Pretty Things

A Novel

By: Janelle Brown

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Lauren Fortgang, Hillary Huber

Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best seller

Two wildly different women - one a grifter, the other an heiress - are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a pause-resister from the New York Times best-selling author of Watch Me Disappear.

An ID Book Club Selection

“It’s Dynasty meets Patricia Highsmith.” (The Washington Post)

Nina once bought into the idea that her fancy liberal arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in LA alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. Nina learned from the best: Her mother was the original con artist, hustling to give her daughter a decent childhood despite their wayward life. But when her mom gets sick, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, even if it means running her most audacious, dangerous scam yet.

Vanessa is a privileged young heiress who wanted to make her mark in the world. Instead she becomes an Instagram influencer - traveling the globe, receiving free clothes and products, and posing for pictures in exotic locales. But behind the covetable façade is a life marked by tragedy. After a broken engagement, Vanessa retreats to her family’s sprawling mountain estate, Stonehaven: a mansion of dark secrets not just from Vanessa’s past, but from that of a lost and troubled girl named Nina.

Nina’s, Vanessa’s, and Lachlan’s paths collide here, on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge.

This dazzling, twisty, mesmerizing novel showcases acclaimed author Janelle Brown at her best, as two brilliant, damaged women try to survive the greatest game of deceit and destruction they will ever play.

©2020 Janelle Brown (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Brown offers a glittering, high-stakes drama, stacking childhood nostalgia against the power to reinvent oneself in the age of social media.... Packed with plot twists." (Booklist, starred review) 

"Fiendishly clever." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Pretty Things is awesome. Simple as that. I loved every page. Janelle Brown is your new must-read author." (Harlan Coben, New York Times best-selling author of Run Away) 

SO GOOD

When I saw that both Julia Whelan and Lauren Fortgang were narrating this book, I thought to myself “this Hass to be good.“, and was it ever!
This book was so good, I was finding excuses to take longer walks and even scrub my floors just so I could get another couple of chapters in to hear what was happening next! It was so very well written and thought out with so many twists and turns, And I just love the way that it ended. If you’re on the fence about purchasing this book, don’t wait any longer—You will not be disappointed.

Loved!

I listen to so many mystery/suspense novels while I’m doing normal daily activities and this one was fantastic! Since I am typically multitasking it’s important for a book to have a manageable character load and a thought provoking plot without too many crazy lines to follow. This book ticked all the boxes for me and was such a pleasure to listen to! Well worth the credit!

OUTSTANDING!!

After years of listening and hundreds of audio books in my library, I think originality impresses me the most.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It is current, and original, with excellent character development and narration . This is probably my favorite book of 2020 so far, so I highly recommend it

Wow! I want to scream it from the rooftop!

I finished “Pretty Things,” a 16+ hour audiobook in record time. This insanely suspenseful thriller shoots to the top of my vast Audible library. Soooo good! A favorite narrator of mine, Julia Whelan, as always, does not disappoint. An introduction to Lauren Fortgang and Hillary Huber was well received. I found it hard to take a break. I can’t stress it enough, worth a valued credit! Brilliant author Janelle Brown weaves a dazzling, psychological and addictive tale that made me think, how well do we know the ones we love? What is real? What is imagined? Many questions, twists and turns, surprises and more are revealed throughout and, to top it off, there are many jaw-dropping moments, and I didn’t want it to end. Focusing on very different perspectives from two women goes to prove how contrasting events can be recalled. Very highly recommended! Epic I say, EPIC! EPIC! EPIC! Thank you to the magnificent authors and narrators for letting me escape my current mundane existence and welcome me into your intriguing and exhilarating world. An awesome nod to Audible for making this available.
👏✍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍🏻

Redundant

I’m glad I pushed through to the end, which is good. But the constant retelling of the story from the two main characters perspectives was too much. Really slowed the pace and flattened the energy.

Excellent

Wow. Perfectly narrated! I’m so glad we got to experience the story from the perspective of both Nina and Vanessa. I found myself not really sure who I was rooting for and by the end I was rooting for both of them. The story is well thought out and the characters are solid. Some parts were predictable and just when you think you have it figured out, a new twist appears. Highly recommend!

Fun, exciting read

I really liked reading this book. I wanted something light but a break from my fluffy chic-lit romances and this was perfect! Love the characters, the nuances, the performance.

Meh

There are two ideas explored in this book that I find interesting.
1) Two people can look at the same thing and interpret it very differently. A few moments are recounted from both Nina's and Vanessa's viewpoint and I really enjoyed this contrast.

2) As you grow up, you realize your parents are human...and fallible. As Nina and Vanessa uncover and reconcile their parents secrets and shortcomings, it's nice to see them both start defining the world in their terms instead of living in their parent's worlds.

With that being said, the strength of the plot and growth of the characters throughout the book just didn't pack enough punch to elevate these ideas for me. The jacket bills it as a thriller, but I would say it's a cross between a coming-of-age and a heist story. Unfortunately, I didnt find it satisfying in either regard.

Also, it's just way too long. A lot of time is spent giving more information that doesn't add an equal amount of value. To me, the book would've been more enjoyable as a shorter story. The time you spend with these characters just doesn't payoff.

Both narrators do a great job!

So so good...

Great plot, great twists love the writing and the performances are fantastic. Enjoyed every minute!
If you like a good heist story, some romance, family drama, this book has it all.
Recommend...

Very enjoyable

Interesting plot with characters I never hope to meet in my life. Good, logical plot twists with plenty to entertain those of us who are home bound sheltering n place. The author took a real story from the news a few years ago and took it in a very interesting and unexpected direction. Highly recommended