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Someone Just Followed You
Not yet published
Expected 10 Sep 26An addictive psychological thriller about a kidfluencer and their mom manager brand new for 2026 with an unpredictable twist!
- GenresPsychological Thriller
396 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 10, 2026
About the author
Liane Child
3 books56 followersLiane Child is a pen name of Sarah Clarke.
Her thriller The Tradwife's Secret was inspired by influencers who believe in traditional gender roles in marriage. When she isn’t scrolling Instagram or TikTok, you can find her reading, walking her dog, or attempting to bake banana bread after not perfecting it in lockdown. She has travelled extensively and now lives in London.
Her thriller The Tradwife's Secret was inspired by influencers who believe in traditional gender roles in marriage. When she isn’t scrolling Instagram or TikTok, you can find her reading, walking her dog, or attempting to bake banana bread after not perfecting it in lockdown. She has travelled extensively and now lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 25, 2026
Okay wow! I really enjoyed this, from the very start of the book I couldn’t wait to see where the book would take me.
We are thrown into Maple’s life and presence on social media, it was clear how important social media was to Maple’s mum from very early in the book. Little do we realise at first the extent to which her being obsessed about being successful on social media has impacted her family. However, I wasn’t expecting her to have such a high regard social media, some of her actions really shocked me and she very quickly became my least favourite character! She was just wrong on so many levels.
I felt for Maple at the start of the book, being in the spotlight constantly and how that made her feel when she wasn’t able to make some decision for herself. I loved the relationship she had with Coco (until I didnt) and Dylan because it felt nice for her to finally have someone that understood.
Maple and Dylan’s new friendship gives them both a chance to reflect on their social media presence and come to the realisation that it’s not what they want to do. They both want to do something more meaningful. Launching a campaign to find a missing influencer their new page soon goes viral and both of them find busy with that. This comes at a cost for Maple, one that throws her in a path of danger.
I loved the pace of the book and when we started to get the ‘Him’ chapters I was hooked! I couldn’t guess what was going on and I was so shocked when everything is revealed. The character building was great and mostly full of really likeable character.
Some of the references content may be upsetting to some so please have a look at potential triggers. I also feel like the book covered the dangers of having such a huge, unfiltered and non private life on social media and how things can be fabricated through the use of AI. This was done really well.
We are thrown into Maple’s life and presence on social media, it was clear how important social media was to Maple’s mum from very early in the book. Little do we realise at first the extent to which her being obsessed about being successful on social media has impacted her family. However, I wasn’t expecting her to have such a high regard social media, some of her actions really shocked me and she very quickly became my least favourite character! She was just wrong on so many levels.
I felt for Maple at the start of the book, being in the spotlight constantly and how that made her feel when she wasn’t able to make some decision for herself. I loved the relationship she had with Coco (until I didnt) and Dylan because it felt nice for her to finally have someone that understood.
Maple and Dylan’s new friendship gives them both a chance to reflect on their social media presence and come to the realisation that it’s not what they want to do. They both want to do something more meaningful. Launching a campaign to find a missing influencer their new page soon goes viral and both of them find busy with that. This comes at a cost for Maple, one that throws her in a path of danger.
I loved the pace of the book and when we started to get the ‘Him’ chapters I was hooked! I couldn’t guess what was going on and I was so shocked when everything is revealed. The character building was great and mostly full of really likeable character.
Some of the references content may be upsetting to some so please have a look at potential triggers. I also feel like the book covered the dangers of having such a huge, unfiltered and non private life on social media and how things can be fabricated through the use of AI. This was done really well.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Someone Just Followed You” by Liane Child is the kind of thriller that makes you want to throw your phone across the room, delete every social media app you own, and then immediately keep reading because you absolutely need to know what happens next. It's tense, twisty, unsettlingly relevant, and somehow manages to turn follower counts and sponsorship deals into genuine nightmare fuel.
The story opens with a bang: fourteen-year-old influencer Maple Clark has been kidnapped. From there, the narrative rewinds to show how she got there, and honestly, watching the pieces fall into place is almost as stressful as the kidnapping itself.
Maple has spent her entire life online thanks to her mother, Kirsten, who has built a family brand around her children. And when I say built a brand, I mean completely bulldozed every possible boundary in the process. Kirsten is one of those characters who is so frustratingly awful that every chapter from her perspective had me muttering "Are you serious right now?" under my breath. She doesn't care about privacy, education, or what her kids actually want. She cares about views, sponsorships, engagement, and keeping the money flowing. If there were Olympic medals for terrible influencer parents, Kirsten would be standing on the podium.
Poor Maple, meanwhile, just wants to be a normal teenager for five minutes.
As the story unfolds, Maple starts trying to take control of her own life by launching a channel investigating the disappearance of another teen influencer. Naturally, this goes viral because apparently the internet loves nothing more than watching teenagers investigate mysteries. But the deeper Maple digs, the more dangerous things become. Suddenly she's attracting all kinds of attention, and not the good kind.
One thing I really liked was the way the book uses multiple points of view. We get Maple's perspective as she's swept up in internet fame, Kirsten's perspective as she makes one terrible parenting decision after another, and even occasional chapters from a mysterious adult man known only as "Him." Those chapters are deeply uncomfortable, which is exactly the point. They highlight one of the book's biggest strengths: its willingness to explore the very real dangers that come with putting children online for millions of strangers to watch.
And honestly? That's where the book shines. This isn't just a kidnapping thriller. It's a story about visibility, exploitation, privacy, and what happens when a child's entire life becomes content. The themes surrounding influencer culture, online predators, AI-generated images, deepfakes, and digital surveillance feel incredibly timely. At times the messaging is a little heavy-handed, but it's also hard to argue with the point the book is making.
The pacing is fantastic. The chapters are short, the perspectives keep rotating, and the social media posts sprinkled throughout the story add an extra layer of realism. I flew through the book because every chapter ended with me needing just one more chapter.
The mystery itself kept me guessing. Once Maple disappears, almost everyone becomes a suspect. Is it the creepy stalker? Someone connected to Maple's investigation? An obsessed follower? One of the countless strangers watching her online? The book does a great job creating paranoia because, realistically, Maple's audience includes nearly two million people. That's a lot of potential suspects.
Not every aspect worked perfectly for me. Some of Maple's dialogue occasionally felt older than her age, and a few plot points stretched believability. There were also moments when the social commentary became a bit preachy. But honestly, I was having too much fun racing through the story to care very much.
What really surprised me were the twists. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another revelation would come along and send me in a completely different direction. Several of the late-game twists genuinely caught me off guard, especially as it became clear there wasn't just one danger lurking around Maple's online life.
By the end, I was completely invested in Maple's journey. Watching her fight to reclaim her identity from the internet, her audience, and even her own family was incredibly satisfying. I only wish certain characters—looking directly at you, Kirsten—had faced a little more fallout for their actions. Though this does show that some people will do anything to become famous, no matter the consequences.
Overall, “Someone Just Followed You” is a fast-paced, addictive thriller that takes modern fears about social media and turns them into a genuinely gripping mystery. It's equal parts cautionary tale and page-turner, packed with suspense, twists, and enough internet horror to make you rethink every family vlog you've ever seen. If you enjoy contemporary thrillers that feel ripped from today's headlines, this one is definitely worth adding to your feed.
“Someone Just Followed You” by Liane Child is the kind of thriller that makes you want to throw your phone across the room, delete every social media app you own, and then immediately keep reading because you absolutely need to know what happens next. It's tense, twisty, unsettlingly relevant, and somehow manages to turn follower counts and sponsorship deals into genuine nightmare fuel.
The story opens with a bang: fourteen-year-old influencer Maple Clark has been kidnapped. From there, the narrative rewinds to show how she got there, and honestly, watching the pieces fall into place is almost as stressful as the kidnapping itself.
Maple has spent her entire life online thanks to her mother, Kirsten, who has built a family brand around her children. And when I say built a brand, I mean completely bulldozed every possible boundary in the process. Kirsten is one of those characters who is so frustratingly awful that every chapter from her perspective had me muttering "Are you serious right now?" under my breath. She doesn't care about privacy, education, or what her kids actually want. She cares about views, sponsorships, engagement, and keeping the money flowing. If there were Olympic medals for terrible influencer parents, Kirsten would be standing on the podium.
Poor Maple, meanwhile, just wants to be a normal teenager for five minutes.
