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The Followers

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The Girl on the Train meets the world of social media in this psychological thriller about influencer culture, parasocial relationships, and the secrets we keep from those we love most.

Molly Sullivan is used to sharing intimate details of her life with millions of followers. A thirty-one-year-old single mom, she has built a career out of fearless posts about parenthood and dating. But when Molly shares a photo of her new fiancé, Scott, she is shocked by his negative reaction. For the sake of their relationship, Molly agrees to remove the post and keep Scott and his ten-year-old daughter out of her social media spotlight.

But it's too late, someone has already recognized him. Liv Barrett is certain Scott's the man who killed her sister and disappeared with her infant niece nine years ago. The police don't believe her, so Liv takes matters into her own hands. Driving cross-country to Colorado, Liv uses Molly's social media posts to orchestrate "accidental" meetings, slowly gaining her trust. Meanwhile, newlywed Molly begins to unpack boxes in her new home and discovers her husband has been lying about his past.

While Molly and Liv uncover secrets that have been buried deep for almost a decade, they have no idea that someone else saw the photo of Scott--someone who poses a threat more dangerous than either of them can imagine. Someone who is watching them from the shadows.

328 pages, Hardcover

First published August 29, 2023

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Bradeigh Godfrey

2 books304 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
Profile Image for Kaceey.
1,288 reviews4,052 followers
September 9, 2023
Molly Sullivan is an online influencer. Her entire life is an open-book, able to be seen and followed. But her new husband prefers a more private life. He continually pleads with her to keep him, and his daughter from a previous relationship, off line.

OOPSY-DAISY! Molly just posted a picture of him!

And before she can take it down, thousands have seen it! Including those he hoped would never find him!

I loved the atmosphere of this book, taking place in one of my favorite vacation spots! Durango, Colorado. (Lol! It’s even featured in my profile picture).

While creating a chilling thriller Bradeigh Godfrey also captures the beauty of the mountains in this quaint college town.

I listened to the audio and thoroughly enjoyed the dual narration.

My second (audio) read by this very talented author and looking forward to more!

Thank you to libro.fm for my 🎧
Profile Image for Melissa (Trying to Catch Up).
4,877 reviews2,649 followers
August 24, 2023
Wowza this took me a long time to get through and I don't know why. I'm an outlier here yet again, I thought this book was a decent read, but I didn't love it.

What I liked:

I do love the behind the scenes with the influencer lifestyle (I know, everyone else is totally over it but I like it, I feel like a voyeur into a different life) and I especially liked the hate message board messages, I thought they gave total authenticity to the story.

I liked some parts of the mystery, the questioning whether Scott/Sam really is a good guy or a bad guy was intriguing.

The ending was decent.

What didn't really work for me:

The villain. The villain's chapters. The villain's motivation. Totally shallow and there wasn't much development of any of that. There really wasn't much character development in the entire book.

With as in the spotlight and "authentic" as Molly was (she even took a video crew to her pap smear!) I find it super difficult to believe that she had only posted ONE photo of her relationship and that was at her wedding. Off brand.

Although this is an adult novel, it really feels like YA.

I am definitely an outlier, there are many people who have adored this book, so if it interests you, give it a try. There are some good parts, to me it was enjoyable, just not great.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
2,638 reviews53.5k followers
August 7, 2023
The hopeless romantic inside me was overshadowed by my thrill-seeking mind that pushed me to read more twisty mysteries each day. My heart broke as I reached the final pages of the book. I'm still dabbing tears, and a few sobs break out even though I'm doing my best to hold them back!

This book is a great combination of "Girl on the Train" meets "Last Thing He Told Me," questioning social media voyeurism along with its trolls, haters, and curious followers who watch an influencer's every step to forget their own problems. It's also a fascinating blend of women's fiction and twisty suspense that started off a little too predictable until it wasn't. The last twists hit so hard in the face, and I'm still recovering.

The plot revolves around two women dealing with their own struggling circumstances, including Molly Sullivan, whose funds have been vacuumed by her soon-to-be-ex-husband when she gives birth to her daughter Chloe. She turns being a single, penniless mother into a story to share with others, leading her to become a popular social media influencer, oversharing her life without borders under the name "Invincible Summer," which has a meaningful reference to Albert Camus' brilliant poem I'll share at the end of my review.

Molly turns her misfortune into a victorious story, sealing the deal with a happy ending by finding the love of her life during her trip. Scott becomes her new husband, a loner, reclusive man, and single dad raising his ten-year-old alone. Molly ties the knot and moves to Durango, Colorado, without thinking any further. She even shares a photo of Scott in one of her posts and takes it down after a big argument, which almost ends their relationship. Unfortunately, the wrong person, the one who can burn their new life to flames, recognizes Scott from the instant photo, even though she had already deleted it! And that's how we get introduced to our second narrator, Liv Barrett (actually, we met a ten-year-younger version of her at the opening of the book, on the tragic night that ended with her sister's death and her niece's kidnapping).

Liv Barrett has been living in limbo since she lost her sister. Her sister's ex, Sam, vanished into thin air, and probably, he was the one who kidnapped her baby girl niece. For years, she keeps trying to find her. She's so sure Sam changed his name to Scott and made the worst mistake of choosing an oversharing influencer to marry, helping Liv to capture his whereabouts.

Liv's plan is simple. She moves to Colorado, befriends Molly, and conducts her own investigation. When Molly realizes her husband is not the man she knows, she teams up with Liv to gather the pieces and reveal the whole tragic truth that may ruin their lives and break them apart.

Overall, the book has well-developed characterization, well-balanced pacing, an intriguing mystery, and well-played twists, which made me adore the author, who also published several romance books as Ali Brady with her co-writer Alison Hammer. She's a multitalented author who surprises her readers by creating brilliant stories in different genres perfectly.

This is one of the well-written, fast-paced, smart, and emotional readings that I absolutely recommend!

I'll end my words with the famous poem of Albert Camus that will definitely encourage and empower your inner fighter:

"My dear,

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger, something better, pushing right back.

Truly yours,

Albert Camus"

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

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Profile Image for Amy.
2,201 reviews1,944 followers
July 18, 2023
I know some people are getting sick of social media influencers as characters in books but I eat that shit up. I love seeing everything from the darker side of SM to how huge influencers run their accounts and create their content so that aspect was what first drew me to this one. I also immediately liked the cat and mouse vibes and for about the first half I thought it was going to be an enjoyable, albeit predictable read and then things shifted and I was fully invested. This was addictive and gripping with a fast pace and a mixed media approach that I really liked. Every chapter starts with either a quote or tweet or comment from Molly and then there are snippets from a Reddit snark forum that just rags on her really showing just how nasty the internet can be. I think people who enjoy a lighter style of thriller will enjoy this, perfect for a summer binge read.
Profile Image for Dennis.
905 reviews1,841 followers
August 9, 2023
3.5 stars

Bradeigh Godfrey's upcoming mystery novel, THE FOLLOWERS, will definitely be a juicy beach read for a lot of readers. If you like May Cobb or Eliza Jane Brazier's books, THE FOLLOWERS is a solid read for you. The story focuses on mommy influencer Molly Sullivan and her struggles with her relationships due to her social media notoriety. After Molly posts a photo with her fiance Scott, the two become entangled in an argument. Frustrated, Molly removes the post and keep him and his daughter out of the spotlight. However, Liv Barrett notices Scott on Molly's social media and tries to get in contact with Molly. Liv believes that Scott was involved in her sister's murder and begins to investigate on her own. When Molly and Liv end up "accidentally" meeting up, they start uncovering the mystery behind Liv's sister's murder, but someone else also saw Scott's image and they're watching Molly and Liv closely.

Part romance, part domestic thriller, part psychological suspense, THE FOLLOWERS will be a fun story for a lot of you. I struggled with the plot for the first half of the story, I just wasn't invested. It's hard to say why, because the writing is great, but I just didn't care. That being said, I went against my usual DNF rules and kept going. There's some chilling moments with the dangers of social media, which makes me want to actually take a step back on posting my personal life as much, so thank you Bradeigh Godfrey for scaring the s* out of me. If you enjoy light mysteries with a bit of an emotional pull and romance, THE FOLLOWERS will be the read for you.
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,403 reviews690 followers
August 28, 2023
I am always going to be a sucker for a thriller with a social media influencer. It is always fun and scary to see the behind the scenes of a huge account, the old reality vs online story. Not everything you see online is the whole truth.

