First off I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
This was a pick that has been on my kindle for awhile. It was a good stalker story. I saw a few of the twists coming so that's why only 3.5 stars. Overall, I liked how it ended. I can never give good reviews because I never want to give away anything - no spoilers!

Jenna is an ER doctor. When her stalker who the police haven’t been able to find ends up in her ER, Jenna has a choice to make. Will she treat him or let this be her chance for revenge?

Overall it was very interesting to follow Jenna’s story and her moral dilemma. The plot twists were a little predictable, but it was still a quick and enjoyable read.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Jenna is an Emergency Room physician. Married with 2 children her life should be perfect. As is often the case it’s far from it. Her marriage strained to the limit. Oh yeah…and she has a stalker that authorities are so far unable to catch, making her life rather miserable.

What are the chances that same stalker would be admitted into the ER as a patient. Apparently a lot better than you might think, creating a major moral dilemma for our fine doctor. Can she realistically follow her oath and treat him? Or is it her one chance to take revenge?

An extremely fast read that I flew through in just a few days. I toggled back and forth between the written word and audio. Both worked well for this book.

I found the twists to be a tad predictable but overall it was a good solid read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review for an honest opinion

This was sadly a DNF for me. Not because it was a terrible book, but because I simply wasn't the right reader for the book. I truly think many others will enjoy.

I had a harder time getting through this one! I ended up stopping at around 45% through because I couldn’t get into it.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for my gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

I personally find some of the most terrifying thrillers to be the ones that are the most believable, could happen in "our world" type stories. Insert "One Step Behind" here. This story follows a doctor, and mother of two, Jenna. The story begins with Jenna in a fragile state, as she has been tormented by a stalker for months. She is shaken, confused, and ANGRY. The story alternates POV between other key narrators, uncovering what's truly going on behind-the-scenes, and the motivations for why someone would want to torment another human in this way. Without giving too much away, I will say this story had an ending I did not expect and was satisfyingly creepy.

I recommend this for those looking for a quick and creepy read! It's entertaining, fast paced, and a fun.

I put this down at 20% when literally nothing had happened other than various, fairly repetitive stalking that didn’t make sense. This one just isn’t working for me.

This was an excellent psychological thriller -- it 100% deserves more hype! North really took the "stalker" trope and flipped it on its head; I totally didn't see the twist coming. Such a fun thriller!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer jerjen

The premise of this book is very intriguing. What would you do if you were faced with the person that has been stalking you and he can no longer hurt you because he is near death? You took an oath as a doctor to do no harm and to help everyone that you can. But that does not include the man that has totally stolen your happiness and security, does it? These are just a few of the questions that are facing Jenna.

Jenna has been receiving gifts at her house that are very disturbing and scary. Her coworkers are being harassed. She keeps seeing the same person showing up all the time. She knows that she is being stalked but the police can not find out who her stalker is. She is afraid for her life and even more disturbing, she is afraid for her kids’ lives. So when her stalker gets hit by a bus, Jenna will have to decide if she can help him get better or let him die.

The tension just keeps growing chapter after chapter and at times it was almost palpable. The author makes many characters appear very suspicious and she throws in some red herrings to keep the tension growing. I was sure I knew who the real stalker was but I was so wrong. And that is just how I like it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted psychological thriller. It made me wonder what I would do in that situation.

A compelling read!!

Jenna is an emergency room doctor who has been stalked for more than a year. Her stalker is unrelenting. At first, it was limited to threatening messages. But he quickly moved on to leaving extremely disturbing gifts for her to find.

The police haven’t been very much help and Jenna is starting to feel hopeless. She’s not just worried about herself but her family as well.

Jenna doesn’t know what to expect when stepping out her front door. This is taking a toll on her entire family.

Will it ever stop?

But then something happens that puts the control in Jenna’s hands.

Now SHE has the power. What will she do?

I read the description for this book and thought it would be right up my alley. It was fast-paced and gripping and it definitely kept me guessing. A little over the top and unrealistic at times but I was still entertained. I do have to say that I was a bit perturbed by the ending.

Overall this was a good domestic suspense novel. I look forward to reading more from Lauren North.

So where do I start ? A new author for me, so I put off reading for a bit. I actually liked this storyline, not to much the characters, they all seemed self consumed. But Once I started reading, I couldnt put it down, I wanted to see who the stalker was and why. I kept guessing at maybe a twin of Matthews, or Jenna was the sister of Matthew and Sophias mom, or maybe Jenna was the young mother of Matthew and put him up for adoption.? I was wrong on all counts, so this kept me guessing, but when the story was concluded I was disappointed because The Who and why didn’t really seem to fit in anywhere for me. It was just a random choice for the stalker. Having said that, I did like the story up till the ending. I thought the author did well with the stalking parts though 😈, so evil ! I will put this author in my TBR list to see if this was her normal ending. Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin House Publisher and Lauren North for this ARC.

What.

I am speechless. Speechless. In my true domestic thriller style- you get no synopsis on my review. This story is all about the relationship between a stalker and his or her prey.

I am absolutely reeling from the reveal and the last sentence. I may come add more to this review once I have words.

This was a great psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This is my first book by this author but definitely won't be my last.

You've worked hard your whole life to get to this point. A successful ER doctor, a loving marriage, two great kids. But for the last year, you've been receiving creepy gifts, at your front door no less, and emails that make you feel cornered. He's taking pictures, threatening your children and no one will help. Every time something happens, you ask yourself, why me?
Then one day in the ER, you look down at your patient and it's him. He's critically injured. What do you do?

this is a dilemma no one would want to find themselves in. In ONE STEP BEHIND, Lauren North tells the story in such a manner that you are in the victim's shoes. She's a doctor, but this man has endangered everything she loves. How she works through this choice becomes even more of a question when she finds he is not alone in his quests. Told in differing POVs with an urgency as decisions will lead to a surprising ending.....well, it's a good way to spend a weekend.

A tense and suspenseful read. This addictive read which pushes the boundaries of a stalker thriller. What a ride.

ER doctor and her family terrorised by a stalker. Well written. While I really enjoyed this book, there was a small part in the middle that seemed to drag a bit.
4 stars


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

Seriously creepy and a tad unbelievable.

Jenna is an ER Doctor who happens to have a stalker. It's been over a year now and the police have no leads (my first thought here was REALLY?! (none at all?). Throughout this time, Jenna has received threatening notes and gifts and has tried to keep her family safe from him but to no avail.

The day her stalker is wheeled into her ER after a life threatening accident, Jenna has an ethical dilemma to consider. Saving his life would mean wreaking havoc in her own. Oh the tangled web we weave.

Once all was revealed as the why the stalker had it out for Jenna.. well. my eyes rolled.

A psychological thriller, that left a little to be desired.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the arc.

This was an entertaining read and did keep me guessing. But the characters were really unlikeable, especially the main character, Jenna. Also, it took awhile for the story to work up to some suspense and action.

Jenna is a doctor ... with her own personal stalker. She sees him everywhere, but has no idea of who he is and why he's chosen her for a target. He leaves gifts on her doorsteps, and her house has been broken into. The police don't seem to be able to help as he has not actually threatened her.

When her stalker is brought into the hospital where she works, she recognizes him immediately. The man is in a coma ... and Jenna wants answers.. and she's determined to get him out of her life ... once and for all.

Suspenseful and full of twists and turns, it's a real page turner. It's fast-paced with characters that are solidly drawn.