Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the writing style of this book and DNF around 10%. The premise seemed really interesting, and I saw others talk about enjoying the audio for this. Glad others enjoyed it but it just didn’t work for me.

You know how some stories put you in the mind of the villain and you weirdly start rooting for their success? This is not that.

Alice is straight up delusional and holds pretty deep disdain for any but her chosen obsession.

She cleans house for Tom, who she's never met in person, but feels a deep connection to. She's certain he feels it to and attempts to orchestrate meetings to lead to their coming together.

There's also some alluded to terrible thing that happened with her sister when they were teens.

Because we're in her head, I'm not quite sure of the truth of her perspective. Everything seems terrible based on what she sees/feels, but I suspect from an external person she swings pretty wildly between seeming like an okay person to out and out mentally unwell.

This isn't exactly a fun read, but it's interesting and certainly kept my attention.

Creep by Emma van Straaten is a wild ride that pulls you into the unsettling mind of Alice, a woman who becomes obsessively infatuated with Tom, a man she has never met but whose apartment she cleans weekly. Her fixation grows with each visit, leading her to imagine a deep connection that exists only in her mind, until more happens.

The writing is both poetic and intense, capturing Alice's spiraling thoughts and the blurring line between her fantasies and reality. It's a dark, compelling exploration of obsession and loneliness that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

this had all the elements i usually love. obsession, delusion, a messy and chaotic female lead. but it just did not hit the way i wanted.

alice cleans tom’s house and convinces herself they are meant to be, even though they have never actually met. i was ready for a deep dive into her unraveling, but the story never fully got there for me. it was too wordy in places, trying a little too hard, and the thriller aspect felt muted.

the ending especially left me feeling my unsatisfied. i kept waiting for something big, but it never came. if you love books about obsessive women, you might still enjoy this, but it did not do it for me.

thank you for the ARC netgalley!!!

A sharp book about obsession. My jaw stayed dropped because this book was unhinged in the best way. If you liked I Can Be A Better You by Tarryn Fisher you will enjoy this novel.

Girlie is a full blown stalker and has some deep rooted issues that need discussing.

Another unhinged woman story with themes of obsession and self deprecation, but held its own in my opinion.

I’m very fond of the idea of a maid becoming enamored with a man she’s never met just based on the contents of his home and the vibe he gives off. Very freaky and the perfect amount of realistic. From the absolute disgustingness of the sucking of his toothbrush in the first chapter to faaaaarrrr more insane things, to the frequent lies shared with her family - there was no shortage of entertainment for me.

Not perfect, but I’ll still recommend to my weird girl lit crowd.

Thank you Negalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC!
(Rounded up from 3.5)

3.75 I would read more from this author

This book delivers a compelling premise, especially for readers who enjoy following the unraveling of unhinged female protagonists. The main character, Alice, evokes the chaotic energy of other deeply flawed heroines, reminiscent of those in *Perfume & Pain* by Anna Dorn or "The Guest" by Emma Cline.

However, while the book embraces its edgy nature, some elements feel excessive—seemingly included for shock value rather than narrative depth. Some of the repetitive portions or listings got to be too much at times for my taste. Additionally, the ending loses momentum, failing to sustain the energy established at the start. Despite these shortcomings, the book remains an engaging read, though it may not be for everyone.

Ooooof this one took me out. The synopsis could be its own horror story but Emma van Straaten expanded this one into something insane that I couldn’t look away from.

I flew through this one and appreciated the pacing so much. Following the MC as she lurked through her “boyfriend’s” life was like looking at a bar car crash. The second hand embarrassment had me gasping but I loved every second of it.

I will definitely be *gently* stalking this author to see what she puts out next!

Check this one out if you like horror, lit fic, and domestic suspense!!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this wild title!!**

This felt like a very intense read with a perspective that is unsettling and uncomfortable but through a different lens. One of my favourite reads of 2025 so far.

