Pretty Things

Nina Ross and her mother were con artists who targeted wealthy men until life forced Nina to go straight. Years later, circumstances push her back into the game for one final score - this time targeting Vanessa Liebling, a wealthy Instagram influencer living in a Lake Tahoe estate. The scheme becomes more complex when Nina discovers unexpected connections between their past and present lives. Nina must navigate deception, technology, and shifting identities while maintaining her cover in Vanessa's world of social media fame and inherited fortune. The narrative alternates between Nina and Vanessa's perspectives as they circle each other in an intricate game of cat and mouse. Both women harbor secrets that threaten to surface as their lives become increasingly entangled. Pretty Things explores themes of authenticity versus performance in the digital age, while questioning what drives people to construct false personas - whether for criminal gain or social media fame.

Readers describe this as a slow-burn psychological thriller with detailed character development. Many note the complex mother-daughter relationships and calculated long cons that drive the narrative. Readers appreciated: - The dual perspectives between Nina and Vanessa - Details about social media influencer culture - The intricate plotting and misdirection - Authentic portrayal of scammer techniques Common criticisms: - Pacing drags in the middle sections - Some plot points feel predictable - Length (496 pages) could be shorter - Character motivations sometimes unclear Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (70,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (9,000+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4.3/5 (120+ ratings) "The social commentary elevates it above typical thrillers," notes one Amazon reviewer, while a Goodreads review states "the ending felt rushed after such a slow build." Several readers compared it favorably to Gone Girl but noted it requires patience through slower sections.

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🌟 The author, Janelle Brown, drew inspiration from real-life Instagram influencers and their carefully curated lifestyles while researching for this novel. 💫 The book was optioned for television by Amazon Studios with Nicole Kidman attached to both produce and star in the adaptation. 🌟 Many of the Lake Tahoe mansion scenes were inspired by real estates in the area, particularly the historic Thunderbird Lodge. 💫 The novel explores the modern phenomenon of "grifter culture," which has been highlighted in recent years through cases like Anna Delvey and the Fyre Festival scandal. 🌟 Before becoming a novelist, Janelle Brown worked as a journalist for Wired and Salon, covering technology and culture - experience that helped inform the social media aspects of the story.