The truth is that I simply don’t care about parents. I don’t care about being a parent, the stress of parenting, the struggles of being a good parent, or kids in general. And I end up finding myself being unable to relate or not caring at all what happens. I know that makes me a jerk to some people, and I don’t want to feel like that, but I do tend to find my eyes glaze over if there’s too much emphasis on being a parent. I just can’t relate.

2.5/3 stars
“Just stay Away” was “meh”. I read it about a month ago and can’t remember much about it, except the dad wasn’t the brightest nor the best dad and the kid was creepy and weird.

This was definitely a thrilling one, although it just did not do it for me and I unfortunately had to stop reading. It just wasn't connecting with me or sitting right.

Craig is playing stay-at-home dad to his young daughter while he writes his debut novel. She meets a friend, A young boy named Levi, and they hit it off. Best of all, their friendship allows Craig more quiet time to write. In a sinister, bubbling twist the friendship sours and it becomes a game of cat and mouse. Craig must protect hid daughter from the monster down the street.

Riveting, captivating. I couldn't stop turning pages, so eager to find out what came next. I love when the ordinary turns wicked. Well written with great suspense. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Spooky, and eerie, and makes you think of many possible (and scary) real-life situations.
The book’s premise is great. The idea behind it is awesome. The intended twists were good. Yet somehow, I feel like this one unfortunately fell flat for me. I kept thinking about this book for days after finishing reading it, and I still can’t put my finger on it, what was the reason behind it feeling so flat? It could have been (and should have been) so good, yet unfortunately, it wasn’t.
I’m sorry.

As a mother of two 8-year-old daughters, this book definitely hit home. I found this to be spooky and thrilling. I certainly didn't expect it to end the way it did! I think all mothers should read this - or maybe not. I know I'll be looking at my daughters' friends a little bit more closely from now on!

Just Stay Away by Tony Wirt: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Format: Kindle/ARC

The cover image and blurb were enough to suck me in to read Just Stay Away. There’s something very insidious and menacing about the imagery of the bloody croquet mallet and the concept of a very creepy kid that really grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let it go. Once I started reading this , I didn’t want to put down, and I was flipping through this wildly to get to the end! The main character Craig, stay at home dad and aspiring writer, cannot escape the attention of Levi, a kid who appears out of nowhere in his yard one day. Levi was definitely acting like a psychopath in this book, but the only one who can see it is Craig. As time goes on, Levi’s intentions get darker and more drastic.

Although it was a compelling story, it was at times frustrating to read because of the nature of the plot, how no one believed Craig. But Craig was not a very likable character either- he was detatched and unattentive as a father for much of the book, and I did not enjoy his inner monologues and focus on his writing process. He also made very poor decisions throughout the story that didn’t make sense.

Overall I liked this book and will likely read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of Just Stay Away, which is available now.

I was continuing to read this hoping there was some twists here or there to recover the story but it never happened. Craig is a piss poor character and an awful dad and just so I can’t even think of the words right now. I wish I didn’t finish this book I feel like I wasted my time.

I don’t know man this did not click at all for me, i feel like I could not connect with the characters at alll, and I think maybe the writing was also not for me ?? I don’t know how to feel about this

Tony Witt’s Just Stay Away held a lot of promise: A stay-at-home dad who is juggling parenting with trying to write his first novel is getting bad vibes from the boy who has befriended his daughter. Bad things are happening, and no one is safe, but the MC can’t get anyone to believe him.

Just Stay Away was one of those books that keeps you on the edge of your seat, always wondering what’s going to happen. In that way, this novel is great, but where it faltered for me is that it ultimately left me wanting more than what it gave me. Super easy to read and fall into, but ultimately missed the mark on becoming a “thriller” for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I came upon this book on a whim and I am so glad I did! This was my first Tony Wirt read and I will definitely be going back to read his other novel, "A Necessary Act". I appears he also has another novel in the works that I will definitely be adding to my list of to be read!

Review of “Just Stay Away’ by Tony Wirt. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. “Just Stay Away” is out now 📚

2,5 ⭐️

Unfortunately, I didn’t really like this all that much. I had a great time getting into it, but after my first sitting I didn’t really pick this book up anymore. The ending fell pretty flat as well, without too much edge-of-my-seat stuff going on. Craig wasn’t my fave character as well, he honestly should’ve done better and leave his book be sometimes. A book that he didn’t even end up publishing?

Overall, a book with a great build-up that I really liked, but after that, it just wasn’t my kind of thriller.

Just Stay Away is a novel that had the potential to be a gripping psychological thriller, but ultimately left me with mixed feelings. The story revolves around Craig Finnigan, an aspiring writer, and his attempts to complete his book while taking care of his seven-year-old daughter, Alice. The initial premise of a writer trying to balance his creative pursuits with parenting is relatable, but the execution falls short in many aspects.

The book begins with Alice becoming friends with a neighbourhood boy, Levi. However, the plot takes a darker turn as Levi's behaviour becomes increasingly disturbing. The author successfully builds a sense of paranoia around Craig as strange events occur in their home, leading him to suspect Levi's involvement. This shift in tone is where the story had the potential to shine.

I found it challenging to connect with any of the characters, including Craig and Alice. Their emotional depth and development felt lacking, which made it difficult to become truly invested in their fates.

On a positive note, the story did flow relatively well, making it an easy read that could be finished quickly. I didn’t hate the book by any means, the writing is well done, but I just wish the author explored the characters in more depth!

This was an average read about a messed up boy. Everyone likes creepy kid stories right? Easy read. Annoying characters of course.

I’d like to thank Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Talk about crazy!! Craig is a newly stay at home dad to follow his dream of becoming an author. Leaving him home with his 7 year old daughter Alice. How will he ever get any writing done with her constantly interrupting him? Just like magic a neighborhood boy shows up and they became fast friends. He’s a little odd maybe he just needed a friend or some attention. Or maybe he is a nightmare! Strange sounds at night, things going missing and Craig is sure Levi is to blame. Problem is he can’t prove it. You’d think as the adult he would be believed but you’d be wrong. Everyone seems to think it’s Craig that’s loosing it. And Levi’s family are not ones to be messed with being high society in town. Is it Craig? Is he just stressed to meet his deadline meeting with his potential new publisher, who would certainly fast track his work to the top? Is he having a hard time settling into being a stay at home dad and not contributing financially? Has all the stress just caused him to see something that isn’t there? Or is Levi the terror and nightmare of a boy Craig’s making him out to be? You have to read this! It’s a great book with page turning suspenseful tension that will keep you glued to the pages until the end! Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance for allowing me access to this eARC.

This book made me extremely anxious and it was stressful! The writing definitely put you in the right mindset while you were reading but Craig was just all over the place as a character that it was distracting.


Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fast paced, easy to read, a bit creepy..

Overall this was a very meh read for me personally. Usually I enjoy a flawed, unlikable main character but this one was just too frustrating. The whole story just felt sort of surface level.

If you just want a quick thriller and do not care much about small details of a book.. maybe you could enjoy this.

If the premise of this book is interesting to you, I would recommend 'The Perfect Child' by Lucinda Berry over this one.

Hmm. I'm with Courtney on this one. Craig, his wife Courtney, and their daughter Alice are living happily together but then Alice becomes friends (well, it's clear not really pretty quickly) with Levi. Levi brings chaos and problems but Craig seems to be oblivious to so much because he wants to finish his book. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a fast paced read but I found myself talking to Craig about how stupid he was being.

Just Stay Away was fast paced with a super creepy antagonist. It reminded me of the 90s movie The Good Son with McCauley Culkin. I would’ve liked more detail about Levi and his home life to get a fuller picture of his depravity.

"Just Stay Away" by Tony Wire is a gripping tale of suspense and intrigue that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Wire's storytelling is masterful, with well-developed characters and a plot that unfolds with unexpected twists and turns. The author's ability to create a sense of foreboding and tension is truly remarkable. Wire's writing style is engaging, drawing readers into a world where danger lurks around every corner. This story is a thrilling rollercoaster ride that fans of suspense and mystery won't want to miss. Tony Wire's talent as a storyteller shines brightly in this compelling narrative.