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lababyxx's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
nicovreeland's review
4.0
This book had a lot of tropes I usually don’t like (a character who has trouble telling the difference between reality and dreams/hallucinations, some supernatural elements, a cringey all-powerful Alexa-type computerized personal assistant), but I’ll be damned if the whole third act wasn’t one of the most compelling I’ve read this year. Great, believable plot twists and character shifts more than make up for the holes in the premise
leeshdog's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a big Goodman fan, so I get excited whenever she publishes a new book. I was a little surprised by the premise of THE STRANGER BEHIND YOU, though, since it seemed to be a bit of a departure for her. Although the novel is set in modern-day New York City (instead of Goodman's usual rural upstate settings), a lot of the story takes place in the Refuge, an apartment building with an unusual history, so it still manages to have the haunting Gothic feel that defines Goodman's stories. That unsettling vibe is my favorite thing about them. And there's lots of it in this psychological thriller. Although I saw a few of its plot surprises coming, the book tells a twisty tale that kept me guessing. Overall, The STRANGER BEHIND YOU is an absorbing, engrossing tale that pulled me in and didn't let me go. I enjoyed it, as I have all of Goodman's books. It's not my favorite of hers, but I still liked it all in all.
I would give this book 3 1/2 stars if I could; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
I would give this book 3 1/2 stars if I could; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
hmbb99's review
2.0
I'm not sure how to rate this. The story starts off with a good premise, journalist taking down rich businessman who is a sexual predator. Then it changes to a story much like Rear Window or The Woman in the Window, when Joan starts having agoraphobia. Then it has a little historical fiction ghost story, Then it changes to a political mystery. There is just too much going on in this book. It's almost like Carol Goodman wasn't sure what genre she wanted to write about. I enjoyed Lillian's story more than the Joan and Melissa story. It seems like Goodman should have just written about a journalist writing novel. I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper's Collins for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper's Collins for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.
marilynw's review
3.0
The Stranger Behind You by Carol Goodman
Joan Lurie is the author of a article exposing a famous newspaper tycoon as a sexual predator. She has so much more information that didn't make the article that she plans to write a book to expose even more that she knows. When she is attacked and possibly raped, she is more determined than ever to not be silenced. But the attack leaves her with severe vision, balance, and memory problems and terrified of being attacked again.
It's obvious that Joan needs medical attention immediately but she refuses to seek help. Instead she plugs along, doing research on foot and by computer, handicapped by the symptoms of her head injury. Little does she know that she has more than one enemy, including Melissa, the wife of the newspaper tycoon, who blames Joan for all the problems that befall her family after the expose. An interesting distraction to the bad things going on in Joan's life is her 96 year old neighbor who has her own long story of abuse by men. Could what happened to this woman 80 years ago have some connection to what is happening now?
I felt like the story got bogged down by too many improbable things. It's hard to get past the fact that Joan never seeks help for her severe vision and neurological problems which hamper all areas of her life. On the other hand, angry Melissa is able to accomplish unlikely things due to luck and abilities that are hard to believe. Then there is Lillian, who seems more than a little odd and who takes up so much of the book with her long drawn out story. I know others liked this story much more than I did but it was too much of a stretch for me, in so many ways.
publication: July 6, 2021
Thank you to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Joan Lurie is the author of a article exposing a famous newspaper tycoon as a sexual predator. She has so much more information that didn't make the article that she plans to write a book to expose even more that she knows. When she is attacked and possibly raped, she is more determined than ever to not be silenced. But the attack leaves her with severe vision, balance, and memory problems and terrified of being attacked again.
It's obvious that Joan needs medical attention immediately but she refuses to seek help. Instead she plugs along, doing research on foot and by computer, handicapped by the symptoms of her head injury. Little does she know that she has more than one enemy, including Melissa, the wife of the newspaper tycoon, who blames Joan for all the problems that befall her family after the expose. An interesting distraction to the bad things going on in Joan's life is her 96 year old neighbor who has her own long story of abuse by men. Could what happened to this woman 80 years ago have some connection to what is happening now?
I felt like the story got bogged down by too many improbable things. It's hard to get past the fact that Joan never seeks help for her severe vision and neurological problems which hamper all areas of her life. On the other hand, angry Melissa is able to accomplish unlikely things due to luck and abilities that are hard to believe. Then there is Lillian, who seems more than a little odd and who takes up so much of the book with her long drawn out story. I know others liked this story much more than I did but it was too much of a stretch for me, in so many ways.
publication: July 6, 2021
Thank you to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for this ARC.
htsmusicmaven's review
4.0
More realistically I would give this a 3.5-3.75. Definitely a slow burn so it took a bit of time for me to get into it. I enjoyed the various female characters and the sense of place (the Refuge) is well used throughout the story.
Slight spoiler: Not sure if I like how things were wrapped up neatly at the end but at the same time it was an intriguing twist.
Slight spoiler: Not sure if I like how things were wrapped up neatly at the end but at the same time it was an intriguing twist.
carol8's review
4.0
She holds my gaze, suddenly serious. She doesn't try to wave off the compliment. "Sometimes there was a price to pay," she says, "for being beautiful."