Engrossing, surprising and impossible to put down.
Leon Alvarez is a man with a plan. Months behind bars has given him plenty of time to think, not of the ruthless crimes he committed while trying to get close to Lana Ross, but rather of precisely how he’ll win her heart once he’s released. A mixup at the county jail grants Leon unexpected freedom and escalates the timelines on his outrageous schemes. Calling in some favors from the few people who owe him anything, Leon sinks into his reliable old methods and happily gets right back into stalking and obsessing. With just a few tidy sections reminding readers of the edge-of-your-seat drama from the first Boulder Girl novel, Lana’s story picks up without skipping a beat. After the tragic and still suspicious death of her beloved fiancé, Lana trudges forward in her now dark and joyless life. Unable to find happiness, her health deteriorates enough to require medical intervention. The doctor gives Lana some unexpected news and an opportunity to regain a measure of purpose in her life. Unfortunately for her, Leon has a different idea. Resourceful and tenacious, Leon is determined to finish what he started with his “little darlin’.”
With a snappy selection of songs to set the tone for different scenes and changing moods, Boulder Girl: Bad Moon Rising is like listening to your favorite digital playlist, one you’ll enjoy no matter how often it is revisited. The plot moves methodically, taking time to pause for dramatic effect, suspenseful close-calls or the occasional reckless indulgence of a stalker with a specific Taylor Swift song cycling on repeat in his demented mind. Though a novel like this could feel claustrophobic with the relentless voyeurism and treachery, Lana has a lovely complement of supportive friends and family to lighten the weight of the story. And while Leon never becomes likable, Clark does an impressive job at helping readers to appreciate the kind of miserable life that eventually adds up to a murderous stalker, earning him a speck of pity. While you don’t absolutely need the prequel to enjoy this follow-up, the two novels work in perfect harmony to tell a complete story that is engrossing, surprising and impossible to put down. A suspenseful drama with a stylishly enjoyable protagonist that refuses to become a victim, Boulder Girl: Bad Moon Rising is an edgy story that you’re sure to love.
