I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It left me unsettled, but not in the way I like to be.

Paula Bomer’s brief but penetrating latest, The Stalker, opens with three quotes that perfectly encapsulate the novel’s themes:

“With lies you may go ahead in the world, but you can never go back.” – Russian Proverb

“He didn’t look at you, he looked through you.” – Anonymous

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” – Maya Angelou

Doughty grew up in the wealthy enclave of Darien, Connecticut. His family fortune is all but gone, but he still carries himself with an air of entitlement, believing that he is owed a quality of life that is now well outside of his means. Convinced that his good looks, imagined status, and self-supposed superior intellect are all he needs to achieve this, he drops out of college and heads to New York City where he manipulates and uses people to begin his ascent.

Contrary to his own deluded self-image however, he isn’t nearly as smart as he thinks and, though he is able to charm his way into more than one woman’s apartment, the people he meets begin to grow weary of him and his juvenile mind games. As he becomes addicted to hard drugs and his web of lies grows more difficult to maintain, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic, putting everyone in his orbit in ever greater danger.

Anyone who’s ever known an attractive asshole can easily imagine why his friends and girlfriends would be drawn to Doughty in the first place, and even why many of them reluctantly stick by him despite how he mistreats them. It is unlikely that most of us have met someone as dangerously sociopathic as he is though, a fact for which we should consider ourselves lucky. No one who meets him comes away unharmed, as his remorseless selfishness spurs him on to consume everything he can take from the world around him.

Representing the worst impulses and traits being celebrated by online “manosphere” predators like Andrew Tate, Nick Fuentes, and Adin Ross, Doughty is perhaps one of the most morally repulsive characters put to the page in years. Despite that, Bomer’s fast paced and darkly comic writing keeps the reader riveted, unable to turn away as his behavior becomes ever more repugnant. Given the extreme unlikability of the main character, The Stalker won’t be for everyone, but for those who can get into it, it lingers long after the grim conclusion.

Ugh, I'm so disappointed with this one! From the synopsis it sounds like everything I love reading right now! I truly expected it could be a new favorite. Sadly, the execution of it didn't live up to my own expectations for it. I didn't love being inside this narrator's head. I ended up DNFing because I just couldn't get invested.

The Stalker by Paula Bomer is a deeply uncomfortable ride—in the best way. Told from the POV of a completely unhinged man, it’s raw, claustrophobic, and painfully believable.

As someone who already distrusts men on instinct, this confirmed everything. His inner monologue is delusional, self-pitying, and somehow still funny in a “laugh and then immediately feel gross” kind of way.

It gave me American Psycho meets “your ex’s worst texts at 2AM.” Sad dad, jealous ex, pathological liar—all rolled into one trainwreck.

Not for the faint of heart, but if you love dark, culty character studies: go for it.

Did not like. Felt almost too juvenile vulgar. Would not recommend . Maybe just the wrong audience!!!!

Doughty is grifting con artist with self-delusions great enough to make Patrick Bateman seem self aware.

This book was not what I expected, but was absolutely horrifying. I am actually slightly alarmed by how well Bomer was able to crawl into the pits of the brain of an entitled incel. This is the classic story of a white man failing up, with little ramifications along the way until he finally messes with the wrong person. I loved the ending on this one.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

(4.5/5⭐)

Whaaaat did I just read? & why do I keep imagining Dwight as the Scranton Strangler?

I’d never been so far into someone’s head that I emerged in fear it could have rubbed off on me. Paula’s writing of Doughty? May have forged some new neurological pathways, and I am scared. Jk..kinda.

Trying to grapple with Paula being the force behind Doughty’s words has proven impossible. Impressed doesn’t begin to cover it. It’s fairly easy to think up an a$$hole in vast strokes, but what Paula accomplishes here is akin to detailing an iris (I don’t paint, but eyes are small so this can’t be that much of a reach 😂). This dude is the epitome of the entitled white guy w their head so far up their own 🍑 they’ve list any sense of reality. Def not a fan of how it manifested in Doughty, but man would it be nice to think this highly of myself, even for a day 😅

Doughty’s brand of “unhinged” is so naïve. The sheer delusion is hilarious. Not in full, but in glimmers I got Dwight Schrute with roid rage and a family history of intentional misogyny. Even knowing he’s full of it, it was impossible to ignore his…charm? I’m not sure what the word is, but I think the synop is spot on when making a Ted Bundy comparison. I can’t think of a single redeeming quality in this guy—it got to a point while reading I was so annoyed with him I kinda wanted to stop, just to get a break from being inside his head. I am SO glad I didn’t stop. You could have paid me a milli and given me a year to think and I still couldn’t have come up w a better ending.

Taking a step back from the humor you see an outline of cyclical, familial abuse. The slippery slope of taking things much too far becoming the norm, raising children into the next batch of terrible role models. While sobering, it’s a thread that was astonishing to find woven in throughout.

I highly highly recommend this as long as you’re okay w offensive humor. Keep in mind this is set in the early 90’s, so your internal Overton Window will need to shift a good amount. I will say though, the jokes and statements in poor taste are effective & indispensable—not for shock value. You’re laughing at Doughty, not with him.

Thank you times a milli to Paula Bomer & SOHO Press for the stunning gifted finished copy 😮‍💨😍

"I've never seen her get this excited opening a book." - My Husband

This book is wild. It was almost hard to read the inner monologue of someone so horrible but it was so well done and well written! The ending was satisfying but also just whoa. If you like really crazy books about bad people, this one will be for you! Give it a try!

The Stalker comes out next week on May 27, 2025, and you can purchase HERE!

Beata was coarse. She was low-class tough, which made her masculine. She had the hair of a baby or an old woman, fine and staticky, pulled back harshly in a black rubber hair band. Her makeup was slutty, lots of black eyeliner and singed curls for bangs. She wasn't nice to the boys. No eye contact. A scowl. An air of impatience.

Doughty really had me on edge as he manipulates, deceives, and preys on women throughout the novel, all while hiding behind a lie of charm and self-delusion.

Thanks, Soho Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a tough read—not because it’s deep or complicated, but because it’s so full of awful behavior that it gets exhausting fast. The Stalker follows Doughty, a lazy, arrogant guy who thinks he’s a genius even though he doesn’t do anything but lie, mooch, and hurt people. He drops out of college, ends up in New York City in the early ’90s, and basically spends his days doing drugs, watching TV, and pretending he has a big-shot real estate job.

Doughty is sexist, racist, and homophobic. He treats the women in his life terribly, lies constantly, and uses people without a second thought. The book tries to show how awful he is, but after a while, it just feels repetitive and depressing. There’s no real growth, no redemption, and not much insight—just one messed-up situation after another.

The writing is decent, and the author clearly knows what she’s doing, but the story doesn’t go anywhere. It’s hard to care about a main character who is so horrible all the time, especially when the book doesn’t really offer any reason to keep reading besides shock value.

If you like dark, gritty stories with no hope or humor, you might get something out of this.

This was a very heavy read. A very dark satirical look at incel culture from a first person perspective. It’s uncomfortable to be in Doughty’s head, but Paula Bomer’s masterful writing really makes you absorb the awful things that he does. Not my usual cup of tea, but it did feel like it was in conversation with books like American Psycho, and is a terrifying and powerful addition to that canon. Overall, good read, but I never need to read it again. It’ll stay in my head for a long time.

American Psycho meets The Average American Male and Diary of an Oxygen Thief

Violent, disturbing, sad, and darkly funny, this was a wild ride. The main character is awful, insufferable, violent, misogynistic, mentally unwell, stunted and inept (both emotionally and in society), but makes for an interesting and can't look away from this car crash kind of narrator. This certainly isn't for everyone, but I think the people who do like this type of story and narrator will enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.

The Stalker is a brutal, pitch-black character study of a delusional predator drifting through 1990s New York. Paula Bomer writes with sharp, unflinching prose and a satirical edge, crafting a disturbing portrait of entitlement and exploitation. It’s bleak, bold, and intentionally discomforting—best suited for readers who appreciate transgressive fiction that doesn’t flinch from the ugliest aspects of human behavior.

Really enjoyed this had me laughing (rightly or wrongly) the writing style is addictive and pacy, I found it hard to put down

I couldn’t get into this book at all. I disliked the main character way too much to feel invested in any way. I know he was supposed to be despicable, but it didn’t work for me. This was a DNF.

Oh hell yeah. I could not stop reading this absolute train wreck. I loved how we were deep inside our main characters mind with the flow of consciousness writing style. The dichotomy between his POV and the implied reality of the situations was perfection. Speaking of perfection, the ending. Chefs kiss from me. I’m sure this book will be divisive because unfortunately some people just don’t appreciate fun depravity but alas it gets a great score from me.

HOLY SHIT.

I have a love and hate relationship with this book it was so wild. this is one of the best character study novel I've read so far. just pure delusion, male entitlement, and the rot of privilege gone to waste. I went into this not expecting any plot but the rather character discomfort was like a slow, grimy unraveling of someone who believes the world owes him everything while he contributes absolutely nothing.

this book is not for people who like tidy plots or redemption arcs or characters that learn a single damn thing. this is for people who want to feel like they just licked the inside of a New York City subway pole in 1992.

premise: Doughty, a delusional, entitled failure from a once-rich family who drifts through 1990s New York City. Believing he’s destined for greatness, he lies, manipulates, and preys on women to survive, while actually living a life of addiction, joblessness, and self-destruction. It’s a dark, satirical character study of male privilege, toxic masculinity, and the quiet violence of mediocrity.
—

Robert Doughten Savile "Doughty" (the name alone makes me want to commit violence) is quite literally the worst man I have ever met on page. He's like if mediocrity was a sport and gaslighting women was cardio. He is a master of absolutely nothing except being a delusional parasite. No talent. no skills. just raw, unfiltered entitlement and crack pipe dreams. this man wakes up and chooses FAILURE every single day and I couldn't stop watching. the novel doesn't just explore toxic masculinity, it throws it at you like a brick through a Soho loft window. it's super grotesque and darkly hilarious it's so real it hurts. every page feels like watching someone dig their own grave with a spoon while monologuing about how they're definitely the next big thing.

and the worst part and scariest part of this is I KNOW MEN LIKE THIS EXIST. we've all met one. the guy who lies about his job. the guy who "used to be" something. the guy who blames everyone else for his failures while preying on vulnerable women just to feel powerful. the author literally said "here's the American Dream rotting from the inside out."

this book is not pretty. it's not kind but it's unforgettable.
4.5 stars
thank you so much Soho Press & Paula Bomer for an early copy!

the book comes out on May 27.

Ok so I didn’t love it.
The blurb had me thinking I was in for something edgy but darkly funny — instead, I got a collection that felt like it was trying way too hard to shock and ended up being just... unpleasant. Crude and just kind of gross for the sake of it. Some of the content felt really off — antiemetic, racially insensitive and scenes of sexual assault.
I don’t mind raw or messy writing when there’s a point to it, but this felt more like provocation without purpose. The tone was jarring and not in a good way — just left me feeling uncomfortable and kind of irritated.
Advertised as black humour that just didn’t ring true for me.

Ok, wow. This is a super dark comedy about a delusional psychopath. I imagine some readers may appreciate this book more than I did. For me, it was just too bleak and sordid. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ok this is legit the most unexpected terrifying book I've ever read! Billed as a "Dumb American Psycho," this is the epitome of horrible white man failing upwards except, twist, he's just a psychopath and doesn't actually get very far. I've never read anything quite like Paula Bomer's THE STALKER and it is for sure going to stay with me for a bit. It def got under my skin.

Doughty is a con-man, drug addict, horrible person from CT who moves to NYC in the 90s and is able to convince women to let him stay with them for free - thinking he has an apartment of his own and a real estate business. He does not. He's stupid, evil, and unfortunately good looking. Being inside of his head was disturbing, but Bomer lands the insane ending and makes the scary journey worthwhile. I think I need to try more of her books as she nails dark comedy, which I love. I can't wait to hear what other readers will think of this one.