The Haters
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3.8 • 26 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
The bestselling author of The Drowning Woman returns with a terrifying tale of a writer caught up in a web of ever-growing paranoia and menace that will keep you guessing in this “dark, twisted heartstopper.” (Heather Gudenkauf)
Camryn Lane is living her dream. After years of struggle and rejection, her first novel has finally been published. Her editor is happy; her teenage daughter is proud; and her boyfriend and friends are all excited for her. She’s on top of the world—until she receives a disturbing message from an unknown sender.
Rattled by the accusations she finds there, Camryn swallows the sick feeling in her stomach and resolves to put the missive out of her mind. But when she checks her ratings on a popular book site, she finds a scathing one-star review. The reviewer is so articulate and convincing that soon, Camryn’s book is flooded with bad reviews. Could the reviewer be the same person who sent the ugly email? And why do they want to ruin her?
As the online harassment creeps into Camryn’s personal life, she vows to find out who’s behind it. Is it really a disgruntled reader? Or could it be someone she knows? The troll’s actions are escalating, and when the abuse turns deadly, it will take everything Camryn has to unmask the enemy so intent on destroying her—and finally learn why she's being targeted.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Canadian crime novelist Harding (The Drowning Woman) examines the murky netherworld of internet trolling in this sturdy thriller. High school guidance counselor Camryn Lane is over the moon: she's just published her debut novel, Burnt Orchid, to rave reviews and much admiration from her 17-year-old daughter, Liza. During the launch event, Camryn pauses to check her email and finds a scathing message that accuses her of exploiting her students' lives for the book's material. A shaken Camryn brushes the message aside, but then the same person posts an even angrier one-star review online, opening the floodgates for an all-out smear campaign. Before long, Camryn is doxxed, hacked, and heckled at publicity events, and she loses the support of her colleagues, boyfriend, and even Liza. After Camryn hires a digital expert to expose her harasser, he turns up dead, kicking the stakes up several notches. Harding alternates the main action with excerpts from and reviews of Burnt Orchid, slyly building suspense in the process. While the scenes detailing Camryn's harassment can grow repetitive, Harding makes the most of her chilling premise. This provides some satsifying shocks.
