Member Reviews
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy to read.
The story follows four people who have become friends through an online stalking group. Throughout the book there are WhatsApp messages from their group FYST which stands for F@#k you stupid tw@ts.
This is a race against time to find a murderer before being murdered. They each try yo help each other with their stalkers.
The book is easy to read, fast paced and delivers a plot twist at the end.
Whilst I really wanted to know how it ended I didn't really connect with the characters or the story. In places it felt slightly too long.
I imagine lots of people will enjoy this book but for me there was a slight disconnect.
Also, make sure to read the authors notes to hear where the idea for the story came from. Its certainly opened my eyes to stalking and just how intense it can be.
3.5 stars.
I read this, smugly, thinking I’d worked out exactly who was at the centre of this thriller. Nope. That twist at the end was brilliant!
An intriguing and gripping story, I loved the characters and can't wait to read more by this author.
Well if you’re looking for a really great mystery thriller and one that’s going to keep you on your toes then look no further as this is precisely how I would describe the book. What I loved about it the most is that it kept me guessing right until the end and even though I thought I knew the outcome when I realised I most certainly didn’t for me a person who reads a lot of mystery thrillers it was so damn refreshing and I loved that about this book.
It’s an intricate plot with some fabulous characters that be came more and more intriguing as the story progressed. At the heart of the story is the horrible subject of stalking and the author has done a wonderful job of dealing with this in a very empathetic manner which can’t have been easy given what she went through herself so I really do admire her for that.
From start to finish I loved the book, the characters and the plot and I can 100% recommend it as a superb read and one not to be missed in my opinion.
Thank you so much CL Taylor it was a hell of a great read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
In "Every Move You Make", C.L. Taylor, has taken a contemporary issue, one that is featuring across our media and in the legal world and written about the issue to great effect is this chilling thriller. Alex, Bridget, Lucy, Natalie and River, are all members of a stalking victim support group and provide support to each other via their WhatApp group. They soon realise that their nightmare has come true when Natalie's stalker succeeds in killing her and then at Nat's funeral, the group are targeted with a threat, suggesting that one or more of their group will die within 10 days. This threat kickstarts a series of chain-reactions with the group trying to alternatively defend themselves, and to track their stalker.
"Every Move You Make" was a fast-paced and swift read with plenty of twists throughout the storyline that ensured, my attention did not drop for a moment.
‘There’s no point hiding. You know I’ll find you.’
C L Taylor never disappoints me with her work and I am so grateful that I have been able to read another of her books before it is released into the world.
Nerve wracking through out! Very addictive and terrifying.
The twists were very good! And that ending?!!!
A must read for any thriller and vigilante reader.
‘Someone’s watching her. She can feel it as powerfully as if they’d reached out and stroked the back of her head.’
Thank you Cally for writing this story and for what you wrote in the author’s note section. You are amazing!
I thought this was a well-plotted page turner about a number of women plagued by stalkers and their steps to protect themselves. The author does the 'tension then release ' bit very well, The terror of being followed at every turn by a psycho is conveyed very convincingly. It would make a great TV mini series. The fact that the author was a victim of a tech savvy jealous ex makes it all the more poignant. ( Thanks to NetGalley for a preview )
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Thank you to the author, publishers Avon and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.
Brought together by their fears of the people who stalk them, Alex, River, Lucy and Bridget have to trust each other if they’re going to take on the people who are victimising them.
Great characters, pacy plotting, another enjoyable C. L. Taylor thrill ride.
The book really delivers on the tension and frustration of a stalking victim. The lack of control, the desperation to find a solution and the despair that the only way this will end is with someone dead.
A great read.
‘Every Move You Make’ by C.L. Taylor begins with an awful murder of a stalking victim Natalie by her threatening ex-boyfriend. This horrific event brings the four remaining members of a WhatsApp support group - Alex, River, Bridget and Lucy - closer together and makes them more desperate to find an escape from their own stalkers. Told primarily over the course of a claustrophobic and eventful ten-day period, we watch these characters try to outsmart their tormentors and work together to ensure their safety.
A foreboding wreath delivery at Natalie’s funeral announcing that someone else will die soon amplifies the desperation of the victims, and each day preceding the planned murder is full of action and drama. The fear is palpable throughout the chapters of the book, which switch between characters and include plenty of WhatsApp messages as the group stay connected. I admire C.L. Taylor’s ability to sustain tension across such a long book.
