Steve chats with Laura Sims, author of The Man, about her path from poet to librarian to novelist, using the real-life photographer Vivian Maier as inspiration, themes of fear and artistic rebellion, and a teaser about her next interstellar book! Then NoveList librarians Jamie and Suzanne suggest readalikes for The Man at The Circ Desk!

Read the transcript!

From the highly acclaimed author of How Can I Help You, a New York Times Best Thriller of the Year: a singular take on the psychological suspense novel that follows a 1960s housewife turned amateur photographer who begins to fear for her life when she notices the dark silhouette of a man in the background of her self-portraits.

The photos Judith Stanley takes are just for her, a private passion to fill her suburban days. But when she shares them with Paul Sorenson, her new photography instructor, she’s unprepared to hear his astonished praise. “Stunning,” he calls her photos. “Extraordinary.” She has an uncanny eye, he says, and should consider publication. He could help. Except Judith has no interest in sharing her work; in fact, the mere idea of it frightens her.

Still, emboldened by Paul’s encouragement, Judith ventures out beyond her quiet neighborhood to the city in search of increasingly striking images. When she starts to notice the dark shape of a man in the corner of her self-portraits, Judith is certain he’s an attacker from her past. She doesn’t know why he has returned, but she’s sure of his presence: the hoarse sound of his breathing, his hard grip on her elbow. Perhaps it would appease the man if she were to put her camera down and give up her private passion. But she can’t; she refuses. Until one night when the man finally emerges from the shadows, and Judith’s story suddenly and irrevocably becomes his own.

Chilling and heart-poundingly propulsive, The Man is a phenomenal and timely novel exploring the inescapable fear of living as a woman, the tantalizing seduction of artistic freedom, and the very real dangers that lurk both inside and outside the confines of the mind. The Man marks Laura Sims as an extraordinary talent at the top of her game; and this, her third novel, is her greatest achievement yet.

SHOW NOTES:

The Man by Laura Sims
How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims

If you’re looking for your next great read, check your library’s website for NoveList Plus or go to https://about.ebsco.com/novelist/find-my-organization. With NoveList Plus, you’ll find human-curated reading recommendations based on your preferences and mood. And we’ll tell you why a book is being recommended, so you can quickly discover the perfect match.

Libraries have trusted NoveList for more than 30 years. Our book experts evaluate and write recommendations for titles, authors, and series, as well as audiobooks. Interested in seeing if NoveList Plus is right for your library? Go to https://about.ebsco.com/novelist/demos.

THE CIRC DESK RECOMMENDS:

I Make My Own Fun by Hannah Beer
Nobody But Us by Laure Van Rensburg
Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman
One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon