My Readers Guide to Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi has Jen’s Quick Take, plus Spoilers and the Ending Explained for Claire Darling. Will this suspense story of a woman scored be the right book for you? Let’s find out!
Jen’s Quick Take: Claire Darling
- I’m going back and for the between calling Claire Darling a domestic suspense novel (with relationship drama and some gaslighting) and a psychological suspense story (with an unreliable narrator and an emphasis on the psychology of the main character.)
- The book also had a mother/daughter element. I’m debating adding it to my list of Mysteries and Thrillers With Mother Daughter Characters, except for the fact that Claire’s mother isn’t really a full character in the story, more like an influence.
- The narrative alternated between Claire’s diary entires, Claire’s POV in the present, and Claire’s flashbacks to her childhood with a very difficult mother.
- The book had two halves. Some readers strongly preferred the first half, while the others preferred the second. I’m #TeamFirstHalf as I felt the second half fell apart a bit.
- If you’re looking for new domestic/psychological suspense, check it out!
- Release date March 11 2025 by Ballantine Books. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
- Check out my full list of new March 2025 Thrillers and Mysteries
Readers Guide for Claire Darling
The book begins with deliriously happy newlywed Claire getting a shock: her fiance has been hiding things from her.
With her loyal work friend Sukhi by her side, Claire tries to figure out why Noah isn’t answering her texts, why he isn’t in their flat, and why his social media shows him embracing his attractive blond girlfriend.
We also learn more about Claire’s tough childhood with an abusive, narcissistic mother who interfered in every relationship Claire ever had.
Will Claire get her happy ending?
Spoilers for Claire Darling
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Claire keeps stalking Noah, who seems to want nothing to do with her. He won’t explain why he left, which seems odd.
Claire then stalks Noah’s girfriend Lilah, even managing to infiltrate her office, where she finds a photo of herself in Lilah’s desk.
We also learn that at eighteen, Claire finally cut off her abusive narcissistic mother, who threatened her. When Claire learned her mother was dying, she thought it was a ruse to get Claire to come back. A year ago, Claire’s mother passed away.
Claire goes to talk to Lilah. Their conversation is weirdly stilted.
When Lilah admits that she and Noah are trying to get pregnant, Claire snaps. She pushes Lilah, who hits her head on the fireplace mantle.
Claire is put in prison awaiting trial.
At the trial Sukhi testifies on Claire’s behalf.
We learn that Noah did meet Claire in the supermarket and that she did deliver lunch to his office and kiss him. And that Noah was seeing other women besides Lilah. And that Noah’s friends thought Claire was stalking her.
Claire’s former employer (the supermarket) also says that she walked out in the middle of a shift, something Claire denies.
Noah testifies that Claire stalked him, including photoshopping photos of the two of them together and posting them on social media.
He wishes he’d gone to the police. He did not, because he was worried his cheating would be exposed.
Claire Darling: The Ending Explained
Claire has a panic attack in court.
Claire’s therapist testifies that she is unable to separate fantasy from reality, that she truly believed she was engaged to Noah, and that her condition was a result of the abuse she suffered as a child.
Claire is found not guilty due to diminished capacity and sent to a psychiatric hospital.
In Claire’s last diary entry, she reveals:
- she is not taking her medication
- she is faking remorse and acceptance
- she thinks she doesn’t belong in the hospital
- she deliberately murdered Lilah
- she is going to come back and find Noah.
What did you think of Claire Darling?
I appreciated the backstory to Claire’s condition.
But I did suspect she was imagining the whole thing. She never mentioned Noah’s belongings in her flat, and when she had conversations with Noah and Lilah, they didn’t really support her side of the story.
The ending was a little out-there, but it worked for me. Poor Claire!