Recently returned to New York from Oxford, England, Professor Jeremy O'Keefe is starting to rebuild his life with his daughter and son-in-law. As he continues his teaching career at NY University and quietly tries to live his ordinary life, he soon becomes convinced he is being watched.
Mysterious packages arrive in the mail; mysterious people presume an acquaintance with him. Chance encounters take on a deeper meaning. He sees strangers outside his apartment, looking up at him through the darkness.
The book's blurb says author Patrick Flanery has a PhD in 20th century literature from Oxford University and is trying to "explore the tenuous link between fear and paranoia in our post-Snowden lives". So, like his history professor character, Flanery is an academic and, unfortunately, he writes like one.
When I found myself counting the words in sentences (one got up to 138) rather than actually absorbing them, I realised it was time to give up on the book. I got about a quarter of the way and despite hints that something was going on, still nothing gripping had actually happened.
