Synopsis

From the highly acclaimed author of How Can I Help You, a New York Times Best Thriller of the a singular take on the domestic suspense novel that follows a 1960s housewife turned amateur photographer who begins to fear for her life when she notices the dark silhouette of a man in the background of her self-portraits.

The photos Judith Stanley takes are just for her, a private passion to fill her suburban days. But when she shares them with Paul Sorenson, her new photography instructor, she’s unprepared to hear his astonished praise. “Stunning,” he calls her photos. “Extraordinary.” She has an uncanny eye, he says, and should consider publication. He could help. Except Judith has no interest in sharing her work; in fact, the mere idea of it frightens her.

Still, emboldened by Paul’s encouragement, Judith ventures out beyond her quiet neighborhood to the city in search of increasingly striking images. When she starts to notice the dark shape of a man in the corner of her self-portraits, Judith is certain he’s an attacker from her past. She doesn’t know why he has returned, but she’s sure of his the hoarse sound of his breathing, his hard grip on her elbow. Perhaps it would appease the man if she were to put her camera down and give up her private passion. But she can’t; she refuses. Until one night when the man finally emerges from the shadows, and Judith’s story suddenly and irrevocably becomes his own.

Chilling and heart-poundingly propulsive, The Man is a phenomenal and timely novel exploring the inescapable fear of living as a woman, the tantalizing seduction of artistic freedom, and the very real dangers that lurk both inside and outside the confines of the mind. The Man marks Laura Sims as an extraordinary talent at the top of her game; and this, her third novel, is her greatest achievement yet.

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Praise

“Fiercely intelligent and deeply chilling, The Man—like the protagonist’s self-portraits—contains more than first meets the eye. It’s the sort of novel I immediately want to talk about with others—the perfect book club read. I wish I could read it again for the first time!” —Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

“The Man is a chilling study of the ways in which a woman’s art, talent, and entire life get subsumed by the biggest malevolent force in her life—the men who want to shape her to their will. This book kept me awake at night, heart in throat, then stayed with me long afterward. I could not stop turning the pages. Laura Sims has done it again.” —Vanessa Chan, author of international bestseller, The Storm We Made

“Haunting, atmospheric, and relentlessly unnerving, The Man kept me up late reading—and had me looking over my shoulder on dark street corners. Beneath the muscular prose and quiet sense of dread is a thoughtful exploration of power imbalances, our relationship with art, and the roles we allow women to play.” —Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here and The Last Ferry Out

“The Man is a gorgeous, haunting exploration of creativity, confinement, and desire. Sims captures the inner life of an artist with uncanny precision and lyricism. Every page shimmers with intelligence and quiet menace. I could not put it down.” —Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Puzzle Box

“I was gripped by this twisty, creepy tale of an amateur photographer with a blazing talent and a troubling past. Art and trauma, obsession and ambition all collide with terrifying consequences that will have you flipping to the last page.” —Susan Barker, author of Old Soul 

Review

Was Judith being stalked, or was it all in her head?

This novel, set in the 1960s, was intriguing but left me with more questions than answers. Judith is taking a photography class, and it turns out she is quite good, according to her professor, Paul Sorenson. He had one hit photograph, but has been relegated to teaching when no other photograph has been received to further his career. While his motives seem pure, we learn that maybe there is more to the story than what he is saying.

Judith is a very private person, and survived an attack when she was a teenager. Not even her husband knows about the incident, despite the scarring she has on her legs. It makes me wonder what she told him. While I was surprised at his reactions, once I figured out what the time period was for the book, it made more sense. Women were not taken seriously or believed most of the time. Her husband is protective, perhaps to a fault by telling her to stay in the house since it would keep her safe. But would it really?

The first half of the book, told from Judith’s perspective was edgy. Who was stalking her, making phone calls to her home, and threatening her? The second half is told from Paul’s perspective, and we learn he is self-serving and not beyond embellishing the past to suit his purposes. He is not likeable, and actually despicable with his actions.

The book ends and left me with more questions than answers. I suppose that was the intent, but there is more that I wanted to know about the situation. I don’t want to share those questions so I don’t spoil the book for anyone. You might not have questions, or they might be different from mine.

The book is intriguing but it feels like something is missing. We give it 3 1/2 paws up.

About the Author

Laura Sims’s previous novels How Can I Help You and Looker have been featured on Best Books lists in The New York Times Book Review, Vogue, People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, Publishers Weekly, and more. An award-winning poet, Sims has published four poetry collections; her essays and poems have appeared in The New Republic, Boston Review, Lit Hub, and Electric Lit. She lives in New Jersey, where she works part-time as a children’s librarian.