My book review of 'People Like Her' by Ellory Lloyd

by Ellory Lloyd
People Like Her
by Ellory Lloyd

Emmy is a hugely successful social media influencer, followed by a million young mums eager for reassurance and inspiration, who delight in and seek to emulate her lifestyle. She's feted by businesses eager to position themselves with her brand, and her earnings provide a comfortable lifestyle for her novelist husband, suffering from writer's block, and their two young children.

She seems to have mastered this game. But events indicate that not everyone is a fan of Emmy. Yes, there are the trolls but she knows how to handle them. There seems to be something more sinister at play. Are their people out there seeking to destroy her livelihood or something worse?

The story is told through three narrative strands. Emmy and her husband, Dan, both give their perspectives on their life together. Then there's a third voice. At first we know little about them but gradually they something of their history and their intentions. It seems that Emmy didn't realise the consequences of her advice, her actions, her 'influence'.

It's a brilliant page-turner. On one level there's the high-flying lifestyle of luxury and status to peek inside. Then there's the edginess of social media, the reminder that we're all never quite sure who is watching us and what they know. And then there's the sense of danger - who is the threat, where are they and what are they going to do. A very enjoyable and unsettling read!

Date of this review: January 2021
Book publication date: 21st January 2021