A young married couple—Paul, a music producer, and Myriam, an aspiring lawyer—hire a nanny for their children—a middle-aged widow with an estranged adult daughter. Paul and Myriam are pleasantly surprised by how well Louise fits in: she wins the children's hearts by inventing ever-new, exciting games and becomes their cook and housekeeper. Never before has the apartment been so clean, and the table so full of delicious food. But over time, the couple discovers they have become dependent on their perfect nanny...
Winner of the 2016 Prix Goncourt, Leïla Slimani's book is a gripping psychological thriller and, at the same time, a true-to-life story of complex human relationships, where love, poisoned by jealousy, turns to hatred.