False Idols

by Karla Marie Sweet

ANYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS IN THE WRONG HANDS.

Sadie's been adrift, looking for an escape from her new house and old memories, when a chance encounter leads her to one of the most exclusive wellness classes in LA.

At first she's sceptical, but the classes - and the attention of its magnetic leader, Lilith - are transformative, other-worldly, completely addictive.

No one in Sadie's life understands that Deep Flow isn't a cult, but a community. One that offers the chance to feel powerful in her own body again, maybe even a way to finally let go of her past.

But when the sisterhood, and Sadie's place within it, comes under threat, the hidden cost of being part of Lilith's inner circle becomes clear.

What would Sadie risk to prove her loyalty?

A searing look at power and exploitation in the wellness industry, False Idols is an unflinching, compulsive thriller by a captivating new voice in fiction - perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Emma Cline.

Genres: Fiction

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2025

About the author

Karla Marie Sweet is a British-American actor, screenwriter, novelist and dramaturg born and based in Manchester, UK. Recent acting credits include Black Dog and season 2 of Hulu’s No Man's Land. As a writer, she has multiple television credits to her name and her comedy-drama script DaSilva & Sharp landed her on the 2023 Brit List. Her theatre credits include Cheetham Hill (for the Royal Exchange), This Little Relic (BBC Radio 3 and the Belgrade Theatre) and Othello (Watermill Theatre), a re-versioning that The Guardian and WhatsOnStage awarded four stars each, calling it a "remarkable" adaptation that "moves with the pace of a thriller."
Another Life is Karla's first novel.

Reviews

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark and intense this is one chilling thriller. Sadie’s guilt and self- recrimination is all encompassing and suffocating as we follow her attempts to fit in and find a family. I was gripped from the very beginning- Sadie’s story dripfed to us over the pages as we learn how and why she is targeted by Deep Flow due to her vulnerability and loneliness.
I loved Veronica and Bridget - both strong and determined, they love Sadie for who she is.
This is a voyage of self discovery for Sadie and at times I could see why she was being drawn into the group, but could also see the red flags that she was missing or choosing not to see.

[Leila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC

False Idols is a compelling, dark dive into the underbelly of the wellness industry.

Sadie is adrift; looking for something to hold on to when she meets the magnetic leader of wellness class Deep Flow, an enigmatic woman named Lilith.

Lilith takes Sadie under her wing, and soon, Sadie is addicted to all things Deep Flow and Lilith. When others around her profess their skepticism, Sadie is quick to insist that Deep Flow isn’t a cult, but a transformative experience and a chance to escape her past.

However, soon, the walls start to fall down and Sadie begins to realise the truth about Deep Flow and Lilith.

This is such a unique concept for a thriller, and brilliantly captures the dark side of the wellness industry; how it can be unregulated and how it can pray on the vulnerable, isolating them.

Sadie’s state of mind is portrayed so well, and you’re completely captivated as she falls under Lilith’s spell.

Overall I really enjoyed this book - a unique story that balances thriller with literary fiction.

This story does explore some difficult themes which may need a trigger warning!

[Alanah Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author & Net Galley for allowing me to preview this book before it was published to the public. I absolutely loved this idea and the book itself didn’t dissapoint. The whole “it’s not a cult it’s a lifestyle” vibe throughout the whole book was creepy in a way that was weirdly natural? I felt like Iv been there and heard of similar things happening before in the real world so it wasn’t a stretch to take myself into the world of Deep Flow and feel like I knew exactly what and who were involved.
I loved the ending but felt it could have been taken in a different angle and focused more on the character of Vee and her experiences. Would have been good to know more of her story! My favourite quote of this book was “ if she were wearing pearls , I don’t doubt she would be clutching them right now as if her life depended on it.”

[Matt Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by stating that I absolutely devoured this book. I usually read a few chapters before bed on nights when I'm not too tired. With this book, I carved out time for reading.

The plot is compelling right from the off. It’s beautifully paced, with twists and turns providing some real gasp-out-loud moments. But as with all great books, the characters bring the core appeal. Lovable, flawed, multifaceted, and brilliantly written.

There are some heavy issues, one of which, in particular, I have personal experience with, and I found the writing to be moving and expertly handled. It also strikes a brilliant balance of feeling up-to-the-minute contemporary and timeless.

There are also some stunning poetic descriptions. In one scene in particular, Sadie is waiting for her friend to arrive at a restaurant, ahead of a tough conversation. Karla’s depiction and use of the peripheral characters throughout this chapter is masterful.

