Five victims of stalkers form a support group. When one of them is then murdered by their stalker the remaining four receive a chilling message at the funeral telling them that one of them will be dead in 10 days.
My only experience of author C. L. Taylor's novels previously has been the audiobook version of The Guilty Couple. With the author being one of the guest speakers at the crime and thriller festival Bay Tales in 2025 I decided to read Every Move You Make in preparation for the event.
The opening chapter of the book immediately grips you, you get a real sense of the uncertainty and trepidation Natalie Beare is dealing with on a daily basis. Trying to live a normal life is permeated by fear since Natalie's stalker has recently been released from prison. The shocking events at the end of the chapter are just a taste of what is in store for the reader.
Over the next ten days we are given a glimpse of how victims of stalking have to adapt to survive; changing names, moving, changing jobs, and locking down social media for example. Day to day they vary their route home, constantly check their surroundings, keep doors and windows locked and curtains closed. It's a case of surviving rather than living. These tactics prove even more difficult for one of the group who's an actress, always in the public eye and easily recognised.
The author uses her own experiences to give the reader a glimpse into the life a victim of stalking leads, the words on the page are terrifying but must only be a fraction of the fear the individuals feel. Even sleep doesn't offer the victims a reprieve as nightmares force them to relive ghastly events and the slightest noise during the night is alarming.
We are given a brief view of life from the stalker's perspective. This isn't done to excuse or explain what they do, it's to provoke thought. Are the individuals in the story actually the perpetrators or have the tables been switched? Are some of the group claiming to be victims as a means of getting closer to the people they are stalking? This really throws a light on how charming, and manipulative, a stalker can be.
Working together the group tries to uncover which of their stalkers sent the chilling message. Lives are put at risk but you get a sense that the victims are willing to jeopardise everything to be rid of the daily terror they live in. Fuelled by rage, the group compromises their own safety in order to confront, and finally free themselves, of their stalkers.
Having enjoyed this novel so much it's pleasing to see that C. L. Taylor has an extensive back catalogue to savour.
Author Details
C.L. Taylor is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her psychological thrillers have sold over a million copies in the UK alone, been translated into over twenty languages, and optioned for television. Her 2019 novel, Sleep, was a Richard and Judy pick. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
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