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Just One Bite

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Brittany has gone viral. And not in a good way.

Celebrity chef Brittany Cole has it all. Fame, success, and the perfect family. From her restored Vermont farmhouse, she's built a wholesome brand that is trusted by millions.

But when her four-year-old has a meltdown, a video of Brittany shouting at the little girl goes viral. It’s a PR nightmare that threatens to destroy Brittany’s squeaky-clean image—and her career.

And it’s about to get so much worse.

More videos of Brittany abusing her daughter are released and #bitchmom trends within hours. But Brittany knows something truly terrifying: none of these new videos are real. Someone out there is trying to destroy her with deepfakes. Someone who has been watching her home, her studio, her marriage.

As more damning videos surface, Brittany's perfect life unravels. Her sponsors flee. Her husband files for divorce. And then, when someone close to her is murdered, the police start asking questions Brittany can't answer.

Her only hope is to find out who is behind this campaign to destroy her. Because it’s clear that they don’t just want to ruin her life—they want to end it.

Just One Bite – the gripping psychological thriller from the million-selling author of Don’t Answer the Phone and The Visitors.

304 pages, ebook

First published June 28, 2026

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About the author

Miranda Rijks

44 books1,036 followers
Miranda Rijks is the bestselling author of 29 psychological thrillers, with over one MILLION copies sold. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband and black Labrador.

Her fast-paced, twisty thrillers are inspired by scary things that have happened to her or places she has visited.

Miranda turned to writing after recovering from Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She's so grateful that she's now a full-time author and living the dream!

Visit www.mirandarijks.com to get her FREE novella, The Cheat, and the chance to name characters in her books.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
Profile Image for Sheri | HawksNestReads🪶.
60 reviews7 followers
June 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC.

Just One Bite was an engaging and entertaining thriller that kept me hooked from the very first chapter. The story is packed with twists, drama, and timely themes surrounding social media and AI, which made it feel especially relevant and easy to connect with.

The pacing was fast, and I found myself wanting to stay up all night to finish it. The suspense builds steadily throughout, making it a true page-turner that is difficult to put down.

Overall, this was a quick and fun read that I loved. If you enjoy fast-paced thrillers with modern themes and unexpected developments, Just One Bite is definitely worth adding to your reading list.
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,934 reviews910 followers
June 28, 2026
Happy Publication Day to Miranda Rijks.🥳

Another fast paced and twisty thriller that has me hooked. This author’s books are always a fun ride and impossible to stop reading. The ending shocked me, didn’t see that coming at all.

A celebrity chef goes viral for all the wrong reasons. Nobody believes her that the videos of her abusing her 4 year old daughter are fake and her life is suddenly in shambles . Even her husband thinks they are real and things just go from bad to worse.

How great is this cover! Just jumps out at you.

Thanks Miranda for having me on your team again and sending me this book. Out today and available on Kindle Unlimited.
Profile Image for Julie (JuJu).
1,275 reviews219 followers
July 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5

Receiving an ARC from this author always sparks excitement, and “Just One Bite” delivers that excitement right away.

Thank you to the author and Inkubator Books for providing this #ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

“Just One Bite” feels ripped from today’s headlines. This modern thriller brings a dark twist to celebrity culture, family secrets, and AI-fueled lies. It’s perfect for fans of fast-paced psychological drama with a side of techy chaos.

Brittney Cole looks like she’s living the dream. She’s a celebrity chef with a successful TV show, a beautiful family, and a picturesque farmhouse. But beneath the shine, a digital nightmare is brewing, and betrayals are simmering. The novel captures how technology, especially AI-driven deepfakes, can weaponize trust and destroy reputations, weaving this terrifying possibility fluently into a suspenseful plot.

Rijks writes with brisk momentum that kept me flipping pages, but what really sets this story apart is its eerie realism. Brittney's emotional toll is portrayed in a raw, genuine way, avoiding sensationalism despite the drama. The characters are well-drawn, particularly Brittney, whose blend of vulnerability and strong determination makes her worth rooting for.ish

Sometimes the pace speeds ahead, but the story’s fresh take on digital-age dangers more than makes up for it. The title, “Just One Bite,” teases hidden temptations and lurking threats, a clever wink that only clicks as the plot unravels. That ending is absolutely jaw-dropping, and I was completely unprepared.

All in all, “Just One Bite” is a gripping mixture of thriller and sharp social insight, spiced with suspense and heart. If you’re drawn to stories that explore technology’s impact on who we are and who we trust, this one will keep you hooked and leave you thinking. It’s a sharp reminder that sometimes, one bite is all it takes to turn your world upside down.

#newrelease #AIThriller #MustRead #honestreview
Profile Image for Lu thrillskillsandchills.
347 reviews12 followers
July 1, 2026
What initially drew me to Just One Bite was Miranda Rijks herself. I’ve really enjoyed her recent releases and have many of her titles sitting on my shelves waiting for me to dive into them. But what really solidified my interest in picking this one up was the exploration of deepfakes and AI.

I thought Miranda handled this aspect of the story incredibly well. It made the entire premise feel especially contemporary and relevant because this is a very real issue in today’s society. The idea that someone’s reputation, relationships and entire life could be destroyed through convincing fake content felt genuinely unsettling, and watching the ripple effects of that play out through blackmail, public scrutiny, fractured relationships, ostracisation and the court of public opinion made for a compelling read.

I also found Brittany to be a really interesting protagonist. Initially, I struggled with her character. She came across as very work-obsessed and often seemed to treat her daughter more as a burden than as her family. Yet somehow, as her world continued to unravel and she became increasingly ostracised both publicly and privately, I found myself feeling more and more empathy for her. Despite my initial feelings towards her, I became completely invested in her story and was absolutely rooting for her by the end.

Miranda kept the pace moving throughout, with each new development escalating the stakes even further. Fast-paced, contemporary and genuinely thought-provoking, this was another really enjoyable thriller from an author whose work I continue to look forward to reading.

4.5⭐️
Profile Image for Sherri Thacker.
1,775 reviews394 followers
July 1, 2026
This is book #14 I’ve read by Miranda Rijks and this one kept me on the edge of my seat like ALL of her thrillers do. Brittany has gone viral, but not in a good way and she has lots to prove to her many viewers and her husband. I could not put this down and was happy with this ending! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. Out in publication now.
Profile Image for Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm).
809 reviews29 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 3, 2026
You know I’m always excited when this author releases a new book, and I can’t wait to dive in! Watching authors grow and improve with each new installment is such a joy, and this latest one is no exception!

Brittany Cole, a celebrity chef known for her wholesome brand, faces a PR crisis when a video of her yelling at her daughter goes viral. This incident escalates as more deepfake videos emerge, leading to public backlash, sponsor withdrawals, and her husband's divorce filing. As her life unravels, a close associate is murdered, prompting police inquiries. Brittany realizes she must uncover the identity of the person orchestrating this campaign against her before it becomes life-threatening...

Meet Brittany, a successful figure who’s almost like a celebrity. Despite her achievements, she’s working hard and often finds herself stretched too thin. When you’re juggling so many responsibilities, something’s bound to slip through the cracks—especially if it involves your child. In today’s world, the public can be merciless when they see a parent fail. Then there’s her husband, Tyler, who comes off as a bit of a leech, living off Brittany's hard-earned fame and fortune. And we can’t forget Charlene, Brittany’s mother-in-law, who always wanted the daughter she never had. It’s no surprise that family dynamics can get sticky and complicated—who doesn’t know that feeling?

I’ve really grown to love Miranda’s books, having read nearly all of them in the past two years. Each time, they seem to ramp up the suspense and venture into more thrilling territory! It’s exciting to see an author push beyond their comfort zone, and it definitely pays off in this story. Every event is described so vividly that you can truly feel the dread, helplessness, and sheer desperation to put the pieces together before it’s too late. At times, I felt like I was watching everything unfold in real-time but couldn’t quite pinpoint the culprit. After all, what if there’s more than one?

The level of gaslighting and manipulation in this book is astounding! As when you think you have it figured out, the plot thickens! We also tackle a new adversary: AI and its potential to wreak havoc on your life. Just imagine someone gains access to your photos and private moments, manipulating them to their advantage. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not, and technology will only get more sophisticated over time. You really need to think twice about what you share out there, because one wrong move could send your life spiraling out of control!

If you’re up for some family drama, plenty of gaslighting, and unpredictable twists, this book will surely keep you hooked, especially on your vacation. It’s fast-paced and impossible to put down! The tension builds as the plot unfolds, keeping you guessing about what will happen next. The author masterfully hides the clues, and when you think you have it all sorted out, they reveal not one but two major twists! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to toss those cupcakes I got from my mother-in-law, trust me! Ha!

Thank you, Miranda and Booksprouts, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Tina A..
177 reviews9 followers
July 1, 2026
In Miranda Rijks’ psychological thriller Just One Bite, Brittany, a famous celebrity chef, and her TV-director husband, Tyler, juggle a hectic reality-TV life and a busy household.

Their world shatters when AI-generated deepfake videos surface online, falsely showing Brittany abusing her little girl. Racing to uncover who engineered the attack, she’s left not knowing who she can trust—while those around her aren't even sure they can believe her.

I was hooked from page one and couldn't even think of putting it down! I expected a fast, entertaining escape, but it actually left me a bit unsettled, which is EXACTLY how I want a great thriller to make me feel.

Seeing how AI can be weaponized against someone feels less like a fictional plot and more like a scary current reality that isn't easy to ignore—turning out to be just as thought-provoking as it was riveting. The author sets up great twists throughout the story, and that final one left me SOOO stunned!

It’s perfect for readers who love a fast-paced mystery that makes you think about real-world dangers in an AI era, especially if you enjoy stories filled with constant paranoia and family secrets where almost everyone is a suspect!

*I received a free Advance Reader Copy. The opinions expressed are my own.*
Profile Image for Stefanie Verhelst.
640 reviews33 followers
July 3, 2026
This story is a roller coaster on its own, up and down, left and right with a suspense that crawls from under the surface!

The author is careful with the level of suspense and the character building and development.

A very good psychological thriller!!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for §am I Am.
863 reviews15 followers
July 8, 2026
Brittany is the victim of some deepfake videos about her being a bad mom to her 4 yr old. These videos ruin her career and family life. Who has gone this far to ruin Brittanys life? The who done it for me lost a star on this book. And Tyler, her husband, is an ass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50).
2,194 reviews277 followers
May 31, 2026
Omg this plot was CRAZY. Videos have been leaked showing a mother not treating her little girl well, to say the least. The mother has an empire on TV and everyone around her including her husband believe the videos!!! We all know social media, and fake content is everywhere. Can the mom proved her innocence? Adding to the story she suspects her nanny, who turns up dead on their property! The ending had me STUMPED and I never saw it coming.
Profile Image for Vee.
32 reviews
June 12, 2026
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC of Just One Bite by Miranda Rijks!!

Just One Bite surprised me in the best way! Once I started it, I didn’t want to put it down!! One of those books that actually stresses you out and makes you frustrated with the characters.

This book wasn’t just a thriller, but a realistic tale of AI and advancing technology and how it can be used for harm. It also highlighted the nature of the media and social privacy in ways I never thought of before.

I really liked Just One Bite and had a very engaging reading experience! I’ve never read anything like this before and I will definitely check out more from this author!
Profile Image for Sonja Charters.
3,133 reviews149 followers
June 29, 2026
Well, this may all look pretty familiar to you now, because this is my twelfth read by this author and I really don't know what else I can tell you about how much I love this author's writing and books.

As usual, I'm instantly drawn in by the front cover image.
I'm not really a pink girly, but there's just something about this shade that stands out and who could ever resist that yummy cupcake .....oh wait....is that blood I see?
Yep, it's another psychological thriller, just sitting waiting the be devoured....and I couldn't wait!

Well, this one had me hooked from the start and had me on edge given just how relevant it is to today's obsession with social media and all that opening yourself up to the public can bring with it - the good and bad!!

Brittany found fame online as a celebrity chef sharing her perfect life at home with her following.
Typically, the one video that goes viral, is the one of her showing her ugly side as she shouts at her four year old daughter.
But, as more awful videos pop up, Brittany finds herself at the mercy of the public - even though she knows that these videos are fake.

There is so much around nowadays regarding AI and deep fake manipulation that this story really does hit home and feel as though it could be a real life tale.
I felt so sorry for Brittany as we see her whole life unravel piece by piece.

As ever, this one had me gripped from start to finish and although I think I worked things out before the reveal, I still couldn't get through this fast enough to satisfy my curiosity and confirm my suspicions.

Another brilliant read and I'll just be patiently waiting to see what is heading our way next .....
Profile Image for erin_leigh_reads.
259 reviews12 followers
June 29, 2026
When Miranda Rijks releases a new book, I already know I’m probably going to enjoy it. Because of that, I always go in blind — no synopsis, no reviews, just straight in and along for the ride. And once again, I’m so glad I did.

Celebrity chef Brittany Cole appears to have the perfect life… until everything starts to unravel. After a damaging video goes viral, more disturbing things begin happening and it quickly becomes clear that someone is determined to destroy her life. But who? And why?

My mind was working overtime trying to figure out who was behind the blackmail and sabotage.

Reading this book felt like watching a train wreck in slow motion — you know something bad is coming and part of you doesn’t want to keep looking… but you absolutely cannot look away. The tension kept building and I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next and how it would all unfold.

I had so many theories while reading. At one point I even convinced myself that maybe the MC was unreliable and somehow behind all the sinister happenings herself 😅

I flew through this one because I needed answers.

Super twisty, suspenseful, and full of moments that made me question everything. And wow… I was completely wrong about who did it.

Thank you Miranda and Inkubator Books for my e-arc of Just One Bite, in exchanged Donny honest review. This is officially my favourite Miranda Rijks book that I’ve read so far ⭐️

Profile Image for Rustic_Reads_ Donna.
185 reviews4 followers
June 29, 2026

On the face of it Brittany seems like she has it all. She’s a celebrity chef and like any busy working mum is trying to juggle work with family life - although she doesn’t seem very hands on at all with her daughter Alisa.

But everything starts falling apart when a video of her shouting at her daughter goes viral. As someone seems determined to destroy her, Brittany has to work out who’s behind it all before it’s too late.

One thing I really liked was how relevant the story felt. It’s genuinely worrying how convincing AI-generated videos and deepfakes have become, and how quickly people are willing to believe what they see online without questioning it. Being a public figure is a heavy responsibility to hold and the book does a great job of exploring the darker side of social media and what can happen when someone’s entire life is judged through a screen.

As the story progressed I honestly didn’t know what to think or who to believe. My suspicions kept changing, and I found myself constantly going back and forth over whether Brittany was innocent or hiding something. Every time I thought I’d worked it out, something else made me question it again, which definitely kept me turning the pages. Miranda always hits it out the park with her books and ‘Just One Bite’ is no exception.
Profile Image for amy.
17 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator for the ARC.

Celebrity Chef Brittany Cole has it all, fame, success, money and the perfect family. Brittany has created this wonderful wholesome image, two huge shows on Netflix, and she is seen as the perfect mum. However in reality Brittany is struggling to be all these things and to be the mum that she knows her daughter needs.

When a video is posted on the internet of her shouting at her daughter, it threatens to destroy the perfect life she has created, more videos are released each time showing her as a bad mum, but what is even more terrifying is that Brittany knows they are not real, she is sure they are deepfakes that have been created, which means someone is out to destroy not just her career but her life.

