Lover Boy: A Dark Psychological Murder Mystery Soaked in Tech Industry Satire and Serial Killer Suspense

by Samuel Brower

In the rapidly growing Appalachian city of Watershed—dubbed “The Silicon Valley of the East"—a new dating app called eRos promises perfect matches, better relationships, and fewer mistakes. Then women start turning up dead.

February “ Feb” Ferreira has just landed her first real reporting job when she’s assigned to cover the murders, which police insist are isolated incidents. But as Feb digs into the cases, familiar details begin to repeat, and coincidence starts to feel like choreography. Chasing answers means navigating a city desperate to protect its image, a tech CEO determined to keep his dating app’s subscriber count intact, and a public that seems almost eager to believe there’s a “Lover Boy Killer” stalking single women who use the eRos app. Caught between hitting deadlines with the stories her editors want and uncovering the absolute truth behind the violence, Feb pushes deeper into the investigation, unaware that every article, every connection, and every question is drawing her closer to a killer who is paying very close attention.

Stylish, unsettling, and deliberately overclocked, Lover Boy is a slasher for the modern day. Blending today’s dating culture with giallo excess, the novel explores obsession, spectacle, and the uneasy possibility that some monsters don’t hide in the shadows… they thrive in the spotlight.

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2026

About the author

Bestselling author Samuel Brower crafts haunting, immersive tales that blur the line between horror, dark fantasy, and the supernatural. His breakout novel, Haint, became an Amazon bestseller in 2024, cementing his reputation as a must-read voice in modern horror fiction. To date, Brower has published ten gripping novels and dozens of chilling short stories, with his work featured in renowned magazines like Voices, Nine Tales, and Zero Flash. A professional member of both the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, Brower brings a seasoned, masterful touch to every eerie world he creates.

Reviews

[Eric Krysniski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Quick Read

I’ve read through most of Brower’s catalog now and every time I pick up a new book of his I tend to enjoy it. This was a great addition to the Antihero series; I liked this considerably more than Hatchet Man and Devil Woman. Very fun characters, quick and easy action, some fun humor and a modern twist that made this a great afternoon read. If you’re looking for some easy entertainment you can’t go wrong with this one!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gripping thriller by Samuel Brower. This one is about a series of murders that are attached to a new dating app. Feb- a journalist is covering the murders and trying to uncover the truth while having to content with a mercenary news team and police who are less than enthusiastic about her involvement. I really enjoyed this one and had trouble putting it down!