The Perfect Girl - by Gilly MacMillan (Paperback)

About the Book

Zoe Maisey is a seventeen-year-old musical prodigy with a genius IQ years ago, she was involved in a tragic incident that left three classmates dead. She served her time, and now her mother, Maria, is resolved to keep that devastating fact tucked far away from their new beginning, hiding the past even from her new husband and demanding that Zoe do the same. Tonight Zoe is giving a recital that Maria has been planning for months. It needs to be the performance of Zoe's life. But instead, by the end of the evening, Maria is dead. In the aftermath, everyone police, family, Zoe's former solicitor, and Zoe herself tries to piece together what happened. But as Zoe knows all too well, the truth is rarely straightforward, and the closer we are to someone, the less we may see.

Book Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew returns with an electrifying new novel about how the past will always find us...

"Literary suspense at its finest."--Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Baby

"A wonderfully addictive book with virtuoso plotting and characters - for anyone who loved Girl on the Train, it's a must read."
-- Rosamund Lupton

Zoe Maisey is a seventeen-year-old musical prodigy with a genius IQ. Three years ago, she was involved in a tragic incident that left three classmates dead. She served her time, and now her mother, Maria, is resolved to keep that devastating fact tucked far away from their new beginning, hiding the past even from her new husband and demanding Zoe do the same.

Tonight Zoe is giving a recital that Maria has been planning for months. It needs to be the performance of her life. But instead, by the end of the evening, Maria is dead.

In the aftermath, everyone--police, family, Zoe's former solicitor, and Zoe herself--tries to piece together what happened. But as Zoe knows all too well, the truth is rarely straightforward, and the closer we are to someone, the less we may see.

From the Back Cover

Zoe Maisey is a seventeen-year-old musical prodigy with a genius IQ. Three years ago, she was involved in a tragic incident that left three classmates dead. She served her time, and now her mother, Maria, is resolved to keep that devastating fact tucked far away from their new beginning, hiding the past even from her new husband and demanding that Zoe do the same.

Tonight Zoe is giving a recital that Maria has been planning for months. It needs to be the performance of Zoe's life. But instead, by the end of the evening, Maria is dead.

In the aftermath, everyone--police, family, Zoe's former solicitor, and Zoe herself--tries to piece together what happened. But as Zoe knows all too well, the truth is rarely straightforward, and the closer we are to someone, the less we may see.

Review Quotes

"With lovely prose, depth of character and an intelligent narrative, Macmillan lifts the level of suspense with stiletto-like precision: a tiny graze here, a shallow cut there and, eventually, a thrust into the heart. At once profoundly unsettling and richly rewarding." - Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Gilly Macmillan (What She Knew) deftly explores the intricacies of relationships and the bonds that tie families all while ratcheting up the suspense in this page-turning thriller." - Real Simple magazine
"A wonderfully addictive book with virtuoso plotting and characters--for anyone who loved Girl on the Train, it's a must read." - Rosamund Lupton
"I DEVOURED The Perfect Girl. An incredible page turner with awesome characters and suspense. Bravo." - Kate White, New York Times bestselling author
"Macmillan captivates readers with a story just as addictive as her first... [and] shines when exploring the intricacies of relationships... Fans of Tana French, Ruth Ware, and Gillian Flynn will become completely entrenched in the unfolding details." - BookPage
"As the suspenseful, serpentine tale unreels from the alternating perspectives of several key players, readers will be rooting for the resilient, resourceful Zoe all the way to the perfectly executed final twists." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A compelling read for fans of psychological suspense." - Library Journal review of THE PERFECT GIRL
"With tightly drawn characters, a fascinating storyline and absolutely exquisite narration, The Perfect Girl is sure to keep readers up all night. Gilly Macmillan proves once again to be a master of the written word and is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors. Literary suspense at its finest." - Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author