One mistake could cost her everything…

Published today by Sphere, Breaking Point tells the story of Susannah who 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?

Praise for Breaking Point

“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 page turner about what we expect from women, especially mothers. It’s going to be a massive hit”

Marian Keyes

“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

“It's a knockout, you're going to love it”

Ryan Tubridy ― RTE

“Breaking Point has all the hallmarks of a future bestseller. Written in an economical, stripped-back style, it has the pace, setting and glamour of a Hollywood thriller… Coffey gives us an outstandingly good portrait of a woman on trial who discovers too late she is entirely the wrong person to win sympathy from others”

Jane Casey, The Irish Times

“Hugely compelling - I devoured it in a day . . . a compulsive debut that keeps you turning its pages”

Sunday Business Post

“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 incredibly powerful thriller with real emotional depth - and a chillingly relatable storyline.”

TM Logan, author of The Holiday

“A rare treat, an emotional thriller steeped in humanity. I read it in a single sitting!”

John Boyne

“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

“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