About the Author:
Elizabeth Little is the author of Dear Daughter, which won the Strand Critics Award for Best First Novel, and two works of nonfiction, Biting the Wax Tadpole and Trip of the Tongue. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
Review:
Praise for Pretty as a Picture
“Pre-order this one now. Go ahead, put it in your basket. . . . . Little has an extraordinary gift for capturing voice. . . . [She] depicts perfectly what it feels like to be a little different and on the outside. . . . Startling plot twists. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“Murder and mayhem plague a film set on a secluded island. . . . Readers fascinated with the behind-the-scenes machinations of a movie set will be enthralled, plus there’s a frisson of romantic tension. . . . A quirky and distinctive heroine headlines this fun and fast-paced thriller loaded with cinematic flourishes.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“[A] smart, cinematically steeped page-turner. . . . Little scores with the achingly vulnerable Marissa, whose specific set of skills enables her to see the big picture before anyone else. Psychological thriller fans will be well satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Elizabeth Little is part of an exciting new generation of crime writers who have been bending this sturdy genre into new, unexpected shapes. Pretty as a Picture is a glorious buffet—a twisty story, a cinephile's delight, a knockout of a heroine. I loved it.”
—Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady in the Lake and Sunburn
“I am a sucker for a tough yet vulnerable heroine, and in Pretty as a Picture, Elizabeth Little gives the reader an excellent one, and sets her against a brilliantly toxic backdrop of glitz and entitlement.”
—Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and The Woman in Cabin 10
“Engaging and irresistible from the very first page, Pretty as a Picture is a smart and compelling thriller filled with surprises. Little writes with such a clear, confident, and witty voice, I found myself smiling as I read.”
—Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister
"Pretty as a Picture is a remarkable thriller that succeeds on almost too many levels. It’s sharp and stylish, witty and fierce, not to mention extremely intelligent. Little perfectly and expertly conjures the unglamorous side of filmmaking—the gruesome grind of a movie shoot—in meticulous detail. This is no mere crime novel, but a must read for anyone with a passion for movies or the industry."
—Ivy Pochoda, author of Wonder Valley
“Pretty as a Picture is an atmospheric thriller that sparkles with intelligence and irrepressible wit, anchored by the singular voice of Marissa Dahl, a mega-competent female film editor plagued by anxiety. Elizabeth Little has an impeccable ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for detail, and she's created a page-turner that is as well written as it is captivating. I enjoyed every scene and sentence of this glorious book.”
—Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay
Praise for Dear Daughter
"Quick-witted and fast-paced, this debut mystery should be a hit with Gone Girl fans."
—People
"When former It Girl Janie Jenkins is released from prison, she embarks on a mission to discover if it was really she who murdered her mother. The debut novel's twists will easily hook you, but it's the narrator's dark wit and sharp observations that make this a truly fun read."
—Entertainment Weekly
"Little keeps you guessing until the end—and then closes her book with a final, twisted flourish."
—Daneet Steffens, The Boston Globe
"Compelling. . . . This novel's engrossing suspense comes from its unreliable (and not especially likable) narrator who pursues answers with relentless fervor, regardless of the painful truths she turns up about herself. . . . Excellent."
—Stephanie Klose, Oprah.com
"Engrossing. . . The unlikable protagonist with a biting personality and outrageous actions, but who is fascinating at the same time, has never been more popular. Just think of Gone Girl. In her confident fiction debut, Elizabeth Little puts a fresh spin on this character in the form of Jane Jenkins, a young woman famous for being famous until she was sent to prison for the murder of her wealthy socialite mother. Little also makes Dear Daughter a parable about the cult of the celebrity stoked by a relentless press and a ruthless public's thirst for details of a woman it loves to hate."
—Associated Press
"This is not your mother's mystery. The clever, prickly and profane heroine is, after all, a former It Girl whose aim as a teen was to be the next Paris Hilton, only better. . . . Sassy and lively. . . . The book's satisfying conclusion somehow manages to tie things up while also providing a cliffhanger, a pretty neat trick for a debut novel."
—Colleen Kelly, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"The best debut crime novel of 2014, a spiky, voicey, jolting, surprising story of a celebutante convicted of murdering her mother. . . . Little also produces one of the best endings of 2014, too."
—Sarah Weinman, National Post (Canada)
"A former It Girl hunts down her mom's murderer in this can't-put-down thriller."
—Cosmopolitan
"In prison for her mother's murder, L.A. socialite Jane Jenkins is released on a technicality. To track down the real killer Jane gets plain, goes underground and stirs up dangerous amounts of dirt in her mom's South Dakota hometown."
—Good Housekeeping
"[A] fun and riveting debut mystery."
—The San Diego Union Tribune
"Little makes a thrilling debut with this gripping read. Fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn are going to enjoy the smart narrator and the twists and turns in the case."
—Library Journal (starred review)
"A really gutsy, clever, energetic read, often unexpected, always entertaining. I loved Janie Jenkins's sassy voice and Elizabeth Little's too. In the world of crime novels, Dear Daughter is a breath of fresh air."
—Kate Atkinson, New York Times bestselling author of Life After Life
"Dear Daughter has three of my favorite things in a book: a smart, damaged, unstoppable narrator with a slicing sense of humor; needle-sharp writing that brings characters and atmosphere leaping off the page; and a vivid, original plot full of satisfying twists. This is an all-nighter, and the best debut mystery I've read in a long time."
—Tana French, New York Times bestselling author of Broken Harbor and In the Woods
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