The Mentor

by Angela Douglas

The book was fiction. The pain was real. The consequences are deadly.

Professor Karla Dobbs has literary acclaim, a bestselling novel, and a film adaptation on the horizon. Until a former student accuses her of plagiarism.

Natalie Silva claims that the novel in question is based on a real tragedy and insists that the film be stopped, or there will be consequences. Certain that she has done nothing wrong, Karla dismisses her. At first.

But as the world slips into lockdown, the truth begins to unravel, and the people behind the real story emerge demanding answers. Threats and public scrutiny follow. And then come the submissions.

Through a desperate attempt to stay afloat, her online mentorship program, Karla receives work from an anonymous writer known only as The Protegé. Each excerpt is disturbingly personal. Intimate and predictive, with chilling precision.

Someone is watching her.

Someone is writing her.

And as people around her begin to die, Karla realizes the most dangerous story she’s never told… may be her own.

When you steal someone else’s trauma, it becomes yours.

A gripping psychological suspense novel about literary ambition, stolen trauma, obsession, and revenge that explores the stories we tell, the secrets we keep, and the price of turning someone else's tragedy into your own success.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

268 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2026

About the author

Angela Douglas is an award-winning Canadian author of psychological thrillers, based in the Okanagan. Her debut novel, EVERY FALL, has been recognized by the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, the Canadian Book Club Awards, the Pen Craft Awards, and the National Indie Excellence Awards. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers of Canada, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Sisters in Crime. When she isn’t working or spending time with her family, she can be found in her studio writing. Her next novel, THE MENTOR, comes out in Fall 2026.

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Reviews

[suspenseisthrillingme]

Twisty, dread-fueled, and beyond impossible to put down, The Mentor was the exact kind of thriller I love to binge. Narrated from the perspective of an unlikeable anti-heroine, the best part of this page-turning read was quite possibly her deliberate slow unraveling. You see, while she wasn’t exactly a hate-worthy character, her morally gray ways made me look at her with disdain all while also feeling somewhat bad for her by the end. Shockingly complex as well as delightfully unreliable, the sense of paranoia seeped out of the page and into my veins. What was a true work of genius, though, was how it was paired with the start-of-COVID setting. Evoking that life-altering time with clarity and depth, it gave a very claustrophobic feel as well as making the plot even more suspenseful as bodies started dropping like flies. Was it COVID or murder? Guess you’ll have to read this one yourself to find out.

With increasingly high stakes and wild twists and turns, I was thrilled to find that the slow implosion of Karla’s life led to a über-fast-paced last third. Ending in a pulse-pounding climax that was made for a movie screen, my heart was in my throat as my eyes flew through the pages. After all, I never saw that twist coming by a mile. That being said, was it just a bit over-the-top? Okay…maybe. In spite of that, though, it was everything I love in a popcorn-slash-revenge thriller. Somehow also delivering psychological tension and thought-provoking themes, the deep dive into trauma, obsession, and who has the right to share someone’s story is sure to keep me thinking about this one long after I’m done. Perfect for fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot, it was an unputdownable novel looking at the literary world. So go on. Grab this one now. It was yet another addictive read by Ms. Douglas. Rating of 4.25 stars.

Read if the following sounds intriguing:
- A dysfunctional family
- Revenge-fueled antics
- Ratcheting tension
- Anti-heroine narrator
- Games of cat-and-mouse
- Cinematic climax
- Unlikeable characters
- Twisty plotting
- Literary-world-based premise
- COVID-era setting
- Thought-provoking themes
- Popcorn thriller vibes
- A sense of paranoia
- Morally gray behavior

SYNOPSIS:

Professor Karla Dobbs has everything: literary acclaim, a bestselling novel, and a film adaptation on the horizon. Until a former student accuses her of plagiarism.

Natalie Silva claims that the novel in question is based on a real tragedy and insists that the film be stopped, or there will be consequences. Certain that she has done nothing wrong, Karla dismisses her. At first.

But as the world slips into lockdown, the truth begins to unravel, and the people behind the real story emerge demanding answers. Threats and public scrutiny follow. And then come the submissions.

Through a desperate attempt to stay afloat, her online mentorship program, Karla receives work from an anonymous writer known only as The Protegé. Each excerpt is disturbingly personal. Intimate and predictive, with chilling precision.

Someone is watching her.

Someone is writing her.

And as people around her begin to die, Karla realizes the most dangerous story she's never told...may be her own.

Thank you Angela Douglas and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: September 15, 2026

Content warning: death of a child, COVID pandemic, death, medical content, death of a parent, cursing, stalking, mention of: institutionalization

[Dozelina 666]

There are certain things I really don't enjoy encountering unexpectedly in books, and apparently I've discovered another one: COVID lockdown. I somehow completely missed that The Mentor was set during the pandemic. Says lockdown, but I was thinking about, maybe something else.

BUT... we move forward. Because despite that, I actually thought this was a pretty good psychological thriller, especially when it came to the questions it raises about trauma, ownership and who has the right to tell someone else's story.