As the story unfolds, Maple starts trying to take control of her own life by launching a channel investigating the disappearance of another teen influencer. Naturally, this goes viral because apparently the internet loves nothing more than watching teenagers investigate mysteries. But the deeper Maple digs, the more dangerous things become. Suddenly she's attracting all kinds of attention, and not the good kind.
One thing I really liked was the way the book uses multiple points of view. We get Maple's perspective as she's swept up in internet fame, Kirsten's perspective as she makes one terrible parenting decision after another, and even occasional chapters from a mysterious adult man known only as "Him." Those chapters are deeply uncomfortable, which is exactly the point. They highlight one of the book's biggest strengths: its willingness to explore the very real dangers that come with putting children online for millions of strangers to watch.
And honestly? That's where the book shines. This isn't just a kidnapping thriller. It's a story about visibility, exploitation, privacy, and what happens when a child's entire life becomes content. The themes surrounding influencer culture, online predators, AI-generated images, deepfakes, and digital surveillance feel incredibly timely. At times the messaging is a little heavy-handed, but it's also hard to argue with the point the book is making.
The pacing is fantastic. The chapters are short, the perspectives keep rotating, and the social media posts sprinkled throughout the story add an extra layer of realism. I flew through the book because every chapter ended with me needing just one more chapter.
The mystery itself kept me guessing. Once Maple disappears, almost everyone becomes a suspect. Is it the creepy stalker? Someone connected to Maple's investigation? An obsessed follower? One of the countless strangers watching her online? The book does a great job creating paranoia because, realistically, Maple's audience includes nearly two million people. That's a lot of potential suspects.
Not every aspect worked perfectly for me. Some of Maple's dialogue occasionally felt older than her age, and a few plot points stretched believability. There were also moments when the social commentary became a bit preachy. But honestly, I was having too much fun racing through the story to care very much.
What really surprised me were the twists. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another revelation would come along and send me in a completely different direction. Several of the late-game twists genuinely caught me off guard, especially as it became clear there wasn't just one danger lurking around Maple's online life.
By the end, I was completely invested in Maple's journey. Watching her fight to reclaim her identity from the internet, her audience, and even her own family was incredibly satisfying. I only wish certain characters—looking directly at you, Kirsten—had faced a little more fallout for their actions. Though this does show that some people will do anything to become famous, no matter the consequences.
Overall, “Someone Just Followed You” is a fast-paced, addictive thriller that takes modern fears about social media and turns them into a genuinely gripping mystery. It's equal parts cautionary tale and page-turner, packed with suspense, twists, and enough internet horror to make you rethink every family vlog you've ever seen. If you enjoy contemporary thrillers that feel ripped from today's headlines, this one is definitely worth adding to your feed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *Someone Just Followed You* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
*Someone Just Followed You* is a dark, timely psychological thriller about social media, parental ambition and the dangers of exposing a child’s life to millions of strangers. Maple Clark may experience the same insecurities and frustrations as many teenage girls, but her life is anything but ordinary. She is a hugely successful online influencer whose mother is determined to keep growing her audience, income and public profile. Then Maple suddenly disappears—and the content stops.
The central premise is genuinely unsettling. Maple has almost two million followers, meaning that countless strangers know where she lives, what she wears, where she goes and intimate details about her family. Her online popularity has created financial success, but it has also removed almost every boundary between her private life and the public. When she vanishes, the enormous audience that once appeared to represent admiration becomes a vast pool of possible suspects.
The novel examines kidfluencer culture particularly well, raising uncomfortable questions about consent and exploitation. Maple’s mother presents their lifestyle as a family business and an extraordinary opportunity, but Maple is also a teenager whose identity has been turned into content. The distinction between supporting a child’s success and profiting from them becomes increasingly blurred, particularly when popularity and engagement begin taking priority over privacy and safety.
The short chapters and changing perspectives create a fast pace and a constant sense that someone is watching. Nearly every character appears to be concealing something, and the online world makes it difficult to separate genuine supporters from obsessive followers, trolls and predators. I enjoyed the way the story showed how carefully edited posts can create a convincing version of a perfect family while hiding serious tensions behind the screen.
Some of the characters are deliberately unlikeable, and a few twists require suspension of disbelief. Certain decisions also feel influenced by the need to preserve an online image when ordinary common sense should have taken priority. However, those frustrations fit the novel’s wider criticism of people becoming so dependent on attention and validation that they stop recognising the danger directly in front of them.
Overall, *Someone Just Followed You* is an addictive and thought-provoking thriller with a highly relevant premise. It combines a gripping missing-person investigation with a disturbing examination of online fame, obsessive followers and parents who share too much of their children’s lives. Dark, twisty and increasingly tense, it is also a powerful reminder that millions of followers may offer visibility—but they do not necessarily offer protection.
*Someone Just Followed You* is a dark, timely psychological thriller about social media, parental ambition and the dangers of exposing a child’s life to millions of strangers. Maple Clark may experience the same insecurities and frustrations as many teenage girls, but her life is anything but ordinary. She is a hugely successful online influencer whose mother is determined to keep growing her audience, income and public profile. Then Maple suddenly disappears—and the content stops.
The central premise is genuinely unsettling. Maple has almost two million followers, meaning that countless strangers know where she lives, what she wears, where she goes and intimate details about her family. Her online popularity has created financial success, but it has also removed almost every boundary between her private life and the public. When she vanishes, the enormous audience that once appeared to represent admiration becomes a vast pool of possible suspects.
The novel examines kidfluencer culture particularly well, raising uncomfortable questions about consent and exploitation. Maple’s mother presents their lifestyle as a family business and an extraordinary opportunity, but Maple is also a teenager whose identity has been turned into content. The distinction between supporting a child’s success and profiting from them becomes increasingly blurred, particularly when popularity and engagement begin taking priority over privacy and safety.
The short chapters and changing perspectives create a fast pace and a constant sense that someone is watching. Nearly every character appears to be concealing something, and the online world makes it difficult to separate genuine supporters from obsessive followers, trolls and predators. I enjoyed the way the story showed how carefully edited posts can create a convincing version of a perfect family while hiding serious tensions behind the screen.
Some of the characters are deliberately unlikeable, and a few twists require suspension of disbelief. Certain decisions also feel influenced by the need to preserve an online image when ordinary common sense should have taken priority. However, those frustrations fit the novel’s wider criticism of people becoming so dependent on attention and validation that they stop recognising the danger directly in front of them.
Overall, *Someone Just Followed You* is an addictive and thought-provoking thriller with a highly relevant premise. It combines a gripping missing-person investigation with a disturbing examination of online fame, obsessive followers and parents who share too much of their children’s lives. Dark, twisty and increasingly tense, it is also a powerful reminder that millions of followers may offer visibility—but they do not necessarily offer protection.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Liane Child, and Harper 360 for a copy of Someone Just Followed You in exchange for an honest review.
NOW THIS is an influencer book I can get behind! 👏
I have read my fair share of influencer thrillers lately, and some of them are starting to feel like the same book with different character names. But Someone Just Followed You? This one actually had something to say.
Mom & Maple starts when Maple is just a child, and we watch her grow into a teenage girl with a million followers and a life that is anything but normal. Every move she makes is watched, documented, judged, and—most importantly—monetized.
Maple is caught between wanting the money, the brands, the perks, and the lifestyle that comes with being an influencer and simply wanting to be a normal teenage girl. And honestly, watching that struggle was one of my favorite parts of the book.
Then we have Kiersten.
😳😳😳
That woman was absolutely NUTS.
I understand wanting the best for your child. I understand wanting to take advantage of opportunities. I understand the money and the brands are tempting. BUT MA'AM… THAT IS YOUR DAUGHTER. The lengths Kiersten went to absolutely appalled me. At times I wanted to reach through the book and say, “Put the phone down and BE HER MOM!”
There is SO much going on in this book, and underneath the thriller aspect is a pretty eye-opening look at what happens behind the perfectly curated social-media posts. The pressure, the expectations, the constant scrutiny, and the fact that Maple's life essentially becomes a product.
Honestly, aside from some of the more obviously fictional parts, I could absolutely see this book being used as a conversation starter for parents and kids about the reality of being an influencer. What looks glamorous from the outside can be a completely different story behind the camera.
And then Liane Child decided to throw “The Man” at me toward the end.
EXCUSE ME?! 😳
That little addition had me shaking my head and realizing I had been looking at the entire story wrong. I love when an author can pull that off because I thought I had things figured out, and apparently I did NOT.
This was engaging, disturbing, thought-provoking, and actually gave me something to think about after I finished it.
