I found this a really interesting thriller with plenty of twists and turns. This follows long distance runner Molly who needs to run the London Marathon within a certain time to qualify for the Olympics. However she is coming back from injury and is also having to contend with a stalker. I couldn’t work out who Molly should trust and kept changing my mind on who was her stalker and if they were working alone or not. I still can’t decide if I like Molly or not as at times I found her really irritating and self centred. Then I’d read on and feel sorry for her! I liked the dual timeline too and found it easy to follow the storyline. As I runner myself I also enjoyed that element of this book.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

This book was intense! I easily connected with Molly, the main character, and was ⁣
cheering her on the entire book. Molly was dealing with her mom’s death, back injury, and later a leg injury while training for the London Marathon. She had to endure all this while dealing with a cyber bully and a stalker who was getting bolder and more dangerous with each day, and each mile Molly ran. ⁣
Paranoia, rage, grief, and exhaustion were palpable and I felt like I was the one running a marathon. I am not sure if the author is a runner but I appreciated how authentic the running parts were, both physical and psychological in details.⁣
I enjoyed the dual timeline and alternating chapters between the training “before” and the race “now”. So many plot twists and unexpected turns! And I did not predict the ending at all so it was a nice surprise. ⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @theboldbookclub for this ARC that was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I admit I wasn’t entirely sure I would enjoy this book based on the main subject matter, the main character being a marathon runner. I am pleased to report, however, that I was utterly captivated start to finish (pun intended).
The very real sense of threat from an online stalker was exquisitely portrayed and really hooked into the true life fears of this kind of crime. The premise felt very contemporary and believable which made it all the more scary. There is a great sense of the big unknown and anonymity of the cyber world and the feeling of being lone and powerless against this immense force and being watched and tracked outside of your control. We feel all the twists and turns of the storyline right alongside the main character and reel with her with all the psychological punches. I didn’t guess the main twist which is always a bonus too.
Excellent captivating and compelling storytelling which will power you towards the finish line. Recommend.

This book had me on edge! You could feel the paranoia Molly felt throughout the story!
Molly Fitzume is in the race of her life not only does she need to make certain time to qualify for the Olympic team but someone is threatening her life if she doesn’t pull out of the race. How far can she go before her stalker makes an appearance?

This book was so tense! I really enjoyed it and how it would go from the past to the present so you could get a bigger picture of Molly and what she had been going through prior to this race. It did take me a wee while to get into but once I did I did not want to put it down!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books publisher for the chance to read this!

This is a newly discovered author for me and I’ve enjoyed both books so far. This book is a gripping thriller that will catch your interest and keep it until the very end. You think you know who the stalker is only to find out you don’t. Epic twist at every mile. This book wrapped up nicely and I appreciate that. It was a great read and I’d definitely recommend this book and this author in general. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this!

Molly is a marathon runner on a mission to qualify for the next olympics,Molly hasn’t had the easiest of times lately Losing her mum, moving away from her home town, a slipped disk and being stalked!
Molly trains hard and is dedicated to the cause of qualifying for the Olympic team,Molly doesn’t really have many friends only Thea a team mate and her coach and agent so is quite isolated and lonely at times, this isn’t helped by being hyper alert due to a previous stalking experience.
Strange things keep happening to Molly, along with threats this all escalates on the day of the London marathon, and we as the reader complete the marathon mile by Mile with Molly as she is bombarded with threats, calls and acts of sabotage throughout the course, Molly needs help but who can she trust? Tense and twisty and unusual in its style, however my only quip is that I found it hard to envisage anyone having the time to make so many calls, detours etc whilst running a marathon.
Thank you NetGalley for this early read.

As a runner currently training for the London Marathon this book really peaked my interest. I was sadly quite disappointed. I didn't root for the protagonist Molly or believe the far-fetched plot which involved running a marathon whilst tracking down a stalker and constantly ringing people on her phone.
I so wanted to like this book but sadly it want to be.

I wanted to like this one, because it sounded like an original concept. But it just didn't work for me.

