Sydney author Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa arrested over ‘pedophilia’ book

The fiction novel, which follows the relationship between an 18-year-old girl and her father’s friend, sparked furore online.

Police have arrested a Sydney author on child abuse material charges following global outrage over her book entitled: “Daddy’s Little Toy”.

Christian charity marketing executive Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa, who writes erotic fiction under the pen name “Tori Woods”, caused an online furore following the release of her latest novel, which outlines the relationship between an 18-year-old and her father’s friend.

Readers said that in the book, whose cover features children’s building blocks, the man speaks about how he desired the teen since she was three years old.

The cover featured children’s building blocks.

BaptistCare marketing executive Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa.

Police arrested Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa on Friday after receiving reports about the book.

“About 12.30pm [on Friday] detectives attended a home on Penn Street, Quakers Hill and arrested a 33-year-old woman before being taken to Riverstone Police Station,” NSW Police wrote in a statement.

“At the home, police executed a search warrant – seizing several hard copies of the novel – to be forensically examined.”

Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa was charged with possessing child abuse material, disseminating child abuse material, and producing child abuse material.

She was granted conditional bail to appear before Blacktown Local Court on Monday 31 March 2025.

Before her arrest, Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa took to social media, explaining the backlash as a “big misunderstanding”.

“DLT is definitely not promoting or inciting anything ever to do with (child sexual abuse) or pedophilia,” she wrote.

Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa posted the apology on social media. Picture: Instagram

She has since taken down her social media accounts. Picture: Instagram

“What is being said is grossly disturbing and breaks my heart as well as makes me sick.”

Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa has since pulled down her social media accounts. The book has also been removed from Amazon and GoodReads.

The designer of the cover Georgia Stove has also put out a statement, saying she has received death threats as a result of the book.

“I have cut ties with Tori Woods, effective immediately,” she said.

She said she was not aware of what was in the book when she designed the cover.

“All I had known about the book was the blurb which read “barely legal” and in my mind I truly thought that was okay,” she said.

“I am here to answer any questions you may have. Just please stop with the threats over something I had no say in.”

Ms Tesolin-Mastrosa has been stood down from her role at BaptistCare.

She was also formerly a journalist for News Corp publication Penrith Press.