Final Verdict: Finally, an influencer thriller that didn't feel like a copy-and-paste job! Someone Just Followed You had plenty of twists, some seriously questionable parenting, and a storyline that actually made me think about the darker side of social media fame.
4 stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, Liane Child, and Harper 360 for a copy of Someone Just Followed You in exchange for an honest review.
NOW THIS is an influencer book I can get behind! 👏
I have read my fair share of influencer thrillers lately, and some of them are starting to feel like the same book with different character names. But Someone Just Followed You? This one actually had something to say.
Mom & Maple starts when Maple is just a child, and we watch her grow into a teenage girl with a million followers and a life that is anything but normal. Every move she makes is watched, documented, judged, and—most importantly—monetized.
Maple is caught between wanting the money, the brands, the perks, and the lifestyle that comes with being an influencer and simply wanting to be a normal teenage girl. And honestly, watching that struggle was one of my favorite parts of the book.
Then we have Kiersten.
😳😳😳
That woman was absolutely NUTS.
I understand wanting the best for your child. I understand wanting to take advantage of opportunities. I understand the money and the brands are tempting. BUT MA'AM… THAT IS YOUR DAUGHTER. The lengths Kiersten went to absolutely appalled me. At times I wanted to reach through the book and say, “Put the phone down and BE HER MOM!”
There is SO much going on in this book, and underneath the thriller aspect is a pretty eye-opening look at what happens behind the perfectly curated social-media posts. The pressure, the expectations, the constant scrutiny, and the fact that Maple's life essentially becomes a product.
Honestly, aside from some of the more obviously fictional parts, I could absolutely see this book being used as a conversation starter for parents and kids about the reality of being an influencer. What looks glamorous from the outside can be a completely different story behind the camera.
And then Liane Child decided to throw “The Man” at me toward the end.
EXCUSE ME?! 😳
That little addition had me shaking my head and realizing I had been looking at the entire story wrong. I love when an author can pull that off because I thought I had things figured out, and apparently I did NOT.
This was engaging, disturbing, thought-provoking, and actually gave me something to think about after I finished it.
Final Verdict: Finally, an influencer thriller that didn't feel like a copy-and-paste job! Someone Just Followed You had plenty of twists, some seriously questionable parenting, and a storyline that actually made me think about the darker side of social media fame.
4 stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This is my first book by Liane Child, and I had no idea what to expect.
Wow, just wow! I’m having a hard time figuring out where to start with this one.
I suppose the beginning…
The prologue starts with a bang! Maple is a 14 year old social media influencer with 1.9 million subscribers. Sounds idyllic, yet she finds herself chained to a bed shackled by her wrists and ankles.
Let’s rewind a little bit into the past now…her overbearing mother, Kirsten, has groomed Maple from birth to be an online media darling, exposing everything that Maple has ate, drank, worn, seen, etc throughout her entire childhood.
In present day, Maple’s life seems perfect. She’s gorgeous with two God fearing Mormon parents, adorable twin siblings who are also on the rise on social media, everything she could ever want (for free!), a new modeling gig which included a free trip to Vegas, and a luxurious home with a pool in the mountains of Utah.
The dark side of things quickly begin to show with Maple’s stardom: suffering from a lack of privacy, maintaining an incredibly strict work schedule, dealing with her mother who never ceases filming, being distanced from her friends, struggling with being the entire family’s sole breadwinner…
As a young teen, Maple also is bothered by the unwanted attention from grown men and the realization that AI can take innocent online images and create literally anything on the dark web.
I don’t usually comment on trigger warnings and won’t therefore go into detail, but readers beware that this one could be upsetting to some.
The story escalates about halfway through when Maple and her friend, Dylan, decide to investigate a fellow missing social media star.
Outstanding character development, short chapters with cliff hangers, multiple points of view, and shocking twists throughout make this one unputdownable.
It came off a little YA with the FMC being so young, and I feel that it could have been shorter, but I would definitely recommend it.
Also, it is a must read for any parent who has underage children heavily on social media!
This is my first book by Liane Child, and I had no idea what to expect.
Wow, just wow! I’m having a hard time figuring out where to start with this one.
I suppose the beginning…
The prologue starts with a bang! Maple is a 14 year old social media influencer with 1.9 million subscribers. Sounds idyllic, yet she finds herself chained to a bed shackled by her wrists and ankles.
Let’s rewind a little bit into the past now…her overbearing mother, Kirsten, has groomed Maple from birth to be an online media darling, exposing everything that Maple has ate, drank, worn, seen, etc throughout her entire childhood.
In present day, Maple’s life seems perfect. She’s gorgeous with two God fearing Mormon parents, adorable twin siblings who are also on the rise on social media, everything she could ever want (for free!), a new modeling gig which included a free trip to Vegas, and a luxurious home with a pool in the mountains of Utah.
The dark side of things quickly begin to show with Maple’s stardom: suffering from a lack of privacy, maintaining an incredibly strict work schedule, dealing with her mother who never ceases filming, being distanced from her friends, struggling with being the entire family’s sole breadwinner…
As a young teen, Maple also is bothered by the unwanted attention from grown men and the realization that AI can take innocent online images and create literally anything on the dark web.
I don’t usually comment on trigger warnings and won’t therefore go into detail, but readers beware that this one could be upsetting to some.
The story escalates about halfway through when Maple and her friend, Dylan, decide to investigate a fellow missing social media star.
Outstanding character development, short chapters with cliff hangers, multiple points of view, and shocking twists throughout make this one unputdownable.
It came off a little YA with the FMC being so young, and I feel that it could have been shorter, but I would definitely recommend it.
Also, it is a must read for any parent who has underage children heavily on social media!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted this to be good. I was asked by the publisher to read and review this book because I liked Liane Child’s first book quite a bit. This one had a lot of potential, but there were so many poorly researched and poorly edited details, that it felt lazy and rushed.
The premise was promising- calling out the dangers of child influencers on social media. At its heart, it’s a very creepy cautionary tale that could have been very relevant and an important warning. The narcissistic stage mom and the Utah obsession with influencing and status and prosperity was perfectly rendered. The big problems for me were the details about Mormonism, Provo, and Utah. I was a Mormon for over 40 years, a sixth generation ancestor of pioneers, and I attended BYU and lived in Provo for 10 years. So, hear me when I say that she did not get a single detail right. Not one. Simple details that could have been easily verified were false, like the names of church meetings, the geography of Provo, the fact that most Mormons don’t swear (there was SO much swearing), have pageants, anything called Bible Study, or buy dirty Cokes on Sunday. The ban on coffee drinking has nothing to do with caffeine, there definitely would not be a coffee maker in their house, and the thing that really made me mad was the quip about all the girls in Utah being descended from Joseph Smith, which is not just verifiably wrong, but an ignorant and offensive jab. I have a lot of criticisms of the Mormon church, but details matter if you want to be taken seriously or have your criticisms be considered valid. This felt condescending and uninformed.
It was also incredibly distracting every time British English appeared in the text. Calling a hoodie a jumper, weighing in kilograms, calling a seat a longue (just a few examples) demonstrated a hasty editing job and a lack of attention to detail.
I don’t like giving bad reviews, and I won’t be posting this on my socials, but I really can not in good faith give anything but an honest review. The missed potential of this book makes me sad. Thank you, Net Galley, for this advance reader copy.
The premise was promising- calling out the dangers of child influencers on social media. At its heart, it’s a very creepy cautionary tale that could have been very relevant and an important warning. The narcissistic stage mom and the Utah obsession with influencing and status and prosperity was perfectly rendered. The big problems for me were the details about Mormonism, Provo, and Utah. I was a Mormon for over 40 years, a sixth generation ancestor of pioneers, and I attended BYU and lived in Provo for 10 years. So, hear me when I say that she did not get a single detail right. Not one. Simple details that could have been easily verified were false, like the names of church meetings, the geography of Provo, the fact that most Mormons don’t swear (there was SO much swearing), have pageants, anything called Bible Study, or buy dirty Cokes on Sunday. The ban on coffee drinking has nothing to do with caffeine, there definitely would not be a coffee maker in their house, and the thing that really made me mad was the quip about all the girls in Utah being descended from Joseph Smith, which is not just verifiably wrong, but an ignorant and offensive jab. I have a lot of criticisms of the Mormon church, but details matter if you want to be taken seriously or have your criticisms be considered valid. This felt condescending and uninformed.
