Member Reviews

Wow this book gave me full body goosebumps. I have to admit I initially found it quite slow and the characters unlikable however all of that changed once I got about three quarters of the way in and I could. not. put. it. down! Really well written, well done Sarah Alderson!

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I received an advance copy of, The Stalker by Sarah Alderson. Wow what a thriller. Laura is being stalked, who is stalking Laura?

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WOW! this truly was a little gem of a book. I finished it from cover to cover in just two days! I could not put it down, I live in Scotland myself and really enjoyed the descriptions of the Scottish Scenery. I also loved the creepy and atmospheric vibes in this story, It was very thrilling and I had Goosebumps most of the way through reading this book.

Laura and Liam are newly weds, They decide to visit a remote isolated Scottish island for a few days of quiet, peace and blissfulness, However this unfortunately does not happen as they soon realise that they are not the only ones on the Scottish island, And they soon realise that whoever else is on the island has sinister intentions, The question is who are they and why?

These questions kept me up into the wee small hours, I had to keep checking that my doors and windows are locked and any small noises made me jump out of my skin! The twist at the end left me feeling gobsmacked and completely blindsided me as I did not expect that twist, A big thank you to netgalley for a copy of this fantastic book in exchange for my honest review, I cant wait to read more from this author.

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OMG What have I just read? Newlyweds Liam and Laura take a honeymoon on a remote Scottish island. Not long after their arrival, creepy happenings suggest that they are not alone. I must admit that the second part of the book took me totally by surprise. Be warned, this book is very scary and gory in parts, but absolutely absorbing. Very clever indeed.

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I absolutely loved this book.

“The island is invisible. Dark clouds hang like water-logged blankets over the loch:”

The imagery had me hooked from the beginning. The cover was inviting although, I thought it would be a horror and not a thriller. I enjoyed the different point of views from all the different characters. Now the multiple plot twists were amazing they built off each other and developed quite nicely I never knew in which direction the story was headed. I will admit the plot twist was a bit confusing when it started happening because it was so different from earlier moments from the book, but all in all still enjoyable.

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I read this book in 2 days which is extremely quick for me, I found it very gripping and it seemed to flow well. I enjoyed the twist at the end, however I had managed to figure out some parts fairly early on in the book.

The book started with a bit of a horror vibe but settled into a thriller with a twist. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an easy to read thriller that will make you want to keep reading on.

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<img src="https://www.scotlandinfo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/orkney-broch-of-gurness.jpg"/>

This thriller/horror novel started off well, with beautiful scenic descriptions and a honeymoon couple on their way to a remote island in northern Scotland. Before they set out, they are warned that the island is surrounded by frigid waters that could kill you in the space of a few minutes... and is haunted!

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/sagacity/image/upload/c_crop,h_952,w_795,x_0,y_0/c_scale,w_640/v1397426771/PsychoRetouch_tnvdji.jpg"/>

Things are idyllic at first, but one evening Laura catches sight of a man at the edge of a forest. She decides not to mention it to Liam - she could be imagining things.... Laura has lost a lot of weight and has been suffering from severe depression since her mother died suddenly the day after her wedding. The locals believed that the island was haunted, and there had been a tragic fire that destroyed the landmark castle belonging to the original owners. Maybe she was allowing the spooky stories to get to her?

The first day or so goes quite well. But, soon enough, paradise is lost when Liam also starts seeing a strange man peering in through the living room window, and they find foot prints outside. I was well and truly spooked! And then, even stranger things started to happen.....!

<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/fboZ_OrlKhLWma7mjfQZ8MhaEmAYkrskdXQDSfx0z_55v8K4FYboMVMuPVo5JBBGNUvX7-Q5VWCLAnDT5V55RmST4XmL2HExjlunaNnOeXTVmD3_6sODBw"/>

There are a couple of twists or "reveals" in this story - one of which I suspected right from the start. I would also warn readers that there are very graphic descriptions of numerous instances of extreme violence. Fans of GOT and TWD will feel right at home. For me, it was just too gruesome and seemed to go on for far too long, and far too often! (A tad gratuitous, in my opinion.) This book should definitely come with trigger warnings.

<img src="https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/7C9FeK_qaoRKWk3Vup00ILzSDJ0/550x26:2104x1580/fit-in/2048xorig/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2019/04/23/987/n/1922283/34214c7c5cbf9499b31477.29937917_/i/How-Did-Arya-Get-Her-Scars-Game-Thrones.jpg"/>

The writing was very good in the first half, but the plot got a bit wild toward the end and made nonsense of some of the things Laura said in the first half of the novel. I debated going back and rereading bits of the first half, to try to make sense of some of the events of the second half, but thought better of it. I'm rating this one a 3.5 out of 5.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.
I really enjoyed Sarah Alderson’s last book ‘The Weekend Away’, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on ‘The Stalker.’ It was a bit of a slow burner, but the last third of the book made up for that.
Newlywed’s Laura and Liam are honeymooning on a remote Scottish island. No neighbours, no telephone, no mobile reception. No way of getting off the island until their boatman collects them a week later. Very quickly, they discover they are not alone, and so it begins. The build-up is quite slow and repetitive at first but well worth persevering as all is revealed with a twist I didn’t anticipate.
A good thriller, well worth the read.

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There are no words other than..WOW,WOW, WOW!!!

Took me a few days to get going but I was already loving the atmosphere instantly. Got to Part 2 and thought Oh what's going on here....?

Please, please,, PLEASE BBC or ITV you so need to dramatise this!!!! Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this and to the author Sarah Alderson for letting me have an early read. Fantastic. I give it a thousand stars.

