За спиной

by Mike Omer, Майк Омер, Артём Лисочкин (Translator)

Ты можешь стать профайлером… если захочешь выжить.

ОДНА ЖЕНЩИНА, ДВА ИМЕНИ.

Дружеская вечеринка на Хэллоуин закончилась трагедией. И семнадцатилетней Теодоре Бриггс пришлось бежать из дома. Сменив имя на Джемму, она прожила тринадцать лет в Чикаго, где стала преуспевающим косметологом, вышла замуж и родила сына. Но боль от душевной травмы постоянно давала о себе знать…

И ВОТ ФАНТОМНАЯ БОЛЬ СТАНОВИТСЯ РЕАЛЬНОЙ.

Внезапно один за другим к Джемме начинают приходить незнакомцы — и все они, кажется, знают ее. Называют настоящим именем и делают зловещие намеки на трагедию, из-за которой та бросила отчий дом. Джемма в ужасе. Ведь сама она толком не помнит, что случилось той ночью… Понятно одно: все эти люди выполняют чьи-то задания. Того, кто все время стоит у нее за спиной и хочет ее уничтожить. Но кто это?

ОНА ДОЛЖНА ВЫЧИСЛИТЬ ЕГО…

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2024

About the author

Mike Omer is the author of the Zoe Bentley Mystery Series, the Abby Mullen Thrillers, and more. In the past, he's been a journalist, a game developer, and the CEO of the company Loadingames. He lives in Ireland, and is married to a woman who diligently forces him to live his dream. He is the father of an angel, a pixie, and a leprechaun.

Mike loves to write about true-to-life people who are perpetrators or victims of crimes. He also likes writing funny stuff. He mixes these two loves quite passionately into his mystery books.

You can contact Mike by sending him an e-mail to mikeomerauthor@gmail.com

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Omer returns with another strong novel that keeps the reader on edge. He provides the reader something well worth their time as he taps into the mysterious side of this thriller. Gemma has been on the run since that day when she was seventeen. However, she’d hoped it was all in the rearview mirror, with a family all her own now. When someone comes looking for Theodora Briggs, Gemma knows that she could soon spiral out of control, having sworn she covered her tracks. What follows is a race for the truth, new lies, and an attempt to discover what happened all those years ago. Omer delivers and keeps the reader guessing until the final page turn.

One night in 2010, Theodora ‘Theo’ Briggs made a life-changing decision. After a horrible accident, Theo was only seventeen, but could no longer face anyone, as she was deemed a potential killer. She slid into the shadows and left the podunk town for Chicago, where she could easily reinvent herself. While it may not prove her innocence, it would certainly keep Theo from going to jail for a crime she did not commit.

Now calling herself Gemma and working in a beauty salon, things are going well. At least until someone comes poking around asking after Theo Briggs. Has someone been able to put the pieces together? Might the past she thought had been shelved has come back to haunt her? Gemma panics and tries to put her current life, including that of a mother and wife, into perspective.

Gemma is soon bombarded with people she does not know, all of whom apparently are aware of her sordid past. Calling her Theo and asking about the murder from years ago, Gemma is thrust into a world of cat and mouse, forcing her to find the person who is stalking her, while trying to do damage control. At the core of all this is a puppet master with a game all their own. Omer delivers a stunning thriller that left me eager for more!

I tend to enjoy the work of Mike Omer, usually because I can rarely put all the pieces together from the opening chapters. He has a way of delivering a great story without overstating the obvious or sharing too much at once. In the novel, the stage is set by a great narrative, whose flow keeps the reader in awe as the pieces slowly come out. Characters offer up great perspectives and help colour the story in ways no one could imagine, while also keeping things dark when it suits them best. The plot is well-paced and reveals itself in time, though nothing is quite as it seems from the outset. I enjoy both series and standalone work by Mike Omer, hoping for more before too long.

Kudos, Mr. Omer, for another great standalone thriller.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5~

Sedate beginning ramped up to an intense second half.

The murder mystery portion of the story was really well done. The tension felt like a heavy fog, obscuring everything, giving us glimpses of Gemma's past, the murder of her once best friend turned her worst enemy.

Gemma was an interesting character: fearful and brave in equal measure, and so used to keeping secrets, she hid from her own husband in plain sight. More surprising was how multi-dimensional Victoria was, complex even in death.

Mike Omer does a commendable job writing believable female protagonists. He has a keen sense of empathy for the injustices women battle daily. He never preaches, no, it's all very subtle. I can't say that about most male authors, so kudos to Mr. Omer.

The "stalker" aspect was a bit far fetched, not the obsessiveness (that, I fully believe), not the tech savviness of the antagonist (I know at least two people who, if they were evil, could pull something like that off), but the army of "thralls" and their ever more insane, violent actions.

