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.

Definitely an interesting story, but some aspects were kind of weird. Fully guessed every reveal long before they happened. But I was invested and enjoyed it

An eery, unsettling domestic thriller that took big swings when leaning into the supernatural. Like most of the characters, we spend most of the book thinking that the protagonist is completely out of her mind before gradually being convinced. I felt that the husband's behavioral shift could have occurred more gradually throughout the piece - little bits and pieces that the audience could track, even if the protagonist was left in the dark. That would've helped his turn seem more believable. Good writing overall.

I was loooving the first bit if this but everything kinda fell apart for me in the end. there were way too many things going on - Blanca's death, Stella's possible possession, Stella's possible autism, and the actual reveal of what was happening in the end. I really disliked this twist - the first part felt like something new & interesting and the reveal just felt like any old mystery/thriller. would read from this author again.

Clever Little Thing Review

“Clever Little Thing”, by Helena Echlin is a great read. It follows Charlotte as she navigates motherhood to what some may consider a difficult child with another on the way. She faces many issues within the bubble of being a stay-at-home mom; personality conflicts with the other mothers of a group for organizing playdates, a husband who doesn’t always take her seriously, and her nanny mysteriously quits and further dies under mysterious circumstances. Charlotte herself is fairly happy though, even though frustrated at times with the difficulties she faces, she’s ultimately happy caring for her daughter, Stella, and knows her and her wants better than anyone else. Stella is certainly a trying child, as she’s potentially on the autistic spectrum and a genius. One day her behavior changes drastically over the course of a few days almost to the point she’s an entirely different person. No one believes Charlotte as she tries to tell her husband, friends, and child healthcare professionals about the change.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it covers a topic most tend to either forget about or try to gloss over entirely. The mental health and well-being of mothers as well as the effects of post and pre-natal depression. This can make the book a little difficult to read at times for some, as it is a serious matter and potentially traumatic as well. I felt like Helena Echlin did a fantastic job covering this as well as how others react to mothers who know there’s something wrong with their child even if no one else agrees. Far too many times people ignore what women say for many reasons, namely blaming it on something which—even if it may be affecting the person—it isn’t the main cause.

I will suggest some readers take on this title with caution, as the tension is really present and grows consistently throughout, which was something I thought was super well done. The care with which was taken in crafting not only the story but the personalities of the characters within is so indicative. I can’t say that enough.

The only issues I had with the novel were minor; I felt it was a little too ambiguous in a few areas. In my opinion it could benefit from the writer committing one way or another deciding if it’s to have the illusion of paranormal or it actually being paranormal. Either way, I felt the book was on the whole excellent and very well written. I definitely want to read more from Helen Echlin.

I scored “Clever Little Thing” an easy and solid 5 out of 5 stars! An excellent read.

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Mom-Noir
Publisher: Viking Penguin
Pub. Date: Jan. 14, 2025

I was disappointed in this thriller. The storyline is repetitive. My entire reading time was spent trying to determine whether the mother was delusional or evil without any tension in the writing.

Clever Little Thing is an entertaining, quick read with predictable but interesting ending.

Charlotte loved her daughter, and has since she was born, with every thing she has. She knows her daughter so well, but her daughter is too smart, unable to be controlled, and has tantrums that would cause any mom to fall apart at the seams.

Soon her daughter starts to change, and her once rebellious and intelligent nature starts to fade as she becomes something else entirely. Stella is docile, obedient, and has lost her affinity with reading completely.

Charlotte knows something is wrong and she searches to find out what has changed her daughter so quickly.

It’s a great story about the bond between a mother and a child- but she doesn’t bond with her other child- which I found strange. I did love the friendships she formed and the way the author made her narration feel unstable.

Overall this was a good read, but not my favorite of the year. Entertaining, but not groundbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group publishing for the ARC and privilege of writing an honest review.

3.5 Stars – Uneven but Unsettling

Clever Little Thing is an eerie, psychological slow burn that explores motherhood, intuition, and identity. The first 60% drags, while the last 20% rushes to the finish, making the pacing feel unbalanced.

Despite this, I appreciated how my feelings toward one character shifted, and the way Charlotte’s concerns were dismissed felt painfully realistic. The ending was satisfying, but the novel would have been stronger if it were about 50 pages shorter. A compelling, if uneven, read with a chilling premise.

