What a wild ride! This novel grabbed me from page one and did not let go. I enjoyed the multiple POV perspectives and felt they added dimension to the story, which is a step above the traditional, expected stalker narrative. The plot moves at a nice pace and,as the story progresses, the characters become more intriguing - and in some ways, strange. But the characters, even as they descend into strange behavior, are still relatable, which is important to keep the reader's interest. Although I haven't read anything else by Kathleen Barber, she's certainly an author to watch, particularly if you enjoy smart, edgy thrillers.

Audrey and Cat were acquainted in college. Cat has since become a workaholic Attorney in DC and Audrey has just accepted a new position as a Social Media Manager for an art museum there. Audrey has also built up a huge Instagram following and spends most of her free time showing the world the public side of her life. In actuality she is staying in a nondescript basement apartment with hardly any furniture and many unpacked boxes. Audrey uses Cat to create a social life for herself and her ex boyfriend, Nick, as a partner when she wants one. She meets Max, a man Cat knew when she was going to summer camp as a teen and he shortly becomes her new boyfriend. Audrey is also being stalked and gas-lighted by her stalker. Each chapter is written from either Audrey’s, Cat’s or the stalker’s viewpoint. None of these people are particularly likable, however their story is fascinating and very readable particularly if the reader likes psycho dramas. Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC for an honest review.

I couldn't make up my mind whether to give this book a three- rating or four. After thinking about it, I swung up to a four. As the book wore on and on, the characters became more and more strange. But as I thought about it, that is what the author wanted. I couldn't put up with such whiners as these characters, but than that was the point of the story, I guess. It was not the sort of stalker story I expected. I am not sure if I would read another one by Kathleen Barber.

Stalking is a popular theme in thrillers, but this is a sort of stalking thriller that wouldn’t have existed a decade or two ago. This is stalking in the age of social media aka stalking made easy. There’s probably never been an easier time to stalk someone, the amount of information available online is just insane. And most of it is provided by the people themselves. Social media might have intended to foster personal connections, but it ended up being essentially driving a lethal stake through the concept of privacy. And few make it all the more glaringly obvious than the newest dumbest form of celebrities, the social media darlings, people with nothing to offer the world but a window (albeit heavily curated one) into their lives. This is the thing that made Kylie Jenner the youngest billionaire. For me it’s a bizarrely foreign and off putting concept. But it’s certainly popular enough and anyone with a talent to sell themselves properly can do it. After all, there is a reason Emily May (the Kylie Jenner of Goodreads) is so popular, despite the fact that yours truly have read and reviewed about 50% more books that she did last year alone. Used to be people sold goods, now Amazon sells good and people sell themselves. And that’s something this book’s protagonist excels at. Essentially a nobody, but gifted with a sparkling personality, she has managed to turn it into a business with over a million followers. Surprise, surprise, one of them is an obsessive stalker. But which one…she is, after all, surrounded by men and most of them (especially as perceived with the heightened MeToo awareness and for a single young woman living alone) are variously creepy. We just don’t know which creep is the main creep, the creep Him section of the book is narrated by. And it takes an entire book to figure it out, although you might guess somewhere around 75%. To her credit, the author made it fairly obscure. So yeah, a fairly standard social media thriller enhanced by the traditional multiple narrative, because it’s handled right, showcasing the effects same situations have on different people by offering something new to add to the overall plot. The author has even tried to give the main character some dimensionality…no easy task, given the innate superficiality of her appeal. The other main female character is probably closer to the author in that they are both Washington D.C. lawyers (albeit one’s practicing and one isn’t). She’s pretty much the proverbial foil here, the one who has to be serious and responsible if only to showcase the selfishness, cluelessness and vapidity of her best friend. And if nothing in this book works for you, it’ll at least raise your awareness of the remote stalking tools and make you cover up your built in computer camera. For me…mostly it just made me think about all the ugliness of the online world. In fact, while reading this book I paused to check my email and saw that someone left a really nasty comment on one of my reviews. Now, GR is the only social media I do and even so it’s as depersonalized as it can be and my main motivation in using it is to maintain my reading records and post reviews. If someone gets something out of my reviews (maybe it entertains them or saves them time on a dud), I’m glad. Sometimes I read reviews of others to help me decide on a book. And I may occasionally interact with a friend on here or an author and that’s usually also very nice (albeit not with all authors, sadly). I may even post a comment on a friend’s review. But…in all the years I’ve used GR never has it ever occurred to me to go and post a nasty comment on someone’s review. It seems like such a vile useless (since I just delete it straight away) thing. But it does serve as a bitter reminder that no matter how minimal one’s online presence may be, it does open one up to a certain level of ugliness. And to live an entire life online like the book’s character…well, that’s just like throwing the gate open to every lunatic out there. I can’t fathom that. But many probably can, social media being the pervasive evil that it is. Netgalley alone is currently offering books titled Follow Me and Unfollow Me. Very relatable, very hip subject matter, might be responsible for all the terrific reviews this fairly mediocre (albeit very readable) book has received. Ok, time to wrap this up. Limited exposure and all that. Overall this was an entertaining read for social media generation. Thanks Nertgalley.

