Joe Goldberg leads a fairly simple life. He manages a book store in East Village and while he is often in awe that people still choose to read a paper version of a book when they access them so easily from the comforts of their home… he gets it. Even if he is baffled by what books draw people in to the store.
When Guinevere Beck enters the book shop one day, everything for Joe changes.
You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn’t slam. You smile, embarrassed to be a nice girl, and your nails are bare and your V-neck sweater is beige and it’s impossible to know if you’re wearing a bra but I don’t think that you are. You’re so clean that you’re dirty and you murmur your first word to me – hello.
Joe knows instantly that they were meant to be together and he will stop at nothing to make sure that she will be his. Soon Joe has found his way into Beck’s life. He watches her from the street outside her apartment. He hacks his way into her phone, her texts, her emails. He learns all about her through her conversations with friends, where she goes, and what she watches on TV. He turns himself into the perfect guy for Beck knowing what she will appreciate and what she would find irritating. He is smooth and he is charismatic, and it all works; Beck finds Joe to be almost to good to be true.
And you know what they say when things are too good to be true….
How did I not know about this book before now? Seriously? How did I miss out on this? The synopsis would have had me at book store…. but there was so much more. Joe appears to be a normal guy (think Dahmer) who have over the top stalker qualities and he stops at nothing. No one… not a love interest, not a friend, will get in his way of getting what he has already decided what was rightfully his; and that is Beck.
I listened to this one on audio and I have to say that audio is the way to go. Santino Fontana is PERFECT. He makes our protagonist both witty, funny, snarky and creepy all rolled into one. Santino (may I call him Santino?) narrates in a way that you can tell he is having a good time doing it. I smiled and laughed out loud while listening. The narration is a brilliant mix and I have found another amazing narrator!
I need to describe this audio book in words I have never used to describe a book before… sexually graphic. What Joe thinks about doing to Beck, what he does do to Beck, what Beck does alone and later with Joe…. it is all here, open, and DETAILED. Often in books I complain about this finding it unnecessary and vulgar. That is not the case in this book. Occasionally I will find a book where that level of intimate detail is necessary to the story line – this would be such a book. Appropriately sexual to the story line. Do however consider yourself warned, this is definitely an adult content book.
I highly recommend this read/listen. I enjoyed this story so much that I immediately pre-ordered the sequel on audio Hidden Bodies (which releases tomorrow and oh wow – MORE SANTINO FONTANA!!!!) I am so hopeful that it is just as good and if not, well at least I will get to sink into this great narration again.
Squueeeee worthy? You bet. This one is even worthy of….
yes. You got it. The SPOILER PAGE. Oh yes.
- Narrated by:
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
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- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:09-30-14
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Book Journey 
It sounds like you liked this book! 😉
I did…. and it is kind of funny because I think of some parts of it and think well that was a bit much…. but I was so lost in the narration I got the whole thing.
Loved, loved, loved this book! The audio was fantastic. Hidden Bodies was my First Book of the Year. I couldn’t wait for the audio to be released. It was good (review goes up tomorrow), but I’ve a suspicion the audio will better than print.
Cant wait to listen!
Okay, I wasn’t able to comment on the spoiler page but I loved this book. I had to suspend disbelief at times (the phone) but I bought it all hook, line, and sinker. I listened to it and the narrator was so perfect – he WAS Joe to me – I wouldn’t want to meet him! lol I plan to wait for the audio of Hidden Bodies to read it because they used the same narrator.
Thanks for telling me about the comments Kathy, I fixed it. And yes…. the phone. 😉 Audio book releases tomorrow.
Great review Sheila! It sounds intriguing. I’m going to add it to my ‘To Read’ list.
I tried listening to this one, and while I agree with your point that all the detail was necessary, I was too uncomfortable hearing it to continue. It was TOO REAL for me I guess, haha. That means it’s probably an excellent book – I just couldn’t stomach it!
I remembered reading about this when you mentioned Hidden Bodies which I heard was good but that you had to read this book first. It sounds great. One for the list