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Such a Strange Little Girl
Not yet published
Expected 14 Mar 26She was always such a strange little girl. 👩🏼
Everyone said it. Everyone believed it. And everyone knew she was the one to fear.
Blake and Lucy were once inseparable - two girls bound by secrets, dares, and the kind of friendship that cuts deeper than blood. Until the day everything shattered. And when it did, it was easy to point the finger at the strange little girl who never quite fit, who always watched too closely.
Years later, Blake’s life is collapsing, and the only way to fix it is to confront the past she’s tried so hard to forget. She forces herself to reach out to Lucy in a letter, a first step toward redemption.
But as Blake begins to write, unsettling memories surface. Shadows she thought she’d buried twist into new shapes. And she starts to wonder:
What if the strange little girl didn’t stay little?
What if she learned to be dangerous?
And what if Lucy has been waiting—patiently, silently—for Blake to contact her… all along?
A dark and gripping thriller perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden and Riley Sager
Everyone said it. Everyone believed it. And everyone knew she was the one to fear.
Blake and Lucy were once inseparable - two girls bound by secrets, dares, and the kind of friendship that cuts deeper than blood. Until the day everything shattered. And when it did, it was easy to point the finger at the strange little girl who never quite fit, who always watched too closely.
Years later, Blake’s life is collapsing, and the only way to fix it is to confront the past she’s tried so hard to forget. She forces herself to reach out to Lucy in a letter, a first step toward redemption.
But as Blake begins to write, unsettling memories surface. Shadows she thought she’d buried twist into new shapes. And she starts to wonder:
What if the strange little girl didn’t stay little?
What if she learned to be dangerous?
And what if Lucy has been waiting—patiently, silently—for Blake to contact her… all along?
A dark and gripping thriller perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden and Riley Sager
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 14, 2026
72 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Baker
9 books133 followersJohn A. Baker lives with his wife in Essex. He has had assorted jobs, including chopping down trees and pushing book trolleys in the British Museum. In 1965 he gave up work and lived on the money he had saved, devoting all his time to his obsession - the peregrine. He re-wrote his account of this bird five times before submitting it for publication. Although he had no ornithological training and had never written a book before, when The Peregrine was published in 1967 it was received with enthusiastic reviews and praise for his lyrical prose. Later that year he was awarded the distinguished Duff Cooper prize. He was also awarded a substantial Arts Council grant. His second book, The Hill of Summer, was published in 1969 and was also received with unanimous praise by the critics.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Such a Strange Little Girl is a dark, quietly unnerving psychological thriller that leans into the shadows of childhood memory and the dangerous elasticity of the stories we tell ourselves. From the first page, there’s a sense of something unsettled beneath the surface—an old friendship fractured, a reputation that never quite healed, and a girl everyone whispered about long before she had the chance to grow up.
Blake and Lucy’s bond is the heart of the novel: intense, secretive, and shaped by the kind of dares and loyalties that feel unbreakable when you’re young. When everything fell apart, it was easy for the blame to land on Lucy—the strange one, the watcher, the girl who never fit. Years later, Blake’s life is slipping through her fingers, and reaching out to Lucy feels like the only way to make sense of the past. But the moment she begins writing that letter, the atmosphere shifts. Memories warp, shadows lengthen, and the truth becomes harder to grasp.
The tension builds beautifully through Blake’s unraveling recollections. Each chapter feels like peeling back another layer of a story she’s spent years trying not to remember. The question that lingers—what if the strange little girl didn’t stay little?—gives the book a deliciously creeping dread. Lucy’s presence, whether real or imagined, hovers over every page, and the possibility that she’s been waiting all this time adds a sharp, unsettling edge.
What makes the novel so effective is its restraint. It doesn’t rely on shock for shock’s sake; instead, it lets paranoia seep in slowly, blurring the line between guilt, fear, and reality. The result is a thriller that feels intimate and claustrophobic, driven by character rather than spectacle, and all the more chilling for it.
A gripping, atmospheric read perfect for fans of psychological suspense that digs into the darker corners of friendship, memory, and the ghosts we carry with us.
With thanks to JA Baker, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Blake and Lucy’s bond is the heart of the novel: intense, secretive, and shaped by the kind of dares and loyalties that feel unbreakable when you’re young. When everything fell apart, it was easy for the blame to land on Lucy—the strange one, the watcher, the girl who never fit. Years later, Blake’s life is slipping through her fingers, and reaching out to Lucy feels like the only way to make sense of the past. But the moment she begins writing that letter, the atmosphere shifts. Memories warp, shadows lengthen, and the truth becomes harder to grasp.
The tension builds beautifully through Blake’s unraveling recollections. Each chapter feels like peeling back another layer of a story she’s spent years trying not to remember. The question that lingers—what if the strange little girl didn’t stay little?—gives the book a deliciously creeping dread. Lucy’s presence, whether real or imagined, hovers over every page, and the possibility that she’s been waiting all this time adds a sharp, unsettling edge.
What makes the novel so effective is its restraint. It doesn’t rely on shock for shock’s sake; instead, it lets paranoia seep in slowly, blurring the line between guilt, fear, and reality. The result is a thriller that feels intimate and claustrophobic, driven by character rather than spectacle, and all the more chilling for it.
A gripping, atmospheric read perfect for fans of psychological suspense that digs into the darker corners of friendship, memory, and the ghosts we carry with us.
With thanks to JA Baker, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am apparently in the minority after looking at other reviews but I had a really hard time with this book, though I did enjoy the 2nd half more than the first. It centers on Blake, who tries to reconnect with her former friend Lucy, on the advice of her therapist. Much of the narrative in the first half of the book is letters back and forth between the 2, when it becomes clear that one of both of them is either lying of misremembering events from the past. There are also other chapters told from Blake’s perspective behind the letters, and flashback chapters from the girls’ childhood.
I didn’t feel like the synopsis really deceived the book well and then I had a tough time getting into the letters. I didn’t like that I was being deliberately misled since each woman’s memories of previous times didn’t match. I liked the flashback chapters more, but felt that the book really took off more towards the end when it was mostly told in real time. I figured out much of the major twists early but there were a couple surprises as time went on. I thought the ending worked for the rest of the story but it felt just a little anticlimactic.
Overall, I’m not sure why but I didn’t get as into this one as I expected. Seems like others enjoyed it quite a lot. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t feel like the synopsis really deceived the book well and then I had a tough time getting into the letters. I didn’t like that I was being deliberately misled since each woman’s memories of previous times didn’t match. I liked the flashback chapters more, but felt that the book really took off more towards the end when it was mostly told in real time. I figured out much of the major twists early but there were a couple surprises as time went on. I thought the ending worked for the rest of the story but it felt just a little anticlimactic.
Overall, I’m not sure why but I didn’t get as into this one as I expected. Seems like others enjoyed it quite a lot. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Firstly I want to thank, Netgalley, J.A Baker and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read Such a Strange Little Girl.
This book is about a girl named Blake has been asked by her therapist to write letters to her friend Lucy as a means of confronting a past she would like to forget.
The story is told in multiple time lines mostly the past as that was the purpose of the letters. It is also told through a few different perspectives. This flows fairly smoothly but at times there are things that just don't make sense or don't seem to really work. (Unfortunately I can't expand on this without giving spoilers).
The pace of the book works at times but then can get a bit slow and tedious. The first part sets the second part quite well but the second part is where things get more interesting.
The character work is decent enough but the main issue is we don't really understand why the girls are the way they are. We are told one of the girls was the result of an unwanted pregnancy and it shows on the way she was treated . It leaves a very open ended view on the issue of nature vs nurture which is a bit frustrating as the issues seem to start at birth.
Overall this book was a good read it just had some minor flaws. 3.5 🌟
This book is about a girl named Blake has been asked by her therapist to write letters to her friend Lucy as a means of confronting a past she would like to forget.
The story is told in multiple time lines mostly the past as that was the purpose of the letters. It is also told through a few different perspectives. This flows fairly smoothly but at times there are things that just don't make sense or don't seem to really work. (Unfortunately I can't expand on this without giving spoilers).
The pace of the book works at times but then can get a bit slow and tedious. The first part sets the second part quite well but the second part is where things get more interesting.
