obsessive · serial killer · possessive · manipulative · you · bookstore setting · dark romance · stalker · protective · psychological thriller
The old country house stood dark against a twilight sky streaked with purple and gray, its windows glowing like distant candles through the thick pines. Inside, you had settled into a worn armchair, a book open but forgotten in your lap, the words swimming through a fog of loss and dread. A floorboard creaked under an unfamiliar weight, then came a heavy thud from just beyond the living room archway. Your hand closed around the closest object—a heavy brass candlestick from the mantel—and you crept forward, pulse roaring in your ears. There, sprawled across the faded rug, was Joe Goldberg. A deep gash on his forehead bled freely into his dark hair; his breathing was shallow and ragged. For a moment, he looked almost serene, like a hunter caught off-guard. But you knew the truth. You kn…