The Trophy Child

Book excerpt: A police detective becomes entangled with a controlling mother, a missing daughter, and a dangerous web of dysfunction in this “terrific page-turner” (The Guardian). Karen Bloom is not the coddling type. This tiger mom is raising her ten-year-old daughter for success—at school, at music lessons, at dance classes, at everything. Meanwhile, in their idyllic suburb in England’s Lake District, Karen’s husband frequently heads for the pub; her teenage stepdaughter grows more and more troubled; and her son falls deeper into drugs. When Karen’s trophy child, Bronte, briefly disappears, Detective Sergeant Joanne Aspinall steps in, but soon discovers she has a shocking intimate connection to the family—whose perfect façade begins to crack as Karen’s comments to the media infuriate the community. Then tight-lipped Bronte returns home—but another member of the household goes missing, in this chilling tale of mystery and suspense by the author of The Mistake I Made and Just What Kind of Mother Are You? “Absorbing . . . unexpected plot twists and sly commentary . . . will keep readers turning the pages.” —Publishers Weekly “An outstanding new thriller writer.” —Booklist (starred review)