Karla is a university professor struggling financially while also taking care of her elderly mother, with whom she has a rather difficult relationship. And Karla herself? Well... let's just say I don't think she's winning any Miss Congeniality competitions anytime soon. She has quite a difficult personality and I never particularly liked her. Which, considering some of the decisions she makes, probably isn't entirely accidental.

Karla's life changes when her novel becomes incredibly successful and a movie adaptation is put into motion. There's just one teeny tiny problem: the story wasn't entirely hers. Karla took inspiration from the unpublished work of one of her former students, Natalie. Natalie isn't even living in the country anymore, so Karla seems to think she's relatively safe from any consequences.

Except Natalie comes back and she has something rather important to tell Karla: the story is based on real events. She wants the movie stopped, otherwise there will be consequences. But Natalie is supposed to return to Brazil, the world goes into lockdown, the movie rights have already been signed away, and Karla more or less convinces herself that there isn't much she can do. Surely everything will be fine.

Oh well... Everything was NOT fine....

Because soon everything goes completely to Cheetos. We've got stalking, strange incidents, bodies piling up, and increasingly disturbing emails and submissions from someone supposedly participating in Karla's online mentorship program. At first, everything is confusing even for Karla because the whole world is shutting down, everyone is isolated and everything already feels strange and uncertain. But it doesn't take very long before she realizes this isn't simply pandemic paranoia. Someone is coming for her, and Karla is beginning to understand that perhaps taking somebody else's story and turning it into her own success wasn't quite as consequence-free as she'd imagined.

What I found most interesting about this book was actually the subject underneath the thriller: who owns a traumatic story? What happens when somebody takes another person's tragedy and tells it from an outsider's perspective, especially when the people who actually lived through it never consented to having their experiences turned into entertainment? It becomes even more uncomfortable when the movie adaptation starts portraying the tragedy in a way that may be very different from what actually happened.

I thought the book handled that aspect really well because a story can look completely different depending on who's telling it. When you're dealing with somebody else's real trauma, that difference matters. Add the increasingly dark events surrounding Karla and the trail of bodies appearing around her, and there was definitely enough here to keep me curious about exactly what had happened and who was behind everything.

Unfortunately, the COVID setting really affected my personal enjoyment. That's entirely a me thing, rather than something I think the author did badly. I simply don't enjoy returning to that period through fiction, especially when lockdown and the pandemic play such a noticeable role in the circumstances of the story. Had I known beforehand, I probably wouldn't have picked this one up, and I think that prevented me from becoming as engrossed in the thriller as I otherwise might have been.

Still, The Mentor was a good psychological thriller, and I really appreciated some of the subjects it explored. It definitely gave me something to think about.

And perhaps the most important lesson here is: if you're going to steal somebody's unpublished story...

Actually, no.

Just don't do that...

3.5⭐

https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...

[Celeste | bookrecs_by_celeste]

3.5⭐️

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse and NetGalley for my arc of The Mentor by Angela Douglas. All opinions are my own.

I overall enjoyed this popcorn thriller! I thought it was a very interesting premise and the characters intrigued me. I saw the twist coming but was still throughly entertained. I can't wait to check out more from this author.

Professor Karla Dobbs has it all as a famous author until a former student of hers accuses her of plagiarism in her latest novel. Once called out Karla will have the fight of her life to defend her name, writing, and story. The trauma in this book was brutal and I thought the author did a great job conveying it. I felt the pain in the story Karla had written.

[Tessa]

High-stakes suspense meets revenge thriller in Angela Douglas’s The Mentor, which follows an author whose bestselling novel is rooted in a devastating personal trauma. The problem? That trauma is not her own—and now that the book is blowing up, someone is out for blood. Led by a nuanced protagonist and set against the backdrop of the publishing world, this terror-filled tale is perfect for fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot and David Bell’s Kill All Your Darlings. The Mentor had me playing 'one more chapter’ half the night. A stunner.

[Thrillerswineandchill]

✍️ F R A U D U L E N T F R I D A Y review ✍️ featuring “The Mentor” by Angela Douglas!

TGIF everyone! My friends and I at #thepulse are all excited to put THE MENTOR on your radars before it releases on September 15, 2026!

Karla Dobbs is a well known professor who has mentored many students over the course of her career. She is also thriving as an author with a bestselling novel and a movie adaption in the works.

Weeks before the movie trailer is about to be released, one of her past students Natalie Silva accuses her of plagiarism. The “idea” behind Karla’s newest book came from the student’s writing submission. Natalie wrote her storyline based off of a true story of someone she knew. She does not want this person’s tragedy to hit the big screen and calls Karla out for stealing her story, while begging her to stop production.

Karla had needed an idea BADLY after her previous book totally flopped … but insists that she only “borrowed”the main theme and put her own twist on the rest. Karla has not fully grasped how damaging this situation really is … until the people involved in the REAL LIFE story come forward and they are not happy with her …

💭 This book is totally wild and fuelled by obsession, greed and dishonesty! What starts off as a slow burn, suddenly hits the ground running. Karla is a character that you just want to SHAKE some sense into but she is too wrapped up in saving herself and her reputation. There are lots of twists and turns that will catch you off guard and a creepy voyeur vibe that adds a ton of built up tension and uneasy feelings while reading.

