The Mother at Number 5
Jill Childs
You thought you’d escaped. But then she moved next door.
As the moving van pulls up at number 5, a mother and daughter hop out. ‘Lovely to see you again,’ the mother says, giving me a knowing smile. ‘I’m so glad you told us about this lovely town’. As I take in her tanned arms and her neat dark bob, my blood runs cold with recognition. We met once on a summer holiday. I let slip a terrible secret, something no one here must ever know… but why has she moved to my street?
I look into the mother’s sparkling blue eyes. The kind of eyes you just want to trust. And shouldn’t. I watch her sad little daughter, who never says a word.
Fear rushes through me as I remember the night we met. I’m sure I never told her where we live. As if she can read my mind she leans in close and says, ‘Don’t worry, you’d had a few drinks. Your secret’s safe with me.’
But then my kind, loving husband comes home in pieces. She’s accused him of something terrible, something I know he would never, ever do.
The idea of losing my husband is terrifying. My new neighbour has gone too far.
The mother at number 5 has underestimated me ever since the night we met. And she has no idea what I’ll do to protect those I love…
A completely unputdownable psychological thriller from the USA Today bestseller about family secrets, guilt and lies. If you love The Girl on the Train, The Housemaid or Lisa Jewell, you will gasp out loud at the shocking twists!
What readers are saying about Jill Childs:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh my god!!!!… This book swallowed me up!!!! I was absolutely invested right from the beginning. The suspense, the heartbreak!!… A must read! I did not see the twist coming.’ @cathys.current.reads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OMG!!!!… MIND BLOWN!!!!… Had me sucked in from the first page until the explosive ending… I couldn’t stop turning the pages until early hours of the morning so if you pick this up I seriously advise you to clear your schedules… Completely blew my mind!’ Bookworm86
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A SHOCKING twist at the end that I never saw coming… Wow! I literally gasped out loud!’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow, if I could give this 10 stars I would. What an amazing book… Fantastic twist at the end, can’t recommend this book enough. Definitely the best book I’ve read all year.’ NetGalley reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was completely hooked… utterly impossible to put down! Wow! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting… stunning.’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow it does take your breath away… absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down… fantastic.’ Carol Drinkwater
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A stunning page-turner I did not want to put down… The ending is so twisted and fascinating… Just WOW! Unbelievably fantastic read.’ Goodreads reviewer
