In an era where domestic thrillers have become the literary equivalent of comfort food, Andrew DeYoung’s “Stay Away from Him” arrives like a sledgehammer to shatter our expectations. This is not your typical “unreliable narrator discovers husband’s dark secret” story. Instead, DeYoung crafts a labyrinthine tale that forces readers to question not just the characters’ motivations, but their own moral compass.
Plot Synopsis: A Dance with Danger
Melissa Burke’s journey from divorce recovery to potential victim creates the foundation for this psychological masterpiece. After escaping an emotionally abusive marriage, she relocates to Lake Julia, Minnesota, seeking sanctuary for herself and her five-year-old son Bradley. At a dinner party, she meets Thomas Danver—charming pediatrician, devoted father, and according to local whispers, an exonerated murderer.
The setup feels deceptively familiar: vulnerable woman, mysterious man with a dark past, warnings from concerned parties. Yet DeYoung subverts these expectations with surgical precision. What begins as a story about whether Thomas killed his first wife Rose evolves into something far more sinister and psychologically complex.
Character Development: The Art of Moral Ambiguity
DeYoung’s greatest strength lies in his character construction. Melissa isn’t the typical thriller heroine—she’s neither completely naive nor unnaturally perceptive. Her attraction to Thomas feels genuine and relatable, born from loneliness and the genuine kindness he shows her son. This authenticity makes her eventual predicament all the more terrifying.
Thomas Danver himself is a masterclass in contradictions. The author walks a tightrope, presenting him as simultaneously charming and potentially dangerous without ever letting readers settle into comfortable assumptions. His interactions with children, particularly Bradley, ring with genuine warmth, yet shadows of manipulation lurk beneath his perfect-father facade.
The revelation that Kendall, Thomas’s youngest daughter, is the actual killer represents one of the most audacious plot twists in recent thriller fiction. DeYoung plants the seeds expertly throughout the narrative—Kendall’s unsettling behavior, Rhiannon’s protective stance, Rose’s diary entries describing her younger daughter’s disturbing tendencies. The twist doesn’t feel like a cheap gotcha moment but rather the inevitable conclusion of carefully laid groundwork.
Narrative Structure: A Jigsaw Puzzle of Truth
DeYoung employs multiple narrative devices—Melissa’s present-day perspective, Rose’s diary entries, and therapy session transcripts—to create a mosaic of truth that emerges piece by piece. This structure serves the story brilliantly, allowing readers to experience Melissa’s confusion and growing dread alongside revelations about the Danver family’s dark secrets.
The author’s background in children’s publishing becomes evident in his nuanced portrayal of Bradley and the Danver daughters. These aren’t plot devices disguised as children; they’re fully realized characters whose actions and reactions feel authentic to their ages and circumstances.
Psychological Depth: The Monsters We Create
The book’s most profound achievement lies in its exploration of complicity and protection. Thomas may not have wielded the knife, but his role as an enabler—covering up Kendall’s crimes, manipulating others to maintain his family’s facade—makes him equally culpable. The therapy transcripts reveal a man desperate for absolution while refusing to accept responsibility.
Rose’s diary entries provide the emotional heart of the novel. Her struggles with alcoholism, depression, and the gradual realization that her daughter might be a psychopath create genuine pathos. DeYoung doesn’t shy away from depicting the complexity of maternal love when faced with a child’s capacity for violence.
Writing Style: Precision with Emotional Resonance
DeYoung’s prose strikes an impressive balance between accessibility and sophistication. He avoids the purple prose that often mars domestic thrillers while maintaining the atmospheric tension necessary for the genre. His dialogue feels natural, particularly in the interactions between Melissa and Bradley, which capture the authentic rhythm of parent-child relationships.
The Minnesota setting becomes almost a character itself. The isolated lake house, the close-knit community where secrets fester, and the harsh winters that mirror the emotional landscape all contribute to the novel’s oppressive atmosphere.
Critical Analysis: Strengths and Shortcomings
What Works Exceptionally Well:
- Moral Complexity: The book refuses to offer easy answers about guilt, innocence, and complicity
- Character Authenticity: Every character, from Bradley to the antagonistic Kelli Walker, feels genuinely human
- Plot Construction: The revelation about Kendall is both shocking and inevitable
- Social Commentary: The novel explores online vigilantism and mob justice with remarkable prescience
Areas for Improvement:
- Pacing Issues: The middle section occasionally drags as DeYoung builds his complex web of evidence and counter-evidence
- Secondary Character Development: Some supporting characters, particularly Derek Gordon, feel slightly underutilized
- Resolution Speed: The final act moves perhaps too quickly after the methodical buildup
Thematic Resonance: Beyond the Thriller Formula
“Stay Away from Him” transcends genre conventions by examining how trauma reverberates through families and communities. The book explores the price of protection—how Thomas’s desire to shield Kendall ultimately endangers everyone around them. It’s a meditation on the lengths parents will go to preserve their children, even when those children represent genuine threats.
The novel also serves as a cautionary tale about online justice movements. Kelli Walker’s Facebook group, “Justice for Rose Danver,” demonstrates how good intentions can evolve into harassment campaigns that obscure rather than illuminate truth.
Literary Connections and Comparisons
DeYoung’s work recalls the psychological complexity of Gillian Flynn’s “Sharp Objects“ in its exploration of family dysfunction and violence. Like Flynn, DeYoung understands that the most terrifying monsters often wear familiar faces. The book also shares DNA with Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series in its emphasis on how past traumas shape present actions.
However, “Stay Away from Him” distinguishes itself through its focus on paternal rather than maternal protection instincts. While many domestic thrillers explore the dark side of motherhood, DeYoung examines how fatherly love can become equally destructive when unchecked by moral considerations.
Author’s Evolution: Building on Previous Work
This represents DeYoung’s second foray into domestic thriller territory, following “The Day He Never Came Home”. The improvement in craft is evident—where his debut occasionally struggled with pacing and character development, “Stay Away from Him” demonstrates mastery of both elements. His background as an editor in children’s publishing serves him well in creating authentic young characters who drive rather than simply populate the plot.
Verdict: A Sophisticated Entry in the Domestic Thriller Canon
“Stay Away from Him” succeeds where many contemporary thrillers fail by treating its readers as intelligent participants rather than passive consumers. DeYoung trusts his audience to navigate moral ambiguity and complex character motivations without resorting to explanatory exposition or convenient resolutions.
The book’s exploration of complicity, protection, and the nature of evil elevates it above standard genre fare. While it may not achieve the viral success of more sensational entries in the domestic thriller space, it offers something more valuable: a story that lingers in the mind long after the final page.
For readers seeking psychological complexity wrapped in page-turning suspense, “Stay Away from Him” delivers on both fronts. It’s a worthy addition to the domestic thriller canon and positions DeYoung as a voice worth watching in the genre.
Recommended for Readers Who Enjoyed:
- “Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn – for its exploration of family dysfunction and violence
- “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides – for psychological complexity and unreliable narration
- “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty – for its examination of suburban secrets and parental protection
- “In the Woods” by Tana French – for atmospheric writing and moral ambiguity
- “The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn – for unreliable perspectives and neighborhood secrets
Final Rating: A compelling and sophisticated thriller that respects its readers’ intelligence while delivering genuine suspense and emotional depth.