The Stalker has become the Stalked. Danny has a strange obsession—he follows people. Some may call this stalking, Danny calls it an escape from his problems. But Danny is not the only one watching.
When Danny decides to follow a stranger from a bar one night, he has no idea another is watching. Now, the stranger and his companion are dead, murdered, and their killer has Danny in his sights. To stay alive, Danny must battle wits with a ruthless killer, two homicide detectives, and a cat named Samson. Danny may win the battle, but who will win the war?
A tense thriller, Stalked contains adult scenes and references throughout.
Lorraine grew up in England with her parents, sister, dogs, cats, birds, fish and house-plants.
When she was 16, she read her first Adult Fiction Horror—Richard Laymon's 'Endless Night.' Once the night terrors and obsessive checking-of-locks phase was over, Lorraine knew she wanted to be a writer.
1½ stars...The stalker becomes the stalked in this thriller novel. Danny had a horrible childhood, has a skanky girlfriend, and has to deal with a cat who torments him. In other words, his life generally sucks. Add to it, a murderer who begins to torture him and he melts down (Danny is not a sympathetic character because of how often he whines).
Will he survive his own stalker? Will he be jailed for a murder? Will he ever make friends with his neighbor's cat Samson?
Overall, not a great read especially because of all the typos (wrong words, extraneous apostrophes, etc.) and editing issues. The lack of pagination is another issue. Definitely, this author needs to find someone to look over the manuscript before publishing as even the two chapter excerpt at the end showed the same issues.
Danny suffered terrible abuse as a child but he got out and ended up in a loving family, unfortunately he was left with scars both physical and mental. One night having just broken up with his girlfriend he ends up watching a couple celebrate their engagement. It seems cruel to him that this guy has everything he wants and the old urge comes back, he tries to control it but it is too strong and he follows the man from the bar.
That fateful decision will set into motion a series of events where Danny becomes the stalked victim of a psychopathic killer. Framed for murder he must pass a series of test in order to regain his freedom. Will he succeed, will he be framed for murder and will his neighbors cat Samson continue to make his life a misery?
This a well written page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Danny is a complex and well rounded character that I found it easy to root for. Lorraine’s ability to breathe life into her characters gives this story that little extra. Our killer is utterly believable and the sort you most definitely don’t want to cross paths with but my favorite character was Samson the neighbors cat.
This was an enjoyable and fresh read that kept me guessing right up to the surprising end.
Danny, who has an obsession with following people, finds himself stalked by a killer. The effects of his abusive childhood still haunt him and the killer plays up to that, making him the prime suspect in a double murder. This is an excited page turned and the twist and turns will keep a reader on the edge of their seat. I highly recommend it.
I received this book from the Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway site.
Not sure what to say about this book other than it wasn't 100% horrible. Danny was such a wimpy whiner that I kind of hoped the killer would just put him out of his misery. The ending was over-the-top unbelievable and the only reason I gave this book 2 stars is because of the cat.
I give this book 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I would have really liked to see who the killer was in the end. Had a few surprises. Overall a good read!
It is all well and good to offer free books in exchange for reviews. I suppose I should have been wary of this one when I found that it had been self-published in 2013. Most books offered on 'for review' websites are about to be published and are looking for reviews to assist in the launch. I downloaded this book from Story Cartel and promised to review it. Although most of my review was written while I was reading STALKED, and I could have just finished it up and been done with it, I did read the entire book. I guess you could say I have some integrity... a promise is a promise.
If you are going to write a book and put it out there for the world to read, it would behoove you to know the difference between the words 'who' and 'whom,' and, in my humble opinion, you should know how to conjugate verbs, so that your sentences are at the very least coherent. Barring that, you really need a professional editor. I really hate writing a bad review; however, when you offer your work free in exchange for an honest review, you really should present a polished, ready-for-prime-time effort.
