Clever Little Thing: A Novel

(Paperback, Large Print Edition)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

A taut, powerful psychological thriller following a mother who must confront a sudden and terrifying change in her daughter after the abrupt death of their babysitter

Charlottes daughter Stella is sensitive and brilliant, perhaps even a genius, but a recent change in her behavior has alarmed her mother. Following the sudden death of Stellas babysitter, Blanka, the once disruptive and anti-social child has become docile and agreeable. But whats unsettling is that she has begun to mirror Blankas personality, from Blankas repetitive phrases to her accent, to fierce cravings for Armenian meat stew after being raised a vegetarian.

Charlotte is pregnant with her second child, and depleted and sick with the pregnancy. She is convinced that Blanka herself is somehow responsible for Stellas transformation. But how could Blanka, dead, still be entwined in their lives Has Blanka somehow possessed Stella Has Stella become Blanka As Charlotte becomes increasingly obsessed, she is sure that only she can save her daughter. . . even though its soon clear that her husband believes this is all in Charlottes head.

Helena Echlins singular, chilling voice holds light to the blurred lines of diagnosis in children and to the vital power of maternal instinct. Kaleidoscopic and tense, pulse-pounding and genuinely creepy, and infused with shades of the supernatural, Clever Little Thing is an ode to motherhood and a nuanced critique of the caretaking industry, a page-turner that will haunt readers long after its epic, surprising finale.

Reviews

[A] haunting psychological thriller . . . At once a propulsive page-turner and a thought-provoking exploration of maternal attachment, this is a devilish good time.

Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Helena Echlin has written for numerous publications on both sides of the Atlantic, including The Guardian and The Times. She taught at Stanford University for eight years and has recently returned to the UK, where she now teaches fiction writing for Oxford Universitys Department of Continuing Education. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children.