Molly Sullivan is a social media darling, with thousands of followers. She is used to posting everything online, but her new husband Scott is not so keen. He lives off grid and goes ballistic when Molly posts a photo of them together on her feed. He demands it be removed, but not before it is seen by 2 different people, hunting him down.

This is a fast, popcorn thriller that is so easy to binge. I listened to this on audio and the narrators did a fantastic job with the characters. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Libro.FM for the advanced listening copy. Out on August 29th.
Profile Image for Tabitha -.
450 reviews91 followers
June 22, 2023
I'm going to pretend I didn't cry at the end of this.
Profile Image for Chelsey (a_novel_idea11).
584 reviews156 followers
August 29, 2023
I always love a good thriller involving social media influencers and Godfrey definitely delivered!

Molly Sullivan is a social media darling and I really loved that her persona on and off socials was consistent. She was genuinely a kind and welcoming person and it was refreshing that while curated, her online presence wasn't entirely fabricated. It was easy to see how the incredibly private and essentially reclusive Scott fell in love with her and compromised his and his daughter's identities by pursuing and ultimately marrying her.

Parallel to Scott and Molly's story, is Liv - a driven woman who lives a life of isolation as a result of trauma from her past. Her sister was murdered ten years ago by her boyfriend Sam and that very night, Sam disappeared with Liv's niece Gabriella. Liv has never been the same and has made it her mission to find her niece and bring justice for her sister.

Filled with twists, this one kept me guessing and kept me wanting more. It was well paced, the characters felt authentic, and I loved the back stories. There are secrets woven throughout the pages and I loved the complex nature of the relationships and histories.

While some of the twists may be a little predictable, there were definitely many things that surprised me and it was fun trying to unravel everything. It was hard to know who to trust and who was reliable. I also enjoyed how some things played out differently than I had expected.

I listened to The Followers on audio and really enjoyed it. The female narrator was strong and I appreciated her different vocals for Liv and Molly. I also loved that a male narrator was used for the unidentified character - it added a chilling element to the delivery and really had me questioning everything and everyone.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Libro.FM for the copy.
Profile Image for Jeanie ~ MyFairytaleLibrary.
473 reviews59 followers
September 2, 2023
The story opens with an angry ex boyfriend banging on grandma’s door after midnight looking for one granddaughter while two other grandchildren sleep in her home. She gives him the address of where to find her and then she goes back to bed. Hold on. WTF did you just do? No. Just no. She did not call the police. She did not call the granddaughter to warn her. Stupid grandma.

Nine years after grandmother helped to get her granddaughter murdered and her great granddaughter kidnapped, we pick up the story with the younger sister Liv seeing a picture of who she believes is the killer/kidnapper on social media. Naturally “Sam” is now married to an influencer because no publisher on the planet in 2023 wants a book published that does NOT include an “influencer.” So what does Liv do when she sees Sam’s pic on Molly’s social media? Why she goes to the police, but oops she didn’t take a screenshot of her sister’s murderer and the police tell her to buzz off when it’s been deleted. Yep. Stupidity is apparently a genetic disorder in this family. After this we embark on a citizens gone rogue trope that is nearly as overdone as the influencer trope. When Liv finds a way to meet Molly, they quickly bond over the fact they are Taylor Swift fans. Because since 99% of humans are fans, this would be a shocker? I’ll stop there because believe it or not it continues to go downhill into an endless abyss of hellfire.

The writing here would have perhaps worked better if the story was cleaned up a tad to make it a YA read. Of course when Molly has her annual “hooha” exam live on IG, it’s gone a bit beyond appropriate 13 year old reading material.

To go with the theme of this book: NGL IGTOFTS.

Save yourself. I read this so you don’t have to. You are welcome!

1 star rounded up because Taylor Adams has terrified bookstagrammers about leaving one star reviews.
Profile Image for Stephanielikesbooks .
501 reviews45 followers
October 16, 2023
There have been lots of thrillers themed around social media influencers but this one by Bradeigh Godfrey really stands out. I really, really liked this one - I kept turning the pages and was immersed in this story about Molly, an influencer, Liv, the sister of a murdered young woman, and Scott, Molly’s husband, whose past may not be what it seems.

The main characters were very likeable. Good twists, buried secrets, fast-paced and a good ending. I could not put this one down!! Highly recommend!! One of my favourite thriller reads this year ❤️
Profile Image for this_cat_lady_reads.
680 reviews76 followers
June 5, 2023
“The Followers”
by Bradeigh Godfrey

Pub Date 29 Aug 2023
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Arc kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you so much! All opinions are my own.

And here we have another winner!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:
Almost ten years ago, a young mother gets murdered in her apartment and her baby girl disappears.
Someone’s mother dies, someone’s sister. Olivia has never given up on her niece and finding out the truth about her sisters death.

Molly has millions of followers. She posts about everything and anything. One day she posts a pic of her new husbands who makes her delete the picture instantly.
But too late, it’s out there already, and Olivia has recognised him…

My opinion:
This was such an awesome book (quoting Clover). The pacing was excellent. It had multiple points of views, forums, quoted, anonymous POV’s. It’s a really good thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. I loved Molly and her insta life. I felt for Liv… the book was such a good mix of story, social media, emotions and thriller. Definitely deserves a spot in my top ten this year! Loved it!
Profile Image for Jamele (BookswithJams).
1,617 reviews73 followers
September 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this one, several of the main characters have something to hide and one does not but isn’t sure why she keeps finding things that her new husband is hiding. She also happens to be an influencer, so sharing her life with her millions of followers is nbd but for her husband it is a very big deal, especially when she posts a photo of him and someone recognizes him. This was a great domestic thriller that got me with the ending, and I really enjoyed the whole way through.

The audio was great and I absolutely enjoyed reading it this way and recommend it if you like audiobooks as well.

Thank you to LibroFM for the ALC to review.
July 16, 2023
The Followers is perfect for anyone on social media, from influencers, big & small, to those that follow devotedly or those that stay casually lurking in the background. Molly is an influencer with millions of followers. Newly married with a new stepdaughter and house she has to navigate the wishes of her husband for privacy. Unfortunately she already shared a photo when they got engaged. Everything is always seen even if it's deleted immediately after.

Liv Barrett is just one who saw the picture and she's going to track Molly down because the man in the picture is the one she believes killed her sister and disappeared with her niece. Soon she is arranging to be in the same places as Molly. As she gets closer to getting proof so does someone else watching and tracking from the shadows.

It was hard to put this down. From worrying about Liz getting caught to seeing what Molly would discover to figuring out who the creepy mysterious figure is this is a tension filled read. Even the more mild parts in between keep your attention because they show that you never know who is on the other side of a comment. There are sections in between chapters with comments in a forum dedicated to hating on Molly. It's all spot on and shows how nasty people can be.

Molly is likeable and not a typical influencer character. She's too nice and you really feel for her as she tries to balance things. You feel for the other characters as well. Love and the need for family is a major theme. There is a twist and then more twists as I watched to see how things could possibly work.

The Followers is a perfect Summer read. If you like thrillers I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the chance to read!
Profile Image for Michelle.
846 reviews140 followers
August 16, 2023
📊The Followers📊

“Here’s the thing about posting something online…once it’s out there, you can never take it back. It belongs to the world now, not just you.”

Invincible Molly Sullivan started her social media platform 5 years ago. She was a single mom of a newborn, struggling to find anyone to relate to & posted about her new lifestyle on Instagram. She became immediately relatable to other mothers & gradually gained a following.

“Relationships with real people took priority over anything she did online.”

Now an Influencer with millions of subscribers & newly married, it’s not uncommon to post a picture of them together. When Scott sees it, he freaks out & makes her take it down. But not before her “friends” saw his smiling face. One of those people being Liv Barrett.

“It was him. Even though she only met him once, even though she had no pictures of him, it didn’t matter. When she closed her eyes she could still see his face as it had looked that night.”

Nine years ago, Liv’s older sister Christina was been beaten, strangled & ultimately died from trauma to the head. Her niece Gabriella was kidnapped. Scott was the #1 suspect who fled.

When she saw the picture Liv immediately took a temp job in Durango, Colorado, 1500 miles away from where Christina was killed. Precisely where Sam, now Scott, created an entirely new life for himself. She started off by monitoring Molly for 2 months & soon befriending her.

But Liv isn’t the only one after Scott for his previous actions & this mysterious man won’t stop until he pays.

“I’d given up hope. But you must’ve gotten complacent. After all this time you let your guard down. Not a good decision my friend.”

I loved Buddy Reading this with my girls @vlanigan.f.off.im.reading @jordan_kurtti @angiearoundwonderland & @joannasbookshelf 🫶

Thank you #partner @librofm for a #gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐️ rounded up

🏷
#newbook #thefollowers #socialmedia #influencer #influencers #bradeighgodfrey #twitter #instagram #tiktok #socialmediaplatforms #socialmediaplatform #macroinfluencer #celebstatus #librofm #librofmpartner #librofmlisteningsquad #audiobook #audiobooks #audiobookstagram #pinterest #snapchat
Profile Image for Oyinda.
766 reviews184 followers
August 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this. It had my full attention and I kept wondering what was going on. Lots of lies and twists. Not sure I’m the biggest fan of some characters’ endings. Maybe 3.5.
Profile Image for Suzi (Lil Bit Reads).
648 reviews54 followers
August 29, 2023
Molly is a popular momfluencer, known to her millions of followers as the Invincible Molly Sullivan. Her brand is all about being vulnerable, fearless, and open to a fault, even filming a gyn visit and pap smear. When she shares a wedding photo, her new husband Scott demands she remove it. Molly takes down the post but is puzzled by Scott’s vehement reaction. She doesn’t realize that Scott has a past he doesn’t want anyone to know about. But once something is on the internet, it’s out there forever, no matter how fast you delete it. Sure enough, someone saw the photo and recognized Scott. Liv Barrett has been looking for Scott for a long time, convinced he is the person who killed her sister nearly a decade ago. Liv sets out to infiltrate Molly’s little family, uncovering long-buried secrets and putting them all in danger. Because Liv isn’t the only one who has been searching for Scott all these years….

When Blackstone Publishing offered me an ARC of Bradeigh Godfrey’s newest book, I was so excited I may have squealed out loud a little! I was a huge fan of her first book, The Imposter, and The Followers was one of my most anticipated reads of this summer. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

Social media thrillers are having a moment, but this is by far the best one I’ve read. This is a slow burn twisty psychological suspense novel with the nuance and emotion of contemporary fiction. We get an insider look at the dark side of being a hugely popular influencer, complete with the judgment of internet trolls and complete lack of privacy. Molly is likeable, relatable, and a bit naïve, which is a refreshing change from the way many authors have depicted influencers as completely insufferable. All of the character development is outstanding – I especially loved Liv and Ella, and little Clover is awesome (IYKYK). The snippets of Instagram comments and Reddit threads interspersed with the characters’ perspectives feels so authentic. Things got intense when the twists really started coming, knocking me for a loop in the very best way!
Profile Image for Megan.
303 reviews36 followers
October 31, 2023
Eek… this one was not for me… at all.

But evidently I’m in the very small majority, given that at the time of this review (10/31/23, 11:30 am) 675 people have rated it 4 or 5 stars, while only 47 (including myself) have rated it 1 or 2 stars. Once again, I don’t get it. But that’s okay, I respect that people have different opinions.

It was just for me… I think I intentionally selected this as a Halloween-type read. I obviously know there’s nothing that’s supernatural or horror about it, but for my Halloween reads I wanted something supernatural, something horror, something thriller.

This is clearly supposed to be a thriller. However, aside from the stalking and some of the lies (and I don’t know about everyone else, but nothing was a “twist” for me… which ruined a lot of the fun and the point of a thriller).

It started out strong enough, and I do have a guilty pleasure type feeling for reading about social media influencers. Molly and Liv were okay as characters. Everyone else was kinda… meh. However, everything just played out a bit *too* neatly for my taste. Why is it that almost EVERYONE had some hidden agenda and was lying about who they were?

Right, because the likelihood of everyone (without planning it) getting together for a confrontation (to address from nine years ago) at the same time - each having their own reason - is so incredibly plausible. Just a mild coincidence. It just started to get idiotic when people revealed who they were and what their intentions truly were.

I believe because of the constantly quirky upbeat writing style and all of the love interests, that other reviewers who also didn’t enjoy this book were 100% correct in stating that it reads much more like a YA or a romance novel. For me, I’d say it reads like a YA romance. The women are embarrassingly naive and forgiving of lying men, and Molly (our Invincible Insta Goddess) “melts” when she hears her hubby tell her things like:

”But when I met you, this gorgeous, vibrant, outgoing woman – I fell hard, Mol. I couldn’t help it. I’ve never met anyone as…connected as you are. You make the world a better place just by existing.”

