Sometimes you read an extreme horror novella about a weirdo who goes off the rails and you know that he’s fucked up, but you kind of empathize with him because the author imbues him with brief moments of humanity. Looking at you, Matt Clarke. Sometimes though, you get a story where the weirdo in question is straight up convinced that his behavior is normal and that he’s doing his victims a favor. That kind of story, when well written, can be incredibly unsettling. That is Mine.

Chandler spends his days people watching from the safety of his home. He knows way more about them all than they would be comfortable with, and apparently they all know he’s watching them because he does get called out for his behavior. People watching in itself isn’t a big deal, but Chandler’s gone well beyond watching. He’s become obsessed with his neighbor, Samantha, to the point where he’s imagining a future with her. There’s just one problem. She already has a husband and child. She has a family and he’s just the creep next door. Surely Chandler can make his dream come true, right?

Let’s talk about the audiobook for a moment. TC King is a new to me narrator. The narration was good overall, but I did have to increase the speed to match my reading speed. I would listen to King read to me again though. His voice is pleasant, he doesn’t stumble over words, and I found his portrayal of Chandler to be quite convincing.

I hadn’t paid close attention to the cover art until I really got into the book, but I have to say it is perfect. The family portrait with the scratched out face and blood splatter gives you a pretty good idea what this book is about. The story went in the direction I expected, but still managed to keep me on the edge of my seat without being completely predictable. That ending…oof! Chandler’s transition from creepy neighbor to homicidal maniac was like a switch flipped. Full disclosure, I did receive an Audible code from Kaplin. That said, my reviews are always honest and all views expressed are my own, regardless of how I obtained the book. I really enjoyed Mine, and if you like to read stories about people giving in to their delusions, I think you’ll like this one too.