Member Reviews
It's a fast paced technothriller, I think it's a good place to start reading this genre, certainly a very well structure lineal story line, there's no difficulty understanding the tech side of the book and there's the main reason why I think this book is aim for the older audiences who aren't really familiar with the terms and perhaps the whole internet.
Sadly very believable and disturbing.
How technology can ruin your life and how trusting we can be of people in positions of authority.
Made me have cold sweats!!
Interesting concept of a burglar alarm engineer secretly watching the homes of the clients through their CCTV. But, is he just observing them or is he more involved in the various crimes around the neighbourhood?
I really enjoyed this book. The main character Derek is such a sad but simple soul that you can't help but pity him. The plot is very believable in this age of Big Brother. I can see this as a TV drama.
This was slow to get going and was somewhat predictable.
A reasonable read that passed a few days.
There are far better books out there though.
This book gives a great insight into the world of hacking and stalking through CCTV.
If it were all really true and not just a story, no-one would ever be able to trust anyone.
Derek is a loner. He lives with his mother and runs his own Security installation company. Each night he sits and watches his "families" through their security systems. He gets engrossed in their lives and want to help some who are not acting the way he thinks they should act.
When there are numerous crimes in the neighbourhood and all have used Derek for his security expertise - the police suspect he's involved, but not sure how or why. As the crimes escalate and become more dangerous the Detectives investigate further into Derek and try and work out if he is the one or if there are others. They confiscate his computers and phone and discover all that he is doing.
When Derek goes missing, the detectives are working against time to find out who exactly is behind the crimes/attacks and where Derek is.
Great book. Really loved the storyline, but did guess who was the criminal about halfway through, but didn't guess all of it. A great thriller to curl up with.
An engrossing read from start to finish. Derek Flint runs a business that installs home security. He maybe shouldn't watch the security cameras., but he wants to keep his clients safe. But things start to,go wrong and his business is in jeopardy as he becomes a suspect in the robberies that have been comitted. All the way through this book you are kept guessing as to what is going to happen next. A compelling read which Imreally enjoyed with some very unexpected events
I really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, short chapters and thrilling enough to keep you interested. Derek is a loner, lives with his mum and stalks the people who's security he deals with. When he comes to the notice of the police due to crimes committed they look closer at him. Is he a criminal? A thief and a rapist? A good read.
SO creepy! very immersive read, I somehow ended up feeling sorry for Derek, great writing! Can't wait for more from this author.
Slightly creepy but a great book. You do wonder with everything being available online whether this does happen more in real life than you would like to think....
Imagine hiring what you think is a reputable company to outfit your home with security cameras only to discover that it is a creepy man who lives at home with his mother who is watching you. Then there are the crimes and the fact that the CCTV's were all placed by the same company, coincidence? I really enjoyed this very suspenseful read and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Geez this is a book and a half to be honest, never read anything by the author and wowser can’t wait to read more! I found myself feeling sorry for Derek in parts (I know not sure how but....) totally creeeped me out in parts and didn’t enjoy reading it without the big light on lol, but what a seriously good book I couldn’t put it down and look forward to reading much more from Lisa! A must read for fans of creepy, thriller, suspense kinda books!
After reading this book, I eyeballed my computer very, very carefully.
Derek Flint sells and installs computer security systems. Then he goes home, and watches from afar. He has their passwords, so it's no problem for him to log in, and watch what's going on. These homes are like the family he doesn't have. He feels it's his responsibility to look out after all of them.....
Like the woman cheating on her husband. Derek sends an auto-message to her husband and he rushes home to find his wife dallying with another man. He then assaults his wife leaving her with severe head injuries....
Like the young babysitter in one home, who ignores a child's cry because she's involved with her boyfriend. Another text message is sent to the parents of the crying child. When they arrive home, clothes have been straightened, whiskey glasses washed and put away. However, when the camera is rolled back, everything is revealed...
(Book Blurb) When a series of crimes hits Derek’s neighborhood, DC Beth Mayes begins to suspect he’s involved. How does he know so much about the victims’ lives? Why won’t he let anyone into his office? And what is his mother hiding in that strange, lonely house?
Is Derek the stalker? Or is he the one being stalked? Is he responsible for all the break ins, all the crimes? Or is her being set up to take the fall?
This is an outstanding book. Characters are finely drawn and take part in an original story premise. The ending was absolute perfection. This book should make everyone be much more careful when it comes to their computers.
Many thanks to the author / Avon Books UK / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the advanced digital copy of this crime thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
‘Stalker’ was a slow starter. It’s first half was like a primer for newbie web based home security householders. Flint, the camera installer, creatively guided his customers into a predictable password option then used his knowledge to peer in to their homes using their live-streamed CCTV. Nothing new there, many low end digital camera products allow the country of their manufacture a back door access to their systems. Anyway, for Flint it’s a role of guardian angel he chooses, to suppress his guilt as a voyeur. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Flint soon finds out he’s not the only one! Things now quickly develop into a sickening hybrid of web games centred on real life criminal acts. How accurate this is, I can’t say but there are few depravities to which the dark heart of man won’t stoop to.
I did however perceive a flaw in the character of Paul. It would be extremely unusual to go from a normal family background with no previous criminal activity to one requiring a ‘first kill’ as an initiation.
This is the story of voyerism at it’s worse. Derek Flint installs CCTV cameras in peoples homes. After installed, he watches them and becomes immersed in their lives. However, the story takes a dark turn and Derek finds himself at risk.
This book is a fast read that is addicting. On one hand I had sympathy for Derek, yet on the other I found him to be incredibly creepy. The storyline itself was terrifying and the author did a great job drawing the reader in. I especially enjoyed getting to know Derek and the complexity of his personality.
One part that slightly lacked for my were the police officers on the case. I never connected with Beth or Matt. While they were necessary to the story, I found them somewhat boring.
Overall this is a great book. I highly recommend!
The Picture on the book is what drew me into wanting to read the book along with the title I was expecting someone to be followed around and breaking into the house.. So because of the book cover I was very surprised to find that this was not the stalker book I was expecting to read' t i would just like to say that this is the best book I have read so far this year.
So before I began reading this book I was considering having CCTV installed at my home but after reading this I think I have changed my mind. I was pulled into the story and was unable to put it down stay up late into the night to finish it And to top it of the twist at the end of the book was fantastic very unexpected.
This is the first book that I have read from Lisa Stone but I hope it will not be the last well worth five out of five stars.
I’m all for creepy and stalkerish but Lisa Stone took this to another level!
Derek is your usual surveillance guy. He will make your house safe. No more burglars. No more problems. You get him, you get extra eyes to make sure nothing happens to you. And I literally mean it.
From the beginning, I was leery of Derek. It ticked all the boxes of the creepy guy you don’t want to find yourself stuck with in an elevator!!! The author made sure there is enough shady things around him so you get pretty good idea of what you are looking at. Except it’s a lie. As life wants it, there is more to Derek than meets the eye and the longer I read, the more my feelings about him changed. I ended up pitying him. No, I was not happy about the aspect of the contracts his customers did not know about and no I don’t think a dysfunctional family is enough to make you do the things he does, but his intentions floated in the grey area. A good guy with the wrong ways?
What really crept me out was the cat and mouse game following our discovery of Derek’s extra hours activity. Should I say more, you wouldn’t have to read the book so I’m closing the lid! Let’s say I was uncomfortable at times and scared about what security really means! There is more to Stalker than a weird guy following people around, so I was happily surprised to discover more layers and different characters ready to make this a good read.
Stalker gives readers the chance to … stalk and swim in muddy waters where bad guys are not necessarily bad and bad can become worse. This novel is a dark warning about how what is supposed to protect us can in fact harm us the most.
Three and a half star rating.
Derek Flint is a bit of a loner, lives with his mother and installs security systems during the day. At night he then watches his “people”, making sure nothing untowards happens. Suddenly there are several crimes being committed at the premises he has been looking after. It was quite easy to spot who was to blame I thought. Loved the creepiness of this - someone watching and listening to you and you are totally oblivious - makes you think about the trust we place in people we invite into our homes. It was a great book, very easy to get into and well worth investing your time into.
4☆ A Creepy Twist on Stalking!
STALKER is a very creepy and eerie read, that felt a little too like a reality at times.
When you think of stalking people you think of being followed.
Well in this book we get a whole new look into the dark world of Stalking via technology. But not just any technology..... people's home security systems.
Ok so your probably thinking yeah that's right some security teams watch cameras.
But not Derek Flint!!
He entrusted his community with his security cameras in their homes.
Then watched their every move from his house. Brrrr creepy right!!
Well it only comes to light when there is a spat of break ins. He believes he is keeping his community safe!
But is he??
Is there a deeper connection to what is happening?
Is Derek responsible?
It's the job of DC Mayes to find out just what Derek's motives are!
Derek was a strange character for me. On one hand I actually felt kind of sorry for him. With no friends it's almost like he uses the cameras as his friends. Which is actually bloomin creepy. Especially as the people he watches are unsuspecting.
So I did have mixed feelings. But I do believe the reader is meant to feel like that about him.
Lisa has done a great job at bringing the term stalking into the current. Technology really has become like big brother is watching you. We just don't expect it to be from someone's bedroom.
Lisa creates the perfect amount of suspense and eerie atmosphere. At times the plot was a little predictable but I did like that there was a few lil twists.
I really do recommend this creepy book if you enjoy technology thrillers mixed with crime fiction. I'm looking forward to reading more from Lisa.
Deeply disturbing, cleverly written, painfully suspenseful and all too plausible. The main character is quirky but one you can't help but grow to like as his back story develops.