The character work is decent enough but the main issue is we don't really understand why the girls are the way they are. We are told one of the girls was the result of an unwanted pregnancy and it shows on the way she was treated . It leaves a very open ended view on the issue of nature vs nurture which is a bit frustrating as the issues seem to start at birth.
Overall this book was a good read it just had some minor flaws. 3.5 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Blake and Lucy were the best of friends bound together by secrets and lies...until the day that destroyed everything.
Years later Blake is struggling and she thinks the only way to get her life back on track is to reconnect with Lucy and confront their past, so she reaches out by writing her a letter. But as Blake writes unsettling memories resurface....
The novel follows a dual timeline between past and present, the present focuses on Blake and Lucy exchanging letters discussing memories of when they were little leading up to the day that shattered everything. Their memories are a little fuzzy and they both remember things in a different context. Who is telling the truth?
I don't know why I really struggled with this book. I don't know if it was the writing style but I really struggled through it. I enjoyed the chapters that went back to the past but I found the letters a drag. I'm gutted I didn't enjoy it as much as others did but if you like slow burn that builds paranoia this is for you.
Years later Blake is struggling and she thinks the only way to get her life back on track is to reconnect with Lucy and confront their past, so she reaches out by writing her a letter. But as Blake writes unsettling memories resurface....
The novel follows a dual timeline between past and present, the present focuses on Blake and Lucy exchanging letters discussing memories of when they were little leading up to the day that shattered everything. Their memories are a little fuzzy and they both remember things in a different context. Who is telling the truth?
I don't know why I really struggled with this book. I don't know if it was the writing style but I really struggled through it. I enjoyed the chapters that went back to the past but I found the letters a drag. I'm gutted I didn't enjoy it as much as others did but if you like slow burn that builds paranoia this is for you.
February 23, 2026
Blake and Lucy grew up together from a very young age. Best friends until something terrible happened.
Blake is advised by her therapist, Arthur, to write to Lucy, to try and recover their friendship. We follow the two of them as their letters go back and forth. But not everything is always remembered correctly.
I always go in having not read anything about the story with this particular author. I know that she will weave a tale that sucks me in and then feels like it has spat me out at the end.
This is a truly difficult and tragic story, and I liked trying to peel away the layers in each chapter to understand Blake and Lucy.
As much as I felt sorry for Lucy and her family, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Blake too. This story revolves around tragedy, and at times is brutal.
A dark psychological thriller that grabbed me from the prologue.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Blake is advised by her therapist, Arthur, to write to Lucy, to try and recover their friendship. We follow the two of them as their letters go back and forth. But not everything is always remembered correctly.
I always go in having not read anything about the story with this particular author. I know that she will weave a tale that sucks me in and then feels like it has spat me out at the end.
This is a truly difficult and tragic story, and I liked trying to peel away the layers in each chapter to understand Blake and Lucy.
As much as I felt sorry for Lucy and her family, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Blake too. This story revolves around tragedy, and at times is brutal.
A dark psychological thriller that grabbed me from the prologue.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book focuses on 2 female characters, Blake and Lucy who after a tragic incident are now estranged….until Blake starts to write to Lucy to try and repair their friendship, quite a lot of the book features these letters ( back and forth ) and the more letters we read the more we see what happened throughout their lives leading to the present day
It’s quite a complicated story as in a lot has gone before, for both of them and its a tale of guilt and redemption but the easiest thing to say is to expect the unexpected and dont let your guard down with the book as when it bites, its ferocious!
Some truly unpleasant characters and some to be pitied made it a harrowing dark story but as always by this author well written and immersive
Am not convinced the title does it justice tbh
A book with a big kick…..will make sense when read it
It’s quite a complicated story as in a lot has gone before, for both of them and its a tale of guilt and redemption but the easiest thing to say is to expect the unexpected and dont let your guard down with the book as when it bites, its ferocious!
Some truly unpleasant characters and some to be pitied made it a harrowing dark story but as always by this author well written and immersive
Am not convinced the title does it justice tbh
A book with a big kick…..will make sense when read it
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.
Since childhood, Blake and Lucy have been best friends, but later on, something destroyed that bond, and now Blake is trying to repair it.
