You Are Mine

by Alex Lake

A gripping psychological crime thriller with a terrifying twist that will have you looking over your shoulder!

Mary Jordan is walking along the street when she spots a sign.

If you are reading this, I am watching you.

You are now part of my collection.

You will be mine, and your life will never be the same again.

Mary is horrified. Her skin crawls at the idea of being watched.

She searches the buildings, looking for a face at a window.

But only for a moment. There’s nothing to fear. It’s obviously just a harmless prank.

She could not be more wrong…

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication December 8, 2026

About the author

Alex Lake is a British novelist who was born in the North West of England. After Anna, the author’s first novel written under this pseudonym, was a No.1 bestselling ebook sensation and a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller. The author now lives in the North East of the US.

Reviews

[Aisha Faisal]

🫆👀 Would you assume it was an immature prank, or would you immediately check your rearview mirror? You Are Mine kicks off with one of the most chilling stalker setups I’ve encountered recently, turning a peaceful Maine town into a hotbed of paranoia. Here are my honest thoughts on this quick, bingeable psychological thriller! 👇📖

Title: You Are Mine

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5 / 5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A handwritten note pinned to a lamppost on an ordinary street “If you are reading this, I am watching you. You are now part of my collection.” It is the ultimate nightmare scenario, tapping right into that universal dread of being singled out by someone lurking in plain sight.

At first, Mary Jordan tries to brush it off. She is a grounded lawyer balancing a demanding caseload, her marriage, and raising her children in Barrow, Maine. She convinces herself it is just a cruel local prank. But when anonymous messages begin creeping into her private sphere, the psychological unraveling begins. Mary’s terror is palpable, and her instinct to second-guess everyone around her feels authentic and deeply uncomfortable.

The author does a great job establishing a claustrophobic web of suspicion. As Mary’s paranoia grows, almost everyone in her orbit looks like a viable suspect. Between her attentive husband, a colleague crossing professional boundaries, an unresolved ex hovering in the background, and an enigmatic new neighbor with questionable boundaries, every routine interaction is charged with tension. Watching Mary try to untangle her busy domestic life from an escalating, predatory campaign made the first half nearly impossible to put down.

Where the novel struggles is in sustaining that razor-sharp dread. As the story moves into its middle stretch, the pacing slows down considerably. The tension diffuses into repetitive domestic friction and investigative detours, with characters including Mary herself making choices that strain credibility and stall narrative momentum just when the psychological pressure should be mounting.

The final act ramps the speed back up, but the resolution felt like a stumble rather than a knockout punch. After establishing such a sinister, grounded game of cat and mouse, the big reveal veers into theatrical melodrama. The stalker’s ultimate motivation lacks the psychological weight promised by the premise, and the final confrontation relies on dialogue and character beats that feel thin and exaggerated.

Even though the execution doesn't quite stick the landing, You Are Mine remains a fast, undeniably addictive read that will keep you flipping pages in one sitting. It's an entertaining domestic thriller for a weekend afternoon, driven by a premise that will genuinely make you glance twice at the lampposts on your morning walk.

Final verdict:
Overall, this was an entertaining and bingeable psychological thriller with a fantastic premise and some genuinely unsettling moments. I just wish the final reveal had been as disturbing and unpredictable as the setup. It didn't completely deliver the punch I was hoping for, but it certainly kept me curious enough to keep turning the pages.

[Dozelina 666]

The premise immediately hooked me.

A woman is walking to work when she spots a sign that reads:

"If you are reading this, I am watching you. You are now part of my collection."

Needless to say, I was expecting a seriously creepy stalking thriller and I was completely on board from the very first pages.

The beginning definitely delivered that unsettling feeling. The anonymous messages kept appearing in increasingly personal places, and I enjoyed trying to work out who was behind them. There were several suspects along the way, and while some seemed more believable than others, I liked piecing the clues together.

Unfortunately, the reveal didn't quite work, for me at least.

Without spoiling anything, I felt the explanation behind the stalking wasn't as complex or satisfying as I'd hoped. After such a strong setup, I was expecting something much more shocking or psychologically unsettling. Instead, the final reveal felt a little underwhelming, and a few character motivations left me with more questions than answers.

That said, I can't deny that the book was incredibly bingeable. I flew through it in one sitting because I genuinely wanted to know how everything would unfold.

