I set up my first Instagram account when I was eighteen. Making a profile quickly introduced me to a new world – one where people uploaded snapshots of everything from scenic views to their morning latte., all with the Valencia filter.
In recent years, another side of Instagram has grown to dominate our feeds: the influencers. Whether they’re micro-influencers posting in a tiny niche or huge accounts with thousands of followers, it’s hard to look away from their posts. But all we know about influencers is what they show us on their feeds. So how much, if anything, do we really know about the people we idolise?
I decided I wanted to write a novel about an influencer, one who was hiding her true self – her dark side – from the world. Later, when I was reading an article about famous cult leaders – Charles Manson, Jim Jones – I remember wondering just how powerful somebody like that could become now, with a dedicated audience just a few taps away.
At that moment, lightning struck. My influencer wasn’t just going to be toxic – she was going to have loftier goals in mind. And so I created Clara Holland.
“How much, if anything, do we really know about the people we idolise?”
Beautiful, clever and charismatic with a secret vicious streak, she has thousands of devoted followers and a mansion where she hosts wild parties. However, I realised I didn’t want to write from her perspective. Instead, I felt the best narrator would be a friend – someone who idolised her, who loved her… and who could be vulnerable to being manipulated by her.
From here, I created the protagonist of The Goldens, Chloe. An aspiring author, she’s struggling to fit in at university – so when she ends up with an invitation to one of Clara’s parties, she’s determined to stay by Clara’s side. But at what cost?
The Goldens is the story of a teenage girl desperate to secure her place in the world, who finally gets the friendship, love and acceptance she’s craving – only to realise she’s found it in a dangerous place. It’s an exploration of the power that both influencers and our closest friends hold over us.
And, lastly, it’s what it’s like to be a teenage girl in a world that demands to take power away from you – and how it feels to be able to wield it.
— Lauren Wilson
About the book
19 Jun 2025
Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets enigmatic influencer Clara Holland, and at last, Chloe has something to write about. They bond instantly, and Chloe moves into Clara’s mansion. But as Clara’s fame skyrockets, she starts behaving strangely, hosting increasingly wild parties, complete with bonfire rituals and moonlit river baptisms.
Clara opens up her home to other girls desperate to live like her. The media call it a cult, and soon Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumours from Clara’s past. After one spectacular party, a girl goes missing and the rumours take on a sinister new meaning. If Chloe can’t escape Clara’s influence, she may be next …
THE GOLDENS is about to become your newest obsession.
