The Stalker

by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

This high-interest, low-vocabulary novella is intended for adult basic education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) readers. Early one Saturday morning, Mike's phone rings."Nice day for a little kayak trip, eh?" says the deep, echoing voice. "But I wouldn't go out if I were you." Mike's business is guiding visitors on kayak tours around the islands off the west coast. This weekend, he'll be taking Liz, his new cook, and two strangers on a kayak tour. Soon, his phone rings again. "I'm watching you," the caller says. "Stay home." Mike and the others set off on their trip, but the stalker secretly follows them. Who is he? What will he do? The Stalker will keep you guessing until the end.

Genres: Canada

88 pages

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Watch for Gail's new novel, The Almost Widow, a thriller, released May 2023.

GAIL ANDERSON-DARGATZ’s first novel, The Cure for Death by Lightning, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and won the UK’s Betty Trask Award, the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and the Vancity Book Prize. Her second novel, A Recipe for Bees, was nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award and was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. The Spawning Grounds was nominated for the Sunburst Award and the Ontario Library Association Evergreen Award and short-listed for the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for Fiction. Her thriller, The Almost Wife was a national bestseller in 2021, and her most recent novel, The Almost Widow, is out in May 2023.

Gail also writes young adult and hi-lo books for the educational market. Her book Iggy’s World was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and shortlisted for the Chocolate Lily Book Awards. The Ride Home was short-listed for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize, as well as the Red Cedar Fiction Award and the Chocolate Lily Book Award.

She taught for nearly a decade in the MFA program in creative writing at the University of British Columbia and now mentors writers online. Gail Anderson-Dargatz lives in the Shuswap region of British Columbia.

Reviews

[Shawn Bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of rules about these high interest, low vocab books. They are meant to be simple and straight-forward. It is what it is. If you're looking for deep, you need to read her literary work. This is meant to be read by new immigrants, weak readers, or those in search of quick reads.

[Joanne-in-Canada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this would be an interesting story for ESL/literacy students at this level. The story moves along quickly, the characters are varied and flawed, and you can talk about kayaking and canoeing, First Nations, etc. Lots to discuss. The language is colourful without being too obscure.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, fast read. Not who I first thought it was but was the other person I thought it was - Psycho!

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine, short read for its intended audience, but the style was not particularly compelling.

[N. E. Rule · Rating 3 out of 5]

a lot of action packed into this high-low read. Canadian setting and plausible twist.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good high interest, low vocabulary book for adult learners. Good plot twists, pacing was good, manageable number of characters. Satisfying read for adult learners.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best hi-Lo I have read so far. Fast-paced plot and campy characters. I read this book out loud to adults and I never felt cringey after reading a line.

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 1 out of 5]

The dangers of purchasing online...this book was probably fine for what it was meant to be: a book for language learners written at an easy reader level. The author is what drew me to the book, since I've loved everything Gail Anderson-Dargatz has written. But somehow I missed the fact that it was written at about a third grade level, with short chapters and less than a hundred pages. It was sort of a thriller about a group of kayakers off the coast of Vancouver who are being stalked. For the future, I'll be more careful researching a book before I buy it online!

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stalker by Gail Anderson-Dargatz is about a small group of kayakers off the coast of Vancouver Island. A quick, suspenseful read. I gave it 4 out of a possible 5 stars and look forward to reading more from this author.

[A · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was meant as a book to help people learn English. In that endeavor, I would say it succeeds. But if you're looking for a fast paced thriller as I was, you will be sorely disappointed. I feel like the description for this book should have specified its purpose.

[LLLOP at Capilano U]

Gr.4, Gr.5

[Vaki]

is great。