Overall, this was an entertaining psychological thriller with a fantastic premise that, for me, didn't quite stick the landing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Mona Sami]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *You Are Mine* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

*You Are Mine* has a genuinely creepy premise. Mary Jordan is walking down the street when she sees a sign telling her that she is being watched and has now become part of someone’s “collection”. At first, she tries to convince herself that it is just a disturbing prank, but it quickly becomes clear that whoever is behind it knows far more about her than they should.

I really liked the opening idea because it taps into that horrible feeling of suddenly becoming aware that someone may be watching you. The threatening messages and the uncertainty about where the stalker might be created a strong sense of unease, and I wanted to know why Mary had been chosen and what exactly this person wanted from her.

For me, though, the story did not always maintain the tension promised by the premise. There were sections that felt slower than I expected, and I found myself waiting for something more significant to happen. Some of the possible suspects and developments were also fairly easy to anticipate, which took away some of the suspense.

Mary is sympathetic, and I could understand why the situation gradually takes over her life. I also liked the idea of an ordinary woman being made to question every person and every seemingly harmless interaction around her. However, there were moments when I wanted the investigation to move faster and some of the characters’ decisions frustrated me.

The later part does become more tense, and I was still interested enough to want the answers. There are some unsettling moments and a few twists, but overall I think the central concept was stronger than the execution for me.

*You Are Mine* was an enjoyable psychological thriller with a very creepy starting point and an effective sense of being watched, but I wanted more tension and unpredictability throughout. It kept me reading, but it did not quite have the impact I was hoping for.

[Ceecee]

2.5 rounded up
“ If you’re reading this, I am watching you. You are now part of my collection. You will be mine.” This chilling notice is pinned to a lamppost in Barrow, a small town in Maine. There’s nothing to worry about thinks lawyer Mary Jordan, it’s a prank, a nasty joke and she pushes it to the back of her mind, after all, she’s got plenty else to think about. A colleague, her children, her husband, an ex and a new neighbour, for example.

First of all, there’s a good premise and story here but which is very slow to get going. At the start, the writing is very choppy, there’s poor grammar and it seems to prevaricate and so doesn’t fully grab my attention. Then, it seems to settle in, there are some good creepy and claustrophobic moments and I begin to enjoy the really lovely Maine setting which is a great backdrop to the storyline. Mary‘s life with all its difficulties comes across well, with plenty of characters to be suspicious of. I really like the chapter headings too, some of those are very witty and clever. So far so good, it’s not brilliant, but it’s pretty good and I’m now enjoying it.

Then, as it approaches the denouement, it goes downhill faster than an Olympic skier who loses control and heads over a cliff. In my opinion, it’s way too melodramatic and it spoils the overall reading experience. In addition, at this point the characters feel like cardboard cutouts or stereotypes and some of the dialogue does not feel very realistic. What a great pity as it could’ve been so much better.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated early copy.

Ps. Fried ice cream? What? Are you serious?? Well, a heart attack is!!!

[Kevin]

The book opens with a good premise. A flyer on a lamppost telling the reader they're being watched, and collected. All very creepy and cool, hints of a serial killer ready to torment a new victim. Cut to... page after page of domestic life and backstory. The first half of the book just felt like it was filled with tangents about work drama, and annoying soccer moms, and teenage love lives... At first it felt valid, painting a picture of suburban life about to be shattered, but it was excessive and whole sections just felt forced and sloppy like it was just filler.

But we did eventually get back to the note, and it still struggled. The story does pick up, but it's still never feels natural. There are too many cliches. More than once there were "Aha!" moments pointing the finger so adamantly at someone any suspicions I had about them immediately vanished. Details were over explained to the point they felt unreal. And it all just felt emotionless. Even during the finale the characters feel very formal and reserved with each other, and we got another handful of pages on why a completely irrelevant idea was just a throwaway line.

And it's annoying because the actual plot is there. The culprit is a good choice, and I thought it clever how with hindsight you're pointed directly to the solution whilst also being misdirected away. This could be a really good story, but it just feels off. It should feel creepy, it feels bland. A great idea that just feels like it was written without a heart.

[The Cookster]

Rating: 1.0/5

The synopsis for this book is inviting and promises to be a gripping psychological thriller - it isn't. When the premise for the story is presented - a sign seen by Mary Jordan, telling her that she is being watched and is now part of the notewriter's collection - it actually comes across as a bit silly rather than anything ominous. To make matters worse, the author then spends the first 60% of the novel writing something that is little more than a very lacklustre family drama, with only quite fleeting references to the anonymous note writer. When the narrative does eventually start to address the supposed central theme of the story, it is delivered in ridiculously poor fashion. The characters and their actions lack any sense of credibility. The plot developments are corny to the point of verging on being puerile. No doubt in an attempt to add some heft to the shambolic content, the author resorts to injecting graphic scenes of gratuitous violence, but this simply serves to reinforce the mess that this novel is. I hate not finishing a book, which is why I saw this through to its conclusion, but I took no pleasure in it and was just glad to get to the end.

As ever, I would still like to convey my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review. It is a pity I was not in a position to pass more favourable comment on this occasion.

[Leanne]

You Are Mine is a tense, unsettling psychological thriller that grabs you from the very first moment Mary spots that chilling sign. What begins as a strange, almost throwaway encounter quickly spirals into something far more sinister, and the book thrives on that creeping sense of dread.

Mary’s reaction feels painfully real—the quick jolt of fear, the attempt to rationalise it, the uneasy glance over her shoulder. The story leans into that everyday vulnerability, turning an ordinary walk down the street into the start of a nightmare. As the messages grow more threatening, the atmosphere tightens beautifully, making you question every shadow and every passer‑by.

What works especially well is the slow escalation. The tension doesn’t rely on big shocks alone; it builds through small details, unsettling moments, and the growing certainty that Mary is being hunted by someone who enjoys the game far too much. The pacing keeps you on edge, and the sense of being watched lingers long after you put the book down.

It’s a quick, gripping read with a twist that lands hard, and the final stretch is packed with the kind of urgency that makes you race through the pages. Dark, claustrophobic, and unnervingly plausible, this is a thriller that plays on the fear of being seen—and chosen—by the wrong person.

With thanks to Alex Lake, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[UKDana]

Mary Jordan initially dismisses the disturbing note she sees attached to a lamppost close to her place of work as a prank. When a similar note appears in her handbag, she begins to wonder who is responsible: a new neighbour, a high school sweetheart, someone she works with, or her daughter's unsuitable boyfriend?

Alex Lake is a new author to me, and I loved the premise of You Are Mine. The opening really sets the tone. There is a short build-up to the initial message, we even get a glimpse of its impact on others, confirming its disconcerting nature. Despite the unsettling content, Mary does what I'm sure most people would do: consider it a tasteless prank.

Mary's reaction is understandable. She's a highly intelligent woman, with enough life experience to know that the message is most likely to be someone's idea of a tacky joke. Mary, like most working mothers, has more important things to occupy her time: issues at work with someone trying to poach her clients, and at home, she's trying to navigate the minefield surrounding her teenage daughter's unsuitable boyfriend. I liked the way Mary was portraye; she came across as very real.

We are kept on our toes by the introduction of a host of possible villains. The new neighbour certainly comes across as the most menacing, and there are scenes where the tension is palpable. Even though his behaviour is explained away, it isn't enough to put your mind at rest. The level of trepidation continues to increase as more notes appear. Not only are the notes more threatening, but they are found in places that add to the terror of the situation.

I did feel that this sense of dread wasn't capitalised on as the pacing was erratic. Having built up the sense of foreboding, the tension was lost by spending too much time describing the mundane aspects of Mary's life. The conclusion was similar; after building up the suspense and panic, the villain would repeatedly disappear, leaving me feeling confused. None of this is likely to stop me from reading more by this author, however.

If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/

or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
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[Kirsten]

You Are Mine is a suspenseful read which steadily builds an unsettling sense of tension.

Mary Jordan, wife and mother, notices a poster which reads: 'If you are reading this, I am watching you. You are now part of my collection.' From there, the sinister messages and threats become increasingly personal. I really enjoyed the premise and thought the escalating notes were particularly effective. They create an eerie, foreboding atmosphere that lingers throughout much of the novel. The dynamic between Mary and Sally felt especially tense and was one of the book's strongest elements.

While I thought the novel got off to a very strong start, my interest began to drift around the halfway point. It almost felt like two separate books: the opening was gripping and full of suspense, whereas the resolution became more conventional and exaggerated. I also struggled with the link between Mary discovering the first note and the eventual explanation. It felt somewhat far-fetched, despite the potential for a more sophisticated outcome.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. The narrative voice was thoughtful and it was very easy to pick up. However, the final third never quite matched the level of suspense established in the opening chapters, leaving the ending feeling somewhat lacklustre.

[Hazel]

A decent psychological thriller

Having read several of Alex Lake's previous books over the years, I was really looking forward to picking up You Are Mine. While it wasn't quite up there with her best work for me, it was still a solid read with a few good moments.

The premise had plenty of potential, but I found the execution a little slow and not quite as gripping than I thought it was going to be especially given the start. Parts of the narrative felt quite repetitive, which slowed down the overall momentum and made it feel less tense than I was hoping for. I usually love a fast-paced thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but this one felt a bit more stretched out.

That being said, the story picked up towards the end. The final chapters delivered a good conclusion and I liked how it all played out. It brought everything together and made the slower sections worth sticking with.

Overall, while it wasn't my favourite by this author, it was still an okay read that will appeal to fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read an advanced copy and share my honest thoughts.

[Denis Wheller]

Mary has acquired a stalker. A few months earlier someone else had acquired a stalker. Same “guy”? Who? and Why? applies to both. Mary acquired her’s by having her attention drawn to a note stuck on a piece of street furniture – a note informing the reader that they were being watched and that one of them would be chosen. Subsequently, she is informed that she is the chosen one. Thereafter she receives notes of increasing menace.
So this is clearly set up to be a psychological thriller, and that’s what it is – increasing menace leading up to extreme jeopardy, with the “who is the stalker” question running through. Trouble is that the tension is tenuous, diluted by far too much straightforward domesticity. Suspects are few and the perpetrator not too difficult to identify. There are some holes in the mechanics, which need patching. The ending is tense, which is good, and an uncritical reader will probably find the whole story mildly exciting.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

[Julie Connor]

I enjoyed You Are Mine, although I didn’t quite love it.

The story starts off with a really tense atmosphere and a very creepy premise, and I was immediately drawn in and eager to see how everything would unfold. Unfortunately, I guessed the main twist within the first few chapters, thanks to a bit of a giveaway. Although I was curious to see whether I was actually right — or whether the book would manage to throw me off. Perhaps I’ve simply read too many psychological thrillers at this point! 😂

As the story progressed, I found the plot became a little predictable and slowed down somewhat. That said, there were still enough questions and tension to keep me reading, and I was invested in seeing how everything would play out.

I found the ending lacked originality and didn’t compare with the beginning. I felt I wanted more impact. Something a bit more disturbing.

Overall, an enjoyable read, but one that didn’t quite have the impact I was hoping for. 3.5⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Linda]

This had the premise of a good story but for me it wasn’t. Mary is walking home and comes across a note on a lamppost, it says I am watching you, Mary thinks it’s some silly prank but then threatening letters start showing up, in her car then in her home. She is becoming paranoid and turns to her husband for help. She is also going through the teen years with her daughter whom is rebellious and acting out. When Mary starts to look at who it could be she has several men she looks at, one being Dylan, her 14 year old daughter’s boyfriend.
If you haven’t worked out who is doing it after several chapters well you’ve obviously not read a lot of thrillers. The reason for stalking her is ridiculous and without giving away who the perpetrator is, it just was too silly. The fight at the end was unbelievable too, said baddy has his arm almost severed through but carries on with his plan to kill them?
I wouldn’t recommend it when there are so many better books out there.

#YouAreMine. #NetGalley

[andshe.reads]

Well… this book really said “personal space? Never heard of her.” 😳😂

If there’s one thing Alex Lake knows how to do, it’s take an ordinary situation, sprinkle in a whole load of 🚩🚩🚩 and have me suspicious of absolutely EVERYONE.

You Are Mine had that wonderfully uncomfortable feeling where you know something isn’t right, but you can’t quite put your finger on what. Naturally, this meant I became a fully qualified detective from the comfort of my sofa. 🕵️‍♀️📚

I had theories.
I changed those theories.
I accused innocent people.
I trusted people I definitely shouldn’t have.
Basically, I was doing a terrible job. 😂

There were twists, secrets, questionable behaviour and enough suspicious vibes to keep my thriller-loving brain very happy. Just when I thought I had everything neatly figured out… Alex Lake basically gave my theory a little pat on the head and sent it on its way. 👋🤣

Dark, twisty and deliciously unsettling — exactly the kind of thriller that has you saying “just one more chapter” until suddenly you’ve finished the whole thing.

[Ani]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book's synopsis is vague and suggests a suspenseful, fast-paced thriller. Instead of building suspense, the actual story was weighed down by an overwhelming amount of unnecessary detail and uninteresting side plots that made the pacing drag.

The characters were all difficult to like, which made it hard to care about what happened to them. When the mystery was finally revealed, it felt more disappointing than surprising. The villain came across as extremely corny, making the climax feel more cheesy than suspenseful.

By the end, I was simply reading to finish rather than because I was enjoying the story. While other readers may appreciate the slower, character-focused approach, this wasn't the gripping thriller I was expecting, and it ultimately fell flat for me.

Minus one star for unnecessary animal death.

[Mark]

On a positive note, I guessed who the crazed stalker was. I can never work out whodunnit in the murder mysteries I enjoy, but then again, they’re a lot more nuanced and tightly plotted than ‘You Are Mine’. The author seems to take a long time establishing that Mary, hardworking mum to two teenagers, is under threat from an unknown assailant. There’s several suspects, but all but one has been discounted by the time we get to the bloody resolution. I personally found the change in tone from domestic suspense to graphic killing spree jarring and unconvincing. The characters were too stereotypical and the plot wasn’t realistic enough to engage me. The author’s habit of incorporating dialogue from more than one character in the same paragraph made it difficult to keep track of who was saying what and I can’t imagine wanting to read anything else by Alex Lake after enduring this poor quality melodrama.

[Sarah Higginbottom]

Okay, this one was CREEPY! 😳

The whole idea of finding a sign saying someone is watching you would have me running for the hills 😂 And Mary’s situation just kept getting more unsettling the further I got into the book.

I really liked how the tension built up and had me constantly wondering who was behind everything and what was actually going on. There were definitely moments where I thought I had it figured out… only to change my mind again!

It was a proper “just one more chapter” kind of read and I flew through it. Some parts definitely had me feeling a little paranoid about my own surroundings 😂

If you like psychological thrillers, creepy stalkers, secrets and twists, I’d definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR! 👀

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Author and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review]

Mary Jordan is out on an ordinary walk when she comes across a note warning her that she's being watched, and that opening had me hooked straight away. The note goes further, claiming she now belongs to whoever left it and that her life is about to change for good, which is very unsettling. She glances around at the nearby windows, half expecting to spot whoever's behind it, then talks herself into believing it's just a tasteless prank, and you just know she's about to be proven very wrong.

This is definitely a bingeable thriller, even with a few pacing issues and the odd stretch of repetitive writing along the way. None of that stopped me racing through it, and that final reveal caught me completely off guard. It's the kind of eerie, twisty read that has you glancing over your shoulder well after you've put it down.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Alex Lake and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book.

[Amanda C]

I'm sorry but I didn't really enjoy this one. I felt that nothing happened in the first half, I understand the need to set the scene but I thought this lasted too long and there should have been some repercussions from the notes earlier on. Other than unsettling the main character, there were no consequences until much later in the book, by which point I was already a bit bored.

The book lost me entirely with the unnecessary pet death, I will always mark a book down for this as it is done purely for shock value rather than to enhance the plot in any way. Wally deserved better than to be used in this manner.

One thing I did love was that the chapters had names instead of numbers, we don't see this enough anymore and I appreciated it. I also was interested enough to read until the end and see how everything turned out.

[Lynn McCrum]

I have read all of Alex Lake books and in all of them I was sucked in and held from the very first page. Not so with this latest book - the ‘blurb’ made it sound better than it was in reality. The first two-thirds of the book seemed to drag in and it was only in the latter stages the pace picked up. That being said, it might just have been that the book wasn’t for me and I am sure that others will enjoy it.

Mary Jordan is a partner in a law firm. She is married to her second husband and has two teenage children from her first marriage. Her life seems to be on track until she spots an unusual poster on a sign, which she dismisses at first. However, later happenings make her thinks she is being targeted.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Rachel Quinlan]

Mary Jordan is walking to work and sees the reaction of a girl reading a notice on a lamppost, she runs away terrified. Mary is intrigued so goes to look, it says ‘I am watching you and if you’re reading this I’m going to collect you.’ She looks around and feels unsettled, but surely many people have read this notice, haven’t they? Then other notes come to her - into her handbag, her house. Someone must be watching her every move, they seem to know everything she does.
These notes are interspersed with ‘normal life’, Mary has two teenage children from her first marriage: Otis and Sally. Ryan, her second husband, is very supportive and always there to comfort her.
The book plods along and suddenly in the last 20% or so, it starts to up the tempo and becomes more exciting.
Easy read, nice and pleasant to start with then the drama at the end feels a bit of an anticlimax.

[Sarah Bloomfield]

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

You Are Mine is an unsettling, slow burning psychological thriller in which we meet Mary a hard working mum of two who reads an alarming note on a lamppost. Clearly unsettled by it she attempts to brush it off as nothing more than a prank until she receives another note which is much more personal. As the unknown author of these letters gets more and more intense with Mary receiving them regularly it becomes clear she is being stalked but just who is behind them?

I enjoyed this book though I took a star off as I guessed who it was but nonetheless I liked the bog reveal and final showdown. I would recommend this book to others.

[Heather]

Mary is a lawyer, and a harassed mother of two teenagers, married to Ryan, a scriptwriter who hasn’t had any work in a long time
She is very unsettled when she sees a handwritten sign on a lamp post saying that she is being watched and has been “chosen”. The strange messages become more threatening, as she and Ryan try to unravel what is going on.
The suspects include her strange new neighbour, a work colleague, and an ex boyfriend.
The book is very good in the descriptions of handling hormonal teens, and the minutiae of family life and relationships.
But the initial concept didn’t ring true for me, and I very quickly guessed who the perpetrator was, although I did miss a BIG twist.
An OK summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book.

[Matt Johns]

A definite book of two halves, to use a football analogy. It starts slowly, with a focus on family dynamics and friendships in small-town America, which seems to dominate. Indeed, it wasn't until 25% through the book when something actually happens intrinsic to the plot. This focus on relationships persists throughout in much greater detail than I feel it needs to. It reads like a domestic drama rather than a thriller much of the time.

And then...you get to the final act, which is an absolutely cracking finale and what the rest of the book was missing in terms of tone and pace. Or maybe that's just me. I also guessed the identity of the person behind the notes left for the main protagonist in the story early on, although knowing the who, didn't answer the why.

[julie]

You Are Mine appealed to me immediately; the blurb, the author, the cover, and what a treat it has been to review. The sinister note found on the lamppost is a brilliant start at the beginning of this book, immediately setting the scene and grabbing the reader into this psychological thriller. Also loved the characters in Mary’s life, especially her two children with characteristics that many parents will identify with.
Unfortunately I did have suspicions who the villain and the motive was quite early on, but this did not detract from enjoying this well written thriller and it was a perfect holiday read- not too taxing, a bit gruesome and mad at the end, and finished in one day.

[Gordon Johnston]

You Are Mine has a good premise that looks appealing, but ultimately is a rather slow and predictable novel.

Mary Jordan, a lawyer in a small Maine town, begins receiving notes. Someone is watching her and threatening her and her family. There are obvious suspects but who is behind this? She call the police in but they have little to offer.

Much on the novel revolves around Mary and her family life. There is much too much detail of her children's sports activities and teen romances, way too many local events and gossips. The novel is slow until a rush to an ending that is unsatisfying and relies on too many coincidences.

[Big Bertha]

The first note Mary saw was on a lamp-post but the ones that followed were more personal revealing someone who not only knew her and her family, they also knew where she lived.

Mary's increasing paranoia with each new note was well written and this novel should have been right up my street but if I'm totally honest I found it quite slow going and it struggled to keep my attention.

That said, it was engaging enough that I read to the end and I'd definitely consider reading another book by the author in future. I note that other reviewers are more positive so if this novel sounds like your sort of thing then by all means give it a try!

[Dana]

This is a definite page turner which had me hooked from the beginning. With twists and turns and false leads it was certainly a tense read.
I have to say the last thing I would do if I thought I was being stalked would be to go out running on my own in the dark!!
I must admit part way through I had my suspicions about the final perpetrator.
I felt the final scenes were rather too far-fetched but the ride to the end was definitely entertaining.
Three and a half stars for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Alex Lake/HarperCollins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Stella W]

Who is watching Mary?!

Mary, spots an ominous flyer whilst in town, stating that and what follows is a mysterious series of menacing letters. Mary questions who might be behind the messages, given the person behind them knows her so well.

As a reader I jumped one from suspect to the next as the chapters progressed. The plot has a busy, gripping start and end, however, the middle for me, was a little too drawn out.

I loved Seven Days and Here One Minute, Alex Lake is the master of a twisty thriller without huge scenes of gory violence.

Huge thank you for the ARC.

[Karen Farrow]

I really enjoyed this twisty story. The main character, Mary, becomes the object of a stalker. Mary is a middle aged mother of two teenagers who find her embarrassing and annoying (like all teenagers do their parents) and is married to a younger man, Ryan. After reading a poster, Mary becomes the object of someone’s attention which seems to escalate very quickly. This puts almost everyone Mary knows who could be the culprit.

Without giving spoilers all I can say is that the book draws to a dramatic conclusion which doesn’t disappoint