Lauren Nossett, the award-winning author of THE RESEMBLANCE and THE PROFESSOR, delivers her breakout hit with INDIE DARLING, a cleverly constructed and dynamic story of a Dolly Parton–obsessed private detective who is hired to investigate a pop star’s stalker…and winds up drawn into her shocking disappearance.

Like her idol, Kelly Williams knows the power of a suit of armor in the form of a low-cut blouse, some stilettos and red lipstick. But whereas Dolly can’t help but find herself in the spotlight, Kelly’s costumes hide both her and her career --- private investigation --- from the public. Her ability to blend in while standing out has made her successful, and she chooses her clients carefully: only women. Those seeking her skills include wives who suspect their husbands are cheating on them and mothers who are mourning lost, drug-dependent daughters. 

Sarah Owens is an enigmatic, spellbinding indie darling whose band, The Garden Snakes, is just about to conquer the music world. Though she tends to stick to country, even Kelly is aware of the controversial Nashville artist. Her lyrics confront misogyny head-on, often employing religious and mythological figures to drive home their points about power, control and oppression. It’s clear that Sarah --- who goes by Seraph when performing --- has numerous fans and followers, and even some toxic commenters who obsess over her. But one in particular has stood out.

"Kelly Williams is a charming, smart-talking and clever character whom readers are sure to love.... Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ashley Winstead and Jennifer Hillier will devour this expertly written mystery and demand a sequel."

Two years ago, Sarah, along with her bandmates and roommates, Remy Lin and Janelle Jenkins, began receiving alarming messages at their home. The stuff of serial killers, the letters are cut from magazines and newspapers, and they scream about the girls and their “whorish” ways. A broken window follows, along with increasingly threatening notes. Then Sarah is attacked one evening and branded with the letter W, the mark singeing her skin. Knowing the scrutiny that women face in police departments, Sarah hires Kelly to help her identify and stop her stalker. But Kelly first will have to learn about the people closest to Sarah, both to understand her and to rule them out. The latter doesn’t come so easily.

When The Garden Snakes began, they were a quintet as the girls were joined by Tommy Elder and Cole Atkins. Since leaving the group, the men have gone on to start their own band, but it is nowhere near as popular as the now female-led Garden Snakes. They have become known not just for their lyricism and performances, but also for the high-level scavenger hunts that Sarah plans around the city to launch new songs and albums or share secret performances. It seems that Tommy and Cole's potential hurt and jealousy could be further amplified by Sarah’s ever-growing status as a creative icon, on par with the likes of Lady Gaga. Then there’s her manager, Ross Nolan, a typical powerful white man who boasts a label full of stars…and his own sexual assault rumors. Amid the #MeToo era, fans are eager to dissect Sarah’s lyrics for clues that Ross has abused her or the rest of the band.

Having the lay of the land, Kelly attends NashFest, a huge concert where The Garden Snakes are set to perform. But just as Sarah launches the band’s most popular and controversial song, mayhem breaks out, and Sarah is shot. In the chaos that follows, she is whisked away in an ambulance, never to be seen again. The vehicle --- stolen and wiped clean of its GPS tracker --- is found abandoned with no trace of Sarah, her shooter or her abductor. The amount of blood on the stage indicates that survival is unlikely, but Kelly made a promise to help Sarah, and she’s not backing down yet.

As Kelly digs deeper, she learns of even more suspects. Sarah, despite her current larger-than-life personality and stage presence, rose from far more meager and conservative roots. In the years since her career has begun to take off, her country cousins have raged against her skimpy outfits, God-hating lyrics and departure from a good Christian way of life. In the wake of Sarah’s disappearance, a TikToker has begun posting eerily private videos of the band’s early days that seem to indicate much more in-band tension than Sarah, Remy or Janelle ever let on. 

Around the same time, Kelly herself begins to receive strange packages that bring with them even more questions about Sarah, her attacker and the band’s very origins. It is here that Lauren Nossett ratchets up her pacing and intensity, zeroing in on not just the many possible suspects, but also music industry power plays and Kelly’s own growing obsession with solving the case. Unlike the suspicious and frequently inept police, Kelly has a very personal connection to Sarah’s story. She, too, once had to look over her shoulder at every sound, to gather up her son and flee their home in the night, and she will stop at nothing to make sure that Sarah no longer has to feel the same way.

Pairing the vibrant city of Nashville with the intricate (and often exploitative) dynamics of the music industry, Lauren Nossett takes on the ambitious task of writing a mystery on a national stage, where suspects, clues and red herrings abound and nearly everyone is a potential culprit. It’s an expansive, demanding approach, but not only does she handle it with ease, she also manages to weave in truly poignant and thought-provoking descriptions of abuse, consent, artistic growth and victim-shaming.

Kelly Williams is a charming, smart-talking and clever character whom readers are sure to love. Her vow to protect, support and champion women is immediately gripping, and when she backs it up with a near-obsessive search for answers, her strong investigative mind is lit on fire. At the same time, though, she carries a real sense of hope and a surprisingly fun sense of humor.

Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ashley Winstead and Jennifer Hillier will devour this expertly written mystery and demand a sequel.