The Closer I Get

By: Paul Burston

Narrated by: Mark Topping, Esther Wane, Shiromi Arserio

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Tom is a successful author, but he’s struggling to finish his novel. His main distraction is an online admirer, Evie, who simply won’t leave him alone. 

Evie is smart, well read, and unstable. She lives with her father, and her social-media friendships are not only her escape - they’re everything she has. 

When she’s hit with a restraining order, her world is turned upside down, and Tom is free to live his life again, to concentrate on writing. 

But things aren’t really adding up. Tom is distracted by and addicted to his online relationships, and when they take a darker, more menacing turn, he feels powerless to change things...because maybe he needs Evie more than he’s letting on.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Suspenseful

This was an incredible book of lies, deceit, and thief. I love the narrator, very expressive with each character. Great book to read.

Just another book of unlikable characters

Not a bad book, and the concept was interesting enough for me to finish it. But unfortunately it was another book of mostly unlikable characters, and I'm not sure if this was the intent, but the narration added to this as well.

An intelligent and gripping thriller, perfect for audio.

I was looking for an engaging thriller to listen to while pottering about in the garden. I chose well! This story captivated me from the start, but unfortunately I did over-prune my begonias!
However, this thriller is not just an easy entertainer, it’s more than that - it’s intelligent, insightful, though provoking, unsettling and funny at times. Like many I’m fascinated by the psychology behind people’s motivatation to behave in certain ways, and this book explores this topic credibly and with insight. It’s the first thriller I’ve read that explores the psychology of a ‘troll’ and highlights the opportunities and threats we all face in the digital material world; a world we are not fully in control of, as indeed the main character Tom Hunter discovers!!!!

Excellent and gratifyingly twisty

This is an excellent gripping page-turner with a highly original plot (albeit one that owes a small debt to that iconic bunny-boiler Fatal Attraction). It’s a terrifically well-observed study of irrational obsession and of a stalking victim's slow descent into crippling paranoia. It keeps you guessing until the very end who is the true victim and who the true bad 'guy'. I have a couple of small criticisms based on my pedantic desire for accuracy when it comes to descriptions of the criminal justice system. Harassment isn’t an offence under the Malicious Communications Act but the Protection from Harassment Act and as desirable as it might be therapy can't be ordered as part of a sentence. Yes I know it’s a work of fiction but.... But otherwise excellent and highly recommended.

Started well BUT.......

the story became more unbelievable as it went on. started well but lingered in the middle which was a struggle to finish. pity, it did sound good.

A slow burner - but stick with it!

This book is definitely a slow burner, and it took me a while to get into it, but it's worth sticking with it. It is the story of a writer, and a superfan who stalks him online. I totally embrace social media, especially the many book based groups on Facebook and Instagram, and I follow many authors, but this book shows the negative creepy side of social media.

As I listened it became evident that both narrators were unreliable, and I truly didn't know what to believe. The tension ramps up throughout the book and I just knew something bad would happen, and when it does it is totally shocking. The writing is superb, and I'll certainly be looking for more by this author.

Very enjoyable

Very enjoyable. Defo recommend. well worth a listen. Narration was good and so was performance.

Okay easy read

really have enjoyed previous books written by Paul. This one was a little "Mehh". Maybe I had too high an expectation. Easy read, the ending didn't really mesh well for me personally.

Disappointed

Very disappointed, nowhere near as good as I was expecting and couldn't warm to any character.

fine

story was ok. some interesting stuff about stalking and reliability of narrators. the one voice performer was a bit annoying

It's ok-but

Not a bad read in truth, but personally not for me. Lots of stereotypes, it didn't feel real? The main character lacked depth, a lot of lose ends left untied. However, I read it to the end! I'm not sure why I am congratulating myself for that?

boring boring Zzzzzzzzzzzzz dont merit even 1 star

really a waste of credit and a lost 10H only heard15% of this crap I regret not paying more attention to the reviews