Listen, I'm a mother and I'll be the first to say that kids are kind of creepy. Add in a possible supernatural element and you've got yourself a giant case of the heebie-jeebies. All mothers have probably at some point in time jokingly told their child, "who are you and what have you done with my kid," after they suddenly do something they normally wouldn't unless nagged to. Take that feeling and multiply it tenfold and you'll maybe start to understand Charlotte's unease throughout the book. So good, even with the creepy kid!

Alright, let's be real, "Clever Little Thing" by Helena Echlin almost lost me in the first few chapters. I was sitting there, turning pages, thinking, "Where are we going with this?" It felt like I was walking through thick fog, and I just couldn't quite see the path. I even considered putting it down and picking up something else, which I rarely do!
But something, maybe just stubborn curiosity, made me stick with it. And you know what? I'm so glad I did. It was like the fog finally lifted, and suddenly, I was caught in a whirlwind. The characters, who initially felt a bit distant, started to come alive, and the story started to grip me. I found myself actually caring about what happened to them.
Echlin has this way of building tension, slowly, almost sneakily. You don't realize how invested you are until you're completely hooked. And then, BAM! The ending. I mean, seriously, I did NOT see that coming. I was sitting there with my jaw on the floor. I even had to go back and reread a few parts just to make sure I hadn't missed something.
Look, I'm not going to lie, the beginning was a bit of a slog. But if you're willing to be patient, "Clever Little Thing" delivers a really satisfying payoff. It's the kind of book that makes you think, "Okay, I see what you did there!" And honestly, that's a pretty good feeling. So, three stars from me, with a strong recommendation to stick with it – you won't regret it.

Woof. This was just…. Not good. The pace was good and it kept me interested, because I wanted to know what happened. But then when everything came together it was so random and far fetched and just not steeped in reality at all. I wish I had DNFed just because now I’m annoyed that I spent time waiting to see what happened. AND I guessed all the reveals.

I devoured this in the best possible way. I was left with a reader hangover because I had no idea what was real and what was a fabrication of possession. I simple couldn’t put it down. This thriller will have you glued to your seat until you turn that last page to an ending you never saw coming. 📚

First special thank you to Penguin via Netgalley and PRH Audio for the copies. I usually go crazy about a psychological thriller with a creepy child. This is way too slow burn for me. I do not like how unreliable Charlotte is. The book is worth the read but not my favorite to date.

Thank you netgalley for the arc of clever little thing in exchange for my honest review. This book has a very solid start and I was very engaged and interested in the story. It certainly has a wild twist that I did not see coming. I went in not really knowing what the genre of the book was and im not really sure what the genre was by the end. I assume its intended to be a psychological thriller. Charlotte has a daughter named Stella with her husband Pete. Charlotte has trouble getting pregnant again but finally does, charlottes nanny Blanka abruptly quits and then mysteriously to Charlotte dies just days later. Charlotte notices a very big change in Stellas personality and behavior and she cant figure out what it is. Pete thinks that Charlotte is acting crazy and delusional. Is Charlotte crazy or is something supernatural occurring? Four stars. I really enjoyed the majority of the story.

Psychological thriller with some supernatural/horror elements. Great potential, but fell a bit flat for me. Perfect length read though, and I'd try this author again.

This book was a fantastic read, blending magic, mystery, psychological thrills, and family drama. A major theme revolves around mothers and daughters, capturing the complexities of their relationships. The writing is strong, the characters—main and supporting—are well-developed, and the fast-paced storytelling keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Oh my goodness...this book was creepy and not always in a good way. A disturbed child and a mother who is losing her grip on reality...not really my kind of book!!!

This book was not what I was expecting but I still really had a good time with it. This book follows Charolette after the death of her daughter’s babysitter. Charolette notices some changes in Stella that were similar to Blanca ( her babysitter). I was expecting a creepy kid story with this one and it is not really what you are getting. This felt much more like a family drama with a little magic realism thrown in it wasn’t really creepy or unsettling but still kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I will say not having kids of my own I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. The writing was engaging and kept me interested throughout. This was my first book from this author but hope to read more in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

There is so much to this story! Clever Little Thing surprised me – while it has the horror theme I was expecting, it brought so much more in other areas – abusive relationships, the traumas of motherhood, mental illness, the pure love of a mother for her child and so much more.

What I loved most was my own uncertainty chapter to chapter – I never doubted Charlotte’s love for Stella but was that love so big that she couldn’t see the forest for the tree’s? Then, things really took off and I cannot say enough about this plot’s twists and turns. Just so well done!

Thoroughly engaging and a unique storyline that is both compelling and thought-provoking, all while giving me the heebs and the feels!

My thanks to Penguin Group Viking for this gifted DRC!

I read a lot of thrillers, but this one felt different from the start—Stella’s sudden shift after her babysitter’s death is creepy enough, but the little details (like craving Armenian meat stew after a lifetime of being vegetarian) made it even more unsettling.