It was also incredibly distracting every time British English appeared in the text. Calling a hoodie a jumper, weighing in kilograms, calling a seat a longue (just a few examples) demonstrated a hasty editing job and a lack of attention to detail.
I don’t like giving bad reviews, and I won’t be posting this on my socials, but I really can not in good faith give anything but an honest review. The missed potential of this book makes me sad. Thank you, Net Galley, for this advance reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
At just fourteen, Maple Clark carries more than most teenagers ever will - nearly two million followers, a serious income, and a mother pushing hard to keep her in the spotlight. Underneath all that, though, she's still a normal girl who gets tongue-tied around boys and feels like her parents don't really get her. Then her videos simply stop, and Maple is nowhere to be found.
This is an outstanding read with so much to unpack and lots of thought provoking moral topics - it would make for an excellent bookclub discussion. Maple started out as a YouTube creator as a toddler, back when it was really her mum's project rather than hers. Inevitably, though, Maple became the star, yet it's still her mum calling the shots - the sponsorship deals, the regular GRWM videos, all the content Maple's mum insists on, even though Maple sometimes just wants to be a normal teenager. Since her dad lost his job, the family's entire income rests on her shoulders. I can't imagine the pressure of being the breadwinner at fourteen, even with the editing, posting and negotiating handled by her mum - it's still an enormous burden for a young girl to carry.
Of course, a beautiful young girl posting content online is always going to attract creeps looking to use her for their own gratification, and when one person's obsession with Maple tips over into something far more dangerous, her life is suddenly at risk. It made me wonder whether that would finally be enough for her mum to see there's more to a young girl's childhood than social media.
I was absolutely gripped from the start and couldn't put the book down - it was completely immersive. The characters are superbly written, and the plot is packed with excellent twists, hooks and red herrings. Even the epilogue blew me away.
An absolutely stunning read. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Liane Child and HQ for an ARC of this book.
This is an outstanding read with so much to unpack and lots of thought provoking moral topics - it would make for an excellent bookclub discussion. Maple started out as a YouTube creator as a toddler, back when it was really her mum's project rather than hers. Inevitably, though, Maple became the star, yet it's still her mum calling the shots - the sponsorship deals, the regular GRWM videos, all the content Maple's mum insists on, even though Maple sometimes just wants to be a normal teenager. Since her dad lost his job, the family's entire income rests on her shoulders. I can't imagine the pressure of being the breadwinner at fourteen, even with the editing, posting and negotiating handled by her mum - it's still an enormous burden for a young girl to carry.
Of course, a beautiful young girl posting content online is always going to attract creeps looking to use her for their own gratification, and when one person's obsession with Maple tips over into something far more dangerous, her life is suddenly at risk. It made me wonder whether that would finally be enough for her mum to see there's more to a young girl's childhood than social media.
I was absolutely gripped from the start and couldn't put the book down - it was completely immersive. The characters are superbly written, and the plot is packed with excellent twists, hooks and red herrings. Even the epilogue blew me away.
An absolutely stunning read. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Liane Child and HQ for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Maple has spent her life online as a kidfluencer, with her content (and income) carefully managed by her Mum.
Longing for a life beyond the camera, Maple becomes obsessed with the disappearance of another young influencer. But what begins as a search for answers soon uncovers the darker side of social media, exposing the dangers of online predators, AI and deepfakes.
Then, Maple disappears too...
My Review
What an addictive, brilliant, jaw-dropping read! As a parent of young children, I found myself connecting even more with the themes explored throughout the story, particularly as the pressure to have phones and engage with social media seems ever-present.
The short chapters and multiple points of view kept the pacing moving quickly, and I was instantly drawn into Maple's world and the complexities of her influencer lifestyle. I also loved how the dialogue between the children while filming content was woven into the narrative. It felt authentic, broke up the text nicely and really brought the story to life.
What makes this book stand out is that it's far more than a simple disappearance story. It explores online culture, children's vulnerability, privacy, exploitation, and the dangers of AI and deepfakes. The way these issues are examined through the lens of social media and young influencers felt both realistic and unsettling.
I genuinely didn't see the twists coming and had some "OMG, what the?!" moments along the way. Tense, gripping and thought-provoking, this is a book I would recommend widely. Given the current conversations around children's online safety and social media use, it feels especially relevant and timely.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to @netgallley @hqstories and @lianechild for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Publication date: 10 September 2026
Fourteen-year-old Maple has spent her life online as a kidfluencer, with her content (and income) carefully managed by her Mum.
Longing for a life beyond the camera, Maple becomes obsessed with the disappearance of another young influencer. But what begins as a search for answers soon uncovers the darker side of social media, exposing the dangers of online predators, AI and deepfakes.
Then, Maple disappears too...
My Review
What an addictive, brilliant, jaw-dropping read! As a parent of young children, I found myself connecting even more with the themes explored throughout the story, particularly as the pressure to have phones and engage with social media seems ever-present.
The short chapters and multiple points of view kept the pacing moving quickly, and I was instantly drawn into Maple's world and the complexities of her influencer lifestyle. I also loved how the dialogue between the children while filming content was woven into the narrative. It felt authentic, broke up the text nicely and really brought the story to life.
What makes this book stand out is that it's far more than a simple disappearance story. It explores online culture, children's vulnerability, privacy, exploitation, and the dangers of AI and deepfakes. The way these issues are examined through the lens of social media and young influencers felt both realistic and unsettling.
I genuinely didn't see the twists coming and had some "OMG, what the?!" moments along the way. Tense, gripping and thought-provoking, this is a book I would recommend widely. Given the current conversations around children's online safety and social media use, it feels especially relevant and timely.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to @netgallley @hqstories and @lianechild for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Publication date: 10 September 2026
August 28, 2026
Someone Just Followed You by Lee Child, 14 year-old Kidfluencer Maple, has been on YouTube ever since she was born and her mom try hard Christine started a series called Maple and mommy and now that she’s 14 she’s tired of every day having to be happy even if she feels like she’s not. her mom has even trained her twin brother and sister who’s eight years old to be kid influencers as well. Maple has to film everything from her getting ready for school to made up scenarios of what she does at home but when she gets a fancy photo shoot in Las Vegas her stage mom really believes maple is about to blow up. she’s so tired of her mom micromanaging her that when she learns another Kidfluencer may be missing her and her friend Dylan unknown to her mom, launch their own YouTube channel to try and get answers as to what happened to the missing girl Ella. they get really good information but soon Maple herself goes missing in the next time the reader sees her she is chained to a bed. Recently she has become very close with a True Crime podcaster named Coco but when Dylan and her dad try to find out more it seems Coco‘s channel is no longer and it isn’t long before they run out of ways to find her. just like this author’s last book this book was super awesome but I must say the ending is not a tense nor sit on the edge of your seat ending but because the book was so good I still rated it four stars it seems the author really knows how to put together a great story that makes you want to find out what happened because I definitely wanted to know. there’s a lot more in the book than just what I put in this review so trust me when I say if you want a really good thriller this is a great one just don’t set yourself up for a wow ending it was still a good ending just not the best. #NetGalley, #BlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the first book i have read by the author Liane Child and it won't be the last. Someone just followed you is an eye-opening read that really delves into the terrifying and dangers of social media and predators that can easily find out stuff about you or someone close to you based of what you post and where you post them.
This book follows Maple, an kid-influencer that has been on youtube ever since she was a kid alongside her mum, Kirsten basically her manager and who is addicted to posting even when it is something that doesn't need to be seen by the world but she sees it as the ' perfect ' content even though Maple doesn't see it that way as she wishes she could step away from all the posting as she has had strange people approach her and look at her in a certain way that is uncomfortable to her but nobody seems to think the way she does as she is basically the one bringing the money in.
Kirsten, right from the start i did not like at all. The stuff she did and posted without thinking of the dangers and really was just to make money of it was horrible and even trying to get her young twins to make content despite their father not wanting that was so wrong in many ways. I think this is the first time that i have really despised a character like her.
This is such a believable book that shows how easily it is to be addicted to social media and the dangers behind it. The plot and all the characters were so easy to get into and following alongside the pacing. The chapters are short and once i started i couldn't stop, i finished this book in a matter of hours. Full of some dark moments, it is a thoughtful but great read that i would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher HQ | HQ Digital for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
This book follows Maple, an kid-influencer that has been on youtube ever since she was a kid alongside her mum, Kirsten basically her manager and who is addicted to posting even when it is something that doesn't need to be seen by the world but she sees it as the ' perfect ' content even though Maple doesn't see it that way as she wishes she could step away from all the posting as she has had strange people approach her and look at her in a certain way that is uncomfortable to her but nobody seems to think the way she does as she is basically the one bringing the money in.
