The golden child : when online bullying spirals out of control who is to blame?

ACan bad children happen to good mothers? A totally absorbing novel, for readers of Liane Moriarty, Lionel Shriver and Christos Tsiolkas. 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 are simmering with her husband, mother-in-law and even her own mother. Her teenage daughters, once the objects of her existence, have moved beyond her grasp and one of them has shown signs of, well, thoughtlessness ... Then a classmate of one daughter is callously bullied and the finger of blame is pointed at Beth's clever, beautiful child. Shattered, shamed and frightened, two families must negotiate worlds of cruelty they are totally ill-equipped for. This is a novel that grapples with modern-day spectres of selfies, selfishness and cyberbullying. It plays with our fears of parenting, social media and Queen Bees, and it asks the question: just how well do you know your child? PRAISE FOR THE GOLDEN CHILD 'This is 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 2017 Ned Kelly Award Best Crime Fiction shortlist 'A chilling novel of our time, with a truly shocking twist' Australian Women's Weekly When teenage bullying spirals out of control who is to blame? Blogger Lizzy's life is shiny, 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 -­ at school, home and online - increasingly mysterious to her. Then a fellow student is callously bullied and the finger of blame pointed at one of Beth's girls. As an innocent child lies suspended between life and death, two families are forced to question everything they believe about their children, and the answers are terrifying. As unsettling as it is compelling, The Golden Child asks: how well can you know anyone in the digital age? A potent story with shades of The Party and Mary Kubica. Two families grapple with the tragic fallout of cyberbullying. PRAISE 'On par with the thought-provoking nature of Jodi Picoult's works, combined with the rapt storytelling style of Liane Moriarty, readers will finish the last page wanting more' Erin Holt, Booklist US 'The novel is cleverly constructed, the characters are extremely well-drawn, the use of social media as a plot device is very sophisticated, and the resolution is a genuine surprise' Judges' report, Ned Kelly Crime Awards, 2017 'This is domestic noir at its most intelligent and sharp' Sydney Morning Herald 'It takes 48 hours to pulse through Wendy James' rollercoaster 21st century story about parenting' Australian Women's Weekly 'an engaging and intimate read that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult, with nods to Lionel Shriver and Christos Tsiolkas' The Slap . . . 4 Stars' Books & Publishing 'This book is utterly brilliant' Nicola Moriarty' 'Brilliant. Such a clever plot, and such real characters, and so very, very well written' Danielle Hawkins