Thank you kindly to @angeladouglasbooks @eobpublishing @thrillerbookloversthepulse @netgalley for my advanced digital copy and spot on this book tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Hot Mess Book Lover]

The Mentor grabs you from the very first page with a heart-wrenching hook that will leave your head spinning. As the suspense builds, you’ll find yourself increasingly frustrated with the narrator—so much so that you’ll be yelling at the book like you’re watching a scary movie: “Why?!” “Don’t do that!”

The rising tension is palpable, keeping you on edge as the story unfolds. And just when you think you have it figured out, a shocking ending pulls the rug out from under you.

Thank you to Angela Douglas, EOB Publishing, and The Pulse for the opportunity to read before publication.

[Jeanie ~ Fables.and.fur]

Every Fall was a great thriller so I’m glad to see the author has a new book coming out. Karla is a middle aged English Professor that has a published book that was picked up to be a movie. When a former student accuses her of plagiarism, she stands to lose everything. Karla isn’t remotely likable, but she and her mother did make me laugh. To complicate Karla’s predicament, Covid has started and lockdowns are being forced. I loved the ending!

Thank you @eobpublishing and @angeladouglasbooks for an ARC of The Mentor.

[Faye Arcand]

The Mentor by Angela Douglas
Imagine your teacher… No, no, no, not just a teacher, but your flipping MENTOR stealing your work and passing it off as their own! If you can imagine that kind of gross misconduct, then you'll appreciate the thriller The Mentor by Angela Douglas.
The story begins with a horrific scene that sets the stage for the work that is later plagiarized. The incident is powerfully told and stays with you as we meet Professor Karla Dobbs, whose book in question became a huge success and is being made into a movie.
Things take a turn as she is accused of plagiarism and begins receiving threatening emails demanding she stop the movie production or face the consequences of being exposed. Then, just as everything is coming to a head, the COVID pandemic hits, bringing the world, including the movie production, to a grinding halt.
Under the cover of lockdowns and COVID restrictions, Karla's world is forever changed as paranoia, tension, and uncertainty begin to influence her every decision and action.
Karla is an interesting and flawed character. She hasn't had the easiest life, that's for sure. Living with her elderly mother is a challenge, and her lack of confidence and abrasive personality certainly don't make things any easier. While I didn't dislike her, she wouldn't make my top ten list of favourite characters either. The author has done a fabulous job of building Karla's character, adding layers and nuances that make her both complicated, believable, and dare I say relatable in many ways.
As we get deeper into the story, things begin to go off the rails, so to speak, and all hell breaks loose.
The fast pace and the need to know what happens next keep the reader on edge as the story unfolds and the truth is gradually revealed.
Definitely worth the read.

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN]

My rating is 4.5!
Well what a read! This was honestly so gripping. I was less than 50 pages from the end and my brain has still scrabbling and failing to put the pieces together.

It is told mainly from the Pov of Karla, a university professor who has just released a best seller book and is awaiting on an iminent movie adaptation of it.

Initially I felt sorry for her. She came across a little pitiful and naive, but as the story moved along her behaviour was more narcissistic and erratic, and I found her shameless and rather frustrating. Yes she had some tough times in life, but it doesn't excuse her behaviour.

The author does such a good job of misdirecting and throwing in red herrings that will leave you reeling! I spent a proportion of this book rolling my eyes at Karla's actions and screaming at my Kindle.

This book is fairly fast paced and a real page turner and that ending wow!

You will love this if you enjoy books that mess with your mind, make you feel like you are in the drama, and are filled with sus characters who make you feel like you don't know who to trust!

Thank you to Angela Douglas and EOB Publishing/ victory Editing for this advanced complimentary copy via Netgalley. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Janie Hickok Siess]

Angela Douglas is a Canadian author based in the Okanagan. For her debut thriller, Every Fall, was recognized by the Crime Writers of Canada Excellence Awards, Canadian Book Club Awards, Pen Craft Awards, and National Indie Excellence Awards. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers of Canada, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Sisters in Crime, and founded Eyes on Books, a Book Marketing Hub. The Mentor is her sophomore novel.

Readers who enjoy thrillers in which main characters are unreliable — and very unlikable — narrators will find much to enjoy in The Mentor.

The book opens with a harrowingly realistic Prologue depicting a parent’s worst nightmare. Readers are next introduced to Karla Pitman, an author who writes under a pseudonym, Karla Dobbs. Her last published book was a dismal failure. However, she rebounded and her subsequent novel, Unheard Cries, is another bestseller. She is again making public appearances to promote the book because it has been adapted as a major motion picture that is about to be released.

At the age of fifty-eight, Karla sees herself as a “tired” university writing professor. She has never had a solid romantic relationship or had children. She is lonely. Her father is deceased and she was forced to bring her demanding and demeaning mother, who is now in her late eighties, to live with her. Her mother can no longer live independently, and Karla cannot continue bearing the cost of having her mother reside in a facility. The two women snipe at each other and Karla is irritated that her mother insists on referring to her by the childhood nickname — Fudge — that Karla despises. Still, Karla insists that she loves her mother deeply, even though she plainly views her mother as a burden.

Adding to Karla’s misery is the fact that the draft of her next novel is well overdue. And she doesn’t simply have writer’s block. She is paralyzed, with not even a flicker of an idea for a story. Her agent is hounding her to forward him at least a few pages in order to appease her publisher, and she is depending on revenue from the upcoming film to pay her past due bills. Karla is mired in debt, including for her mother’s medical care.

As if all that isn’t enough, Natalie Silva, a former student with whom Karla has had no contact for eight years, surprises Karla by attending a promotional event and posing a question from the audience. “The trauma in this book is so visceral, it must have happened in real life. Did this happen to you? Have you lost a child, Karla?” When Karla’s long-time assistant, Tag, asks her about it, Karla feigns ignorance. But Natalie also appears at a book signing later in the day and accuses Karla of stealing a portion of the manuscript — that harrowing Prologue — she submitted in Karla’s writing class. At that time, Natalie made it clear she had no interest in publishing her purportedly fictional tale. “I trusted you with my manuscript, and you told me how brilliant I was . . . Imagine my surprise at the airport when I picked up your latest novel.” Natalie is also aware of the upcoming movie. She demands that Karla stop its release, in part because Hollywood has changed the book’s storyline significantly, including the way the lead character, a grieving mother, is portrayed.

The world shuts down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the movie is released directly to streaming platforms. Karla is scrambling to find a way to get out of debt. She’s drinking too much, taking Adderall provided by Tag in order to concentrate, along with nicotine gum, and barely sleeping. Her life is falling apart and matters only escalate as she becomes convinced that someone is seeking retribution. She is desperate to salvage her career and reputation — nothing ensures an author will be “canceled,” conclusively and permanently, faster than substantiated plagiarism. She is named in a lawsuit and certain that she is being followed. Is she simply paranoid?

She has taken her mentoring program online and a new student who calls themself only The Protégé begins submitting writing samples for Karla to critique. The excerpts are disjointed and somewhat rambling, so Karla requests a plot outline or synopsis in order to understand the story that seems “unhinged but interesting, a page-turner that left me wanting to know more.” Each successive submission is increasingly unnerving. The Protégé appears to know what Karla is thinking, feeling, and doing. And to predict future events. Who is The Protégé and how are they obtaining that information?

When the people closest to her begin dying, Karla is not convinced that they actually contracted COVID and succumbed quickly to the virus, as authorities insist. But medical professionals are overwhelmed, hospitals are full, and autopsies are delayed. Were they really murdered? If so, who is killing them? Can Karla find a way to make things right in time to save herself? Or will her increasingly erratic behavior ensure her undoing?

Most importantly, are any of the things Karla describes in her first-person narrative actually happening?

Douglas deftly keeps readers guessing about what is real and what Karla is only imagining in the steadily paced tale. As she searches for answers, several supporting characters emerge as potential suspects, which holds readers’ interest.

For the most part, Karla appears to be irredeemable. She is remarkably childlike, lacking decision-making skills, and her bad judgment and insupportable choices only create more chaos that she must somehow overcome. She expresses a desire to atone for the hurt she has caused several times. And dreams about paying her debts in full, selling her house, and moving into her family’s small, remote cabin, and leading a quiet life there, writing and, hopefully, reestablishing herself as a respected author and mentor. After everything that has happened, can she still make her dreams a reality? Is she sincere?

Reading The Mentor is a disorienting experience because Karla is a thoroughly unreliable reporter. She omits salient details, fails to appreciate the possible significance of developments, and it is difficult to follow her muddled thinking. All of which makes the story’s final, clever twist so shocking and satisfying. Karla is a frustrating, annoying, and, in many ways, unsympathetic character, but The Mentor is a creative and entertaining story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm)]

Imagine going through a trauma that completely transforms your life. You put your experiences down on paper as a form of therapy or closure, only to decide against pursuing a book. But then, someone else 'borrows' your idea, runs with it, and turns it into a bestseller...

The story unfolds through multiple points of view: Karla, Tag, and, toward the end, Allie. The non-linear timeline deepens character development. While the intention behind this structure may have been deliberate, I found myself struggling to connect with any of the characters, despite the abundance of drama that kept me flipping the pages.

Professor Karla Dobbs appears to 'borrow' a book concept from a former student who, after moving away from the U.S., declared she would not pursue writing. Lacking fresh ideas and pressured by looming deadlines, Karla decides to 'rework' this concept into her own novel, which unexpectedly becomes a major success complete with a movie deal! Tag, Karla’s assistant, is stuck in a professional relationship that doesn’t quite click, yet he carries on with the hope of making a name for himself in the literary world.

Things take a turn when Natalie Silva shows up, confronting Karla with a demand to come clean about the plagiarism, or face legal action. Unbeknownst to Karla, the idea she appropriated from her student is rooted in a real-life tragedy. It raises the unsettling question: who can you trust when your professor is involved in something so morally ambiguous?

