Breaking Point

The most gripping debut of the year - you won't be able to look away

Edel Coffey author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group

Published:16th Feb '23

£9.99

Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.

Breaking Point cover

'Breaking Point is raw, compelling, and ground-breaking; Coffey puts the life of working mothers under a microscope. To say I loved it is an understatement, I expect it will be a huge success.' Liz Nugent

'A gripping, compulsive pageturner about what we expect from women, especially mothers. It's going to be a massive hit.' Marian Keyes

'Both page-turner and gripping courtroom drama, this has much to say about the expectations and judgement put on women when they become mothers. Prepare to feel devastated and enraged all at once.' Heat


One mistake could cost her everything.

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?

Readers love Breaking Point:
'A genuine contender for best book I have read this year.' *****
'I was reading through the tears and couldn't read it fast enough' *****
'An excellent novel, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain' *****
'If you want an addictive, pacey read, this is for you!' *****
'I was a bit of an emotional wreck at the end' *****

'A very thought-provoking story that will no doubt resonate with parents everywhere' Sun

'Powerful' Best


'A rare treat, an emotional thriller steeped in humanity. I read it in a single sitting!' John Boyne


'Gripping, unswerving, heart-breaking, you'll read this book through parted fingers - and learn a crucial lesson as you go.' Celia Walden, author of Payday

'Really enjoyed this terrifyingly plausible debut, with much to say about parental guilt and how society treats working motherhood.' Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park


'An...

It's a knockout, you're going to love it. -- Ryan Tubridy * RTE *
Breaking Point has all the hallmarks of a future bestseller . . . it has the pace, setting and glamour of a Hollywood thriller. -- Jane Casey * Irish Times *
This very human story examines the heavy burden on working mothers, spinning the innumerable plates of parenting and career. Are working women set up to lose, to fail their children, and to fail themselves? Shocking, thought-provoking, and necessary, Breaking Point will change hearts and minds. -- Frances Macken, author of You Have to Make Your Own Fun Around Here
Skilfully explores what it means to be a woman trying to juggle it all - and the consequences when tragedy strikes. You won't be able to put this down. * Image Magazine *
It grips from get go. * The Gloss *
Expect this book to be a mainstay of bookclubs in 2022. * The Irish Sunday Business Post *
You won't be able to put this one down. * Stellar Magazine *
This is not only a gripping page-turner and gripping courtroom drama, it also has a lot to say about the expectations and judgement put on women when they become mothers. Prepare to feel devastated and enraged all at once. * Crime Monthly *
A heart-in-mouth type of novel that will have you wonder how you'd react if in similar circumstances. * Belfast Telegraph *
The book promises to be one of the most talked-about of the year. * New European, Faces to Watch for 2022 *
Hugely compelling - I devoured it in a day . . . a compulsive debut that keeps you turning its pages. * Sunday Business Post *
This debut novel from Edel Coffey craftily spins out that nightmare scenario of a clock you can't turn back, a situation you can't fix and how quickly envy turns to universal hate. * Sunday Life Magazine *
This chilling, emotional thriller explores the burdens placed on working mothers in the wake of a high-flying doctor's tragic mistake. -- Joanne Owen * LoveReading.co.uk *

  • Winner of An Post Irish Book Awards Crime Fiction Book of the Year 2022 (UK)
  • Short-listed for An Post Irish Book Awards Newcomer of the Year 2022 (UK)

ISBN: 9780751582406

Dimensions: 196mm x 124mm x 28mm

Weight: 250g

368 pages