Can that many people be blackmailed into doing so many horrific things? The victims became the perpetrators. Don't people understand that you can't ever pay off a blackmailer; they will always come back for more.

I did not figure out the identity of the deranged stalker. It was a good twist. The only thing that didn't fit was that we get several chapters from the anonymous antagonist's perspective and then one from Steve's, and the voices weren't at all similar. I felt like the author cheated a little bit, but I can forgive it.

[Aya Niaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review timeee ⚠️trigger warning, S.H and S.A⚠️

⚠️There were 2 small parts where Gemma (aka Theodora) talked about S.H. and S.A, these scenes were so strong that they gave me goosebumps. However, you can easily skip them without affecting your experience if you find them disturbing/triggering

🔪It was so refreshing to read something with a strong plot and so bingable! Also, I can not express enough how much I appreciated that NONE of the characters were dumb or simply annoying

🗣The book had multiple POVs and 2 timelimes (past and present) that were incorporated together but without it being overwhelming or confusing. I felt that the present was slowly being revealed in a way that would explain the present events/emotions/reactions

💀I loved how everything was set in a way for you to think one thing, but the plots were impressive, especially the last one. It was jaw-dropping!! It was pretty dang good!

🖊 This is the second book I have read by Mike Omer, and they book were spot on. I think he is going to be an author I can trust to blindly pick up his books and know that they will be STRONG!

Rating....
🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

[Gemini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I was so excited to find out that Mike Omer released a new book. I loved all of the other books that I’ve read by him. This book was a rare miss. It started off good. The prologue built up lots of suspense. As the story unfolded, it all felt so silly. The evil mastermind that had a vendetta against Gemma was just as silly. The mystery of his identity kept my interest. It was just that the road to get there was lame. Once the character was introduced to the current storyline, it was immediately obvious that he was the bad guy. Maybe my expectations were too high based on the author’s previous work. I did find it hilarious that the “scary” music that was mentioned throughout the book was a Keri Hilson song.

[Melissa Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always excited to see a new book by Mike Omer. I like his ability to get me to relate to the characters even if they are living a life quite different from mine. The details he includes to keep me engaged and excited to see what happens is always a treat. The way this antagonist manipulates people is creative and one that I have not seen before. It really made me consider how possible it really is. But you never know what people will do to keep their secrets. A huge thank you to the author and Netgalley for a preview of another great read!

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you can suspend belief enough to believe that a stalker would go to this extent then you’ll like the story. The stalker played the long game and it’s so unbelievable. The blackmail scheme was do ridiculous. How did no one call his bluff??? The motivation behind the black mill was weak, and we never get an actual reason other than a sad man lost the supposed love of his teenage life. And that’s a really stupid assumption reason. Also, who cares? All we know is that Gemma whose real name is Theodora supposedly killed her bully named Victoria. There’s no character development or background information on why she was being bullied, especially when the two used to be good friends. It makes the story thin.. we just get endless descriptions of how she was a loser with acne, her parents didn’t love her, but we also have no idea who her family actually is and why they were so unsupportive of her being bullied.
Also, unbelievable is her being on the run successfully all those years.
The reinvented Theodora aka Gemma didn’t seem very resourceful or street smart but was very whiny and annoying, especially towards the end. Her son is also very whiny. The story should’ve ended a lot sooner. She should’ve just gone to the cops and asked for help b/c she was doing a shit job on her own. Her character was so annoying towards the end I didn’t care WTH happened to her. Also, this book is 8 chapters too long.😒🙄It took forever to end.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 45%. This was incredibly boring. And Omer really needs to start writing male protagonists because he’s not very good at writing women. There is a lot of casual misogyny throughout what I read.

[Alex Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky, stalker vibes!

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

A departure from Mike Omer's usually fast paced, action packed thrillers.

This was a slow burn suspense filled with tension but I found myself rolling my eyes throughout the entire story. There was so many implausible scenarios, so many unrealistic reactions. I liked it but it's forgettable. It's also yet another reminder that the internet is the most dangerous place on earth.

Content warnings - self harm (mentioned) bullying (past) attempted sexual assault.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down, portions of this book were enthralling but there was a point where I just wanted it to end. Found it impossible to like any of the characters.

[CammieOH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super smart plotting. I was fascinated by the extent this stalker planned his destruction. The characters were well fleshed- a detective that won’t give up, and FMC so strong and determined to finally clear her name. This is just too good to pass up!

[SusanH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid read by Mike Omer. Although somewhat of a slow burn, the pace really picked up by the second half. It focuses on bullying and the dangers of cyber crime. I recommend it.

[Evan Codde Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was wonderful. i loved how the ending through me for a loop and that gemma’s child had no more speaking time after those earlier chapters(lol). another great read from mike omer!

[Lexy Bissell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Kaysie Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so crazy in the best way ! 🤩 I felt like the storyline was unique and interesting. The characters kept me guessing who the bad guy was. I got so many spooky vibes from this and I think it’s the perfect thriller for spooky season. This would be so scary if this actually happened. 😳

[Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely predictable and poorly written. The concept would have been interesting if pulled off correctly, but it was obvious where the book was heading from the beginning.

[Sarah R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok I love Mike Omer books but this one was just bad. Writing was not good and plot was completely implausible. Will stick with his serial books because they are so much better for some reason.

[Lyndsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[blondethrillerbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is twisty and kept me guessing throughout. It’s about a teenager that is the town’s pariah after another girl is murdered. She escapes town to build a new life.
Many years later, she is happy, with a family and different identity.
But, strange things begin happening - someone has found her.

[SharondaSanaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stumbled across Mike Omer with his Zoe Bentley series (which I loved) I enjoyed this story but it was a bit slow paced for me, compared to my first reads of his. It kept my attention however I felt let down at the end and how it came to a close no spoilers but Gemma’s stalker motivation just was rather lack luster for me is all.

[Jared · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I found this to be unremarkable and forgettable. The weird thing is I cannot tell you why. The writing wasn’t bad, the dialogue wasn’t bad, characters made believable decisions. I just didn’t care for it. I was reading it one day, set it down to go to bed and then forgot all about it. Days went by and then I remembered it and decided I did not want to return

[rachelfields · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love Mike Omer but this one didn’t do it for me. Predictable and repetitive.

[Deana Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 girls- one missing, one dead
3 lying boys
3 pieces of condemning evidence
1 open murder case

And 13 years later, Gemma’s world - her bubble - begins to unravel. What is happening?! Are they hallucinations? Is it guilt? Is it the truth?

Then about a quarter of the way through, it got creepy. Who was he? Why was he doing this? How far would he go if you crossed him? Was he lurking in the shadows or hiding in plain sight?

Be careful…………you never know who is watching 👁️👁️

(Insert the chichichihahaha horror film noises here)

A good read…….not on the edge of your seat good read but enough to keep my interest.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

[Denise Shaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Omer is always an automatic read. I love his ability to create interesting characters and a tense plot that keep me on the edge of my seat. This book was no exception. Some of the plot elements had me terrified as it seemed they could be possible in real life. While I did guess two of the plot twists and the motive in the end fell slightly flat, I absolutely love Omer’s books and am already waiting for the next one.

[RoosBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! Had me guessing throughout, very creepy, lots of puzzles to keep the reader guessing. Omer knocked it out of the park.
I do wish he had included just a little bit of how Gemma survived in the 13 years between getting to hear her story and how she managed to get a new identity that lived up to the scrutiny of all the agencies that life requires, but that may just be something that interests me.
Highly recommend, fantastic novel!
Thank you to NetGalley, Mike Omer, and Brilliance Audio for my advance copy of this audiobook.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

idk this didn’t do too much for me. I found myself lost in the plot A LOT. The different pov’s were very confusing & I think the author should have labeled whose POV it was bc it disrupted the flow of the story. I kept getting the characters names & their roles mixed up.

Benjamin was a terrible husband. I don’t think he supported her much at all. Granted, she kept a huge secret from him, but his tantrums weren’t justified for me.

I did like the little twist. It clicked for me who the troll was right before it was revealed & I love how Theo’s memory was triggered by certain words & events to help her recall what happened.

As for Victoria….. I understand her pain & anger, but not having the facts & simply talking about things just goes to show how our minds make up such stupid scenarios. Theo did nothing wrong to Vic. Vic assumed Theo didn’t care or or know because her judgment was clouded by misdirected anger. We often turn on the people that will be willing to help us the most. We push them away. Victoria was just looking to someone to pounce on & direct anger to. to blame. All because she was unhappy with herself. Her parents didn’t do enough & the cycle of hurt & hatred makes me so freaking mad because go to freaking therapy. I know we all deal with pain so very differently…. but i just can’t bring myself to intentionally hate & hurt people like that. why the heck should Theo have known her father’s boss SA’d her? She pushed her away well before any of that happened, yes? like be fr.

Anyway, this was all pretty okay. I appreciate that we got right into the drama though! about mid book i felt like it was dragging though lol

[Jaden Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. Kinda reminded me of Listen for the Lie which I didn’t love

[antonella (taylor's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first half was kinda boring, but then it really picked up and I was hooked

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

So incredibly slowwwww with a predictable ending. Sighhhh. I’m disappointed af.

[Dató · Rating 5 out of 5]

Եթե լավ ու հետաքրքիր վեպի փնտրտուքներն արդյունք չեն տալիս, Մայք Օմերը որպես պահեստային (լավ իմաստով) միշտ կա։