STALKERS ANONYMOUS

In LeeAnn’s dark romantic comedy, a cybersecurity specialist finds romance when he begins to attend a support group for stalkers.

The narrative alternates between the first-person perspectives of Cole, a recovering stalker, and Hailey, an ER resident with a stalker of her own. Cybersecurity specialist Cole isn’t a stereotypical creep—he’s being forced to attend weekly meetings of the Interpersonal Boundaries Support Group after getting caught using company resources to track his sister’s physically abusive ex-boyfriend, who had beaten her within an inch of her life after violating a restraining order. At first, he believes his actions and his hypervigilance are justified, and he doesn’t think he belongs among the group’s colorful cast of fellow stalkers; he’s not entirely truthful with the group’s therapist, Tracey, or his designated support “buddy,” Tyler, a brewery owner who started making special batches of beer to match a specific customer’s schedule. However, when Cole begins dating Hailey after meeting her on a hiking trail, he soon finds himself crossing boundaries again. One of Hailey’s patients, an erratic opioid addict named Lars Winters, is stalking her. Even after Winters vandalizes her car and threatens her at the hospital, the police and Hailey’s employer do little to protect her. Reminded of the danger his sister faced, Cole begins tracking Lars without Hailey’s knowledge. Noticing some red flags, Hailey becomes suspicious of her new boyfriend, despite their undeniable chemistry. Cole starts skipping meetings as Lars’ behavior grows more frightening and violent. LeeAnn’s writing is skillful and often funny (“The community center basement smells like dust, stale coffee, and poor life choices. I arrive precisely on time for my third IBSG meeting, no longer bothering with the dilemma of being early or late”). The book succeeds on all fronts as a comedy, a suspenseful thriller, and a romance, despite Cole’s flaws; the author has pulled off a challenging and audacious balancing act. The characters are compelling and well developed, and the plot is refreshingly original.

A thoroughly enjoyable read that defies genre expectations.