Even the most unique take on a particular plot line loses all its punch when the reader must spend time away from that plot trying to figure out just what the author is trying to say. At the very least, STALKED needs to be read by a good beta reader, or two, who will point out the error of relying upon a spell checker to find mistakes. If you spell a word correctly that makes no sense in context, it becomes more than obvious that no beta reading, let alone editing. has been done. A beta reader can also help with continuity. When the protagonists van was tan and is suddenly white, that's a problem. When the description of a victim changes from wearing a black top to red, and red boots to white, that too is a problem.
All of the bad grammar and lack of editing aside, STALKED did present an interesting premise. There were times when I thought there was some foreshadowing that might even have sent the story in a worthwhile direction. None of what I thought might have been foreshadowing really was. The only redeeming thing I can say is that the final paragraph was not what I expected, and it was probably the best thing the book has to offer. Had I not read it all, I would have missed that one good point.
If you are wondering why I gave it two stars after so much negativity, I found the idea of STALKED to be interesting enough, and with considerable editing, this might actually be a fair to middling book.
There is a trailer for this book on You Tube that is far better than the book.
I admit that I did not find this book to be the most well written book I have ever read. I found that the prose at times could be rather simple at times and also at times rather cliche. The book even opens up with a scene of a man getting drunk in a bar bemoaning trouble with his girlfriend and making comments about bartenders as self-defined psychologists.
But even though this was not the most profound book I have ever read, or the most masterful, there were still many things that I very much enjoyed about this book. It was gripping, fast-paced, kept me wanting to read and wanting to find out what happened next. It is composed of complex characters in which in some cases even if you do not entirely agree with some of their actions you still cannot help but to root for them, or sympathize with them. It is a very anti-hero story, which is something I often enjoy.
And in spite of a few cliched references the story itself all in all I found to be rather an original idea. I was rather intrigued with the idea of an individual, Danny the main character of the book, who in order to escape his own life, particularly his abusive childhood he took up the habit of following random strangers, and while perhaps a bit creepy, he had not malicious intentions, he simply wanted to observer how other people live, and imagine himself in that better life.
Then one day when as an adult he gives into this impulse again to follow a random stranger in a bar he meets another follower, with very different intentions than Danny, and which change Danny's life forever.
I will have to say that I had mixed feeling about the ending, there where aspects of it which I found interesting, but in a way I also thought it fell a little falt. The very end of the book I found to be somewhat unbelievable, and it felt like it was tacked on just to try and give the book more of a surprise ending, but the author did not really fully developing the idea.
A great psychological thriller from this first time author. Without giving spoilers, I have to say this one kept me completely intrigued and I read it in its entirety in two sittings (and it was very tempting to do it all in just one!) In the few moments that aren't action packed, Danny's backstory is very interesting to delve into. From the mundane events that start the roller coaster, one simple curiosity leads to an incredible backlash of murder, mystery and general mayhem in the life of a character you can't help but feel great compassion for and want to know more about. First person narratives are not always my favorite, but work wonderfully in this tale. Perfect for this genre, the story leaves you with so many unanswered questions - it will certainly stick with me for a while and I can guarantee at least one or two rereads as I want to reexamine some of the lesser characters and their relationships, but knowing some answers will never be there is a thrill for me as well. Too many stories in this category wrap everything up in a neat little arc in the last few pages, which tend to leave me disappointed overall. The best psychological thrillers (be they books or movies) are the ones that do leave you hanging and questioning. The characters are all very well written, very vividly but not overdone. Just enough to feel you know them and have an emotional attachment to them, but not to the point you feel bored or that the details are needlessly repeated in hopes of making you like or loathe them. I also have to say that Samson is one of my favorite characters and the changes in his relationship with Danny are truly heartwarming. I debated between 4 and 5 stars on this one - it really is a great read and I hope to see more from this new author and I love her style. I will definitely be recommending it to friends who like this style of book.
Beaten, starved, and neglected by his prostitute mother, Danny started following people to escape the life he lived. He would follow them to their homes and imagine himself in their place with a family and a mother who loved him.
