I feel as though I’ve read this book before; and by that I mean it read a bit trite to me. I am not digging the mommy mysteries of late.

One Step Behind by Lauren North
The book follows dual point of views, Jenna an Emergency doctor and Sophie a personal trainer. Jenna has been stalked for a year with threatening emails, creepy dolls and even a fire in her yard. She is convinced she knows who her stalker is and when he shows up in the ER she has decisions to make. Sophie has spent her life caring for her brother who is a little off, quiet, keeps to himself etc. She is also in a controlling relationship that she can't wait to get out of. Jenna and Sophie's worlds collide when Jenna's children go missing.
Pros: A great twisty read with surprise ending. The stalker has a real creep factor that will give you the chills!
Cons: A little unbelievable at some points but that is what great thrillers are about!
Overall I enjoyed the book and will look for more by this author.

Told from a few perspectives, this is not your typical mystery, instead it is more than just a mystery! The main character, Jenna, is many things, but the one that gets most of her attention is being the victim of a crime that is hard to pinpoint and prosecute - being stalked. There is a man behind every tree and is constantly around a corner and has not only impacted her life, but also her kids and her husband. The other main perspective is another woman who is a personal trainer with a boyfriend who is beyond controlling and a brother who has seemed off since the day her parents adopted him. Their worlds will collide . . .

I read this book in two major sittings and devoured it! Not just because I wanted to find out who the stalker was and the why, but because of the interesting addition of taking one of the characters back to their childhood and diving deep into their back story. I am so thankful that the author included those chapters as they added so much more to this story and it wouldn't have felt complete without them.

I don't want to go on too much because the twists and turns in this book are too good to be spoiled. When I thought I had it figured out an extra little something was added in and it made the book's outcome even better than I could have predicted!

I was excited to see after finishing this book, that she has a previous, may pick up that one really soon!

To what lengths would you go to protect your children from the person stalking you?

Jenna, an emergency room physician, is being stalked and despite reporting everything to the police, nothing is being done. She's seen her stalker on numerous occasions so when he presents to her ER, she has to decide to save him or let him die.

Jenna's character is well developed and I had a true sense of the terror she felt on a daily basis and of the way it affected her family. From the other mom's at the school, to her children, to her husband, everyone was affected by the stalker.

Told from 2 different points of view, we are also watching the events unfold from Sophie. In the beginning, we are unsure how Sophie fits into the plot, but find that she's facing her own monsters in life.

As the book progresses, different connections and relationships are revealed, such as that of Sophie and Jenna.
From the time I started this book, I quickly read through it. I certainly hadn't figured out all the answers and was pleasantly surprised. While not necessarily thrilling, I enjoyed this book.

Anyone interested in mild thrillers, this would be the perfect place to start.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Jenna Lawson is being stalked. Although she has seen his face, the police are unable to identify him. Then he is rushed to the emergency room of the hospital where she works.
The premise of this is intriguing but I felt this was a slow build. Once Jenna learns the identity of her stalker, she becomes obsessed with learning why he is stalking her. She doesn't let the police do their job and interferes with the investigation. Then there is the stalker's background.
This is written in the first person, but when Jenna thinks about her stalker it is all "You" did this, "You" made me this way, like she is talking to him.
The last 5 chapters is when the story all comes together and it gets a little bit more intense. Overall, I feel like this was OK. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.
This is due to be released on September 1st, 2020.

I feel as though I bring a bit harsh on some reviews but this one was so disappointing. I am always drawn by a book that promises a good stalker story ( especially when involves social media stalking but that’s for another time), do when I read the blurb for this one it seemed intriguing.
Jenna is a doctor who has a stalker that has been following her for several months. He leaves weird “ gifts” at her door, emails her threats and whenever she leaves the house he is lurking nearby.
She has been in contact with the police who are helpless until they can identify who this person is.
One day at work a victim who has been hit by a bus comes in and it’s him! Jenna starts looking for answers as to who this man is and what he wants from her.
Ugh.. Jenna is the most annoying, unlikeable and whiny character that it is hard to feel any sympathy for her. The book moves so slowly with repeated complaints of not being able to sleep and doing insane things like becoming a stalker herself. The twist made no sense to me and by the time we got there I was no longer interested in the outcome.
Give this one a pass, there are far better books out there.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I couldn't put this book down making me officially a Lauren North fan! The plot was so amazing in One Step Behind that I reread it and definitely will again.