I devoured this book like the cupcake on the front cover! It is deliciously thrilling and I found myself wanting to read the whole book in one sitting. I loved that it delves into the world of AI and deepfakes and shows how they can destroy lives - almost in a instant. Rijks also highlights how what we put out on social media and the internet can untimely be used against us, if twisted into the the wrong narrative. All this and delving into the cancel culture that follows celebrities in the modern age, that if you make a mistake the whole world judges you.

Twist wise, I did see parts of it but the ending did surprise me - I hadn't guessed all of it.

Definitely a book I would recommend for a Summer read.
Profile Image for VickydpBooks.
959 reviews14 followers
July 1, 2026
Fast-paced, timely, and unnervingly believable, this psychological thriller explores the terrifying consequences of living in a world where seeing is no longer believing. Blending domestic suspense with cutting-edge technology, it delivers a gripping story about reputation, manipulation, and the devastating power of misinformation.

Brittany Cole is a compelling protagonist whose carefully curated life begins to unravel after a single viral moment spirals into a nightmare beyond her control. As deepfake videos destroy her public image and personal relationships, the novel captures the suffocating pressure of online scrutiny while raising thought-provoking questions about truth, trust, and digital identity.

The tension builds steadily as the mystery deepens, with each new revelation increasing the stakes and making it harder to separate fact from fabrication. The story balances psychological suspense with emotional depth, portraying the collapse of Brittany’s seemingly perfect life in a way that feels both authentic and unsettling. The pacing is relentless, keeping readers invested as the danger shifts from professional ruin to a desperate fight for survival.

With its clever premise, well-crafted twists, and chilling relevance, this is an engrossing thriller that will appeal to fans of contemporary psychological suspense. Equal parts page-turner and cautionary tale, it offers a gripping reminder that in the age of artificial intelligence and social media, the most dangerous lies are often the ones everyone believes.
Profile Image for Nicola Doyle.
613 reviews19 followers
July 4, 2026
I always get so excited when Miranda has a new book. Just One Bite did not disappoint me at all! I loved the story and the concept was so strong and so relevant to this modern world. The cover is good. I love the cupcake on the front which does have relevance to the story. The colours are good work really well together. The writing is fantastic and I thought the story flowed really well. The story is written in first person from Brittany's point of view. Which works very well. The topic of AI and deepfakes is very well researched and I think Miranda addressing this was excellent. I'm not a fan of AI and I think the more sophisticated it gets the more dangerous it could be. I felt that Brittany's story fits into my ideas of this digital phenomenon. Unfortunately it it's not a good phenomenon. The setting was the state of Vermont in the USA. I liked the setting and it worked well. The characters are all so interesting and well thought out. I adored Brittany. I felt so sad for her. There were certain characters that I had deep disdain for but I won't say who. I don't want spoil!! I do recommend this book and all the others Miranda has released!!
368 reviews19 followers
July 1, 2026
I love this author’s work and for me this is possibly the best I’ve read by her.
When her daughter has a meltdown in public, Brittany, a television celebrity chef, shouts at her, not realising that it has been recorded and gone viral but when videos of her abusing her daughter are released, things quickly escalate out of control as she knows the images have been deepfaked. With a husband who doesn’t believe her, and the sponsors of her show abandon her, Brittany soon realises that the only way to save herself and her daughter is to find out who is behind these malicious and damning lies. At first I had very little sympathy for Brittany as she seemed to place her career before her daughter, palming her off to the nanny. But the more I read, the more I sided with Brittany, feeling all the stress piling up on her, and I loved her determination to reveal the truth about the videos. This tale is very twisty, and I found myself quite shocked at times, especially knowing that deepfakes are a real issue in the world today.
I absolutely loved Just One Bite and for me it’s a very easy 5* read.
Profile Image for Leah Chelsea.
124 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2026
4.5⭐️ rounded up for GR

Thanks to NetGalley, Miranda & Inkubator Books for the ARC

Oh did I eat this up!!! This is my second book by Miranda and I loved it just like the first one I read.

The twists and turns of this was brilliant. You think you know what’s coming but you absolutely don’t!

Brittany was a lil frustrating but I did feel for her. I really love how with the times this book was, the deep fakes, AI, social media etc

It’s quite a scary world we live in nowadays because things like this could happen with how advanced social media is, it also goes to show how we don’t know the real story and what’s real or fake.

If you love Freida McFaddens twists and turns, you’ll absolutely love this!

Releases 28th June
Profile Image for Sarah (heartfeltthrills).
96 reviews16 followers
July 4, 2026
Just One Bite was an interesting read with a strong premise and enough tension to keep me curious.

Miranda Rijks builds a story that starts off with tension and promise, and there were enough twists and uneasy moments to keep me turning the pages. I appreciated the darker edge and the way the story kept hinting that something was always just a little off. It has that unsettling, something brewing, psychological feel that thriller I absolutely enjoy.

For me, the pacing was uneven in spots, which made the momentum dip a few times. A few parts felt a little repetitive – why it didn’t fully win me over BUT the strong twist(s) and pacing at the end were the payoff!

