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  • Published: 15 April 2025
  • ISBN: 9781804992609
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 400
  • RRP: $22.99

Clickbait





The darker the secret, the brighter the spotlight . . .
Clickbait
is a sharp, propulsive thriller about ruthless ambition and the dark side of fame.

'We're not famous anymore. We're notorious.'

For over a decade, the Lancasters were celebrity royalty, with millions tuning in every week to watch their reality show, Living with the Lancasters.

But then an old video emerges of one of their legendary parties. Suddenly, they're in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons: witnesses swore they'd seen missing teenager Bradley Wilcox leaving the Lancaster family home on the night of the party, but the video tells a different story.

Now true crime investigator and YouTuber Tom Isaac is on the case. He's determined to find out what really happened to Bradley - he just needs to read between the Lancasters' lies . . .

Because when the cameras are always rolling, it won't be long until someone cracks.

  • Published: 15 April 2025
  • ISBN: 9781804992609
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 400
  • RRP: $22.99

About the author

L.C. North

L.C. North studied psychology at university before pursuing a career in Public Relations. Her book club thrillers - The Ugly Truth and Clickbait - combine her love of psychology and her fascination with the celebrities in the public eye. When she's not writing, she co-hosts the crime thriller podcast, In Suspense. She lives on the Suffolk borders with her family. L.C. North is the pen name of Lauren North. Readers can follow her on Twitter @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor.

Also by L.C. North

See all

Praise for Clickbait

Clever, convincing, topical and original, Clickbait deserves to be HUGE

Charlotte Duckworth, author of THE WRONG MOTHER

Dark and sly, propulsive and smart. It deserves all the stars

L.V. Matthews, author of THE TWINS

An utterly gripping thriller that explores the addictiveness of reality TV in today’s society, and the lengths some people will go to in order to achieve fame. Whip-smart and incisive, I couldn’t put this book down.

Nikki Smith, author of THE BEACH PARTY

Dark, devious and totally addictive! I was hooked from the very first page all the way to the gloriously unexpected end. L.C. North has written her best book yet!

Lesley Kara, bestselling author of THE RUMOUR

Clickbait dazzles with a brilliant setting (a reality TV show), compelling characterisation (a ruthlessly ambitious family) and brilliant mixed-media narrative including a true crime podcast, social media posts & reality TV "confessionals". A totally original psychological thriller!

Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES

Readers are in for such a treat! Absolutely LOVED L.C. North's Clickbait - utterly gripping, with the most deliciously twisted ending

Lisa Hall, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS

I think L.C. North has invented the Celebrity Meltdown Thriller! Clickbait is a hugely enjoyable blast of fresh air. Murder, monster egos and vanity. Great stuff!

Emma Curtis, author of THE BABYSITTER

I was HOOKED! Totally addictive

Louise Swanson, author of END OF STORY

I literally gulped this down in one sitting. Clickbait is compulsively bingeable. It’s like listening to your favourite true crime podcast while watching car crash reality TV at the same time. An absolute delight to read

Tania Tay, author of THE OTHER WOMAN

Clickbait is a compelling, flash-popping, original whodunnit. The premise is genius – I found it utterly unputdownable. Easily one of my favourite thrillers of the year. I cannot wait for L C North’s next offering.

Emily Freud, author of WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND

This searing story about the underbelly of celebrity and reality TV had me glued to the pages. Current and utterly addictive, I can see this being a standout thriller in 2024.

Lisa Timoney, author of HER DAUGHTER'S SECRET

To say this book was a compelling page-turner would be a criminal understatement. It’s a novel you inhale and marvel at as you fly through page after gripping page. A total stunner

B.P Walter, bestselling author of THE DINNER GUEST

Fresh, addictive, twisty and satisfying, with a nice take on celebrity culture, Clickbait kept me reading well into the night. I love the new furrow LC North is carving out, writing fast-paced, page-turning, of-the-moment thrillers. Her best book yet

Caroline Hulse, author of THE ADULTS

Told through mixed media, Clickbait kept me turning the pages to find out what happened to missing teenager, Bradley Wilcox. Masterfully plotted and told with verve and humour, this clever and compelling story was made for TV. Bravo

Jo Callaghan, author of IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Clickbait is fiendishly clever and fast-paced, with so many twists and turns, it’s impossible to predict where it is going next. It is also a fascinating take on online fame, the obsessive nature of it, and the lengths some people will go to satisfy their addiction. A terrifying reflection of the modern celebrity, brilliantly told. I absolutely loved it!