This book had dare I say…. Major creep factor I don’t want to give anything away but it was unnerving and relatable at the same time. The plot devolved at a fast pace with a very satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend!

I find books about obsessions to be fascinating, but this one walked a tentative line between interesting and unsettling. I didn't enjoy inhabiting Alice's mind (which is clearly the intention) but the story was too long and overwritten for her perspective to be tolerable. Von Straaten is fabulous at portraying her unreliable perspective and spiraling descent into instability, but the author's talent couldn't overcome how unpleasant the story was to read. Recommended for fans of Netflix's Baby Reindeer.

3.5 STARS

Creep by Emma van Straaten
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Themes: unhinged narrator, class and race, body image, mental health and loneliness

Alice knows everything about Tom. Alice is Tom’s house cleaner. She’s convinced they’re soulmates destined for true love. But they’ve never met. As she prepares for them to finally meet face to face, it goes exactly how you’d expect — and Alice’s life unravels.

A book about unhinged women behaving badly? Count me in. Creep was disturbing, twisted, suspenseful, revolting and raw — a real page-turner.

For fans of… My Husband (Maud Ventura) and Piglet (Lottie Hazell)

Thanks to #NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced reader copy of #Creep.

Alice and Tom are perfect for each other. Except they've never met. Okay well... Alice believes that they're perfect for each other as she has been cleaning Tom's apartment for the last year and just knows that they are meant to be. They enjoy the same books and wine, they even share the same toothbrush. It's picture perfect.

The synopsis for this book was quite interesting to me and I felt there were moments of the book that I was genuinely along for the ride of the story, but a lot of the time I felt my mind wandering.

Creep is a story that made me feel a lot of different emotions I wasn't expecting to feel. It opens up and immediately we know Alice is delulu and entirely obsessed, but as we spend more time in her head, I couldn't help but feel for her and even relate to her. This was such a great roller coaster of emotions in the most delightfully uncomfortable setting.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the review copy!

3.5 rounded up - Thank you netgalley for an early copy of this book!

This book reminded me a bit of I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel, combined with Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan - I loved Acts of Desperation and didn’t care for She’s a Fan so this hits in the middle for me:)

Thank you Harper Perennial and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy. It is also being published under the title “This Immaculate Body,” so don’t be confused if you see that one around.

It’s a shorter book, only about 250 pages or so, and the depth of Alice’s obsession with Tom aka “Him” - clearly the capitalization is an indication of her so-called reverence and devotion to this man she’s never met - can be unsettling. That’s right… never met. Just cleans his apartment once a week.. and goes through all his things, lies in his bed, tries on his clothes, snoops in his email, etc. Such begins Creep.

It reads more like train of thought, not exactly plot driven like I went in expecting. Alice isn’t just obsessed; she is full-on delusional, crafting a world inside her mind inside Tom’s apartment of the two of them and what their life would be like together once they finally meet. Deep. Ardent. Unifying. The more consuming this fixation becomes the more disdain she has for other people and for the real world; the more extreme her actions. Alice is more comfortable in her fantasy than she would be to try to engage in real friendships, to repair the relationships with her sister and mom, to do more than just coast in her job.

Beyond her infatuation with Tom we also come to understand that Alice has had a long history of struggling with self-image and food, and these become deeply tied to her delusions; a battle of soothing her inner aches of loneliness and self-loathing in a detrimental fashion. As she plots her “chance meeting” with the one whom she deems her soulmate, she becomes increasingly unhinged. And when they finally do meet... well, you’ll just have to read to find out what happens.

As a psych and mental health worker I read this through those lenses, crafting a case study on Alice and her desires, her scorn, and the roots of where these stem from. Was it interesting? Yes, though quite disturbing at times, leaving readers cringing with discomfort. Content includes an eating disorder and some self harm, light sexual content, references to body parts, light profanity, and a brief but detailed serial killer fantasy.

If you like weird, sad girl lit fic, then this is for you. If not, then I’d creep away from this one.