Overall, this was a solid read with a compelling setup and some fantastic tension throughout with a dark, intriguing vibe, and I will recommend it for readers who enjoy twisty suspense with an off kilter feel.

Thank you, Inkubator Books and the author, for gifting me this ARC through NetGalley. As always, this review contains my candid thoughts and opinions.
Profile Image for Kim McFall.
293 reviews7 followers
Read
July 3, 2026
This is my first book by this author & I can’t wait to read more of her books!

I absolutely loved this one!! This is exactly the type of thriller I needed right now. Fast paced, gripping, suspenseful. kept my attention the whole time, and that ending 🤯🤯🤯🤯

Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. Everyone was a suspect at some point and I thoroughly enjoyed trying to piece everything t together only to be so wrong 🤣🤣

Thank you to the author and zoolootours for this advanced reader copy!
Profile Image for Christine Cazeneuve.
1,572 reviews44 followers
July 7, 2026
It's scary when you truly realize how damaging social media can really be. Although for this story to have been the perfect storm every star in the heavens would have had to been aligned. Still it was a fast and good read with an interesting message.
Profile Image for Judy Collins.
3,481 reviews458 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 8, 2026
What would you do if a video went viral that completely ruined your life—and you weren't even the person in it? 💻🛑

JUST ONE BITE by the fabulous Miranda Rijks (a favorite) is a gripping, highly addictive psychological thriller about a celebrity chef whose wholesome brand is instantly targeted by malicious deepfakes. It is fast, tense, tackling a modern tech nightmare that feels entirely too close to reality.

🎦THE CAMERA MADE HER A STAR. DEEPFAKES MADE HER A CRIMINAL. "A celebrity chef’s picture-perfect life completely unspools when a terrifying tech nightmare weaponizes AI to destroy her career."

In Just One Bite, author Miranda Rijks delivers a sharp, addictive, and terrifyingly claustrophobic Vermont-to-digital domestic psychological suspense. The tantalizing story hinges on a vulnerable celebrity mother facing immense social and physical hurdles to reclaim her identity from a masterfully manipulative online predator.

Curated influencer perfection vs. a devastating cyber takedown.

🧁The Hook
Celebrity chef Brittany Cole has a wholesome brand trusted by millions. Her multi-million-dollar culinary brand turns into a terrifying waking nightmare when a series of flawless deepfake videos systematically destroys a woman's career and family life. A string of fabricated videos show her abusing her daughter; her life unravels. The public wants blood, but the videos are entirely fake.

Who is behind the screen?

🛗Elevator Pitch
Celebrity chef Brittany Cole has spent years building a wholesome, multi-million-dollar culinary empire from her beautifully restored Vermont farmhouse. But when a brief video of her snapping at her four-year-old daughter during a public meltdown goes viral, her squeaky-clean reputation instantly implodes.

As #BitchMom trends globally and major sponsors pull out, a series of increasingly abusive video clips are leaked online—leaving a terrified Brittany to face the ultimate tech nightmare: the videos are flawless deepfakes, and an unknown stalker is systematically rewriting her life to destroy her.

Setting
The deceptive comfort of a hyper-curated, rustic Vermont farmhouse and professional cooking studio, violently colliding with the toxic, unmoderated hostility of viral internet cancel culture.

Vibe
Highly paranoid, fast-paced, and incredibly invasive. It pairs the public takedown energy of Yellowface with the relentless, technological cyber-stalking terror of Black Mirror.

Genre: Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense.

Themes
~The Weaponization of Deepfakes
~The Illusion of Influencer Perfection
~The Dangerous Velocity of Cancel Culture
~The Fragility of Public Reputation

👥Standout Characters
~Brittany Cole: A highly successful celebrity chef forced to defend her motherhood, career, and sanity against a crime she didn't commit.

~The Stalker: An invisible, tech-savvy antagonist who has quietly observed Brittany's home, studio, and marriage to craft the perfect digital execution.

✍🏻Author Writing Standout
Miranda Rijks excels at delivering rapid-fire, addictive "popcorn thriller" plotting. She expertly leverages very real, modern anxieties about AI manipulation, keeping the suspense extraordinarily tight and highly bingeable.

Takeaway
In the digital age, a lifetime of hard work can be completely erased by a single malicious algorithm.

Title Significance
Just One Bite serves as a double entendre—playing on Brittany's professional culinary background while highlighting how it only takes a single taste of public scandal for the internet mob to destroy a person's life.

Metaphor
The deepfakes act as a digital funhouse mirror. They distort Brittany's real life into a horrific caricature that the public is entirely too eager to believe.

📖Why You Should Read
This irresistible and addictive weekend read tackles the terrifying realities of AI identity theft and digital stalkers in a way that feels uncomfortably plausible. Rijks is a pro at handling devious plots and trendy, relatable topics

💭My Thoughts
WOWzer! "This is a thriller dropping June 28 that will make you want to delete all your social media accounts immediately."

One viral video. A million fleeing sponsors. A digital stalker who wants to end her life. 🤫💀I flew through Just One Bite! If you love fast-paced domestic suspense centered around modern tech terrors, add this to your summer TBR list immediately.

