Stalked: A True Story of Obsession

by Kate Brennan

What if your lover vowed to destroy you if you left him? Kate Brennan was an independent, successful woman when she met Paul, a wealthy, charismatic businessman. Too late did Kate discover his dark side: the serial infidelity, unbalanced character and sordid secrets. This is Kate's harrowing story of how she tried to escape.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2009

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, if not the definitive account of what it is like to be stalked, and stalked hard. The narrator has obscured her identity and also that of her stalker, because she is still afraid. We only know that she is a successful writer, and perhaps someone we could identify as a sister or a niece that tries hard to avoid types of trouble, but in truth always seems destined for this. It's honest, when it doesn't always has to be, and I applaud the writer for revealing just how much she loved the man who turns out to be repugnantly smug and overtly deranged. The stalking covers years of rising fear and implied paranoia - even now when he may not be watching, she can still fear that he is.

It is due to this relentless hide and seek, that there are plenty of moments you will feel frustrated by the pervasive nature of the stalker, but the reader is powerless to give this man a taste of his own medicine. You will put yourselves in her shoes, It will frustrate the women who are headstrong, kickass and perhaps never experience or put up with a man so determined to ruin a life, in some patches I wondered (even though I suspected it was unfair) whether the victim was letting this become her life, as she seeks out more information and stalking becomes her everyday reality. There is no happy ending, and the writer is unapologetic and brutal about this fact - which again, is commendable and will make some readers squirm. The justice may only be in selling her pain and fear, and hopefully taking a small pleasure in adding such a excellent account of this on the rise crime that can happen to anyone.

[Jacki (Julia Flyte) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of a bright and highly educated woman who is stalked by an ex-lover. Kate meets Paul at a friend's party and they hit it off immediately. They start dating and when his father dies shortly after they meet, it brings them closer. Gradually the relationship becomes dysfunctional. Paul veers between being intensely affectionate and being cold and vindictive. Finally, after three years together, she breaks off the relationship and moves out, thinking that Paul is finally out of her life.

Instead this is only the beginning of a nightmare which will endure for more than 13 years (when she writes the book, the situation is ongoing). At first Paul calls her at all hours of the day or night, drives by her house, has her mail redirected to his address. Then the harassment becomes more subtle. Strangers follow her and let her know she is being watched. Her phone service or electricity is abruptly severed. Her car's battery will be drained. She comes home to find her front door ajar, or evidence that someone has been in her house. She moves house again and again, but Paul always finds her.

While Kate is not a terribly likeable person, she does a very good job of taking you inside her head and allowing you to feel the sense of fear and claustrophobia that she lives with every day. The story is far more powerful for being true - there are some twists that simply wouldn't be believable in a novel.

If you've enjoyed books like Into the Darkest Corner, this real life story is worth reading.

[Nickee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't even finish this book. It is so frustrating! The way Paul has been portrayed is that this woman should have run a mile from the beginning but instead she goes with some instinct that this is a man that needs saving. I feel no sympathy towards her and find her writing to be quite pompous. This is certainly an hour of my life I won't be getting back!

[Hilary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty crap. Poorly written, and I also wonder if it really is a 'true story'.

[Adelyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting true-crime account of a woman being stalked by an obsessive ex-boyfriend (and I don't think I've read any of these), but I thought it took far too long to get into the stalking bit. I get that she was trying to portray sort of a continual transition from being in a (albeit emotionally abusive) relationship into actually being stalked, and indeed that is well achieved, but I was hoping to read more about the aftermath and less about their relationship while she was still in it! The timeline also wasn't entirely clear in parts, and it reached a stage where I could no longer be bothered to go back and check so I just left it there.

I also understand her desire to try and keep identities as secret as possible to protect her own, but this resulted in references that made me a bit confused - I thought a bit more effort could have gone into making the who's who a bit clearer even while keeping identities obscured. For instance, is "the lady that rented me my last apartment" the same as the lady referred to as "my landlady" before, or are there multiple ones? The timeline jumps around, so it isn't that easy to work out from that either. That being said, despite not fully understanding parts of it, I did feel for Kate numerous times during this narrative, and her sense of helplessness shows clearly. 3 stars.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really well written book that really gets the mind thinking.

This isn't fiction, it's a true story, however at times the book reads as if it can't be true or that the author is imagining things, even delusional.

But that is the job of the stalker, to get these feelings.

It's clear the author was scared, which is why this is written in a nom de plume.

I would really recommend this book.

[ellewright30 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book, for anyone who has been stalked will totally understand this book, how a wonderful seemingly handsome and kind natured man can turn into your worst nightmare. Well worth a read i commend the author for writing this true story raising awareness to dangerous liasons.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

[Anne Pender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compulsive reading, read this book in a day. I now have a completely different view of a "stalker"

[Kay Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good read.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fast paced book, mainly for it's psychological insights.

[Sharon Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm, not sure about this one. It's hard to rate a book that is supposedly a true story - I'd find it easier to rate if it was fiction as I guess it's easier to accept people do silly things when you think it's a story. However as a true account of stalking, you can't help but wonder about some of the decisions that the author made in her relationship with Paul, the man who started as her lover and then became her worst nightmare. Some things don't add up for me - and yes I know it's easy to say that when you are not in 'Kate's' shoes but almost from the get-go she senses there is a problem of some kind and still goes along with the relationship including moving in with him!! Not sure if the following bit is a spoiler or not but just in case And if I'm reading the timeline correctly, Paul cheats on her only 4 months into their relationship and she decides that they should go to counselling!!!! After 4 months?? Surely at 4 months most people would just tell him to bugger off??? Also throughout the book there is a lot of talk about her finances because she is not working as much as normal due to the circumstances - then how does she afford to buy a block of land and build a house, plus buy herself a burial plot??

If this is a true story then it's an awfully stressful life 'Kate' is having to live, as are a lot of women (and men) who are living with the same horror. If it's a work of fiction then I guess I would have to say it was okay(and don't I feel guilty saying that under the circumstances!)

[Zeinab Mansaray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm.. I am finding it pretty hard to review this one. It's not one of those fiction novels that you pick up and read and you decide whether you like the story or not .. It's real life, it's her life.. This is KATE BRENNAN's life not just characters in a book. So here is what I thought... the book was well-written, gave us a brief insight on the psyche of a stalker and also how it feels like to be stalked. I honestly got frustrated in the first part of the book when she was dating Paul.. there were so many signs that she should leave him, but as humans we all commit mistakes. I don't want to judge but I hate Paul, men like him who are so self-centered, so controlling, so fake, think their money can buy them the whole world, who always play the victim and can never ever accept responsibility, admit that they are wrong and that they have flaws.. urgh. I don't know if she is being stalked to-date but am happy she stayed strong and never gave in to her stalker, her courage is definitely to be admired. At times when you feel totally helpless and hopeless and you just want the earth to swallow you, she stayed strong and showed courage. Her will to carry on with her life, to not let her stalker have the upper hand, the sacrifices she made is truly to be admired. She truly is an inspiration.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was quite a good, readable, account giving some insight into the horror that is stalking, I expected more detail but it did focus well on how the author personally felt and how it affected her day to day life long after the intital fuss had died down. I feel for the author, if this account is true, as it shows how your life is never again your own, how you are always looking over your shoulder - it makes you question your own sanity and your own choices, and affects other peoples behaviour towards you. It is scary to know that one bad choice of partner can lead to this kind of situation and often that people in this situation stay far too long out of pity or because they think, or are made to think, they have somehow caused the behaviour. And that even when they leave the relationship sadly they are never really free - some people don't allow you the luxury of leaving and of being free. This kind of behaviour is terrifying and frightening and stalking is a crime that often gets taken far too lightly, It is very under documented - so I am glad it is being written about and brought out into the open.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't satisfy me, I enjoyed reading it and finished it within less than 48 hours.
Im aware this is the authors life but the ending feels unfinished for me.
Also nearing the end of the book, the stalkers barely in the story and it didn't give me the scare I was hoping for.
It is worth a read to pass time, but for those looking for some scary, suspense and thrilling scenes. Id give it a miss.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow starter but once you get past the first 50 pages or so you can get quite into it. Personally I thought the ending was a bit of a damp squib but the thick of the book was well written and not awkward to read something I feared with the subject being covered.

[Chantelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing to begin with for me as the real crime I have read tends to be English. Towards the end I couldn't wait to be rid of it. Shrink this and therapist that. I almost need a session with one myself

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very brave lady telling her truly terrifying story. I hope one day soon she finds peace.

[Andie Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. The poor woman!