The Golden Child

Starred review from September 1, 2018
Beth Mahoney and her family are moving from New Jersey back to Australia for her husband's job. The move couldn't have come at a better time: their youngest daughter, 12-year-old Charlotte, has just been accused of being the ringleader behind a dare that put a student in the hospital. Little did they know this would not be the first time she would be accused of being the mastermind behind a school scandal. Once settled in Australia, Charlotte quickly makes friends, becoming the queen bee of the popular clique. However, it's not long before Charlotte is being accused of severely bullying Sophie, the school's social outcast, with the consequences being potentially deadly. James makes her thrilling mark in women's fiction with this intense and chilling American debut, offering an in-depth look at motherhood and bullying. Cleverly told in alternating points of view and blog posts, this psychological genre bender will resonate on many levels. The plot is on par with the thought-provoking nature of Jodi Picoult's works, and a combination of that and the rapt storytelling style of Liane Moriarty will leave readers finishing the last page wanting more.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)