What do you think?
Rate this book
The Artful Anna Harris
'Highsmith herself would raise a glass' - SARAH HILARY
'Drew me in from the very first page and had me hooked throughout' - PHILIPPA EAST
'An intriguing cat and mouse game, which will keep you reading into the early hours' - TINA BAKER
'You are quite the chameleon, aren't you? You could wear anything, do anything, and yet you choose plain, plain, plain. I s it all a front for a secret life?'
When the vivacious Sofia Carstairs arrives in her sleepy country village, Anna knows her life will never be the same again. Her new best friend is carefree, elegant and intoxicating. Her life doesn't revolve around church flower arrangements or Sunday lunches with the in-laws. Sofia reminds Anna of the person she used to be, before she worked so hard to fit in that she practically disappeared.
But is it enough to just be Sofia's friend? Anna wonders what it would be like to be Sofia, if only for a little while. But once Anna starts pretending, she finds it easy to pretend the rules don't apply to her. How far will Anna go to get what she wants? And what will she do to those who stand in her way?
Full of sharp observations and shocking twists, The Artful Anna Harris is perfect for readers looking for the next The Talented Mr Ripley.
'Drew me in from the very first page and had me hooked throughout' - PHILIPPA EAST
'An intriguing cat and mouse game, which will keep you reading into the early hours' - TINA BAKER
'You are quite the chameleon, aren't you? You could wear anything, do anything, and yet you choose plain, plain, plain. I s it all a front for a secret life?'
When the vivacious Sofia Carstairs arrives in her sleepy country village, Anna knows her life will never be the same again. Her new best friend is carefree, elegant and intoxicating. Her life doesn't revolve around church flower arrangements or Sunday lunches with the in-laws. Sofia reminds Anna of the person she used to be, before she worked so hard to fit in that she practically disappeared.
But is it enough to just be Sofia's friend? Anna wonders what it would be like to be Sofia, if only for a little while. But once Anna starts pretending, she finds it easy to pretend the rules don't apply to her. How far will Anna go to get what she wants? And what will she do to those who stand in her way?
Full of sharp observations and shocking twists, The Artful Anna Harris is perfect for readers looking for the next The Talented Mr Ripley.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2026
4 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 26, 2026
This was dubbed a modern twist on The Talented Mr Ripley and my interest was immediately piqued. I was lucky enough to have gone to Vipers 2026 Spring Launch at the tail end of 2025 and got to hear Tracy Marin talk about her debut and she’s every bit as sharp and witty as you’d expect from the way this has been written.
We start out meeting our protagonist Anna, she’s left her old life behind and settled into sleepy village life with her partner Ben and shaping herself to fit as the doting daughter in law, this is all shaken up when Sofia moves to the village and Anna’s infatuation with her starts. The age old “do I want to be friends with her or do I want to BE her?”. Anna seemingly will put a mask on to fit any social situation and likes to try on lives to see how they fit. But Anna has a past she seems to struggle to keep pushed down and every so often we see glimpses of the real Anna Harris.
I haven’t read a book quite like this in some time with the way our protagonist (who absolutely isn’t reliable) is walking us through the crime and deceit where I truly felt attached to what should be a deeply unlikeable character. Morton has somehow created Anna Harris flaws and all but managed to keep her somewhat lovable and then I’m under Anna’s spell. Spectacular in my eyes. This was such a good fun read and there’s no guessing games involved because Anna will keep you up to speed page by page of the real time going’s on and every character that comes along uncovers a little bit more of her whilst adding twists to this incredible debut. I had to remind myself this is Mortons debut because it reads like she has an extensive back catalogue building to this.
A story of lies, infatuation , deception and manipulation, I’m glad it made it onto my 2026 reading pile and now I need to know, what’s next for Tracy Morton because I turned the last page and immediately wanted more!
We start out meeting our protagonist Anna, she’s left her old life behind and settled into sleepy village life with her partner Ben and shaping herself to fit as the doting daughter in law, this is all shaken up when Sofia moves to the village and Anna’s infatuation with her starts. The age old “do I want to be friends with her or do I want to BE her?”. Anna seemingly will put a mask on to fit any social situation and likes to try on lives to see how they fit. But Anna has a past she seems to struggle to keep pushed down and every so often we see glimpses of the real Anna Harris.