Thank you, NetGalley & Penguin Group Viking, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just could not get into this book. I had heard great things about it and was excited to read it, but it just wasn't for me. I may try it again later to see if I connect with it better then.

DNF @28%

I didn't care about the story or the characters, the writing was bland and the story was cliche. A lot of tropes in domestic thrillers are overdone.

This book was wild and had me guessing so many things about this weird little kid - all except the ending. It was a page turner that just left you speechless. The dad, the mom, the neighbor, the daughter, all had you guessing what the heck was going on.

A chilling psychological thriller about a mother's desperate quest to save her daughter from a terrifying transformation. Helena Echlin's unique voice weaves a tense narrative that explores motherhood, diagnosis, and the supernatural.

Charlotte's daughter Stella undergoes a shocking change after the sudden death of their babysitter, Blanka. As Charlotte becomes increasingly obsessed with saving her daughter, she must confront the possibility of supernatural possession and the skepticism of her husband.

# Positives:
- Chilling storyline that keeps you on the edge
- Thought-provoking themes that explore motherhood and diagnosis

# Negatives:
- Supernatural elements may unsettle some readers

*mRead If You Like:
- Psychological thrillers with supernatural elements
- Explorations of maternal instincts and fears
- Stories delving into the complexities of child behavior
- Narratives critiquing the caretaking industry
- Tense, character-driven mysteries

A former lifestyle blogger in London becomes alarmed when her brilliant yet disruptive eight-year-old daughter undergoes a drastic change following the sudden death of her babysitter. The child adopts the babysitter’s accent, mimics her behaviors, and develops cravings for foods she previously avoided.

As the mother, pregnant with her second child, becomes increasingly obsessed with these eerie developments, she faces skepticism from her husband and those around her, leading her to question her own sanity.

This tense and unsettling narrative blends elements of the supernatural with a nuanced critique of the caretaking industry, culminating in a pulse-pounding tale that will haunt readers long after its epic, surprising finale.

Thanks so much to Penguin for my gifted ARC!

Clever Little Thing by Helena Echlin

5⭐️

Though this was a slow burn, the burn was SIZZLING! It was a unique story I really enjoyed. Helena Echlin created a chilling, sinister atmosphere that worked perfectly for this story. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Thank you for the eARC. I throughly enjoyed this one

This was extremely boring. I did Not find myself scared or disturbed at all. I had A hard time finishing it. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I went into Clever Little Things not knowing much about the story and I think that's the best approach. If I had to give a one sentence summary: Woman believes her 8-year-old child is possessed by the spirit of her dead babysitter. But that leaves out so much of what made this a great read.

I don't want to spoil all the surprises so I will discuss what worked and didn't work in the book, for me.

As other reviewers have stated, this is a bit of a slow burn. I was always intrigued. I thought the story premise was so original and fresh. Although there is an element of possession, this is never a horror genre type story. It's more about a mother's concern for her daughter. I thought the writing was good and the characters were interesting. For me, the writer was really able to bring Charlotte, the mother alive. I lived all her angst and concerns, as she becomes increasingly manic about the safety of her daughter. I felt the pain of exclusion as the other mothers in the neighborhood turn against her and her child, Stella. So, although I never wanted to quit the book, it took a bit of patience at the beginning to see where everything was going.

Then about one third of the way in, things really pick up and I was speed reading through the book. And the ending. WOW!. I've read so many mysteries lately that were fantastic, but when I got to the ending the storyline fizzled. Not here! Oh my gosh, I wanted to fist pump a big YES of excitement. One of the most satisfying endings to a book I've read in a long time!

Special mention to the character of Irina, the nanny's mother from Azerbaijan. I listened to an audio, which I highly recommend, so I got the stilted cadence of Irina's accent in her conversations with Charlotte. She is presented as a most unlikeable character, but as the story moves forward, I couldn't help but admire her and also laugh at some of her blunt statements. A masterclass in making a minor character walk off the pages and steal your heart. Well done.

I struggled with whether to give this four or five stars. Because of the slow build, I was going to go with four. But as I write the review, and again admire the authors deft telling of this unique story, I have to go with five. Sometimes as a reader I feel I can be impatient. I read so much, it's like "entertain me or I'm on to the next new thing." But a good storyteller knows how to build the set, build the suspense, cast doubts, throw breadcrumbs. The author did a fabulous job at this, so I'm settling with five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Helena Echlin, and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable book, and I thought that the author did a great job as this was her debut thriller! Some parts were a little creepy, and there were some good twists. I don't feel that I can say too much without spoiling the plot, so it's best to go into this one blind.

