The Personal Assistant

At the start of this riveting thriller from Belle (My Darling Husband), Alex Hutchinson, an Instagram influencer known to her legion of fans as Unapologetically Alex, is overjoyed when the number of her followers hits one million. In a celebratory mood, she and her personal assistant, AC, whip out the tequila, and one drink leads to too many. The next morning, Alex finds that a vitriolic post denigrating a former Disney star-turned-scandal magnet has been uploaded to her social media platform. While Alex has indeed dissed the former actor in the privacy of her own home, she can’t remember posting these thoughts for all to see. Within minutes, the trolls are out in force, and Alex and her family become the target of death threats. She calls AC to help with damage control, but the young woman has disappeared. As Alex searches for AC, every new piece of information suggests unexpected possibilities that leave readers reexamining what they have accepted as the truth. As Alex says, “perception is reality.” This twisty, multilayered tale should win Belle new fans. Agent: Nikki Terpilowski, Holloway Literary. (Nov.)