You Will Never Be Me

Edgar winner Sutanto (I’m Not Done with You Yet) triumphs with this twisty suspense tale set in the cutthroat world of influencers. With more than five million followers on Instagram and TikTok, Aspen Palmer has become a full-blown social media celebrity. Her best friend, influencer Meredith Lee, credits herself with boosting Aspen’s visibility by teaching her the tricks of the trade—which makes it all the more painful when Aspen dumps Meredith in the wake of her newfound fame. In the aftermath of their falling-out, Meredith grows obsessed, stalking Aspen’s every move and waiting outside the school her twin daughters attend. When one of Aspen’s daughters leaves behind an unlocked iPad, Meredith snatches it, and is delighted to find she has access to Aspen’s schedule. She reschedules meetings, sends unflattering emails from Aspen’s address, and floods Aspen’s social media accounts with trollish comments, putting her brand in jeopardy. Then Meredith vanishes, bringing her conflict with Aspen to a head and the police into the mix. Did Aspen have something to do with Meredith’s disappearance? Or is she an innocent bystander? Either way, how will she handle the fallout online? Sutanto has devilish fun with her premise, lacquering the story’s well-executed twists with a satirical sheen that pokes wicked fun at internet celebrity. The result is a near-perfect beach read. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Aug.)