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The Ex She Feared
An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller about the one person you can never escape.
Vera Hart spent years making sure her ex could never find her again.
Then the lights went out.
As panic spreads and the city descends into chaos, there's no police to call. No phones. No safe place left to hide.
Because somewhere out there, he's looking for her.
Desperate to protect her two children, Vera flees the city with a stranger named Ben Rhodes, a man with a remote cabin deep in the Adirondacks and far too many secrets of his own.
But as winter closes in and every mile brings new dangers, Vera begins to wonder which is more terrifying...
The man she's running from.
Or the man she's running with.
Because the end of the world wasn't the beginning of her nightmare.
It was his second chance.
Perfect for readers of Freida McFadden, Lucinda Berry, John Marrs, and K.L. Slater.
Vera Hart spent years making sure her ex could never find her again.
Then the lights went out.
As panic spreads and the city descends into chaos, there's no police to call. No phones. No safe place left to hide.
Because somewhere out there, he's looking for her.
Desperate to protect her two children, Vera flees the city with a stranger named Ben Rhodes, a man with a remote cabin deep in the Adirondacks and far too many secrets of his own.
But as winter closes in and every mile brings new dangers, Vera begins to wonder which is more terrifying...
The man she's running from.
Or the man she's running with.
Because the end of the world wasn't the beginning of her nightmare.
It was his second chance.
Perfect for readers of Freida McFadden, Lucinda Berry, John Marrs, and K.L. Slater.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2026
About the author
J.C. Moore
27 books43 followersJ.C. Moore is the bestselling author of The Ex She Feared and the Shadow Bay mysteries.
His books blend crime fiction, suspense, and psychological tension, often featuring small towns with dark secrets, missing persons, serial killers, and ordinary people forced into impossible situations.
Influenced by writers such as Robert B. Parker, Michael Connelly, Karin Slaughter, Lee Child, and James Patterson, Moore writes fast-paced stories driven by character, consequence, and the choices people make under pressure.
Before becoming a full-time author, he worked as a bartender, IT technician, touring musician, horse farm manager, and restaurant owner. His music has appeared in television and film.
He lives in upstate New York with his partner and their dog Archie and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
The Shadow Bay Series
Secrets from a Serial Killer
The Winter of Hidden Knives
Behind All the Dark Roads
Echoes of a Serial Killer
The Frank Mallory Thrillers
Dead Man's Payback
No Way Out Alive
The No Safe Place Series
Brink of Ashes
Brink of Winter
TikTok: @jcmooreauthor
Find out more at jcmooreauthor.com
His books blend crime fiction, suspense, and psychological tension, often featuring small towns with dark secrets, missing persons, serial killers, and ordinary people forced into impossible situations.
Influenced by writers such as Robert B. Parker, Michael Connelly, Karin Slaughter, Lee Child, and James Patterson, Moore writes fast-paced stories driven by character, consequence, and the choices people make under pressure.
Before becoming a full-time author, he worked as a bartender, IT technician, touring musician, horse farm manager, and restaurant owner. His music has appeared in television and film.
He lives in upstate New York with his partner and their dog Archie and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
The Shadow Bay Series
Secrets from a Serial Killer
The Winter of Hidden Knives
Behind All the Dark Roads
Echoes of a Serial Killer
The Frank Mallory Thrillers
Dead Man's Payback
No Way Out Alive
The No Safe Place Series
Brink of Ashes
Brink of Winter
TikTok: @jcmooreauthor
Find out more at jcmooreauthor.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 17, 2026
This was a quick read. A story that’s based on a victim of domestic violence no longer having the normal, so called, protection in a functioning society due to an event, possibly global, that cuts the power, phones, and electronics. I say ‘so called’ because the protections offered in normal life are not even close to real protection for these victims. Anyway, the story is written to feel like you are in it with them. Looking over your shoulder, not trusting anyone, walking softly, quietly, observing everything. Crazy, and yet so real.
The characters are tuned to the current situation they are in. Few references are made to their past lives or their future goals. The present details and what is happening occupy their minds and actions almost 100 percent. So you can’t predict too much but wonder just the same. That does not bring me into their world to know, understand, or hope for them greater than the situation they're in.
The story was interesting, and one of the reviews had me wondering if the person had even read the book. None of what they said was true; it was just one of those people posting a low rating for their fun. It’s sad when I see that.
There were times when I had to back up and re-read a part because I thought I had missed something. I didn’t; the story just skipped information. Not vital information, but for the flow, it was needed.
If you like psychological thrillers, you will like this story. Except for the skips, it was well done.
The characters are tuned to the current situation they are in. Few references are made to their past lives or their future goals. The present details and what is happening occupy their minds and actions almost 100 percent. So you can’t predict too much but wonder just the same. That does not bring me into their world to know, understand, or hope for them greater than the situation they're in.
The story was interesting, and one of the reviews had me wondering if the person had even read the book. None of what they said was true; it was just one of those people posting a low rating for their fun. It’s sad when I see that.
There were times when I had to back up and re-read a part because I thought I had missed something. I didn’t; the story just skipped information. Not vital information, but for the flow, it was needed.
If you like psychological thrillers, you will like this story. Except for the skips, it was well done.
September 2, 2026
EMP stories are beginning to all read alike, but this one has the added twist of the MFC and her children being hunted by her Ex. The hero is an ex-cop with a cabin in the mountains that they head for. Lots of action and gruesome scenes along with suspense and solid character development kept me reading to the end.
August 7, 2026
Decent Read
Decent read just didn’t understand the lead up to society collapsing - all through the book I struggled with the storyline because I wanted to know what had caused the collapse
Decent read just didn’t understand the lead up to society collapsing - all through the book I struggled with the storyline because I wanted to know what had caused the collapse
August 2, 2026
awesome read!
Read this in one sitting. Kept me in the edge of my seat the whole way. Will be reading more from this author for sure!
Read this in one sitting. Kept me in the edge of my seat the whole way. Will be reading more from this author for sure!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews