The Orchid Mantis follows the turbulent lives of innocent, six-year-old Skye and her adopted older sister, Amber. At first, Skye is enthralled with her new sister, but soon finds herself caught in a web of lies, fear, and deceit. Over time the stakes climb higher and higher for Skye, and just when she thinks she has the upper hand, COVID-19 strikes, the city is plunged into lockdown, and her world changes forever.
The Orchid Mantis is available on Kindle and as a soft cover book on Amazon. It is also available at Village Books in Bellingham, WA.
What people are saying about
THE ORCHID Mantis:
Great story. Six-year-old Skye is in thrall to eight-year-old Amber from the moment of Amber’s adoption. Amber is not only pretty and self-assured, but also full of ideas for excitement and adventure. Everyone adores her. Because of her traumatic past, she is given endless leeway by their parents. But as the girls grow up, the adventures become wilder and more dangerous, and unsettling events begin to accumulate.
Told from the point of view of a sister desperate to see only the best in her sibling, this is a finely drawn, chilling study of the extremes of familial passion and the bond of sisterhood gone wrong. I loved it. SS
A great read! Fascinating and unnerving plot, with characters whose flaws feel painfully real. Held my attention right up until the last exquisite sentence. JN
This book is a fascinating tale of human behavior and family dynamics rocked by narcissism.
A story filled with intrigue, suspense, love, loyalty and fear. I am not typically a fan of
thrillers, but I tend to read one every once in a while, and I am very glad I read this one.
The goal of thrillers seems to be to scare you to death, but this one actually has a story
that is thought provoking, courageous, and thrilling. Loved it!
The story revolves around two sisters (one adopted) with very disparate personalities and needs, seemingly at opposite ends of the personality spectrum. The family’s natural daughter repeatedly gets drawn into impossible and sometimes dangerous situations as she seeks the approval of her older adopted sister who has an overzealous need to dominate those around her, no matter the cost. You’ll see yourself and your own life experiences reflected in each of them at times and perhaps that’s what makes the sisters seem so alluring and familiar. It’s the development of their personalities and interactions over time, and the honing of the nuances within their relationship, that both repulse and attract you simultaneously. There are also some family events that you end up having suspicions over, but you never really get the clarification that you want. Those situations are handled perfectly by the author.
There were times when I dreaded opening the book again, not knowing what might come next, but it was equally hard to put it down. An excellent read and I’ll definitely be looking for more of Kerry Claire’s work.
Two complex girls grow into women who’s lives hold you riveted. The ending, both satisfied and saddened me. I love Kerry Claire’s writing style. Beautiful.
Kerry Claire and dogs 