"This chilling, emotional thriller explores the burdens placed on working mothers in the wake of a high-flying doctor’s tragic mistake."
Edel Coffey’s Breaking Point delivers an absolute page-turner all with the compelling, “can’t-look-away-for-a-moment” power of a primetime TV thriller. Pointing a sharp finger at the heavy, unjust weight of expectations heaped on working mothers as the finger of the law is pointed at its successful female doctor protagonist, this page-turner is easy to get into, with functional, unflorid writing that serves the plot and protagonists to deliver a gripping story that’s likely to be read in very few sittings.
Susannah is one of life’s success stories. A dedicated doctor with a lucrative publishing deal and a TV career that’s given her fame and fortune as Dr Sue. She also has two young daughters, and an also-successful husband - the full works, though it’s often tricky to balance having it all. One hot New York morning, when her usual routine is disrupted, Susannah makes a terrible mistake - she forgets to drop her baby daughter at nursery and the baby dies in the heat of the car.
A tensely-evoked court case ensues, with the media and prosecution lawyer going into overdrive to present Dr Sue has a negligent mother who put career before kids. One of the reporters assigned to the case is CNN’s Adelaide, a woman who has connections to Sue, and understands a thing or two about loss herself. As the case and two women’s stories unfold, readers will be on the edge of their seats willing justice to be done, with the final twist in the tale coming as an entirely unexpected surprise.
| Primary Genre | Thriller and Suspense |
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Closing date: 15/10/2026
An innocent mistake. A lifetime of guilt.
Susannah has two beautiful daughters, a high-flying medical career, a successful husband and an enviable life. Her hair is glossy, her clothes are expensive; she truly has it all.
But when - on the hottest day of the year - her strict morning routine is disrupted, Susannah finds herself running on autopilot. It is hours before she realises she has made a devastating mistake. Her baby, Louise, is still in the backseat of the car and it is too late to save her.
As the press close in around her, Susannah is put on trial for negligence. It is plain to see that this is not a trial, it's a witch hunt. But what will the court say?
Breaking Point features in the following genres: Thriller and Suspense, Debut Books of the Month, Debuts, Crime and Mystery, Family Drama, General Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Political / Legal Thrillers, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Psychological thriller, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Social issues, Fiction, Fiction: narrative themes, Recommendations
Breaking Point is available in Paperback, Hardback
Breaking Point was written by Edel Coffey and published by Little, Brown an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group
Breaking Point has 357 pages
£9.89
