The Golden Child

Wendy James

HarperCollins Publishers Australia, 2017 - Fiction - 338 pages

Shortlisted for 2017 Ned Kelly Award.

'A chilling novel of our time, with a trulyshocking twist' Australian Women's Weekly

When teenage bullying spirals out of control who is to blame?

Blogger Lizzy's life is buzzing, happy, normal. Two gorgeous children, a handsome husband, destiny under control. For her real-life alter-ego Beth, things are unravelling. Tensions simmer with her husband, mother-in-law, her own mother. Her daughters, once the objects of her existence, have moved into teenage-hood - their lives increasingly mysterious to her.

Relocating from the US to Newcastle, she feels more distant than ever. Then a schoolmate is callously bullied and the finger of blame pointed at one of Beth's girls. As a child lies suspended between life and death, two families are forced to question everything they believed about their children, and the answers are terrifying.

A potent mix of The Party, The Slap, and the digital age.

PRAISE FOR THE GOLDEN CHILD
'This is domestic noir at its most intelligent and sharp' Sydney Morning Herald/The Age
'It takes 48 hours to pulse through Wendy James' rollercoaster 21st century about parenting' Australian Women's Weekly
'The suspense author's seventh novel, THE GOLDEN CHILD, deals with a conscientious mum's
greatest fear - raising a bully in the digital age' Who Weekly
'a gripping psychological thriller' Courier-Mail
'This an engaging and intimate read ... 4 Stars' Australian Bookseller and Publisher
'Brilliant. Such a clever plot, and such real characters, and so very, very well written' Danielle Hawkins, author

PRAISE FOR WENDY JAMES'S OTHER BOOKS
'A wonderful, unputdownable story by a great Australian author' Liane Moriarty, Australian Women's Weekly
'A penetrating picture of our life and times . . . a knockout' Canberra Times
'Cunning psychological portraits and clean prose make for an absorbing domestic thriller' The Age

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Golden Child
• Author: Wendy James
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia, 2017
• ISBN: 1460752376, 9781460752371
• Length: 338 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / General