Your Secret Admirer

by A.J. Carter

Who says romance is dead?

When Julie receives mysterious Valentine's cards and photos of herself sleeping, she knows she's being watched. As threatening messages escalate and shadows lurk at every corner, she finds herself questioning everyone around her – her students, colleagues, and even those closest to her.

But in this deadly game of obsession, nothing is as it seems. With time running out and nowhere safe to turn, Julie must uncover the stalker's identity before their twisted idea of love becomes her death sentence.

A nail-biting psychological thriller about lust and the deadliest kind of love.

—————

Genres: Short Stories, Thriller

66 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2025

About the author

AJ Carter is a psychological thriller author from Bristol, England. His first book, The Family Secret, is praised by critics around the world, and he continues to regularly deliver suspenseful novels you can’t put down.

Sign up to his mailing list today and be the first to hear about upcoming releases and hot new deals for existing books. You’ll also receive a FREE digital copy of The Couple Downstairs – an unputdownable domestic thriller you won’t find anywhere else in the world: https://BookHip.com/WAXFLLP

Reviews

[Celeste Velocci (bookrecs_by_celeste)]

This was a fun quick read for the season! Pretty obvious early on where it was going and I saw the twist coming a mile away but still entertaining.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story, quickly elevates to spooky, chilling thriller vibes. I’m such a sucker for these, always the person least suspected 🤷‍♀️🤣. That’s what I love, that thriller feel, edge of seat, 20 ⭐️ for thriller content. If someone interrupted me while reading this, my ipad would have went flying!

[Jessica Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it

First time reading this author even though it was a short story i still loved it. Kept me wanting to read more and more of it. I would recommend it to a friend and probably will be reading more of this author.

[Maylita Edwards]

Interesting short story, I couldn't figure out who the stalker was so it was a nice surprise.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect,
short stalker, romance, novella to read in between books on your TBR.
I loved it !

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who can resist the excited feeling of an unexpected Valentines card?
So when Julie, Uni lecturer, receives one she cant help but be a tiny bit thrilled but of course she is expecting a silly message from an infactuated student, a joke card etc

What she is not expecting is that it is the start of a scary stalking experience that goes from card to life threatening quickly

As her life implodes around her it seems the culprit is doing nothing to hide, he is even caught on CCTV…..

A tingling short story that will keep you reading from start to finish in one sitting

Love the line ‘it sounds like something from a trashy thriller’ a comic line in a dark story is always welcome, as is hummus

Good novella

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a solid dose of suspense that definitely nailed the atmosphere. A.J. Carter keeps the energy creepy and tense from start to finish. For a book with a relatively short page count, it felt longer than it was, largely due to the middle chapter being 40 pages long.
Because there are very few characters, it was easy to keep track of everyone, but that simplicity actually worked against the plot in the end. With such a limited cast, the ending wasn't exactly shocking - there just weren't enough suspects to make the twist a surprise. It’s a fun read for the atmospheric tension and perfect for anyone looking for creepy Valentine's Day vibes.

Want to see spoilers or trigger warnings? Check out: https://www.spoiltheplot.com/books/yo...

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Awesome read '

This short story/novella is from one of my favorite authors and it's amazing! It grabs you from the beginning and leaves you supposing until the end! As an English professor, I especially enjoyed the inclusion of the classics in the tale of an English professor, who has a 'secret admirer' stalking her through London streets and across the university campus! This Valentine's Day gift would actually make a perfect gift for the thriller reader or readers in your life or just a wonderfully written book just for you!

[Phyllis Fried · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for Valentines Day. It has the creep factor as the protagonist teaches in a Victorian area at the university. A surprise card appears from a secret admirer. Is it a student's way to say thank you or a card from an unknown person. A fear of being stalked by a stranger has caused paranoia to take over. Certain she knows who left the card she takes action. Is she right or wrong? You have to read this twisty novella to find out the answer and the surprise that awaits you in the end. I really enjoyed this short story.

[Richard Kettlewood · Rating 3 out of 5]

RA

A somewhat flawed and very melodramatic read. But I had to keep reading. Rather absurd, with a twist I did see approaching through the Victorian gloom. Why was everything Victorian? For the melodrama I presume. Rather baffling learning environment. Supposed to be third year degree students, but the room kept switching between college classroom and university lecture theatre. There was even the smell of chalk dust in a room with a whiteboard! Not a terrible story, but descriptive detail was very rushed and incoherent.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Secret Admirer (Seasonal Short Story 1) by A.J. Carter is a psychological thriller, but unfortunately not one of his best, as I found it quite predictable.

Julie, a professor, receives a Valentine's card and assumes it's one her students playing games. She soon feels as though she's being stalked, becomes increasingly on edge, and her work begins to suffer.

Her close friend Angie is the only person she feels she can turn to during this unnerving time.

[Mrs B E Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, as always! Another Must Tead

What a cracking story this was - and such a surprising twist at the end. Never saw it coming! Every single book I have read - written by this talented, young author, and there have been so many - has kept me so engrossed that I forget everything . around me. This story is no different and I devoured it in just a couple of hours. Just as well I have a whole lot more of his books lined up and waiting to be read. Highly recommended.

[Tori Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I knew it wasn’t going to be the person she thought it was I definitely didn’t expect it to be who it was! I think I would have been just as afraid as Julie was but I also think she definitely let her fear get the best of her and she wasn’t looking at the situation clearly. Great little thriller to mix in with all the lovey valentines reads.

[Kaitlynn | angelbabyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟 rounded up. This was better than the last one I read by him. I did kind of guess the stalker, but that was after being wrong once, so I’ll take it. Short read, but leaves a lot to unpack. Makes you question if the people you interact with on a daily basis are actually showing their true selves to you.

[Kimberley H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and fun thriller. A Valentine stalker creates chaos and disruption through fearful messages. Causing suspicions of all around her, and turning to the best friend, the truth unravels. Suspenseful and surprising!

[SKP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick anti-Valentine Valentine’s Day thriller novella. Not every author, even some of my favorites always manage good twists in such a short space of less than 100 pages, but this one did. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Gracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, novella thriller will put you on the edge...till the end...
When you thought you know how the stalker is ,Tables have turned and it's quite thrilling....It can bring you out of your reading slump....
The writing style was simple and easy flowing Imma binge read the other books tooo!!!!!

[Autumn Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of trickery in trying to figure out the admirer!

[Stuart Sear · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not usually read short novels but as it was by Aj Carter I thought I would give it a go and I am glad I did for a short read it certainly pack in a lot well written and had a good plot.

[Gem Woodroofe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read but also extremely detailed. Good story, worth a read.

[Consuela Margalotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story that held my interest. Looking forward to other short stories from AJ Carter.

[Lee Husemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick easy Valentine's Day themed thriller. It was very intense and I did not see that ending coming. Looking forward to more books by this author.

[Danielle Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediocre short read

Quick read in between books but for once I guessed this twist before it hit which I am typically unable to do

[Insanity47 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Never suspected the offender. Author kept is well suspended. Great short read. Would definitely recommend this book and this Author.

[Kimberly Hauck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read

Quick Valentine's day read. About a professor being stalked but by who....her secret admirer of course! You'll never guess who her secret admirer is!

[Sammye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Seasonal Short Stories series. It’s a quick, engaging Valentine’s Day thriller. It’s suspenseful with a twist I didn’t see coming. A very good plot.

[Cecelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

[Brandie DeHerrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[JoAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable

[Donna Mallery · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick story about a Valentine’s Day stalker with a nice twist. Reads at a great pace.