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Esther is Now Following You
- Author
- Tanya Sweeney
- Narrator
- Evanna Lynch
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Publish Date
- 29 January 2026
- Run Time
- 7 hours 51 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Romantic suspense, Comical (humorous) crime and mystery, Satirical fiction and parodies
- Rating
- 3.0 (1 review)
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
A fresh, funny and deeply affecting novel about a thirty-something woman who begins stalking a celebrity crush - and about what happens when it all becomes a bit too real. Perfect for fans of Baby Reindeer.
*AN INSTANT NO.1 BESTSELLER*
You're the love of Esther's life. You just don't know it yet...
Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she’s never felt before.
She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site online where her and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move.
When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.
After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading...
'This is such a great book. People will LOVE it!’ MARIAN KEYES, bestselling author of Grown Ups
'I loved this book. A wild ride of a read, funny yet poignant, it is a gripping page turner.' LIZ NUGENT, award-winning author of Strange Sally Diamond
'Looks set to be the smash hit of 2026.' IRISH TIMES
‘I raced through this funny yet unsettling book – and found it all too relatable.’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Best Debut Novels for 2026
© Tanya Sweeney 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Critics Review
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It was SUCH a pleasure to read Esther. Tanya’s voice is so funny and moving. Esther’s story shows how trauma and loss can lead to fixation and mental illness. There’s such a sad story at the heart of the book but it’s told with great verve and lightness of touch. I really REALLY felt for her – and also for Johnny. The dialogue is chef’s kiss! This is such a great book - it’s hard to believe it's a first novel - it’s done with great confidence and conviction. People will LOVE it!
Marian Keyes, No.1 Sunday Times bestseller
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I loved this book. Messy Essie is a wonderful character. A wild ride of a read, funny yet poignant, it is a gripping page turner.
Liz Nugent, No.1 Bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond
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'Light and dark all at once – sharply observed, full of heart, and easily the funniest book I’ve read this year, I adored it and was rooting for Esther right to the end.'
Andrea Mara, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing
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Tanya Sweeney’s debut, Esther Is Now Following You looks particularly appealing. It’s about a woman who suffers a trauma and turns towards an obsession with a celebrity to cope.
The Times
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Esther is a fantastically nuanced character - Tanya Sweeney has such an eye for detail, the characters leap from the page, bright and alive. Humorous, chilling, and sometimes an uncomfortable read but you’re never not in Esther’s desperate, awkward corner that she has backed herself into. A sharp and addictive insight into the mind of a grieving woman, who fills her emptiness with obsession. I thoroughly recommend.
Cecelia Ahern
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A sex, drugs and rock'n'roll spin on Bridget Jones. This is car-crash reading at times — uncomfortable and cringe, but completely compelling.
Sunday Independent
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I really loved it. A nuanced novel about trauma, grief and the ways in which we can struggle to process dreadful things. It's also really funny. Tanya Sweeney knows how to balance darkness with a little light, and she has such a way with words – I was hooting and hollering.
Alice Slater, author of Sunday Times bestseller, Death of a Bookseller
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Oh, I adored this book so much I read it in a day. Bittersweetly funny, wildly entertaining and tugs at your heartstrings, Esther is a wonderful character at the heart of an exceptional book. Esther, I'm now following you!
Sarah Pinborough
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Sharp, funny and written with a whole lot of heart.
Mary Watson, author of Irish Times bestseller The Cleaner
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Billed as Fleabag meets Baby Reindeer, this darkly funny page-turner follows Esther's increasingly unhinged obsession with a celebrity actor. The debut takes aim at fandom, parasocial relationships and the fine line between devotion and delusion.
i Paper
User Reviews
Book 3.0
Narration 5.0
- No written reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Tanya Sweeney
- Narrator
- Evanna Lynch
- Duration
- 7 hours 51 minutes
- Release Date
- 29 January 2026
- ISBN
- 9781529967630
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Romantic suspense, Comical (humorous) crime and mystery, Satirical fiction and parodies
- Rating
- 3.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.A fresh, funny and deeply affecting novel about a thirty-something woman who begins stalking a celebrity crush - and about what happens when it all becomes a bit too real. Perfect for fans of Baby Reindeer.*AN INSTANT NO.1 BESTSELLER*You're the love of Esther's life. You just don't know it yet...Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she’s never felt before.She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site online where her and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move.When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading...'This is such a great book. People will LOVE it!’ MARIAN KEYES, bestselling author of Grown Ups 'I loved this book. A wild ride of a read, funny yet poignant, it is a gripping page turner.' LIZ NUGENT, award-winning author of Strange Sally Diamond 'Looks set to be the smash hit of 2026.' IRISH TIMES‘I raced through this funny yet unsettling book – and found it all too relatable.’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Best Debut Novels for 2026© Tanya Sweeney 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
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