I absolutely LOVE the cover and the premise of this book! This novel follows a family: Charlotte, Pete, and their daughter, Stella. Charlotte is pregnant with their second child and struggling with the sickness and exhaustion that come with pregnancy. When their babysitter, Blanka dies, Stella starts exhibiting very strange behaviors... behaviors that are strikingly similar to Blanka. Is Stella just a clever little thing, processing her feelings about Blanka's death? Or is it something more sinister?

While there were some things about this book that just didn't work for me (it was quite a bit fatphobic, I found Charlotte's internal dialogue hard to follow and very disjoined), I would still recommend you pick this up if you like: possible possession stories, creepy/weird kid stories, and/or is it paranormal or not? vibes.

This was a really good book a little magic, a little mystery, a little psychological thrill, a little family saga. Mother's and daughters was a major theme in this book, and all the back and forth of those relationships were represented. The writing was good and the characters were all well developed even the supporting cast. The pacing was fast.

I decided to read this book on a whim and am so glad I did -- it was really compelling, unsettling, and falls in to one of my favorite categories of books -- unsettling books about motherhood.

Charlotte is a very endearing character, and a completely unreliable narrator -- which I love. It was hard to know what was real in this book, and I enjoyed that about it. I also loved the little bits of etiquette that are woven in to the book.

This book is very fast paced and I found myself unable to put it down -- I had to know what was going on!

I am very excited to check out more by Helena Echlin in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I did not connect with this book at all. It tells the story of a mother and her (likely autistic) young daughter. After her daughter’s nanny dies, the daughter starts acting strange (less autistic) and the mother sets out to figure out what is going on.

SUCH A GOOD BOOK!! i definitely think that stella had overheard blanca and the dad and was just acting that way but my god for someone who doesn’t want to be a mom (me), i sure do love twisted books about motherhood.

I really wasn't sure what to make of this novel for at least the first half of it (maybe longer). Charlotte is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, which is something I love in a book, so I stuck with it even though normally when I feel this ambivalent about a book I DNF pretty quickly. I ended up really liking the second half and I'm glad I stuck with it. The ending packs a punch and delivers a huge payoff to the reader, and to the characters. I know that the reader is supposed to feel distrustful of Charlotte, but I believed her, and I was so interested to find out what was really going on with Stella. There's a lot in this novel about being a parent, especially a mother, and about that mother's instinct where the parent just KNOWS something is off with their child, even when everyone else is unable to see it. I do think the book was much slower than it needed to be, especially in the first half, and Echlin could have ramped up the tension a lot sooner than she did. That said, I am glad I hung around to get to the ending.

This was honestly such a mind bender of a book. Multiple times I questioned was this real, possession, some kind of mental health crisis. As a mother, you always feel so in tune with your instincts and just know something is off with your child. It was truly unsettling in so many ways because you just can’t pin point what was happening. It breaks your heart as a mom. This was chilling, gripping, and I couldn’t stop flipping the pages.

I was certainly entertained by this unusual psychological thriller that sometimes borders on creepy. The character development wasn’t bad but I still felt like the main characters were hard to figure out. The eight year old, Stella was a real mystery and the author did a great job of making the reader question what was creating the changes in her. Was she influenced by her autism characteristics or really possessed by the deceased babysitter or had she witnessed a trauma? Charlotte and Irina seemed to change so much throughout the book that it sometimes felt like whiplash although I liked both characters. I found it interesting that the author alluded to both Charlotte and her deceased mother as possibly also being on the autism spectrum. It would certainly explain some of Charlotte’s behaviors which were more than frustrating. And Pete - no spoilers but he really seemed like a jerk from the beginning. While I think that the book wrapped up a little too quickly, I was kept guessing and was entertained throughout and the way that Charlotte regained control towards the end of the book was a really creative piece of writing.

Interesting story about a mother doing her best to protect her child. Excellent twist at the end. I wish there was more suspense, but overall a good read.

Clever Little Thing got me in a hold and it wouldn’t let go!

I honestly did not want to put this one down. I think part of it was because I was SO uncomfortable for the majority of this book. I’ll admit I do not love an unreliable narrator as I can’t ever tell what is real and what is not. That being said, i definitely wanted to keep reading so that I could know what was going on.

The last 10% definitely shocked me and while I guessed part of it, most of it was really surprising. I really enjoyed this one overall!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This story was unique and suspenseful! It features an anti-social, highly intelligent child named Stella who gives off some creepy vibes. After learning that her former babysitter has mysteriously died, I was drawn into the plot immediately. Mom Charlotte has issues of her own; she's pregnant with severe morning sickness, is anxious about some recent changes in her daughter's behavior, and struggling to fit in with the mom group at Stella's school. Charlotte also feels guilty that she didn't get to know Stella's nanny Blanka very well, and tries to mend fences with Blanka's mother Irina. There are cultural differences that challenge their new friendship, though Charlotte feels she owes it to lonely and grieving Irina to allow her to spend time with Stella. Things get complicated quickly, and soon Charlotte is making some risky decisions to figure out what is going on with Stella.

