Run for Your Life

by Ann Brahms

Fleeing to the Maine cabin she has inherited in order to hide from Gibson Spencer, the spurned lover who has been stalking her, Annik Miller finds, instead, that the cabin could become a trap. Original.

Genres: Horror

350 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1993

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annik Miller and Gibson Spencer met through a mutual acquaintance and began dating, but only three months in, Annik realizes Gibson has a bad drinking problem, severe anger issues, leading to physical abuse, and is dangerously obsessed with her. After three dates during which they had nothing in common, mentally, Annik has decided she is done with Gibson - but he shows up at her house unannounced, confesses his love for her, and proposes to her.
She tells him they can't see each other again, but he proceeds to call her continuously, demanding to know if she's seeing anyone else, what she's doing and with who. He also repeatedly shows up at her house, and one day, tries to kill her; she manages to get away and call the police, but he is out and back at it again the next day. Annik even discovers he has found her spare key and made himself a copy. She comes home from work one night to find him in her house, where he gives her an "engagement present," a Doberman puppy named Tier.
Shortly after, Annik gets a letter from an attorney stating her Aunt Hester died, leaving her a large sum of money, half a duplex in Portland, and a hunting cabin in Maine. As quickly as she can, Annik packs up and moves into the Duplex with Tier.
But lo and behold, on moving day, Gibson was popping by for another 'visit' when he sees the movers and casually strikes up a conversation with them, finding out not just what city she's moving to, but what street. Gibson follows behind Annik the whole way to Portland, and soon after she moves in, he sees her leaving her neighbor, Bradley's house, sending him into a rage.
Annik is happier in Portland, especially with her new friend, Bradley, but it's not long before she realizes Gibson has found her once again. He begins calling, driving by, and even breaking in; at this point, Annik is at her wits end and decides to pack up her life and move yet again, this time to the hunting cabin. Of course, as she's talking about this to Bradley, Gibson is hiding in her house, eavesdropping. Unfortunately for him, his work takes him elsewhere for a month, lulling Annik into a false sense of security at the cabin. Surprisingly, she really grows to like the outdoors and her new neighbors, especially one man named Pete, whom she becomes romantically involved with - but the nightmare is far from over; Pete has just left town for a week, and Annik hears from the store owner that Gibson is in town and has been asking around for her. Will she ever be able to rid herself of Gibson Spencer, or is she doomed to live a life on the run?
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So I had to knock a star off my rating just because Annik was the most infuriatingly spinless character I've ever read in my entire life. Okay, so in the beginning, she keeps answering Gibson's calls, debating back and forth with him and threatening to call the police but never doing it. She keeps letting him in her house when he shows up pounding on the door, even after he tries to KILL her. When he copies her key, she doesn't change the locks.
When she first moves to the duplex in Portland, a perverted old neighbor comes over and tries to force himself on her, and grabs her boobs and she doesn't call the police after. I literally just wanted to grab her and shake her.
However, I really did enjoy the book; Gibson is extremely hateable and I love a good stalker book. The twist at the end really threw me for a loop, I have to say I didn't see that coming.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a stalker who is relentless and horrifying; but the twist at the end I did not see coming!