I was impressed at the depth of character development for Alex, River, Bridget and Lucy, and the way that the novel demonstrated that things are not always as black-and-white as they seem. Though the plot was chaotic at times, and some scenes felt extremely far-fetched, I was gripped from start to finish.
As a thriller novel, I am giving this four stars. I’d also like to say that the author’s note at the end of the book really drove home to me the message of the story - her bravery in sharing her own stalking experience and the emotional impact is inspiring. It made me despair even more that even when victims decide to speak to the police, they are often ignored. It would be good to see that change and avoid more real-life cases culminating like Natalie’s did in this work of fiction.
CL Taylor’s latest standalone psychological thriller, Every Move You Make is out in March 2024 and I was lucky enough to read an early copy in December 2023.
The story begins with a group of five people who have one thing in common, they are all victims of stalkers. They met through a support group and have formed a close friendship and bond over the years.
When one of the five is brutally murdered days after her stalker is released from prison, the remaining four are devastated. However it’s when the group receive a threat at the funeral, they realise they have to take drastic action to reclaim their lives and stop living in fear.
All the main characters in the book are very different and in normal circumstances probably wouldn’t be friends, but because of their shared experiences they have a unique connection to each other.
I really enjoyed getting to know Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget and River and finding out more about their backstories and how each of them dealt with their situations differently. Each character narrates their own story which made this book difficult to put down as I needed to know what happens next the more I read.
The author was able to bring these characters to life in such detail, you could literally smell the fear emanating from each of them when confronted with their stalkers.
This is a fast-paced story full of tension which kept me gripped throughout. I thoroughly recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers.
This is one of those books that will stay with you for a very long time. Cally Taylor is the master of suspense, subterfuge, and with the uncanny ability to totally creep you out!
5 people come together to form a WhatsApp group – what do they have in common? Nothing except for the fact that all were being stalked. When one of the group is killed, and they group receive a death threat for a second member, time is ticking to prevent another of their group dying.
This is a book that will make the hair stand up on the back of your arms, and play with your head. A brilliant read.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I was instantly hooked by this book and was on tenterhooks the whole way through. A really gripping read that I found totally fascinating. It really made me think about what it must be like to be stalked and the devastating impact it has on a person’s life. A truly eye opening story that unfortunately is a reality for so many people. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
C.L. Taylor, Every Move You Make, Avon Books, March 2024.
Thank you, NetGalley , for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The fear and helplessness endured by people who are stalked resonates through this well-crafted novel. Those who suffer in the same way are all too aware of the threat that remains even after the stalker has been incarcerated; those who are not directly involved try to instill optimism that a punished stalker will not reoffend. A Family Liaison officer advises moving, changing their name and phone number, moving house. Those stalked take all these precautions but know no changes will work, understanding of what it is to be stalked is theirs, fear is theirs, inability to live an ordinary life is theirs. Natalie, Alexandra, Bridget and River are being stalked. Their response is to be in a WhatsApp group for survivors of stalkers.
The story opens as Natalie leaves work. She takes evasive action when she sees her stalker, changing tube destinations, speculating on the best way to evade him, then understanding that he has her phone number as he bombards her with aggressive messages, at which she is staring as he approaches. The WhatsApp messages between the other members demonstrate their incapacity to do more than try phoning Natalie as she has disappeared from the group. Their conversation instils even more understanding of the way in which stalking has impacted the lives of Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget and River. It also raises questions, why has River been excluded from some of the conversations?
At Natalie’s funeral the group comes face to face. A wreath with a card threatening another death encourages them to take further action to apprehend their stalkers. Their stories and reaction to the funeral and the other members of the group become part of the narrative. This narrative raises questions about each of the members of the WhatsApp group. Their backstories are revealed over time, their new relationships and how their circumstances impact these, and their approach to dealing with River’s plan to expose the stalkers. Injected into the narrative is enough to raise questions about the sincerity of each of the group as Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget and Rivers all have secrets or personality defects. Each in turn becomes a source of suspicion to one or another of the group. What is each person hiding?
Suspense is never far from the protagonists’ lives, or, eventually from that of the reader who becomes immersed in the dread that engulfs Alexandra, Lucy, Rivers and Bridget. Taylor is adept at keeping the reader guessing, maintaining the tension and introducing a twist that is a seamless addition to the narrative rather than a manufactured device. Every Move You Make is an excellent amalgam of a novel that not only works well with its clever plot and interesting characters but addresses a serious social issue in a way that ensures that the comprehensive nature of the impact stalking is recognised.
Every move you make by CL Taylor is an interesting book about stalking and how five people form a stalking group to help and support each other. They are all victims of stalking and the storyline shows how the constant bombardment from their stalker’s affects their day to day living. Then one of them is murdered outside her own home by her stalker.
There is a twist to the story when three of the victims are bombarded by the stalker and one of them is kidnapped by their former partner and he is then run over by the fourth member of the group..
A hard look at the victims of stalkers and how their whole lives are affected by the behaviour of sometimes one person, whether a former partner or some unknown to them.
Highly recommended
It started out well but i felt it got confusing and i struggled to keep track, this lead to me losing interest it in around 65% but i managed to read to the end. Felt the story was over complicated and could of been simplified
Four strangers become fast friends and develop a unique support group. One that no one ever wants to find themselves in. This is a support group for those who are being stalked.
Do these four have what it takes to stop their tormentors and take their lives back?
The storyline itself was a fabulous, twisty tale that will have you casting a suspicious eye on everyone from both within and outside the group.
The author did a superb job giving the reader a vivid glimpse of what it’s like to be stalked.
The fear and helplessness of being in that situation, with few if any options available to take back control. It’s not just a crime targeting the wealthy and powerful. With domestic violence escalating, it can happen to anyone.
Be sure to read the authors note at the end.❣️
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the ARC of this book.
Unfortunately I couldn't get into the story, the start was very promising and I think I'd enjoy this book however the number of characters is just confusing me. I'm over 30% in and I couldn't tell you who is who and I find myself going "who's this" therefore I cannot continue.
The book is fairly well written away from this, and I could have coped if it stuck with the main characters but when you then throw in their friends and partners we're talking at least 10 people to follow.
Despite the above I'm giving what I have read so far 3.5 stars because I really have been gripped.
I think that conceptually this book is great but the delivery for me was not. I think I may be in the minority here but I just found this to be too unbelievable. Additionally, I think the book was a bit too long and it dragged a bit for me. This was my first book by CL Taylor and I am interested in checking out their other novels but this one was just not for me. 2.5 rounded to 3 as I do see the appeal here even if it wasn't a great book for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books UK, Avon and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First off, thank you NetGalley and Avon Books, UK for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
OUTLIER ALERT!! 🎶It's me!!🎶 The synopsis for this book had me so excited to read it! I mean can you imagine how terrifying it would be to have someone who was constantly stalking you?! What would you do to stop the stalker? In this story, four people who are being stalked come together and make a plan to stop a stalker. It sounds intense and frightening, right? The beginning started out strong but quickly it became difficult for me to keep all the characters and back stories straight. Then around the halfway point, the action really takes off and it is one twist after twist that never stops! Normally, I love a twisty story but this had an absurd amount of twists that were conspicuously fitting. Also, the ending was over the top and just unbelievable for me. I feel like this is one you either love or hate it. Unfortunately, for me it was the latter.
I know many people will love this book so please do not base your decision to read this book solely on my review.
✨2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars!✨
CL Taylor does it again. She is such a consistently excellent suspense writer. I will drop everything to read her latest and with Every Move You Make she proves why she is one of the top British suspense writers. There’s always engaging characters and plenty of twists and turn.
The story opens with a prologue - Natalie is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. She’s leaving her office when she spots him on the tube platform. She hurries home but before she can get her key in the door, he appears and horribly stabs her.
A few days later, four people turn up at Natalie’s funeral. The group met on a forum where people talk about their experiences being stalked (which is a crime that has a poor arrest charge) and formed a WhatsApp group for those living in London. At the funeral the four receive a wreath. In ten days they will be dead…
The novel is in close third-person narrative flipping from each four’s POV. You don’t know who to trust! Taylor does a great conveying the paranoia and anxiety being stalked creates. Unfortunately this is a crime that is difficult to get help from the police. We learn of each character’s stalking experience as well as trying to figure out who may be targeting them. Gripping and atmospheric, this trip lit at its finest.