The Playgroup

November 27, 2023
Rich, jealous, spoiled, so-called “best friends” in California’s Silicon Valley prove to be exactly what readers might suspect in this engaging domestic thriller—husbands who constantly feel their masculinity slipping away and women who stab each other in the back, full of insecurities and striving for position. Newcomer to the neighborhood, Cleo Baird, has her eyes set on one particular person when she shows up with her three-year-old daughter, Izzy, to the Oak Valley playgroups—Alex Drake. Alex has it all—a hot husband, a bubbly personality, a close-knit community of best friends…basically, she’d be considered queen bee if they were all back in high school, which, in this hierarchical enclave, is exactly how it feels to the characters themselves.
While Cleo zeroes in on becoming Alex’s best friend, readers quickly see that something more complex is going on, and that nothing about Cleo’s meeting her is coincidental. Worthington’s polished debut compels as Alex seems to be falling into a trap, letting Cleo into her circle with open arms, and giving her intimate details of her life and marriage, while Cleo shares next to nothing about herself and her own background. One of Alex’s friends, Jenna, sees through the façade, but Worthington convincingly comes off as jealous and Alex quickly dismisses her—until it’s too late. Meanwhile, Worthington reveals the imperfections and occasional horrors beneath the veneer of wealth and privilege.
Full of twists and turns, suspense and psychological insight, The Playgroup reveals, in brisk and conversational language that will keep readers of domestic thrillers engaged, a community rich with luxury and fashion but also relentless dish, politicking, and betrayals, a darker Mean Girls full of status-obsessed adults who act like children but scheme like pros. The final twist is satisfying and surprising, and Worthington finds sharp, tragic comedy in her incisive treatment of women who strive to perform the appearance of perfection—trying to distract from the fact that a house is old and unfashionable “overpriced charcuterie and triple creme brie.”
Takeaway: Twisty story of lies and betrayal among moms in luxurious Silicon Valley.
Comparable Titles: Tarryn Fisher’s The Couple Next Door, Jeneva Rose’s One of Us is Dead.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A