What if the biggest threat in your life was coming from behind a screen—and inside your own head? The Standout, Laurel Osterkamp’s chilling psychological thriller, follows a woman whose chance at success turns into a surreal descent into sabotage and self-doubt.
Robin Bricker thinks The Standout, a ballet-meets-fashion reality show, is her opportunity to reset her life. But the moment she joins, she receives a warning: dump your fiancé or lose everything. Then a venomous website appears, devoted to ruining her. With mounting paranoia, manipulative competitors, and ghosts from her past resurfacing, Robin is left questioning her allies, her memories, and her own sanity. Her only support—her brother Ted and fellow contestant Zelda—may not be enough to protect her from what’s coming.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K59vh2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27281023-the-standout
Excerpt:
The last time I saw my old sex-buddy Robert was years ago, when he ran from Clara’s tree house, but this morning he texts me with a picture attached. He’s sprawled on his bed, wearing nothing but a suggestive pose and a cowboy hat. What’s even more horrifying is the message: I’ve been thinking about you too.
Never mind how uncanny the timing of his text is. No. My first reaction is repulsion; how could I ever have slept with a guy who’d send a picture like this? The hat is so tacky! But after I get over his poor taste in accessories, I realize there are multiple reasons to be disturbed. The feathered cowboy hat is just the tip of the pornographic iceberg.
What if Nick had been around when I’d gotten that text? How could I possibly explain it away? And why did Robert decide to text me now, with everything else that’s been going on? It has to be more than a coincidence.
So I text him back. Can we talk? Today?
Sure, he responds, and sends me his work address.
His single-story office building is on the edge of downtown and I wait outside during lunch hour. At 11:52 I spot Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome walking out and heading straight for the Jimmy Johns. I step into his path.
“Hi, Robert.”
His face has aged little in the last few years. Unlike Clara’s mother, Robert seems virtually unchanged by tragedy.
“Robin.” He smiles like he can picture me in nothing but a lacy thong. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m fine, good actually. I’m getting married.” I dig my heels into the sidewalk and hug my arms to my chest. The wind whips through me but I’ll make it clear: I do not want him warming me up. “I’ve never been happier and I can’t imagine EVER doing ANYTHING to jeopardize that.”
“Congratulations.” He tugs at his tie and the realization that I’m not going to sleep with him skips across his face. “Look, it’s great seeing you but I’m pressed for time—”
“This won’t take long. I’m sorry to hear about Clara.”
Robert’s finely chiseled jaw goes rigid. “Thanks. But we separated years ago, pretty much right after she found out about you and me. I mean, it’s terrible that she’s missing, but—”
“Missing? Her mother said she’d died.”
“She’s presumed dead.” Robert’s nostrils flare but his shoulders sag. “Clara was traveling in Greece and there was a bus accident. Lots of bodies were burned. It was pretty gruesome. But they looked at dental records and her body was never found.”
“Oh.” Images flood my mind: a bus tumbling down a cliff and erupting into flames, Clara’s beautiful face melting in the ashes, or perhaps, Clara getting up and walking away?
Robert raises his hand as if to pat my shoulder but then he changes his mind. “Sorry, Robin. I really do need to go. Good luck with your marriage; I’m sure you’ll need it.”
He’s almost become a blur on the sidewalk before his comment sinks in.
What a jackass.
Guest Post:
Exploring the Places That Inspired My Novel
I live in Minneapolis. Nearly twenty years ago, my best friend moved from California back to Kansas City (we both grew up in Lawrence, Kansas.) When she moved, we decided that once a year, we’d meet up in Des Moines, IA, which is almost equidistant from our homes. We’d book a hotel room, and spend uninterrupted time going for walks, talking about our lives, eating out, and drinking wine. This time with my friend is invaluable, but I also enjoy the alone-time that this trip affords me almost as much.
Because, I often get there first, just for the chance to explore a place where no one knows me, and where I can be invisible for a while.
So, over the years I’ve gotten to know Des Moines well. My favorite suburb is West Des Moines, home to Jordan Creek mall. The houses in that area seem nice, but not cookie-cutter, where they’re all built from the same design. West Des Moines is a suburb with sidewalks, trails, and parks. The backyards are spacious and there’s a ton of stuff nearby.
Thus, it’s no coincidence that Robin—the main character in three of my novels—is from Des Moines. So is her extended family. While my decision to put Robin in Des Moines wasn’t random, it wasn’t something I mulled over either. I’d already set a couple of novels in Minneapolis, and I wanted somewhere different, but also where I could write from an informed perspective. Des Moines seemed like the perfect spot, and now it almost feels like a second home.
Tomorrow, I leave on my annual pilgrimage to visit Des Moines and to see my best friend. It’s always one of my favorite weekends of the year! One of the first things I’ll do upon arriving is walk alone through West Des Moines’ neighborhoods. I’ll imagine Robin and her extended family living in the homes I go past, like they’re real people and I’m paying them a visit. (Or just peeking through their windows. Don’t worry—that part is all in my imagination!) It’s a wonderful chance to live inside my own head for a while, and explore a fictional life that might have been my own.
About the author:
Laurel Osterkamp is the award-winning author of The Next Breath, Beautiful Little Furies, and Favorite Daughters. Her work blends suspense, literary fiction, and deeply emotional storytelling.
A Minneapolis-based writer and former high school teacher with an MFA in writing, Laurel is known for crafting emotionally resonant stories centered around strong, complex women.
Her novels have earned Kindle Scout selections and top spots on Amazon charts. She balances life as a full-time writer, mom, runner, and audiobook enthusiast.
Discover more on her website or follow her on Instagram.
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