I've read through a lot of poor reviews on this one, and I honestly am surprised because I was very impressed with the mind-bending plot!

We meet Jenna, a doctor and mother of two, almost a year into her life with a stalker. Why does she have a stalker? We have NO idea. For a long time. The reader slowly gets more information as Jenna reflects back on the stalker's activities over the past year - from destroyed dolls left on doorsteps, threatening emails, and glimpses of a man lurking and watching her and her children. What starts somewhat simple becomes much more complicated as other characters are introduced, including a back and forth viewpoint of Sophie (current day and as a child) and her brother Matthew. To explain any more about their connection to the story would be too much of a spoiler!

This certainly read as more of a psychological "drama" vs. "thriller" for the first half of the book. However, the slow-going storyline in the first half appealed to me because the author showcased the monotony of Jenna trying to just live a normal day-to-day life all while being strangely stalked and threatened. As a reader, you needed to get in her head to understand how "normal" this had started to seem to those around her, as well as get the full picture of how Jenna becomes unraveled. Character-wise, Jenna was relatable and the mom-guilt hit very real. Some commented they found her unlikable, but I felt that was, once again, all a part of the author's intention at times since we are seeing this woman break down and lose control of her life and family.

There were multiple brain-bending moments that surprised me. I love thinking that the author has told us the real story and then - NOPE! - a twist reveals the truth.

Recommend for those of you who like a slow-burning suspense and who enjoy being confused and toyed with only to be rewarded with a twisted ending!

This was a fun and interesting thriller for me. I liked the writing a lot and the story kept me hooked. I wanted to know who was stalking Jenna and why. I enjoyed all the drama as well as the unraveling of the story. Definitely a good mystery/thriller if you're looking for one.

So I have 5 top thrillers that I absolutely love! This book!! THIS BOOK just knocked my number one book out of my top thrillers!! This has become my number one thriller read!! Jenna knows someone is stalking her and she thinks she has found him. Has she? I thought I knew! How wrong was I? This book is absolutely brilliant!! It has all the twists, turns, white knuckle suspense, deceit, lies, and edge of your seat thrills that you could possibly want!! If I could give this book a thousand stars, I would!! Yes! Yes it's that good!!

When Jenna's life gets turned upside down by a stalker, all she wants to know is who it is and why she was chosen.

Jenna's stalker has been leaving her awful gifts, sending her threatening e-mails, lurking behind trees and buildings, and ruining Jenna's life because she sees the stalker everywhere.

One day as Jenna was the doctor working in the ER, her stalker is brought in after an accident and is in critical condition.

Jenna could let the patient die or she could save her stalker. That was a tough decision for her, but she decided her medical oath required her to save lives.

She finds out the stalker's name is Matthew.

She still questions if saving him was the right thing to do because he still haunted her, and she still sees him even though she knows he is in the ICU.

We also meets Matthew's sister, Sophie.

We learn Matthew's background through Sophie's story. They both had a terrible childhood, but she only hears her mother’s words that she is a big sister and has to take care of Matthew. She is tired of taking care of her brother.

Something happened in this family twelve years ago that causes even more guilt for Sophie.

ONE STEP BEHIND is filled with unlikable characters, secrets, bitterness, and a great story line.

The tension and the unknown are very evident in this book with the ending ramping up the tension to the max.

Readers who enjoy a book that keeps you guessing and on alert will enjoy ONE STEP BEHIND. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't paced well, but I can forgive that as what action there was was somewhat compelling. Also, the narrator was fairly intelligent - thank goodness. The last scene is actually where this one lost me (and lost a whole star - it was that irritating).

This was one interesting roller coaster ride.

There isn't really a trustworthy character
Jenna is a little wishy washy when everything starts to unfold which is understandable you know with having a stalker and everything but......
and right from the get go you know Sophie is hiding something

Please so just go into this book as blind as possible, you know from the beginning that Jenna has a stalker.

This book was great and it had me guessing a lot and some of my guesses where right but the ending i didn't see coming.

One Step Behind is a twisty, gripping, cat and mouse game psychological thriller that will nearly give you whiplash from simultaneously turning your head to look at your surroundings, in fear that someone may be watching your every move, while eagerly glancing back at the pages, frantic to find out what happens next.

