Don’t Stand So Close

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.​

Reviews

“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

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

“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 characterized, 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

“Eric Red’s first novel is a powerful concoction of one part coming-of-age story, one part erotic thriller, and the sexiest and most twisted villain ever to give a homework assignment.”
– Ray Garton, author of Live Girls, Meds, and Frankenstorm

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