Claire, Darling delivers a compelling premise a woman’s world upended when her fiancé vanishes and reappears with a whole different life but it doesn’t quite live up to its suspenseful opening. This was my first read from Callie Kazumi, and while I admired her clean, direct prose and the spark of originality in Claire’s unraveling, uneven pacing and a predictable turn held me back from full immersion. I’m nevertheless curious to see what she does next and will definitely pick up more of her work.
Claire is a sympathetic protagonist: warm, vulnerable, and quick to self-attack when reality doesn’t match her expectations. Her spiral of obsession stalking Noah’s online life, replaying every conversation rings emotionally true, yet her inner conflict occasionally tips into repetition. Secondary characters like Sukhi offer moments of genuine support, but feel more like plot devices than fully fleshed-out friends. Claire’s strained relationship with her mother adds depth, but it skimps on enough backstory to leave that subplot feeling undercooked. The narrative kicks off with a sharp jolt and maintains momentum through Claire’s frantic search for answers. Early chapters sparkle with tension and small domestic details that feel lived-in. Yet by the midpoint, the story stalls as we circle familiar territory missed calls, unanswered texts, anxious delving into social media evidence. A tighter edit in that middle section would have kept the stakes high and the pages turning. The big reveal that Noah intentionally crafted a double life lands more as confirmation than a shock. Kazumi seeds clues about Noah’s secret quips and vanishing acts, so the moment Claire uncovers the truth feels earned yet unsurprising. Still, the emotional fallout in the final chapters, as Claire reckons with betrayal and reclaims her sense of self, provides a poignant counterpoint to the suspense.
Bottom Line Claire, Darling is a solid, if uneven, domestic thriller. It hooked me with its exploring of trust, delusion, and self-worth, even if it fell a bit flat in the execution of its central twist. As a first taste of Kazumi’s talent, it promises growth ahead enough that I’ll be back for whatever she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy of Claire Darling in exchange for my honest review.

This story started out strong and kept me quickly turning pages but I didn't love the ending unfortunately.

A woman’s discovery of her fiancé’s double life spirals into obsession and makes for one page-turning story! Don’t read too much about this book before diving in. It’s so much more fun falling down the rabbit hole with the FMC and watching it all unfold. I found this to be compulsively readable and impossible to put down!

Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Claire thinks she has the perfect boyfriend and life. But does she? When she decides to surprise him with an anniversary lunch, she realizes that it was all a lie. As her life unravels, she becomes obsessed and has to put the pieces back together, but can she when she doesn't even know who she is?

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi is a psychological thriller about a woman whose fiancé vanishes without a trace—setting off a chain reaction of desperation and obsession. Told through a blend of flashbacks and present-day events, Claire’s search for answers slowly reveals that not everything is as it seems.

As her desperation intensifies, long-buried childhood traumas begin to surface, shaping her every move. The deeper her obsession, the more reality begins to blur—what’s true, what’s imagined? How far will someone go before losing themselves completely?

I really enjoyed this novel—the flow was smooth, the writing was easy to follow, and the twists and turns kept me guessing. I didn’t expect things to escalate the way they did, which felt intentional and well-crafted by Kazumi. Claire was both relatable and heartbreaking—a sad shell of a woman whose seemingly healthy relationship becomes the final (or maybe first) straw to her unraveling.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read. It’s a gripping debut with emotional depth and a protagonist you won’t forget.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this but I think the character was too unhinged for me to entertained. I was angry the whole time.

I highly recommend going into this book blind. In my opinion, the synopsis provides too many insights into the plot and could ruin a definite good time. All you need to know is that it’s about a woman who discovers that her fiancé might not be the man he said he was after he ghosts her so she goes about finding out all of the secrets he’s been keeping from her. Oh, and there’s some exploration of her dysfunctional relationship with her abusive, narcissistic mother.

I enjoyed this. Claire was compelling character and really made you wonder if she was telling the truth or completely batshit crazy.

This book was so unhinged, I loved it. I don't know what it says about me, but I really can't get enough of books with unhinged female main characters where you just aren't exactly sure if they are a reliable narrator or not. I wouldn't say the premise of this book is exactly groundbreaking, but I will say that it SUCKED me in and I couldn't wait to read more every chance I had. It was giving me Gone Girl era vibes. I'll definitely continue to follow Kazumi to see what she releases next.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi is a tense, emotionally charged psychological thriller that starts with a sharp twist and spirals quickly into obsession. Claire’s unraveling after a gut-punch breakup is gripping, and Kazumi does an admirable job exploring the messy terrain of identity, grief, and betrayal. The premise—being ghosted by someone who seems to never have existed—is unsettling in all the right ways, and the book balances suspense with an undercurrent of emotional vulnerability that keeps the reader engaged.

That said, the intensity sometimes outpaces the development. While Claire’s descent into obsession is convincingly chaotic, some of the plot turns feel rushed or overly dramatic, and a few character motivations lack depth. Still, Kazumi’s prose is atmospheric, and the themes around trauma, trust, and self-discovery add a meaningful layer to the thrills. This debut doesn’t quite stick every landing, but it’s an intriguing ride—and a promising introduction to a bold new voice in psychological suspense.

#ad much love for the audiobook @prhaudio #partner

Claire Darling

Okay, while there’s no major jaw-dropping twists - thriller readers will see what’s coming 38383 miles before it does - it’s predictable, we’ve seen and heard this story 383838 times before, it’s the plot that drives this book and it’s truly just fking fantastic. And the ending?? It is simply perfect. ALL THE STARS. LOVED IT.

Claire grew up with an unbearable mother while also being tormented at school, but now that she’s grown she’s trying hard to forget what her life once was. She’s engaged to be married to Noah and life couldn’t possibly be any better. Her past is in the rearview mirror.

But it all comes crashing down on Claire one day when she goes to surprise her fianće with a lunch at his work, only to find out he hasn’t worked there for months. Then he doesn’t come home that night. Now she can’t reach him at all.

This was a freaking blast to read and I’m here for it all. The story alternated between the present and journal entries, going back a year on, written by Claire - and flashbacks of Claire’s childhood years. I enjoyed the downward spiral of Claire and found this book impossible to put down.

I also enjoyed the courtroom drama! I had no idea this book had a legal edge to it and was pleasantly surprised. I avoided reading anything about it before hand.

Listened to the audio while following along and found it to be a pleasant read.

TW:
Mom dies of cancer (doesn’t go into it just states it)
Child abuse
Bullying
Stalking

Many thanks to the Netgalley, the author and the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this novel. My review is voluntary and my opinion is my own.

Wow! What a great read! From the first chapter I was hooked! Claire, having suffered a traumatic childhood with her narcissistic mother is desperate to love and be loved. A random encounter over a wine selection in a store sets off a chain of events that alters lives. Twisty and gripping, this is one I couldn't put down.

Well done to the author!

Claire thinks she has the perfect relationship with Noah until one day it all comes crashing down. She goes to surprise him at work but-he doesn't work there? He now won't return her calls? He has a whole different life with a different woman? That bastard! It's not what you expect though and the author deftly crafts a story that is well, kinda nuts, but also really good. I sped through this one pretty fast to get to the surprise ending. Pretty darn good for a debut novel.

Oh, Claire. A woman who thinks she has everything but slowly her world turns upside down as she tries to find answers. Very twisty.

Can a book be redeemed in the final 3 chapters? Maybe. I wanted to put this one down several times as the entire unhinged story with no character development from the outset made it entirely unbelievable and difficult to continue. As I closed the final page I understood the reasoning. Clever story. How do you write a review that let's readers know that you have to get to the end to enjoy the story ... and keep them from just reading the final chapters?

I really enjoyed this. It shifted back and forth from view points. I never knew what was happening. I throughly enjoyed it and would recommend to everyone. Will search out this authors next book as well.

This had all the makings of a twisty, unputdownable thriller: gaslighting, obsession, toxic family dynamics, a disappearing fiancé with a double life… and to its credit, it is a propulsive read. I flew through it.vBut while I was definitely hooked by the premise, I kept waiting for the emotional depth to match the tension. Still, the writing is sharp, and the pacing works.

Wow! Romance and cheating and lies. Claire had an abusive childhood, feeling unloved by her selfish mother. Meeting Noah at work one random day starts a whole new crazy. Claire is abandoned by Noah and in her efforts to get with him, she finds another woman. Lots of twists. A great psychological thriller.

I love when a book exceeds expectations! This one did that for me. And a 5 star at that. I loved the theme of the book and the story overall!

Claire, Darling starts off with a dead body, looks like your typical fiancé who finds out her partner is leading a double life, merges into a court drama with an extremely unreliable narrator, it's quite the ride. Claire is engaged to Noah, and one day as she decides to drop off lunch to him at work she finds out he no longer works there. With no contact from Noah, Claire spirals, finds out he's with another woman, and spirals even further. The current timeline is interspersed with diary entries from Claire and flashbacks of Claire's childhood with her abusive mother. The book was very readable, not exactly plausible, but a great first novel.