Kirsten, right from the start i did not like at all. The stuff she did and posted without thinking of the dangers and really was just to make money of it was horrible and even trying to get her young twins to make content despite their father not wanting that was so wrong in many ways. I think this is the first time that i have really despised a character like her.
This is such a believable book that shows how easily it is to be addicted to social media and the dangers behind it. The plot and all the characters were so easy to get into and following alongside the pacing. The chapters are short and once i started i couldn't stop, i finished this book in a matter of hours. Full of some dark moments, it is a thoughtful but great read that i would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher HQ | HQ Digital for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
You’re trending. Their obsessed …
Maple Clark is like many teenage girls. She feels misunderstood by her parents, feels awkward around boys and loves to gossip with her best friend. But she is also an internet sensation with just short of 2 million followers, a huge income and a momager who is driven to do whatever it takes to make her even bigger.
Maple is wrapped up in the ‘kidfluencer’ world, wanting for nothing but having no ownership of her own time or privacy. Mum Kristen equates happiness with viewing numbers and followers, which in turn produces money and opportunities, no matter the risk to her family. ‘Him’ is an unknown older male character, following Maples every online move.
Sadly, Maple is constantly forced to make or be present in content, until one day, the videos stop. Maple has suspiciously vanished. And there are 2 million suspects who may know what has happened to her …
Wow! This is a topical book that holds a mirror up to society and ‘influencing’ as a whole.
The story is told through multiple POV, showing different perspectives of Maple’s vulnerability and experiences. Short chapters keep the flow of the story fast and gripping and I was not expecting several twists that had me shocked! 💭
Terrifying, informative and addictive, this story focuses on the dark side of social media and now AI, in particular the exploitation of young people by their parents and adults, with the pull of followers, money and popularity. How far does information we provide on socials travel? Do you really know everyone you post personal information or images too? 🤯
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and Liane Child for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Maple Clark is like many teenage girls. She feels misunderstood by her parents, feels awkward around boys and loves to gossip with her best friend. But she is also an internet sensation with just short of 2 million followers, a huge income and a momager who is driven to do whatever it takes to make her even bigger.
Maple is wrapped up in the ‘kidfluencer’ world, wanting for nothing but having no ownership of her own time or privacy. Mum Kristen equates happiness with viewing numbers and followers, which in turn produces money and opportunities, no matter the risk to her family. ‘Him’ is an unknown older male character, following Maples every online move.
Sadly, Maple is constantly forced to make or be present in content, until one day, the videos stop. Maple has suspiciously vanished. And there are 2 million suspects who may know what has happened to her …
Wow! This is a topical book that holds a mirror up to society and ‘influencing’ as a whole.
The story is told through multiple POV, showing different perspectives of Maple’s vulnerability and experiences. Short chapters keep the flow of the story fast and gripping and I was not expecting several twists that had me shocked! 💭
Terrifying, informative and addictive, this story focuses on the dark side of social media and now AI, in particular the exploitation of young people by their parents and adults, with the pull of followers, money and popularity. How far does information we provide on socials travel? Do you really know everyone you post personal information or images too? 🤯
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and Liane Child for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
August 31, 2026
4.5⭐️💫 Maple Clark is like many teenage girls. She's awkward around boys and feels misunderstood by her parents. But she is also an internet sensation with a huge income and a mom who is driven to do whatever it takes to make her more famous. She’s constantly creating content for her millions of followers. Until the day the content stops. Maple Clark has vanished. And there are 1.9 million suspects. Anyone could have followed her. Only one person knows where she is…
Wow, when you say you can’t put a book down, this was literally the case, I completely devoured it in one sitting as I NEEDED to know what came next after every single chapter.
The short chapters make this book easy to fly through, the alternating character POV’s alternating throughout, building the story through the eyes of several, ramping up the intensity. I also especially enjoyed the ‘Him’ sections as this provides a very unexpected twist - can’t say too much more though without spoilers!
The world of social media can obviously be a dangerous one and this book very cleverly delves into the world of influencers, the perspective from the ‘pushy parent’ to the obsessed fan, to the actual influencer themselves all giving a deeper insight into just how oppressive and sinister this life can be.
The fast pace throughout is addictive and the concluding section definitely brings the action, although I did feel that it ever so slightly felt a little rushed,but this didn’t take away the enjoyment of this title in any way. A really great thriller with some revealing and surprising twists which definitely keeps the reader’s attention from start to finish.
Wow, when you say you can’t put a book down, this was literally the case, I completely devoured it in one sitting as I NEEDED to know what came next after every single chapter.
The short chapters make this book easy to fly through, the alternating character POV’s alternating throughout, building the story through the eyes of several, ramping up the intensity. I also especially enjoyed the ‘Him’ sections as this provides a very unexpected twist - can’t say too much more though without spoilers!
The world of social media can obviously be a dangerous one and this book very cleverly delves into the world of influencers, the perspective from the ‘pushy parent’ to the obsessed fan, to the actual influencer themselves all giving a deeper insight into just how oppressive and sinister this life can be.
The fast pace throughout is addictive and the concluding section definitely brings the action, although I did feel that it ever so slightly felt a little rushed,but this didn’t take away the enjoyment of this title in any way. A really great thriller with some revealing and surprising twists which definitely keeps the reader’s attention from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Maple Clark is like many teenage girls. But she’s also an internet sensation with a mother who will do whatever she can to make her famous and create more and more content for her online fans. So when Maple disappears, there are 1.9 million suspects and only one person knows where she is.
I enjoyed The Tradwife’s Secret and the good twists in the story, so was hoping this would be another I enjoyed. This ended up being a really compelling read, with the premise around influencer culture and the darker side of this. The exploration around kidfluencers and the moral issues around this was not something I had read too much about before and I found it really fascinating learning about Maple and her families life in the spotlight. The story also managed to create an unsettling, uncomfortable atmosphere at times, exploring dark themes and how social media can be misused and negatively impact those around it.
I enjoyed that the story was told in different voices and that there were social media posts to break up the story. Although at times repetitive, the chapters were short and snappy, making you want to read just one more. The main thing that kept me turning the pages was my rage at one of the most unlikeable characters I have read for a long time. Despite being unlikeable, she was fascinating to uncover.
I enjoyed the twists and turns, but did find it started to get slightly convoluted towards the end. Overall though, this was another entertaining, thought provoking read by this author and I would certainly be interested to see what else she comes up with. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed The Tradwife’s Secret and the good twists in the story, so was hoping this would be another I enjoyed. This ended up being a really compelling read, with the premise around influencer culture and the darker side of this. The exploration around kidfluencers and the moral issues around this was not something I had read too much about before and I found it really fascinating learning about Maple and her families life in the spotlight. The story also managed to create an unsettling, uncomfortable atmosphere at times, exploring dark themes and how social media can be misused and negatively impact those around it.
I enjoyed that the story was told in different voices and that there were social media posts to break up the story. Although at times repetitive, the chapters were short and snappy, making you want to read just one more. The main thing that kept me turning the pages was my rage at one of the most unlikeable characters I have read for a long time. Despite being unlikeable, she was fascinating to uncover.
I enjoyed the twists and turns, but did find it started to get slightly convoluted towards the end. Overall though, this was another entertaining, thought provoking read by this author and I would certainly be interested to see what else she comes up with. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
July 19, 2026
Thank you Netgalley, HQ Digital and Liane Child for the chance to read and review and ARC of Someone Just Followed You. This is my first book by this author and I look foward to more from her.
Someone Just Followed You follows the story of Maple Clark, a fourteen year kidfluencer. She feels misunderstood by her parents, awkward around boys, but she is an internet sensation with nearly 2 million followers. Maple enjoys creating content but Maple's mom has complete control of career, creating content to the point of oversharing.
Maple creates her own channel, much to her mom, Kirsten's disappointment. It involves searching for a fellow influencer who just disappeared and left everyone wondering where she went. One day, Maple herself just disappears.
This story was told from several points of view, Maple, Kirsten the mom and Him-an unknown person from the internet. Kirsten was the worst kind of mom. She didn't really care about her children and was only interested in creating content, getting the likes and followers. It also makes you think about the dangers of AI, what you share and how much of what you share. It got really creepy at one point when there was a reveal about the AI. There were definitely some twists I was not expecting and when I got close to the end I could not stop reading and had to stay up into the night and see how it all unfolded.