I love a book with an odd child and unstable mother. This one had some twists that truly surprised me, and though a few were over the top, I was hooked. I loved the friction and eventual friendship between Irina and Charlotte, and the ambiguous parts of the ending.

This explored motherhood, with the good, the bad, and the ugly. For mothers who feel their children may be a little different than the others, this one may resonate a little more with you(and myself). While I felt this should have felt a bit eerie at times, it was more dramatic and emotional. I loved and felt for the mother and honestly couldn't stand the husband and his closed off mindset. Those who read the description and are expecting creepiness, this is more mysterious and family drama than anything. The writing was addictive and kept me going when I felt not much has happened a couple of times throughout the first half. Three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Group Viking, for this ARC.

I was drawn to Clever Little Thing because of the main character being a mother. Horror isn't my usual genre, but it made me think of The Push by Ashley Audrain and I loved that. I think Echlin did a great job of making the reader question the reliability of the narrator. It was just creepy enough for me. I think fans of horror will really enjoy this one. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

A solid look at postpartum care and ~mothers~ in general. I didn’t love the pacing but the last 3rd was actually really good. Definitely a little weird and the characters were hard to love but, overall a good read. Very slow start and the characterization of some people were a little off but still recommend!

Clever Little Thing is a clever debut. When Charlotte's young daughter Stella, who exhibits some neurodivergent signs, begins acting differently after the death of her babysitter Charlotte is alarmed. Stella reads at an astonishingly high level and is sensitive and anti-social but soon she begins behaving well in school, engaging more and starting to act and sounds just like Blanka-her deceased babysitter. Now pregnant with her second child, Charlotte has become obsessed with understanding what is happening to Stella. Sick from the pregnancy and anxiety, and starting to think Stella may be possessed by Blanka, Charlotte realizes everyone around her thinks this may just be in her head. Told in flashbacks and present day timelines Helena Echlin has written a delicious, dark and twisty novel that will keep readers flipping through the pages. The ending was unexpected (which is a nice surprise), the writing strong and propulsive and I could not put it down. Excited to read what's next by Helena Echlin.

I liked this one. With mystery novels, everything hinges on the twist and the buildup to it. There were some red herons that I really focused in on. It's unfortunate that the answer was the most predictable one-- some of the red heron answers actually would've been more interesting. I enjoyed the writing and the author's depiction of motherhood, especially with a child that's not neurotypical. I can also appreciate an ambiguous ending. Ultimately, I don't think this book does anything wrong. But I just don't know how memorable it is; I don't think it will be a standout at all when I look back on my year of reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller! It was a bit of a slow-burn, well thought out characters - a possessed little girl and a mother on the verge of a mental breakdown. I will be recommending this one!

Suspenseful novel about a mother's love and family secrets that can destroy. Stella is a very intelligent 8 year old who reads adult books, is interested in science but also has sensory issues and difficulty making friends. Charlotte is Stella's mother and is reluctant to have her labeled but also having difficulties in getting her daughter to fit in at school and the neighborhood. Charlotte's husband Pete feels she is babying Stella and he wants her to do all the things other kids do. Things come to a head when Charlotte becomes pregnant with her second child and Stella's babysitter Blanka abruptly leaves. Stella's personality changes overnight and she begins to act and talk just like Blanka. Is she possessed? What in the world is going on?

Charlotte is a difficult character to like as she makes a lot of mistakes in dealing with Stella's situation and she keeps putting herself and her unborn baby in jeopardy. But something is not right in her household and I really liked the creepy set-up and Blanka's mother Irina who added some common sense and an air of mystery to the story. This also featured one of my biggest fears; getting put in a psych ward against my will. Will Charlotte and Irina help Stella? I enjoyed this novel and found the twists engaging and creepy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

If the publishing industry is going to pay close attention to difficult topics, please let the prevalence of peri and post-natal care be one of them. I blew through Echlin’s novel which delves into the devastating, confusing and horrific time mothers can have getting care for themselves when having children. While much of the novel has you second-guessing Charlotte’s inner monologue, it’s the perfect exploration of the stories people tell themselves when a woman doesn’t “embrace” motherhood the way it “should be.” The last line of the novel will stick with anyone who has had a tough time working through the hormone induced hysteria postpartum can trigger. Sometimes, you can’t got back to the way things were, you just have to find a balance.

Enjoyed this psychological thriller. A mother is convinced something is wrong with her daughter, Stella, after the death of their nanny, Blanka. She believes Blanka has taken over Stella's body but can't prove it. It took me a while to get into the book, but then once I did, I was in it. It was creepy and slow with a touch of supernatural elements to it, that I didn't hate. The ending was satisfying and the emotions I felt for Charlotte, that's how you know the author did a good job!