My Evil

by Dahlia Dempsey

If you had a chance at true love, would you let a silly thing like murder get in the way?

One job interview changed Annabell Brown’s dull life. She has always faded into the background until the day she meets Mr. Conrad King. A seemingly perfect man with a seemingly perfect job offer.

Anne struggles with the line between employee and employer. Though she manages to keep her distance at first, she begins to fall for her mysterious boss. Once she crosses that line, there is no going back. He won’t let her.

When things begin vanishing and reasons don’t add up, Anne takes matters into her own hands to discover the truth.

One thought keeps swirling in her Is Mister Perfect really who he seems? Anne has to decide if love is worth the real life nightmares behind the facade.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense

Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good. It had a spooky, eerie feeling throughout and was done well. It left you guessing. I'm excited to see where this story leads.

[Jennifer Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting stalker romance…it also felt very romantic thriller! Instant attraction and chemistry between the FMC and MMC.

Mr Conrad 👀 What swoon-worthy moments, and also such a mystery.
Anne…bless her naive heart, she didn’t stand a chance against him.
The ending….😳…book 2, I’m waiting for ya!

🖤Stalking
🖤Spice
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Age Gap
🖤Possessiveness
🖤Secrets

Thank you Dahlia for choosing me to be one of your ARC readers! Can’t wait for book 2!!

[Ashley (andtheniwasbookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I'm a fast reader. I easily get sucked into the book's world and I get lost in it. But this book? This book stayed with me even when I wasn't reading it.

I stayed up late to read, I dreamt about it, I woke up early to keep reading it. All very fitting given that this was a stalker romance.

Given that this was my first stalker romance, it was kind of fun to read about unhinged characters. We are definitely in the world of morally black over here.

The suspense and mystery in this story kept me as equally invested as the romance that unfolded between Annabel and Conrad. I was uneasy the entire time I was reading all the way up to the last sentence.

There is so much going on, and even if the reader speculates on what is going on, we only know what Anne knows...I wanted to crawl into the pages and look around that mansion myself to see what the heck was going on!

I have a strong suspicion we haven't even scratched the surface of this world and the characters in it. I will be returning for book 2!

Overall: recommend
Spice: open door

[Jennelle Glassburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4/5 stars

What a wild, intoxicating ride! This book had me hooked from the very first page—it was the perfect mix of stalker romance and romantic thriller, with an underlying sense of danger that made it impossible to stop reading. The chemistry between the characters was off the charts, and every interaction between them felt deliberate, charged with tension and desire.

Mr. Conrad… 👀 What a mystery. He was swoon-worthy and unsettling all at once, and the way he was written had me just as intrigued as the FMC. And Anne? Oh, bless her naive heart—she never stood a chance against him. Their instant attraction, the forced proximity, the slow unraveling of secrets… it all made for such an addictive read.

There’s a lot going on in this book, and I loved every second of it. The thriller elements kept me on edge, the romance was intense and obsessive in the best way, and the possessiveness? Whew. Just whew. And THAT ENDING?? 😳 I need book 2 right now.

If you’re into dark, tension-filled romance with a side of mystery, you need this book. Expect stalking, spice, an age gap, forced proximity, and so many secrets. Buckle up, because it’s a rollercoaster you won’t want to get off.

Thank you, Dahlia, for choosing me to be one of your ARC readers! Can’t wait for book 2!!

[Kris-Posey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a dark stalker romance, and My Evil had me intrigued and invested from the very first pages.

This book had all the goodness— suspense, mystery, secrets, possessive MMC… STALKER!

The main characters (Anne & Conrad) had delicious chemistry, along with some insta-love and a bit of spice.

I really enjoyed the journey Dahlia Dempsey took me on with this one, and the solid story line…

Need book two, & yesterday!

WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was Intresting, it was fast paced and had a good plot! The writing style just wasnt for me, i felt alot of stuff was repetitive and it got annoying after a while!

Regardless, this wasnt my cup of tea but it might be yours!!

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars 2 peppers

- stalker
- dark romance
- boss/employee
- suspense
- age gap
- forced proximity

I really enjoyed this book. It was a freaking rollercoaster. I never knew what was coming or what to expect.

If you enjoy dark, stalker romances, this is for you. It will have you on the edge of your seat. The immediate chemistry between Conrad and Anne, the secrets you know Conrad is hiding but you don't know what they are.

AND THE ENDING!!!!! What a cliffhanger

[Angela Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that she made a drinking game out of watching horror movies, this also gives you insight on why shes is ok with everything that he has done. Her Ex and Boss are huge a$$holes that I just can not stand. Thank goodness things work out with her Ex 🫢 IYKYK. Conrad's emails made me think of Christian Grey. Mr. King will see you now 😉 Tod was extremely unusual from the very beginning and just got worse over time. Thank goodness Mr. King understood the assignment 🤫 Even though Conrad is very moody, broody, hot then cold, he is still pure sex on a stick 🥵 I also noticed it rains ALOT, I cant remember if it stated that it was based in Washington or a state that rains every day but it just added to the mood of the book. Anna definitly has her emotions pulling her in different directions with wanting him but wants to keep it professional. In the end love wins. I will say that even though it was a slow start, this book definitly keeps you on you toes and is full of suspense and mystery. Your brain will be going in different directions trying to figure out who and what is going on. It does end in a cliffhanger so be prepared!

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Dahlia that I’ve read, and it couldn’t be more different if it tried.  We have the perfect amount of spice, age gap, forced proximity, stalking, murder with secrets galore.  My Evil is the first in a 4-part series and is told from the POV of protagonist Anna, with the thoughts of the mysterious Conrad King occasionally mixed in.  Anna has recently taken up a new job caring for the comatose mother of Mr Conrad King in his family Mansion, but everything is not as it seems.  Did she find him, or was she already on his radar?   The prologue hooked me from the start and the characters made me stay, Conrad is everything your mother told you to stay away from growing up but that’s part of his allure. Well done Dahlia, I didn’t think you could top Love and Work but you proved me wrong, I couldn’t put it down and read it in a few hours.  The cliffhanger has me eagerly anticipating the next instalment and the twist is a killer.

[Bookish Babe Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Dahlia has done it again... I straight up DEVOURED My Evil in a day.

The characters suck you in and keep you guessing what's going to happen the whole time. I knew there were going to be twists and turns through out the whole book and I was still SHOOKETH when they actually took place. Mr. King is such a yummy book boyfriend despite the fact that he is a walking red flag. And I absolutely love a supportive best friend who tells us like it is!

Dahlia also has an uncanny gift for taking the most random places and making them the focal point for the hottest sexual experiences and My Evil is no exception (I'm looking at you bathtub).

Thank you to Dahlia for the ability to read this ahead of release.

[Kristin Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***

I loved this book! I rated it a 5 because it hit so many different categories for me.
It's a stalker dark romance theme, and it hits the mark!
It has you guessing the whole time what Conrad is hiding.
You are also rooting for Anne (Anneabell) the whole time, too!
The chemistry between them is off the charts. And the s*x scenes between them are HOT!
I literally couldn't put this book down! I was supposed to be doing other things, and I couldn't stop reading!

I'm so excited this is a series, and I can't wait for the rest!

[Cara Dilbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Evil…. ummm more like my new obsession 👀😍

Dahlia OUTDID herself!!!!! Dark, sexy, twisted in all the right ways. That stalker energy? HOT. The plot? Wild. I love the mystery he comes with. I enjoyed the FMC a lot as well. I was sweating from his words and begging for more. You just don’t know until you know… 10000000/10 would let him ruin me again. I could NOT take my eyes off the pages… you just have to read it.

[Tay_is_reading_again · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise of a stalker romance and live in nurse. There’s a lot going on in this book and it felt like a romantic thriller.

Read this if you like:
🌸 stalking
🌺 age gap
🌸 boss/employee
🌺 romantic thriller
🌸spicy scenes

Thank you to Dahlia Dempsey for the electronic advanced readers copy!

[Tina Transformation · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. The chemistry between the characters was intoxicating—every moment between them charged with tension, desire, and an underlying sense of danger that made it impossible to stop reading. The author does an incredible job of making every interaction feel deliberate, every glance, every word laced with something deeper.

[DeAnna Beeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Okay, first of all, the suspense had me laser focused on reading until the end because I had to know just for it to end the way it did....Like excuse me, I need book two right now!

There's instant attraction, age gap, and mild spice that is well written.

I'm definitely excited to read more in this series!

[bookowlcourt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fast read and it was so good. I really liked the MMC he gave off dark and mysterious vibes but he was sweet around the FMC….sometimes. Well written. The ending leaves me wanting to read the rest of the series and left me with my mouth wide open but still a 5 star read.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

[Crystal DeBoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and mildly spicy stalker romance. This is the first book and leaves you on a cliffhanger paving the way for book 2. Will evil find true love? What you can expect:

Secrets
Spice
Twist
Age gap
Forced proximity

[Literary Dystopia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Evil was great! The story follows Annabell Brown as she navigates this new job opportunity with a mysterious boss, Conrad King. This stalker romance was fun, captivating and mildly spicy. The ending shocked me I definitely wasn’t expecting it. Can’t wait for book 2!

[Kenzie Nolen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me drawn in from the beginning. It was spooky, eerie, and mysterious that had me guessing as I read. I wanted to keep turning pages just to know what was coming next and the ending also left me guessing. I can’t wait to read the next book!

[Jeannette Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

I love a good dark stalker romance and this one delivered.

[Alexia Gano · Rating 5 out of 5]

-ARC Review-
This book was great, I was immediately drawn in from the first chapter. Honestly I was nervous because it was my first stalker book. I absolutely loved it though and Mr.Conrad (the MMC). He seemed very straight faced no matter the topic. His flirting was on point. It is definitely something one should try/read. It was funny, shocking, their were twists and turns. I am so read for the next book.

[Jennie Parrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

this book had me hooked from the very first page. Immediately I was drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down!!! The mystery and suspense kept me invested and wanting more. this entire book had me on the edge of my seat. The ending was INSANE!! 😳
Highly recommend this read it didn’t disappoint.

[Samantha Skellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I am giving this a four star is because I was expecting more for an ending. Meaning I cannot wait till the next book is out!! I loved this book. It’s a fast read and keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. Took a couple of twist that I did not expect to happen. Definitely a stalker feeling read throughout the book. Keeps you hooked and reading the suspense from start to finish. Would recommend this book.

[Kassidy Gipson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasnt a bad read- could have done more with the stalker but was fast pace and they both fell hard🫶 excited for book 2!

[Sam Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the start. The suspense and not knowing what secrets Conrad is hiding from Anne makes you wanna jump into the pages to search his family's mansion yourself. This entire book had me on the edge of my seat, the ending...😳.. I need the next 2 installments in this series to know what happens next.

If you love a dark romance with a bit of a thrill and suspense this is perfect for you.

[Jessica Benard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for gifting me this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Overall rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

This is my first book by the author and I thoroughly enjoyed It. Hits some of my favorite tropes with age gap, boss/employee, stalker, dark romance. Dual POV (MMC chapters are small but I like it’s what’s going on in his mind)

I feel like Annabel is someone you can relate to, sometimes we lack the confidence and are just background wall flowers. Plain Jane’s. It was super nice to see her confidence grow with Conrad.

Conrad, this man. I could see the story playing out about half way. He is obsessed and wants to be her everything and he makes It happen. He has It bad for her and isn’t subtle about It. We like a confident man.

This full was full of suspense, tension, and desire. The book does leave off on a cliff hanger.

Overall I enjoyed the book.

[Erin Acosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a dark romance girly but and I don’t need something to be a literary masterpiece to love it to pieces! However, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea with the writing style. In my opinion it read very surface level shallow writing and was repetitive in some parts. I don’t know if it’s the way I read it or what but there was just something about the sentence structure that made it feel that way and read weird? At the end of the day I loved the concept and still enjoyed different things about the book! I finished it so it wasn’t a DNF, but felt like there could’ve been more?.. I definitely think it should be given a shot if you like stalker romance with a little grumpy sunshine type of vibe!💖

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Evil is book one of the In The Shadows Series and it is a dark stalker romance!! My favorite!!!

***Check your triggers***

Annabell is a nurse looking for a new job after being fired and Conrad is the man who is offering that job, needing in home live-in care for his mother. This book kept me guessing and at other times screaming at the book!! This is a very gripping book that I finished in 2 nights! I couldn't put it down, because I needed to know more!! Love the twisting-turning plot and the spiciness is amazing!! The ending made me realize I was sad that it was over so quickly!! But it also had me shook at the cliffhanger!! Ready for the next book now!!!! Great book Dahlia!!

[b_reads27 · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: Book 1 in the In the Shadows series. Anne and Conrad. We’ve got age gap, forced proximity, secrets, stalking, boss/employee, morally grey/black MMC, secrets, mystery romance.
Definitely such a creepy and unsettling vibe all throughout the book. You don’t fully know what’s going on. Is she seeing things? All in her head? Is there something afoot?
I liked how it picked up and had me constantly guessing and trying to figure out all what was going on all throughout the twists and turns.
That ending though…. 👀

[SilverRibbonReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an engrossing read from start to finish. Blending the dark intrigue of a stalker romance with the suspenseful edge of a romantic thriller, it delivers a compelling and emotionally charged story. The characters are well-crafted and engaging, and the narrative flows seamlessly, making it easy to become fully immersed. The author’s writing style is truly one of a kind—distinctive and captivating. I found myself completely absorbed and have already recommended it to many others. A standout novel that leaves a lasting impression.