MISTER TENDER’S GIRL – Carter Wilson

I wish I could remember what it was about this book that attracted my attention in the first place. Because I am so far behind in my ARC reading I’ve been very judicious in what I ask to read, so something, somewhere along the line, this book seemed like something I would really enjoy.

But I didn’t.

The book follows Alice Hill who, as a young teen, was attacked and nearly killed by two classmates who claimed that Mister Tender had ordered them to attack Alice as a sacrifice. But Mr. Tender doesn’t exist … he was a fictional character, a pop culture icon, created by her father for a series of graphic novels.

Now, years later, Alice has learned to protect herself in a variety of ways, including martial art self-defense. But her biggest means of protection is to become reclusive. With only her unhinged brother as a friend, Alice lives and works under assumed names. But now someone has found her. Someone who is stalking her, someone who knows more about her than should be possible, someone who refers to himself as Mister Interested.

This should be a strong psychological thriller, but instead it almost becomes a comedy with our main character acting outrageously in order to represent ‘terror.’

**WARNING : POTENTIAL SPOILER AHEAD**

There was one particular moment on which this book really hinged and the story took a turn that we couldn’t ever leave….

Alice approached on the street by someone. Maybe a stalker, maybe not. She is about to defend against him when her brother shoots the man. There is blood all over the snow outside her home. They bring the man (not dead) into the house where they shoot him again. In front of a neighbor. As he begs for his life.

And I actually have no problem with this (in terms of being a part of a thriller story). It’s the complete lack of reaction about killing this man from any of the three people involved (Alice, her brother, her neighbor). It’s as if it never happened once we move on.

And from that point I lost all interest in the book. I hoped for something that never came and what did come was just a let-down. Yes, I was a little surprised by the ending … but only a little … and it definitely wasn’t worth the wait.

I was definitely underwhelmed.

Looking for a good book? Mister Tender’s Girl by Carter Wilson is a psychological thriller that requires a fair amount of willing disbelief on the part of the reader to get to an ending that is ultimately unsatisfying.