CLAIRE, DARLING by debut author Callie Kazumi explores a familiar trope found in psychological thrillers but has an interesting execution. Main character Claire is happily engaged to Noah, and when she brings Noah’s lunch to him at work, she learns that he no longer works there. And then Claire can’t find him. She’s been ghosted by her fiance. 

And that leads the reader to debate with one’s self whether Claire is unhinged or if she is being played by her fiance. Claire’s deceased mother plays a big part in this novel, hence the title being how Claire’s mother addressed her (“Claire, darling”). I found the mother parts a bit suffocating, but I think that was the point. 

What tugged at my heartstrings is that Claire’s first friend in life was her fiercely loyal co-worker Sukhi. Everyone needs a Sukhi in their life. 

I must admit that I ate this novel up like it was my favorite chocolate. The second half of the novel features court testimony by a plethora of characters, and I really liked how the author crafted each piece coming together. 

While this isn’t high literature, I found it extremely compelling and I didn’t want to put it down. Unlike a lot of psychological thrillers, though, I feel like the author laid a lot of groundwork for the “why.” I did find a few things related to the plot a bit difficult to believe, but I think that’s pretty typical with this genre. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House Publishing for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review. 


It publishes March 11, 2025.