This is a somewhat disturbing story about Charlotte, the mother of Stella and pregnant with Luna. Stella's beloved nanny, Blanka, leaves their employ suddenly and dies a short time later. Stella's personality, difficult throughout her life, starts to change dramatically after Blanka dies. Blank's spirit seems to be sticking around their household. Or is Charlotte, sick from pregnancy, somehow mistaken? This story will keep you guessing while shedding light on the power of a mother's instinct and the difficulties of navigating motherhood and a difficult child. Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced reader's copy.

Helena Echlin's Clever Little Thing is a taut psychological thriller that delves into the dark complexities of motherhood, mental health, and the supernatural. The story follows Charlotte, a mother who becomes increasingly alarmed after her daughter Stella undergoes a dramatic change in behavior following the sudden death of their babysitter, Blanka. Stella begins to mirror Blanka’s personality in eerie ways—from her speech patterns to her dietary preferences, which raises the unsettling question: has her daughter been possessed?

Echlin weaves a tense narrative that explores the blurred lines between maternal instinct, psychological disturbance, and the possibility of a supernatural explanation. Charlotte's pregnancy adds another layer of vulnerability as she struggles to convince her husband and those around her that something sinister is happening, while they dismiss her concerns as delusions.

What sets Clever Little Thing apart is its chilling atmosphere and tight pacing, reminiscent of the creeping dread found in novels like The Push by Ashley Audrain. The book is a critique of the caretaking industry and the pressures mothers face in modern society, but it also keeps readers on edge with its supernatural undertones and unreliable narration. Echlin’s ability to maintain this balance makes for a captivating and haunting read​.

I LOVE ME A GOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!

although this was a tad bit predictable, but Helena Echlin still did a wonderful job catching the essence of a psychological thriller with a sprinkle of paranormal. it kept me on my toes throughout!

thankyou netgalley for the advance readers copy. all opinions are my own!

Excellent psychological thriller/mystery with a bit of paranormal thrown in. I couldn't put this one down. I didn't know how it was going to end!
Well written perspective from a mother struggling with anxiety/paranoia/post partum. She KNOWS something isn't right with her kid and fights like hell to figure it out.
Unsettling and addicting!

Thank you netgalley for advance copy! This book gives “the push” or “the perfect child” vibes but I thought it was better. Ending was excellent! Somewhat predictable but satisfying.

I generally enjoy the "mom noir" genre, such as "The Whispers" and "The Push," which are definitely favorites. I would consider this title to be firmly in that genre. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The somewhat sinister undertones were enjoyable, with the promise of a twist at the end. The "twist" wasn't quite as earthshattering as I'd hoped, but still satisfying. The characters were well-defined. All in all, a title I will recommend, especially for patrons requesting book club titles that will encourage discussion.

Clever Little Thing is a deeply unsettling novel about a prenatal mother. It raises questions about the way we view mothers, hormones, and their mental health.

Stella is a precocious and highly intelligent little girl who also struggles with sensory issues and getting along with her peers. Despite these struggles her mother vehemently rejects suggestions that she be evaluated, embracing her idiosyncrasies. Then, almost overnight, Stella begins to change. Is she simply maturing? Traumatized by the recent departure of her babysitter? Or is something more supernatural at work…

I rate this book 4 stars. I was slightly disappointed with the very end. It felt like it was trying to create further tensions and questions in a way that I found unnecessary. It was a quick read and very enjoyable while keeping me guessing.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for providing an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Domestic thriller lovers you are in for a treat! Go ahead and preorder "Clever Little Thing" and clear your calendar because this one is impossible to put down. I devoured it in one sitting.

Charlotte is a mom who is trying to do the best she can for her difficult but very intelligent 8 year old daughter Stella who appears to be somewhere on the autism spectrum. Stella's caretaker quits suddenly and then commits suicide and Stella's personality starts to change. While Stella is becoming more agreeable and easier to deal with she is also losing interest in the things that used to delight and consume her. Charlotte knows that something is very wrong with her daughter, but her husband and everyone else around her thinks its great that Stella is becoming more "normal". The more Charlotte's mom intuition alarm bells are ringing the crazier she appears to her husband and others.

5 stars from me and many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Viking/ Pamela Dorman books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. .

The story begins with Charlotte's admission to a mental facility, driven by her growing fears for her daughter, Stella, and the strange, unsettling changes she observes in her. As Charlotte battles to discern the line between her fractured reality and the unhealthy, suffocating bond she shares with Stella, the reader is drawn into a psychological web of doubt and unease.

This gripping narrative pulls at the core of parental instincts, making you question reality alongside the main character. The tension is palpable, building continuously as Charlotte's attempts to break free from her mother's influence clash with the realization that it has shaped her own journey through motherhood—for better or worse.

A powerful exploration of the psychological toll of pregnancy, childbirth, and the complexities of motherhood, this story binds it all together in a taut, suspenseful narrative that will leave you questioning the fine line between love and control.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the free ARC; this was an amazing read! I really liked the storyline. Everything flowed and the characters were in depth and personable. I thought it might be scary because it deals with some paranormal activities, but it was suspenseful and eerie without being over the top. I gave this novel the highest rating and am looking forward to reading more from this author. I received this ARC for free and am leaving this review voluntarily,

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for an ARC of Clever Little Thing.

I knew when I saw Ashley Audrain's endorsement on the cover that I needed to read this book and I'm so glad I did. This earns a rave review from me just like The Push! I absolutely love a book that can make me question reality right alongside the main character and I was hooked from beginning to end. Much like The Push, I think readers who are not mothers may not feel a strong connection to the story but as a mother I felt the story in my bones.

5 terrifying, achingly beautiful stars!!

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

This book was great - as the reader, you're really not sure if the narrator is reliable, or truly slipping into insanity. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through, and I cannot wait to recommend it once it's out!

✨CLEAR YOUR CALENDARS for January. You will be doing nothing but devouring this absolutely breathtaking page-turner of a book.

✨It’s a heart wrenching look at motherhood in the trenches with a hint of supernatural and is an absolute roller coaster of a thrill ride. Think THE PUSH – on steroids.

✨The author has masterfully written a layered and intriguing story that will keep you guessing and second guessing throughout. I could not put this one down

🌿Read if you like:
✨Mom noir
✨Psychological thrillers
✨Hints of supernatural
✨Stories of neurodivergent children

This book was a surprising up and down and twisty ride. Each time I thought I knew the plot, I was blindsided until the end. I had to stay up til late at night to read the ending.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes being surprised and those who like mother-daughter stories.
Thank you Netgaley and Penguin Group Filing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book

I could not put this book down! The book begins with Stella, a precocious child, and her mother Charlotte going to the beach with another child from school and her mom. Stella spends most of the time with her hands over her ears, while the other mom tells Charlotte that Stella’s babysitter Blanka has died. Almost immediately afterward, Stella begins to change and mimic her babysitter’s mannerism. Is she possessed? Or, is Charlotte losing her mind?

The book is very well-written and incredibly tense all the way through. Charlotte is not a particularly likable character: privileged with a vapid job and a constant ball of anxiety, but utterly unable to self-assess. She does gain some insight into herself and her privileges in the course of the book. That’s what elevates this book from others like it: Charlotte is not likable, but she is trying to do the best she can and is clearly the product of her upbringing in more ways than one. The book ends exactly the way it should, which is satisfying but also dispiriting because it makes the reader confront the limits of the domestic thriller genre.

Despite that, hours after having read the book, I can’t stop thinking about it and feel compelled to review it. Echlin is clearly a talented writer, and I look forward to reading her next book. 4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for letting me read an ARC of this book.

“Clever Little Thing” by Helena Echlin was a thrilling and imaginative mystery that I could not put down! The story revolves around an eight year old girl who is somewhere on the spectrum in an unusual way. Her babysitter dies suddenly and the child suddenly takes on all the characteristics of the babysitter’s personality to the extreme degree. The Mom knows something is not right, but because the child was so difficult before taking on the babysitter’s characteristics no one else sees it! The twists and turns are propulsive and I truly had no idea where this story was going. It’s a mystery, a thriller and ventures into the paranormal. Clear your calendar because it’s unputdownable! Loved it!!

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel blew me away. Absolutely loved the uncanny/weird kid vibes that kept me guessing throughout the entire story.

The plot relies heavily on the psychological aspects of raising a child that has more brilliance and imagination than average. And when that child begins changing in alarming ways, her mother will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it.

Great page turner that would be perfect for mystery lovers looking for something a little different.

I apparently really enjoy books about messed up kids. There’s something so interesting about the concept, and this one was even wilder because it had the whole “is this supernatural?” aspect to it.

I definitely loved the back and forth with the main character, wondering if everything was really happening or if they were an unreliable narrator. I won’t say it was super twisty- the author definitely had a lot of clues pointing to what was happening, and I guessed the thing with the “villain” way early on.

However, it was pretty good read. It kept me entertained, and it was an interesting and unique story. I wanted to see how everything worked out in the end.

Overall, I would recommend if you want a quick, engaging read that focuses on mental health with a paranormal twist!