The Psychologist’s Shadow: A simmering, slow-burn suspense by Laury A. Egan | Author Essay on Erotomania ~ Excerpt | #Thriller @iReadBookTours @EganLaury
A book blog tour from iRead Book Tours.
Thank you to the author, publisher, & Lauren at iRead for providing me with the information for this tour. 
Book Details
The Psychologist's Shadow: A simmering, slow-burn suspense by Laury A. Egan
Published by Enigma Books on 11/18/2023
Genres: Adult Fiction 18+, Psychological Suspense
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 336
In October 1992, Dr. Ellen Haskell begins a new therapy practice in Princeton after a tragic error with a former client. Demoralized by her failure, Ellen strives to restore her emotional and professional confidence. Her parents have departed for Greece, leaving Ellen alone in their secluded country house. As her clients are introduced through their individual sessions, Ellen becomes unnerved when she receives hang-up phone calls and a series of bizarre gifts from an anonymous admirer—first at her office and then at home. As the obsessive lover increasingly invades her life, Ellen's anxiety crescendos and she begins to fear the stalker's behavior will escalate into violence.
The Psychologist's Shadow is a simmering literary suspense and a portrait of a compassionate, introspective therapist who finds herself in a dangerous struggle. As tension accumulates, the reader gains insights during sessions and through the stalker's journal entries, which serve as discordant counterpoints. Who is the shadow lover? An acquaintance, a shopkeeper, an old boyfriend, or a client?
“…a ‘I-read-it-in-two-days’ book. Egan creates a gifted analyst and gripping case studies of her clients, one of whom is a disturbed admirer. The novel delivers chills in a highly sophisticated, wise, and ultimately poignant psychodrama.”—Karla Linn Merrifield, author of Psyche’s Scroll
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Purchase Links for The Psychologist’s Shadow
Amazon-OneLink for all countries
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Excerpt from The Psychologist’s Shadow
is at the bottom of this Spotlight
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About Laury A. Egan
Laury A. Egan is the author of eleven novels, The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Wave in D Minor; Turnabout; Doublecrossed; The Swimmer; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd; in addition to a collection, Fog and Other Stories. Four limited-edition poetry volumes have been published: Snow, Shadows, a Stranger; Beneath the Lion’s Paw; The Sea & Beyond" and Presence & Absence."
She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey.
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A Guest Post by Laury A. Egan, author of The Psychologist’s Shadow
The Psychological Dynamic of Erotomania
Erotomania. A kinky sexual fixation? Well, no, not necessarily. While this particular mania is classified as a sub-type of a delusional disorder, an obsessive stalker may hold a non-sexual attraction, an idealistic rather than a physical desire to unite with the object of their interest.
The primary feature of erotomania, which makes the delusion so powerful, is that the admirer unconsciously seeks to enhance his/her own lack of self-esteem by absorbing the positive attributes of a person who is considered more elevated and accomplished, of higher status—thus the good feeling is dependent on the connection. Sometimes the victim is a famous actor or actress viewed on the screen or television (in which the follower will approach); sometimes it’s an acquaintance or a person who has come into accidental contact with the stalker; and sometimes it’s an ex-partner or spouse, with whom the victimizer believes he/she is still rightfully and permanently connected, regardless of a break-up, separation, or divorce.
Any of these three situations may occur, but the fixation is usually unshakable and long-lasting. To add to the strangeness, in almost all cases, the follower believes that the object of infatuation is in love with him or her, regardless of the actual relationship—or the lack of one—and is secretly communicating this love.
One of the most fascinating aspects of writing The Psychologist’s Shadow was the opportunity to slip into the mind of someone who is deeply disturbed, whose emotional balance is being maintained through the imaginary transaction of positive feelings from the victim—kind of like the process of giving a blood transfusion to an anemic patient. In the story, the stalker’s thoughts and emotions are recorded in journal entries, which are less than a page in length, although it was tempting to write in more detail because the person’s mental state and world view are so twisted and intriguing.
Currently, in many parts of America and the world, stalking is illegal, especially when it involves threats, physical harassment, or episodes that might endanger the chosen object. However, in 1992, when The Psychologist’s Shadow takes place, New Jersey hadn’t enacted any legal protections, though laws were under consideration. In the plot, this handcuffs the police in terms of what they can do, though because Dr. Ellen Haskell is a clinical psychologist, she is additionally hampered because she must follow professional guidelines and safeguard the identity of her clients. If, of course, Ellen can learn the stalker’s identity. Is it a shopkeeper, a family member, or one of the people who have come to her for therapy?
As the reader observes Ellen at her secluded home and in her Princeton office, the therapist’s increasing anxiety becomes palpable. With the clues provided in the stalker’s journal entries and the hints embedded during the therapy sessions with clients, will it become obvious to the reader who is terrorizing Ellen? Or will Ellen realize who the stalker is before their “relationship” escalates into violence?
Thank you for featuring this guest post!
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Easy Amazon Links
Amazon-OneLink for all countries
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Excerpt from The Psychologist’s Shadow
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Tour Info
Official Tour Page for The Psychologist’s Shadow
Full Tour Schedule
Nov 20 – fundinmental – book spotlight
Nov 21 – My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview
Nov 22 – Ilovebooksandstuffblog – book spotlight
Nov 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight/guest post
Nov 27 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight
Nov 28 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight
Nov 29 – Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s – book spotlight / guest post
Nov 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / author interview
Dec 1 – Lady Hawkeye – book spotlight
Dec 4 – Leanne Dagan – book spotlight
Dec 5 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / author interview
Dec 6 – Liese’s Blog – book spotlight
Dec 7 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / guest post
Dec 8 – Diane’s Book Journal – book spotlight
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Book Title: The Psychologist’s Shadow by Laury A. Egan
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 336 pages
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Publisher: Enigma Books, imprint of Spectrum Books, UK
Release date: Nov 18, 2023
Tour dates: Nov 20 to Dec 8
Content Rating: PG-13. One scene of violence, no sexual scene
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Gina–Thank you for featuring “The Psychologist’s Shadow” and my guest post on erotomania (hope it interests your followers). Lovely!