As the pandemic unfolds, the book captures the chaotic beginnings of it all. I was reminded of my own experience in Washington State, just next to Everett, where the first U.S. case was reported. Back then, I couldn’t fathom the extent to which the world would actually shut down. Those early days came rushing back to mind. I was still working, as was my husband, though we faced an unsettling number of precautions. This book effectively illustrates that time of confusion, highlighting how Karla’s mother experienced symptoms that landed her in the hospital.

Having read other pandemic-related books, I remember the lockdown at the hospitals, where visitations were prohibited, and goodbyes were not possible. Medical staff worked tirelessly under impossible conditions. It's a trauma that resurfaces with vivid clarity. Amidst this turmoil, an anonymous writer known as the Protegé begins sending Karla unsettling contributions that eerily mirror her own life during lockdown. The pressure escalates as Karla confronts the consequences of exploiting someone else's trauma, which leads to a series of threatening encounters and unexplained murders.

This read is ideal for fans of popcorn thrillers who appreciate a good twist. I saw it coming, but the ending truly took me by surprise. The narrative is brisk and fast-paced, especially as it races toward the conclusion, filled with intriguing characters that keep you engaged. Themes of obsession, ambition, and vengeance are woven throughout, driving home the message that it's unacceptable to take someone else's trauma and claim it as your own. After all, karma has a way of catching up with you, because someone out there knows exactly what you did! Ha!

Thank you, ThrillerBookLoversThePulse, EOB Publishing, and NetGalley, for the gifted DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[bookedupnurse]

2.5 ⭐️ rounded to 3.

The book was fiction … but the pain was real.

Professor Karla Dobbs has everything: literary acclaim, a bestselling novel and film adaptation being produced. Life seems to be going well and the big money she is now making will help her care for her ailing mother, that is until a former student accuses her of plagiarism.

When Natalie Silva claims that the novel in question is based on a real tragedy, she insists the film production be stopped. But she finds she is up against a ring of protection that is supporting Karla. When her threats of consequences are dismissed, Natalie knows she needs to find another way to make Karla listen.

When the world falls into lockdown with the COVID pandemic, the chaotic truth begins to unravel. Those around Karla begin to demand answers about the accusations by Natalie: her lawyer, her assistant, a podcaster. Desperate to keep afloat financially, Karla begins an online mentorship for wannabe writers and receives work from someone only know as ‘The Protege’. The work they submit is disturbingly personal to Karla. It is predictive and precise. She discovers someone is watching her and writing her life in real time. And when those around her begin to die, she realises the most dangerous story she has to tell, might just be her own.

Told across multiple POVs, we can see how the obsessive nature of the ‘protege’ and the pandemic unfolds and the result both have on Karla. I didn’t overly like or feel connected to any of the characters and unsure if this was intentional and almost created to feel metaphorical distance, much like the ongoing social distancing throughout.

A psychological popcorn thriller, with intriguing twists and a fast pace, the story is heavily focusing on the time period of COVID, and has further themes of desperate ambition, trauma, revenge, obsession and grief tourism. I enjoyed the premise of a professor stealing a former students work, but other than that, this one didn’t really do it for me! The feeling of returning to the COVID time period was uncomfortable and I feel the ending needed some clarity and overall, the book needs to flow a little better.

Thank you to NetGalley, Angela Douglas and EOB Publishing for the ARC of this in exchanged for an honest review.

[Christina Sharp]

I was given the opportunity to read an Advanced Readers Copy of The Mentor by Angela Douglas and I finished it last night!

The Mentor follows an author, Karla Dobbs, who is on a press tour for her new book when some accuses her of plagiarism! Karla is a professor as her full time job while also offering an online mentorship for her students. And the person accusing her of plagiarism? A former student! The former student, Natalie, wants the book pulled from shelves and the movie production of the book stopped completely! While threats of a lawsuit and other consequences hinder Karla’s judgment as she tries to keep people from finding out, a submission to her mentorship program that sounds an a lot like her current situation sets her paranoia even higher. Then start to add in COVID lockdowns happening everywhere, she starts really freaking out about everyone finding out and the consequences that will bring. But as more submissions come in from the anonymous “protege” Karla feels like she is not only being targeted for plagiarism, but she is being watched and followed. And when people around her start dying, Karla fears that when you take someone else’s trauma to profit on…the consequences are deadly!

This is an amazing and suspenseful thriller! I devoured this book in a day and a half! I would have finished it sooner if I could have! I didn’t want to stop reading. The suspense level in this book was so intoxicating, I felt the fear Karla had when things got bad and her confusion around certain things that was happening. This book does contain a page of trigger warnings at the beginning, which I do suggest people read before starting. I can’t wait for this book to come out on September 15th and for everyone to read it!

#advancedreaderscopy #bookreview #suspensethriller

[Erica]

After loving Every Fall, I was SO excited to pick up another book from Angela Douglas. Every Fall was such a wild ride for me, quick, crazy, unpredictable, and the kind of book that had me talking about it long after I finished. I never wanted that one to end.

The Mentor was definitely a different experience.

I really liked the premise of a professor taking an unpublished manuscript from one of her students and making it her own. The idea of what happens when you take someone else's story, claim it as your own, and the impact that can have on everyone involved was really interesting to me. This felt like the story moved slowly at times but it was such a quick read.

The story takes place partly during the COVID lockdowns, and I have to admit, it was a little uncomfortable going back to that time. It was definitely crucial to the story and takes you back to a time I feel like everyone can vividly remember.

I did struggle a little at the end. I wanted more - more explanation, more clarity - I wanted to know exactly what happened where I felt like it left it a little more open. I can guess but don't know for sure. However, it did leave me thinking about it and what more can you want from a story than for it to leave an impression.

Overall this was a quick, attenton grabbing read that really drops you in a place and time. It ran me through some emotions for sure! I enjoyed the stories within the story (this feels like it would be so hard to write). I would definitely recommend checking this one out and can't wait to see what's next for this author. She is such a lovely human!!

Lastly, I also appreciated that there are trigger warnings at the beginning of the book and there are quite a few, so definitely take a look at those before starting.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Andria Lambert]

This is the first book that I have read by the author, I have purchased the book called Every Fall and its on my tbr list to be read.

In the book The Mentor, the story starts with a tragedy, a mother loses her son due to a tragic accident when her son is hit by a train.

The main character Karla is a 58 year old professor who takes "care" of her mother who is in her 80's. Karla has a new novel that is in the works to being made into a movie. Her previous book was a flop so she really needs this one to be successful. Her finances of keeping up her mother and her salary from being a professor isn't enough. When she's at a book signing for her new book, she's approached by a former student Natalie, that accuses Karla of stealing the story from something she wrote several years ago. There is a demand to come clean about stealing the story or face legal action. Karla will try to do anything to keep it from coming out that she has stolen a story. She needs to be successful and she really isn't a very likeable character. I don't want to go through all the twists and turns and spoil the story, but things take a dark turn with some threatening encounters and also some deaths and in the end there is that thing called karma. It's definitely a story about a life spiraling out of control.

I thought the pacing of the story was good, the tension and suspense continued to built all the way to the end, and of course like all good thrillers there is a surprising twist. The points of view are from mostly Karla, but there is also Tag and Allie. Karla is definitely an unreliable narrator. She was not a good person. I enjoyed the story.

Thank you Netgalley and EOB Publishing for the complimentary copy of the story.

[Ashley Sawyer]

Karla Dobbs has built a career as a celebrated professor and best-selling author, with a blockbuster film adaptation of her novel just around the corner. But when a former student accuses her of plagiarizing a story rooted in a real life tragedy, everything she's worked for begins to unravel. As the COVID lockdown isolates the world the controversy surrounding Karla only grows. Desperate to rebuild her reputation she launches an online mentor program, only to receive eerie submissions from an anonymous writer known as The Protegé. Each piece contains unsettling details about her life and only serves to ramp up her paranoia. With secrets resurfacing and people around her dying, Karla must uncover who her Protegé is before fiction becomes fatal.

A plagiarism scandal, an isolated lockdown setting and anonymous writing submissions... I was hooked! The tension builds slowly but never lets up, layering psychological suspense with questions about ethics, ambition and who really owns a story. I loved how the paranoia seeped into every chapter. This is definitely a book where you want to check out the trigger warnings. Some sensitive topics include traumatic event involving a child death, murder, thoughts of suicide, grief and trauma, dog injury (not death), substance abuse and body shaming. Karla isn't the easiest character to root for but that's part of what made this so compelling. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, unreliable characters and stories about the consequences of secrets definitely check this one out on pub day!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Angela Douglas, and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for an early copy!

[Karen]

Thank you @angeladouglasbooks for my complimentary copy. My friends @thrillerbookloversthepulse are raving about this one. All opinions expressed are my own.

PLOT OVERVIEW: Professor Karla Dobbs has experienced notable success with her writing and finds fulfillment in mentoring her students. However, her world is turned upside down when her bestselling novel is adapted into a movie, and a former students accuses her of plagiarism. While Karla may have “borrowed” her student’s idea, she firmly believes that she has developed it into something uniquely her own.

Karla is largely unlikable, especially with her uncharitable attitude towards her aging mother. Then the world shuts down because of COVID-19. As the pandemic unfolds, Karla faces an unsettling reality: people around her are dying or being murdered. This leads her to wonder, is she next?

The character development is compelling as Karla evolves from a disheveled professor into a woman struggling to protect her reputation and to simply survive. The plot unfolds at a slow pace initially, allowing for a deep dive into her relationships and the emotional weight of her circumstances, but it gains momentum in the middle, leading to a thrilling conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this novel for anyone seeking a narrative that balances character depth with a suspenseful plot.

[Tiffany]

Wow....The Mentor was a wild ride!! The pacing was great and had me flipping pages long past the time I should have been asleep. As far as main characters go, Karla was unlikeable but was written in a way that made it clear that that was the intention. Her self-centeredness is pretty much what kicked off the whole sequence of events anyway. Had she not helped herself to someone else's manuscript, things would have been a lot different.

This book did make me realize that I may still be a little traumatized by all the chaos of the pandemic because while I knew going in that Covid was a big part of the story, it got a bit overwhelming at times. That's just a personal preference though. There are also a list of other trigger warnings at the beginning so make sure you check those before diving in.

Now, the ending. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. And I went back and read the last few chapters again, just to let it simmer. I'm still not entirely sure what I think. It left me a little frustrated, if I'm being honest but it is an ending that could definitely spark a conversation or two.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Nikki B.]

The Mentor is a pretty fast paced, psychological, revenge thriller.
Karla is a professor and has just released her newest best -seller which is turning into a film adaptation until former student Natalie confronts her, claiming that Karla stole her manuscript. What's more is that Natalie claims that she as proof of this, because the story was based on a real life tragedy. Karla believes that she changed enough things in the story for this claim to be untrue. This is all happening during the beginning stages of Covid and the world is just entering lockdown. As people around Karla begin to die in suspicious ways, the delays that came with covid is prolonging autopsies and causes of deaths. Also, the real people behind the tragedy in her story are emerging and demanding answers.
This story was thrilling. I really enjoy when a story is somewhat centered around covid, a tie when we were all losing our minds. being trapped in our houses and facing isolation. The suspense in this story really had me going. I really enjoyed the twist and thought the story was very well written and engaging. It definitely kept my interest!

[Kathleen]

Things are looking up for Karla. She’s a middle aged, slightly overweight, unhappy, and very lonely English professor who takes care of her unpleasant mother. She’s has some success as a writer but things are changing. Unheard Cries, her new book, is a best seller that has been made into a movie. Then a student causes her of plagiarism. The scene Karla is alleged to have stolen is the most talked about chapter in the book. Karla says it could not have been stolen. The tragedy that is similar occurred years ago in a small town on the other side of the country. How could Karla have known? A podcaster investigate and draws more attention to the accusations. While her agent and her assistant believe her, it becomes harder to defend her. Karla fears she is being watched and slowly descends into a madness of her own making. What is the truth? Is she being followed? Was there plagiarism? You’ll be turning the pages as fast as you can to follow the action in this dark, disturbing psychological thriller. And you won’t see the ending coming! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, EOB Publishing and Angela Douglas for this ARC.

[Kerri Hall]

The Mentor is a tense and addictive psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first chapter. When bestselling author and professor Karla Dobbs is accused of plagiarism by a former student, her carefully built life begins to unravel. As anonymous submissions to her mentorship program start mirroring her own circumstances, paranoia takes hold, leaving both Karla and the reader questioning who can be trusted.

The story unfolds during the COVID lockdowns, which made it feel especially immersive. As a nurse who worked through that period, the setting brought back vivid memories and added an extra layer of realism and unease to the story. Angela Douglas captures the isolation and uncertainty of that time brilliantly, making the tension feel even more palpable.

Filled with twists, escalating suspense, and an atmosphere of constant dread, The Mentor kept me second-guessing until the end. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with complex characters, high stakes, and a plot that keeps you guessing, this is one you’ll want on your TBR. ★★★★★

[Patricia]

Karla just wanted to write a book better than her last one, which bombed after publication. So when she borrows a theme from a storyline that one of her students wrote many years ago, she thinks she has put enough of her own twist on it, that it's not an outright copy. The problem is, the main storyline is so recognizable that the student who wrote the original is incensed. Rabidly, morally, and vengefully incensed.

While I don't like to think back to that time, the COVID timeframe works as we see how isolated Karla is as she receives eerie submissions that mirror her life. It helps with the uncertainty of the deaths around her - are they COVID-related, or are they murders?

What started as a slow read for me quickly escalated into a fast-paced book that left me hoping that my ideas and words are truly my own and not some residual replay of something I read long ago!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers - The Pulse for the opportunity to post the cover reveal and go on the book tour of this ARC.

[Brenda]

Karla is an unpleasant and indifferent person to be around, even for (especially?) for her assistant, Tag. She does, however, have occasional moments of heart. She is a university writing professor who is also a literary fiction writer with an upcoming book to film adaptation. But before it can proceed, a former student accuses Karla of stealing her work based on real-life tragedy and passing it off as her own. Natalia threatens trouble if Karla doesn't halt the filming process. But that's just the beginning. Death enters the scene and the reader is left wondering whether it is COVID (a prominent focus in the story) or something else. Covid in stories is something I try to stay away from but here it is relevant. The ending may not work for everyone but it worked for me.

What I liked most was the pervasive delicious sense of dread and originality. Watching Karla spiral downward was emotive and convincing. Bright and clever prose is gorgeously written with thoughtfulness and heart.

Do be sure to read the content warnings.

[Julie (JuJu)]

"The Mentor" by Angela Douglas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Releases 9/15/2026

"The book was fiction. The pain was real. The consequences are deadly."

It took me a few chapters to realize I'd already read Angela Douglas's earlier novel "Every Fall" (a solid 4 stars from me). Douglas has a flawless record for jaw-dropping covers, but "The Mentor" instantly stole my heart. The moment I saw it, I was hooked.

Thanks to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse and the author for opportunity to read this ARC!

This is psychological suspense that seeps under your skin, tightening its grip with every hushed, unsettling moment.

