Audrey lists Donna Tartt as one of her favorite authors in the FAQ section of her official website:
Writers I admire: Donna Tartt, Richard Powers, David Sedaris, Chris Adrian, Geoff Ryman, Henry James, Wilkie Collins, Dorothy Sayers, H.G. Wells, Martin Amis, Ingrid Hill, Jennifer Stevenson, Rainer Maria Rilke, Rex Stout.
Plus, in an interview with Barnes and Noble she lists "The Secret History" as one of her top 10 favorite books and has this to say about it:"The Secret History by Donna Tartt -- Donna Tartt is a terrific writer, and I envy her ability to make a world that goes down and down, and has no bottom; the characters are so seductive, you love them, and it's painful when things go wrong, as they must. I read The Secret History when it first came out and was entranced by the clashes between Greek ideals and ordinary life, and between desire and the onset of adulthood."
See the full list here
I'm fascinated because there are parallels between the two that I hadn't consciously thought about. There is pain and the characters are certainly not syrupy sweet but you love them. If you haven't read it - go now and get it.