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The Stalker
By: Sarah Alderson
Publication Date: 8th July 2021

Liam and Laura have decided to spend their rescheduled honeymoon on a remote island off Scotland, where they will be the only guests on an island with a tragic and eerie history. With no phone reception and the boat not returning to collect them until the end of the week, they soon discover they are not the only ones on the island. The honeymoon soon turns into a nightmare!

The Stalker is certainly a book that gets the heart rate going! The first 70% of the book is like a psychological horror, but then the book takes a thrilling turn that resulted in a very late night of reading because I couldn't put it down!! The atmosphere was chilling as I could feel myself tense when the couple were exploring the island. The remote setting was so well described, I felt as if I was with them as they explored the old castle.

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Alderson and it won't be the last! This is a very clever book that I throughly enjoyed. This is easily a 4 star read that I would recommend to anyone.

Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Wow, this book had such an unexpected twist I did not see coming whatsoever! Character development was simply amazing and I was left guessing who the stalker was until the last few chapters. Have already highly recommended this book to my coworkers to request this title!!

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This book had me sold at “honeymoon on a remote Scottish island,” but I could have no idea what I was getting myself into. Newlyweds Liam and Laura are on their delayed honeymoon on a very remote Scottish island after a shaky start. Laura’s mother died right after their wedding, and they had to put their honeymoon on hold. Laura has been grieving and unable to cope, but the time has come to reconnect with a romantic getaway. From the start, something seems off-kilter with strange warnings from the locals before their boat ride across the water. Then once on the island, they sense someone is watching them on what is supposed to be a deserted island.

It is never wise to be too far away from civilization, especially without working phones. Evidently, these two haven’t watched many scary movies or read suspenseful books. However, they catch on pretty quickly and realize they are in a desperate situation.

This book was okay, but I wasn’t wowed and initially did not plan on giving it more than 2 ½ stars until the surprise ending. The ending totally shocked me, and I think Alderson has great potential in the mystery/suspense genre.

I thank NetGalley and AvonBooks UK for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. I gave this book three stars.

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The Stalker is a psychological thriller. Laura and Liam are having a belated honeymoon on an isolated island in Scotland. They soon come to realize they are not alone. This book had lots of twists and turns and the ending I did not see coming. Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

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I thoroughly enjoyed The Stalker. Everything about it made for a page-turner. The writing flowed beautifully. The characters were believable, although I did want to shake some sense into one of them. The ending was a total surprise, both credible and gratifying.

The author expertly wove the story so that while I didn’t see what was coming next, after the fact, it all did come together to make sense. (Sorry, I know that was vague, but I didn’t want to include any Spoilers.)

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Stalker. It was terrific.

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This is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read for a while.
Liam and Laura head off to a remote Scottish Island for a belated honeymoon. Waiting for the boatman to take them across, they stop off for a drink in the mainland pub where locals tell them to be careful as the Island is haunted. Liam disbelieves what he hears but strange things start happening and they both get the feeling they are being watched. Who else is on the island and why do they want Liam and Laura to leave.
This book was really good with twists and turns from the middle of the book, with an ending I did not see coming. Kudos to Sarah for a great read
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own

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Firstly, I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

The story of Laura and Liam, a pair of newly weds who go to a remote Scottish island for their delayed honeymoon. It is a clever book, very well written, and portrays the atmosphere of the setting very well. It is chilling.

I certainly did not expect the sudden, and unexpected twist at the end!

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Liam and Laura are newly married and are finally getting to take their honeymoon trip after having to cancel their first trip after a tragic accident. They are off to a private island in Scotland where they will be able to explore and relax with no one to bother them. They think they are alone but after some strange occurrences they realize they are being stalked by someone who not only wants them dead but wants to torture them. Will they be able to escape this island and who is this stalker?

The Stalker was a great read and incorporated my favorite themes of locked room mysteries and stalking. This book kept me guessing until the end and took a dark but satisfying turn at the end.

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When Liam & Laura set foot on this small island up north in Scotland, they're expecting the perfect honeymoon. A week off, just the two of them, relaxing and enjoying each other's company.

But quickly, Laura can't shake the feeling that they're being watched. When one day, they discover a strange message scratched into the window of their cottage, they have to face the reality that they might not be alone after all...

I read this thriller is just one day and absolutely loved it. While it took me a while to like the main character, once the story picked up, I simply couldn't put the book down. Who is this stalker, and why does he want them dead?

I loved the heavy atmosphere of the book, how the weather always had a big role in the story and how this supposedly dreamy island quickly turned into a scary and uninviting place.

I would recommend this book to fans of Ruth Ware & Paula Hawkins.

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What a gripping mystery

This was a very disturbing but good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not get enough of.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension -  impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

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Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for letting me read early. This book publishes July 8 so get yourself ready for this one!

Laura and Liam are headed to a deserted island in Scotland for their honeymoon. What they thought would be a private and romantic holiday quickly takes a turn to disaster and terror. This book made me feel like I was watching a movie where 75% of it made me want to throw my popcorn at the screen and tell the main character she's stupid. Then Sarah Alderson unleashed the twists and they came at me one after another leaving me whiplashed and bruised.

The Stalker is captivating and you'll want to keep reading until you finish it in one sitting. It's creepy and gross and full of trigger warnings. I hated parts of it and was rolling my eyes a lot but I have to give credit where it's due and after THE BIG TWIST I can safely tell you that this is a good book. It's just so very cinematic and I think it will be very successful. I can't wait to read more by Sarah Alderson!

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