A woman unhinged and behaving badly? I am in! This story is not going to be heartwarming or have a happy ending, so keep that in mind when reading it. Alice is 100% a creep - she is stalking a man that she thinks she is in love with and is absolutely disgusting with the things she does to be close to him. It gives Baby Reindeer vibes, though I think Alice is a bit more honest than the woman from that story. There is quite a lot of commentary about the hypocrisy of being a woman, body image issues, familial relationships, and the dishonesty of social media & group chats. I highlighted quite a few lines since they were so insightful.

I can't remember the last book that kept me reading past 12am (probably a YA fantasy, if I'm being totally honest) but my god was I hooked. Creep was exactly what was advertised—a few hundred pages of questionable, creepy behavior dappled with stalking, manipulation, and some deeply psychotic actions. There was also a unique perspective in that the reader is sitting in the head (or holding the hand of) the narrator, who is the titular creep, so that sense of dread and foreboding felt a little uncertain (are we in control of the story or just along for the ride).

HOWEVER [SPOILER] I was totally caught off guard by the ending—just when you think you're getting a redemption arc—for the main character, for her mental and physical health, for her relationship with her sister (oh it's actually ok she was just misunderstood!)—she goes and does what she does, and the book closes, and the reader is left haunted and reeling.

What an exhilarating read, through and through. If I had one complaint it would be that there was abundant commentary on the subject of the main character's eating habits and weight, but it didn't seem to bridging into the territory of generalization, which helped.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read and review!

3.5⭐️

Literary Fiction • Contemporary • Obsession
Pub Date • 25 February 2025

Thank you @harperperennial and @librofm for the ARC & ALC. ♡

𝙰𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚘𝚖 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝙳𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚗, 𝚐𝚘 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚑. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝.

·∘⋆⊹ 𝙴𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚝. ⊹⋆∘·

A story of obsession. A love story manifested into reality. This is dark, it’s salacious, it’s twisted. It doesn’t pull its punches. Just when you think she can go no deeper in depravity, watch out.

Word choices and poetic prose create a vivid scene. My jaw kept dropping as I listened to this at the nail salon. Is Alice unreliable or is this a matter of a warped perspective?

The world is not always kind, especially toward blue collar, discarded portions of society, women who don’t fit the mold.

Society is now ever always connected, yet we are lonelier than ever before, longing for real connection. Race, gender, and class issues are explored.

Although I wanted more from the ending, a final twist or a more fleshed out conclusion, this is without a doubt an impressive debut.

‧₊˚🎧 ₊˚⊹♡ Narrator Hanako Footman did an excellent job narrating this on audio; loved her accent! For top tier enjoyment, tandem audio + book is the way to go. Each word matters in the prose.

(4.5/5, rounded up)
Creep by @evswrites made me skip a hair wash night AND wake up early the next morning to finish it, I was so wrapped up. Iykyk, that says a lot.

It came as a pleasant surprise that Emma’s unruly, grandiose FMC wasn’t what I’m used to in these obsessive narratives. The parasociality paves a clearer path to Alice’s inner thoughts than in My Husband by Maude Ventura (which I know & LOVE, but still feel this differs from).

While both are written in a stream of consciousness style, Creep is much more disjointed and deceitful. By and large you can trust My Husband’s unnamed main character, whether she goes a little overboard or not. Annie—not so much. Creep is much harder to settle into, in a good way. Looking back at the notes I made while reading I saw the term “emotional jump-scare” and I’m stickin to it. The suspense & bafflement propels the heck outta this one, and I loved it.

This primary romantic relationship isn’t the whole story. There are many more layers to Creep—entire storylines I’m not mentioning. It’s purposeful I’ve left more out!! My advice is the less you know going into this, the better. Let Annie (well, really Emma) do the surprising.
Even as my 417th book for 2024, I. Did. Not. See. The. Ending. Coming!!!!

Thank you bunches to Emma, @harperperennial and @netgalley for the print & eARC ❣️