What is your babysitter doing when you're not there?

Fifteen-year-old Ashleigh is clever and charming, all too ready to rush to the rescue of parents in need of relief, and she soon becomes the neighbourhood's favourite babysitter. But she has an appetite for secrets.

Fast-paced, witty and scalpel-sharp, One Woman Crime Wave examines the limits of what money can buy, and how easily the fragile web of middle-class privilege can be torn. In the end, is it really Ashleigh who's the problem, or is it the fractious and divided community she exposes?



Our latest girl crush and undeniable star of the show.



Bee's take on an unequal society doesn't come with a side helping of gloom. Instead, her bitterly funny work reflects a wish for a saner, more civilised London.



Bee Rowlatt writes with great beauty and insight.



Humorous and fast-paced. I was hooked!



If you ever wonder why the disempowered sometimes pick on people with less power, or worry what embarrassing secrets a rummage through your home might reveal, or if you're just looking for a novel that is sad and funny and vicious and vivid, this is the book for you.



'One Woman Crime Wave is a riptide of a ride! Filled with characters who are both utterly unique and deeply recognizable, it's a vivid invitation to ponder questions of privilege, inequality, and familial love. At the same time, the characters' unexpected predicaments and Bee Rowlatt's lively prose will keep readers hooked to the very end.'



'Bee Rowlatt's witty and smart coming of age novel artfully examines the complexities of class and privilege through a sharp and contemporary lens. Prepare to be captivated by its vivid characters and resonant truths.'



'A cleverly crafted narrative with such perfectly etched characters, One Woman Crime Wave is a witty and heart-rending read that masterfully blends humour with poignant social commentary, and entertains as much as it enlightens. I couldn't put this book down.'



'Put a bit of grit in your beach read and a thrillerish twist in your sundowner this summer with Bee Rowlatt's One Woman Crime Wave. Rowlatt's deft tragicomedy of middle-class bad manners is as unnerving as it is irresistibly entertaining. Ashleigh is a superbly intriguing and unforgettable anti-heroine – like or loathe her, she'll never let you forget her.'



What Bee manages to achieve in terms of character depth in such a slim novel is quite remarkable. It's fresh, it's gripping, it's great. I loved it.



'Micro-aggressions, misdemeanours and malevolence stud this twisting tale of the inner lives of interconnecting families with nothing in common but fierce love – sometimes of the very wrong kind. Pacy, furious and a great deal of fun.'



'A fantastic novel about fractured families, class and the politics of parenting. Beautifully written and very moving.'



'A great read.'



I'm loving this novel about teenage babysitter Ashleigh and her misadventures in middle-class suburbia.



Immersed in – and blown away by – One Woman Crime Wave.