Mister Tender's Girl

I am completely fascinated by urban legends, so when I heard Mister Tender's Girl by Carter Wilson was inspired by the very real 'Slender Man' stabbing, I couldn't wait to read this creepy novel.

Alice owns a coffee and sweets shop called the Stone Rose. 'Silence, memories and nighttime' frighten her. She suffers debilitating panic attacks. Her fears are not unfounded; she lives her life scared with good reason.

When Alice was a young girl living in London, her father created, wrote and inked a series of graphic novels about Mister Tender - a part human, part demon bartender who listens to his customer’s tales of woe and then convinces them to do very bad things.

A few nights before Halloween, Alice is walking home with two school friends. They are obsessed with her father's books and stab her multiple times claiming they were instructed to do so by Mister Tender. She survives the attack, but shortly after she is released from hospital her father stops writing the stories and her parents divorce. Alice and her brother move to America with their mother. Her father is later killed by an unknown assailant, the murderer never caught.

Now an adult, Alice keeps to herself. She is lonely and decides to check a dating site she has signed up with and is horrified to see she has a match under the screen name ‘Mister Tender'. Since moving to the US she has changed her name and never shared her past with anyone.

Wilson composes a very troubling, specific history for Alice and she grabbed my attention from the moment she was introduced. She has trained herself to be physically strong, but mentally she is a mess. Her paranoia is palpable. It overwhelms her and affects how she lives her life. Multi-faceted and flawed, Alice is a complicated personality who maintained my focus and holds her own in the story. She managed to gain my sympathy as well as my admiration, carrying her scars both inside and out.

All of Wilson's characters are rendered with lovingly exquisite detail and he is somehow able to do this with very few words. There is an intensity in his descriptions - from the interactions Alice has with her mother and brother to the customers in her shop.

The tension builds quickly and you know something very bad is coming just around the corner. Wilson's writing conveys a brooding sense of fear that is unrelenting. He convincingly unleashes a terrifyingly real creation into his fictional world. Dark and chilling, Mister Tender's Girl fully lived up to my expectations. Highly recommended.

Fourteen years ago, in England, two girls attacked Alice Hill. They told the authorities Mr. Tender told them to attack Alice. However, Mr. Tender is not a real person. He was made up by Alice's Father. Now fourteen years later Alice Gray, she has changed her name and moved to America with her brother and mother. They left her father back in England. The move and name change only kept her safe for so long. Mr. Tender is now back in her life and making things very difficult for Alice, her friends, and family. She inadvertently gets her upstairs tenant involved and puts his life at risk. Her brother while trying to help her tends to make the situation harder. Her mother has her own issues which make Alice's life even more confusing. This was a page turning fast read for me. I read it in two days and except for some items that the reader is left wondering about, the story was intriguing and thrilling. Those open ends did cause me to drop this to a 3.5 star review, which I rounded to 4, because, well because we do not have the .5 star option.

Been reading Carter Wilson for a while now, he's always done well and occasionally more so. This one, though, is unquestionably his magnum opus or, at least, the best of the best, the one that showcases just how far he's come as an author. This is a pretty thrilling thriller, a genuinely intense suspense. This is good, very good. All the more so for being set right around the spookiest time of the year from mid October until November 1st. Mister Tender is a graphic novel character, an irresistibly charming bartender with a demonic angle to him, he wants to know your secret desires and what you would do to get them and then he nudges you toward that goal. Mister Tender's girl is the daughter of the graphic novel creator, who survived a terrible attack inspired by the story as a teenager and has dedicated her life since to becoming an ultimate survivor, to getting as far from victimhood as possible. Now her past seems to be all around her and getting closer and there is no one she can trust. Mister Tender is coming to get her. Sounds like fun, right? And it is, it really is, a bonafide treat for mystery thriller fans, even if a moral at times is ever so slightly heavy handed. Strong likeable female protagonist, strong writing, fascinating cast of characters, eerie atmosphere, great pacing...this was a very enjoyable read. And, despite the page count, quite a quick one too. Thanks Netgalley.

Wow! This is definitely a page turning read. I was looking forward to reading this book. It sounded like the real life tragedy of the Slender man stabbing not far from my hometown. The story was absolute chilling.

