The Herd

Set in the wealthy English village of Farley during a hot summer, this debut novel explores the deep bonds and sudden fractures of friendship. Elizabeth Chamberlain, a structured former lawyer, and Bryony Kohli, her disorganized neighbor, trust each other implicitly as godmothers to their daughters. Because Elizabeth's daughter cannot be vaccinated due to past medical complications, she relies heavily on herd immunity. Bryony, influenced by her mother, secretly decides not to vaccinate her own daughter. When Elizabeth requests only vaccinated children attend her daughter's birthday party, Bryony tells a small lie that unravels into a devastating sequence of health crises and social division, bringing a legal and moral clash to their tight-knit community.