The Follower

Noir, nasty, mean and of course funny, I think! Another Starr page turner that drops you in the middle of Manhattan and the strange world of dating and "hooking up". First, thank god I'm married and living far away from this life style. The thought that the next life stage, post college, is now to survive this scene is scary enough, not even to mention stalking and murder! As usual Starr's characters are distasteful and self-absorbed, yet compelling. And, the story builds in a well-paced credible way. Just as you're at the point when you're questioning whether anyone in Manhattan has any redeeming qualities and should be allowed to survive, the book explodes - forcing the reader to care and race with the characters to an end that you have to suspect (since Starr never short-changes the genre) will include neither redemption nor moral satisfaction. I say "suspect" because the end is not predictable. So, if you like noir and want to feel good about your boring life, this book is a reason to rejoice!

The Follower is a gripping, fast-paced thriller from start to finish and Starr's writing has a very unique satirical edge--you will be terrified and laughing simultaneously. The book also has a stunning climax. I guarantee you won't be able to put this book down.

"It's been years since a thriller grabbed me the way Jason Starr's THE FOLLOWER did. I really couldn't stop reading it. Whenever I had to put it down to do some work, I found myself picking it up anyway, sneaking a quick chapter or two, forcing myself to stop, then picking it up again. I didn't want to leave the world he'd created, the great characters, the propulsive storytelling. His portrayal of the lives of twenty-something New Yorkers struck me as pitch-perfect. And the premise - The Date From Hell - is irresistible, and truly terrifying. Everyone who's ever gone out on a date should read this book--before they date again. THE FOLLOWER puts Starr up there with some of the greats of psychological suspense--Patricia Highsmith, Ira Levin, Ruth Rendell, Peter Abrahams. I totally loved this book." -- Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of PARANOIA and POWER PLAY "A chilling yet humorous tale of obsession." -- New York Daily News "His most crowd-pleasing to date...[Starr] absolutely shines with these characters...A very funny, dark social satire." -- Publishers Weekly "Writing as if he is channeling a heavenly collaboration involving James M. Cain, John Cheever and Lawrence Durrell, Starr explores a "relationship" involving an erstwhile suitor obsessed with a woman who barely regards him as a friend, examining vignettes from the viewpoints of each while infusing every page with a subtle but growing creepiness." -- Bookreporter.com (Reviewer Pick 2007) "THE FOLLOWER is...this generation's LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR and crackling-hot beach read." --Page Six, The New York Post "THE FOLLOWER is Jason Starr's masterpiece. This is it." --Bret Easton Ellis, authotr of Lunar Park and American Psycho "THE FOLLOWER provides a denouement that is a satisfactory conclusion to the tale, yet that also causes ripples likely to emanate for years to come." -- Anthony Rainone, January Magazine "Starr's writing is slick and his plotting is second to none...a compelling and enjoyable read." --The Guardian (London) "This was my first experience of Starr's writing and I found him irresistible. You will not be able to leave this book alone; as soon as you put it down you find yourself surreptitiously picking it up again to squeeze just one more chapter into your day." --Shots Magazine "Crackling dialog and tension building pacing make [Starr's] latest novel, THE FOLLOWER, a highly charged read." --Mystery One Bookstore "Jason Starr, bad-boy of noir, delivers another stunning and clever jab at New York, providing ironic commentary upon its sometimes bizarre denizens. Starr reveals the Darwinian struggle peculiar to New York's frenzied singles scene, even as he pokes fun at it. The Follower skillfully portrays romantic obsession at its most evil. Don't miss out on the pleasures of this droll party; Jason Starr is definitely on the ascendant. " -- Mystery Lovers Bookshop "THE FOLLOWER does for dating what JAWS did for swimming."

"It's been years since a thriller grabbed me the way Jason Starr's THE FOLLOWER did. I really couldn't stop reading it. Whenever I had to put it down to do some work, I found myself picking it up anyway, sneaking a quick chapter or two, forcing myself to stop, then picking it up again. I didn't want to leave the world he'd created, the great characters, the propulsive storytelling. His portrayal of the lives of twenty-something New Yorkers struck me as pitch-perfect. And the premise - The Date From Hell - is irresistible, and truly terrifying. Everyone who's ever gone out on a date should read this book--before they date again. THE FOLLOWER puts Starr up there with some of the greats of psychological suspense--Patricia Highsmith, Ira Levin, Ruth Rendell, Peter Abrahams. I totally loved this book." -- Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of PARANOIA and POWER PLAY "A chilling yet humorous tale of obsession." -- New York Daily News "His most crowd-pleasing to date...[Starr] absolutely shines with these characters...A very funny, dark social satire." -- Publishers Weekly "Writing as if he is channeling a heavenly collaboration involving James M. Cain, John Cheever and Lawrence Durrell, Starr explores a "relationship" involving an erstwhile suitor obsessed with a woman who barely regards him as a friend, examining vignettes from the viewpoints of each while infusing every page with a subtle but growing creepiness." -- Bookreporter.com (Reviewer Pick 2007) "THE FOLLOWER is...this generation's LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR and crackling-hot beach read." --Page Six, The New York Post "THE FOLLOWER is Jason Starr's masterpiece. This is it." --Bret Easton Ellis, authotr of Lunar Park and American Psycho "THE FOLLOWER provides a denouement that is a satisfactory conclusion to the tale, yet that also causes ripples likely to emanate for years to come." -- Anthony Rainone, January Magazine "Starr's writing is slick and his plotting is second to none...a compelling and enjoyable read." --The Guardian (London) "This was my first experience of Starr's writing and I found him irresistible. You will not be able to leave this book alone; as soon as you put it down you find yourself surreptitiously picking it up again to squeeze just one more chapter into your day." --Shots Magazine "Crackling dialog and tension building pacing make [Starr's] latest novel, THE FOLLOWER, a highly charged read." --Mystery One Bookstore "Jason Starr, bad-boy of noir, delivers another stunning and clever jab at New York, providing ironic commentary upon its sometimes bizarre denizens. Starr reveals the Darwinian struggle peculiar to New York's frenzied singles scene, even as he pokes fun at it. The Follower skillfully portrays romantic obsession at its most evil. Don't miss out on the pleasures of this droll party; Jason Starr is definitely on the ascendant. " -- Mystery Lovers Bookshop "THE FOLLOWER does for dating what JAWS did for swimming." --Ken Bruen, au

This book is a sly and perceptive commentary on dating, relationships, and the fantasy media culture we live in (say hello, e-harmony). It's also a really good modern thriller in the early Grisham mode. I really like Jason's Starr's writing style--it's clean, compelling, and the pages whiz by. But I'm hot and cold on his books--"Tough Luck" was a terrific, Crime-and-Punishment-style standout, yet "Lights Out" was unsatisfying because I didn't like the characters. Not so with "The Follower"--while some of the characters are over-the-top, they're being used to make specific points about how men and women view each other, and their expectations for romance. This is the most cinematic of Starr's books, and perhaps the mostly darkly funny and fully realized. How do I know it's a good book? I stayed up until 3:30 this morning reading the last 160 pages. I haven't done that in quite a while--and I'm a big reader! The book is great fun, and food for thought whether you're in your 20s or your 40s (like me). What I respect about Starr as a writer is that he's well-versed in both pop culture and literature--there are some great Jane Austen references in "The Follower," and to compare it with "Jaws" (as Ken Bruen does on the back cover) is right on target. Think of it as Jane Austen meets Jaws, with a Deliverance ending. Warning: If you're single, divorced, or "married but looking," you may never go on a date again.