Courier

by Zoe Rosi

Meet Bob, your local courier.
You've barely noticed him. You've barely even looked his way.
But he's noticed you. He's noticed everything about you.
He's been paying very close attention indeed.
And he likes what he sees...

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Novella, Audiobook, Short Stories, Horror Thriller, Fiction

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2024

About the author

I am a thriller and horror author from Oxford, UK.

I write dark but entertaining books about the kind of people you probably wouldn't want to meet.

To watch some videos about my books, visit my Instagram page @zoerosiauthor or visit www.zoerosi.co.uk.

Reviews

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Zoe Ross delivers a quick and unsettling psychological thriller that gets straight into the story. Bob is a courier, just doing his usual rounds, until one delivery leaves him feeling uneasy. While dropping off a parcel, he hears shouting and screaming coming from one of the houses, and when he later has to return with a signed-for parcel, he can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.

The man who answers the door appears perfectly polite, but inside Bob catches sight of a woman and child who seem frightened. He leaves, but instead of putting it out of his mind, he becomes increasingly consumed by what he witnessed. His concern soon turns into an unhealthy fascination with the woman, and before long Bob is watching her, hiding around the streets near her home, keeping an eye on her garden and even following her by car. What starts as curiosity quickly spirals into obsession.

Bob was definitely the character who stood out most for me. I found his gradual descent from someone who thinks he is simply concerned about a woman and child into someone whose behaviour becomes increasingly obsessive and disturbing really interesting. It gives the story that uncomfortable edge you want from a psychological thriller.

I also liked Zoe Ross’s writing style. It’s straightforward, easy to get into and keeps the story moving without unnecessary padding. The short chapters really suited the book too, making it one of those reads where you can easily say, just one more chapter.

This is a quick, creepy little read and, for me, a perfect palate cleanser between heavier books. Sometimes you just want something short and easy to get your teeth into.

[JJtheBookNerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bob is a courier who is disillusioned with his job and the rude people he has to deal with. 19 Samuel Close seems to be one delivery address that gives him extra anxiety because of the aggressive man, Nathaniel, who lives there. When he spots Natalie, the beautiful woman who lives with him, Bob becomes obsessed and starts to stalk her.

On one of his stalking missions, Bob follows them on a trip; he comes to realise that Nathaniel is abusing Natalie. He devises a plan to help her, unbeknownst to Natalie of course, which ends up turning pretty dark.

This is all told from Bob's point of view, and he was the epitome of narcissism. It certainly makes for uncomfortable reading, diving into the mind of a stalker. The lengths he went to were mind-boggling but also felt very realistic.

By the end Bob learns the hard way that he wasn't as clever as he thought he was. The twist, whilst being a bit predictable, was ok. I'm not sure how that would have been explained away, especially when you take into account what had already happened, but it was undeniably satisfying.

Plot-wise there isn't much scope to play with; you've basically got a stalker, his victim and her husband as well as a few outlying characters. Nonetheless, the story draws you in, and I was pretty hooked, so read it all in one sitting. This comes in at around 170 pages long, so it's a quickish read.

Rating this one a 3.5/5.

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first-person POV worked wonders here. Bob is a tremendously uncomfortable character to dive into the driver’s seat with. Creating fake scenarios in his mind, catfishing on FaceBook, stalking, and coordinating deadly and dangerous situations, all to viciously woo a woman. He is simply damaged goods. Like I can’t even try to sugarcoat it. And the author handled his background really well, giving away enough to bring the reader up to date, but not enough to make him sympathetic in any way. He’s a bit of an enigma, this one. But, again, it worked really well for the sake of the premise. Reminded me a lot of You from Netflix. Just a fun concept that can be maneuvered a lot of ways, none of which are bad choices. And there was a good twist at the very end, which was the perfect finale for this tale. I had a great initial reading experience with Zoe Rosi and recommend to fans of psychological thrillers.

[GCR | Book Realm]

Thank you to Xpresso Audiobooks for the audiobook via NetGalley.

Courier was definitely an entertaining listen. It gave me Joe Goldberg vibes with Bob’s obsession with Natalie, and that unsettling energy made it very easy to stay locked in.

What worked best for me was that creepy sense of fixation running through the whole story. It kept the audiobook interesting and gave it that kind of uncomfortable tension that makes you want to keep going. The ending twist was also a really good one and made the whole thing even more fun.

[Barbara Behring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a typical stalker story but was I wrong. The twist totally got me and I ended up really liking this novella.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courier is a good example of how to fit a surprising amount of story in very few pages. Its main character, Bob, is the kind of character that keeps you guessing, about what he's going to do next and how much of what he says about himself is true and how much is delusion which made for a quite anxiogenic read. That being said, the best thing about this one, as far as I'm concerned, was still the ending, which was absolute perfection.

If you enjoyed the show You but thought it was a bit much, this one is probably going to be more your speed (I know the show is based on a book but I haven't read it so I'm strictly talking about the show here).

Many thanks to Lighthouse Books and Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

📦 Courier 📦

Hahaha that ending was perfection.
I’m honestly a little disappointed in myself for not seeing it coming.

This is a very short audiobook told from the POV of a creepy stalker man, which made it extra unsettling. But the ending made up for it!

🚚 What to Expect
• Obsessive stalker POV
• Psychological thriller
• Unreliable narrator
• Voyeurism
• Loneliness
_ _ _ _

🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
📅 Pub Date: January 24, 2024
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Lighthouse Books for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Angel ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

DAMNNNN!!! THAT WAS GOOD!!!!

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ended up being better than I was expecting, a fun quick read with a satisfying conclusion

[Susan Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

After losing his retail business, Bob becomes a courier, something he is quite resentful about. Until one day he delivers a package and meets the object of his obsession, and things become unhinged in the best possible way. This was such a good time! The author packed so much into this novella. It is told in second person and gave You vibes, and I was here for it. It was unsettling in a way that thrillers should be, disturbing in a way that horror should be, and it was honestly comedy gold at times. It is marketed as a horror/thriller which is pretty accurate, I think leaning a bit more heavily on the thriller side. The ending was brilliant. I will be seeking out more from this author. I didn’t have the 5⭐ feels but a solid 4.5⭐.

Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tammie P ℓօรƭเɳαɓօօҡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Courier by Zoe Rosi

Courier by Zoe Rosi follows Bob, a delivery man who immediately becomes fixated on a woman he glimpsed while making a delivery. The story (told from his point of view) covers each stage of his growing obsession, from the initial attraction to stalking, and feels like a first-hand look inside the warped mind of a psychopath.


I was intrigued from page 1. Bob, the villain protagonist, felt eerily 'real.' The first few pages portrayed him as 'normal.' The transition to 'disturbing' was seamless and made it impossible for me to (not) keep turning the pages to see how it all ended.

The story, albeit short, was perfectly paced and is indicative of the fact that a story does not need to be 'long' to be captivating and wonderfully composed.


My favourite and least favourite part of the book was the end. I loved the unpredictable twist at the end. But I was so enthralled that I wanted to know what happened after the book ended. Because of this, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. If Goodreads allowed, I would've rated it 4.5 stars.


I recommend this book to lovers of psychological thrillers and fictional books involving stalking. Please note: This book is suitable for a mature audience because it contains an explicit sex scene and profanity.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t tell you how much I loved this novella. I’m a huge fan of Joe Goldberg and Bob had the same vibes. It’s crazy what these guys will do for love. I couldn’t put this novella down and had to get to the end and find out what happened. And boy oh boy, the pay off at the end. This might become my best read of the year and it’s only the second book I’ve read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Lighthouse Press and Zoe Rosi for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[♡ retrovvitches ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

to be honest good for her!!! everyone in her life sucked, the pov of the narcissistic stalker was also very fitting

[Victoria (storieswithtorie) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole story lives inside Bob’s head, and that’s where it lost me. The narration felt flat and repetitive instead of tense or unsettling. I never felt connected to his mindset… just stuck in it.

Bob isn’t interesting enough to carry the entire book. If you’re going to center everything on one character, I need more depth, more edge. This felt one-note.

There’s a good idea here, but it didn’t go as far as it could have.

It’s a quick read, and I finished it easily, mostly to see how it ended.

Overall: decent concept, but the narration style didn’t work for me.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this audiobook by Netgalley in return for an honest review (thank you). This is the first book that I have listened/read of Zoe Rosi. The synopsis is about a mailman/courier that has an obsession with one of the people he gives mail to and turns into something deadly. I really enjoyed listening to the book and being in the mind of the crazed mailman/courier. Listening to his internal monologue about his delusional thoughts and feelings about this woman really made me feel uncomfortable because it is definitely something that could happen to anyone. The plot twist was superb and had my jaw drop.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

What a strange little book. If you liked You you'll probably like this short story about a man who crosses paths with a woman whilst delivering a package to her home. What ensues is an unhealthy obsession with meeting her in real life. It's unbelievable what people will do to justify their thoughts and 'love' for someone they don't even know.

I really liked the writing style and hope to read more from this author. If you like a meet-cute with a shocking, if not unusual ending, you'll like this.

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for my free arc.

[Sidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Goldberg step aside, it's Bobs time to shine!

short fun read, perfect for fans of the book or show You!

[amerie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️, that ending definitely gagged me

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got the audiobook arc from netgally.

The narrator worked really well as the voice of Bob. Bob very quickly reveals to have issues and as the story goes along he gets more frantic, delusional and creepy. Its not gory but it made me uneasy at parts. Loved the ending perfect twist and ending

[Lisa Edlinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

It‘s the ending for me💀🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

[Leslye (Grim) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book by the author. The review is my own honest opinion.

For a short story, it packs one hell of a punch! So much in so little pages, and what a wild ride it was. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the 'I/you' first and second person writing style, but it honestly made it feel more personal. It put us in the shoes of the 'you' in this story, and made it all the more creepier because of that. Speaking of writing, Zoe's writing style is so solid! I'm going to be after her other books now.