Danny’s life changed when his mother was attacked by one of her clients and he was placed with his aunt who didn’t know he existed. He quickly became a part of the family and thrived for the next several years. After he was grown he decided to look for his mother in hopes of finding the mother’s love he craved but his mother had not changed. She was a malnourished, dirty drunk who insulted Danny every chance she got.
While Danny was at a bar one night, he observed a happy newly engaged couple celebrating with his friends. When the soon-to-be bridegroom took off on his own leaving his fiancé along, Danny decided to follow him to find out where he was headed. This action brought Danny to a serial killer’s attention leading Danny to be taunted and terrorized by the killer. Then Danny is set up to take the fall for the murders and attacks. His life has become a nightmare that he can’t escape from.
You will want to keep reading to find out if Danny gets his life back.
Daniel suffers mental and physical abuse as a child and he has the scars to prove it. Although, he is removed from his alcoholic mother’s custody at seven years old, the effects of the severe abuse follow him into adulthood.
Daniel has just broken up with his girlfriend Becky and decides to go to a bar for a few drinks. While watching a couple in the bar celebrating their engagement, he becomes envious because he longs for a loving relationship with someone special. Then, that “same old feeling” starts to come back. He tries to ignore it, but it is too powerful.
Daniel has an obsession. This obsession is the reason he follows Michael, the guy who is celebrating his engagement, when he leaves the bar that night. Daniel never imagines that his decision to follow Michael will change his life forever; that the tables will turn and he will become the one being stalked…by a maniacal killer.
This is an excellent book that will keep you reading until the unpredictable end. I highly recommend it.
Danny Rivers had a troubled childhood and from an early age has 'followed' other people to get a brief glimpse of a life better than his own. Even as he settled into a normal life of his own, he continues to follow others.
After a fallout with his on/off girlfriend, he decides to follow a man called Michael. His voyeurism is running its usual course when he is spotted by another stalker, sparking off a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Taylor's debut novel is a fast paced thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you reading into the early hours. I received Stalked from GoodReads First Read.
This was an interesting book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Danny is a bit naive but I can see someone not telling the police a killer is contacting you. Several people around him are hurt or killed and that is hard for him to take because he is a nice person who has gone through a lot. Becky his girlfriend is someone I would have dumped since she didn't really are about him. Everything was about her and her only. He does save a couple of people which is great because he really is a nice guy. Rally enjoyed the ending also.
Probably should not have read about real life stalking serial killers before reading this book, but hey, that’s what I did. This is a different take on stalking. The stalker gets the table turned and then everything goes out of control. It was interesting to say the least to see how the author gave Daniel’s thoughts. He begins to stalk a man who he witnessed celebrating his engagement. Stalking Micheal might have been a mistake. I laugh at myself for writing that last sentence. Might have been. Hahaha.
I thought this might make for an uncomfortable read, thinking some poor woman was going to be stalked, raped, and killed, but this was not the case. Lorraine Taylor had an original idea and executed it with precision. The narrator in her story is semi likable despite being a stalker and becomes even more likable once he starts to be stalked. There were a few moments of the darkest humor as well. I enjoyed this book from start to finish and would happily suggest it to any of my friends.
An unpredictable thriller told in the first person. Stalked is suspenseful from the start. The stalker tells his story and how he becomes stalked himself. The fear he caused now comes back on him. The dialogue is excellent and convincing. I read this book quickly and with excitement. Very well written and paced.
I like to read books without knowing their plot. I don’t read the blurbs. I was expecting something different from a book titled Stalked, like a girl being the one stalked. Hahaha. Oh boy. This is so much better than I expected it to be. A stalker gets the turn around and gets stalked. I loved it. Well done.
I found myself fearing for Danny, though Danny was not really the greatest person in the world either. A stalker that gets stalked, yet I was with him all the way. The story really grips you. It moves along at a great pace and you go where Danny goes even when you think he shouldn’t. Very well written and original.
A very good interesting read. The stories two central characters, the stalked and the stalker, create quite an atmospheric read.A few sub plots as well that support the main storyline. Quite a few twists and turns that keep the reader hooked right to the last twist.