The book really grabs you from the beginning. It's told from the viewpoints of three different characters. The first is Audrey, a social media-obsessed young woman who nabs her dream job working with social media for a gallery in Washington, DC. Her friend from college, Cat, is a bit uptight and working her way up through round-the-clock work at a law firm. Then there's "HIM" -- an unnamed man who has developed an obsession with Audrey. Because he can follow her every move from her frequent online postings, he has no trouble getting close to her. Audrey realizes she has a stalker as she encounters more and more creepy behavior. Meanwhile, there are many men in her vicinity who could be the ominous "HIM."

The characters of Audrey and Cat are very intriguing. Audrey is BEYOND self-obsessed. She has no concept of how her actions impact anyone else and is very, very needy. Cat is hiding a secret from her past and feels loyal to Audrey. At the same time, Cat is so awkward and socially backward that it is hard to believe she got hired at an exclusive law firm and that she is going to stand up in court and make arguments in high-profile cases. In no way does she come across as having the self-confidence to do that!

I enjoyed the story and trying to work out which of the many creepy suspects could be HIM. The ending wasn't ideal, in my opinion, since there were several ways it could have gone, and the resolution didn't really ring true. Still, it was an interesting look at a character who lives her life in the spotlight and has to deal with the repercussions of oversharing.

I am drawn to books about people who overstate online and end up with creepy stalkers. This is an upcoming release that I could not put down.
Audrey Miller lives for the feedback and likes she gets from her Instagram followers. She never intended to make it a career though. Her dream was to work in an art gallery, she graduated with a degree in art history but kept procrastinating on going to graduate school. When she sees an ad for Social Media Manager opening at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C. she applies on a whim not believing she will really get the job. When she is offered the job she is initially reluctant to leave her beloved NYC but her roommate informs her that her boyfriend lost his apartment and will be moving in and that is the push she needs.
Unknown to Audrey there is a mysterious “Him” that is is watching every post she makes and he believes that her moving to DC where he also lives is the sign he has been waiting for that they are meant to be together.
Audrey’s best friend from college also lives in DC, Cat. Cat was a shy, awkward outcast all through high school and was resigned to college being the same when a mean girl targeted her on the first day. Audrey took her under her wing and Cat has been there for her ever since, putting her own needs aside whenever Audrey called.
The author does a great job at throwing in red herrings, I was sure I knew who the stalker was and changed my mind several times. I was wrong in all my guesses.
What is a true test of good story telling is Audrey is an awful person but I loved the story.
There were a couple of minor things I would have liked to have more information about but not enough to quibble about.
The stalker was really creepy and will have you putting tape over your laptop cameras!
Thank you to #netgalley and #gslleybooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Look for this one in January 2020.

This was my first read from Kathleen Barber and I really enjoyed it. Though life inevitably gets in the way at times, I really didn't want to put this book down. Oddly enough, I hated the main character but that really didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Maybe hate is too strong of a word, but she definitely was not my favorite.

Audrey Miller is obsessed with Social Media. She's an instagrammer with over a million followers watching her almost every move, as she posts frequently throughout her day. Though since her move from New York to Washington D.C. someone seems to be watching her a bit too closely....