Mister Tender's Girl is the latest story by Carter Wilson. Mr Wilson immediately pulls the reader into the story of what happened to Alice in the past and how it is relating to her life today. Some edge of your seat moments and lots of surprises. I was given an early copy to review.

At 14, Alice was viciously stabbed by twin teens who were supposedly doing the bidding of Mister Tender, a character in a graphic novel written by Alice's father. Although she recovered physically, she still suffers from rehabilitating panic attacks as well as other irrational fears. But perhaps all of her fears aren't completely irrational as she finds out that someone is watching her every move.

This was quite the suspenseful creepy story with some surprising twists. Very enjoyable though the end was just a tad over the top. 4.5 stars!

Really enjoyed this story! Well written! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

I requested this book because I really like the previous two books of Wilson's I've read (Comfort of Black and Revelation). My favorite thing about Wilson's writing is that his books are not only good but they are so unique! It's difficult to guess the plot because these are not cookie cutter plots and Mister Tender's Girl was no exception. His writing style keeps me wanting to turn the pages and I will definitely continue to read his books in this genre.

This is a fabulous thriller . Similar to the slender man crimes this story is about Alice who at fourteen was stabbed by twins because Mister Tender told them to. Mister Tender is a very popular character in graphic novels created by her father . We get the whole story about Alice and the crime and how she deals with the aftermath. Filled with believable well rounded characters this story kept me on the edge of my seat

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. A fascinating psychological thriller. Alice was a victim of brutal stabbing by two fanatical readers of her Dad's graphic novels. She has changed her name and life in hopes for a better future. Then someone named Mr. Interested finds her, and her life is turned upside down. Great writing and very creepy story. Loved it.

What would you be willing to do, to get what your heart desires? That is what Mister Tender, the bartender wants to know from the people who come into his bar and sit in front of him for the evening. Alice's father created Mister Tender and unleashed horror for his family. His Mister Tender books become fan favorites, primarily of adolescent girls. Some of those adolescent girls become pawns in a horrible game, and some people do not come back from that game ever. Do you want to play?

For me this book began slowly, and I was not sure I was going to read the whole thing. Never judge a book too soon, though, as I quickly found that I could not put the book down. In fact, I read the entire book in one day, while sick at home, convalescing. I could not put it down as I simply had to know what would happen! Carter Wilson crafted a tale woven in suspense, mystery and psychological imbalance. Nothing is what it seems, at least not for most of this novel, where Alice, the main character, is cautioned to trust no one. A message that comes back from the dead, over and over, to remind her that she is not at all safe. The bigger question is why? Read the book to find out. Make sure you have a good chunk of time, as you won't be able to put it down.

Damn, I'm sad this one is over!

I was intrigued when I read this was inspired by the 'Slender Man' fictional character, who was brought to the nation's attention when 2 local WI teenage girls stabbed a friend 19 times in it's honor. Having happened in a neighboring state, the coverage of this crime was constant. I remember being baffled and confused as to how something like this could even happen, so I grabbed this book in hopes of some better clarity.

While it did serve that purpose, I have to say that Slender Man completely left my mind as I found myself becoming immersed in the life of Alice Hill/Gray. This book held me completely captive from page one until the very last word.

This is a rough story to read, so be prepared. There are flawed characters at every turn, and while the stabbing story line is the main event, it soon becomes clear that there is so much more going on here.

For such an ugly subject matter, this story is beautifully written. It made me angry, outraged, yet the scenes written with her Father and brother were tender and loving. I grew to care for Alice-her vulnerability, her strength, her sarcasm, and her attempts to pretend that life isn't all that bad.

The pace moves quickly and the intensity continues to ramp up until the big showdown, which does not disappoint!

This book is addictive, so don't be surprised if you try to finish this off in one sitting...I certainly did!

ARC provided by NetGalley

Mister Tender's Girl is a psychological thriller that you won't soon forget. From page one on you can't begin to understand all Alice has endured in her young life but it isn't ending she can't get on with her life as she wants because the past is catching up and trying to ruin her. Can she remain sane with all the insane happenings around her? Can she help her brother get away from a mother who just may be crazy herself? Will she find out who is following her and what they want? You won't want to put it down but I warn you it will bring you down. What a marvelous writter who knows the mind so well he can put this together and come out making you think and dwell on the ending forever. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I give the writer five stars for excellent writing, imagine anyone going through so much and learning such a valuable lesson in the end. If you like dark mysteries a good book for you.

"Alice, what did the penguin always tell you?"

Alice, at the age of 14, was stabbed repeatedly and left for dead by two of her classmates as a tribute to Mister Tender, who promised to make them famous if they carried out this deed. How far would you go to get the one thing you have always wanted? That's the million dollar question, isn't it? And if someone digs into your mind, finds your hearts desire and promises it to you on a plate for the act of one deed... would you take it? After all, you did say you would do ANYTHING.

I don't know if you all remember Slender Man, but I surely do. I was fascinated with the case in which two girls were arrested for stabbing another girl 19 times as a tribute to him. Mister Tender's Girl is based around this true story. Like the Slender Man victim, Mister Tender's victim, Alice, survives. Decades later, she's trying to live as normal life as she can even though this act broke apart her family... and her mind. Under severe panic attacks and using boxing as a form of therapy, Alice is about as good as she can get. Then a mysterious package arrives and she finds out that her life is being chronicled and watched by victim fetishists. Can't this poor girl ever get a break?

I tell you, true crime is always been more fascinating than anything an author can make up. Tie a true story into your own take and color me intrigued and glued to each and every word. Carter Wilson has a way of drawing you right into this fascinating story. With each word, he stabs you in the heart while you end up breathing Alice's paranoia and panic. I was enthralled by her plight, her survival and how an act that was completely out of her control threatened to destroy everything around her.

I highly recommend this book. Put this on your TBR as it comes out in February and you really don't want to miss out. Especially if you're familiar with the Slender Man story and/or like stories taken from the headlines.

14 year old Alice Hill's father is the creator and illustrator of a series of graphic novels portraying Mister Tender; a demonic bartender who convinces people to do very bad things. When young Alice is suddenly befriended by two of her classmates, the Glassin twins, she is unaware that she is their intended sacrifice to Mister Tender. One night they lead her into the park and brutally stab her multiple times leaving her to die.
Over a decade later Alice has moved and changed her name in an attempt to leave her demons behind but Mister Tender is not finished with her yet.

I got the chance to read an excerpt from this novel and instantly knew I was going to love it. This novel was inspired by the horrific and true crime events surrounding the Slender Man stabbings that occurred in 2014. If that overview is not frightening enough, the author takes the plot into a much darker direction in which the protagonist, now grown up, is unable to escape her past due to a stalker obsessed with the crime. The plot continues down a deadly web of events that all connect to the pop-culture fictional character Mister Tender. This novel was a frightening psychological thriller that I could not put down. I predict this will be a top read for 2018 and cannot wait to add it to my library.

Oh my! Now.... that was a unique psychological thriller! Hello Mister Tender ;)

Now, who do you ask is Mister Tender?! At the age of fourteen, Alice Hill was viciously attacked by two twin girls that were obsessed with mister tender. Mister Tender is a fictional character that Alice's father created through a series of graphic comics.

Alice survived this crucial attack and moved away from her horrible past with her brother and mother. She changed her name to Alice Gray and opened a cute coffee shop called The Rose. Unfortunately, Alice is suffering from panic attacks and PTSD from her severe attack.

The one day, Alice receives something in the mail that turns her entire world upside down. Alice finds out that she has been stalked and watched everywhere she goes. Alice has a dark, sinister, and creepy fan club that shows her life on display. But, who could possibly be doing this to her? Is it Mister Tender? But, Mister Tender isn't real is he?

Oh my goodness I was sucked in from page one... wow what a brilliant storyline that Carter Wilson has created. I could feel Alice's anxiety with every small clue that was slowly and ever so brilliantly revealed by Wilson.

Now, why do you ask I have not given this 5 stars? This story was epic until the ending. Once, Mister Tender was finally revealed it was like "MERP" for me. I was a little sad and to me I wanted a little more sprinkle to my cookie with this one. Don't get me wrong this was a seriously addicting read, I just was a tad disappointed in the overall bang to the buck.

Overall, a strong 4 stars and I have a feeling this is going to be a top seller for 2018 thrillers! I will be looking forward to more from Carter Wilson..

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an arc in exchange for an honest review .
Publication date is 2/13/18.

Mister Tender's Girl is one of the strangest books I have ever read. It is violent about many sick people who believe in the cartoon character, Mister Tender. They take violent action against Alice who tries to stay same amongst all the insanity. Although well written in first person. it is not an enjoyable story to read and is sure to haunt my dreams.

"There's nothing in this world more trapping than one's own mind."

Now this is how you do a psychological thriller. I could almost feel the Alice's fear, her anxiety, her dread, her anger, her desire to finally be done with people's obsession with Mister Tender and the attack which almost killed her.

When Alice was fourteen years old she was viciously attacked by twin sisters who believed they were doing the work of Mister Tender. But there is a catch - there is always a catch! - Mister Tender does not exist. He is a character created by her father. He is a pop culture figure who her father wrote about in his graphic novels.

After her attack, Alice moved with her mother and brother to the United States and changed her name. She attempted to hide her scars and move on with her life. She owns a coffee shop and mainly keeps to herself. She suffers from panic attacks and is paranoid about strangers and their intentions.

"Alice, what did the penguin always tell you?"

Then one day, she learns that someone has been watching her. Someone may have even been in her home, her coffee shop and have been watching as she goes about her life. She receives a piece of mail with drawings that appear to have been done by her father, but that cannot be as her father has been murdered. Alice stumbles upon a website which focuses on her life and the attack on her so many years ago. Making things worse, the twins who attacked her get out of prison and Alice is dealing with family issues involving her brother and their Mother.

Whew! Lot's going on which makes for a very interesting and chilling novel. I had a hard time putting this on down in the beginning. I had a theory as to who Mr. Interested was but I was wrong. I like when an Author can fool me! Based on a true story, this book is dark, eerie, evoked feelings of dread and apprehension. The gist is "trust no one"

So why not 5 stars????? I have to say it was going full blast for me until the end. UGH! I can't say why without giving anything away except to say, I felt a little let down. We finally meet Mr. Interested and this is where the book lost a little of it's zing for me and I'm not entirely sure why.
Having said that, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable book. After the first page, I was a fan. The story is riveting, chilling and had enough twist, turns and revelations to keep the pages turning. As I mentioned before, the true beauty in this book is how the reader can feel Alice's emotions. Very nicely done. I am definitely interested in reading more by this Author!!!!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alice’s father created the Mister Tender graphic novel when Alice was a young girl. When 2 classmates of Alice stab her repeatedly at the orders of “Mister Tender”, her world is forever changed. Her mother takes Alice and her brother from London to America to start their lives over again. But even in a new city with a new name, Alice’s past life still haunts her.

This was a very interesting book, based somewhat on the childhood “monster” the Slenderman. If anyone had one of those monster tormenting them as a child, this book will bring back nightmares. I liked this book because the author had you continually guessing about who was good and who was bad. I felt like Alice really had no one on her side that she could trust. The ending was surprising and not what I thought would happen, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat. A good psychological thriller that will keep you up at night!

Creepy tall-tale like crime novel. Thoroughly enjoyed it while hiding from Mr. Tender.

Mister Tender's Girl by Carter Wilson was inspired by the Slenderman meme and the resulting real-life case. Mister Tinder, however, is perhaps a more interesting character, charismatic and handsome, but just as deadly.

This is a creepy thriller that held me fast throughout the majority of the book. Mister Tender, a popular graphic novel created by Alice Hill's father, fascinates a large audience. Mister Tender, a handsome bartender, listens carefully to the complaints of his customers, then asks what they would be willing to sacrifice to attain what they want.

When Alice was fourteen, she is brutally stabbed by two of her classmates who have not only been influenced by the graphic novels, but have received letters from Mister Tender. Yet...Mister Tender is a fiction. Right?



Her father quits writing the novels, her parents eventually separate, and her mother takes Alice and her brother to the U.S.

In the last two years, Alice has been able to establish herself in better circumstances. She owns a popular coffee shop and a home, but still suffers from PTSD and severe, disabling panic attacks that can last for hours.


As the yearly anniversary of the attack approaches, Alice discovers that someone is watching her, invading her privacy, and has even established an online site that focuses on Alice and the attack. The invasion into her life is chilling--the publication of her new name and address and prurient interest in her life terrifies her.

Moving to the U.S., changing her name, and developing her self-defense skills are not protecting Alice from the disturbing sense that things are going from bad to worse. Very soon, the bad begins to happen and the worse is yet to come.

Even as Alice tries to fight her harrowing circumstances, the knowledge of her watcher is usually a step ahead of her.

Sinister, full of menace throughout most of the book, Mister Tender's Girl took a few turns at the end that lowered my opinion. Nevertheless, if you want a book that will keep you glued to the pages, this one will do it.

Read in Jan.: blog review scheduled for Feb. 7, 2018.

NetGalley/Sourcebooks Landmark

Thriller. February 13, 2018. Print length: 400 pages.

As someone who strives to avoid being a rubbernecker, who tries not to be the kind of person who pores over terrible topics made sensational, I don't know all that much about the details of the girl who was victimized in the name of Slenderman. I know that it happened because I remember the headlines, but I've shunned the world of creepy fetishists...at least until I read about this book.

Maybe because it's fiction I found the idea of rummaging through the personal life of a victim more palatable. And between the creepy twins, graphic novel references, and the awareness of too many prying eyes, this book had me hooked.

There was also an unexpected current of humor throughout many parts of the book and it balanced out some of the horror of the story while also just serving to hit that macabre sweet spot I have for finding humor in even the darkest of times.

As always, I want to keep this review strictly spoiler free, but I will say there is such a deep confluence of terrible people in Alice's life that I frowned not only at the idea of people like this existing, but occasionally at how convenient that is for a horror-style story. And there are multiple events throughout the story that would require some kind of consequence that never comes, which sometimes feels like "luck" for the sake of maintaining high-stakes moments, i.e. guns being fired that draw no attention from anyone in a resident neighborhood. I don't love loose ends and improbable "I got away with it" moments, but it's not enough to detract from the story as a whole.

Overall, there was a certain "it-factor" to the story and the style that kept me turning pages, finishing the book in just one evening and one morning. I loved that Alice knew how to defend herself and absolutely had to root for her as character.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of this title. This thriller was fantastic! The plotting was so well done, I never saw some of the twists coming. And I found the main character, if not relateable based on my own experience, then at least understandable and fairly logical in her choices and actions. I hate when the heroes and heroines keep doing things that make no sense. I could not put this one down once I started and will be recommending it to all my thriller fan friends.

So when I saw this title I was thinking it would be a stalking case from a tinder app match or something like that and I was like, meh.

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Then I read the synopsis and found this is not exactly true. This thriller is so much more than that. Mister Tender’s Girl is a deliciously morbid psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes and full of suspense until the very last page.

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The characters are just awesomely developed. Alice is our main character and though she is damaged and beautifully flawed she is an incredible character. It seems her whole family is incredibly flawed in fact and just about every other major character in the book.

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Let’s follow Alice through 14 years of hell to culminate on one fateful Halloween night. From the bazaar knife attack she lived through to the the stalker that will kill to save her.

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Alice’s life is one struggle after another but in the end how whole can she be? How much strength would she have to have to endure all that she has and come out strong in the end? Will she?

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If you are into thrillers, especially psychological thrillers, then you will thoroughly enjoy Mister Tender’s Girl by Xxxxx. There were times I literally had to force myself to stop reading this book to go to sleep (I do have adulting I have to do)!

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So, my little booklings, if a page turning edge of your seat thriller is something you are looking for, look no further! This book is your thrill ride of the year! Definitely look for it when it hits shelves in February.

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I give Mr. Tender himself a 2 ( you may ask yourself why but I won’t give him away) but Mister Tender’s Girl is definitely a 5 out of 5 stars!

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I received a copy of Mister Tender’s Girl from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

Mister Tender's Girl was such a unique thriller, I couldn't put it down!

I first requested this book because of the fact that it was loosely based on the Slenderman stabbing (plus look at this gorgeous cover!), and I am so glad that I did! I rarely find a book where I can't figure out what the hell is going on, and my mind was going in so many directions I truly couldn't figure it out until closer to the end.
There were a couple of elements that I found predictable (I won't give any spoilers) but they weren't intrinsic to the main plot-line so it didn't bother me all that much.

I enjoyed the characters in the book, they were very real. I loved seeing how Alice's mind worked, and how she was coping with all of the things that were happening to her along with what had happened to her in the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!