I haven’t read a book quite like this in some time with the way our protagonist (who absolutely isn’t reliable) is walking us through the crime and deceit where I truly felt attached to what should be a deeply unlikeable character. Morton has somehow created Anna Harris flaws and all but managed to keep her somewhat lovable and then I’m under Anna’s spell. Spectacular in my eyes. This was such a good fun read and there’s no guessing games involved because Anna will keep you up to speed page by page of the real time going’s on and every character that comes along uncovers a little bit more of her whilst adding twists to this incredible debut. I had to remind myself this is Mortons debut because it reads like she has an extensive back catalogue building to this.
A story of lies, infatuation , deception and manipulation, I’m glad it made it onto my 2026 reading pile and now I need to know, what’s next for Tracy Morton because I turned the last page and immediately wanted more!
March 5, 2026
Oh Anna Harris. Aren’t you quite the enigma?
When we first meet Anna, she’s living a content yet nondescript life in a quiet Somerset village. Her partner is Ben, a good, kind man and his family and friends have welcomed Anna into their lives with warmth and generosity. But still. Something is missing, but what? So when the charismatic and confident Sofia enters her life, Anna sees an opportunity to recall the person she once was. And who she could be again…
This book took me completely by surprise, in a spectacular way. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but definitely not this. On first appearances Anna seems like Mrs Average, although there is a hint of reservation about her, a sense that what you see is not quite what you get. But once you start unpeeling those layers, you’ll be in for one hell of a shock.
This is such a clever story, it’s essentially a crime novel but told from the view of the protagonist. And it’s written so well that despite knowing that you shouldn’t, you still feel empathy for Anna. Well I did anyway, I’m not sure what that says about me! I found her intoxicating, like a chameleon blending in with her surroundings wherever she went. I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what she would get up to next.
If you want to dive into a wonderfully twisty read that will grab you right from the start, then look no further.
When we first meet Anna, she’s living a content yet nondescript life in a quiet Somerset village. Her partner is Ben, a good, kind man and his family and friends have welcomed Anna into their lives with warmth and generosity. But still. Something is missing, but what? So when the charismatic and confident Sofia enters her life, Anna sees an opportunity to recall the person she once was. And who she could be again…
This book took me completely by surprise, in a spectacular way. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but definitely not this. On first appearances Anna seems like Mrs Average, although there is a hint of reservation about her, a sense that what you see is not quite what you get. But once you start unpeeling those layers, you’ll be in for one hell of a shock.
This is such a clever story, it’s essentially a crime novel but told from the view of the protagonist. And it’s written so well that despite knowing that you shouldn’t, you still feel empathy for Anna. Well I did anyway, I’m not sure what that says about me! I found her intoxicating, like a chameleon blending in with her surroundings wherever she went. I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what she would get up to next.
If you want to dive into a wonderfully twisty read that will grab you right from the start, then look no further.
March 2, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
Struggled a bit with this one. Think it just went over my head and I didn't fully engage with characters.
The ending of this book confused me a bit, but then the main character is an unreliable narrator so I guess it was not going to be a happy ending 🤣
There were some moments of dark humour, sadness and a few deaths (I'll say no more) thrown in to this story and it was a good debut novel.
I felt sorry for Anna at times during this book, it's clear she never fitted it and tried so hard to the point she is totally unhinged at some points. But she's not the only one who dabbles at someone else's identity. There are definitely a few secrets in this book.
Struggled a bit with this one. Think it just went over my head and I didn't fully engage with characters.
The ending of this book confused me a bit, but then the main character is an unreliable narrator so I guess it was not going to be a happy ending 🤣
There were some moments of dark humour, sadness and a few deaths (I'll say no more) thrown in to this story and it was a good debut novel.
I felt sorry for Anna at times during this book, it's clear she never fitted it and tried so hard to the point she is totally unhinged at some points. But she's not the only one who dabbles at someone else's identity. There are definitely a few secrets in this book.
