362 books
—
120 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Dear Laura” as Want to Read:
Dear Laura
by
Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but there’s a catch: he’ll only tell her what he knows in exchange for something...personal.So begins Laura’s sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarr
...more
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Dear Laura,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Dear Laura
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Dear Laura
And this is where I stand up on a soapbox and preach about indie/self-published horror fiction.
I don't know how I came to know about Gemma, I believe she submitted her collection, CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE to me for a review and I was very attracted to the grisly cover so I said, "YES PLEASE" and I also asked if she would send her book to our Night Worms crew of reviewers as well. She obliged.
That collection is AMAZING. I am forever singing its praises. Gemma Amor is so insanely talented. Not only d ...more
I don't know how I came to know about Gemma, I believe she submitted her collection, CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE to me for a review and I was very attracted to the grisly cover so I said, "YES PLEASE" and I also asked if she would send her book to our Night Worms crew of reviewers as well. She obliged.
That collection is AMAZING. I am forever singing its praises. Gemma Amor is so insanely talented. Not only d ...more
Dear Laura is a short, mysterious, horror novella (around 100 pages) that you won’t want to put down until you reach its conclusion.
One day before school, a thirteen year old Laura’s new boyfriend Bobby gets into a van with a mysterious stranger. Then he is never seen or heard from again...
She is left frightened and bereft by this, and then on her fourteenth birthday she starts receiving hand-written, hand-delivered letters to her home from a stranger.
The story jumps between a younger Laura an ...more
One day before school, a thirteen year old Laura’s new boyfriend Bobby gets into a van with a mysterious stranger. Then he is never seen or heard from again...
She is left frightened and bereft by this, and then on her fourteenth birthday she starts receiving hand-written, hand-delivered letters to her home from a stranger.
The story jumps between a younger Laura an ...more
Video review: https://youtu.be/u6hG66NbGkU
Chapter 29, paragraph two...
Chapter 29, paragraph two, is some of the best writing I've come across. The rest of the book is great, but that one paragraph wrecked me. My highest possible recommendation. ...more
Chapter 29, paragraph two...
Chapter 29, paragraph two, is some of the best writing I've come across. The rest of the book is great, but that one paragraph wrecked me. My highest possible recommendation. ...more
Bobby enters a blue van driven by a big man never to be seen again. Laura receives a letter by the kidnapper (X) on every birthday. Why does he write her? What about Bobby? Why does he never stop tormenting her sending the letters for more than 30 years? Will there be a solution for all parties involved in the end? This is an extremely compelling novella about child deduction and a sick relationship between the girlfriend left behind and the perpetrator. You will be shocked about her "donations
...more
Heartbreaking, tragic, horrifying.
This book is about lost lives, or more specifically: stolen lives and the price of not letting go.
I had seen other glowing reviews for this and had pretty high hopes, which were ultimately met, but what I wasn't expecting was something this layered. On its surface its a scary story in and of itself but underneath there's the sick desperation, the paranoia, the dashed hope, by the end of the story, which is only around a hundred or so pages, I was reeling. This ...more
This book is about lost lives, or more specifically: stolen lives and the price of not letting go.
I had seen other glowing reviews for this and had pretty high hopes, which were ultimately met, but what I wasn't expecting was something this layered. On its surface its a scary story in and of itself but underneath there's the sick desperation, the paranoia, the dashed hope, by the end of the story, which is only around a hundred or so pages, I was reeling. This ...more
Give me Amor, please Gemma.
Love her writing. And the story - from the moment thirteen year old Laura watches her friend, Bobby, step into the blue van with its faceless mystery. To a day yet thirty years later, still living with survivors guilt and the continuing letters meant to haunt, as if life was a game for play. From that first letter, ”Dear Laura,...” A letter with a clue. One per year.
A letter.
A clue.
Tit for tat, dear Laura. A piece of Bobby for a piece of you.
Love her writing. And the story - from the moment thirteen year old Laura watches her friend, Bobby, step into the blue van with its faceless mystery. To a day yet thirty years later, still living with survivors guilt and the continuing letters meant to haunt, as if life was a game for play. From that first letter, ”Dear Laura,...” A letter with a clue. One per year.
A letter.
A clue.
Tit for tat, dear Laura. A piece of Bobby for a piece of you.
OH.....K. Now this is a thriller!
Bobby is gone and even after 30 years, Laura wonders what became of him....why he got into the van....and who the BIG man was behind the wheel.
The annual coded letters began on her 14th birthday. He always wants something....nasty, personal and hurtful things. She must bring them to each mystery destination....mindful that he is always watching.
"If a woman falls in a forest and no one is around to hear....does she make a sound?"
A dark and haunting little 100
...more
Absolutely fucking awesome!
Dang! This book sure is a kick in the teeth. I picked Dear Laura up after hearing good things about it from people whom I trust know their shit when it comes to book recommendations. The writing is excellent, the characters authentic, and the prevalent gloom and despair that hangs over you as you read are suffocating. Dear Laura broods throughout, leaving you to feel dirty, angry, and a whole mother-load of other emotions. I finished this knowing that I'll be reading more from Gemma Amor in the
...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
Another A+ creepy read from Gemma Amor, nobody is surprised here. 🖤 Seriously, though, I just think she's such a talented, brilliant author. This little story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the stakes felt so much higher than I expected them to based simply off of the synopsis. There's a lot more going on here than you realize at first glance. And that ending? Bittersweet, but flawless. I loved the time jumps between modern, adult Laura and her life as a teen, receiving thes
...more
3.5 Stars
This was an engaging novella that told a life story of lifelong obsession. The mystery letter writer was definitely a creepy persona that made for an uncomfortable, yet compelling read.
This was an engaging novella that told a life story of lifelong obsession. The mystery letter writer was definitely a creepy persona that made for an uncomfortable, yet compelling read.
Mini Review: Dear Laura is a well written novella of psychological horror. While the horror aspect was rather dim, it was certainly there in a psychological sense. I could feel the grief coming off Laura and could understand (although I didn't agree) her need to find out what happened to Bobby. There were a few disturbing moments (a little gore) but mostly this is a book about overcoming grief and laying the past to rest. If you're a fan of the book Penpal (which creeped me the heck out) then
...more
Review to follow...
I seriously need to gather myself before I can write a full review.
Does anyone cry when reading horror? I sure did with this one! Made my heart bleed!8/16/20
Update:8/17/20 I'm still feeling the heart punch!
This is a story that's going to stick with me for a very long time.
It is very dark and unsettling, delving into the darkness and evilness of humanity.
Two young lives and families forever affected by one man's heinous crime and control.
Two young lives lost, never to be regained.
Is there r ...more
Does anyone cry when reading horror? I sure did with this one! Made my heart bleed!8/16/20
Update:8/17/20 I'm still feeling the heart punch!
This is a story that's going to stick with me for a very long time.
It is very dark and unsettling, delving into the darkness and evilness of humanity.
Two young lives and families forever affected by one man's heinous crime and control.
Two young lives lost, never to be regained.
Is there r ...more
I rarely read novellas...why...I have no idea! I think it’s because I’m afraid it’ll lack a lot of things: world building, character development, a satisfying conclusion, etc...
Well, luckily, I did not experience any of that with this novella. Even though this story is a short read it’s very powerful. I could really feel the emotions portrayed in this book. The grief. The rage. And the disgust. I felt it!!!
If more novellas are like this one: packed with a punch, short and to the point, then I w ...more
Well, luckily, I did not experience any of that with this novella. Even though this story is a short read it’s very powerful. I could really feel the emotions portrayed in this book. The grief. The rage. And the disgust. I felt it!!!
If more novellas are like this one: packed with a punch, short and to the point, then I w ...more
As soon as Gemma Amor announced the release of this novella, I instantly headed over to Amazon to purchase it. I am utterly hooked on her stunning and effortless stories. They are grim but deeply human, and quite reminiscent of Tim Lebbon’s early work. Between Amor, VH Leslie, Gwendolyn Kiste, Nadia Bulkin, Lucy Snyder, and so many more, the past few years have seen almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to women writing horror.