Louise Fein, author of PEOPLE LIKE US

L. C. North is back with another juicy dive into our obsession with modern celebrity and doesn’t she do it superbly? An acidic look at the cost of fame, ingeniously told through mixed media, with twists unravelling faster than you can tweet them. Clickbait is sure to be on ‘must read’ lists for 2024.

Lizzy Barber, bestselling author of OUT OF HER DEPTH

What an absolute triumph! Twists and turns aplenty with a complex mystery. L. C. North tells the story in such a smart, compelling way! Already guaranteed a place on my 2024 top books list!

Chris Frost, author of THE KILLER'S CHRISTMAS LIST

I have just finished this absolute belter of a book and I had SO much fun reading this one. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Reality TV, social media, and a cast of flawed untrustworthy characters. This book is slick and fresh and I LOVED it

Niki Mackay, author of THE DUE DATE

A must for fans of reality TV or true crime - compelling and page-turning with some shocking twists along the way. Loved it

Catherine Cooper, bestselling author of THE CHALET

A look at the dark side of fame, it's a 21st-century morality tale

Daily Mail, 'Fiction to Look Out for in 2024'

Addictive, clever, twisty, and satisfying. Couldn't put it down!

Roz Watkins, author of THE RED HOUSE

Stayed up late finishing this intricately woven mixed media novel which explores the darker side of fame. Don’t miss it!

B. A. Paris, bestselling author of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

I felt as though I was watching this gripping story unfold in the media in real time; clever and captivating

Jackie Kabler, author of THE PERFECT COUPLE

Highly original in both concept and execution, this gripping thriller is told entirely through interviews, transcripts and diary entries accurately reflecting social media's current dominance in news-gathering today

Irish Independent

A gripping page turner that will quite literally have you on the edge of your seat

Glamour

Dark, devious and totally addictive, this is a story about the underbelly of fame that you’ll find difficult to put down. Glamorous and thrilling, we binged this book in one sitting.

Crime Scene Magazine

Riveting, skillful and wonderfully inventive . . . The story flashes past like a speeding train, with enormous verve, which leaves the reader captivated.

Daily Mail

This real-time, multi-point of view story works brilliantly and makes for a fast, easy read, with much to satisfy readers of love-to-hate and fans of get-your-comeuppance

Crime Review

Clever, convincing, topical and original, Clickbait deserves to be HUGE

Charlotte Duckworth, author of THE WRONG MOTHER

Dark and sly, propulsive and smart. It deserves all the stars

L.V. Matthews, author of THE TWINS

An utterly gripping thriller that explores the addictiveness of reality TV in today’s society, and the lengths some people will go to in order to achieve fame. Whip-smart and incisive, I couldn’t put this book down.

Nikki Smith, author of THE BEACH PARTY

Dark, devious and totally addictive! I was hooked from the very first page all the way to the gloriously unexpected end. L.C. North has written her best book yet!

Lesley Kara, bestselling author of THE RUMOUR

Clickbait dazzles with a brilliant setting (a reality TV show), compelling characterisation (a ruthlessly ambitious family) and brilliant mixed-media narrative including a true crime podcast, social media posts & reality TV "confessionals". A totally original psychological thriller!

Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES

Readers are in for such a treat! Absolutely LOVED L.C. North's Clickbait - utterly gripping, with the most deliciously twisted ending

Lisa Hall, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS

I think L.C. North has invented the Celebrity Meltdown Thriller! Clickbait is a hugely enjoyable blast of fresh air. Murder, monster egos and vanity. Great stuff!

