Cover Image: In the shadows of obsession

In the shadows of obsession

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I'm sorry but this book was so bad, I didn't enjoy it at all. It was very poorly written, very repetitive and there was no suspense or tension, just a couple of stomach churning lines. There was no depth to the characters, no real story here at all. Very much a case of tell not show, Terrance did this, Terrance did that. Even though it was very short I skim read from about 40% because I just couldn't read it

Was this review helpful?

Warning - do not try and read this!


The first few pages are ok (5 or so). Then, it goes from bad to worse at a high pace. Finally, it made me literally almost throw up because I made the mistake to read it while I was eating.
This is by far the most juvenile, badly written and edited attempt at writing. Never in my long career as a reviewer I've seen something like this.
But the less said, the better. If I could have given zero stars, I would have done it. I cannot even give this 'author' any tips to become a better writer. He's not one to begin with.

Was this review helpful?

In the shadows of obsession, I assume, is the outline of novel as that is how it is written. I think as a novel it has potential, but really needs expansion of number of chapters, character development with the pre & post Monique's murder. It would be interesting to see what this could become when developed.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed the pace of this book especially coupled with buildimg suspense. It kept me hooked throughout.

Was this review helpful?

A gripping and chilling story that takes readers on a dark journey into the mind of obsession. Terrance, the morgue worker, seems like an ordinary guy, but his fixation on his neighbor, Monique, unravels into a disturbing tale of obsession and madness. Whyte's storytelling is intense and unnerving, keeping you hooked from beginning to end. The way the author delves into the depths of Terrance's psyche is both eerie and fascinating. If you're looking for a quick, spine-tingling read that explores the dark corners of the human mind, this is a great read.

Was this review helpful?

Hey there, thriller fans! Buckle up for a wild ride with In the Shadows of Obsession. This short story is like a rollercoaster through the twisted world of Terrance, the morgue worker with a serious case of neighbor obsession. I mean, we've all had nosy neighbors, but this guy takes it to a whole new level! The story's got suspense, it's got chills, and it'll make you question just how far someone can go when they're completely unhinged. So, if you're in the mood for a heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller that'll make you look twice at your neighbors, grab this book ASAP!

Was this review helpful?

This book was almost written like a time crime short. I enjoyed it. For some reason I almost felt bad for Terrance. From the get go you can see he’s stalking his neighbor. But we gather he’s also mentally unwell.

Terrance is a morgue worker who deals with the dead constantly. One day he gets a call that his neighbor Monique who he’s been stalking has been found murdered and he is to prepare her body.

Will he lose his mind? Will he solve her murder? Will he have a breakdown after losing his love?

But I will say this book was missing something. I was interested in Monique’s feelings towards Terrance and I felt it needed more events and emotion. This had the potential to be a really killer 5 star book just was missing some length among other things I’ve mentioned.

Was this review helpful?

This book could have had lots of potential, but I feel like it was too short. It didn't give the book time to build up or develop the characters. I was disappointed in how it turned out.

Was this review helpful?

In the shadows of Obsession is a truly fascinating and brilliant book.

I absolutely loved the writing style and how stunningly written the main character was. It was so sad to see how he dived deeper and deeper into his obsession and far it can go.

The story had delved deep into themes of obsession, mental illness, and the consequences of one's actions. It explored the chilling reality that even the most ordinary-seeming individuals could harbor dark secrets, and that the human mind, when plagued by delusion, could lead to unspeakable horrors.

I loved this book so so much and I highly recommend reading it!

Was this review helpful?

In the Shadows of Obsession is a short story which follows Terence, a morgue worker, who is obsessed with his neighbour Monique and how this obsession evolves into something much darker and more twisted. This story explores themes of delusion and fixation.

I really didn't enjoy this story at all. The writing style was extremely bland and completely void of any emotion despite the darker, deranged focus of the story. It almost felt like reading a plot outline of a book as opposed to a fleshed out story with character's with thoughts and feelings. The characters were one dimensional and not developed at all. There were some phrases which were used repeatedly so this became extremely tedious to get through despite it only being 17 pages long.

Overall I wouldn't suggest you read this and if this book were any longer I definitely would've not finished it.

Was this review helpful?

Very short story and disturbing in its content, reads like true crime, a bit stomach reeling. Overall short and gross, if you enjoy being shocked in a short sharp burst.

Was this review helpful?

There's a saying in the publishing/book world that an author should show and not tell. Unfortunately, this particular short story read almost like a pitch for a book and was mostly telling the events without much substance.

The idea is a good one. A lonely morgue employee stalks a girl in his apartment building and eventually he unravels. Bad things happen.

And that's what this seventeen page story attempts to do but it doesn't quite live up to expectations.

The main issue for me was the complete lack of character development. I didn't care about any of them because I never knew anything about them outside of names. Because of this, I had no empathy or any other feelings towards them. Usually I would never say a story should be longer but, in this case, it needed to be. It needs some backstory and detail that is sadly missing.

So why three stars? Well, I know how difficult it is to write something and put it out for the world to see and judge. And the fact that this author did that says a lot about them. I respect that. And I'm not saying anything negative about the author. The writing itself had a lot of potential and I'll be very interested to see what they do next. Because, like anything else, you get better by doing. And even some of my favorite authors have some works that I didn't enjoy like others. The next book by this author might blow my socks off and I hope it does!

I'll just say that I, personally, wouldn't recommend this but that shouldn't stop you from reading it for yourself and forming your own opinion.

Was this review helpful?