Clever Little Thing

A Novel

By: Helena Echlin

Narrated by: Ashley Tucker

“Clever Little Thing taps into the heart of maternal fear and will shock you in the best way. This one will give you goose bumps.”—Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins

"Sharp and unflinching—a perfectly unnerving story."—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

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.

Charlotte’s 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 Stella’s babysitter, Blanka, the once disruptive and anti-social child has become docile and agreeable. But what’s unsettling is that she has begun to mirror Blanka’s personality, from Blanka’s 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 Stella’s 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 it’s soon clear that her husband believes this is all in Charlotte’s head.

Helena Echlin’s 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 thriller that will haunt listeners long after its epic, surprising finale.

©2025 Helena Echlin (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Compelling and creepy, Clever Little Thing taps into the heart of maternal fear and will shock you in the best way. This one will give you goose bumps.”—Ashley Elston, New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins

“Clever Little Thing is unsettling in the best way, a page-turning thriller about a mother's love and endless devotion to her child that is impossible to put down.”—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not Sorry

"Goosebumps! Clever Little Thing is a sharp and unflinching twist on mom noir—part psychological thriller, part supernatural horror, this is a perfectly unnerving story with something to say about the collision of motherhood’s love and fear, maternal instinct, and the bond between mothers and daughters.”—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

Clever story and best audible

I could not put this book down. So much so that I also purchased it on audio to listen in the car. And I generally don’t love the voice or how it’s read but this narrator is excellent. Loved the book. Highly recommend it in audible.

Slow burn

Took a bit to get into but once I did, I’m glad I kept listening!

Slow but keeps you interested

This book was really entertaining. It moves slowly, but the curiosity of what is happening throughout continues to draw you in. I spent most of the book dreading what would happen next. The slow story allows your imagination to run wild. There were just a couple of plot points that were never resolved, but that tends to happen when there are so many loose ends to tie in a short period of time.