As I mentioned before, the characters are fantastic. I think it’s also worth adding that, as a male reader, I loved how the male characters were written. Derek and Raheem, of course, but also the sub-characters that are central to the storyline.

I’m not great at book reviews. My ADHD means that I struggle immensely with critical thinking. I also don’t possess most of the language used to review novels. But from one reader to another, I strongly recommend giving this one a whirl!

[Holly Greatrex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie has just moved to LA with her husband, haunted by old ghosts and looking for new beginnings. Looking for community and somewhere to belong, she dives into Deep Flow, a wellness cult that promises mind-blowing transformation. The tantalising leader, Lilith, pulls Sadie further and further into the ‘wellness community’. Suddenly rituals, sisterhood, and loyalty send Sadie down roads to her past she never wanted to revisit.

This is a poignant story about a woman with deep, deep trauma, trying to start fresh and find where she belongs. Her consistent belief that she is not deserving of a good life leads her to make questionable decisions.

Heady, not-a-cult (wink wink) and fever-dream like, I struggled to put this book down. It is such an interesting take on the wellness industry’s empty promises with a twist of psychological thriller.

I highly recommend this one but please check the trigger warnings!! This is a book concentrating on many heavy themes 🫶🏻

Thank you to @headlinebooks @mountainleopardpress for the e-arc and finished physical hardback in exchange for an honest review!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story about a wife whos has just moved to LA and feeling lonely when a chance meeting introduces her to a woman who seems to be able to give her the friendship and community she needs. Only problem is as she gets deeper and deeper into this new lifestyle it s costing her more and more should friendship cost or is this something much darker she is her search for connection just a band aid to cover the hurt and abuse she suffered as a child. A very clever read looking at cults, pyramid schemes and abusive people in modern setting. Sometimes the cult of celebrity is more dangerous than religion.

[Shona · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️💫

Sadie's been adrift, looking for an escape from her new house & old memories, when a chance encounter leads her to one of the most exclusive wellness classes in LA. At first she's sceptical, but the classes - and the attention of its magnetic leader, Lilith - are transformative, other-worldly, completely addictive. No one in Sadie's life understands that Deep Flow isn't a cult, but a community, one that offers the chance to feel powerful in her own body again, maybe even a way to finally let go of her past. But when the sisterhood, and Sadie's place within it, comes under threat, the hidden cost of being part of Lilith's inner circle becomes clear. What would Sadie risk to prove her loyalty?

From the off we are provided with insights into Sadie’s character, her thought-process of her finding her feet and making new friends in a new location, told to the reader in a detailed way that identifies Sadie as being at a very vulnerable stage in her life, making her susceptible to the promise of turning her life around.

The insertion of dream sequences mixed within the prose was also an interesting concept, cleverly inserted at relevant points in the story to further explain events and emotions from Sadie’s past. However at times a few felt a bit haphazard, where the connection to how it fitted it wasn’t immediately relevant.

I must admit my intrigue peaked in this title when the reveal of Sadie’s past happened approximately halfway through, meaning I felt the plot lost a little relevance following this.

Despite not being what I originally expected, this is a title that is clearly well written, the author perfectly describing the cast of characters, making you aware of the traits held by certain ones, adding that element of suspicion to the plot. Whilst a little slow-paced for me, with a slightly rushed conclusion, this was still an enjoyable read that definitely opens your eyes to how conniving and convincing, yet toxic, that these group ‘cults’ can be.

[Hannah Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who relocated to a new city a few years ago with no family or friends in the area I could 100% put myself in Sadie's shoes trying to forge connections in an unfamiliar place... now I'm not saying I would have gone so far as accidentally joining a cult but, hey, you never know! 😂

Artist Sadie is fresh-meat in LA, she's moved here with her husband and, missing the community she had in her hometown she is looking to find where she fits in... she's also clearly lugging around some emotional baggage too! In her search for human connection she stumbles into 'Deep Flow', a very glossy wellness collective run by Lilith (and if that name isn't a red flag then i'm sorry, I can't help you! Lilith is part influencer, part life coach, part pyramid-scheme pusher and her charisma definitely translated on the page, although I have to say I don't know if I'd have trusted her quite as much as Sadie does! 

At first Deep Flow is all morning mantras, gorgeous retreats and Instagrammable fruit platters, but there is an immediate sense that something is not quite right. Is it it simply a wellness community, or is it a cult? Is it just LA?! As Sadie finds herself drawn deeper into the group we start to find out more about her backstory, what it is she is running from and just how damaged it has left her and she's an interesting main character, vulnerable and flawed and capable of making some truly terrible choices, but very believable throughout. I did find her to be somewhat naive at times but then, those are the kinds of people who are most at risk of manipulation so I guess she had to have an element of that to her for the story to work. Equally, I felt that Lilith was a little bit of a caricature at times, and some of the side characters were a little one-dimensional, I wanted more of the dynamics within the Deep Flow inner circle, I was left feeling kind of outside it at times. 

