‘Clever Little Thing’ by Helena Echlin

Published by Headline,
14 January 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-035-42147-3 (HB)

Charlotte and Pete have a daughter, Stella. She is super intelligent, very sensitive and seems much advanced for her eight years. Charlotte has a full-time job and employs Blanka, an Armenian, as a babysitter for Stella. Her daughter takes to Blanka straight away.

Then tragedy strikes, Blanka drowns in a hot tub. Almost overnight Stella changes. Instead of being moody and anti-social she becomes really agreeable and loves the company of other children. Even more disturbing, is the fact that Stella starts behaving just like Blanka, even to the extent of using Armenian phrases that her babysitter always used. Charlotte is expecting her second child and is feeling very sick and unwell. In her disturbed state she is convinced Blanka has possessed her daughter.

Things get even worse when Stella suddenly develops a craving for meat stews, Blanka’s favourite meals. She had always been a vegetarian and not really interested in food.

Pete, Charlotte’s husband is convinced that in her sick state, Charlotte is imagining things, and it is all in her head. He wants her to seek help. Even her friends think Charlotte has it all wrong. Plus, supposedly professional people Pete makes her see even think it’s her imagination, Stella is growing up and becoming more affable.

However, Blanka’s mother Irina, seems convinced Charlotte is right, and they become good friends, but what do they do about proving it? 

Events come to a head when Charlotte finds out something very disturbing about her husband. 

A thoroughly recommended very clever, intriguingly disturbing story about a mother’s love and determination to protect her daughter from as she believes almost supernatural forces. A great thought-provoking ending.
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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

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 University's Department of Continuing Education. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children. 

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.