If you've seen or read You, and you enjoyed it, this is kind of in that same realm. You're reading the narrative and thought process of the creepy stalker in this story, much like You, and it's not a fun place to be (which makes it fun to me haha!).

This is a novella I would have read in one sitting, if I wasn't so busy. And now, thanks to this story, I'm side eying those delivery people even more now. I already have those intrusive thoughts about things like this haha! Now they're even worse!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly didn’t expect to get as into Courier as I did, but it completely pulled me in—I finished it in two days!
The story is told in first-person POV, which really works here. Being stuck in Bob’s head is… uncomfortable, to say the least. He’s a tremendously unsettling character—his fixation through Facebook, the sexual thoughts about someone he doesn’t actually know, the way his fantasies spiral, and the stalking behavior all make for a really tense, uneasy reading experience. But that’s also what made it so engaging—I couldn’t stop listening. The whole time, I felt slightly on edge.
To top it off, without giving too much away, the ending was such a surprise!
This isn’t a “comfortable” read by any means, but it’s one that kept me hooked the entire time. Easy 5 stars for me, and I’d definitely read more from Zoe Rosi.
All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ALC.
#Courier #NetGalley

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creepy and creative stalker read. Told through the eyes of the actual stalker is something I’ve never read before—it gave me the heebie-jeebies.

I loved the way Rosi created Bob’s (you only find out his name halfway through which adds to the creepy) voice. It was pompous and self-righteous—perfect for his character.

I will say, however, that I felt a bit bored by some of it. It seemed to be the same thing over and over again, Bob stalking and then some more stalking. About 60% through is when things really started to pick up. I guessed the end so I wasn’t particularly shocked but it was a nice twist!

Overall a great book I’d recommend to mostly anyone.

[readwithmichele · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING; ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Formal review forthcoming!

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4

So this has been compared a lot to YOU and it does have similar vibes, but I personally prefer that story to this one. It's a quick listen or read depending on which format you grab. The narrator does a great job bringing life to Bob. Part of me kind of liked Bob, I mean he had decent enough intentions I suppose. The twist was a bit predictable but overall I still enjoyed the story.

[Rachel Rioux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lecture très rapide et creepy

[Leigh Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, solid read!

Really makes you wonder how much attention you've ever paid the couriers that come to your door... or how much attention they've paid you.

The MC Bob was oddly likeable and to be honest, I was kinda rooting for him. Did not see the ending coming at all. It was a little rushed but still nicely done withon such a short book.

Highly recommend!

[Tarini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aiyyo, what? 🫣
The story is crazy and the protagonist is so obsessed, my god. The ending was predictable, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audio review copy! I was intrigued by the cover and wanted to give the author another read. I thought the narration by Andy Stevenson was really solid. It was creepy in a sort of banal kind of way.

This one surprised me! It was compulsively listenable and totally gripping even with there being zero feel-good emotions here on any level. It’s dark, obsessive, and super creepy.

Bob is the local courier. After the loss of his shop, he’s just sort of bumbling along. Daily life brings little joy, and there’s little to differentiate between separate days. That is until the day he brings a particular package with him on delivery. Until the day he finally sees you. A woman in need, an aggressive partner, and no end in sight. What is Bob supposed to do, let it go? But what would she do without him, her savior?

The first person POV worked wonderfully, tactfully placing readers into the mind of a truly troubled individual. From the driver’s seat to sickening fantasies, Bob is a character that will disgust you as much as he will intrigue you. The author does a great job of showcasing how curiosity can turn to fascination, from infatuation to unbreakable obsession. How dangerous that kind of feeling can be, and how obsession can turn into something darker still. From internal rationalization, social media stalking and catfishing, inner-circle infiltration, and even murder, the author gives an unrelenting tale that even has an uber satisfying twist. I for one, did not see it coming.

The inner-monologuing style of the story, where he is projecting this sort of storyteller take on explaining how he’s a savior, gave the reader the feeling of being right there with Bob, and while readers may not turn obsessive with him, it made for an interesting read. You won’t root for him, and shouldn’t, but you have to know what will happen next. A great psychological thriller.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a captivating written novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The author's attention to detail is great, as Zoe paints vivid and immersive descriptions that transport the reader into the feelings of Bob’s and his POV.

The book delves into the thrilling and intense world of a stalker’s obsession. The complex dynamics between the characters are expertly explored, making their interactions feel realistic and emotionally charged.

One of the standout aspects of "Courier" is the author's ability to create a sense of tension throughout the narrative. The suspense builds steadily, kept me hooked and eager to uncover the truth behind Bob’s, Nathaniel and Nathalie’s motivations and actions. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for moments of respite amidst the gripping plot twist.

The way she weaves together themes of obsession, desire, and the blurred lines between love and control is both captivating and thought-provoking.

Overall, "Courier" is an exceptional novel that showcases Zoe Rosi's talent for storytelling. With its engrossing plot, well-developed characters, and skillful writing, it is a must-read for fans of suspenseful romances. I highly recommend diving into the world of "Courier" and experiencing the gripping journey for yourself.