Description

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six, magical realism meets Succession in Gifted & Talented. This is the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Thayer Wren is dead. As the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech, he leaves an incredible legacy. But which of his three children could inherit the Wrenfare throne?

Meredith, head of her own profitable company, has recently (apparently) cured mental illness. If only her journalist ex-boyfriend wasn’t set on exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman ever, wants to do everything right. Except his wife might be leaving him, and he’s losing his re-election campaign. Heading Wrenfare could relaunch his sinking ship.

And Eilidh was a world-famous ballerina until a life-altering injury. But gaining control of the company might finally validate her worth.

All three are telepathically and electrokinetically gifted. But in the pipeline from gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins. As they gather to read their father’s final words, who will come out on top?

Gifted & Talented is a compulsive story of family, twisted love and dangerous secrets from a writer at the peak of her powers.

Praise for Gifted & Talented

‘Addictively entertaining, this is Blake at the height of her abilities’ – Ava Reid, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Lady Macbeth

‘Utterly brilliant’ – Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

‘A timely tale of greed, ambition and rivalry . . . terrific’ – M. L. Rio, bestselling author of If We Were Villains

Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six was a No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 28 Feb 2022.
Gifted & Talented was a No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller w/c 14 April 2025.

Publisher Review

Told with Blake’s signature wit and driven by a cast of morally gray characters you will hate to love and love to hate, Gifted & Talented is equal parts black comedy, sharp indictment of privilege and power, and soaring, vicious drama. Addictively entertaining, this is Blake at the height of her abilities — Ava Reid, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Lady Macbeth Incisive, unsparing, and utterly brilliant. Gifted & Talented is a remarkable character study meditating on the consequences of dynasty and power. Olivie Blake’s storytelling has risen to empyrean heights — Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings Take the love-to-hate-’em siblings of Succession, add a dash of The Magicians’ real-world magic, and put it together with Olivie Blake’s stellar sense of humor, and you have Gifted & Talented, a refreshing tale of spoiled-sibling woe, mysterious curses, and family complexity that will absolutely delight you — Veronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows Olivie Blake’s singular narrative voice sparkles in Gifted & Talented – a timely tale of greed, ambition and rivalry which eviscerates the world of wealth and privilege in nimble and terrific style — M. L. Rio, bestselling author of If We Were Villains Gifted & Talented is a wickedly funny book about perfectly horrible people – and some of them even get what they deserve. Blake’s sly prose and vivid character work bring the dreadful siblings to life, but also give us moments of heart-clenching tenderness. A delight — Emily Tesh, Hugo Award-winning author of Some Desperate Glory This book is half mystery, half puzzle and wholly a delight — Holly Black, author of Book of Night on The Atlas Six Compelling, entertaining and addictive. The Atlas Six is academic Darwinism: survival of the smartest with a healthy dose of magic — T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead Coolly horrific, brilliantly brainy and utterly compelling — Daily Mail on The Atlas Six Sign me up for anything she writes — Cosmopolitan