"If you love quick, highly addictive psychological thrillers that tap into modern internet culture, you need to check it out. It follows a celebrity chef whose life completely implodes when videos leak online of her behaving horribly. She gets instantly canceled, loses her sponsors, and receives death threats—but here's the catch: she didn't do any of it. Someone has been spying on her family to create flawless AI deepfakes to destroy her. It's a non-stop, paranoid ride that you can easily finish in a single weekend."

The pacing is absolutely relentless. Watching Brittany try to prove her innocence while the internet relentlessly tears her down creates a phenomenal, claustrophobic level of tension. Rijks writes the spiral of a PR nightmare beautifully, making the tech element easy to understand but completely terrifying.

I am officially terrified of artificial intelligence.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5).
"A highly entertaining, pulse-pounding cyber-domestic thriller that will make you want to put a piece of tape over your webcam immediately.

Recs
If you enjoyed the fast-paced digital paranoia and the unraveling perfect life in Miranda Rijks’ Just One Bite, you will love these psychological thrillers. These recommendations focus on toxic online lives, dangerous deepfakes, reputation destruction, and the dark side of modern domestic perfection

~Don't Answer the Phone, The Influencer, One Little Mistake by Miranda Rijks
~None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
~The Couple’s Revenge by Daniel Hurst
~The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
~People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd

Special thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. #CoverLove

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: June 28, 2026
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June 2026 Must-Read Books
Profile Image for Barbara Schultz.
4,393 reviews312 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 4, 2026
Book: Just One Bite
Author: Miranda Rijks
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Pub Date: June 28, 2026
My Rating: 4.5 Rounded up
Pages: 305

Celebrity chef Brittany Cole has it all~ fame and success as she has two TV shows to prove that success. She also has the perfect family- husband Tyler and four-year-old daughter Aster and they live in a restored farmhouse outside Burlington, Vermont.

Brittany is super busy and constantly on the move. She has Nanny Riley McDonnell caring for Aster. However, Riley is out of town visiting relatives, so Brittany hires a temporary nanny through an agency. However, as she is preparing to leave for a shooting of her upcoming show, the nanny is a no show. Brittany has no choice but to take Aster to work. Which is no place for a four-year-old.

Things are not working out for either of them. So Brittany takes Aster out for a late lunch and suddenly remembers the 3:00 Birthday party Aster wanted to attend. Aster has a temper tantrum about not being able to attend the party- this was too much of a terrible day for this four-year old and announces that her mother is” THE Worst Mom” and wants Riley.

Brittany rushes her daughter to the party. The moms are impressed that she is there until someone checks Instagram and sees the video of Brittany shouting at her daughter. Yikes it goes viral.
It’s a PR nightmare that threatens to destroy Brittany’s squeaky-clean image.
Soon more videos of Brittany are released this time showing her abusing Aster. Brittany knows these new videos are NOT real, so it means someone is trying to destroy her life.
Sure, enough they are succeeding, as Brittany's perfect life is being destroyed. Her sponsors flee, her husband Tyler isn’t supporting her, and something happens to Riley and Brittany is being blamed.
The police questions Brittany and after seeing videos they arrest her.

Brittany knows she needs expert help and hires Kai Underwood an expert in cybersecurity. She realizes that she is a
victim of ‘Deepfakes.
(This was very interesting as well as somewhat scary as it really is happening!)

This story kept me turning pages~ I am a big psychological thriller fan so know to suspect everyone. Must admit whodunit it was a surprise.

Ms. Rijks does not disappoint!

BTW: Ms. Rijks liked to use characters names in her stories that her readers suggest.
So, if you want to be in print --- sign up for her newsletter and she will tell you when she is ready for her next thriller.

Want to thank NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Day Scheduled for June 28, 2026.
Profile Image for Gary.
3,164 reviews429 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 5, 2026
Just One Bite, is a psychological thriller by Miranda Rijks. This is a fast paced novel where a modern day media technology causes public shaming.

Brittany Cole is a celebrity chef who sis living the best life. She has successfully built a wholesome, multi-million dollar lifestyle brand trusted by families across the nation and represents the ultimate aspiration of fame, professional success, and a picturesque, perfect family. But in the digital age, perfection is highly volatile. While out in public, Brittany’s four-year-old daughter throws a standard toddler meltdown. Frustrated and exhausted, Brittany snaps, yelling at the little girl. A bystander captures the brief outburst on camera, uploads it, and within hours, Brittany has gone viral, and her squeaky-clean image is plunged into a total public relations nightmare.

Brittany becomes the focus of an online attack, as videos begin to appear on social media feeds. Each video shows Brittany as an abusive mother which is far from the persona that she has adorned. The video’s depict Brittany as a bad mother and causes the hashtag #bitchmom to trend globally. Brittany is distraught, especially as she knows she never recorded those videos, and she never hurt her child.

An anonymous predator is attacking her image with sophisticated AI deepfakes to systematically dismantle her existence. This isn’t a random internet troll, it is a calculated attack by someone who has been closely monitoring her home, her cooking studio, and her marriage to gather the raw data needed to fake her life. The digital assassination places Brittany’s life in a tail spin, corporate sponsors cancel contracts, causing potential financial ruin. Her husband, unable to handle the toxic fallout and public shame, abruptly files for divorce. The psychological warfare turns bloody when someone close to Brittany is brutally murdered. With her digital reputation in tatters, the police look at the viral footage and begin asking hard questions that Brittany cannot realistically answer.

I really enjoy Miranda Rijks novels, they are fast paced, addictive and entertaining. Just One Bite is a little bit different because the weapon isn’t a knife or a gun, it’s an attack using media technology. An online attack that leaves Brittany fighting for her survival, and it becomes crystal clear that the internet hacker doesn’t just want to cancel Brittany online, they want her dead.

I really enjoyed this novel and found it difficult to put it down.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Inkubator Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Daniella.
139 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 2, 2026
Miranda Rijks has done it again.

I picked up Just One Bite hoping for a gripping psychological thriller, and instead I became completely obsessed. This was one of those books where I was constantly sneaking in a few more pages, thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading, and desperately needing to know what fresh nightmare was about to land on the main character.

Brittany Cole is a celebrity chef, devoted mother, and the face of a successful brand. When a disturbing video surfaces online, her life begins to unravel in spectacular fashion. The less said about the plot, the better, but readers should prepare themselves because poor Britt is about to go through absolute hell.

What made this book such a standout for me wasn’t the twists, although there are plenty of them. It was Brittany herself. Miranda Rijks has a gift for creating characters who feel like real people rather than pieces being moved around a plot. I became incredibly invested in Britt and found myself rooting for her from the very beginning. Every setback hit hard because I cared so much about what happened to her.

And trust me, there are a lot of setbacks.

Every time I thought Miranda had surely thrown the worst possible thing at this woman, she somehow found another way to raise the stakes. Public humiliation. Betrayal. Suspicion. Secrets. Accusations. The woman cannot catch a break. Yet somehow it never felt repetitive because I was so emotionally invested in seeing her fight her way through it all.

The chapters are not particularly short, but Miranda writes with such momentum that I flew through them anyway. The pacing is relentless, and the story constantly evolves in ways that kept me glued to the pages. More than once I confidently thought I knew where things were heading, only to realize there was another layer waiting to be uncovered.

What ultimately earned this book five stars wasn’t the mystery. It was the emotional investment. By the end, I wasn’t reading to find out who was responsible. I was reading because I desperately wanted Britt to be okay.

A final note to Miranda Rijks: how many catastrophes can you pile onto one woman before it becomes a human rights violation? Apparently more than I thought. I spent much of this book wanting to wrap Brittany in a blanket and tell her everything would be okay. Somehow, despite all the suffering, I could not stop turning pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This was an easy five-star read for me.
Profile Image for bookedupnurse.
142 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
June 14, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4:

Brittany has gone viral … but not in the good way.

Brittany Cole seems to have it all. She is a celebrity chef with programmes shown on Netflix. Her husband, Tyler, and their 4 year old daughter, Alisa. A gorgeous restored farmhouse in Vermont. She has built a wholesome family brand that is trusted by millions. But when Alisa has a meltdown in a supermarket, a video of Brittany shouting at the little girl goes viral. It’s and PR nightmare and threatens to ruin her squeaky clean imagine. And it’s about to get so much worse!

As the days pass, more damning videos of Brittany abusing her daughter are released and soon she is trending on social media. But Brittany knows something terrifying: none of these videos are true. Someone has been watching her home, career and marriage and is trying to destroy her with deepfakes.

When she thinks things cannot get any worse’s someone close to the family is murdered and soon the police are asking questions that Brittany cannot answer. Her only hope is to find who is behind the vindictive campaign and why they want to hurt her. It’s clear they don’t just want to ruin her life, they want to end it …

This is a book filled with very current topics which makes this story feel even more relevant, anxiety-inducing and interesting! Firstly, the use of AI and deepfakes. It’s becoming so hard to determine what is real and what isn’t online, but the thought of someone being able to do this with your own personal pictures and media is terrifying! Secondly, the difficult emotional abuse that Brittany faces is tough to read but we know that this is so common in day-to-day life for many individuals. She is heavily gaslit and manipulated throughout and it’s so sad to hear her questioning her ability as a mother. I felt helpless for her situation. Furthermore, social media plays a massive role in the story and the pressures people feel and the consequences a single story can have in relation to merciless public backlash.

A fast-paced popcorn thriller with a complex domestic nature that will have you wondering ‘whodunnit’ right until the very end. The culprit feels so unknown and my opinion chopped and changed on who was guilty due to so many deceptions that were occurring! This would make a perfect holiday read where you don’t need to concentrate too much, has just the right amount of suspense and plenty of devious, psychological turmoil.

With thanks to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Miranda Rijks for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Holly LaPat.
176 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 1, 2026
Alfred Hitchcock once said, “Some films are slices of life. Mine are slices of cake.” This thriller – the first book I've read by Miranda Rijks – is definitely a slice of cake. And that’s not a bad thing.

Brittany Cole is the somewhat-reluctant host of a cooking show, "Just One Bite," a project launched by her husband Tyler, who co-owns the production company. Brittany is also the frazzled mom of their 4-year-old, struggling to juggle her work duties, caring for her daughter, and the pressure to look good doing it. After all, her public image as a wholesome, together mom is definitely part of the job description.

