Pretty as a Picture: A Novel - Tapa dura

Praise for Pretty as a Picture

"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

"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)

"Stunning and chilling. . . . A harrowing story that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. . . . A novel you should not miss."
--Bookreporter.com

"Clever. . . . This is a killer debut, in every sense of the word!"
--BookPage

"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

An egomaniacal movie director, an isolated island, and a decades-old murder--the addictive new novel from the bestselling author of Dear Daughter

Marissa Dahl, a shy but successful film editor, travels to a small island off the coast of Delaware to work with the legendary--and legendarily demanding--director Tony Rees on a feature film with a familiar logline.

Some girl dies.

It's not much to go on, but the specifics don't concern Marissa. Whatever the script is, her job is the same. She'll spend her days in the editing room, doing what she does best: turning pictures into stories.

But she soon discovers that on this set, nothing is as it's supposed to be--or as it seems. There are rumors of accidents and indiscretions, of burgeoning scandals and perilous schemes. Half the crew has been fired. The other half wants to quit. Even the actors have figured out something is wrong. And no one seems to know what happened to the editor she was hired to replace.

Then she meets the intrepid and incorrigible teenage girls who are determined to solve the real-life murder that is the movie's central subject, and before long, Marissa is drawn into the investigation herself.

The only problem is, the killer may still be on the loose. And he might not be finished.

A wickedly funny exploration of our cultural addiction to tales of murder and mayhem and a thrilling, behind-the-scenes whodunit, Pretty as a Picture is a captivating page-turner from one of the most distinctive voices in crime fiction.