The Trophy Child by Paula Daly, £12.99

WITH her teenage son, Ewan, being somewhat of a disappointment, Karen's one aim in life is to make sure that her young daughter will excel at everything she does; Bronte's every waking moment is a whirlwind of reading aloud, extra schoolwork, music lessons and dance lessons. But Karen is not a likeable character and her GP husband, Noel, would rather sit beside Haweswater with the Sunday Papers than spend time at home. Ewan spends most of his time shut away from the family and her stepdaughter, Verity, is having help to deal with anger issues.

With the peace and beauty of Windermere as the backdrop, the family starts to unravel and the gripping drama plays out with twists and turns aplenty to keep you guessing right to the last page.

Paula Daly's new thriller will not disappoint her many fans!

CAROLINE REECE

WATERSTONES KENDAL