Dear Laura,
I hope this review finds you well. God, I don't even know how old you'd be now. I have just finished reading what happened to you inside those pages - Your friend Gemma Amor did such a wonderful job telling your story - and I was blown away. I knew instantly that I had to write you a letter, although I pray this one is better received than the many you received for all those years ( I'll use a stamp so you know its safe and no yellow envelopes, I promise!) so, here it goes. This is m ...more
I hope this review finds you well. God, I don't even know how old you'd be now. I have just finished reading what happened to you inside those pages - Your friend Gemma Amor did such a wonderful job telling your story - and I was blown away. I knew instantly that I had to write you a letter, although I pray this one is better received than the many you received for all those years ( I'll use a stamp so you know its safe and no yellow envelopes, I promise!) so, here it goes. This is m ...more
I honestly do not even know where to begin with this. Can I just say it was bloody brilliant and move on? Okay, okay... I guess I can say some more things about why I loved it.
Well, first of all... I have read a few things from Gemma Amor and the way she writes about loss and grieving is unlike anyone else. She can take those emotions and build any story around them I think. In this story, Laura loses her friend Bobby when they are young to a man i a van in the woods. And she never forgot it. Sh ...more
Well, first of all... I have read a few things from Gemma Amor and the way she writes about loss and grieving is unlike anyone else. She can take those emotions and build any story around them I think. In this story, Laura loses her friend Bobby when they are young to a man i a van in the woods. And she never forgot it. Sh ...more
Dear Laura pulls you in immediately and refuses to let go. I could have easily read this in one sitting. I wanted to read it in one sitting. Life had different plans, however. It usually does. In the end I was happy that it took me a few days to finish because I got to stay in this darkly alluring world for a little longer.
The premise itself is terrifying. Laura loses her best friend and boyfriend, Bobby, one day. He is kidnapped, never to be seen again. She was thirteen at the time, saw it happ ...more
The premise itself is terrifying. Laura loses her best friend and boyfriend, Bobby, one day. He is kidnapped, never to be seen again. She was thirteen at the time, saw it happ ...more
After her best friend, and first boyfriend, is abducted, 14-year-old Laura begins receiving strange letters from a mysterious - and supremely creepy - writer identified only as X. Thirty years later, Laura braves the forest to finally put an end to the darkest chapter of her life and find out what ultimately happened to Bobby.
Gemma Amor has crafted a helluva potent novella with Dear Laura, one that is reliant on the all too real horror of a missing child and the perverted stalking of another. Am ...more
Gemma Amor has crafted a helluva potent novella with Dear Laura, one that is reliant on the all too real horror of a missing child and the perverted stalking of another. Am ...more
4 Stars
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this novella. I've followed Gemma on Twitter for a long time and have meant to check out her work for such a long time because I've heard nothing but good things. They were right!
The last time Laura saw her friend, he was getting into a strange van. She's been haunted by his disappearance, but her world is rocked when she starts receiving disturbing letters from the man who claims to have taken him. He sends her a strange letter on her birthday ...more
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this novella. I've followed Gemma on Twitter for a long time and have meant to check out her work for such a long time because I've heard nothing but good things. They were right!
The last time Laura saw her friend, he was getting into a strange van. She's been haunted by his disappearance, but her world is rocked when she starts receiving disturbing letters from the man who claims to have taken him. He sends her a strange letter on her birthday ...more
Loved it. Creepy. Pay back always has consequences.
Dear Laura is a scary novella that certainly has that creeptastic feel! It has all the things you need in a horror book: fear, anxiety, grief, wondering what will happen next, hope, love, and more. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages!
I'm doing 3.5 stars rounded up. I'm reading these five star reviews and scratching my head. I do think the story was interesting, but I felt like half the book was nothing but whining, which doesn't interest me. A murderer playing mail games with her, very cool. Sending him a tooth,used maxi pads, etc, was fun.the back and forth of her walking in the woods to past flashbacks, not so fun.
I also have so many unanswered questions. Why did he play with her for so long? Why did her friend willingly ...more
I also have so many unanswered questions. Why did he play with her for so long? Why did her friend willingly ...more
Synopsis: Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but there’s a catch: he’ll only tell her what he knows in exchange for something...personal. So begins Laura’s sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre acts of humiliation and harm, yet no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape her correspondent’s demands. T
...more
3.5⭐ rounded up
"Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom."
Dear Laura is the second book I've read by Gemma Amor, and her stories are always intriguing. Dear Laura has a fairly grim plotline, and it focuses on themes like guilt, grief, sadness, loneliness, and mental health. This is not a light read.
I was interested in seeing how everything would turn out, but I feel like a lot of the book was just waiting ...more
"Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom."
Dear Laura is the second book I've read by Gemma Amor, and her stories are always intriguing. Dear Laura has a fairly grim plotline, and it focuses on themes like guilt, grief, sadness, loneliness, and mental health. This is not a light read.
I was interested in seeing how everything would turn out, but I feel like a lot of the book was just waiting ...more
I devoured this book in one sitting. Gemma captivated me with this story of a young girl that witnessed her friend get into a van and was never seen again. She started getting letters on her birthday from the abductor. He wanted something personal of hers in exchange for more information of her friend.
It was heart wrenching. Being 13 is hard enough. But watching your friend get kidnapped and then get targeted by the creep that did it? This poor girl.
I LOVED THE ENDING. I actually read the last ...more
It was heart wrenching. Being 13 is hard enough. But watching your friend get kidnapped and then get targeted by the creep that did it? This poor girl.
I LOVED THE ENDING. I actually read the last ...more
Dear Laura is one of those stories that you’ll have to clear your calendar for because once you start reading it you won’t want to put it down. A story about tragedy, obsession, and a mystery that, much like Laura, you will become heavily invested in, maybe against your own will.
This Bram Stoker Award nominee is well-written, perfectly-paced and keeps you guessing until the last couple of pages. The story doesn’t glorify the horrific crime or the perpetrator. Instead, it portrays the reality of ...more
This Bram Stoker Award nominee is well-written, perfectly-paced and keeps you guessing until the last couple of pages. The story doesn’t glorify the horrific crime or the perpetrator. Instead, it portrays the reality of ...more
I picked this book up today and tried to finish it in one sitting because I didn't want to stop reading. I settled for 2. The story grips you right from the very start. Laura is in an unfortunate and horrifying situation, plagued with guilt and abuse for most of her life. This was an excellent book by Gemma Amor and I can't wait to read more!
...more
Quid pro quo, you suffer, I suffer...
Rather suddenly, Gemma Amor - author of 2018's Cruel Works of Nature - has released a short novella circling our addiction to answers. On a personal level, this alone speaks to me deeply, as I am also the kind of person to obsess on the "why" of things. As such, Dear Laura immediately had me hooked, sitting upright or twisting in place (squirming for release, if you will), as I eagerly followed the story along. It's suspenseful, disturbing, and absolutely rea ...more
Rather suddenly, Gemma Amor - author of 2018's Cruel Works of Nature - has released a short novella circling our addiction to answers. On a personal level, this alone speaks to me deeply, as I am also the kind of person to obsess on the "why" of things. As such, Dear Laura immediately had me hooked, sitting upright or twisting in place (squirming for release, if you will), as I eagerly followed the story along. It's suspenseful, disturbing, and absolutely rea ...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
I'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. I'm also writing, producing and acting in two shows, 'Calling Darkness', and 'Whisper Ridge', out in 2019. My first anthology of short stories, 'Cruel Works of Nature', was released in 2018, and my next book is the no ...more
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. I'm also writing, producing and acting in two shows, 'Calling Darkness', and 'Whisper Ridge', out in 2019. My first anthology of short stories, 'Cruel Works of Nature', was released in 2018, and my next book is the no ...more
News & Interviews
As dedicated readers already know, some of the best and most innovative stories on the shelves come from the constantly evolving realm of...
53 likes · 13 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Sometimes, all you could do was give in. Sometimes, you just had to let the night win. Lose the battle, win the war,”
—
2 likes
“Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom.”
—
0 likes
More quotes…
