The Gatekeeper

by April Seymour

How far would you go to make your dream a reality?

Andie Jones, a literary agent and gatekeeper to the publishing world, has an eerie feeling someone is following her. When she receives an email threatening to expose a damaging secret if she doesn't comply with the blackmailer's demands, she gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse with an unhinged stalker and must find a way to escape before someone gets hurt.

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 23, 2025

About the author

April Seymour is a North American poet and multi-genre novelist native to upstate New York. She writes a broad range of stories with psychological underpinnings—whether dark, speculative, humorous, or romantic—and diverse characters in morally subjective situations. When she is not writing she can be found reading and supporting other authors, watching The Walking Dead, and hanging out with the coolest people on Earth. She is grateful for her readers and enjoys connecting with other book lovers and making new book friends. You can follow her on TikTok: @april.seymour and Instagram: aprilseymour_ and sign up for her email list on her website.

Reviews

[peyton :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC - If you’ve read “Violin” by April Seymour, you know she does well in the psychological genre. “The Gatekeeper” was packed with nail biting moments to keep you on the edge of your seat.

It features two character POVs to narrate the story, and though I personally don’t prefer split POVs, I think it’s essential to offer those particular characters that unique opportunity in order to see within their minds as the thriller unfolds. Job well done.

I also love to see the diversity, with “The Gatekeeper” featuring a queer, interracial relationship. Representation matters!

This book was strong from start to finish, with intense plot lines, intriguing and relatable characters, and a fresh perspective on the publishing industry and capitalism as a whole.

[Dom Misuraca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading a ARC of The Gatekeeper and was thoroughly entertained from first page to he last.
The story, a successful literary agent dealing with blackmail and stalking, is very suspenseful and kept me guessing as to who was he culprit was. The frustrations and mindsets of both the protagonist AND the antagonist were very relatable, and influenced me to think of things from both of their points of view.
The ending wrapped up nicely and without loose ends, and it left me eager to read whatever comes next from this talented author.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Definitely my favorite of Seymour’s novels! This was only my second time reading a psychological thriller and I feel like it encapsulated that genre so well. I loved that the author used two different POV’s for each character. It fit the story so well and it made me feel more connected with the characters. Seymour’s ability to make the reader feel empathy for both characters was impressive. Even though one of the characters is a stalker, I still found myself understanding their thought process and feeling sympathetic. From the beginning, this book caught my attention and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. It also tackles important issues that people like Andie and Rae have to deal with everyday so it was nice to see that kind of representation! This is the type of book that I can see being a movie someday!

[Reads by Kae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this just now and I. Have. THOUGHTS.

A psychological thriller, “The Gatekeeper” had twists and turns galore. I was so certain I knew where it was going, thought I knew the whodunit of it all, but I didn’t. This book was a wild ride and yes, there are darker elements to it. It was truly un-put-downable. It kept me engrossed from the very beginning. The rage the antagonist felt came through the pages so well, not to mention what Andie felt during each experience.

Speaking of Andie: I was mildly (and pleasantly) surprised that she wasn’t this perfect character who could do no wrong. I love that she made mistakes and was called out on it.

All in all, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a wild, twisty, realistic ride with solid characters.

[Stephanie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book - thank you Ms. April Seymour for allowing me to get an ARC to read. Andi, works in publishing, and she is being stalked like 3 years of stalking, by a crazed author who wants to be picked up by the company she works for. Three years later things come to a head - with this person who wants to tell a secret she has with her wife, and then kidnaps the wife, and then tries to kill her, her wife and her father.


Then we have issues with a coworker who is a publisher in this same company who wants Andi to be her publisher.

This book defintely kept me on my toes - and I didn't give much away - I had this finish in one sitting :) I hope you give it a try -

[Amanda Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. I like the suspense and it had me on edge. I also really liked that the main character was gay/lesbian.