This book was a wild, goose bumps inducing ride, and I loved every second of it.

This story revolves around a woman named Jenna, who is a wife, mother, and doctor. But she is also a woman living in fear, a woman victimized, a woman living her life looking over her shoulder in sheer terror, because she has a stalker.


As we are introduced into Jenna’s life and world, we are given a glimpse into what it’s like to be stalked, and just how terrified she is. We go through the terrifying moments she endures from him following her and the disturbing emails and objects he leaves for her. These are things that Jenna experiences more frequently than not, and even just reading about what its like to have a stalker is enough to leave you feeling shaken up and give you chills as you’re reading.

One day, the man stalking her is admitted to the hospital where she works, after a terrible accident and she must choose whether she saves his life. What will she decide to do?

This book had me completely hooked from start to finish; Just when I thought I had something figured out, another twist was thrown my way, and I would find myself one step behind again (ha ha ha. pun intended ok? ok). I was proven wrong time and time again, and all of the surprises kept me flipping the pages at a frantic speed.

Awesome thriller! Highly recommend!

I always love a good stalker story and the beginning of this one, as the author sets up the stalking scene, was terrifying! Unfortunately the last half of the book wasn’t as exciting and I found myself feeling pretty lackluster over the whole thing. There were many twists that had me guessing but by the end, it got too muddled for my enjoyment. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! No slow build up, creepy / suspenseful, and unlike a lot of these stalker novels, the main character is likable.

Jenna is being stalked by a man who hides in the shadows. He's destroyed her sense of self, her closeness to her family, and her feeling of safety. Then, he's pushed in front of a bus and ends up as a patient in her care. Once she knows who he is, she becomes obsessed with proving he's her stalker.

Sophie is Jenna's stalker's sister. I didn't like her perspective as much, but she is a personal trainer around town. That's about all I can say without giving up too many plot details about Sophie.

Overall, I thought this story was really strong. Whenever I read novels like this one, I get so mad -- do a stalking victim's friends and family really treat them the way they're treated in books? Everyone acts like Jenna is crazy and doesn't have a stalker, even though it's CLEAR she does. It's so upsetting.

BUT that ENDING. Wow. I thought the twist of this book (when isn't there a twist in these books anymore?) was well done, and the ending was awesome. 5 stars just for that ending!

Would recommend this one to anyone who's looking for a quick, easy, exciting read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren North, & Berkley Publishing Group for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review. :)

I really liked this book I think the suspense built nicely. I think the main character was relatable and believable and likable. I did think the Thomas storyline part felt kinda pointless, but other than that I really liked the book.

Well I’m not usually one to read thriller and mystery books, but One Step Behind had me guessing the whole time who Jenna’s arch nemesis was. Told similarly as the TV show You, this was one book so couldn’t put down. The strength and determination of Jenna made me want her to succeed, all beat it, Stuart left me deeply disappointed. A real turn pager for anyone who wants to be kept up late at night.

This was good! I had one part figured out early on, but not who the stalker was. Go ahead and read it, i bet youll like it!

I really liked The Perfect Son, so I was happy to get my hands on One Step Behind by Lauren North. If you are into stalker stories, you will have to check this out. I do like a stalker trope which can be very disturbing, I mean that in the best way.

When reading a suspense book about a stalking situation, you want to be nervous and a little scared, right?

For the first part of the book, we meet Jenna and learn all about her life. Things move somewhat slowly until this man, the one who has been stalking her, shows up in the hospital. I thought things starting moving a little quicker during the second part of the book when Jenna starts to figure out the who-what-why of this man.

Take a look at the plot:

Jenna is a wife, a mother, a doctor. She’s also the victim of a stalker. Every time she leaves her house, she sees him. Disturbing gifts are left at her door. Cruel emails are sent to her colleagues. She has no idea who this man is but she feels powerless against him.

Until the day he is brought into her hospital after a serious accident, and Jenna is given the chance to find out once and for all why this man is tormenting her. Now, the power is all hers.

But how many lines is she willing to cross to take back control of her life?

Whew! You can instantly see how this can go in different directions. I don’t want to give much away at all, its best that you read the book and let everything unfold!

This comes out on September 1, get it here.