The Stalker

Written by Sarah Alderson and Kristin Atherton

Narrated by Stephanie Racine and James Macnaughton

‘WOW! WOW! WOW! What a read!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘The blockbuster of the summer!’ NetGalley reviewer

‘THAT twist. I did not see it coming!’ NetGalley reviewer

You’re looking over your shoulder, thinking someone’s watching.

You’re checking the doors are locked, spooked by a noise.

You’re running through the woods, convinced you’re being followed.

You’re being stalked. And they won’t stop until you’re theirs.

If you enjoy reading twisty psychological thrillers that leave your heart racing, then you’ll love The Stalker from USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Alderson. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Harlan Coben.

Readers love The Stalker:

‘Wow!! What an ending!… Suspense, intrigue, and lots of twists and turns!… Then BAM! I did not see that ending coming at all!!… Wow, what a crazy good book!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a book. Couldn’t put it down, had me reading in into the night.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me on the edge of my seat… I did not expect the twists and turns throughout this book at all!… The ending had my head spinning, I was so shocked and couldn’t believe how clever this was.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping… I devoured in a couple of sittings! Nothing is quite as it seems… Brilliant!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this book. The mystery was amazing and I read this in one sitting!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Are you ready for a pulse-pounding, edge of your seat thrill ride?… I was glued to pages from the very beginning, dying to see what would happen in the end and wow…was there a big twist!! I never would have guessed this one!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Jul 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008400064

Sarah Alderson

Sarah Alderson is a London-born, LA-based writer whose previous books include Friends Like These (Mulholland), In Her Eyes (Mulholland), The Weekend Away (HarperCollins) and The Stalker (HarperCollins). Sarah is also a screenwriter; her adaptation of The Weekend Away will soon be streaming on Netflix. You can follow @sarahalderson on Twitter and @sarahaldersonauthor on Instagram.

Reviews for The Stalker

[Alex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first part of the book was very frustrating as the behavior of the characters didn't make much sense. I was very close to giving up. I'm glad I didn't though, because it all made sense in the end. Some good twists, and some too easy to guess. All in all, quite an enjoyable listen.

[Elizabeth Planes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was okay...I had to go back and re-listen as it was a bit confusing at the end.

[Roxanne Kroutz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5* Stars - I will give it to Sarah she got me with that twist and I really enjoyed the second half.

Unfortunately, the first half was a struggle to get through. The biggest problem was the main character, she irritated me to no end. Even though she showed some strength near the end, she still rubbed me the wrong way.

It was made even worse when another character came along who had the same experience and was more interesting than Laura. Honestly I wish the book had been about that character, especially when we got their backstory. They made the second half of the book so good as well as the twist.

I’m definitely intrigued to read more from Sarah Alderson, I did enjoy her writing style and how she plotted out this story.

[akbouterse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 Stars but the ending was very good. Joona is really going through it in this book and I'm excited to see where he goes next. Probably my least favorite of the series so far but still really enjoyable.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As usual I started in the middle of a series but it didn’t really seem to make a great deal of difference as far as the story went. I found out the series is written by a husband-and-wife team. Their main character is a very interesting Finnish detective named Joona Linna. He’s a bit of an odd duck...but a fairly likable guy who has marvelous instincts coupled with intense combat training. We don't see Linna for a while at the beginning... but once we do it's obvious that he's not fit company for man or beast. He tried to go into hiding but events soon send a fellow detective to find him. This book is nearly 600 pages and it is an interesting mystery that catches the reader up and keeps you turning the pages...however the police are supposedly intelligent people but they do the dumbest things throughout the entire book. Maybe things are different in Sweden...or perhaps something is lost in the translation. We also don’t get much information on any of the other characters. Some of the storyline verges on the incredible...but overall, it was a very, very long mystery.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The National Crime Unit in Stockholm has received a video of a woman who is clearly unaware she is being filmed. Shortly after, the woman is found brutally murdered. When they receive another film, they try to find clues in the video to find the woman. Unfortunately, they are unable to find her in time and she too is murdered in the same brutal manner. And then a third video arrives. Psychiatrist Eric Maria Bark recognizes similarities to a past case he had worked on but the man who had been taken into custody is still being held in a Psychiatric Unit and it seems impossible that he could be responsible for these present murders. Bark also had secret knowledge that might have exonerated the man for the past murder had he not confessed. Bark now wonders if perhaps he is responsible for allowing the real murderer to go free. At the same time, the body of the man who had been terrorizing the family of Finnish detective Joona Linna is identified. Linna can now return. He is called in to help with this case but it is clear that the time he spent in hiding has taken a huge toll on him both mentally and physically. When a new victim is found, one with links to the police, evidence seems to point to Barks as the perpetrator and Linna is suspected of aiding in his disappearance.Stalker is the fifth novel in the Joona Linna series by Lars Keplar, a husband and wife team and it is very long and, at times, very convoluted. But it is also very clever, very dark and compelling. It is one roller coaster ride of a thriller with non-stop action. It kept me reading well into the night and guessing right up until the end (I never did suss out the real villain). Stalker is Nordic Noir at its heart-pounding best aided by Kepler's use of short paragraphs and positive phrasing throughout. Definitely not a book for the squeamish.