Emma Curtis, author of THE BABYSITTER

I was HOOKED! Totally addictive

Louise Swanson, author of END OF STORY

I literally gulped this down in one sitting. Clickbait is compulsively bingeable. It’s like listening to your favourite true crime podcast while watching car crash reality TV at the same time. An absolute delight to read

Tania Tay, author of THE OTHER WOMAN

Clickbait is a compelling, flash-popping, original whodunnit. The premise is genius – I found it utterly unputdownable. Easily one of my favourite thrillers of the year. I cannot wait for L C North’s next offering.

Emily Freud, author of WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND

This searing story about the underbelly of celebrity and reality TV had me glued to the pages. Current and utterly addictive, I can see this being a standout thriller in 2024.

Lisa Timoney, author of HER DAUGHTER'S SECRET

To say this book was a compelling page-turner would be a criminal understatement. It’s a novel you inhale and marvel at as you fly through page after gripping page. A total stunner

B.P Walter, bestselling author of THE DINNER GUEST

Fresh, addictive, twisty and satisfying, with a nice take on celebrity culture, Clickbait kept me reading well into the night. I love the new furrow LC North is carving out, writing fast-paced, page-turning, of-the-moment thrillers. Her best book yet

Caroline Hulse, author of THE ADULTS

Told through mixed media, Clickbait kept me turning the pages to find out what happened to missing teenager, Bradley Wilcox. Masterfully plotted and told with verve and humour, this clever and compelling story was made for TV. Bravo

Jo Callaghan, author of IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Clickbait is fiendishly clever and fast-paced, with so many twists and turns, it’s impossible to predict where it is going next. It is also a fascinating take on online fame, the obsessive nature of it, and the lengths some people will go to satisfy their addiction. A terrifying reflection of the modern celebrity, brilliantly told. I absolutely loved it!

Louise Fein, author of PEOPLE LIKE US

L. C. North is back with another juicy dive into our obsession with modern celebrity and doesn’t she do it superbly? An acidic look at the cost of fame, ingeniously told through mixed media, with twists unravelling faster than you can tweet them. Clickbait is sure to be on ‘must read’ lists for 2024.

Lizzy Barber, bestselling author of OUT OF HER DEPTH

What an absolute triumph! Twists and turns aplenty with a complex mystery. L. C. North tells the story in such a smart, compelling way! Already guaranteed a place on my 2024 top books list!

Chris Frost, author of THE KILLER'S CHRISTMAS LIST

I have just finished this absolute belter of a book and I had SO much fun reading this one. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Reality TV, social media, and a cast of flawed untrustworthy characters. This book is slick and fresh and I LOVED it

Niki Mackay, author of THE DUE DATE

A must for fans of reality TV or true crime - compelling and page-turning with some shocking twists along the way. Loved it

Catherine Cooper, bestselling author of THE CHALET

A look at the dark side of fame, it's a 21st-century morality tale

Daily Mail, 'Fiction to Look Out for in 2024'

Addictive, clever, twisty, and satisfying. Couldn't put it down!

Roz Watkins, author of THE RED HOUSE

Stayed up late finishing this intricately woven mixed media novel which explores the darker side of fame. Don’t miss it!

B. A. Paris, bestselling author of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

I felt as though I was watching this gripping story unfold in the media in real time; clever and captivating

Jackie Kabler, author of THE PERFECT COUPLE

Highly original in both concept and execution, this gripping thriller is told entirely through interviews, transcripts and diary entries accurately reflecting social media's current dominance in news-gathering today

Irish Independent

A gripping page turner that will quite literally have you on the edge of your seat

Glamour

Dark, devious and totally addictive, this is a story about the underbelly of fame that you’ll find difficult to put down. Glamorous and thrilling, we binged this book in one sitting.

Crime Scene Magazine

Riveting, skillful and wonderfully inventive . . . The story flashes past like a speeding train, with enormous verve, which leaves the reader captivated.

Daily Mail

This real-time, multi-point of view story works brilliantly and makes for a fast, easy read, with much to satisfy readers of love-to-hate and fans of get-your-comeuppance

Crime Review

Told through interviews, diary entries and transcripts, Clickbait is an addictive mystery that demands to be read in a single sitting

Daily Mail
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