Publication Date: January 20, 2026
Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller Pretty Little Wife, returns with a gripping domestic thriller in which a family goes missing and a long—buried family mystery resurfaces.
Fifteen years ago, the Tanner family vanished without a trace, leaving behind a chilling scene: half—eaten meals, a bloodstain by the door, and a smoldering fire consuming their business across town.
The once—vibrant home stands untouched, a haunting relic of the past. As rumors fade into local folklore, the mystery of their disappearance seems destined to remain unsolved—until Aubrey Tanner returns.
Now a hardened thirty—year—old, Aubrey arrives in town with secrets etched in her silence. Why did she come back? Was she a victim of the night that changed everything, or does she hold the truth of what happened to her family? The town is rife with theories, but three women share a dangerous bond: they know more than they’ve ever confessed.
As the past resurfaces, old alliances fray. A teacher, a café owner, and a psychologist are drawn together by memories they’d rather forget. Each holds a piece of the puzzle—and a dark secret of their own. When a new disappearance sends shock waves through the town, blackmail begins, and the stakes climb higher.
In a race against time, these women must confront the truth or risk becoming the next victims of a past they cannot escape. With tension rising and danger lurking, one thing is clear: someone is destined to kill again.
Fifteen years ago, the Tanner family disappeared. In spite of rumors and wild stories concocted by the community, the facts remained hidden.
Author Darby Kane uses the death of the family patriarch to bring closure. Inside the courtroom, a reluctant group assembles, each somehow connected to the real mystery, coincidentally in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
Such a Clever Girl delivers a psychological thriller as the storyline shifts perspectives. Someone is out for justice–and it looks like she’s risen from the dead.
As characters, there is plenty of mystery surrounding Marni, Stella, and Hanna that unfolds slowly as the storyline progresses. The tempo works well at maintaining suspense. Each one can tell part of the story from the past, but the full revelation delivers a shocker.
Such a Clever Girl features the same fast-paced excitement readers associate with this author.
Darby Kane is a former divorce lawyer with a dual writing personality. Her debut thriller, Pretty Little Wife, was a Book of the Month pick, #1 international bestseller, and has been optioned by Amazon for a television series, starring Gabrielle Union. She’s written romantic suspense as HelenKay Dimon and currently writes stories centered on family hijinks with a mix of suspense and romance. The first, Moorewood Family Rules, has been optioned for television.
