This is a lingering, compulsive debut novel that will keep you tightly in its grip. What would you do if a young girl knocked on your door and asked for your help? If it was snowing and she was freezing cold, but you were afraid and alone? What would you do if you let her in, but couldn't make her leave? What if she told you terrible lies about someone you love, but the truth was even worse? Stella has been cocooned in her home for three years. Severely agoraphobic, she knows she is safe in the stark, isolated house she shares with her husband, Max. The traumatic memories of her final case as a psychologist are that much easier to keep at a distance, too. But the night that Blue arrives on her doorstep with her frightened eyes and sad stories, Stella's carefully controlled world begins to unravel around her. Don't Stand So Close is a chilling and suspenseful read, reminiscent of both Sister by Rosamund Lupton and Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes.
A tense, claustrophobic, and deeply unsettling novel about the damage a disturbed teenager threatens to wreak on one woman's life. - Penny Hancock, author of Tideline, a Richard & Judy selection
An assured debut novel that will have you turning the pages to discover the truth. - Paula Daly, author of Just What Kind of Mother Are You?
Don't Stand So Close is a heady cocktail ... Obsession, repression and delusion twist their tentacles throughout Luana Lewis's riveting and remarkable debut. - Elizabeth Forbes, author of Nearest Thing to Crazy
Author
About Luana Lewis
Luana Lewis is a clinical psychologist and author of two non-fiction books. As well as writing for several newspapers, magazines and journals, she has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. She has also attended workshops at Arvon and City Lit.
