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This Immaculate Body
Alice has been cleaning Tom’s flat every Wednesday for a year. With every smudge wiped from his coffee cup, every crease smoothed out in his bed, every multivitamin counted from the jar, Alice spirals deeper into infatuation. But as Alice prepares for the moment when they will finally meet face-to-face, she discovers that love might not be the cure she thought it was…
This Immaculate Body is a story of obsession, of the way women view the world and the ways that the world views them. As Alice frantically tries to cling to an imagined future with Tom, the line between fantasy and reality become ever more blurred, putting everything she has dreamed of at risk.
This Immaculate Body is a story of obsession, of the way women view the world and the ways that the world views them. As Alice frantically tries to cling to an imagined future with Tom, the line between fantasy and reality become ever more blurred, putting everything she has dreamed of at risk.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 899 reviews
November 14, 2024
I've read a lot of books about obsession and they're always hit and miss. I find Megan Abbott's stories about obsessive female relationships compelling while those by Robin Wasserman and Tara Isabella Burton feel forced. Recently, Tony Tulathimutte's Rejection kept me glued to the pages with a mix of pity and revulsion while This Immaculate Body just didn't work for me. I'm going to try to explain why.
The writing put me off almost immediately. I noticed another reviewer say it was overwritten, but I'd argue you could say the same about Tulathimutte's work. No, it's not just overwritten. It is written in a way that suggests to me the author was trying to be deliberately edgy. Graphic descriptions of menstrual blood and clots that try and fail to add gravity and edge to something as simple as using the bathroom. In fact, lots of weird thoughts about blood in general.
The story is about a woman called Alice who is a cleaner for a guy called Tom and she develops an obsession with him, though they have never actually met. As a cleaner, Alice is able to get acquainted with the intimate details of Tom's life from the contents of his drawers and his fridge. Conveniently, of course, unlike absolutely no one except your ninety-year-old grandpa, Tom regularly leaves his computer unlocked and without password protection so Alice can read his emails.
In Tulathimutte's Rejection, I could understand the characters' actions, even as I was repulsed by them. In This Immaculate Body I felt a disconnection, like I did not understand Alice's thoughts or actions at all.
Maybe it is because we are plunged straight into Alice's unhinged behaviour without any character development, explanation or background, but, unlike other readers, I couldn't muster any sympathy for Alice. If you want me to sympathise with someone who behaves in this way, I’m going to need more of a build-up of empathy for them. As it was, I struggled to feel sorry for Alice, which I think was crucial to liking the book.
And, unfortunately, by the time the book started to humanise Alice and offer up suggestions for why she was the way she was, it was already too little, too late for me.
I could imagine fans of heavily-written character studies like Cline's The Girls enjoying this.
The writing put me off almost immediately. I noticed another reviewer say it was overwritten, but I'd argue you could say the same about Tulathimutte's work. No, it's not just overwritten. It is written in a way that suggests to me the author was trying to be deliberately edgy. Graphic descriptions of menstrual blood and clots that try and fail to add gravity and edge to something as simple as using the bathroom. In fact, lots of weird thoughts about blood in general.
The story is about a woman called Alice who is a cleaner for a guy called Tom and she develops an obsession with him, though they have never actually met. As a cleaner, Alice is able to get acquainted with the intimate details of Tom's life from the contents of his drawers and his fridge. Conveniently, of course, unlike absolutely no one except your ninety-year-old grandpa, Tom regularly leaves his computer unlocked and without password protection so Alice can read his emails.
In Tulathimutte's Rejection, I could understand the characters' actions, even as I was repulsed by them. In This Immaculate Body I felt a disconnection, like I did not understand Alice's thoughts or actions at all.
Maybe it is because we are plunged straight into Alice's unhinged behaviour without any character development, explanation or background, but, unlike other readers, I couldn't muster any sympathy for Alice. If you want me to sympathise with someone who behaves in this way, I’m going to need more of a build-up of empathy for them. As it was, I struggled to feel sorry for Alice, which I think was crucial to liking the book.
And, unfortunately, by the time the book started to humanise Alice and offer up suggestions for why she was the way she was, it was already too little, too late for me.
I could imagine fans of heavily-written character studies like Cline's The Girls enjoying this.
September 18, 2024
Love is this: when it is your greatest desire to slice open His chest and crawl inside Him to rest. A compulsion to drink His blood, great copper gulps of it, to press yourself to Him, limb to limb, palm to palm, so that you might be absorbed.
Wow, this is an absolute tour de force of a novel! It starts off unhinged but - and this is the clever thing - I ended up feeling such extreme pity and sorrow for Alice trapped in a dysmorphic vision of her self, her body and her world.
Van Straaten's writing occasionally veers from intensity to something akin to overwriting but she pulls it back and the overall impression is of living with Alice in this through the looking glass world she has created. Only towards the end we're given some grounding via Cass, but meaning is left as suggestive rather than being pinned down definitively.
Obsessive, emotive, blackly funny in places but powerful and increasingly anxiety-inducing, I loved this!
Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC via NetGalley
September 5, 2025
a top contender for a favorite of 2025
March 24, 2025
THERE'S UNHINGED AND THEN THERE IS ALICE
This Immaculate Body is a suffocating novel about Alice, who every Wednesday cleans a man named Tom’s house. She has never met the man, but she is OBSESSED with him. Her infatuation completely spirals and as she finds ways to finally bump into her obsession, is she going to win him over or face bad consequences?
My Goodness! What the hell was this read. I LOVE a book about unhinged women, but this book frankly did not deliver. Alice is absolute batshit crazy and usually I would eat that UP! But the issue is we don’t get a backstory or even a current understanding to explain why she is behaving so over the top and delulu. So, because of that I was unable to connect with her character.
My next gripe is the writing! OH.MY.GAWDDDD, tell me your trying to reach a certain word count without telling me. The amount of utter filler and fluff sprinkled with over descriptive words that did nothing for the story was painful!
BLOOD. I don’t want to see or hear that word for a very long time. The author is obsessed with blood and blood from intimate women areas and just couldn’t stop going on about it. Once again, I really don’t get how that helped evolve the story.
The ending was very mid and went over my head. At that point I was not interested in Alice, Tom nor anybody else for that matter. I feel a slump coming on!
I feel like the author was doing the most with the story telling and was trying to be literal and literary WAY TOO MUCH. But unfortunately like the word “Fetch” she just couldn’t make it happen.
1.5 ⭐
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pre read
My March Book Club Read with my girlies
A woman obsessed with a man she has never met
Yessssss i am ready for all the unhinged drama!
🩵💜🩵
This Immaculate Body is a suffocating novel about Alice, who every Wednesday cleans a man named Tom’s house. She has never met the man, but she is OBSESSED with him. Her infatuation completely spirals and as she finds ways to finally bump into her obsession, is she going to win him over or face bad consequences?
My Goodness! What the hell was this read. I LOVE a book about unhinged women, but this book frankly did not deliver. Alice is absolute batshit crazy and usually I would eat that UP! But the issue is we don’t get a backstory or even a current understanding to explain why she is behaving so over the top and delulu. So, because of that I was unable to connect with her character.
My next gripe is the writing! OH.MY.GAWDDDD, tell me your trying to reach a certain word count without telling me. The amount of utter filler and fluff sprinkled with over descriptive words that did nothing for the story was painful!
BLOOD. I don’t want to see or hear that word for a very long time. The author is obsessed with blood and blood from intimate women areas and just couldn’t stop going on about it. Once again, I really don’t get how that helped evolve the story.
The ending was very mid and went over my head. At that point I was not interested in Alice, Tom nor anybody else for that matter. I feel a slump coming on!
I feel like the author was doing the most with the story telling and was trying to be literal and literary WAY TOO MUCH. But unfortunately like the word “Fetch” she just couldn’t make it happen.
1.5 ⭐
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pre read
My March Book Club Read with my girlies
A woman obsessed with a man she has never met
Yessssss i am ready for all the unhinged drama!
🩵💜🩵
Want to read
June 23, 2025judging a book by its title
March 5, 2025
I loved this book! ❤️Thank you sooo much @harperperennial #oliveinfluencer for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🥰
A love story indeed…😳.. Holy stalker!! This was dark, disturbing.. and I loved it. 😉 Listen to this..
You love him… 😍.. You REALLY love him… You use his toothbrush 🪥..You wear his shirts 👕… You run your hands over EVERYTHING Tom owns… Trust me.. I mean EVERYTHING..😬🤢..EWWW…
You are in fact.. obssessed with Tom… You know Tom would love you too… If only he knew you. 😳😳😳WHAT??!! Right?! Yes.. you see Tom doesn’t even know you exist.. well not really..🤷♀️
We are literally in Alice’s head…. And let me tell you.. that is a terrifying place to be. 😬 Her thoughts are scattered.. and disturbing. 😳
Okay how many 😳 😳😳 emoji’s am I going to use?! 😂 I felt like the book had more impact because of the way it was written. You truly felt one with our girl Alice. This was a perfect stalker book!! OMG the title is spot on!! 👏👏I need more @evswrites !!
A love story indeed…😳.. Holy stalker!! This was dark, disturbing.. and I loved it. 😉 Listen to this..
You love him… 😍.. You REALLY love him… You use his toothbrush 🪥..You wear his shirts 👕… You run your hands over EVERYTHING Tom owns… Trust me.. I mean EVERYTHING..😬🤢..EWWW…
You are in fact.. obssessed with Tom… You know Tom would love you too… If only he knew you. 😳😳😳WHAT??!! Right?! Yes.. you see Tom doesn’t even know you exist.. well not really..🤷♀️
We are literally in Alice’s head…. And let me tell you.. that is a terrifying place to be. 😬 Her thoughts are scattered.. and disturbing. 😳
Okay how many 😳 😳😳 emoji’s am I going to use?! 😂 I felt like the book had more impact because of the way it was written. You truly felt one with our girl Alice. This was a perfect stalker book!! OMG the title is spot on!! 👏👏I need more @evswrites !!
March 23, 2025
Loved the writing, and getting the perspective of someone so unapologetically unlikeable.
