The Sleepover

True friends take their secrets to the grave

It was meant to be the best night of her son's life . . .

Izzy is thrilled when her shy, dance-loving 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has spent years being isolated and picked on; he deserves a night of fun, friendship and freedom. But Izzy is also nervous: it's a year to the day since bullies put Nick in hospital. . . She drops him off at his new best friend's house with mixed feelings. Arriving to collect him the following morning, her worst fears come true: Nick isn't there.

Was it his last?

Desperate to find her son, Izzy is frustrated when the circle of friends refuses to break what feels like a pact of silence. Forced to hunt for clues in a bewildering online world of social media, Izzy discovers shocking secrets and begins to doubt everyone she thought she could trust. Her son's life is in danger, and whatever happened at the sleepover holds the key to saving him. Only Nick can tell her the truth - but where is he?

Praise for Samantha King

'Taunt, tense and very clever. Definitely one to watch out for' Claire Douglas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Last Seen Alive

'An astonishing read! Emotionally raw and unexpected, Samantha King's beautifully crafted The Choice is an utterly unputdownable debut that heralds the entry of a major new talent. Read it, and years from now, you can claim you were a Samantha King fan from the beginning!' Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King's Daughter

'I raced through [The Choice] ... first-class writing! It is BRILLIANT! Refreshingly different, and actually quite disturbing. I loved it!' Number One bestselling author Lisa Hall