The Haters Looks at the Dark Side of Social Media

Jul 2, 2024 - Laurie P.
Review

Canada Day may have been yesterday, but every day is a great day to read a Canadian author! Today is the publication day for Canadian suspense author Robyn Harding. She is back with The Haters, another twisty and propulsive thriller that takes readers on a wild ride through the darker side of social media when the book’s protagonist, first-time published author Camryn Lane, finds herself the target of harassment online.

The story is easy for readers to sink into, and Harding hits the ground running giving readers a few possible culprits of who is behind the harassment. She also adds an extra layer of tension and emotional baggage when complicated personal relationships come into play and Camryn’s professional and personal lives spin dangerously out of control.

Readers will get a peek into the mind of an author as Harding explores the vulnerability authors can feel as they send their books out ‘into the wild’ for people to enjoy … and to critique. I also enjoy a ‘book within a book’ and the snippets from Camryn’s novel, Burnt Orchid, which were interspersed through the main story, were a compelling addition.

Chilling in its plausibility for anyone with social media, The Haters is a cautionary tale that explores its dark side with a building sense of tension and dread that may have you rethinking every post, comment and picture you’ve ever posted on social media.

Laurie P.
Library Assistant, Eastside Branch

Laurie loves interacting with her library customers and seeing WPL’s newest branch become a vibrant community hub. As an avid reader, she enjoys giving book recommendations to customers and providing Readers’ Advisory training to WPL staff. She has a large personal library but often brings home an armful of library books by the end of her shifts. She loves reading physical books as well as using the Libby app to read eBooks or listen to digital audiobooks – particularly when she’s on a walk, hitting the gym or trying to make household chores more enjoyable. In her spare time, she is the book blogger behind The Baking Bookworm and reads voraciously in a variety of formats and genres – thrillers, contemporary fiction and CanLit being her favourites. She regularly attends author events, loves promoting public libraries and connecting with people about all things bookish – in English or American Sign Language (ASL).