This is a page turner for sure and will keep your attention once the story gets going.
Someone Just Followed You follows the story of Maple Clark, a fourteen year kidfluencer. She feels misunderstood by her parents, awkward around boys, but she is an internet sensation with nearly 2 million followers. Maple enjoys creating content but Maple's mom has complete control of career, creating content to the point of oversharing.
Maple creates her own channel, much to her mom, Kirsten's disappointment. It involves searching for a fellow influencer who just disappeared and left everyone wondering where she went. One day, Maple herself just disappears.
This story was told from several points of view, Maple, Kirsten the mom and Him-an unknown person from the internet. Kirsten was the worst kind of mom. She didn't really care about her children and was only interested in creating content, getting the likes and followers. It also makes you think about the dangers of AI, what you share and how much of what you share. It got really creepy at one point when there was a reveal about the AI. There were definitely some twists I was not expecting and when I got close to the end I could not stop reading and had to stay up into the night and see how it all unfolded.
This is a page turner for sure and will keep your attention once the story gets going.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Someone Just Followed You is a razor‑sharp, compulsively readable dive into the glossy, hyper‑curated world of kidfluencers — and the shadows lurking just outside the ring light. I flew through this book, completely absorbed by Maple Clark’s life of filters, followers, and the relentless pressure to stay relevant. Liane Child captures that unsettling blend of innocence and exploitation with unnerving accuracy, making Maple’s disappearance feel both shocking and disturbingly plausible.
What really hooked me was the way the story balances its slick, modern thriller pace with a deeper, more uncomfortable truth about the culture we’ve built online. Maple is vulnerable, ambitious, lonely, adored — and watched by millions. The tension builds beautifully as the narrative peels back layers of obsession, entitlement, and the parasocial relationships that blur the line between fan and threat. Every twist lands with precision, and the cast is a delicious mix of flawed, fascinating, and impossible to trust.
Dark, clever, and frighteningly current, this is a binge‑worthy thriller that lingers long after the final page. A smart, twisty exploration of fame, family, and the dangers of being visible to the world. I couldn’t look away.
With thanks to Liane Child, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
What really hooked me was the way the story balances its slick, modern thriller pace with a deeper, more uncomfortable truth about the culture we’ve built online. Maple is vulnerable, ambitious, lonely, adored — and watched by millions. The tension builds beautifully as the narrative peels back layers of obsession, entitlement, and the parasocial relationships that blur the line between fan and threat. Every twist lands with precision, and the cast is a delicious mix of flawed, fascinating, and impossible to trust.
Dark, clever, and frighteningly current, this is a binge‑worthy thriller that lingers long after the final page. A smart, twisty exploration of fame, family, and the dangers of being visible to the world. I couldn’t look away.
With thanks to Liane Child, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I flew through Someone Just Followed You. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, Liane Child managed to surprise me. The suspense builds steadily, and the story feels especially relevant because it explores how much of our lives now play out online. Rather than relying on over-the-top drama, it taps into situations that feel believable, which made it all the more unsettling.
One thing that really stood out to me was how much it made me think. My children grew up before social media became such a huge part of everyday life, and I found myself feeling thankful for that. At the same time, I couldn't help but think about my grandchildren and the online world they'll inherit. Between influencers, AI, and the increasing difficulty of knowing what's real, the issues raised in this book feel like they're becoming more relevant every day.
I enjoyed that this wasn't just a thriller with unexpected twists—it also leaves you thinking long after you've finished the last chapter. If you enjoy suspense that feels current, believable, and just a little too close to reality, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.
Thank you to @netgalley and HQ Stories @HQStories for providing me with an advance reader copy of Someone Just Followed You, publishing September 10, 2026, in exchange for an honest review.
One thing that really stood out to me was how much it made me think. My children grew up before social media became such a huge part of everyday life, and I found myself feeling thankful for that. At the same time, I couldn't help but think about my grandchildren and the online world they'll inherit. Between influencers, AI, and the increasing difficulty of knowing what's real, the issues raised in this book feel like they're becoming more relevant every day.
I enjoyed that this wasn't just a thriller with unexpected twists—it also leaves you thinking long after you've finished the last chapter. If you enjoy suspense that feels current, believable, and just a little too close to reality, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.
Thank you to @netgalley and HQ Stories @HQStories for providing me with an advance reader copy of Someone Just Followed You, publishing September 10, 2026, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I saw someone post a review from reading an ARC of this last week and immediately applied on Netgalley.
The story follows 14-year-old Maple, a "kidfluencer" with a huge social media following, managed by her overbearing mother. Maple becomes frustrated with her mom's obsession with filming every scrap of her life and twisting the narrative for likes and follows, even going as far as lying outright and Maple has had enough. She teams up with a fellow influencer to investigate a missing teen- the daughter of America's most loved social media family- only to end up becoming the headline "missing kidfluencer" herself.
I read this in just over a day. The chapters were short, punchy and twisty and the storyline was so relative to the here and now and the darker side of social media influencing. I HATED Kirsten right from the start and even more so by the end. It's really sad to think that whilst this is a fictional story, this is happening in the world. Parents are exploiting their children this way and monetising their childhoods for fame and popularity.
I loved the Good Girl's Guide To Murder vibes- Maple & Dylan were such likeable characters and the book was so fast paced, I just couldn't put it down. I have The Trad Wife's Secret on my shelf and will definitely be bumping it up my TBR after loving this one!
The story follows 14-year-old Maple, a "kidfluencer" with a huge social media following, managed by her overbearing mother. Maple becomes frustrated with her mom's obsession with filming every scrap of her life and twisting the narrative for likes and follows, even going as far as lying outright and Maple has had enough. She teams up with a fellow influencer to investigate a missing teen- the daughter of America's most loved social media family- only to end up becoming the headline "missing kidfluencer" herself.
I read this in just over a day. The chapters were short, punchy and twisty and the storyline was so relative to the here and now and the darker side of social media influencing. I HATED Kirsten right from the start and even more so by the end. It's really sad to think that whilst this is a fictional story, this is happening in the world. Parents are exploiting their children this way and monetising their childhoods for fame and popularity.
I loved the Good Girl's Guide To Murder vibes- Maple & Dylan were such likeable characters and the book was so fast paced, I just couldn't put it down. I have The Trad Wife's Secret on my shelf and will definitely be bumping it up my TBR after loving this one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After absolutely loving The Tradwife’s Secret by Liane, I was so excited to see she had a new release coming. Extremely thankful to Netgalley and HQ for the advance copy of this.
This story follows kidfluencer Maple who has millions of followers and an overbearing mum who wants nothing more than for Maple to be a huge social media personality, while Maple wants to be a teenager. One day the content stops, and Maple has vanished. With that many followers, do you really know who’s watching you?
I absolutely flew through this and inhaled the pages, it was so gripping! I really love stories about the dangers of social media and being online, and I think it’s such an important message that we shouldn’t ignore. There were a lot of different aspects of this I could pick out to talk about, however I don’t want to go into spoiler territory for anyone! So I think you’re best to go in blind, with just the blurb.
I found the use of AI very timely and relevant, and it opened my eyes to just how terrifying it actually can be, and worries me how much worse this could get. I love a book that really gets you thinking, and this has left me still thinking about it now. Would be perfect as a book club read, as there’s so many discussion points.
Loved the use of the second mystery too and how everything came together, I was left satisfied with the ending.
Highly recommend this one.
This story follows kidfluencer Maple who has millions of followers and an overbearing mum who wants nothing more than for Maple to be a huge social media personality, while Maple wants to be a teenager. One day the content stops, and Maple has vanished. With that many followers, do you really know who’s watching you?
I absolutely flew through this and inhaled the pages, it was so gripping! I really love stories about the dangers of social media and being online, and I think it’s such an important message that we shouldn’t ignore. There were a lot of different aspects of this I could pick out to talk about, however I don’t want to go into spoiler territory for anyone! So I think you’re best to go in blind, with just the blurb.
I found the use of AI very timely and relevant, and it opened my eyes to just how terrifying it actually can be, and worries me how much worse this could get. I love a book that really gets you thinking, and this has left me still thinking about it now. Would be perfect as a book club read, as there’s so many discussion points.
Loved the use of the second mystery too and how everything came together, I was left satisfied with the ending.
Highly recommend this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As an older Gen X reader, I found this book absolutely terrifying! The idea behind it feels all too plausible in today's social media-obsessed world, making it a genuinely unsettling read.