Throughout the story we are presented with several possibilities as to WHO could be Audrey's stalker. If you really pay attention, it's not a shocker at all when it's revealed so if you are reading this for a huge twist at the end, it may be a bit disappointing. Aside from the lack of shock value, the events themselves unfolded very well and in a believable manner. It's creepy without being too over the top. It just might make you rethink everything you share about yourself on social media by the end. ;)

This is the first book in a little while that actually threw me off a bit. I liked reading about the two totally different characters and hearing things from both of their different points of view, as well as the stalker who is referred to as "Him". I will admit that when I found out who the stalker was I was shocked. This book kept me up reading well into the night, way past my bedtime, I literally couldn't put it down. I was kind of disappointed with the way it turned it out with the main characters, but I guess it couldn't have turned out any other way. Definitely a book that I will recommend.

Sometimes the only reason I leave my house is so that when someone asks about my day I don't have to say, "NetGalley and avoiding responsibilities".

Today is not that day!! I tore into this like it was my job and I loved every crazy minute of this book. Kathleen Barber I will follow you straight to Crazy Town anytime!

5 Stars,!! This is one of the best books I've read in awhile!

Thank you to Kathleen Barber, Gallery, Pocket Books, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's funny how all of these social media books are being released - Followers, Follow Me, Unfollow Me. This was a fantastic quick read. I couldn't put it down once I started reading. Thank you for the advanced copy. Amazing book!

This was a really interesting take on the pitfalls of social media and oversharing your life with total strangers. I absolutely loved the writing and the storyline. I highly recommend!

Follow Me by Kathleen Barber is definitely a psychological thriller that leaves you guessing to the end. It builds with suspense as it deals with a well-known topic of today--social media--with all its benefits and pitfalls. Great read.

So many twists and turns....fun to follow. Audrey a star of the Internet is being stalked. The reader is invited into her life, and that of the stalker. After a move to Washington, DC, she is in the orbit of her stalker, her best friend and a former boyfriend.

The reader will have to figure out who is dangerous and who is not. The characters are unexpected and interesting to follow. This is a good page turner.

Thanks Netgalley!

First-rate thriller with lots of juicy twists and turns. Things are not as they seem in this story, something the reader has to discover for him or her self, because to say more unleashes spoilers. Highly recommended: a very good read by a talented writer.

Four welcome to attention seekers world, who don’t have any problem to bring their stalkers into their own lives because main motto of own the social media obsessed fakers’ is: “If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you interesting” stars!

You know, one of my favorite musical’s theme song: (the beginning of my addiction to move like Travolta) was Grease’s Four Season. But I’m changing words and adapting to our new introvert, artificial, faking people whose face glued to their phones to post new photos and distorted facts about their pathetic, miserable lives (at least that’s what they think because they’re not satisfied with their true selves). Here we go: Social media is the word, is the word that you heard! It's got a groove, it's got a meaning! Faking is the time, is the place, is the motion! Deceiving yourself is the way we are feeling !”

So we have virtual world’s amazing queen Audrey who is an exclusive, experienced presenter of her upgraded self on social media jungle. She has millions of followers, admirers, followers and real stalkers. But guess what, she has to move to D.C. for getting a proper titled job to make her ends meet and live in an apartment without roommates even the place is trashy basement and landlord’s grandson has friendly tendencies to be appeared from nowhere by using his secret key and harassing her.

Audrey’s best friend Cat is climbing ladders at her law firm, workaholic and all work no play kind of dull girl, relieved to see her friend Audrey moved to the same city she is living. But Cat is insecure, having troubles to be accepted by other people, shy, introvert, social dysfunctional. It’s sad but true to say that Audrey feels safe with her because she likes to use her as her protection shield and she knows, Cat cannot steal her spotlight! (There are so many things about Audrey to make easier to hate her, detest her and slap her but we can’t because we know behind the closed doors, she’s so vulnerable and she needs to be cared and loved. She’s loner and neglected by her own family. That’s why she’s keeping Cat in her life because she knows Cat never leaves her and she is tolerant to her antics and selfishness!)

