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Beautiful People

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Beautiful People

By: Amanda Jennings
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
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About this listen

Shortlisted for the CWA Twisted Dagger 2025 Award. The captivating new thriller, perfect for fans of Saltburn

'Perfect for fans of tales in which the rich and entitled get their comeuppance… deliciously twisty' Daily Mail

'Flawless, beautiful, moving, shocking and wildly compelling… I wish I could read it all over again' Lisa Jewell

*****

As the champagne flows at a glittering society wedding, one guest isn't celebrating.

It's been years since Victoria fell in love with Nick and was welcomed into his circle of privileged friends at university. Then life took a darker turn…

Now old friends are reuniting to toast the ruthlessly well-connected Julian Draper's marriage to Hollywood darling, Ingrid Olsson. As painful memories resurface, Victoria can't shake the feeling that some people seem to get away with everything.

But maybe not this time. Maybe this time, someone will pay the ultimate price.

*****

Praise for Beautiful People:

‘A masterpiece… as heart thumping as a thriller should be… but also emotional and intelligent with a sensitive understanding of human frailty’ My Weekly

'Saltburn meets quintessential crime thriller' i News

'I inhaled this tense and twisty page-turner… A dark, dazzling masterpiece' Claire Douglas

'Fans of Saltburn will devour this slow-burning exploration of obsession, identity and revenge, which is as glamorous as it is devastating' Crime Monthly

'Deliciously dark and decadent… The uber rich behaving badly at a fabulously over-the-top wedding, overshadowed by toxic secrets from the past' Tammy Cohen

'A well-put-together and gripping thriller' The Observer

'A captivating tale that exposes the dark underbelly of the elite' Isabelle Broom

‘A glamorous and haunting journey through identity, obsession and revenge’ Closer

'Compelling' Woman & Home

'Her best yet… Dark, unsettling, and at the same time completely recognisable angst about fitting in and finding yourself' Jane Casey

'Champagne, pain, secrets and drama. I was swept up by this dark and decadent tale of elitism, toxicity and survival' Anna Mazzola

‘Absolutely brilliant, so clever and propulsive’ Laura Marshall

'An addictive page-turner with lavish settings and some brilliantly awful characters' Catherine Cooper

'Devoured this immersive tale of privilege, class and #metoo' S E Lynes

'A richly gripping exploration of privilege and deceit – and what it really means to be on the outside looking in. A belter of a page-turner!' Isabel Ashdown

****

Readers give Beautiful People five stars!

'Powerful, emotive and utterly brilliant. Highly recommended by me'

'An absolutely gripping novel that I devoured in one weekend. beautifully written, emotionally charged, and utterly unforgettable'

'Bitingly wicked'

'Dark and delicious – and maybe one of the best books I've read this year… read in two sittings, and I entirely loved it'

*****

Praise for Amanda Jennings:

‘Another mesmerising, gripping and evocative read from the Queen of Cornish Noir’

©2024 Amanda Jennings (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Psychological Small Town & Rural Thriller & Suspense

Critic reviews

Praise for Amanda Jennings:

‘Another mesmerising, gripping and evocative read from the Queen of Cornish Noir’ Lisa Jewell

‘A dark delight … I absolutely loved it’ Eve Chase

‘A masterly unravelling of a utopian dream that gradually becomes a nightmare. Lyrical descriptions and utterly believable characters’ Elly Griffiths

‘Hypnotic’ Financial Times

‘A deliciously dark and tense exploration of human nature. There’s trouble brewing in paradise’ Emma Haughton

‘A beautifully written story with vividly drawn, believable characters I really cared about’ Sarah Stovell

‘A compelling, brilliant story’ Gytha Lodge

Readers give Amanda Jennings five stars!

‘The tension is so sharp, you read it with your heart in your mouth… masterful’

‘I stayed up far too late one night reading the end of this, it was so tense… another brilliant book by one of my favourite authors’

‘Totally mesmerising… gripping, immersive and completely entertaining’

‘This is a fabulous read, it is a thriller that gradually increases the suspicions and doubt… There are some shocks and some twists… excellent right from the start to the finish’

‘I have read all of Amanda's books and each new one is my new favourite book ever, and this is no exception’

All stars
Most relevant
Super story with a few twists story teller was great too highly recommended for an immersive read/listen

Great listen

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Overall I enjoyed it, yes it’s a story we have seen and heard before, Uni friends reunite decades later and the secrets and lies flood out.

The protagonist Victoria/Vix was quite intense, and at times she annoyed me. But the story arcs work well and I like how the characters evolved throughout the book.
I also believe the topic is something that is relevant always, and a light needs to always shine on the bad things that people in power do and get away with.

Overall enjoyed it, with a few tricky bits in the middle

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This book is so well suited to audiobook. The writing is exceptional and the narration really brings it to life. I felt invested in the characters from the start. I felt utterly bereft when I got to the end. Could not recommend enough.

Gripping drama

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Really good story and excellent narration. She really nailed the obnoxious voices of the posh characters.

very well told

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I binge-read this as once I’d started I really wanted to know what happened in the end. The main characters are friends who met at University in London and anyone from a ‘normal’ background who’s experienced this sudden exposure to the privileged world of the public school elite will identify with the experience of Victoria, the main character. It is very well observed.
A fast paced and entertaining reading.
Lots of modern themes, pushy parents, misogyny, the unthinking arrogance of the wealthy - and some surprises to keep you on your toes.
Definitely recommend.

Absorbing read

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