Every mothers worst nightmare is the disappearance of her child. When Antonia Weblocks four-year-old daughter, Charlotte, vanishes from the local playground, even her enemies are sympathetic. The police pull out all the stops to find Charlotte, asking the questions that are in everyones mind; did she wander off or was she kidnapped by a paedophile? Could her apparently devoted nanny have killed her and hidden the body? Why wasnt her stepfather looking after her as hed promised? And where was her real father when she went missing? Vilified by the tabloids for putting her child at risk for the sake of her successful City career, Antonia turns to her cousin Trish Maguire for help. As a a barrister specialising in cases involving children, Trish knows exactly what can happen to them at the hands of abusive adults. She is prepared to do everything she can to find out what has happened to Charlotte. But no one who knows Charlotte can be above suspicion and it is not long before Trish comes to the attention of the police. In Trish Maguire, Natasha Cooper has created a memorable character whose strong ideals and fierce intelligence belie her private torments and vulnerability. CREEPING IVY is a menacing story of manipulation and betrayal which will stay in the mind long after the book is finished.

‘A perceptive and pessimistic look at modern family relationships and a critique of the criminal justice system.’ Times

‘the vulnerability of a child in a world of edgily competitive adults is poignantly evident.’ Times Literary Supplement