Myriam, mother of two children, decides to resume her work at a law firm despite her husband's reluctance. After a thorough selection process to find a babysitter, they decide on Louise, who quickly conquers the hearts of children and becomes an essential figure in the home. But little by little the trap of interdependence is going to turn into a drama. With a direct, incisive and scary style at times, Leila Slimani unfolds a disturbing thriller where, through the characters, the problems of today's society are revealed to us, with her conception of love and education, submission and money, of class and cultural prejudices.