The writing style was pretty basic and it felt slow to get to the point - ironic, since it was about running. Probably didn't help that I was coming to it from the new Mary Kubica thriller, which was excellent.

All in all, not for me. But I do hope it will reach the readers who will enjoy it.

It was OK, first for me by this author but it just did not grab me like others have, I guessed the perpetrator very early on and felt like it was a bit of a slog to get to the end, just a bit slow for me.
Thanks for letting me read this

Every book I have read by M.A. Hunter has had me gripped and this book was no different, full of suspense and building tension.

This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author

As a long distance runner, Molly is used to working hard and being focused. Then she starts having messages from a German doctor who says he can help with her recovery from injury. Despite her politeness, Doctor Oppenheimer really can’t take a hint that she’s not interested. That’s when the messages start to become inappropriate and the “doctor” becomes a full blown stalker.

I’m a fan of M A Hunter and was eagerly awaiting this book, but I have to say that for me it’s not one of the best. As a very un sporty person it didn’t bode well right from the first page. Apart from the running (and running, and running, yawn!) the plot is weak and the perpetrator so obvious from very early on. The denouement was slightly ridiculous and the epilogue friendship very unlikely.

If you do like sport and the Olympics are your bag, then you will love this, but a miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

My first MA Hunter read but definitely not my last. This was action packed and kept up a fast pace throughout. Engaging characters that kept me totally invested in the mystery. It was impossible to know who to trust! Enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley and MA Hunter for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Molly is a long distance runner and she has a stalker, he is so obsessed that he is in prison in Germany, yet when the London Marathon begins, the stalking has already begun, in order to make the Olympic Team Molly must qualify, this is her last chance and she is determined to make it, if it doesn't kill her first! Having had a stalker, it is terrifying, you suspect everyone, even the police can make you feel neurotic, yet a man in a deep whisper threatens to kill you, somehow obtains your unlisted number, breaks into your apartment, and knows where you are whenever they want to reach out and frighten you whenever they wish, you lose sleep, and you become angry at having your life disrupted, it is a real problem and should be taken seriously. This is a new author for me. I think she did a good job in a limited space, the action taking place during the Marathon. I think the ending could have been better, but that's just me.
I recommend. 3.5
Thank you #Netgalley #Boldwood Books
carolintallahassee

What an original storyline! This was really well done actually. A lot of the story takes place during the actual race and the author did an amazing job of building that tension and that pace and really captivating the feeling of being In the marathon. I liked the dual timelines and the characters were well written and brought to life. I wasn't a fan of tbe ending.... it all seemed a bit.... dramatic and ott. Not to mention very out of character. Its a bit like the author just chose a character at random to blame and came up with this bizarre motive even though there hadn't been any clues throughout, this whole time they had just hidden very well that they're completely deranged?! It's very scooby doo! And still didn't really explain why the animal noises, why the "problems" during the race, it didn't really add up. But. Who cares, as I said it was a really original thriller and to me that makes up for the weird ending.

Molly is taking part in the London Marathon after overcoming an injury and surviving a stalker, her goal is to qualify for the Paris Olympics but her stalker seems to be back with more determination than before and is determined to stop her at all costs.
An original novel as it takes place over the duration of the marathon, alternating chapters of the events leading up to it.
The truth is that throughout the book you can feel the struggle against all the obstacles that arise physically, especially during the marathon, and also mentally when he begins to suffer the stalking.
Although there are some moments that seem a bit repetitive, it is an enjoyable novel.