The writing style was fun, fast-paced and sharp. There were some sly little observations about wellness culture which were very enjoyable and I liked how she showed the way loneliness can twist our judgment so easily. I did want the Deep Flow world to feel a bit more fleshed out in places, but that's probably just personal preference, I consume a lot of cult content so this felt a little surface level for me. It was an unsettling dip beneath the glossy surface and into the murky underbelly of the wellness scene. Not as dark as some cult-ish thrillers, but with enough tension and emotional backstory to keep me reading.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadie has recently moved to LA from Georgia with her husband and feels rootless: she's struggling with childlessness and has never got up the courage to show any of her art, instead relying on her income from freelance graphic design. She's drawn into Deep Flow, an intensive wellness programme run by the charismatic Lilith, despite her suspicions of its wealthy, almost entirely white clientele. Yes, it's another wellness cult book, but for some reason I thought this one might be better, and it turned out to be worse. Sadie's character makes no sense; she's continuously critical of pretty much everything about Deep Flow, and yet she keeps on buying into it. She also makes some frankly ridiculous, unrealistic decisions after she decides to investigate a person with a grudge against Lilith. The writing is choppy and info-dumpy; Sadie's husband, Derek, sounds like he swallowed lefty Twitter whole, which meant that I agreed with a lot of what he said but found it impossible to believe a real person would actually talk like that. The pace is also incredibly slow, and the only plot-thread that engaged me was what Sadie might be hiding in her past. DNF @ 41%.

I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for approving my first Arc!

Artist Sadie and director husband; Derek move from Savannah, Georgia to LA, California as part of Derek's dreams whereas Sadie is now feeling a little lost. She's lost her friends from back home and while she's happy that her new home has given her the space to spend as much time as she wants painting, she's feeling lonely. She's in the supermarket when approached by the mysterious Lilith who encourages her to join a wellness group; Deep Flow.

Told in three parts, first part is fast paced as Sadie starts her 4 week free trial with Deep Flow. We move on to the second part which remains steady as we start to learn move about Sadie's past and her struggles, while also learning more about Deep Flow as it drifts between deep breathing and bordering on a possible cult. Part three resumes the fast pace as more secrets are revealed.

I liked the aspect of the plot about the main character possibly joining a cult, I just wish there was more. It focused more on Deep Flow as it's members practiced deep breathing and releasing negative energy that I found it difficult to understand how it could be cult until more of the plot was revealed.

I found parts of the book laugh out loud funny and other parts questionable at the sudden change in character decisions while also reading about very heavy topics that trigger warns might be required.

[Amina (aminasbookshelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love cult stories and thought the L.A. wellness setting was an exciting premise for this novel. However, it simply didn’t live up to my expectations. It felt like the book never fully explored the set-up of the cult or dove into the intricacies of the community.

The main character didn’t make sense – her inner monologue was deeply untrusting but her actions felt completely incongruous with her thought-processes. This just made her seem stupid and the whole plot feel implausible. Although I enjoyed some bits, such as the relationship with her husband and friend, Mumtaz, I don’t feel like I could recommend this novel.

Thank you to Headline / Mountain Leopard Press for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read my full review on my blog
aminasbookshelf.com and check out IG/Tiktok @aminasbookshelf
for more book reviews and recommendations

[Isla · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘False Idols’ is an extremely gripping ‘is this a cult’ thriller. The ominous and eerie tone of the novel is accompanied by a fast-paced narrative. We follow Sadie a new-bee to LA following her husband’s successful career and running from her own trauma. She feels isolated in the new city so when approached about a new form of wellness class, portrayed as a ‘lifestyle’ and ‘community’ it was all she could have asked for.

I really enjoyed the novel. I had a complicated relationship with all the characters which I thought was very atmospheric and highlighted the central themes, while also humansising the chracters. The novel was mostly propulsive, the only thing I would note is that bang on at 50% a climax happens and isn’t followed through.

I would recommend to fans of literary fiction that want a thriller novel as it explores much more than just the standard thriller tropes.

Thank you to #netgalley for this #DRC of #falseidols

[Lost Vegas · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Sadie moves to LA she finds herself some comfort in a lightworking group called Deep Flow.

