The Follower

In New York City's work hard, play harder singles scene, a young woman looking for love can find herself the object of a deadly obsession. With each meaningless date and disappointing new boyfriend, Katie Porter is becoming more and more disillusioned. No matter how wide a net she casts she can't seem to find a guy who really understands her. But someone thinks she's special - very special. And he's following her... But it's not her boyfriend, Andy. The frat-boy who never grew up is too busy working out how far Katie will go and if her friends are hot, to stop and think whether Katie's 'the one'. But someone's already decided she is - and he's watching her.

Peter sees Katie at the gym. He sees her at the coffee bar she stops at on the way to work. In fact, he sees her almost everywhere, as he quietly follows her. But most of all, he sees her in his plans for the future. He's got the proposal worked out, he's even got the ring and their happy home already bought. After all, he's had enough time to plan things to perfection - he grew up in the same small town. Surely, after all these years, he can't let anything stand in his way.

The yuppie dating scene in The Follower is convincingly rendered and provides an interesting backdrop for the story. The at times shallow cesspool where everyone is thinking about looks, sex, who's hot and getting laid actually provides a good setting for this type of story because people quickly build up layers of deceit with each other.

The book is divided into three parts and I think that it’s best to take each one individually. In the first part we are given an in depth character study of the three main characters. We are given reasons to both like them and not like them as our initial perceptions about them will change as they become more fleshed out. Starr chooses, wisely, to end the first section when he does, when his adept characterizations threatens to become character saturation.

The second part changes tact and benefits from the change. What we have here are differing perceptions of the same events by different characters. Two characters spend the day together and have vastly different perceptions of the events of the day, these differences may start out as small and subtle but the gulf between the two quickly becomes vast. Because of this differing perception and the alternating viewpoints the tension is driven to a really high levels.

It’s also in this second section that we are introduced to Det. John Himoto, who may just prove to be the most interesting character in The Follower.

The third section try’s to maintain the same tact as the second by switching point of views and perceptions but is ultimately harmed by this and rendered ineffective because there are moments when tension gets built up then is ultimately squandered by the switch. I have to wonder if this section would have been better suited by keeping the POV with Katie, keeping her and the reader in the dark as to Peters actions and whereabouts.

The ending of the book fizzles out and just ends leaving one feeling very unsatisfied.

Coming back to Himoto for a moment I cant help but think that his story arc was a missed opportunity. His character flaws are really humanizing and make him more interesting. As a detective he is in a slump and the case starts to mean something to him for shades of different reasons then inexplicably Starr takes the case away from him and other faceless, arrogant, less interesting detectives then lead the investigation. From that point on Himoto, now cut loose, just drifts throughout the story without purpose. Fictionally speaking Himoto is a Baltimore murder police in a New York world, which makes it a further shame that he was taken out of the story so early.

The Follower isn’t a bad novel it’s just not a particularly memorable one and if I were looking for one word to describe it, it would be conventional. Which is unfortunate because Starr brings a lot of strengths to the table.

--Brian Lindenmuth

Other Reviews of works by Jason Starr

Lights Out - Nov 16, 2006

Interview with Jason Starr

On The Spot At FantasyBookSpot: Jason Starr - Dec 18, 2006