This novel got under my skin in a good way. I always appreciate seeing things from the viewpoint of a character whose actions or thoughts would, from the outside, be seen as incomprehensible.

Alice is in love. Tom is an incredible man, everything she ever dreamed of in a partner, and she feels so lucky that he came into her life. The only problem is, Tom doesn’t know she exists – outside of the fact that he has a cleaner named Alice, who tidies his apartment every Wednesday. Alice does other things in his apartment, too, but Tom doesn’t need to know that. And anyway, soon they’ll be together, and it will be her home too.

Creep is one of those uncomfortable, cringe-y character studies featuring a deeply disturbed protagonist, so if you enjoy those, it will definitely be your vibes. It’s told in a stream of consciousness style that keeps the reader unrelentingly in Alice’s head, so we can only watch as her obsession with Tom grows and she becomes increasingly unhinged. It’s claustrophobic and icky, but it’s impossible to look away. The tension in the narrative comes from not knowing just when, and how, Alice will escalate things; she’s unpredictable and undeniably dangerous, but she’s also sympathetic – and all of these elements work together to make for a riveting reading experience.

I don’t know what it says about me that I just love a good obsessive stalker love story character study. But if your tastes run similar to mine, Creep is an excellent example of the genre. Thank you to Harper Perennial for the complimentary reading opportunity.

Creep by Emma Van Straaten puts you directly inside Alice’s mind, and let me tell you—it is uncomfortable. Alice is obsessive, intrusive, and downright creepy in a way that made my skin crawl. I’m usually all for unlikable characters, but this book took it to a whole new level. The secondhand embarrassment was so intense that I actually had to set the book down a few times just to recover.

If you can imagine a character that’s part American Psycho, part Joe from You, and part Helga from Hey Arnold!—all rolled into one messy, unsettling package—that’s Alice. It’s unhinged, it’s awkward, and it’s a masterclass in discomfort. While it wasn’t always an enjoyable experience, it was definitely unforgettable. If you like your characters messy and your reading experiences deeply uncomfortable, this one might be for you.

Wow, this book made me so uncomfortable but also kept me going. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. It took me a while to get fully invested in these characters, but once I did I couldn’t put it down.

This very much gave me familiar vibes (movies, tv shows, and other books) but it still felt like its own. This will absolutely not be for everyone, but those that like it will be hooked.

The book was okay but felt a little slow and not enough development. DNF at around 40 percent of the novel.

Creep was, well, creepy. It's an interesting premise-a woman who has suffered some trauma in her life and becomes obsessed with a man she's never met-through cleaning his home. She has built up a relationship in her head and convinced herself of their destiny. The prose is more free-flowing, poetic at times and a bit hard to follow when it delves into stream of consciousness. I enjoy psychological thrillers/mysteries and while there is the element of that here it fell a little flat for me. The narrator is unreliable, which can be a great trope, but the reasons behind the obsession and trauma were not well fleshed out and the characters really unlikeable. I enjoyed the premise and the writing in general but the ending fell flat and completely unresolved. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This chilling novel is a compelling story that will get under your skin! I enjoyed the stream of consciousness style of writing and the dark dive into madness but I did find the pace overall a bit slow. I will definitely read more of Emma van Straaten’s work!

One of my most favorites reads of the year. Fits the genre of hot girl lit fic and the messy girl genre that is booking. I enjoyed the writing and the pacing and the characters unreliable!! I loved it all.

4 Stars – Unsettling, Unhinged, and Weird in the Best Way

Alice is not likable at all—she gives the absolute ick and made me openly cringe more times than I can count. That said, from the book description, I knew this would be unhinged, and it absolutely delivered. This is not a love story; it’s an obsessive, self-deprecating spiral into delusion, loneliness, and self-loathing. The writing is sharp, uncomfortable, and darkly compelling, making it impossible to look away even when you want to.

It’s graphic, messy, and what I’d classify as “weird girl lit,” so if that’s not your thing, this book probably isn’t for you. But if you’re into disturbing character studies and narrators who make your skin crawl, Creep is worth the read.

Thank you, NetGalley & Harper Perennial, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly, this was a DNF for me. I’m sure I’m in the minority here but I just couldn’t get into this one. I really wanted to love it. I really like books like You by Caroline Kepnes but this one just fell a little short to me. It just felt overly wordy and just wasn’t very interesting sadly. It didn’t grip me right away from the first page. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the writing style of this book and DNF around 10%. The premise seemed really interesting, and I saw others talk about enjoying the audio for this. Glad others enjoyed it but it just didn’t work for me.

You know how some stories put you in the mind of the villain and you weirdly start rooting for their success? This is not that.

Alice is straight up delusional and holds pretty deep disdain for any but her chosen obsession.

She cleans house for Tom, who she's never met in person, but feels a deep connection to. She's certain he feels it to and attempts to orchestrate meetings to lead to their coming together.

There's also some alluded to terrible thing that happened with her sister when they were teens.

Because we're in her head, I'm not quite sure of the truth of her perspective. Everything seems terrible based on what she sees/feels, but I suspect from an external person she swings pretty wildly between seeming like an okay person to out and out mentally unwell.

This isn't exactly a fun read, but it's interesting and certainly kept my attention.

Creep by Emma van Straaten is a wild ride that pulls you into the unsettling mind of Alice, a woman who becomes obsessively infatuated with Tom, a man she has never met but whose apartment she cleans weekly. Her fixation grows with each visit, leading her to imagine a deep connection that exists only in her mind, until more happens.

The writing is both poetic and intense, capturing Alice's spiraling thoughts and the blurring line between her fantasies and reality. It's a dark, compelling exploration of obsession and loneliness that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

this had all the elements i usually love. obsession, delusion, a messy and chaotic female lead. but it just did not hit the way i wanted.

alice cleans tom’s house and convinces herself they are meant to be, even though they have never actually met. i was ready for a deep dive into her unraveling, but the story never fully got there for me. it was too wordy in places, trying a little too hard, and the thriller aspect felt muted.

the ending especially left me feeling my unsatisfied. i kept waiting for something big, but it never came. if you love books about obsessive women, you might still enjoy this, but it did not do it for me.

thank you for the ARC netgalley!!!

A sharp book about obsession. My jaw stayed dropped because this book was unhinged in the best way. If you liked I Can Be A Better You by Tarryn Fisher you will enjoy this novel.

Girlie is a full blown stalker and has some deep rooted issues that need discussing.

Another unhinged woman story with themes of obsession and self deprecation, but held its own in my opinion.

I’m very fond of the idea of a maid becoming enamored with a man she’s never met just based on the contents of his home and the vibe he gives off. Very freaky and the perfect amount of realistic. From the absolute disgustingness of the sucking of his toothbrush in the first chapter to faaaaarrrr more insane things, to the frequent lies shared with her family - there was no shortage of entertainment for me.

Not perfect, but I’ll still recommend to my weird girl lit crowd.

Thank you Negalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC!
(Rounded up from 3.5)

3.75 I would read more from this author

This book delivers a compelling premise, especially for readers who enjoy following the unraveling of unhinged female protagonists. The main character, Alice, evokes the chaotic energy of other deeply flawed heroines, reminiscent of those in *Perfume & Pain* by Anna Dorn or "The Guest" by Emma Cline.

However, while the book embraces its edgy nature, some elements feel excessive—seemingly included for shock value rather than narrative depth. Some of the repetitive portions or listings got to be too much at times for my taste. Additionally, the ending loses momentum, failing to sustain the energy established at the start. Despite these shortcomings, the book remains an engaging read, though it may not be for everyone.

Ooooof this one took me out. The synopsis could be its own horror story but Emma van Straaten expanded this one into something insane that I couldn’t look away from.

I flew through this one and appreciated the pacing so much. Following the MC as she lurked through her “boyfriend’s” life was like looking at a bar car crash. The second hand embarrassment had me gasping but I loved every second of it.

I will definitely be *gently* stalking this author to see what she puts out next!

Check this one out if you like horror, lit fic, and domestic suspense!!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this wild title!!**

This felt like a very intense read with a perspective that is unsettling and uncomfortable but through a different lens. One of my favourite reads of 2025 so far.

This book had dare I say…. Major creep factor I don’t want to give anything away but it was unnerving and relatable at the same time. The plot devolved at a fast pace with a very satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend!