3.5/5!

Thriller fans that are looking for a quick and immersive read are going to enjoy this one!

Meet Claire: her fiance has just mysteriously decided to ghost her.

She thought she knew where he worked. She thought she knew his schedule. She thought she knew him.

As readers tag along with Claire to unpack Noah’s lies and the truth behind their relationship they’re met with a lot of convoluted details. How could Claire have been so wrong about Noah? Where will things end up?

I did manage to guess the ending to this story, but it absolutely didn’t stop me from hanging on to the end of each chapter to find out if I was right or not.

Solid debut and I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from Kazumi!

I feel like Claire, Darling was severely underrated! This was such a fun read, and I liked the bouncing between timelines from when Claire met Noah, to present day, to the flashbacks of Claire‘s past with her insanely narcissistic mother.

Without giving too much away, I loved watching everything unravel toward the end of the book. And speaking of the ending: how delightful! I would love to see a sequel to this twisty, psychological thriller😉

This was a very short book, and a quick read. There wasn’t too much “backstory”, we jumped right into the action — which is my fave type of story!

A solid 4 star read!!

I thought this was a really well written debut novel! I was able to guess the twists, but I chalk that up to the amount of thrillers that I've read over the past 40 years or so. I think someone new to the thriller genre will just love this one! I still really enjoyed it, especially the courtroom scene at the end! I'll definitely be interested in reading this author's next book!

3.5 stars rounded

My recommendation is to go in to Claire, Darling completely blind, which is what I did, and it really maximized the good time I had with this book. All you need to know, really, is that Claire has been ghosted by her fiancé, Noah, which leads her down a path of obsession that has some surprising revelations waiting at the end.

This is an impressive debut novel for Callie Kazumi; I found it completely riveting and read it in just a few sittings because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Despite her many questionable choices, Claire is an extremely sympathetic character – largely due to a childhood spent suffering at the hands of her narcissistic, emotionally abusive mother. I do wish Claire’s mother had been portrayed with a bit more nuance; I would have liked to learn more about what motivated her behavior, not just how it affected Claire.

Seasoned thriller readers will likely guess the direction things are going, but something happened mid-book that I didn’t see coming – and there is a savage little epilogue that left me incredibly satisfied. Even if it’s a somewhat predictable take on a familiar story, Kazumi executes it perfectly, with just the right amount of unhinged fun. Thank you to Bantam for the complimentary reading opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for the chance to read this book!!

This was a great fast paced thriller for me, I was hooked from the beginning, and even though reading about things like court and trials usually lose me in all the technical talk, even that portion was bearable and I got through it just a few hours! The ending was a bit of slap in the face, I mean after reading all of that I was like what the...... but I mean there really was no other way for it to get wrapped up in a cute little bow (& those fun grippy socks for her)! But you were left wondering which was the real truth and I'm still not sure I figured it out! Not a lot of books surprise me so I think I'll keep wondering! I will be adding this Author to my follow list and def be on the look out for more for her!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

The things I could say about this book! I absolutely adore narratives that feature an unreliable narrator, and "Claire, Darling" was absolutely one of those. I honestly wish I could read this for the first time again, by the end my jaw was literally on the ground. Highly, highly recommend this psycho book and would love to see more like it!!

Claire Darling opens with a grisly death, then backtracks to diary entries of Claire, excitedly detailing her relationship with fiancé Noah. The tale is told through Claires’ diary, flashbacks, and the present-day action, but in print is easy to follow. Claire is engaged to Noah who seems to be the perfect man: thoughtful, generous, handsome. Claire, after an abusive childhood at the hands of her mother, finds it hard to believe anyone as perfect as Noah could want her. However, through this relationship, Claire has gained enough confidence to make some changes in her life, including landing a new job with more responsibility and developing a new friendship with co-worker, Sukhi. Heading out to pick up lunch for Noah one day, Sukhi decides to tag along to meet Noah but arriving at his office, the women discover that Noah no longer works there. As Claire frantically attempts to call him, she finds her calls sent to voicemail. Distraught, Sukhi takes Claire home, to find that Noah has moved out, abandoning Claire entirely. How could Claire’s perfect life go so completely wrong? I found this novel reasonably entertaining, but it wasn’t particularly original. It was fairly easy to see where the plot would and did go. I didn’t think the big twist was too hard to spot coming. I received a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

Claire, Darling By Callie Kazumi
Publication Date: March 11, 2025
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group | Bantam Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Bantam Books for sending me a #gifted copy of this book, and to NetGalley for this e-ARC, in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers and you haven't yet read Claire, Darling -- clear your calendar for this book!! Claire, Darling is the psychological thriller that you'll love to love: it's unhinged and keeps you completely riveted from page one until its hold-onto-your-hat twisty ending.

This gripping read pulled me in immediately! I read this one so fast, in one sitting, and I couldn't put it down till it was done. This wild thrill ride had me on the edge of my seat and my heart pounding as I tried to figure out what was really going on. And then, I was nothing short of STUNNED as part two of the book began.

This book is told from the POV of Claire, an unreliable narrator, who shares her story in multiple timelines between present day, childhood memories, and diary entries over the past year and a year into the future. The transitions between these time periods flowed seamlessly throughout the book. Claire seems to have everything she's ever wanted, including her handsome fiance Noah, a job she loves, and a lovely friendship with her co-worker Sukhi. Until Claire decides to surprise Noah by bringing him lunch at work, when she learns that he hasn't worked there for months. And...the unraveling of Claire's perfect life begins.

And that's all you need to know. Go into this book as blindly as you can if you really want to enjoy its full twisty magic. Because you'll think you know what's coming or how this one might end. And you'll be wrong.

I cannot get over the fact that this brilliantly thrilling mindf*ck is a debut from Kazumi! This is the kind of book I absolutely love, and I will be reading whatever she writes in the future. Out now!

#ClaireDarling #CallieKazumi #BantamBooks #RandomHousePublishingGroup #gifted #ARC #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #bookreviews #bookrecs #MUSTREADS #fivestarreads #psychologicalthrillers #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #booklover #bookaddict

I wanted to love this thriller. However, it wasn't what I was expecting not in the best way. The dynamics in this book with the mother were very jarring, and I felt sympathy for the main character. However, her likeability was very difficult. It took me a while to finish this book because I didn't feel that page turning feel of some thrillers.

In Claire, Darling, Claire plans a surprise lunch for her fiancé, Noah, on their anniversary, only to find out he doesn't work where she thought and has been living a double life with another woman. Devastated, Claire becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about Noah, leading her down a dark path that forces her to confront haunting memories from her own troubled past. This book was both thrilling and emotionally heart wrenching! It was an enthralling read that left me shocked at the end.

For me this book wasn't so much a thriller, it was more heartbreaking to read everything her Mom did and what she went through growing up. A couple of the twists did get me and I especially liked the diary entry at the end. It was a short, quick read for me and is an author I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future books.

#ClaireDarling #NetGalley
Callie delivers a gripping psychological thriller with Claire Darling, a chilling tale of betrayal, obsession, and the ghosts of a troubled past. With an unreliable narrator and a slow-burning descent into darkness, this novel keeps readers questioning reality until the final, haunting twist. Claire is eager to surprise her fiancé, Noah, with a special anniversary lunch at his office. But when she arrives, she’s told that no one by that name works there. Confused and panicked, she tries to contact Noah, only to be met with silence. Soon, Claire discovers the shocking truth—Noah has another life, complete with a beautiful girlfriend and a picture-perfect home. Blindsided and heartbroken, Claire refuses to accept the reality of Noah’s deception. As her desperation deepens, she embarks on an obsessive search for answers, unraveling not just Noah’s lies but also painful memories from her own past. Raised by a manipulative mother who twisted her perception of love and trust, Claire’s fragile sense of self begins to crack. The ghosts of her childhood whisper in the shadows, urging her forward—but at what cost?
Likes :-
1 Psychological Depth: Claire is a deeply complex protagonist. Her unraveling mind and unreliable perspective make her story both compelling and unsettling.
2 Slow-Building Suspense: The novel carefully peels back layers of Claire’s past and present, keeping readers hooked as they try to separate truth from delusion.
Dislikes :-
1 Pacing Fluctuates: Some sections feel repetitive as Claire spirals deeper into her obsession, which might slow the momentum for some readers.
2 Secondary Characters Lacking Depth: While Claire is a standout character, Noah and others in her orbit could have been fleshed out more.
Overall :- Claire Darling is a dark, gripping psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Gone Girl and You. If you love stories that blur the line between truth and illusion, this book will keep you hooked until its haunting conclusion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Bantam for giving me an advance copy.

After the death of her mother, Claire was convinced she'd never find someone to love her. But she has in the person of her fiancé, Noah Coors: a handsome, successful businessman whom she met in the most ordinary of ways. But one day he goes missing, refusing to answer her calls and texts. What starts as a casual lunch run explodes into a terrifying revelation: not only does Noah not want to see her, but he's living with (and engaged to) another woman. And has been for ages.

With the help of her friend Sukhi, Claire begins digging into the unpleasant truths of Noah's life. Her sleuthing is interspersed with diary entries of her life with Noah and reflections on the physical and emotional abuse she endured from her mother. A rash choice sends Claire's future down an unforeseen path, but the road in front of her will grant her the answers she's been looking for... both vindicating proof and a reality she could never have foreseen.

A word of warning: if you've had an abusive parent or partner, Claire, Darling will bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings and memories to the surface. This isn't a call not to read it so much as a warning to approach it when you feel capable of doing so. If anything, it's good to see a piece of fiction acknowledging the cycle of abuse and the impact that it can have on a person's ability to function as an adult. The twist in the tale at the end is well-wrought and has precedent, but the further sting at the end of the twist feels like a bridge too far. Rather than elevating the final few chapters, it feels like it dampens the effect of the book as a whole, subverting an unusually empathetic depiction of mental health and abuse for a bit of last-minute shock value. But if one ignores the final chapter, Claire, Darling is an excellent first novel for Kazumi, presenting a pointed and poignant view of the long-term effects of narcissism and abuse.

Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi is a gripping psychological thriller that unravels a web of deception, obsession, and buried trauma. When Claire discovers that her fiancé, Noah, has been living a double life, her reality shatters, sending her spiraling into a desperate search for answers. As she delves deeper into the lies surrounding her, the novel masterfully blurs the line between past and present, forcing Claire to confront the manipulations that have shaped her. Taut with suspense and emotional depth, Claire Darling is a haunting exploration of identity, betrayal, and the ghosts that refuse to let go.

The mystery involved in the plot of this novel really sucked me in. Claire has apparently been ghosted by her fiancé Noah, which she discover when she goes to surprise him at work on their anniversary. When he does not answer her calls or texts and she discovers that he has blocked her from his social media accounts, she attempts to find out what is really going on, and she eventually learns that he is engaged to another woman. The storyline is told between Claire’s past (one in which she deals with her abusive mother) and present, as well as some of her diary entries, and does keep the reader turning pages. The ending wraps up neatly, with some nice twists and turns along the way, but all is pretty predictable to any reader who has read his/her share of psychological thrillers of this type. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the ride and found this to be an entertaining read.

I enjoy unreliable narrators, but this particular main character didn't work for me. It was well written, but I didn't enjoy the writing style. I would have preferred less time spent on flashbacks. A quick read though with good pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a debut!!! I knew from the blurb this was going to be a good book. Claire and her horrible childhood, her obsessiveness over her fiancé and her need to prove to everyone she is who she says she is. While we get dual timelines, the thing that kept this from being a 5 star was that there was no break when we would get a different time. I wish there would of been a paragraph break so we knew we were in a different timeline but other than that it was such a great, fast paced read for me. I honestly had no idea how it was going to end till literally like the last 2 chapters and the epilogue was good also.

I do kind of wished it would have had a bigger bang for the ending but it was great nonetheless and this author just got a new reader for all future books!!!

Claire, Darling
By Callie Kazumi
Review and Rating 3 ⭐️

This was a pretty good read for a debut novel! It held my interest and I zipped right through the first half of the book. The second half was a bit slower going but I held out for the final twist at the end.
A psychological thriller about Claire, a troubled woman who has been ghosted by her fiancé. We flash from the present time, to last year, and then back to Claire’s childhood with her abusive, overbearing, mother. How far is Claire, ever the unreliable protagonist, willing to go to win back her fiancé Noah’s love?
You probably won’t be rooting for Claire or really anyone here but if you love a binge-able, twisty thriller, you might give this a try. 3⭐️

Thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and #Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Claire plans to surprise her fianceé Noah with lunch at his office, only to find out he doesn't work there. She tries to call him and is blocked. Her texts won't go through. She does a little digging, only to discover that he has another woman in his life. And so it begins... As with any thriller, it's best to go in blind. The narrative alternates between Claire's loveless, lonely childhood, passages from her diary, and the present situation. The story keeps you guessing! This is a great debut thriller that kept me turning the pages!

What a debut!!!! I could not stop turning the page! The twist at the end was so well done. Cannot wait to read what Callie writes next!