The story unfolds in the first part through letters exchanged between the friends as a form of therapy. We learn about all the events that marked their relationship and how the facts are slightly different depending on who is narrating them. For me, this part is a little slowly paced.
In the second part of the book, we already know what to expect, and the bad feeling that has developed during the first part becomes stronger until we fully understand what happened and the subsequent events that will lead us to the end of the story.
Overall, this is a psychological thriller that is perfect for lovers of a slow-burner but effective story.
Since childhood, Blake and Lucy have been best friends, but later on, something destroyed that bond, and now Blake is trying to repair it.
The story unfolds in the first part through letters exchanged between the friends as a form of therapy. We learn about all the events that marked their relationship and how the facts are slightly different depending on who is narrating them. For me, this part is a little slowly paced.
In the second part of the book, we already know what to expect, and the bad feeling that has developed during the first part becomes stronger until we fully understand what happened and the subsequent events that will lead us to the end of the story.
Overall, this is a psychological thriller that is perfect for lovers of a slow-burner but effective story.
February 28, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I was really looking forward to reading it based on the synopsis, but was let down.
Blake and Lucy are childhood friends who were once inseparable. After years of being apart, Blake reaches out to Lucy through a letter to rehash everything that happened throughout their friendship.
Is she trying to mend the relationship? Is she trying to lure Lucy back? You have to read it to find out!
The majority of the first half of the book is written in the format of the letters and for some reason it was really hard to get into them. Both portrayals were erratic and hard to follow. The second half of the book was much better and allowed me to bump up my rating. I wish I liked it more.
Blake and Lucy are childhood friends who were once inseparable. After years of being apart, Blake reaches out to Lucy through a letter to rehash everything that happened throughout their friendship.
Is she trying to mend the relationship? Is she trying to lure Lucy back? You have to read it to find out!
The majority of the first half of the book is written in the format of the letters and for some reason it was really hard to get into them. Both portrayals were erratic and hard to follow. The second half of the book was much better and allowed me to bump up my rating. I wish I liked it more.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Incredible!
Every time I thought I’d worked out exactly what was going on something else happened to throw me off, so many twists and turns.
I actually felt sorry for Blake, her home life sounded awful but then we only had her side apart from the little parts but if what Harriet said was true, what really happened in that house. Blake makes it clear throughout the book she’s a liar so I guess it’s up to the reader to decide.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, this authors writing style is so unique. It was great, i was glad there was an epilogue and it wasn’t just left for the reader to fill in the blanks.
* full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
Every time I thought I’d worked out exactly what was going on something else happened to throw me off, so many twists and turns.
I actually felt sorry for Blake, her home life sounded awful but then we only had her side apart from the little parts but if what Harriet said was true, what really happened in that house. Blake makes it clear throughout the book she’s a liar so I guess it’s up to the reader to decide.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, this authors writing style is so unique. It was great, i was glad there was an epilogue and it wasn’t just left for the reader to fill in the blanks.
* full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is my favorite kind of convoluted thriller that keeps me up long into the night! Blake and Lucy meet in preschool and become fast friends. Now as an adult, Blake is encouraged by therapist Arthur to write to Lucy as she still has nightmares about something that happened when they were young and they're too fuzzy to understand. Vacillating in time between past and present, the novel describes their burgeoning friendship, their disagreements, and finally the truth about what really happened. Loved it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Holy what a story!! I loved this book.. so much happening the characters were fantastic. When ones childhood brings madness to her being an adult. Was well written with it easy to follow and know the beginning who they were. Perfect blend of then and now. Wow!!
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
March 1, 2026
Blake and Lucy were brought up next to each other but in such different circumstances.
One loving one really not.
Their lives are relayed via letters to each other in this story along with the background from other views.
I really enjoyed this book, always do from this author but this was a different style and boy did it captivate me.
Fab read
One loving one really not.
Their lives are relayed via letters to each other in this story along with the background from other views.
I really enjoyed this book, always do from this author but this was a different style and boy did it captivate me.
Fab read
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After what felt to me like a slow start, this book picked up the pace in the second half! It was a good thriller with unexpected twists!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review to follow nearer publication date.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews