A debut thriller that unfolds like a fever dream, The Goldens is a story of cults, obsession, privilege, and the allure of reinvention.

Chloe has always longed to be a writer, a storyteller, someone extraordinary. She thinks this will happen at her new university but she has a hard time fitting in and finding her place. Then she meets Clara Holland—a mesmerizing influencer, socialite, and model who seems to have stepped out of a dream. Clara is everything Chloe isn’t—effortless, dazzling, and larger than life. When Chloe is invited to move into Clara’s sprawling estate, she finds herself swept into a world of indulgence and excess. The days blur into ghostwriting Clara’s memoir, curating her image, and hosting lavish parties, filled with fairy lights, curated cocktails, and an intoxicating sense of purpose.

But what starts as an intimate friendship begins to shift. Clara welcomes more girls into her world—young women eager to live as she does, inspired by her presence and devoted to her vision. The media dubs them a cult, but inside Clara’s orbit, it feels like belonging. That is, until a girl disappears after the New Year’s Eve party.

Seductive, unsettling, and simmering with tension, The Goldens is a thriller about power, devotion, and the consequences of chasing an impossible ideal. It grips you from the first page to the last!

Brace yourself—this is about to be your newest obsession.

#TheGoldens #FlatironBooks #PsychologicalThriller #DarkFiction #CultThriller

Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a writer and when she is accepted to a prestigious college her dreams become one step closer. It is there that meets Clara, a social media influencer, fellow student, model, and the main subject of everyone around her. People seem to flock to Clara, worship Clara, women want to be her and just be her friend. Overnight Chloe becomes the attention of Clara, her best friend and delights Chloe to no end because she has never been the "it girl". Overtime Chloe finds herself dragged into Clara's world of The Goldens, a cult-like group and sinister forces come into to play.
Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Frieda McFadden.

A thriller that doesn't feel like a thriller until it becomes one! Wow, I enjoyed this story so much. I could not put it down. The setting and characters were well-developed and all the action flowed at a great pace. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.