Is it possession? Trauma? Something else entirely? Clever Little Thing keeps you guessing, blurring the line between the supernatural and psychological. I’m not a mother, but I can only imagine how much more haunting this would be to read as a parent, watching your child become someone unrecognizable and not knowing how to fix it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. It had a twist that I didn't see coming, and I really enjoyed the characters. 5 stars for sure!

Very creepy and unsettling portrait of motherhood, pregnancy, and postpartum. Lots of nods to maternal mental health and extreme anxiety as it relates to kids. Ultimately, this was too slow for me. I didn’t want deep explanations and background. I wanted a faster pace, more clues, and compelling characters. I didn’t get that.

Clever Little Thing is a complex look at motherhood with a paranormal twist. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. The character development was wonderful, characters flawed and trying. And the suspense was top notch.

I had my suspicions about the twist and I was correct, but it was so well done.

This is a harrowing story of a mother’s fight to protect her child. Charlotte is a mother to 8 year old Stella who is showing possible signs of being on the autism spectrum, something that she and her husband, Pete, do not fully agree on. When Stella’s caregiver, Blanka, abruptly quits and then dies suddenly, Charlotte leaves her job to care for Stella and herself as she is newly pregnant. As time goes on, Stella begins to change. Charlotte is concerned for her daughter. Pete thinks she is just growing up but Charlotte thinks it is way more than that when Stella starts acting and even speaking like Blanka. Irina, Blanka’s mother, is a source of support for Charlotte who is experiencing lots of pregnancy symptoms. A series of events take place that lead to a harrowing fight for Stella’s life. Can Charlotte save her daughter from this other force?

This story is told using dual timelines. It was a little hard for me as a parent of a daughter on the autism spectrum to read parts of this book just as it hit close to home whereas I prefer my books to be an escape. I found Charlotte’s character to be slightly difficult to like just from my perspective as a mother, but every parent’s journey is different.

Ultimately, this book kept me interested but was a little bit of a slow burn for the first half to three quarters of the book before it picked up and I did not want to put it down. There was some intense gaslighting in this book as well, so if that is a trigger, proceed with caution.

Thank you Penguin Group Viking publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I honestly think I’m kind of done with books about the terror of motherhood and child behavior. I’m not a mother so I find it hard to really relate. That’s not the fault of the author but it certainly changes how I relate to the story.

For me this was just ok. You kind of jump right in without first getting to know any of the characters at all and I found it hard to really care about any of them. I especially disliked Charlotte. She’s very pretentious to me. And to be honest fear of having an autistic or emotionally handicapped child is just one reason I’m glad I don’t have kids so Stella’s behavior was grating to me. The overall mystery was fine and the end was decent. I’d read another book by the author.

If you can relate to being a mom and worrying about a child then you will probably enjoy this book way more than I did.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest opinion.**

This book was…interesting.
I was completely entangled, but then it took a strange turn, and I just don’t know how I feel about it now.
I wish the ending were different. One of those, you have a feeling someone isn’t telling the whole truth, and then you see a glimpse of proof at the very end. One of those endings would have been a little more intense here.
What would you do if your troublesome child suddenly cooperated with everything she wouldn’t before? Charlotte doesn’t know what is happening to her daughter Stella, but it doesn’t feel right. This book is just so strange. I did enjoy it, but it also creeped me out. 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Penguin Viking Books and to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "Clever Little Thing" follows Charlotte, a pregnant mother to an 8 year old who has always had sensory and social difficulties. When her nanny quits out of nowhere and then dies a few days later, her daughter experiences a drastic change in personality that starts to mimic that of her deceased nanny.

This book was fast paced and compulsively readable, I ended up finishing it in 24 hours. The author really drives you into the story and captures you in Charlotte's descent into madness and paranoia. It is a compelling story about the lengths a mother will go to protect her child and the ways women are told their problems are all in their head. It does dive a little heavy into demons and possession which I know will be a turnoff for some readers (and did make me love the last third less than the first two). However, fans of Ashley Audrain's, "The Push", or the Amy Adam's movie Nightbitch will enjoy this novel.

A psychological thriller between a mother losing her grip on reality and her young daughter. Charlotte, now pregnant again, is always worried for her little girl Stella, especially after her babysitter Blanka dies suddenly. But things ramp up when Stella’s entire personality changes in an instant, mirroring that of Blanka’s. Charlotte is convinced Blanka is somehow connected…either orchestrating something behind the grave, nefarious intent by her mother, or actual possession. As the pregnancy progresses, time is running out to save her daughter from other forces at play…but who will believe her?
This constantly left me guessing! It was hard to know if Charlotte was really going off the handles or if something really did have a hold of Stella on a supernatural level. Some things felt a bit disconnected but for the most part I enjoyed this thriller!
Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.