June 10, 2024
Edgar winner Sutanto (I’m Not Done with You Yet) triumphs with this twisty suspense tale set in the cutthroat world of influencers. With more than five million followers on Instagram and TikTok, Aspen Palmer has become a full-blown social media celebrity. Her best friend, influencer Meredith Lee, credits herself with boosting Aspen’s visibility by teaching her the tricks of the trade—which makes it all the more painful when Aspen dumps Meredith in the wake of her newfound fame. In the aftermath of their falling-out, Meredith grows obsessed, stalking Aspen’s every move and waiting outside the school her twin daughters attend. When one of Aspen’s daughters leaves behind an unlocked iPad, Meredith snatches it, and is delighted to find she has access to Aspen’s schedule. She reschedules meetings, sends unflattering emails from Aspen’s address, and floods Aspen’s social media accounts with trollish comments, putting her brand in jeopardy. Then Meredith vanishes, bringing her conflict with Aspen to a head and the police into the mix. Did Aspen have something to do with Meredith’s disappearance? Or is she an innocent bystander? Either way, how will she handle the fallout online? Sutanto has devilish fun with her premise, lacquering the story’s well-executed twists with a satirical sheen that pokes wicked fun at internet celebrity. The result is a near-perfect beach read. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary.
Starred review from July 1, 2024
Sutanto turns from her lighthearted mysteries about older Asian American amateur sleuths to probe the toxic friendship between a pair of online influencers. It's fake, it's fatal, but it's still heartlessly funny. Aspen Palmer was nobody when Meredith Lee spotted her at a party eight years ago and chatted her up. She wasn't even Aspen Palmer yet; her name was Ryleebelle--a terrible name for someone looking for likes--and she had yet to marry realtor Ben Palmer. Meredith, who marketed herself as "The Right Kind of Asian," gave her new friend a new name, taught her how to navigate social media without a net, and then watched as Aspen's numbers surpassed her own. Along the way, the pair recast themselves as momfluencers who modeled a lifestyle that went beyond fashion and beauty tips and dragged their young daughters into the spotlight. Inoffensive Ben, who doesn't make nearly as much money as Aspen, comes along for the ride; the sperm donor who fathered Meredith's baby is lucky enough to be forgotten. Six months ago, the two friends had a memorable spat over numbers and authenticity and all the rest of it, and since then they've avoided each other like poison until a series of disruptions causes one of them to decide that the rift between them doesn't go deep enough; they need a break that's altogether more decisive. Having established her credentials in YA fiction and gentle, albeit often manic comedy, Sutanto spins on a dime to show Meredith and Aspen dishing on each other with sublime and incandescent hatred. Even after tragedy strikes, their numbers continue to go through the roof. Until. Social media mavens will nod in recognition; everyone else will come away relieved that this could never happen to them.
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July 1, 2024
Prolific Sutanto is made for Hollywood: Netflix optioned her rollicking, corpse-ridden Aunties trilogy; Oprah and Mindy grabbed Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers (2023). She's moved her latest novel to Los Angeles and aims her gleefully calculating glare on social media influencers. Eight years ago, Meredith befriended Ryleebelle. Meredith was already "The Right Kind of Asian," having transformed herself from her Ohio roots into an online "everyone . . . loves me" Instagrammer. Ryleebelle, in contrast, "looks very clearly like an Asian person from Asia, and not the right parts of Asia." Meredith, "gracious, generous," bestows Ryleebelle with "the most valuable gift. The gift of fitting in," including a new name, Aspen. Fast-forward to now, when #AllDayAspen is a mega-momf luencer and Meredith hasn't even hit that f irst million. Their soulmate days are over with Meredith desperately "Stalking Lite" her ex-bestie. Reconciliation? As if. Just staying alive is gonna be hard enough. Sutanto has written another page-turner, in spite of revealing why-who-dun-what halfway. Despite predictable plotlines, Sutanto expertly traps willing readers into an over-the-top chaotic vacuum with surprisingly satiating results.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
August 16, 2024
Best-selling Sutanto (I'm Not Done with You Yet) returns with her second suspense novel, with film rights already optioned. Mom-fluencer Meredith Lee helped fellow mom Aspen Palmer grow her social media reach but found herself ditched as soon as Aspen hit it big. Retaliating, Meredith manages to disrupt Aspen's perfect image, but Aspen is determined to get her life back--no matter what. Prepub Alert.
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