A beautifully written exploration of the power of a mother’s love. Tense, captivating and unputdownable. Perfect for fans of ROOM and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.

‘So electrifyingly suspenseful and so brilliantly vivid, that I had to put it down to catch my breath at times - and I mean this as a compliment! There are so many beautiful details woven into this completely original concept exploring the visceral fears of motherhood, that any reader’s heart will race, and then break, and then race again, from beginning to end.’ Ashley Audrain

Lincoln is a good boy. At the age of four, he is curious, clever and well behaved. He does as his mum says and knows what the rules are.

‘The rules are different today. The rules are that we hide and do not let the man with the gun find us.’

When an ordinary day at the zoo turns into a nightmare, Joan finds herself trapped with her beloved son. She must summon all her strength, find unexpected courage and protect Lincoln at all costs - even if it means crossing the line between right and wrong; between humanity and animal instinct.

It’s a line none of us would ever normally dream of crossing.

But sometimes the rules are different.

Previously published as Fierce Kingdom.

‘A page-turning, adrenaline-soaked read … an eloquent and meditative insight into motherhood and what it means, its many small trials and wonders.’ Alison Flood, Observer