The issue here is while Sadie has every reason to fall in to this cult like business, she also reads as a character entirely unconvinced by the group. In most situations this cult would get her by showing love, care, riches but Sadie doesn’t even seem brightened by their company, which unfortunately means this book was hard to believe in big parts.

I liked so much to read the witty takes on the other members and I wanted to love Sadie, a strong woman who deserved the world, but I couldn’t, the story made her seem weak where she clearly wasn’t.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this eARC in return for an honest review.

[beckys_book_blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read False Idols last month and only just realised I hadn’t shared my thoughts. This is a compelling, character-driven psychological thriller that really stayed with me.

The slow build of unease as Sadie becomes increasingly entangled in the world of Deep Flow — an exclusive wellness collective — is brilliantly executed. I found her a deeply relatable character, and her emotional vulnerability made her descent into this seductive yet sinister world all the more believable.

The novel captures the darker side of wellness culture with sharp insight, exploring how easily someone can be drawn into a group that initially seems healing, but harbours much more manipulative motives. The cult-like dynamics, obsessive friendships, and blurred lines between self-improvement and control made for utterly gripping reading.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Derek and Sadie relocate to Los Angeles to pursue Derek's dream career, the latter finds herself at something of a loose end. That is, until she discovers Deep Flow, a wellness initiative that quickly sucks her in and gives her a purpose.

But is this what it seems - simply the newest trend in a health, beauty and wellness industry that's thrives on continuous pursuit of the next big thing?

Or is it more sinister and cult like than it seems at first glance? Sadie is about to find out...

An absorbing thriller, the book keeps the reader on the edge of her seat. This earns 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Alice Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Idols takes a dive into the surprisingly dark world of wellness, using protagonist Sadie's search for belonging to reveal the sinister ways that cults can easily manipulate lonely and vulnerable people. I love that Karla picks up on all the gripes I've had with the wellness industry over the years, and weaves a compelling narrative with a dark reveal about Sadie's past that helps reveal how basic fitness routines and expensive memberships aren't able to resolve deep trauma (as many of them claim.) Great themes explored through a suspenseful, gripping story where the stakes keep rising and the payoff is sweet.

[Annabel Ohene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I simply could not put down because I needed to know what happened next with Sadie!!!

As we uncover more layers of Sadie’s past, I was particularly taken by my want to shake her awake and bring her back into reality. This is what the darker side of the wellness industry can do, when people blindly follow suit from vulnerable positions and is a topic that has significant importance not only to survivors of trauma but this book also explores the nuances of navigating the wellness industry as a person of colour.

Excellent book.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this is it a cult or not?? book.
I liked the pacing to find out exactly who Sadie was and how she had got to where we meet her.
The whole wellness idea is very believable, and so easy to be sucked into things when you're new to the area.
I felt the whole book built momentum, to just fall a bit flat at the end.
I'm not sure what it was.
Still a fun read, with some interesting characters.

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis promised a gripping and layered story, but unfortunately, I found it hard to stay focused.
While the plot had potential, it fell flat for me.
Sadie,the main character, was hard to connect to, and some of her actions felt a bit far-fetched,even for fiction.
I was interested in some of the other characters more and would have liked to learn more about them and their stories in more depth.
Overall, the execution didn't quite live up to what I expected.
I hope others enjoy more.

[Stefanie Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has so many layers. It tackles and explores so many topics; race (specifically Black America) sexual assault, cults , and many more that I don't want to spoil for new readers!

It has so much depth and creative world building. It's big in story and it's idea. It's prevalent, important, and an utterly enjoyable read. So many twists and turns I could never guess what was coming next. Highly recommend!

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found False Idols to be absolutely gripping from start to finish. The language and characters are so vivid and beautifully developed that you find yourself entirely absorbed in the world of Deep Flow, and wanting to find out what happens next. It’s such an intriguing and complex world to explore, especially the way it thrives on people’s insecurities and weaknesses. A true page turner until the early hours - it was completely unputdownable for me!

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept taking a dive into the wellness industry and looking at how these groups can sometimes exhibit cultish behaviour, and indeed can become more cult than lifestyle choice.

Following one woman who gets caught up whilst searching for a sense of self and a need to fit somewhere, it is cleverly written so you do think about it.

It's light on detail but good to read.

[Paul Dayye · Rating 5 out of 5]

So literary fiction CAN be a page turner! I couldn't put this book down. Beautiful writing and lots of hard hitting issues. Really made me think and I still can't get it out of my head.

Great characters, lots of emotion and a few laughs too. The setting felt very real and familiar. I also enjoyed the flashbacks.

[ruthie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was more interested in Sadie's past than what was going on in the present!

[Devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. solid debut novel.