The Obsession by Nora Roberts

Naomi made a horrifying discovery one night when she followed her father down to the creek.  She thought he was going swimming and wanted to join him since it was such a hot humid night.  He didn't go the creek, though.  He went in a root cellar.  Her birthday was coming up and she had asked for a bike.  Maybe he was assembling it down there.  When he comes out he looks different.  He doesn't see her and leaves.  She waits and then goes to check the cellar.  When she hears whimpering she thinks it must be a puppy.  It wasn't a puppy...

Berkley Books sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

Imagine trying to live with the knowledge that your father is a serial killer.  He didn't hurt anyone at home but she saw evidence of what else he had done in that cellar.  She saves the girl she found and her family moves away to make a new start.  

This incident turns Naomi into an isolated person.  She doesn't trust people much, she prefers being alone, and she doesn't want attention.  Her mother keeps talking to reporters for money and then, in despair, kills herself.  All Naomi has now are her uncles and her brother.  She's tough, she survives.  She keeps moving about the country taking photographs she can sell as stock photos.  She even buys a house on the coast of Washington.  What she doesn't know is that someone from her past is following her and stalking her.

This is a scary tale because sometimes people do get obsessed.  The killer stalking her is replicating her father's crimes.  He has evil designs on her.  She has no idea who he is.  It's a good thing she's hanging out with a strong man and her brother is a FBI profiler.  She'll need their help.

Ms. Roberts always writes good thrillers and this one is right at the top of the pile.  The whole time I was reading it I was glad someone wasn't after me like they were after her...