[runner56_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Anyone who has watched The Killing (Danish version) will know that this type of Nordic crime telling has a raw, edgy yet intensive burn. It's almost as if the action is slowed down, and combining this with the bleakness and solitude of the weather and dour intensive characters certainly makes for unmissable viewing. This translates very well into the written word and I have always enjoyed reading the highly addictive prose of Jo Nesbo and Henning Mankell. Having therefore read the positive amazon reviews and noting that the English "Daily Express" has described the book as "Terrifying yet hugely enjoyable" I was eager to make the acquaintance of The Stalker!The synopsis is simple. The National Crime Investigation Department, based in Stockholm, is receiving tapes/video that purport to show a young lady alone at night in her house plainly unaware that she is the subject of some deranged mind. Soon after the tape is received a badly mutilated, and savaged body is discovered the natural conclusion being that the narcissistic killer is pre warning the police of his intentions and they can do nothing to stop him as he is in total control. Imagine you, the reader, alone at night with the windows and doors hopefully locked and secured when you read the following....."There's a breeze blowing straight through the kitchen. The door to the garden is wide open. The thin curtain of plastic strips is fluttering into the room. She walks slowly forward. It's hard to see anything behind the dancing curtain. There could be someone standing just outside...."........"holds her breath when she hears footsteps outside the cupboard. They move off in the direction of the kitchen, the doors knock against each other the other door slips open a couple of millimetres. She stands in the darkness with her eyes open wide, and hears a kitchen drawer being opened. There's a metallic clattering sound, and she's breathing in short gasps....." These highly memorable and truly frightening descriptions were in all honesty the highlight of what in reality became a ponderous and very average crime thriller.Detective Margot Silverman is senior officer tasked with bringing the stalker to justice. After a very short period she is instructed to approach and enlist the help of D I Joona Linna who is on compassionate leave. I thought this was a mistake as the heavily pregnant Margot was a much more interesting and likeable personality and it would have been good to understand how she combined a stressful job with pregnancy and home. Eric Maria Bark, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, hopes that his insight into the psychotic mind can play a positive contribution into the investigation. A bizarre situation develops when Eric decides to commence piano lessons (??) Within a very short time he is sha**ing the piano teacher and making a clumsy attempt at a Chopin Etude. It is this type of random incident that really turned what could have been an excellent frightening thriller into a very mediocre story. (spoiler to follow) A totally unexpected event happens when Katryna, the wife of Margot's assistant Adam Youssef, becomes the next victim of the stalker. Now the hunt for the killer is personal but unfortunately the author barely mentions Adam or Katryna again. How did this traumatic event effect Detective Youssef? This was such an horrific occurrence and yet the author barely makes mention in the remainder of the book.Apart from a few genuinely brilliant moments the storytelling was very average, lots of time and description wasted on a clueless police force chasing an elusive psychopath throughout the streets and suburbs of Stockholm. What about the killer you may ask? Without wishing to unveil or spoil your entertainment (?) I found the disclosure of the killer preposterous and highly unlikely...of course you may choose to disagree. I realize that Jonna Linna is the main character in The Stalker as it is part of a series. The author missed a good opportunity here to remove an overrated, conceited and unfit Detective Inspector and replace with the womanly charms of the unassuming Margot Silverman.