Molly Fitzume has been through a lot she is a professional long distance runner and has survived a stalker and a slipped disc and today is her chance to qualify for the pre-Olympic trials and the Paris team. She feels ready but isn’t prepared for the strange things that start happening. This book is told in a clever way although dual timelines is nothing new, in Every Step You Take by MA Hunter we meet the protagonist as she in one POV runs the London marathon and then the second is her training and trying to figure out who her stalker is. From a jealous teammate her coach and even her agent all look like good suspects but she first believes it is her original stalker auto. when police officer Zara finds out surprising news about her stalker, she isn’t sure who the new culprit is. Although they do many things that her original stalker did she learns things that cause her to believe it may not be him after all but who is it? I don’t like to put things in my review that aren’t in the summary so let me just say this first Molly investigates her self and even advises policeman Zara as to what to do to help her out it is a really good book I love that this author always has a new story and doesn’t rely on the same old tropes but I found this one to be so original although I did get tired of hearing about her running there is enough happening and moves along swiftly enough that you soon are going to the next situation. The more books I read by this author the more I like her books. This is a great thriller and pretty original in a genre that don’t have many original ideas so if you’re in need of a different type of thriller you should definitely give this one a try. As I said every book I’ve read from this author is different from the one before and now I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. I want to thank boldwood books and Net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A marathon runner named Molly is convinced she’s still being stalked even though her stalker is supposedly in jail in another country. Not only is she receiving packages when no one knows where she is staying, but she’s also receiving the same type of threatening texts as she did before he was convicted. She even believes him to be at the London Marathon while she’s competing in it, so she tries to balance focusing on her running, locating him, and staying safe. Will she possibly be able to do so?

If you’re a fan of running or possibly exercise in general, I think you’d be more apt to enjoy this book. Honestly, I enjoy this author and his other stories, but this one just wasn’t up to par. As is typical, the character in this story has already been injured and is pushing herself to not only compete in this marathon but to finish within the qualifying time for the Olympics. And she also hurts herself multiple times throughout the race yet ignores all common sense and medical advice and keeps on running. Not to mention obsessively calling the detective in charge of the stalker case, her agent, and her coach. All while she’s running a marathon. Ok.

I think part of my issue is that Molly wasn’t a likable character. I didn’t feel bad for her, I just grew tired of her. Because of behavior like not blocking his number so she could keep track of what he was telling her. I mean, come on! It’s not hard to see why another character tells her she loves playing the victim. And even though the detective tells her that she’s busy on the task force of a CHILD KIDNAPPING CASE, Molly still calls her non-stop and even complains that the detective isn’t getting back to her. Ugh. Enough said.

Generally fast paced and an original story but for me certain parts got a little repetitive. An ok read for me. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

My stalker is back.”

M.A. Hunter capably placed me at the London Marathon starting line and put me in the mind of an elite distance runner.

Not only did I become aware of the grueling training, but also the preparations necessary to simply meet the requirements to run in a race of this calibre. It’s not just a train and register event. It’s not just a physical exhaustion. I am in awe of anyone who competes at this level. I appreciated Hunter explaining the preparations done on behalf of the city as well as the mental and psychological preparations of each competitor.

Six months ago, Molly Fitzhume was in hospital recovering from a slipped disc surgery. She was unable to walk and her Olympic dreams were in tatters. She’d finished the 2021 Tokyo Olympics just milliseconds from taking bronze and was determined to grab her chance to go for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. This marathon, the 44th consecutive marathon in London, is her last chance to place with Team Great Britain. She needs to cross the finish line at two hours and twenty-eight minutes to qualify.

Training for a marathon is a mammoth task, let alone doing it while being harassed both in person and online. Just when Molly thinks she’s got rid of her stalker, he warns her that he’s at the race watching. She now has 28 miles to figure out what he wants, why he’s there - there’s more than just the race to lose.

I felt the tension, the exhaustion, and the inner drive that the race and the harassment were causing. Every page was filled with paranoia and unsettling events. The parallels between the athlete’s body shutting down from race exhaustion and her mind shutting down from a prolonged fight or flight response to her personal safety were excellent. Seeing it all unravel from Molly’s POV was thrilling and knowing that neither Molly nor I could expose her nemesis was unnerving. It made for a compelling read.

Hunter’s balance of Holly’s push to win was phenomenal. I really felt the struggle she had to overcome; the other elite athletes she was competing with, her stalker, her body, and those who were supposedly looking out for her best interests and pretending to be right there with her….

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get to Paris.”

When overcoming a spinal injury with the realization that you may never compete again is the least of your worries, Molly shows us what our inner drive is capable of mastering. It’s a wild sprint to the finish…and I loved it.

I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.