendship between three sets of parents and six children develops when one child in each family takes part in tutoring for dyslexia. To say these families are different is putting it mildly. We have:-Eve, living well on her trust fund and her husband Eric, a landscaper. They live in a large but messy house with their three children Eve believes that children shouldn't lead structured lives and should be free to play without parental interference.-Melissa is an interior decorator who lives her life very strictly and tries her best to stay out of Paul's way. Paul is an abuser to his wife but very close to their daughter Izzy.-Grace and Martin have two children. She is from Zimbabwe and works to keep the family fed and taken care of. He is an author who has had one big book and appears to be having a major writer's block as he tries and fails on his second book. Grace is also a writer but doesn't have time or energy to write after her long days at work.Over the course of the summer, the six adults all become closer and even go to Greece on vacation. The unsupervised children also grow close but what is really going on with the kids. Is it simple hide and seek or is there something much more sinister going on? The story twists and turns while the three families search for answers. It’s only as they begin to unravel the truth of what happened over the summer that they realize evil has crept quietly into their world while they weren't paying attention.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[bookmarque · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story revolves around three families brought together by an after-school tutoring program. At first the kids are pretty unhappy, but they form a little unit right away despite varying ages and backgrounds. Something else is going on though and it becomes clear that Izzy has become their leader though more than just being the oldest. She is one creepy kid. Her parts of the children’s POV interludes are ominous. The parents are oblivious though. They all have their own problems and issues and Eve & Eric’s idyllic walled garden gives the illusion of safety. In terms of characters, they’re all pretty flawed and none apart from Grace and sometimes Melissa, made me at all sympathetic. In some ways it works, but I felt there was a little too much attention paid here. It took the pot off the boil in terms of plot. Martin is a bore who can’t get out of his own way, but has enough surface charm to hook Eve into an affair. Paul is creepy and his locked door sessions with Izzy are worrying. Melly (oy vey what a name) is too insecure and traumatized to challenge Paul about them or to talk to the kid or anyone about her. Maddening, but understandable. Eric comes off a little dull. Eve herself tries too hard. Everyone ignores the fact that Izzy is basically a horrible kid. She is calculatedly cruel, physically tortures other kids and a manipulative game-player. The kid’s cuts take the adults WAY too long to notice. Before I got to the end I noted in my book journal - “Did Izzy abduct Sorrell to frame her dad? Or is she just twisted?” Well, yeah.

[rglossne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three very different couples living in London become connected, first through their children, then to each other. The parents are self-absorbed, careless, neglectful of their children, and mostly unlikable. A tragedy midway through the book, domestic abuse, and adultery shuffle the relationships. Shemilt kept me reading, even though I nearly abandoned this book, because the story is compulsively readable and she is such a good writer. If you like twisty thrillers about domestic life that grapple with big issues, you will like this.

[almin-70827 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This could have been a 4 star read, I read it in 3 days (once I got started), it was compelling enough to where I wanted to get back to reading it as soon as I could. The reasons for 3.5 stars is too many characters, it was hard to keeping track of them, I had to think about who this person was when they were involved in the story. Additional background on the adults and how they became friends so quickly; I wasn't sure how the women even met. There is a trend I'm noticing with recent books, there are too many social issues being addressed; focusing on one issue would have a greater impact. It has all the ingredients for a good psychological thriller, shocking situations, and twists that keeps the story interesting. I would recommend to friends as a fast, enjoyable read. (my mind kept thinking of 'The Bad Seed')

[bonitajean · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novel covers everything possible in our society,MurderDomestic ViolenceGangsRapeChild abuseAdulteryAnxietyNEED I SAY MORE?.As depressing as these things are, they do and are happening everyday. Jane Shemilt really puts you into the lives of the group of people who have come together as friends, with all of the aforementioned subjects happening within their lives, and how each one handles their misery.Thank you LibraryThing for the opportunity to read this novel.

[grumpydan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Three families from different backgrounds come together as their children are all in the same tutoring group. The adults are so self-involved that they don’t pay attention to the children until tragedy strikes. At that point their lives unravel and we learn the truth of what really went on that summer.A lot of characters, and a lot of slow moments made it almost difficult to read. I was confused and the characters were not likable, unfortunately. After said tragedy, the story picks up and becomes somewhat more thrilling. I liked the ending, but overall not a book that I enjoyed.

[punkypower · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive this book through LT's Early Reviewers. I am vey very grateful to them, Jane Shemilt, William Morror Paperbacks and anyone who had a hand in getting me this book in exchange for an honest review.I read this book in less than 24 hours. I probably would have read straight through until morning, if I had not had an appointment and needed sleep.Shemilt did an amazing job building this world. All charaters were extremely fleshed out, including the children, which is rare to see in literature. We wonder two things during the entire book. 1. Who is watching the children? 2. Who needs to be watched more, the children or the adults?I had a heavy sense of dread and was extremely tense for the entire book. It seemed like anything could happen; and when it did, I wondered if something worse would happen next time (which sometimes did). It is extremely rare that suspense/mystery novels do this to me, so KUDOS!What dropped it from a 5-star to a 4-star for me was the "twist." I figured it out early on and was disappointed to see that I was correct. One suggestion I have when the book actually does come out is to change the promotional tag. I don't want to spoil for those that haven't read and/or seen the tag, but I am talking about the one that says "'______' meets 'Big Little Lies.'" I feel comfortable saying BLL as, it is an accurate description, but does not actually spoil anything for the reader, whereas the other literary work gives away the surprise. Just a thought!Thanks again for the great read!

[kmjessica · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Even though this was a fiction book, it was very disturbing. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. There is so much going on in this story it made me angry at times and sad at times and even sick to my stomach at other times. How parents can let there children out of there site and not know what they are up to at all times is a scary thought. This book takes things up 10 notches. This is a fantastic story! I was a little disappointed in the ending but it was such an amazing read that by the time the end come I was ok with it. I will defiantly be reading Jame Shemilt's other book very soon.

[kbig898 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three very different couples become close friends through their children. Over the summer the children are neglected as the lives of the adults become more entangled and messy. This leads to a tragic event. The story has some nice twists although I think she gets a few too many balls in the air by the end. This book was given to me through Library Thing.