I take a sip of coffee as I plan my day. My surgeon husband, Cole, slept at work last night, so I had to get the kids ready on my own, again. I can’t complain, though, I’ve loved him ever since we met, long before he became a famous surgeon and the papers started calling him the pride of the hospital. Our latest family photo hangs on the kitchen wall and I remember that day so clearly. Cole screamed at me over nothing, then apologised saying he was stressed at work. My heart pounded with fear, but I plastered a smile on my face for the sake of my children.

I've never liked my next-door neighbor, Tanya, but I'm shocked when I discover she is having an affair. She doesn't seem the type, plus her husband, Joe, is gorgeous, so why would she risk her marriage? With her secret out, I have to decide what to do next. My husband, Spencer, wants me to stay out of it. He says it's none of my business and he might be right. But news travels fast on a street as sleepy as mine and sordid secrets aren't safe in suburbia . . .

I used to enjoy my job. I was good at it and felt fulfilled. I also used to enjoy spending time with the people I worked with. They say you spend more time with your work colleagues than you do with your family members, but that was fine by me because I made two very good friends at the office. I also allowed myself to get a little too close to my boss, but I soon realized that was a mistake. Unfortunately, it was too late by then, and as my personal and professional lives quickly blurred into one, that was when everything changed.

Charlie takes my breath away from the moment we meet, when he is dropping his adorable little girls off at the school gates at the same time as I’m waving goodbye to my son. Being a single mother has been hard. So when his gorgeous green-blue eyes hold mine and his lips curve into a smile I wonder if this is my chance to find happiness and escape the secrets in my past.

Caroline twitches aside her curtains to see the new family moving in. A mother – beautifully dressed in expensive clothes – and two young children. Where is her husband, she wonders? And why are they moving in to the smallest house on the street? They really don’t seem the type. But Caroline believes it’s important to be welcoming. It’s important to know everything that’s happening on West Street.

Eliza has everything I’ve ever wanted. Three perfect children. A doting husband. A dream home. But I know a secret that could destroy it all. When Eliza Watts hires me as her assistant, I can’t believe my luck. I steady my nerves as she glances approvingly at my glittering CV. I need this job more than anything. But she must never know why. It’s funny she doesn’t recognize me, because we’ve met before. And ever since we crossed paths, I’ve wanted nothing but to be close to her and her flawless family.

Pete never wanted another child. Before baby Erin was born, they were happy. If Natalie hadn't got pregnant, he would never have done what he did. Natalie knows things have been difficult since the surprise arrival of Erin. Life with Pete and their two other children—Emily and Zadie—has been balancing on a knife-edge. Now their home is full of guests at a party Natalie didn't want to throw—and she's about to reach breaking point. But so is her family. Because everyone has a secret that they've been hiding and when Erin suddenly disappears everyone becomes a suspect.

Megan Lewis is ready for her big day, but when an unexpected guest crashes her hen weekend, her perfectly curated world unravels. Beth, claiming to be Jamie’s cousin, quickly charms the group. But when she gets close to bridesmaid Lauren, things take a dark turn, and a game of truth or dare exposes secrets from Megan’s past, shaking her world.

Charlotte: Since my husband Lawrence died it’s just me and our sweet baby girl Jordan. It’s so hard raising her alone. Then Sophie shows up at my door. She says she is Lawrence’s sister… and she seems like a blessing in disguise. But with her in my house, looking through my things, it’s going to be difficult to keep the secrets about my marriage hidden...

ME: Staring down at the sweet baby in my arms, I feel panic instead of love. Because this isn’t the child I gave birth to. My husband whispers to the midwife. They all think I’m going crazy. But the tiny boy in my arms is crying again. I’m certain: he knows I’m not his mummy. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get my son back.

Some secrets refuse to stay buried... Abandoned by her mother, Lucy Mitchell grew up in foster care, where she found solace in her best friends, Amber and Josh. In a strict foster home, Lucy and Amber made a pact – friends for life – often escaping to the woods to hide from their overbearing carer, Linda. Then, one day, only one of them comes back. Amber was gone, leaving behind only a note: I’ve run away. Fifteen years later, Lucy is planning her dream wedding to Josh – until a body is discovered.

Naomi is devastated when the sale of the apartment falls through, her dreams of moving to an amazing ‘forever home’ nearby with her family are momentarily dashed. But then a sweet-natured single mother named Summer appears, announcing her intention to buy Naomi’s old apartment. And all of a sudden, it looks like Naomi might get her new house after all. At first, it feels like Summer’s saved her life. But as soon as the sale goes through, Summer starts turning up at Naomi’s new house. She’s enrolled her child in Naomi’s daughter’s class. She’s dressing like Naomi.

For two years Lucy and Sam renovated their beautiful Victorian home but spiraling debts are forcing them to sell. The agreement with their real estate agent is that they won’t be home for viewings, but when Lucy gets a voicemail saying the Agent is running late, she realizes she will have to show the prospective buyer around herself. Suffering from extreme anxiety and claustrophobia, Lucy watches the stranger on their doorstep waiting to be let in.

When we move to the exclusive Cutters Island, my life changes overnight. Dressed like the perfect wife, pushing my baby down the street in her pink stroller, I look up and smile at the security cameras. Because I know they are watching. And for now, I need to play my part.

My delicate newborn, Lola, is just perfect. She’s made our family complete. My wonderful husband Max has his own children. He doesn’t like to talk about his first wife – and I knew it would be hard, becoming a stepmother. But now I have a child of my own. I can forget about the past.