I really wanted to like this book.

Expectation: A dark and disturbing look behind the eyes of a deranged and obsessive stalker and murderer.

Reality: A boring and repetitive look into the daily life of a seriously mentally ill and lovesick man.

After reading some reviews and the synopsis of this book, I was excited to dive into it. I thought it was going to be disturbing and upsetting. We rarely see murder from the killer’s point of view. I was expecting an American Psycho-esque thriller. And this book fell far, far short of that.

Instead, this is a book about Mike and Verity (through the eyes of Mike). After a steamy, sexually charged relationship, Mike and Verity have broken up. At least, that’s what Verity thinks. Mike, on the other hand, thinks that they’re playing a game. He spends an entire year preparing his life for the re-entry of Verity. Unfortunately, the game gets a little messy when it turns out Verity is getting married.

I feel like this book had some promise. The premise was decent enough. Where it fell short was the first person writing. The only time I was excited during this whole book was the last 75 (or so) pages where other people had the opportunity to talk. Otherwise, the whole book is just hearing Mike explain his feelings for Verity in countless ways.

And in the end, there wasn’t even a real twist. The twist is what suspense/thriller readers are waiting for. It’s the reward for wading through the small details and asking questions.

It was pretty dull. I could barely finish it. It felt like a chore. I definitely would not recommend this book to a friend.

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