It got a little lost in it's 'mental-spiral-of-obsession' sauce toward the end. But overall, I had a great time and really appreciate this author for taking a risk.
my youtube vlog & review
It got a little lost in it's 'mental-spiral-of-obsession' sauce toward the end. But overall, I had a great time and really appreciate this author for taking a risk.
my youtube vlog & review
July 31, 2025
We follow Alice who works a cleaner for Tom and develops an obsession, a sort of limerence for him even though they have never met in person. She actually has a real day job, but found a way of keeping doing this so she can have a connection to him and access to his private belongings, like the wine or milk in his fridge and every now and then read a mail when he leaves his laptop open. We are in her head and explore all the insecurities gradually well up and reach impossible dimensions, pushing her to do silly but also outright creepy and dangerous things.
Another leaf in the book of lately popular unhinged female characters, but I thought Alice's story was more sad than anything else. The pressure she feels to look pretty, the standards she puts for herself, her firm belief that everything will be better with Tom, her planing how their first meeting will be and how it really went, her focus on her inner life, the reality in her head taking over the reality outside, it's sad, really. I liked reading this, as it's a real page turner, but I didn't love it.
Another leaf in the book of lately popular unhinged female characters, but I thought Alice's story was more sad than anything else. The pressure she feels to look pretty, the standards she puts for herself, her firm belief that everything will be better with Tom, her planing how their first meeting will be and how it really went, her focus on her inner life, the reality in her head taking over the reality outside, it's sad, really. I liked reading this, as it's a real page turner, but I didn't love it.
February 17, 2025
This book started out on fire! Very intense and crazy vibes which I loved… Unfortunately, the second half fizzled out! I just wanted so much more from the ending! 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️!
April 25, 2025
I respect a woman’s right to be insane but girl he is literally just a man 🥴
December 13, 2025
4.0/5
Another book about an unhinged crazy bitch? Say no more! I gobble this shit up like ramen. Is it because I too am a little off my rocker? Most likely. Sadly, some of Alice’s crazy delusions and insecurities are all too relatable. Fortunately her stalking tendencies aren’t (yet 😂) but her struggle with body dysmorphia and shitty self-esteem is legit. The patriarchy has solidly cemented such qualities in many American women. Yay, ‘Merica!
If you’ve enjoyed books like I’m a Fan, She’s a Lamb!, Sky Daddy, My Husband, Nightbitch, Mrs. March or Acts of Desperation; then consider checking out Creep. Emma Van Straaten has definitely piqued my interest and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Another book about an unhinged crazy bitch? Say no more! I gobble this shit up like ramen. Is it because I too am a little off my rocker? Most likely. Sadly, some of Alice’s crazy delusions and insecurities are all too relatable. Fortunately her stalking tendencies aren’t (yet 😂) but her struggle with body dysmorphia and shitty self-esteem is legit. The patriarchy has solidly cemented such qualities in many American women. Yay, ‘Merica!
If you’ve enjoyed books like I’m a Fan, She’s a Lamb!, Sky Daddy, My Husband, Nightbitch, Mrs. March or Acts of Desperation; then consider checking out Creep. Emma Van Straaten has definitely piqued my interest and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
February 13, 2025
this was SO close to being a 5 star, and upon rereading a physical copy instead of audio, it just might be. the writing immediately starts off with My Husband by Maud Ventura x A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G Summers vibes, and then it fluctuates between that energy and mundanities of our MCs life, but it does get unhinged. The story just lost me a bit towards the end unfortunately.
May 11, 2025
Life hasn’t always gone the way Alice wanted it to. She failed to make friends in university, got brutally rejected by her crush, and now she’s working a dull paralegal job while her sister’s a high-flying solicitor. But there is one bright spot in Alice’s life: handsome, perfect Tom. He’s not her boyfriend. He’s the man whose home she cleans once a week as a side gig. And they’ve never met face-to-face. But Alice is sure if he met her, he’d be just as obsessed with her as she is with him. So she studies Tom closely, steals small personal items from his home, and meticulously plans the perfect meeting. What could go wrong?
This book was delightful. I love literary fiction that a) puts me inside the head of a creepy weirdo and b) manages to make me feel compassion for them. Alice could have felt like a cartoonish character in the hands of a less deft writer, but the author manages to make her both fascinating and a bit sympathetic. If you liked Big Swiss or My Husband, this ons’s worth checking out!
This book was delightful. I love literary fiction that a) puts me inside the head of a creepy weirdo and b) manages to make me feel compassion for them. Alice could have felt like a cartoonish character in the hands of a less deft writer, but the author manages to make her both fascinating and a bit sympathetic. If you liked Big Swiss or My Husband, this ons’s worth checking out!
October 6, 2024
ARC for review. To be published February 25, 2025.
I don’t care, I still fall into the “it’s worth it to have someone clean for you, even if he/she/they are secretly obsessed with me” group. Three stars.
Alice and Tom are the perfect couple. They share a flat in London. They like all the same things. They even share a toothbrush. Only Tom doesn’t know and they’ve never met.
Alice has been cleaning Tom’s apartment once a week for a year and she has fallen hard for him. Now she’s ready to meet him. It goes about how you’d think.
“Love is this: when it is your greatest desire to slice open His chest and crawl inside Him to rest. A compulsion to drink His blood, great copper gulps of it, to press yourself to Him, limb to limb, palm to palm, so that you might be absorbed.”
This is on the second page of the book. And the caps are Alice’s. And God’s, I think.
What did I take from this book? Well, it reinforces my desire to live in Europe, where one can hop on a train, ride for a few hours, then spend the weekend in another country. Bliss!
I hated all the self-hatred surrounding Alice and food. Such a disturbing story about a disturbed woman.
I don’t care, I still fall into the “it’s worth it to have someone clean for you, even if he/she/they are secretly obsessed with me” group. Three stars.
Alice and Tom are the perfect couple. They share a flat in London. They like all the same things. They even share a toothbrush. Only Tom doesn’t know and they’ve never met.
Alice has been cleaning Tom’s apartment once a week for a year and she has fallen hard for him. Now she’s ready to meet him. It goes about how you’d think.
“Love is this: when it is your greatest desire to slice open His chest and crawl inside Him to rest. A compulsion to drink His blood, great copper gulps of it, to press yourself to Him, limb to limb, palm to palm, so that you might be absorbed.”
This is on the second page of the book. And the caps are Alice’s. And God’s, I think.
What did I take from this book? Well, it reinforces my desire to live in Europe, where one can hop on a train, ride for a few hours, then spend the weekend in another country. Bliss!
I hated all the self-hatred surrounding Alice and food. Such a disturbing story about a disturbed woman.
December 9, 2024
I made it 40% into this book and just had to stop to maintain my own sanity.
This is a book about a young woman who cleans a man's apartment weekly as she becomes obsessed with him. While cleaning she touches his things, reads his emails, and even more inappropriate invasions of privacy. The writing itself was very good. I usually like a more easy read/free-flowing and straightforward style, but the main character's fanciful ruminations of everything she's experiencing were very descriptive and almost poetic. However, the lines she was crossing with her intense fixation became so disturbing to read that I almost felt like I was losing my mind along with her.
Thank you to the publisher Harper Perennial for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This is a book about a young woman who cleans a man's apartment weekly as she becomes obsessed with him. While cleaning she touches his things, reads his emails, and even more inappropriate invasions of privacy. The writing itself was very good. I usually like a more easy read/free-flowing and straightforward style, but the main character's fanciful ruminations of everything she's experiencing were very descriptive and almost poetic. However, the lines she was crossing with her intense fixation became so disturbing to read that I almost felt like I was losing my mind along with her.
Thank you to the publisher Harper Perennial for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
May 1, 2025
I don’t really have anything in the tank when it comes to reviewing lately, so you’ll have to read some others if you are the fence about this one. I can’t even remember where I heard of it, but clearly it was the title that grabbed me ‘cause y’all KNOW how I feel about face covers!
The story here is about Alice, who has been Tom’s cleaning lady once a week for a year. Despite having an actual day job, she’s managed to finagle the system via a fake “appointment” in order to keep up this side job . . . because she loves him. And it’s only a matter of manifesting the perfect meet cute before he loves her as well.
This won’t be for everyone because it’s a very quiet, literary type of stalker story. But if you are like me and couldn’t get enough of Martha last year, maybe taking a walk around the brain of another character reminiscent of her might be right up your alley.
October 29, 2025
Alice works as a part-time cleaner. Her only client is Tom. She is in love with Tom. Her and Tom are going to fall in love. Tom has no idea who she is.
The entire novel we are in Alice’s head, which is not a pleasant place to be. She is convinced Tom is her soulmate and begins stalker-ishy things. Some of those things made me cringe. There’s not really much more to this novel, then following Alice through her infatuation, which I can say I didn’t really enjoy. The whole thing was rather creepy. And a bit too long.
Three stars because I believe the author did a great job creating Alice’s character and the book definitely gave me the creeps! There just was t enough going on to really hold my interest.
The entire novel we are in Alice’s head, which is not a pleasant place to be. She is convinced Tom is her soulmate and begins stalker-ishy things. Some of those things made me cringe. There’s not really much more to this novel, then following Alice through her infatuation, which I can say I didn’t really enjoy. The whole thing was rather creepy. And a bit too long.
Three stars because I believe the author did a great job creating Alice’s character and the book definitely gave me the creeps! There just was t enough going on to really hold my interest.
dnf
December 15, 2025DNF for me!
I really tried with this one, but I’m officially tapping out at chapter 12. I was so excited going into it, which makes this even more disappointing—but this book just has no substance. It’s all words and no payoff.
The entire story lives inside Alice’s head as she obsesses over Tom, yet nothing actually happens. There’s zero meaningful character development to explain how we got here, so instead of feeling sympathy or curiosity, Alice just comes across as unlikable and unhinged. Without that emotional grounding, it’s impossible to connect with her or care about what she’s spiraling toward.