The chapters are short and punchy, and the story is told from multiple POVs—something I'm always a sucker for. It kept the pace moving and made it impossible not to keep turning the pages.
This is very much a cautionary tale about the perils and pitfalls of social media. It really makes you question who you're interacting with online and whether people are actually who they claim to be.
The standout character for me was the "momager." Challenging is putting it mildly! She elicited the biggest reaction from me throughout the book. She was incredibly well written, completely believable, and exactly the sort of person I know I could never be friends with in real life.
This was my first book by Lianne Child, and I'm so pleased I've discovered a new thriller author. I've already ordered The Trad Wife's Secret, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.
A gripping, thought-provoking thriller that earns a solid 4 stars from me. Highly recommended!
As an older Gen X reader, I found this book absolutely terrifying! The idea behind it feels all too plausible in today's social media-obsessed world, making it a genuinely unsettling read.
The chapters are short and punchy, and the story is told from multiple POVs—something I'm always a sucker for. It kept the pace moving and made it impossible not to keep turning the pages.
This is very much a cautionary tale about the perils and pitfalls of social media. It really makes you question who you're interacting with online and whether people are actually who they claim to be.
The standout character for me was the "momager." Challenging is putting it mildly! She elicited the biggest reaction from me throughout the book. She was incredibly well written, completely believable, and exactly the sort of person I know I could never be friends with in real life.
This was my first book by Lianne Child, and I'm so pleased I've discovered a new thriller author. I've already ordered The Trad Wife's Secret, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.
A gripping, thought-provoking thriller that earns a solid 4 stars from me. Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Wow… where do I even begin?
Someone Just Followed You hooked me almost immediately. From the opening chapters, I was completely invested and found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” over and over. Before I knew it, I had flown through the book because I simply couldn’t put it down.
The suspense was incredibly well executed. The author masterfully plants just enough clues to make you believe you’ve figured everything out, only to pull the rug out from under you with another shocking twist. Every time I felt confident about where the story was headed, TWIST! I genuinely got whiplash from how often my theories were proven wrong—and I loved every second of it.
The pacing never let up, the writing flowed effortlessly, and the tension continued building until the very end. It’s the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you questioning everyone and everything, making it nearly impossible to stop reading.
If you love fast-paced thrillers with jaw-dropping twists, nonstop suspense, and plenty of “I did NOT see that coming” moments, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR. I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read more from this author!
Wow… where do I even begin?
Someone Just Followed You hooked me almost immediately. From the opening chapters, I was completely invested and found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” over and over. Before I knew it, I had flown through the book because I simply couldn’t put it down.
The suspense was incredibly well executed. The author masterfully plants just enough clues to make you believe you’ve figured everything out, only to pull the rug out from under you with another shocking twist. Every time I felt confident about where the story was headed, TWIST! I genuinely got whiplash from how often my theories were proven wrong—and I loved every second of it.
The pacing never let up, the writing flowed effortlessly, and the tension continued building until the very end. It’s the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you questioning everyone and everything, making it nearly impossible to stop reading.
If you love fast-paced thrillers with jaw-dropping twists, nonstop suspense, and plenty of “I did NOT see that coming” moments, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR. I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read more from this author!
August 9, 2026
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this text in exchange for an honest review.
A thought-provoking novel which explores the moral issues surrounding kidfluencers and the motivations of the parents who support them.
Maple is an internet sensation, with a mother who has documented her childhood through social media, gaining money, sponsorship and notoriety along the way. When Maple's content takes a more mature turn, she vanishes. The novel then unpicks the issues surrounding this and the circumstances that led to it.
I admired the way the text incorporates ethical issues and ideas surrounding consent when monetising content involving children, particularly material which could be humiliating or embarrassing to an individual retrospectively. I also thought the multiple perspectives were an effective way to explore intent and motivation, especially where viewpoints clashed. The way the novel builds suspense in the exposition is excellent and the twists were also well chosen. I did, however, find the level of drama towards the ending less plausible, which was a shame as the lead-up was so thrilling.
Overall, a great read which explores the rapidly changing role of technology and the wider societal concerns that come with it.
A thought-provoking novel which explores the moral issues surrounding kidfluencers and the motivations of the parents who support them.
Maple is an internet sensation, with a mother who has documented her childhood through social media, gaining money, sponsorship and notoriety along the way. When Maple's content takes a more mature turn, she vanishes. The novel then unpicks the issues surrounding this and the circumstances that led to it.
I admired the way the text incorporates ethical issues and ideas surrounding consent when monetising content involving children, particularly material which could be humiliating or embarrassing to an individual retrospectively. I also thought the multiple perspectives were an effective way to explore intent and motivation, especially where viewpoints clashed. The way the novel builds suspense in the exposition is excellent and the twists were also well chosen. I did, however, find the level of drama towards the ending less plausible, which was a shame as the lead-up was so thrilling.
Overall, a great read which explores the rapidly changing role of technology and the wider societal concerns that come with it.
August 25, 2026
4.25⭐️
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The topics in this were heavy but so relevant to today’s world and also presented in a very digestible way. Maple was a lovely character to follow and see growth throughout the story and the sibling dynamic in this was actually done really well even though it was subtle! Obviously I hated Kirsten but that’s the point 😂
I loved the overall vibes of this as well which surprised me. It’s very trendy and heavily uses today’s culture and trends (Snapchat, today’s slang, Utah/mormon references like Swig etc.) but I almost feel like that added a lot of depth and made it feel all the more real! I truly felt like I was watching a Utah family YouTube channel!
Also I definitely predicted one of the plot twists but then it double twisted and was super refreshing that it wasn’t a basic reveal! The ending left me feeling so disturbed and frustrated but was the perfect ending to this story! I genuinely enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would and felt this was a super elevated thriller in this space tackling a very prevalent issue in an entertaining but informative way!
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC of Someone Just Followed You by Liane Child!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The topics in this were heavy but so relevant to today’s world and also presented in a very digestible way. Maple was a lovely character to follow and see growth throughout the story and the sibling dynamic in this was actually done really well even though it was subtle! Obviously I hated Kirsten but that’s the point 😂
I loved the overall vibes of this as well which surprised me. It’s very trendy and heavily uses today’s culture and trends (Snapchat, today’s slang, Utah/mormon references like Swig etc.) but I almost feel like that added a lot of depth and made it feel all the more real! I truly felt like I was watching a Utah family YouTube channel!
Also I definitely predicted one of the plot twists but then it double twisted and was super refreshing that it wasn’t a basic reveal! The ending left me feeling so disturbed and frustrated but was the perfect ending to this story! I genuinely enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would and felt this was a super elevated thriller in this space tackling a very prevalent issue in an entertaining but informative way!
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC of Someone Just Followed You by Liane Child!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankyou to NetGalley for this ARC copy.
What Liane Child does well as an author is combining current, buzz worthy topics with commercial plots. I really enjoyed the topic - I think especially with cases both True Crime and generally momfluencers using their children for fame being in the news at the moment, it’s a really zeitgeisty topic. Character wise, I really enjoyed Kirsten’s chapters and thought they were well written and that Child’s writing as a whole is super easy to consume - along with the shorter chapters it’s easy to follow and dip in and out of.
Unfortunately for me, I did feel the plot took far too long to pick up pace despite those short chapters. I also thought that the writing of a teen wasn’t particularly accurate - with outdated terms and references, Making maple feel older than her age at times and in parts slightly awkward to read. At first this comes across as Child showing the effects of being an influencer on Maples mental age. But as the book goes on, I found that it did read like an adult trying to imagine how a child would think and it lacked believability at points.
Thankyou so much for the ARC and I’d be interested in what Liane does next.
What Liane Child does well as an author is combining current, buzz worthy topics with commercial plots. I really enjoyed the topic - I think especially with cases both True Crime and generally momfluencers using their children for fame being in the news at the moment, it’s a really zeitgeisty topic. Character wise, I really enjoyed Kirsten’s chapters and thought they were well written and that Child’s writing as a whole is super easy to consume - along with the shorter chapters it’s easy to follow and dip in and out of.
Unfortunately for me, I did feel the plot took far too long to pick up pace despite those short chapters. I also thought that the writing of a teen wasn’t particularly accurate - with outdated terms and references, Making maple feel older than her age at times and in parts slightly awkward to read. At first this comes across as Child showing the effects of being an influencer on Maples mental age. But as the book goes on, I found that it did read like an adult trying to imagine how a child would think and it lacked believability at points.
