Mary Kubica's debut novel, THE GOOD GIRL, was something of a surprise when it was published in 2014. Garnering a lot of favorable comparisons to GONE GIRL (and not just because of their similar titles), it was praised for its innovative structure, complex narration, and intricate twists and turns. It became a word-of-mouth bestseller and has since been optioned for a feature film.

Now Kubica follows up her initial success with an equally strong sophomore effort, PRETTY BABY. As with THE GOOD GIRL, she plays with both voice and chronology here, enabling the full story to unfold from multiple perspectives and through multiple narrative strands.

"With its numerous surprises and haunting scenes, PRETTY BABY proves that THE GOOD GIRL wasn't just a fluke and ensures that Kubica's work will continue to keep readers up at night."

At first we are introduced to this world through the eyes of Heidi Wood, a wife and mother rapidly approaching her 40s. Heidi loves her husband, Chris, and their preteen daughter, Zoe, but Chris has become increasingly obsessed with work (and infatuated with his pretty young colleague), and let's just say that Zoe is at an age when she can be difficult to love. Heidi is a bit of a bleeding heart, a do-gooder who has always thrown her passion behind the causes she believes in, particularly the Chicago nonprofit where she works with immigrant clients and their integration into the city's social services.

So when Heidi starts seeing a young lady and her kid appear at subway stations and in doorways, below bridges and at bus stops, she feels compelled to help. Heidi had always wanted another child of her own, but it wasn't meant to be. Is helping this girl, Willow, and her baby, Ruby, her chance to expand her family?

Chris can't quite believe his eyes when he learns that Heidi has brought Willow and Ruby into their upscale Chicago condo. They don't know anything about Willow, after all --- she could come from anywhere or be out to hurt or steal from their family. In between business trips (with that alluring young colleague), Chris becomes determined to figure out her story and what she's hiding.

It's true that Willow is hiding something, a story that readers only learn in bits and pieces of flashbacks dating back to her childhood in Nebraska and her later nightmarish experiences in the foster care system. As Willow's past catches up with Heidi and Chris' present, the narrative erupts with surprising revelations that will have implications for everyone concerned.

With chapters narrated from the points of view of Heidi, Chris and Willow, the novel gradually explores all the characters' motivations for their actions and enables readers to piece together the narrative into its surprising whole. With its numerous surprises and haunting scenes, PRETTY BABY proves that THE GOOD GIRL wasn't just a fluke and ensures that Kubica's work will continue to keep readers up at night.