Clair has worked hard to create the perfect life for her family. In her mind she is able to hold any threats at bay, until a new family arrives in the area. Then, a tragic accident that Clair interprets as something far more sinister proves to her that she was right to be strict with her children. But then her children start to rebel.

Clair lives in the leafy suburbs and has worked hard to create the perfect life for her husband and two children. In her mind she is able to hold any threats at bay, until a new family arrives in the area. The first time she sees Chelsea she has her pegged as a spoilt only child who has the potential to change the ordered calm that Clair has woven. But she has no idea exactly what events are about to unfold. A tragic accident that Clair interprets as something far more sinister proves to her that she was right to be strict with her children. But then her children start to rebel. The tighter she reins them in, the less control she has. As she loses her grip on them and her ability to govern what happens to them, she starts to lose her grasp on reality. Teetering on the edge of madness, Clair will do anything to protect her family - and in so doing risks destroying all their lives.

Review
Not only is the subject matter harrowing but the voice is cool and seductive, leading us inevitably to places we don't want to go; and yet, once there, unable to resist reading on. This psychological thriller is all the more terrifying because it touches on feelings common to more of us than we care to admit. [The Age]

Noli's debut novel is uncomfortably hypnotic. It's got a creepy, dreamlike quality that draws you in even when all you want to do is look away. It's a novel that holds up the most horrifying mirror of motherhood and dares you to contradict what you see That's what makes Still Waters so shocking: you know this woman. [Who Weekly]

One of the most confronting novels of 2008. [Canberra Times]

Compelling and disturbing. [Sunday Telegraph & Sunday Mail]

The watercooler book of the year... a chilling page-turner. [Harper's Bazaar]

Camilla Noli lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with her husband and two children. She released her first novel, STILL WATERS, to critical acclaim. BROKEN FENCES is her second novel. Previous Books: Still Waters (Bfmt Apr 08)