Precious Thing is the story of a close friendship gone horribly wrong. As teenagers, Rachel was shy and awkward until she met Clara, the friend everyone wanted but who chose her. As adults their situations reverse, and Rachel has everything she could have wanted, including a television career. Assigned to cover a missing person press conference, she is shocked to learn Clara has vanished. As Rachel searches to learn what happened, the riveting story is intercut with flashbacks of their relationship. Written as a letter from Rachel to Clara, McBeth creates an eerie atmosphere with no clear villain where what seems to be just a good friendship is quickly revealed to be far more disturbing. Filled with twists, Precious Thing is a chilling and unpredictable story, and the darkness of it is compelling, resulting in an exciting debut perfect for fans of dark thrillers like Gone Girl.
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2014.