Any woman with children, even if she doesn't have TV cameras aimed at her, will be able to relate to Brittany’s struggle to balance her multiple roles. Yes, she has a nanny to help, but that's another source of guilt -- is she missing too much of her daughter's childhood? And is her stress giving her too short a fuse? When her daughter has a meltdown in a grocery store, and a stressed-out Brittany loses her temper, suddenly cellphone cameras are all around her. But the video that appears online a few hours later shows Brittany’s reaction as much more extreme than she remembers. She's sure the video is a deep fake. But then a few more "episodes" show up online, with Brittany lashing out at her child in the privacy of her home, and she has a hard time convincing her husband and friends that these scenes aren’t real. She even begins to doubt it herself.

The situation escalates until the nanny, who Brittany fired just the day before, turns up dead. Brittany quickly becomes the prime suspect. She keeps trying to get out in front of the story, but even her husband (not the nicest guy) keeps looking at her sideways. And the more she takes matters into her own hands – some of these moves are really bad ideas, Brittany! – the worse things look for her. But I rooted for her all the way.

The fast pace and growing tension of Brittany’s predicament kept me guessing, and I was pleased to find my guesses were wrong. There’s a final twist near the end, and I didn’t see that one coming either, although the additional scenes may not have quite as much punch as what came before. But I I thoroughly enjoyed “Just One Bite,” and I’m sure I’ll be back for another slice of Miranda Rijk’s cake.

NOTE: Thank you to Inkubator Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Angel **Book Junkie** .
2,132 reviews12 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Rijks, and Inkubator Books for providing me with an advanced copy of Just One Bite in exchange for my honest review.

Well, hello Brittany… you absolute hot mess of a woman.

On the surface, Brittany is the definition of polished perfection—clean image, carefully curated life, and the kind of public persona that screams “I would never.” But as we quickly learn, someone is very determined to make sure that “I would never” turns into “I absolutely did,” whether she actually did it or not.

And let’s just say… things spiral fast.

This story dives headfirst into the dark side of social media, where one rumor, one post, or one well-timed accusation can completely unravel a person’s life. Brittany finds herself at the center of a very public smear campaign, and suddenly she’s not just fighting for her reputation—but for her identity as a mother, a woman, and a human being.

Now Brittany… girl… I need you to get it together. Because while you’re out here trying to maintain that squeaky-clean image, I’m over here yelling at my Kindle like, “HOW ARE YOU NOT SEEING THIS?” Let’s just say I picked up on the truth early, but Miranda Rijks did a sneaky little dance trying to convince me otherwise more than once. I respect the misdirection. I do. I also refuse to be gaslit by a book… but I almost was.

The pacing is sharp, the twists keep coming, and the paranoia builds in a way that makes you question everyone and everything. It’s fast, it’s messy, and it fully commits to the chaos of online perception versus reality.

Was Brittany always making the smartest choices? Absolutely not. But was I entertained the entire time watching her life implode in real time? Also absolutely yes.

And can we talk about that cover for a second? Because it deserves its own standing ovation. It gave exactly what it needed to give.

Final Verdict

Just One Bite is a twisty, addictive, social-media-fueled psychological thriller about reputation, manipulation, and how quickly the internet can turn on you. It’s dramatic, fast-paced, slightly unhinged in the best way, and impossible to put down once the chaos starts.

Final rating: 5 stars (4 for the story, 1 extra star strictly for the cover because she ate that up).
Profile Image for Paula  Phillips.
5,784 reviews351 followers
Review of advance copy
June 20, 2026
There are some authors whose names alone are enough to make me drop everything else on my TBR pile, and Miranda Rijks is absolutely one of them. So when I saw Just One Bite popping up for a Zooloos Book Tours stop, I didn't even need to read the blurb twice , I just knew. And then there's that cover. Honestly, who can resist a gorgeous, glossy cupcake staring back at them? It's the kind of cover that makes you want to curl up with a cuppa (and probably an actual cupcake) before you've even cracked the spine.

This story pulled me in from the very first page. We meet Tyler and Brittany, a glamorous "power couple" with a little daughter, Alissa. Brittany is the main breadwinner, a recognisable TV personality, but underneath the glossy exterior she's been quietly struggling since severe postnatal depression left her feeling disconnected from her own child. Their nanny, Riley, has really been the one holding things together at home until the day Riley calls in sick and Brittany has no choice but to bring Alissa to work with her. A tantrum, a phone camera, and suddenly Brittany's worst moment as a mother is online for the world to judge.

What follows is a slow, sickening unravelling that I genuinely couldn't look away from. The footage is twisted and manipulated into deepfakes that paint Brittany as abusive, the blackmail begins, Tyler starts believing the worst (caring more, it seems, about the family business than his own wife), and then CYFS step in to take Alissa away. Just when you think it can't get any worse for poor Brittany, Riley turns up dead and Brittany becomes suspect number one.

I found myself constantly asking: who could hate her this much? Who wants her life destroyed so badly they'd go to these lengths? Miranda Rijks does such a brilliant job of making you question everyone around Brittany, all while you're rooting for her with your whole heart.

Just like that cupcake on the cover, this book promises you'll only need "just one bite" and before you know it, you've devoured the whole thing in one sitting, exactly as I did. Another triumph from Miranda Rijks, and one I'll be recommending to everyone who loves a domestic thriller with real emotional bite.
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