Friday, 14 November 2025

The Obsession by Natasha Preston

✦ BLURB ✦

Sixteen-year-old Connie has been dragged into the world of vlogging - her mum Lou's vlog is hugely popular, enough to bring in money for a new house, expensive lifestyle . . . and a lot of criticism.

While Lou and Connie's older sister Isla are touring colleges, Connie stays home alone, where she becomes increasingly paranoid about comments on the vlog. Plus someone is turning up at her school and following her on her way home.

Then Connie's best friend is attacked - the third teenage girl attacked in five weeks - and suspicion turns to Connie. Connie doesn't know who she can trust any more and goes on the run. But will the killer - whoever they are - catch up with her?

A vlogger’s life under scrutiny, a killer who strikes unseen, and a teen left to navigate fear, suspicion, and survival—The Obsession keeps you looking over your shoulder.

PRE-READING THOUGHTS

Natasha Preston consistently delivers suspenseful, modern horror, and this one promised an intriguing peek into the world of vlogging. With public exposure, careless online habits, and teenage paranoia, it seemed destined to be a tense, claustrophobic thriller.

POST-READING

As I thought…
The tension was immediate. Preston makes every notification, every comment, and every unknown presence feel like a potential threat. The stalking and paranoia are palpable, and the pacing keeps you flipping pages almost against your will.

It surprised me by…
How effectively the world of vlogging became a source of danger. Connie’s fear wasn’t only about the killer—it was the exposure that comes with modern social media life. The killer’s identity remained hidden masterfully, and I genuinely didn’t see it coming. My only (very small) gripe: it ends abruptly, leaving the story feeling like it just stops rather than concluding fully.

🎵 MUSIC PAIRING

  • Featured Song: Disturbia — Rihanna (creeping unease, paranoia)

  • Vibe Album: Melodrama — Lorde (emotional tension, youthful anxiety)

  • Artist Recommendation: Billie Eilish (haunting, modern, perfectly teen-focused suspense)

🎨 VIBE CHECK

  • Colour Palette: Neon pink, shadowy black, muted grey

  • Soundtrack: Notifications pinging, doors creaking, footsteps at night

  • Season: Late spring/early summer—light outside, darkness inside

  • Mood: Uneasy, paranoid, anxious anticipation

  • Scent: Warm screen glow, faint perfume, lingering fear

🃏 TAROT PULL

Seven of Swords (Flags, Tarot for You and Me): A masked woman carries a flag, moving stealthily through shadows. This card reflects secrecy, betrayal, and danger lurking in plain sight. Perfect for Connie’s precarious situation, it reminds us that appearances can deceive, trust is fragile, and vigilance is essential when the threat could be anyone—even someone you thought you knew.



FOR FANS OF

  • Book: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

  • TV: Pretty Little Liars (creepy secrets, paranoia, hidden threats)

DISCLAIMER

The Obsession publishes on the 2nd of December, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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