THIS author’s previous book, The Tradwife’s Secret, was a global publishing phenomenon so it’s no surprise that she returns to a social media theme for a timely look at the world of child and teen online influencers.

Mabel Clark is a 14-year-old influencer whose brand is obsessively promoted and managed by her mother Kristen. Mabel’s 2 million followers financially support her family’s luxury lifestyle in Utah.

The story opens with the kidnap of Mabel and the search for her kidnapper provides the gripping backdrop for a psychologically convincing examination of the terrifying effects of over-ambitious parents who subject their children to the dangers of a commercial life online. It’s partly powerful parable but Child manages to avoid preaching and produce an easy-to-read thriller which raises profound questions.   

LIKE many people, Mia seeks refuge in doing up a house when her relationship and her job go wrong. Ignoring the advice of Beth, her best friend, she moves into Taverner Street which has a challenging set of neighbours. A weirdo called George lives next door – he is rude and threatening, and plays the violin all night.

The secrets of the people in the street begin to prove Beth right and Mia comes to regret her decision to move in. But not before things turn very dark, murder rears its head and Beth disappears. The clever, twisty plot relies on the unbalanced relationship of these women and Curtis produces a creepy but thoughtful study of the damage done by damaged people.

FOR very sound reasons, Kubica has a worldwide fan club and this book certainly has its good points: well-realised characters and an acute understanding of mother-daughter relationships. And the setting, an isolated lakeside location in rural Wisconsin, is beautifully evoked.

The story starts at a breathtaking pace with Courtney, a fortyish mother discovering the dead bodies of her brother and sister-in-law in the holiday cottage next door. Their teenage daughter Reece is missing. Inevitably questions are raised about Reece. Is she connected to the deaths or has she been kidnapped by the killer? Courtney soon finds more secrets than she can ever have expected.

But sadly this otherwise carefully constructed and well written book is let down by a rather disappointing conclusion.