On top of that, there are far too many graphic, genuinely disgusting scenes that feel unnecessary and off-putting rather than impactful (also taking place inside the MC’s head). At a certain point, I realized I just couldn’t justify wasting any more of my time hoping it would finally turn into something worthwhile.
If this premise sounds like something you’d enjoy, do yourself a favor and skip this one. Read The Wives by Tarryn Fisher or Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi instead—both explore similar ideas but are far better written, more compelling, and actually go somewhere.
I really tried with this one, but I’m officially tapping out at chapter 12. I was so excited going into it, which makes this even more disappointing—but this book just has no substance. It’s all words and no payoff.
The entire story lives inside Alice’s head as she obsesses over Tom, yet nothing actually happens. There’s zero meaningful character development to explain how we got here, so instead of feeling sympathy or curiosity, Alice just comes across as unlikable and unhinged. Without that emotional grounding, it’s impossible to connect with her or care about what she’s spiraling toward.
On top of that, there are far too many graphic, genuinely disgusting scenes that feel unnecessary and off-putting rather than impactful (also taking place inside the MC’s head). At a certain point, I realized I just couldn’t justify wasting any more of my time hoping it would finally turn into something worthwhile.
If this premise sounds like something you’d enjoy, do yourself a favor and skip this one. Read The Wives by Tarryn Fisher or Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi instead—both explore similar ideas but are far better written, more compelling, and actually go somewhere.
February 27, 2025
3.5 rounded up - Thank you netgalley and Harper Perennial for an early copy of this book!
Follows a woman named Alice who grows increasingly more obsessed with a man named Tom whose house she cleans and whom she has never met.
So throughout this story we follow Alice as she navigates the world fully convinced that she and Tom are meant for each other, so much so that she even tells people in her life about him referring to him as her boyfriend.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. I love book following unhinged women. The main character Alice kind of reminded me of the FMC in perfume & pain by Anna Dorn - just fully crashing out for the majority of the book.
I will say I do think this book was a bit much in the sense that I felt it was trying a bit too hard to be edgy. There’s some parts throughout that I felt were thrown in there for the sake of this point that were just gross.
I also felt the ending kind of fizzled out and I wish it had at least kept up the same energy it started with. Overall, I enjoyed this book but I don’t think it’ll be for everyone
Follows a woman named Alice who grows increasingly more obsessed with a man named Tom whose house she cleans and whom she has never met.
So throughout this story we follow Alice as she navigates the world fully convinced that she and Tom are meant for each other, so much so that she even tells people in her life about him referring to him as her boyfriend.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. I love book following unhinged women. The main character Alice kind of reminded me of the FMC in perfume & pain by Anna Dorn - just fully crashing out for the majority of the book.
I will say I do think this book was a bit much in the sense that I felt it was trying a bit too hard to be edgy. There’s some parts throughout that I felt were thrown in there for the sake of this point that were just gross.
I also felt the ending kind of fizzled out and I wish it had at least kept up the same energy it started with. Overall, I enjoyed this book but I don’t think it’ll be for everyone
May 9, 2025
When Alice starts cleaning Tom's flat, she finds a note from Tom thanking her for her services. From that moment, Alice's infatuation with Tom (a man she has never met) is instant. She dreams of the day they will meet, how her love for him will be instantly requited, and what their future children might look like. But Alice is playing a very dangerous game.
I was obsessed with This Immaculate Body from the very first page. It is such an incredibly dark tale but told so very beautifully - the writing is absolutely incredible. I was so engrossed in it on the platform whilst waiting for a train that I almost missed the announcement of a platform change!
I've seen mention of this book being deserving of cult status and I completely agree. Think Fatal Attraction meets Baby Reindeer and you'll not be far wrong.
I know it's very early but I'm calling a favourite book of 2025 already! Loved it!
Thank you to Fleet Reads for sending me a proof in exchange for an honest review.
I was obsessed with This Immaculate Body from the very first page. It is such an incredibly dark tale but told so very beautifully - the writing is absolutely incredible. I was so engrossed in it on the platform whilst waiting for a train that I almost missed the announcement of a platform change!
I've seen mention of this book being deserving of cult status and I completely agree. Think Fatal Attraction meets Baby Reindeer and you'll not be far wrong.
I know it's very early but I'm calling a favourite book of 2025 already! Loved it!
Thank you to Fleet Reads for sending me a proof in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2025
a cleaner who becomes utterly obsessed with the owner of the apartment she cleans, i’ve been really into reading about unhinged women lately and this was exactly that. of course some heavy trauma undertones and some intense mental health issues, this was a decent read!! the dialogue format wasn’t really for me, but i wanted just a bit more from it
January 7, 2025
My rating for this book kept getting lower and lower the more that I read. I could not wait for this to be over. It’s such a shame because I was really looking forward to reading this. An unhinged stalker who cleans a man’s home and is obsessed with him although they never met? Say no more sign me up. Unfortunately the synopsis of this book was the most exciting part. This book is SO OVERWRITTEN I mean overwritten in a way where it felt as though the author was trying to hit a word count. Overwritten in a way to sound “literary” without anything actually happening the entire book. There was zero character development or insight as to why this character was unhinged- she just was. The entire book we spend inside her head daydreaming about a man. That’s it. The last 20% was nothing new and nothing we haven’t seen a million times in “unhinged woman” books.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC
February 25, 2025
Holy shit this is unreal. Full review to come but...wow. I need rcpts to prove this is a debut bc I don't believe it.
Editing to add additional review
(4.5/5, rounded up)
Creep by Emma van Straaten made me skip a hair wash night AND wake up early the next morning to finish it, I was so wrapped up. Iykyk, that says a lot.
It came as a pleasant surprise that Emma’s unruly, grandiose FMC wasn’t what I’m used to in these obsessive narratives. The parasociality paves a clearer path to Alice’s inner thoughts than in My Husband by Maude Ventura (which I know & LOVE, but still feel this differs from).
While both are written in a stream of consciousness style, Creep is much more disjointed and deceitful. By and large you can trust My Husband’s unnamed main character, whether she goes a little overboard or not. Annie—not so much. Creep is much harder to settle into, in a good way. Looking back at the notes I made while reading I saw the term “emotional jump-scare” and I’m stickin to it. The suspense & bafflement propels the heck outta this one, and I loved it.
This primary romantic relationship isn’t the whole story. There are many more layers to Creep—entire storylines I’m not mentioning. It’s purposeful I’ve left more out!! My advice is the less you know going into this, the better. Let Annie (well, really Emma) do the surprising.
Even as my 417th book for 2024, I. Did. Not. See. The. Ending. Coming!!!!
Thank you bunches to Emma, Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the print & eARCs ❣️
January 12, 2025
There seems to be a spate of novels where the protagonist is someone with deep character flaws - extreme neediness, an inflated ego alongside cripplingly low self-esteem, not ti mention the huge chip on the shoulder. This Immaculate Body is one of the darker ones.
Alice is a young woman who doesn't particularly like herself and doesn't believe others like her either. She proves this to herself by pushing people away before they do it to her - this includes her family.
Alongside this she has developed a very vivid fantasy that the man she cleans for simply needs to meet her and he will realise she is the girl of his dreams.
As the story continues you realise that this unrequited love is somewhat more disturbing and delusional than you were led to believe.
This book is dark and disturbing but believable. Emma Van Straaten has created a character in Alice that will be hard to forget. Nothing is quite as it seems throughout the book. I found it hard to put down. Another wonderful debut novel from a writer I hope to hear more of in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Alice is a young woman who doesn't particularly like herself and doesn't believe others like her either. She proves this to herself by pushing people away before they do it to her - this includes her family.
Alongside this she has developed a very vivid fantasy that the man she cleans for simply needs to meet her and he will realise she is the girl of his dreams.
As the story continues you realise that this unrequited love is somewhat more disturbing and delusional than you were led to believe.
This book is dark and disturbing but believable. Emma Van Straaten has created a character in Alice that will be hard to forget. Nothing is quite as it seems throughout the book. I found it hard to put down. Another wonderful debut novel from a writer I hope to hear more of in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
April 26, 2025
This is one of the most unsettling books I’ve read in a long time. It follows a woman who becomes dangerously obsessed with a man whose house she cleans, and watching her spiral out of control is both horrifying and weirdly mesmerizing.
Alice is a complete disaster. She lies, manipulates, and uses everyone around her without a second thought. She is awful in every way, and yet you cannot look away. The writing pulls you so deep inside her fractured mind that it’s impossible not to follow her down.
Some parts are brutal to read. The choices she makes are gutting, sometimes almost unbearable, but that is exactly what makes the story so powerful. It is an uncomfortable look at how delusion and obsession can consume a person.
Alice is a complete disaster. She lies, manipulates, and uses everyone around her without a second thought. She is awful in every way, and yet you cannot look away. The writing pulls you so deep inside her fractured mind that it’s impossible not to follow her down.
Some parts are brutal to read. The choices she makes are gutting, sometimes almost unbearable, but that is exactly what makes the story so powerful. It is an uncomfortable look at how delusion and obsession can consume a person.
February 24, 2025
Deeply disturbing in a brilliant way.
January 4, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Feb. 25, 2025
Alice knows how Tom takes his coffee, what medication he takes and what side of the bed he sleeps on. She’s convinced they are soulmates, tied together for life. The only problem? Tom and Alice have never met. For a year, Alice has been cleaning Tom’s apartment, immersing herself in his life and convincing herself daily that they are meant to be together. Alice tells everyone she knows about her “boyfriend Tom”, so convinced in their future, until the day comes when she can finally put her plan into action and help Tom realize that Alice is the one for him.
“Creep: A Love Story” is the debut novel by author Emma van Straaten. Dark, obsessive and addicting, it is the perfect read for fans of Joe (Caroline Kepnes, “You”), with an equally compelling female protagonist.
Alice struggles to make friends, has a sister who, on the surface, is unattainably perfect and works a mediocre job that allows her to clean Tom’s house on Wednesday mornings. Although it is quite obvious from the get-go that her obsession with Tom is not reciprocal and she is more awkward than charming, Alice somehow connects with readers in her struggling, stuttering way.
Alice identifies Tom by name only a few times but, throughout her narration, she labels Tom only as “Him” (capital H), which hammers home the level of obsession Alice has, and how high of a pedestal she has placed her beloved Tom. Alice monitors his emails and copies his appointments into her calendar, all so she can stalk him subtlely, convinced that he is her One and Only. She ignores potential relationships, which had me yelling at her through the pages, all in order to pursue her fantasy.
Van Straaten’s “Creep” flows well, the writing style indicative of Alice’s verbal narration of her thoughts. There are adequate breaks and punctuation (thank Goodness!) making “Creep” an easy-to-read page turner. Although not a completely unique premise, the fact that this is a debut novel makes van Straaten’s “Creep” stand out above the crowd.
The ending itself was believable, and although it tied up all of the loose ends, I was fascinated with Alice and all of her eccentricities and I hope to see her again!
Expected publication date: Feb. 25, 2025
Alice knows how Tom takes his coffee, what medication he takes and what side of the bed he sleeps on. She’s convinced they are soulmates, tied together for life. The only problem? Tom and Alice have never met. For a year, Alice has been cleaning Tom’s apartment, immersing herself in his life and convincing herself daily that they are meant to be together. Alice tells everyone she knows about her “boyfriend Tom”, so convinced in their future, until the day comes when she can finally put her plan into action and help Tom realize that Alice is the one for him.
“Creep: A Love Story” is the debut novel by author Emma van Straaten. Dark, obsessive and addicting, it is the perfect read for fans of Joe (Caroline Kepnes, “You”), with an equally compelling female protagonist.
Alice struggles to make friends, has a sister who, on the surface, is unattainably perfect and works a mediocre job that allows her to clean Tom’s house on Wednesday mornings. Although it is quite obvious from the get-go that her obsession with Tom is not reciprocal and she is more awkward than charming, Alice somehow connects with readers in her struggling, stuttering way.
Alice identifies Tom by name only a few times but, throughout her narration, she labels Tom only as “Him” (capital H), which hammers home the level of obsession Alice has, and how high of a pedestal she has placed her beloved Tom. Alice monitors his emails and copies his appointments into her calendar, all so she can stalk him subtlely, convinced that he is her One and Only. She ignores potential relationships, which had me yelling at her through the pages, all in order to pursue her fantasy.
Van Straaten’s “Creep” flows well, the writing style indicative of Alice’s verbal narration of her thoughts. There are adequate breaks and punctuation (thank Goodness!) making “Creep” an easy-to-read page turner. Although not a completely unique premise, the fact that this is a debut novel makes van Straaten’s “Creep” stand out above the crowd.
The ending itself was believable, and although it tied up all of the loose ends, I was fascinated with Alice and all of her eccentricities and I hope to see her again!
March 2, 2025
2.5. i’ve read a lot of books about obsession, in fact i often gravitate towards them, but this one sadly fell flat.
the story follows alice who has been cleaning tom’s flat weekly for a year and has consequently fallen for him, even though they’ve never met. it’s always fun to read from the perspective of an unhinged and obsessive narrator, which was the most enjoyable aspect of this book, but i was left wanting something more by the end. it’s categorised as a mystery/thriller but i didn’t find it that suspenseful, and i was expecting a much bigger/dramatic pay-off. besides her obsessive nature, we don’t really learn much else about alice, and her character backstory wasn’t very developed either. if you’re a fan of the ‘you’ series by caroline kepnes, you might like this one.
the story follows alice who has been cleaning tom’s flat weekly for a year and has consequently fallen for him, even though they’ve never met. it’s always fun to read from the perspective of an unhinged and obsessive narrator, which was the most enjoyable aspect of this book, but i was left wanting something more by the end. it’s categorised as a mystery/thriller but i didn’t find it that suspenseful, and i was expecting a much bigger/dramatic pay-off. besides her obsessive nature, we don’t really learn much else about alice, and her character backstory wasn’t very developed either. if you’re a fan of the ‘you’ series by caroline kepnes, you might like this one.
April 11, 2025
Wow. This book surprised the hell out of me! When it began, I was thinking this was going to be a lighthearted yet darkly quirky book about obsession. As you get to know Alice (the book is written with her voice), you realize just how deep her character is, how ill her mind is, and how loneliness can drive people to madness.
Before getting a job as a paralegal, Alice was making ends meet by cleaning houses. Soon after starting to clean Tom’s house, she got rid of her other clients, and she began to crave her Wednesday mornings spent cleaning for the man she has fallen in love with. And he loves her too, she just knows it. They haven’t met, but it’s clear to Alice that every fingerprint was left for her, that his laptop remains unlocked so she can be a witness to his life, and the single toothbrush in his bathroom makes it clear that he only wants one woman - her.
After a year, she decides it’s time to meet him in person. He will be blown away by her beauty and charm, they will eventually marry and have babies, and maybe even move outside of the city as they grow old together. She’s consulted the astrology charts, and has found the perfect Wednesday for them to finally be together. That day didn’t go to plan, but she soon finds out he’s taking a trip to Paris with his mother and sister. All the better - she can meet her new family at the same time, and they will sip champagne and eat chocolate and croissants and start planning for the future.
As Alice becomes more and more unhinged, you get a full picture of how mentally ill she is, and how loneliness and ugliness made her who she is today. She’s quite the sympathetic character, despite her misdeeds, her disordered eating and self-harm. The title of this book is perfect, as this is definitely a creepy love story that gets quite deep into Alice’s psyche. It also has a few surprises, so it’s hard to put this one down! What a great concept and uniquely-written book. 4.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to Harper Collins, Emma van Straaten and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
Before getting a job as a paralegal, Alice was making ends meet by cleaning houses. Soon after starting to clean Tom’s house, she got rid of her other clients, and she began to crave her Wednesday mornings spent cleaning for the man she has fallen in love with. And he loves her too, she just knows it. They haven’t met, but it’s clear to Alice that every fingerprint was left for her, that his laptop remains unlocked so she can be a witness to his life, and the single toothbrush in his bathroom makes it clear that he only wants one woman - her.
After a year, she decides it’s time to meet him in person. He will be blown away by her beauty and charm, they will eventually marry and have babies, and maybe even move outside of the city as they grow old together. She’s consulted the astrology charts, and has found the perfect Wednesday for them to finally be together. That day didn’t go to plan, but she soon finds out he’s taking a trip to Paris with his mother and sister. All the better - she can meet her new family at the same time, and they will sip champagne and eat chocolate and croissants and start planning for the future.
As Alice becomes more and more unhinged, you get a full picture of how mentally ill she is, and how loneliness and ugliness made her who she is today. She’s quite the sympathetic character, despite her misdeeds, her disordered eating and self-harm. The title of this book is perfect, as this is definitely a creepy love story that gets quite deep into Alice’s psyche. It also has a few surprises, so it’s hard to put this one down! What a great concept and uniquely-written book. 4.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to Harper Collins, Emma van Straaten and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
November 28, 2024
‘Alice and Tom are made for each other. Deeply connected, they share a flat in London, go to galleries together, enjoy the same books and wine. They even share a toothbrush. It’s all picture perfect.
Except Alice and Tom have never met.’
Imagine Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction. Now multiply her obsession and mental instability by 2 turkeys. Yea. Alice was undamnhinged.
I love a good ole twisted story of infatuation & fixation. But unfortunately, Creep missed the mark for me. The writing technique threw me off. Like all the way off. I don’t know what the authors intent was with this bizarre style, but it felt like a good attempt at trying to be eccentric and maybe highbrow….? Idk. But:
“I unclose my eyes and a bright square of window glares.”
Really? You unclosed your eyes, girlll? Cool.
And the number of times she references her period, the blood and the clotting and how it all looks as she flushes it away🥴 Gahh. One mention would’ve been sufficient. But many mentions started to border vampiric.
Not sure what else to say. There’s no connections to be found anywhere. So I had little empathy or feelings of any sort. Aside from occasional pity. Oh. And shame! Oh the shame I shempt🥴 I shuddered for Alice, and often, knowing she was about to do something that she’d convinced herself was the guiding hands of fate or whatever. But alas, it was not. It was straight damn delusional and I felt the full bulk of 2nd hand shame. So heavy, it’s like it had its own body and that body decided to cob a squat next to me as I read, just waiting till the next opportunity to dump a volkswagen of mortification all over me. So, that’s gotta count for something, right?
Okayyyy, too many Thanksgiving wines for me, apparently. 🥂🍷😮💨😵💫
Even though this one wasn’t exactly my thing, I am sure many readers will find that delectable thrill they seek within these very pages.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub Date: Feb 25 2025
Except Alice and Tom have never met.’
Imagine Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction. Now multiply her obsession and mental instability by 2 turkeys. Yea. Alice was undamnhinged.
I love a good ole twisted story of infatuation & fixation. But unfortunately, Creep missed the mark for me. The writing technique threw me off. Like all the way off. I don’t know what the authors intent was with this bizarre style, but it felt like a good attempt at trying to be eccentric and maybe highbrow….? Idk. But:
“I unclose my eyes and a bright square of window glares.”
Really? You unclosed your eyes, girlll? Cool.
And the number of times she references her period, the blood and the clotting and how it all looks as she flushes it away🥴 Gahh. One mention would’ve been sufficient. But many mentions started to border vampiric.
Not sure what else to say. There’s no connections to be found anywhere. So I had little empathy or feelings of any sort. Aside from occasional pity. Oh. And shame! Oh the shame I shempt🥴 I shuddered for Alice, and often, knowing she was about to do something that she’d convinced herself was the guiding hands of fate or whatever. But alas, it was not. It was straight damn delusional and I felt the full bulk of 2nd hand shame. So heavy, it’s like it had its own body and that body decided to cob a squat next to me as I read, just waiting till the next opportunity to dump a volkswagen of mortification all over me. So, that’s gotta count for something, right?
Okayyyy, too many Thanksgiving wines for me, apparently. 🥂🍷😮💨😵💫
Even though this one wasn’t exactly my thing, I am sure many readers will find that delectable thrill they seek within these very pages.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.
Pub Date: Feb 25 2025
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