But there is HIM, Joe Goldberg’s rich and loaded version, coming from a classy family , has bad luck with the girls ( because he’s obsessively falling in love with them and when he is dumbed, he gets devastated by all those rejections. But thankfully he doesn’t have a special basement dungeon covered with glasses to lock those girls. Our guy is harmless when we compare him with Joe!)

So HIM is in love with Audrey and he thinks they’re fated. He watches every step her take, every move her make, every bond she break, she’s watching her! (It’s not as creepy as it seems when the song sang by Sting and Robert Downey Jr, yes I’m talking about my favorite Ally McBeal scene!)

The author misguided us between six guys who could be stalker. But I found it eventually, not thank to my spider sense, it was easy catch!

The one thing bothered me is the way of the men look at Audrey as if she’s goddess. But nothing is extraordinary about her. She’s manipulator, amazing presenter and faker but come on ! Why everyone is so obsessed with her? Everyone is acting like graduated with PR degree in our modern world. Nothing makes special a good faker!

If only his ex was like that I would say okay, maybe his ex had his own issues to move on. But even her colleagues, Cat’s long time crush friend, random guys passing by the museum seemed like infuriated by her magical pus… (feel the blanks) This part about the book irritated me!

I was about to give three stars but intriguing, mysterious, page turner pacing and amazing ending changed my mind and I’m giving four stars. In my opinion this is so much better stalker book from You! (Definitely too much better than Hidden Bodies, too)

The social media references and fast, riveting chapters, way of story-telling and sarcasm hid between the lines made me enjoy this book so much,

Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing me this fascinating ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest and completely satisfied review!

Thanks for letting me read this book. I really liked this book, and obviously, relatable. It can happen, it does happen. Its a cautionary tale/thriller of being careful on social media! I found the book to be well written, and enjoyable!!!

Follow Me by author Kathleen Barber is a thrill of book! Stalking and modern day social media scare at its finest! This story does not disappoint and feels VERY real, all while following a perfect thriller/mystery plot line. Great characters too!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story! I am so cautious when it comes to social media so I really enjoyed Audrey’s experience. Audrey has over one million followers on Instagram. She has no fear of anyone knowing where she lives or finding out who she is, she just loves her celebrity status as a social media influencer. She gets her dream job of working in a museum as the social media manager and moves from New York to Washington DC. Her ex-boyfriend lives there as does her friend Cat. As a social media influencer, Audrey is, as you would expect, self-obsessed. She suspects she is being stalked and from there the suspense ramps up with every chapter. The book was hard to put down and the ending surprised me!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this excellent suspense/thriller by Kathleen Barber! Follow Me will have you in its clutches from the first page. It’s one of those books that you start reading and don’t want to move until the end. I would put this in my Best of 2019 book list but it’s not coming out until 2020!

Here’s what you need to know:

Audrey Miller has an enviable new job at the Smithsonian, a body by reformer Pilates, an apartment door with a broken lock, and hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers to bear witness to it all. Having just moved to Washington, DC, Audrey busies herself impressing her new boss, interacting with her online fan base, and staving off a creepy upstairs neighbor with the help of the only two people she knows in town: an ex-boyfriend she can’t stay away from and a sorority sister with a high-powered job and a mysterious past.

But Audrey’s faulty door may be the least of her security concerns. Unbeknownst to her, her move has brought her within striking distance of someone who’s obsessively followed her social media presence for years—from her first WordPress blog to her most recent Instagram Story. No longer content to simply follow her carefully curated life from a distance, he consults the dark web for advice on how to make Audrey his and his alone. In his quest to win her heart, nothing is off-limits—and nothing is private.

I love how the author keeps turning up the suspense, the reader really questions everyone and everything, its done in a masterful way and Follow Me has definitely made me a fan of the author. I am eagerly awaiting her next book now.

February 25, 2020, pre-order here!

This book had me up all night. Who is Audrey really, is the question I wanted to find out when I read this story. Would she ever show her real self or hind behind her belief that she had to be perfect. Why was someone trying to scare her, and what do they want from her? This book had twists and turns and once you started reading you need the answers. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.