Her face was a mess of tears, her nose running, and her throat thick with emotion. His arms came around her, and she melted against him.
“Molly girl,” he whispered, “I would never ask you to stop sharing yourself with the world. But can you be patient with me? I’m not as good at it as you are.”


Wtf?! 😂😂 “As connected as you are?” Too bad this book isn’t a dark comedy about sociopaths trying to use silly puns when talking about their love for their wives, and their job at the same time, because that would have been fantastic. “The world is a better place because you’re in it? 🤦🏼‍♀️ No, the world is a better place because of people like Mother Teresa and Gandhi. This doesn’t apply to 99.9999% of the population.

And finally… Molly girl?! Was I the only one that was creeped out by that - literal - pet name?! That’s what you’d say to like, your big lovable golden retriever: “That’s it, over here, Molly girl!” … NOT to your wife. 😂 I think I seriously gave it two stars because the cringe factor actually got a few real laughs out of me.

So yeah, I’m glad this book was a quick read and to be done with it. Can’t say I recommend it, but then again, most people seem to think rather well of it so far, so I guess if it looks like something you’d enjoy, go for it (and if you find it as ridiculous as I do, please make sure to tell me. I wasn’t at any point “on the edge of my seat”… you know, like your generally be for anything in the thriller genre).
Profile Image for Nadia.
Author 14 books3,633 followers
Read
August 25, 2023
This was a much needed indulgence, twisty and intriguing and clever in its insights on social media culture. Now I'm off to get sucked into Imposter, also by the very talented Bradeigh Godfrey. If you're into Bookstagramers, check her out on IG. She's got lots of... well...Followers.
Profile Image for Gabrielle Grosbety .
145 reviews90 followers
February 15, 2024
This story just clicked for me and made me totally swipe right given its digital and social media slant. It chronicles the life of Liv, the sister of Kristina, a girl that’s been murdered, and Molly, a bon vivant social media influencer who is married to Scott, the former boyfriend of Kristina. Liv is torn up inside, desperate for answers and hungry for truth. She equally wishes to find Kristina’s child who seems to be completely hidden away, under strict lock-and-key. Then one day she sees her perfect opening: a face that looks all too familiar (Scott’s) that pops up for Liv on Molly’s social media feed.

From here, she gets closer and closer to Molly and her family to try to find her much sought after answers. What she finds is interesting, tough-to-swallow, and multi-faceted. With this narrative most of all becoming a timely one. We are faced with questions of how much of our private lives we should share on social media versus keep private. When are moments best lived and more fruitfully enjoyed in real time versus when is it okay to be more open in front of a world full of people who will inevitably speculate and judge? Molly has to again and again reflect on these questions as does Liv, who is noticeably more private and to herself where emotions are concerned.

I really loved this and witnessing the relationship, however increasingly complicated, between Molly and Liv grow and become something special and to undeniably root for amongst some of the book’s more difficult truths.
Profile Image for b. ♡.
368 reviews1,464 followers
September 9, 2023
thank you to libro.fm for an alc of this book!

the followers was a fun and quick read, but with some major plot issues that left me feeling ultimately underwhelmed

what i liked: heartwarming (and heartbreaking) family relationships, the hate/gossip forum sections that show how unhinged a bunch of lowlife anti-fans can be, brief discussions about privacy in the social media age without being too preachy (though also not groundbreaking in any way)

what i disliked: the completely lackluster reveal of the villain and their motives (not enough foreshadowing and depth imo, and the villain-narrated sections were by far the weakest part of the story), the mc’s inability to not be incredibly suspicious when interacting with literally anyone she’s trying to get information from (yet still succeeding???????)

as always with thrillers, if the payoff isn’t spectacular in the end, it can sour the journey the reader took to get there, and that was half of the case with this book

while i did still enjoy my read and would potentially recommend the followers to others, i wouldn’t do so without a number of caveats
Profile Image for Jessica Paige (Exercise_Read_Repeat).
1,447 reviews226 followers
June 29, 2023
4.5⭐️An unputdownable thriller about a popular social media influencer, known for sharing her life with the world, and her marriage to a recluse and private single dad who likes to live off the grid and is hiding a secret past.

You will start off thinking the story is predictable, but half way or so through you will second guess everything! I loved the pacing and how the book was told through multiple POVs. This built a great narrative and allowed for many twists. The social media part felt all too real and is definitely a growing theme with newer psychological thrillers (e.g., Dark Corner, The Personal Assistant), but Bradeigh added a unique angle to it to make the story stand out. I will say I was looking for a bit more answers at the end with one big reveal, but I loved how the other two narratives closed out! Overall, a really great summer binge and strong follow up to Imposter.

Read if you like:
-Psychological thrillers
-Social media/ IG influencers
-Multiple POVs
-Cat and mouse stories

Thank you Blackstone and Bradeigh for the ARC! Pub 8/29/23
Profile Image for Dallas Strawn.
786 reviews101 followers
September 1, 2023
Bradeigh Godfrey's THE FOLLOWERS is a fun wild popcorn read that I devoured in one sitting on audio on a road trip; it was twisty and it had a great ending that really took me by surprise.

Molly, our main character, is a lifestyle influencer that shares anything and everything about her life with her millions of followers....until she falls in love and gets married and her new husband says he doesn't want his photo or his daughter captured on her social media feed whatsoever....But...Molly posts their engagement photo and it leads do so much turmoil in their life because her handsome hubby has some skeletons in his closet and they're catching up to him quickly!

I think anyone even remotely interested in the social media/influencer world will gobble this one up and have a lot of fun with the ride. The writing is so solid and great characterization in there; it kept me hooked, and also shout out to the audiobook narrators for a great performance.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Profile Image for Kevin.
1,526 reviews86 followers
September 26, 2023
3.5 stars for me.

Molly lives her entire life on line. Single mother, conquering her day to day as a major Instagram influencer.

Her second husband feels much stronger about personal space than she does. Molly posted a picture of her husband and thousands see it including the person who wants to find him.

I enjoyed this but I was a bit thrown by the bad guy audio narration where he continually tells someone he is “coming for them.” Still worth reading.
Profile Image for Jenna.
381 reviews364 followers
August 20, 2023
Been a while since I read a book like this, but it was a fun listening experience! A nice web of characters, a good amount of mystery, and great narration made this a 4 ⭐️ read. I was never bored while folding laundry and listening to this one!
Profile Image for Maren’s Reads.
805 reviews1,269 followers
September 21, 2023
Bradeigh Godfrey became an auto buy author for me with her debut thriller, Imposter, and she continues to bring the slow burn psychological suspense with her follow up, The Followers.

I am such a fan of the influencer life gone amok trope (🤪) and loved how Godfrey uses it to spotlight some of the real life “horrors” of putting yourself and your personal life front and center. Molly fits the stereotypical influencer life to a T, including bringing cameras to her annual pap smear appt. Watching this game of cat and mouse develop between her Liv, through the social media lens, was endlessly fascinating to me.

I listened to this on audio and loved the dual narration by Eileen Stevens and Tim Lounibos. They did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life and recreating the creepy and intense atmosphere, as seen in my noggin.

Thank you {partners} Bibliolifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copies.
Profile Image for AndiReads.
1,330 reviews162 followers
June 5, 2023
A great concept - Molly is a super influencer and has been sharing her entire life with her followers for years. But when she marries a private man and when she posts about the wedding she is shocked by his reaction. Turns out that Scott has a lot of hide as someone from his past sees the posts and begins using them to get close to the new family and to find him. A great cautionary tale about social media and stalking as well as a thriller that will keep you guessing!
#BlackstonePublishing #TheFollowers #BradeighGodfrey
Profile Image for Jamie Rosenblit.
1,028 reviews627 followers
September 28, 2023
While some readers may find influencers in fiction overdone, I personally have really been enjoying these plotlines (maybe that says something about me but alas...) and I really enjoyed Bradeigh Godfrey's sophomore thriller and can't wait to read more from her in the future.

Thank you to Blackstone for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Gigi Ropp.
285 reviews15 followers
September 1, 2023
This one was so fun! It was thrilling and surprising and unputdownable while serving as a subtle reminder to be careful what you post online!
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