What Lurks Within

by Courtney Thompson

Meet Amber Ashwood. A married woman in her late 20s begging to escape from her boring life and fall into the magical world of her books. One day after a fight with her husband, she gets more than she bargained for. Now receiving cryptic messages and threats, Amber fights to figure out who this insane stalker is, only to have her loved ones start dropping like flies. Will she make it out alive? Or will she die trying?

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

received an arc copy - honestly was not expecting the ending , it was great , I really thought I had the plot figured out, I did not. The FMC was my vibe.
If you have trigger warnings definitely check those before reading it. Definitely horror / thriller type of book. Writing style was great. I honestly loved the book and it was a good quick read for me between all my romance books

[Cristy Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this last month as a beta reader and let me tell you from the first page to the final page I was floored (in a good way). I was left at the end never seeing it coming. The imagery in this book leaves nothing to the imagination Courtney did an amazing job on this book.

[C Me Read Write Now · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I knew, until I didn’t

Man, this book is so good! I love a good thriller/suspense!! No one expects a stalker in a small town where crime is nonexistent….until Amber starts receiving some threatening messages. Who is lurking around, watching her every move? The details in this book are graphic at times, which I personally like. I love the police report at the end of the book that breaks everything down and draws you into the killers mind. Though it’s a fiction novel, it is just a friendly reminder that danger can lurk anywhere. I also must say that I absolutely love the chapter art on each chapter and the fact that the chapters were short. It made this a very easy read for me and it definitely factored into a full five star review! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a little bit of gore and a whole lot of psychological thriller/suspense!

[Rudy McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a Beta reader last month, and let me tell you; I could NOT put it down! I read it in less than 8 hrs!
Such descriptive writing style, suspense and thrills; you never know what's around the next corner (or page)!
This twisty stalker thriller will definitely have you hooked in no time; you'll be wondering who the stalker is, which character is in danger now..
Definitely the best thriller I've read all year!

[Tia Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book...where to begin?! I started out really connecting to our main character because, let's face it, Amber is so relatable. As we progressed I really started to notice how unreliable our narrator was and from there on I was on the edge of my seat! I just could NOT for the life of me figure out what was going on and I loved every second of it. When we got to the ending. I was completely BLOWN away. I didn't see it coming! Was a quick and exciting read and I really enjoyed it!

[Briseidy Strain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great and quick read for me! I enjoyed getting it in after my book club book and I’m fond of books that make me feel like I know the ending - only for it to be thrown in my face that I had it wrong. What’s worse is I felt that I SHOULD have known better throughout the book, but the writing was portrayed so well that it kept me guessing. I realized it’s a duology and am ready for book 2 when it’s published!

[Kayla Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense

I loved how relateable Amber was, and the vivid imagry used throughout the book. Courtney knows how to put words to feelings I never knew how to explain before!
She keeps us guessing through the end, wondering who is the stalker and what else are they capable of? Read for yourself to find out!

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ummmm…. Ok the ending was good. Idk. Just something about it…..

[Brandi Salvetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is absolutely amazing. the story the twist and turns everything about is was amazing. deff wasnt expecting the twist 5/5

[Kassy Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read

This book was such a good read. Definitely kept you guessing, and I was not expecting any of what happened.