Item: Little Darlings
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Melanie Golding

'Atmospheric and very creepy' The Guardian

'Goosebump-inducing...Unforgettable' Woman & Home

'Unforgettable...there is something of Sylvia Plath in Lauren...One suspects that the real sorceress here is Golding, whose writing has given a voice to every wronged mother' The New York Times

'Chilling story...stunning' Clare Mackintosh

'Taps into every woman's fear that she will not be believed' Mel McGrath, author of The Guilty Party

* * * *

THE TWINS ARE CRYING. THE TWINS ARE HUNGRY.
LAUREN IS CRYING. LAUREN IS EXHAUSTED.

Behind the hospital curtain, someone is waiting . . .

A terrifying encounter in the middle of the night leaves Lauren convinced someone is trying to steal her new-born twins. Desperate with fear, she locks herself and her sons in the bathroom until the police arrive.

When DS Joanna Harper picks up the list of reported overnight incidents, she expects the usual calls from drunks and wrong numbers. But then a report of an attempted abduction catches her eye. The only thing is that it was flagged as a false alarm just fifteen minutes later. But Harper chooses to investigate anyway.

There's nothing on the CCTV, and yet Lauren claims that the woman is still after her children. No one will listen to Lauren - except Harper. And now Harper must ask herself, is Lauren mad, or does she see something no one else can?

* * * *

Readers can't stop raving about Little Darlings:

'Every mother will see themselves in Lauren...taut with suspense'

'You just need to read it and let the creepiness and uneasiness set in'

'A disturbing and spine-chilling tale...This tale will keep readers on the edge of their seat'

'A unique, haunting story that stays with you long after finishing it'

Melanie Golding's debut thriller novel, Little Darlings, is one that immediately caught my attention. Thanks in part to a brilliant cover (I'm a sucker for this particular aesthetic) but also due to the description.

For many, the phrase 'mother knows best' evokes an image of a caring mother who knows the best way to care for her children. That, or they're picturing Mother Gothel's song. Now, that phrase is about to take on a more sinister twist.

Lauren Tranter may be exhausted – having twins will do that to a woman – but she knows what she saw. She knows that a woman snuck into her hospital room and attempted to swap out her children. What she doesn't understand is why nobody will believe her.

“She had to play the game, even before she knew what the rules were.”

In my book, there's little better than when a thriller novel pulls in fantasy elements, such as what happened here in Little Darlings. This is one of those tales that all changeling fans will love, even as they try and put the pieces of the puzzle together.

When this book promised to add a haunting twist to 'mother knows best' – they really weren't kidding! That phrase has already been a little warped for me (thanks, Disney), but now it's taken on a whole new meaning.

Is it bad that I'm rather digging it? It never occurred to me to try and blend that phrase with the concept of fae and kidnappings, but Melanie Golding has forced a perspective shift on my part. It's clever and horrifying all in one.

The way Golding's writing carries the story along is so perfect. It's creepy and feels off – in all the right ways, naturally. Readers can instantly tell that something is wrong, but it's harder to peg if what the mother saw was real – or a fantasy. That is until you keep reading.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Little Darlings

by Melanie Golding

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Jul 19, 2021

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