November 2, 2025
Anna has a past, but now lives in a lovely village with a lovely partner and all the English countryside beauty you could imagine. That is until Sofia turns up, Sofia reminds Anna of the past and they have a whirlwind friendship that throws Anna back in to being how she was on one side and staying the loving partner in the other.
I found this book quite good fun but this was ruined by the ending. There is very little point writing all these wonderful characters and ending so abruptly with little resolved. Could have been 5 and now is 3.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book quite good fun but this was ruined by the ending. There is very little point writing all these wonderful characters and ending so abruptly with little resolved. Could have been 5 and now is 3.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A fantastic debut and a breath of fresh air, Anna the antihero is an unlikeable FMC, but you can't help but be completely engrossed in her story. It has some great twists and is definitely a fast paced, page turner that you can't help but pick up and continue. It's hard to do an in-depth review without giving away the story which is in my opinion best experienced going in blind! But it is 100% fun and incredibly enjoyable!
Read
January 2, 2026Well, this little cracker of a book has certainly kept me glued to my seat for the past few evenings.
Synopsis:
Anna Harris seems to have it all. Living in a picturesque English village with a doting boyfriend with his supportive family close by, she has a job as a primary school teaching assistant.
But Anna Harris is not who she appears and rather than enjoying the quiet life, she craves
excitement.
When the outspoken and adventurous Sophia Carstairs moves into the village, Anna is drawn to her like a moth to a flame as Sophia reminds her so much of her younger self.
To spice things up, Anna creates another persona; a more exciting and interesting version of herself. But will this supposed bit of fun not only bring up her past but wreck her relationship and ruin her future?
What a ride reading this book was. Told through a first person narrative, I found Anna pretty hard to like due to her narcissistic tendencies and lack of a moral compass. I was, however, fully invested and engrossed in her story and I didn’t have to suspend my belief to thoroughly enjoy this book.
It’s a bit tricky to discuss anything about the plot without giving spoilers away but if you enjoy a dark, psychological thriller that’ll keep you up late reading, then this is the book for you.
Thank you to @viperbooks and @tracymaton for sending me this brilliant advanced copy for my honest review.
UK Publication Date : March 2026
Bookmail • Bookstagram • Bookblogger • Book recommendation • Love Reading • Reading community
Synopsis:
Anna Harris seems to have it all. Living in a picturesque English village with a doting boyfriend with his supportive family close by, she has a job as a primary school teaching assistant.
But Anna Harris is not who she appears and rather than enjoying the quiet life, she craves
excitement.
When the outspoken and adventurous Sophia Carstairs moves into the village, Anna is drawn to her like a moth to a flame as Sophia reminds her so much of her younger self.
To spice things up, Anna creates another persona; a more exciting and interesting version of herself. But will this supposed bit of fun not only bring up her past but wreck her relationship and ruin her future?
What a ride reading this book was. Told through a first person narrative, I found Anna pretty hard to like due to her narcissistic tendencies and lack of a moral compass. I was, however, fully invested and engrossed in her story and I didn’t have to suspend my belief to thoroughly enjoy this book.
It’s a bit tricky to discuss anything about the plot without giving spoilers away but if you enjoy a dark, psychological thriller that’ll keep you up late reading, then this is the book for you.
Thank you to @viperbooks and @tracymaton for sending me this brilliant advanced copy for my honest review.
UK Publication Date : March 2026
Bookmail • Bookstagram • Bookblogger • Book recommendation • Love Reading • Reading community
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was an incredibly compelling psychological thriller that completely drew me in from the very first chapters.
Anna is one of the most intriguing protagonists I’ve come across. I very quickly became immersed in her life and circumstances, initially feeling a great deal of sympathy for her situation. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Anna has a much darker, more complex side lurking beneath the surface.
What I found particularly fascinating was the gradual shift in my perception of her. As her behaviour becomes more questionable, and at times increasingly unhinged, I was constantly reassessing her motives and trying to make sense of her actions. The psychological depth of her character is what makes this such a great read. Rather than presenting a straightforward villain or victim, Anna is far more layered and unpredictable.
The tension builds steadily throughout, and I genuinely had no idea where the story was heading or what Anna might do next. That unpredictability made it almost impossible to put the book down. Each chapter left me wanting just one more, eager to see how far she would go and what the consequences might be.
This is a gripping, unsettling, and thoroughly absorbing read, the kind of psychological thriller that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished it. It is a fantastic debut novel and
I'm very much looking forward to reading more from Tracy Maton in the future.
Anna is one of the most intriguing protagonists I’ve come across. I very quickly became immersed in her life and circumstances, initially feeling a great deal of sympathy for her situation. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Anna has a much darker, more complex side lurking beneath the surface.
What I found particularly fascinating was the gradual shift in my perception of her. As her behaviour becomes more questionable, and at times increasingly unhinged, I was constantly reassessing her motives and trying to make sense of her actions. The psychological depth of her character is what makes this such a great read. Rather than presenting a straightforward villain or victim, Anna is far more layered and unpredictable.
The tension builds steadily throughout, and I genuinely had no idea where the story was heading or what Anna might do next. That unpredictability made it almost impossible to put the book down. Each chapter left me wanting just one more, eager to see how far she would go and what the consequences might be.
This is a gripping, unsettling, and thoroughly absorbing read, the kind of psychological thriller that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished it. It is a fantastic debut novel and
I'm very much looking forward to reading more from Tracy Maton in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Artful Anna Harris is a brilliant debut, a clever, witty, anxiety-filled whirlwind of a book that I couldn't get enough of. I felt so on edge through 80% of it and there was so much unpredictability that it was difficult to put down at times!
We meet Anna, a teaching assistant and church-helper, partner to kind, attentive Ben, an all-round good member of the community. But when Sofia walks through those church doors one day, Anna's whole world shifts. She reminds her of who she used to be, before she worked so hard to fit in. She loves Sofia so much that she becomes her friend. So much that she wants to be her. So much so that eventually, she does exactly that.
Lies, deceit and secrets swirl around such an engaging storyline, and things escalate to the point where Anna's whole life could come crashing down if she took one wrong step. The tension and unease I felt as she leads a double life, reinvents herself and discovers that she's not the only one who is a good liar, really sucked me in. Even though Anna wasn't a likeable character by normal standards, I couldn't help but be fascinated by her and her flaws, as well as everything she was doing. It's deep, compelling and so incredibly addictive, especially the second half.
The book is inspired by The Talented Mr Ripley, so if you love the idea of a modern twist on the classic, you will love this! A brand new author on my radar and I am very excited for whatever comes next from her!
We meet Anna, a teaching assistant and church-helper, partner to kind, attentive Ben, an all-round good member of the community. But when Sofia walks through those church doors one day, Anna's whole world shifts. She reminds her of who she used to be, before she worked so hard to fit in. She loves Sofia so much that she becomes her friend. So much that she wants to be her. So much so that eventually, she does exactly that.
Lies, deceit and secrets swirl around such an engaging storyline, and things escalate to the point where Anna's whole life could come crashing down if she took one wrong step. The tension and unease I felt as she leads a double life, reinvents herself and discovers that she's not the only one who is a good liar, really sucked me in. Even though Anna wasn't a likeable character by normal standards, I couldn't help but be fascinated by her and her flaws, as well as everything she was doing. It's deep, compelling and so incredibly addictive, especially the second half.
The book is inspired by The Talented Mr Ripley, so if you love the idea of a modern twist on the classic, you will love this! A brand new author on my radar and I am very excited for whatever comes next from her!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved this book - as a debut it blew my mind. I can't even put my finger on why but the writing is so seductive, it drew me back in.
Anna is a character of so many levels, you're never quite sure if she's a psychopath or not because she's written in so well, we see her as a human, struggling with her identity, becoming whatever people need her to be or what serves a purpose.
She moves from London to Somerset with her boyfriend Ben, becoming embroiled in their close knit family, craving the security but even Anna wonders if she's truly happy, whether this is what she wants. It's not until she meets Sofia that her spark returns. Anna's friend is secure in her sense of self, what she wants, her direction, Anna even covets her wardrobe. In a tragic accident, Sofia passes away and Anna is momentarily lost, slipping into the skin of her friend when it suits her to do so.