If you are a fan of Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage and like some supernatural elements in books, then you will enjoy this one!

The only reason I didn't rate it a little higher was because I found some parts to be more of a slow burn, and I tend to like a faster paced thriller.

3.5 stars rounded

I was fairly confident going in that I'd enjoy this one, especially given The Push comps. The ending was satisfying, and I quite enjoyed how twisty and mind-bending it was. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end!

After the death of her child’s nanny, a woman notices pronounced differences in her daughter. She thinks her child is trying to process her babysitter’s death but becomes convinced the nanny’s spirit has returned to pass on a desperate message. Author Helena Echlin’s debut includes all the markers of a psychological thriller with a dash of the paranormal in a book that veers all over the place in Clever Little Thing.

Charlotte is in her second pregnancy and battling morning sickness as well as her daughter, Stella, on a daily basis. Stella’s moods change with the wind. Sometimes she’s approachable but often lashes out at the most unexpected things. No one, other than Charlotte, knows quite how to manage her, not even Charlotte’s husband, Pete. Pete loves his daughter, but he’s always confused about the best approach to take with her.

That’s why when Charlotte meets Blanka, an Eastern European immigrant in need of a job, it seems like a gift. Although Stella throws her tantrums with Blanka as well, many times Blanka has a way with Stella that no one else can manage. Stella is incredibly bright, a far advanced reader for her age, and highly sensitive. Blanka takes all that in stride, and Charlotte is grateful for her every day.

It makes no sense, then, that one day Blanka just quits without explanation. A simple text to say she won’t return to take care of Stella. Charlotte is confused and hurt. Hadn’t she always paid Blanka well? Didn’t she always give Blanka freedoms that she wouldn’t have given a different babysitter?

Stella, too, seems deeply affected by Blanka’s death, and her personality starts changing. Before she would fight with Charlotte and Pete on the most random things; now she’s compliant and even sweet at times. The child who hated anyone brushing her hair or getting into a tub has no trouble whatsoever with letting her hair be braided or taking a bath.

At first, Charlotte is grateful for these changes in Stella, confusing as they are. Yet the longer Charlotte watches and listens to Stella, the more she realizes there’s something else going on. Stella is not only modeling a good child; she’s modeling Blanka in ways that are disturbing and sometimes downright frightening.

Charlotte reaches out to Irina, Blanka’s mother, as much to pay her condolences for Blanka’s death as to get some guidance on what to do with Stella. Because Charlotte is starting to suspect this is more than just Stella mimicking her nanny. It’s possible that somehow Blanka’s spirit never left; that she has a message she needs to share before moving on.

Author Helena Echlin leads readers to make certain assumptions about her characters. Charlotte, while well-meaning, comes across as clueless to the reality of her life. Stella is undoubtedly on the autism spectrum, yet even in present times both Charlotte and Pete resist the idea that Stella could be neurodivergent. Also, with so many resources available online, it’s hard to believe Charlotte wouldn’t have done some research based on her own observations. Echlin gives Charlotte an acquaintance whose son has been diagnosed with autism, yet even with that live example Charlotte chooses her blindfold of naivete.

The novel is split into chapters listed “Then” and “Now” to show where Charlotte is in story present and how she got there. Yet many of the “Now” chapters drag, feeling like filler, and are often repetitive. Despite the book’s insistence that Charlotte’s stay in the facility where the book starts is part of the plot, in reality it functions as an elaborate segue to the “Then” chapters that are really flashbacks.

Some of the twists are predictable and don’t feel fresh, and the characters themselves are inconsistent throughout. At times Charlotte is desperate for Irina’s help; at others, she despises Irina. Readers might interpret this as a mother’s indecision in who she can trust to care for her child, but ultimately it comes across as waffling as to who the character should actually be, like the narrative couldn’t decide what to do with her.

The leap from psychological thriller to a paranormal one actually makes sense in the book, but the execution is awkward and sometimes even clumsy. Those who love books like this may want to look elsewhere.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story moved slowly, but the pace led to a build up that made you wonder if Charlotte was losing her mind if there was something more sinister going on. Touches on the difficulties of motherhood, children on the spectrum, and relationship struggles. Also shows the judgment between parents and those living “perfect” social media lives. Things are not always as they seem.

3.5 rounded up