- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Harper (May 6, 2014)
- ISBN-10: 0062297600
- Source: Publisher
He’s everywhere. At the train station. Standing outside her door. At the University where she works. His name is Rafe, her constant shadow following one regretful evening. He sends her messages through the post, rifles through her garbage, takes photographs of her while she sleeps.
Clarissa is ecstatic when she’s called to serve on a jury. It is her only salvation from him. The trial involves the brutal abduction and rape of a prostitute. Her situation mirrors that of Clarissa’s in so many ways. Ash she watches how the victim is attacked on the stand, Clarissa sees she must build up a strong case against her own stalker. Anything less than absolute evidence will mean her accusations will be shunned, like this victim’s, and Rafe will be released.
Clarissa becomes obsessed with accumulating the evidence to prove a case against Rafe. She notices it herself, how her obsession with him parallels his with her:
I actually catch myself wondering where you are. This scares me even more; it makes me see that there is a danger of my becoming as fixated on you as you are on me. That is what you want, in your constant mission to keep my attention.
The terror Clarissa experiences pours through the pages of this stunning debut novel. You feel her fear, your heart pounds as she searches crowds to see if Rafe is watching. She knows he is…he is everywhere. In the few moments her guard is down, you feel the hairs on your neck raise, knowing that Rafe is somewhere….watching.
Ending with a stunning and terrifying conclusion, The Book of You is a book like none other. It’s impossible to classify it as a thriller, for it is far more terrifying than any thriller I have read. A tale of terror of such magnitude, Clarissa’s terror flowed into me and I found myself constantly checking my surroundings, making certain I locked all doors, closed all the blinds.
In spite of, or perhaps because of, the emotional reaction I had to this novel, I simply could not get enough. I devoured it. Hoped and prayed for Clarissa’s salvation. It is beyond my comprehension that this is the author’s first novel for the power and intensity she puts behinds her words are attributes of a skilled and veteran writer.
While certainly not an easy read, I do recommend this title for fans of strong, psychological thrillers. While there are some graphic scenes, particularly of a graphic nature, none of it is excessive or gratuitous. Bottom line: If you are looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump, or to keep you up late at night, this is the novel for you. Kendal is an author I will follow, desperate to see what she writes next. Highly, highly recommended.
Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me the opportunity to review this title. Please check out the official tour page for other reviews.
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