The Stalker

“I watched her on the beach today as she walked along, pausing now and then to pick up stones, her blonde hair whipping about her slender neck as though it was trying to strangle her. I must admit, the thought made me tingle with something halfway between pleasure and pain.” Sarah Alderson, The Stalker

After two failed relationships, Laura has finally found the one. She meets Liam when he comes into her veterinary clinic with an injured dog. He seems to be everything she wants and, most importantly, her mother, whom Laura is very close to, approves and loves him. As they are on their way to the airport to go to Greece for their honeymoon, Laura receives a call that her mother has fallen down the stairs and died. She falls into a deep depression as Liam plans another honeymoon for them, on a remote island in Scotland, where they will be the only occupants. As we begin The Stalker by Sarah Alderson, they are taking a boat to the island and the guide is telling them that the island has a dark history and is possibly haunted. While Laura is skeptical, the isolation and quiet sounds like bliss after a few months of turmoil. 

This book catches you on the first page. The Stalker is atmospheric, spooky, and creepy and all of those things. It is the perfect “honeymoon becomes nightmare” book, and the reader is holding their breath from every page. It couldn’t have a more perfect setting than Scotland with its mists and general grayness. The dread and tension throughout keep you hooked. There are parts in this book where the reader actually feels tense, knowing that they are not alone on the island, and anything could happen.

But wait. There’s more. A huge twist is coming that completely blew me away, as I did not see it at all. In fact, I had to check to make sure I was still reading the same book. I love when this happens, as I am normally the type of reader who can guess the twist early into the book. Definitely not this time. Everything I suspected was going to happen did not. I was dead wrong. 

Sarah Alderson has done a great job setting the pace of the story and unwrapping it a little at a time. The Stalker was one of the best thrillers I have read all year. It is clever, intense, and scary. The main character of Laura was relatable, and I admired her attachment to her Mother. This is definitely a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more from this author.