Don’t Stand So Close, debut novel from The Hitcher scribe Eric Red, to hit shelves this summer!

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

Writer/Director ERIC RED,  the screenwriter who penned the bona fide classic THE HITCHER, as well as NEAR DARK and BODY PARTS (which he also directed) is releasing his first novel! After having his short stories published in “Weird Tales”, “Shroud” and “Dark Delicacies III: Haunted”, the acclaimed writer is bringing us  DON’T STAND SO CLOSE. The provocative erotic thriller will be released on July 1st. You can check out the covers for both the paperback and hardcover editions to the right and below.

Here’s the plot synopsis:

When handsome 17-year-old Matt Poe moves to a rural town in Iowa, he is the new kid in school. An outsider who can’t fit in, his only friend is his beautiful and sympathetic teacher, Linda Hayden. The older woman is the first to take an interest in him, helping him adjust to the community and keep his grades up. Matt can’t help falling hard for Linda and what begins with a kiss becomes a torrid, secret affair. But his teacher is a lot more than he bargained for and the kid’s wildest dream becomes his worst nightmare. The only people who can save Matt are his two classmates, Grace McCormack and Rusty Shaw. But the three of them are in way over their heads against an evil adult trying to make sure they stay after class permanently.

And blurbs about the book:

“Eric Red brings his considerable talent as a screenwriter to bear on this powerful tale of sexual adventure and teenage turmoil. Erotic and suspenseful, breathlessly narrated, incisively characterised, Don’t Stand So Close had me in its grip until I finished it at a single sitting.”  —Ramsey Campbell, author of The Grin of the Dark   

“In Don’t Stand So Close, Eric Red takes what, at first, seems like a typical teen ‘coming-of-age’ sex romp and leads it down a very dark and twisted path.”  “Being ‘Hot For Teacher’ has never been more disturbing.”  —Nancy A. Collins, author of Sunglasses After Dark   

“Titillating and original.”  —Joel Schumacher, director of The Lost Boys, Flatliners and Falling Down   

“Don’t Stand So Close is a riveting coming-of-age thriller. Heartbreaking, nail-biting, compelling and deeply insightful. Highly recommended for any teen who stands with one foot in the shadows.”  —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Rot & Ruin and Dust & Decay

You can preorder the book on paperback HERE or the hardcover edition HERE. You can also check out the book’s official website HERE.