A fast paced thriller it isn't rather a slow burn but exquisite in how it draws you in. This author smashed her debut out of the park and her next read will be an auto-buy for me!
Anna is a character of so many levels, you're never quite sure if she's a psychopath or not because she's written in so well, we see her as a human, struggling with her identity, becoming whatever people need her to be or what serves a purpose.
She moves from London to Somerset with her boyfriend Ben, becoming embroiled in their close knit family, craving the security but even Anna wonders if she's truly happy, whether this is what she wants. It's not until she meets Sofia that her spark returns. Anna's friend is secure in her sense of self, what she wants, her direction, Anna even covets her wardrobe. In a tragic accident, Sofia passes away and Anna is momentarily lost, slipping into the skin of her friend when it suits her to do so.
A fast paced thriller it isn't rather a slow burn but exquisite in how it draws you in. This author smashed her debut out of the park and her next read will be an auto-buy for me!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Anna moves to a small village and when she meets carefree Sofia, she knows her life will never be the same again. Sofia reminds Anna of who she used to be and Anna wonders what it would be like to pretend to be like her, if only for a little while. How far is Anna prepared to go to get what she wants?
This sounded like a really compelling thriller and ended being a well written, multi layered story. The author did a great job at developing Anna as a character, it was intriguing to watch her actions play out and discover her secrets. The story felt like a slow burn, however the atmosphere makes it feel suspenseful still. Even though this was a good story, I found that I personally struggled to get fully into this one, likely because it felt overly descriptive at times. Even so, I appreciate that this was a promising debut and it has already received lots of high ratings. I would be interested in seeing what the author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This sounded like a really compelling thriller and ended being a well written, multi layered story. The author did a great job at developing Anna as a character, it was intriguing to watch her actions play out and discover her secrets. The story felt like a slow burn, however the atmosphere makes it feel suspenseful still. Even though this was a good story, I found that I personally struggled to get fully into this one, likely because it felt overly descriptive at times. Even so, I appreciate that this was a promising debut and it has already received lots of high ratings. I would be interested in seeing what the author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A great page turner featuring anti-hero Anna Harris who moved to the close-knit sleepy village of her husband-to-be and his smothering family. Her new church-going, school-helper, dependable life is very different to the mysterious one of her upbringing and she takes to it quite well until a vivacious whirlwind of a woman moves into the village and reawakens Anna’s rebelliousness.
A superb debut from a promising new author.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.
A superb debut from a promising new author.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.
October 29, 2025
Oooh, Anna, you're a quiet one, with many layers.
At first seemingly so normal, even a tiny bit dull.... Then look at what you do.
Who you become, even who you were!
Hugely enjoyable read, that just flowed. I was always rushing back to pick this up.
Great read.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
At first seemingly so normal, even a tiny bit dull.... Then look at what you do.
Who you become, even who you were!
Hugely enjoyable read, that just flowed. I was always rushing back to pick this up.
Great read.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
November 6, 2025
First read from this author, Great book full of Suspense and twists, kept me interested in the story and I enjoyed the storyline of anna and sofias friendship. Anna starts off with an idyllic life in the countryside and the perfect partner but once sofia turns up things go a bit differently
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a brilliant debut from a promising new author.
Anna - wow you have alot of layers!! I love reading about this well-written anti-hero.
Thank you NetGalley and Viper Publishing for the e-ARC.
Anna - wow you have alot of layers!! I love reading about this well-written anti-hero.
Thank you NetGalley and Viper Publishing for the e-ARC.
March 9, 2026
3.5 stars
An interesting psychological thriller with a fascinating main character. Anna is complex, unpredictable and a little unsettling, which makes her compelling to follow. The writing is sharp with touches of dark humour with morally complex suspense.
An interesting psychological thriller with a fascinating main character. Anna is complex, unpredictable and a little unsettling, which makes her compelling to follow. The writing is sharp with touches of dark humour with morally complex suspense.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews