The Swimming Group

One woman’s MISSING
One friend’s LYING
AND SECRETS DON’T STAY BURIED

My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.

I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.

I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.

Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months.

A SEXY BLEND OF TENSION AND SUSPENSE WITH AN ENDING YOU WON’T SEE COMING.

This razor-sharp thriller of friendship, obsession and the secrets we’d do anything to protect is perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Liane Moriarty, Lucy Clarke, Sarah Goodwin and Shari Lapena.

READERS LOVE THE SWIMMING GROUP:

“This riveting oceanside mystery will keep you glued from the first page.” DAMYANTI BISWAS, bestselling author of the Blue Mumbai thrillers.

“A page-turning mystery that follows an eclectic cast of characters diving into the icy depths of trauma, deception, and dangerous secrets.” EMMA DUES, author of Return to Midnight

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Grabbed me straight away . . . Plenty of pleasing twists and uncertainties and a good dose of romance and humour.” Helen F.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A captivating read. Full of drama.” Carol S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A fantastic, gripping psychological thriller with more twists, turns and family secrets than you can ever imagine!” Sue J.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “An intense and thrilling read . . . brilliantly told.” Tracy S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I lost myself in this captivating story . . . I loved this book.’ Arlene L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The writing is sharp and sassy. A plot filled with twists. A real page-turner.” Sarah H.

Weekend Friends

For girls, middle school is practically The Hunger Games. For their mothers, it’s even worse.

A widowed mom with a secret relocates to Florida for a fresh start. She makes friends—and forms a steamy “weekends only” romance with the head of school—but when her tween daughter joins the popular group, only to be controlled and bullied, both mother and daughter find themselves on the wrong side of their gated community with devastating repercussions. Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster, 2023. Genre: commercial adult fiction

Reviews

Unflinching in its portrayal of modern-day parenting, Weekend Friends is a chilling debut that is as confronting as it is compelling. Unputdownable.

—Nicola Moriarty, international bestselling author of novels including The Fifth Letter, Those Other Women and You Need to Know.

Ellwood-Clayton explores the uneasy path of modern parenting, adolescent angst, and the vast consequences of seemingly small choices, where a parent’s best intentions are fraught with danger—and potentially deadly consequences. Weekend Friends is a deeply emotional tale that will make you laugh, cry, gasp, and ultimately leave you haunted with questions that have no easy answers.

—Annette Lyon, USA Today bestselling author of Just One More

A razor-sharp read about the social pressures mothers and daughters face in their respective cliques and how those worlds can collide when more than one person has a secret. 

—Georgina Cross, bestselling author, Nanny Needed, The Stepdaughter, One Night

Dark, enticing, and an incredibly poignant delve into modern motherhood.

—L.C. North, author of The Ugly Truth.

What readers are saying about Weekend Friends…

In Conversation:

Selected media appearances discussing writing, publishing and psychological suspense

TV

Postcards, Channel 9. Tina Bruce and I discuss our favorite café, Jack The Geezer, and how a bookshelf featuring locals authors elevates community (2025) link

Podcasts

Author Express: Exploring mean girls, mean moms, and social media with Shawna Rodrigues (2024). link

Australian Book Lovers: Joining Lisa Darcy in Veronica and Laurie’s Writer’s Room to discuss the writing craft, female friendships, and breaking into publishing (2024). link

Living the Next Chapter: Shark tales, Canadian adventures, and the writing life with Dave Campbell (2024). link

Mindflip Moments: Discussing friendship, creative routines, and daily inspiration with Heidi Horne (2024). link

Stories and Stanza: Taking host Abhra Pal behind the scenes of Weekend Friends, from lconcept to bookshelf (2024). link

And I Quote: Talking books, films, and creative pursuits with Ryan Permison (2024). link

The Success Palette: Exploring friendship themes in contemporary arts with LA-based host Soda (2024).

Writers on Ice. Guest appearance with Tania Chandler and Lucinda Gifford…while skating (2024).

Radio

3CR, Published…or Not: Unpacking complex female friendships in Weekend Friends with Lisa Moule (2024). link

Southern FM: My publishing journey and Weekend Friends with William Bond (2024).

Blogs

Brightside Story Studio: Motherhood, friendship, and plot twists with Andrea Barton (2024). link

Karen King’s “Friday Reads:” On writing life and Weekend Friends (2024). link

Paula Yates, “Author Spotlight:” Mixing art, life, and reality TV (2024). link

Book festivals

Ashburton book festival: “How to Write a Mystery: Detective, Villain, Victim” with Andrea Barton (2025).

Sex Drive. Why is female libido at an all time low?

“Engaging, insightful, Ellwood-Clayton draws on philosophical, psychological, physiological, and cultural sources, as well as interviews with an array of women, in order to investigate the nuances of female desire.” (Publishers Weekly)

“A scholarly and thoughtful book on the subject of women and sex... Your partner may want to read this book too.” (Wendy Harmer, The Hoopla)

See why everybody is arguing about this
book on The Huffington Post

Radio interview - Sex Drive