Thankyou so much for the ARC and I’d be interested in what Liane does next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My first thought was what a strange title, until I realised it referred to “following” on the internet.
This is the world of mumfluencers and teenfluencers, where every “like” counts and a lot of money can be made just by posting a video of someone opening a box containing a product.
Kirsten, and her 14 year old daughter Maple are Maple and Me, and Maple also has her own feed, Maybe Maple, all curated by Kirsten. Kirsten also has young twins, who she is planning to use in the same way.
When Maple starts to create her own content away from her mother, things start to unravel in a big way, addressing so many of the issues around social media and AI that we face today.
This is a compelling, thoughtful read, but also a great story, with very dark moments as well as a lot of humour.
Every parent/grandparent should read this, just to get an insight into the pressures on our children, and the alien world they are growing up in.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book.
This is the world of mumfluencers and teenfluencers, where every “like” counts and a lot of money can be made just by posting a video of someone opening a box containing a product.
Kirsten, and her 14 year old daughter Maple are Maple and Me, and Maple also has her own feed, Maybe Maple, all curated by Kirsten. Kirsten also has young twins, who she is planning to use in the same way.
When Maple starts to create her own content away from her mother, things start to unravel in a big way, addressing so many of the issues around social media and AI that we face today.
This is a compelling, thoughtful read, but also a great story, with very dark moments as well as a lot of humour.
Every parent/grandparent should read this, just to get an insight into the pressures on our children, and the alien world they are growing up in.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve just finished reading this and I’m feeling bereft…I did not want it to end!
Someone Just Followed You is completely addictive…which is somewhat ironic given that it is based around a mother’s addiction to sharing/staging the life of her children, on social media.
‘Kidfluencing’ was a completely new word for me…it’s the modern day equivalent of the Pageant Moms and the Dance Moms (although I’m sure they probably still exist).
I swayed between contempt and empathy for Maple’s mother…she found a way to pay the family’s bills, but in doing so she lost her sense of what was right.
The short chapters keep the pace moving quickly and the multiple POVs work so well in this book.
I did guess one of the twists quite early on, but then a few red herrings made me doubt myself!
To summarise - it’s nail biting, intense, fast-paced and addictive…I highly recommend it.
I’ve just finished reading this and I’m feeling bereft…I did not want it to end!
Someone Just Followed You is completely addictive…which is somewhat ironic given that it is based around a mother’s addiction to sharing/staging the life of her children, on social media.
‘Kidfluencing’ was a completely new word for me…it’s the modern day equivalent of the Pageant Moms and the Dance Moms (although I’m sure they probably still exist).
I swayed between contempt and empathy for Maple’s mother…she found a way to pay the family’s bills, but in doing so she lost her sense of what was right.
The short chapters keep the pace moving quickly and the multiple POVs work so well in this book.
I did guess one of the twists quite early on, but then a few red herrings made me doubt myself!
To summarise - it’s nail biting, intense, fast-paced and addictive…I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Review of an advance copy provided by NetGalley.
After loving The Tradwife’s Secret, I had high hopes for Someone Just Followed You, and I’m happy to say it completely lived up to my expectations.
The story explores the world of a teen influencer, an overbearing and thoroughly unlikeable mother, and the darker side of social media and AI. It felt unsettling and frighteningly relevant, making for a gripping and thought-provoking read.
Told through multiple points of view, with short chapters that kept the pace moving, I found myself flying through this book. Just when I thought I had things figured out, a twist came along that completely shocked me and left me reeling.
This was a tense, addictive thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Release Date: 10th September 2026
Review of an advance copy provided by NetGalley.
After loving The Tradwife’s Secret, I had high hopes for Someone Just Followed You, and I’m happy to say it completely lived up to my expectations.
The story explores the world of a teen influencer, an overbearing and thoroughly unlikeable mother, and the darker side of social media and AI. It felt unsettling and frighteningly relevant, making for a gripping and thought-provoking read.
Told through multiple points of view, with short chapters that kept the pace moving, I found myself flying through this book. Just when I thought I had things figured out, a twist came along that completely shocked me and left me reeling.
This was a tense, addictive thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Release Date: 10th September 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. After not reading anything from this author I wasn't sure what to expect but wow, the twists were amazing!
Liane Childs delivers something genuinely different with Someone Followed You. Rather than leaning on tired thriller tropes, she taps into thoroughly modern anxieties - the world of influencers and the unsettling possibilities of AI- and weaves them into a plot that feels sharp and current.
What really sets this book apart is how unpredictable it is. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, another twist would completely upend my expectations, right up to an ending I genuinely didn't see coming.
If you're after a thriller that breaks the mold and taps into very real, modern fears, this one delivers on every level. Highly recommend!
I really enjoyed this book. After not reading anything from this author I wasn't sure what to expect but wow, the twists were amazing!
Liane Childs delivers something genuinely different with Someone Followed You. Rather than leaning on tired thriller tropes, she taps into thoroughly modern anxieties - the world of influencers and the unsettling possibilities of AI- and weaves them into a plot that feels sharp and current.
What really sets this book apart is how unpredictable it is. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, another twist would completely upend my expectations, right up to an ending I genuinely didn't see coming.
If you're after a thriller that breaks the mold and taps into very real, modern fears, this one delivers on every level. Highly recommend!
August 25, 2026
Loved!!!!! One of the best books I read so far this year. This author is new to me but I’m sure glad I picked this one up. The topics in this one definitely fit today’s world we live in. So realistic and that’s why I enjoyed it so much. It also made me realize how careful you have to be by putting anything up on the internet. It will come back to bite you in the end. The characters made this one for me. The character that stood out the most to me was that mom. She was so despicable. Thats all I’m going say about her as I don’t want to ruin the book. The plot was awesome. So interesting and intriguing. I zipped right through this one. I couldn’t put it down for the life of me. Now let’s talk ending. Wow, my mind was blown. So many twists and turns that I did not see coming. I loved that. I would highly recommend this author and I will be reading her other book very soon.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So I think I enjoyed this one even more than The Trad Wife’s Secret. It has some pretty dark themes and shows the unhealthy side of children and teens on social media.
This is told by 3 characters, Maple a 14 year old kidfluencer, Kirsten her momager and Him a stranger who has an unhealthy obsession with Maple.
Kirsten has no shame or values when it comes to her children and is happy to parade them on all the social channels to her money. When she goes too far Maple rebels and sets up her own channel to find missing influencer.
This book certainly shows the more sinister side of social media and even though it’s fiction, it’s very close to home.
I raced through the pages as the chapters are brilliantly short and snappy. There a few clever twists that I just didn’t guess at all and one that I half guessed. It’s a slow burn to begin but once you get to the gritty part it’s fast!
This is told by 3 characters, Maple a 14 year old kidfluencer, Kirsten her momager and Him a stranger who has an unhealthy obsession with Maple.
Kirsten has no shame or values when it comes to her children and is happy to parade them on all the social channels to her money. When she goes too far Maple rebels and sets up her own channel to find missing influencer.
This book certainly shows the more sinister side of social media and even though it’s fiction, it’s very close to home.
I raced through the pages as the chapters are brilliantly short and snappy. There a few clever twists that I just didn’t guess at all and one that I half guessed. It’s a slow burn to begin but once you get to the gritty part it’s fast!
August 4, 2026
This book is an amazingly intricate cautionary tale about the dangers of social media and “kidfluencers”
Maple is just an ordinary girl from Utah with the most horrific stage mom, ever. There is not ONE redeeming quality in Kirsten Clark. As the story unfolds, the manipulation that this woman uses to control the narrative of the family she’s exploiting for money is insane. Lies, gaslighting and clearly valuing the likes and clout of her children. She is just evil. The book is written well, the characters are well defined and there are quite a number of plot twists that would not allow me to put the book down. This is the 2nd book that I’ve read by this author and I’ve enjoyed them both! Thanks so much to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book!!!
Maple is just an ordinary girl from Utah with the most horrific stage mom, ever. There is not ONE redeeming quality in Kirsten Clark. As the story unfolds, the manipulation that this woman uses to control the narrative of the family she’s exploiting for money is insane. Lies, gaslighting and clearly valuing the likes and clout of her children. She is just evil. The book is written well, the characters are well defined and there are quite a number of plot twists that would not allow me to put the book down. This is the 2nd book that I’ve read by this author and I’ve enjoyed them both! Thanks so much to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book!!!
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