Karla, a rising author, runs a mentorship program. Then an anonymous student starts sending writing submissions that feel a little too personal and a little too predictive.
For me, the slow-burn unraveling of trust is the actual standout. Douglas captures ambition, vulnerability, the desperate need to be seen, and the risk of letting someone in too close. Karla is manipulated by a shadowy figure who knows way too much. I couldn't help rooting for her. She's got a quirky charm, she's overwhelmed, and she's fighting to keep her world from falling apart.

By the final chapters, the atmosphere turns claustrophobic and exciting. I genuinely felt that jittery chest-tightening panic. The kind where you have to remind yourself you're just reading a book. Watching Karla realize she's in deep trouble is intense but so addictive.

And the supporting cast shines, also. Every character adds their own tension and complication, making the dynamics irresistible.

Reasons you'll love "The Mentor"
• Character-driven suspense
• Psychological tension
• Complicated power dynamics
• Past trauma resurfacing
• Claustrophobic atmosphere
• Shorter page count + quick read

Trust me, this one warrants a spot at the top of your TBR. And I can't wait to read the author's next work!

[Stephanielikesbooks]

This thriller read is about Karla, a successful fiction author and creative writing instructor, who is accused of plagiarizing a former student’s unpublished manuscript. Karla’s in trouble as her best-seller seems to be based on a real-life tragedy and a movie based on her book is about to be released. Karla is about to find out that “when you steal someone else’s trauma, it becomes yours.”

Karla is her own worst enemy and not a very likable character (though there are moments when her vulnerabilities peek through). I liked that she was morally grey.

The story started off with a bang and unfolded at a steady pace. It really picked up near the end with some clever but ambiguous twists that I had to reread a few times and kept me pondering for quite some time.

Note that the story is set during the onset of the Covid pandemic and it really takes you back to 2020. There are other trigger warnings as well that are listed at the start of the novel.

Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Mel Stokes]

I went into The Mentor expecting a tense psychological thriller, but unfortunately it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

The biggest thing that took me out of the story was how often COVID was brought up. I understand why it was included, but it felt like it came up so frequently that it became distracting. Instead of adding to the atmosphere, I found myself wishing the focus would return to the mystery.

There were definitely parts that kept me reading, and I wanted to know how everything would come together, but I never felt completely invested in the characters or emotionally connected to what was happening. The pacing also felt a little slow in places, with a lot of dialogue before the suspense really picked up.

I'm glad I gave it a chance, and I can see it working better for readers who don't mind stories set firmly during the pandemic. For me, though, it was an okay read with an interesting premise that just didn't live up to what I'd hoped.

[Stacy40pages]

The Mentor by Angela Douglas. Thanks to thrillerbookloverspulse for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Professor Karla Dobbs seems to have it all; a successful career, best selling novel, and a film adaptation on the way. Until a former student accuses her of plagiarism and stealing a real life tragedy for her gain. As Covid hits and the world goes on lockdown, the truth starts to unravel.

I loved this twisty book about an author and accusations of plagiarism. There’s a lot more to it. I couldn’t put it down. I loved that the main character was a middle age woman and didn’t seem to have much going for her except her writing. It was dual perspective, but only for a few chapters which added some fun. The ending was completely shocking and left me thinking about it for a while.

“The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect.”

The Mentor comes out 9/15.

[Mercedes Narain]

This book hooked me from the very first page. That prologue had me completely invested, and I finished it in just two days because I needed to know what was really going on.

The story follows Karla, a struggling author whose life starts to unravel when secrets from her past begin surfacing. The suspense was nonstop, the chapters flew by, and the twists kept me guessing the entire time. I loved how complicated Karla's character was. I didn't always like her, but I couldn't help feeling for her.

And that ending? Totally got me. I never saw it coming.

If you love fast-paced thrillers with lots of twists, morally gray characters, and an ending that leaves you shocked, I recommend adding this one to your TBR. Just make sure to check the trigger warnings at the beginning before diving in.

Thank you so much to @thrillerbookloversthepulse & @angeladouglas for the complimentary eBook!

[Rachel Bradshaw]

Thank you, thriller book lovers/ The Pulse for an ARC of this book!

I have read many thrillers in my day now and I will admit I am picky. The storyline was gripping. I had a love-hate relationship with Karla, the main character in the book. Tag was one of my favorite characters and relatable!

The author brought us back to COVID times, and perhaps mentioned it a few more times than needed.

All in all I want to say up until the end, it is a really great book. I feel like the ending could’ve gone in a different direction which would make this a four or five star book. To be honest, I had to reread the ending twice and I’m still slightly confused. The ending can make or break a book for me and unfortunately the ending missed the mark.

[Sheri]

Karla just published her second book. Thankfully it is doing much better than her first. She has a problem though. A former student accused her of stealing her story. She didn’t accuse her publicly but will if Karla does not stop the movie being released.

This story takes place during the start of COVID when no one really knew what it was but they were scared. Let this be a trigger warning as it is very much a part of the story and the author does not dance around it.

I finished the hook a few days ago and am still not sure what to think of Karla. She is an unreliable narrator who sees herself very much as the victim both with her novel and other parts of her life. I really enjoyed this story and would definitely read more by this author!