Esther is Now Following You

Sharp, funny and written with a whole lot of heart.

Mary Watson, author of Irish Times bestseller The Cleaner

I loved this book. Messy Essie is a wonderful character. A wild ride of a read, funny yet poignant, it is a gripping page turner.

Liz Nugent, No.1 Bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond

'Light and dark all at once – sharply observed, full of heart, and easily the funniest book I’ve read this year, I adored it and was rooting for Esther right to the end.'

Andrea Mara, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing

‘It was SUCH a pleasure to read Esther. Tanya’s voice is so funny and moving. Esther’s story shows how trauma and loss can lead to fixation and mental illness. There’s such a sad story at the heart of the book but it’s told with great verve and lightness of touch. I really REALLY felt for her – and also for Johnny. The dialogue is chef’s kiss! This is such a great book - it’s hard to believe it's a first novel - it’s done with great confidence and conviction. People will LOVE it!’

Marian Keyes, No.1 Sunday Times bestseller

'Tanya Sweeney is a brilliant writer. She really has it all. A smart, funny, emotional new voice with the added bonus of perfect, snappy, zingy prose. Esther is Now Following You is funny and sad, dark and light, poignant and cringeworthy all at once. I honestly couldn't put it down. It had me laughing out loud at points, cringing behind my fingers at others, and had me close to tears. A brilliant book about growing up, wising up and realising what - and who - is important in life.'

Edel Coffey, No.1 Irish Times bestselling author of Breaking Point

There are characters who captivate you while reading, but I guarantee Tanya Sweeney’s gloriously complex heroine will live in your head long after finishing Esther Is Now Following You...thrilling, hilarious, and at times, deeply moving. Sweeney manages to balance a compelling layered plot with an astute insight into women’s lives and the ease with which any one of us might slide into the darkness of online life. The assuredness of style and the sheer exhilaration of the storyline make this an absolute belter of a debut. Very soon, everyone will be following Esther!

Frances Crawford, author of A Bad, Bad Place

An addictive tale of parasocial obsession from a brilliant writer, this is the thinking way to kickstart a reading spree.

Stylist

Both tragic and comic, it left me a bit breathless and unsure whose side I was on at times. I tore through this one, which I thought handled difficult themes in a unique and interesting way.

Laura Pearson, No.1 Kindle Bestselling Author

This is a sharply written story that focuses around an adrift woman in London who escalates into becoming a stalker after a series of negative events. The book deals sensitively with miscarriage and also depicts the experience of being in a dying relationship beautifully. I loved this and was amused but often moved by Esther. She's a relatable character and her descent felt credible and well planned out. The author's understanding of psychology was strong. I was utterly immersed in this and hope that Sweeney writes more. She's a talented author as well as being a great journalist.

Chris Bridges

I completely loved it. It's a rare find when a book makes me laugh, sob and read late into the night - but this one managed all three! Esther is a brilliant character - I backed her all the way - even at her most derailed moments.

Emily Edwards

A debut novel about one woman’s emotional struggles deftly lays bare the dangers of obsession in the age of social media… Esther is Now Following You is a witty, riotous, and topical examination of extreme parasocial relationships and an exploration of the boundaries between fandom and obsession. You will feel yourself drawn into Esther’s quest, overwhelmed with the urge to share her but, ultimately, hoping she finds peace and contentment.

Bookseller

Razor-sharp and, as expected, wonderfully written. A cautionary tale with a lot of heart, it’s one of 2026’s most anticipated debuts.

Image

I loved this book. A perfect mix of mad bitch energy, desperate loneliness and the realities of Internet fandom. I loved and loathed Esther at various stages, but was rooting for her no matter what. The kind of debut everyone dreams of.

Emer McLysaght, author of Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling

A hugely impressive and compulsive debut, crackling with humour, real heart and piercing insight - and starring a heroine (or anti-heroine?) you won't soon forget. I devoured it in one glorious gulp.

Catherine Ryan Howard, internationally bestselling author of Burn After Reading

Billed as Fleabag meets Baby Reindeer, this darkly funny page-turner follows Esther's increasingly unhinged obsession with a celebrity actor. The debut takes aim at fandom, parasocial relationships and the fine line between devotion and delusion.

i Paper

Tanya Sweeney’s debut, Esther Is Now Following You looks particularly appealing. It’s about a woman who suffers a trauma and turns towards an obsession with a celebrity to cope.

The Times

The book everyone is going to be talking about! Such a timely read about parasocial relationships and a woman who begins stalking a famous actor. I raced through this funny yet unsettling book – and found it all too relatable.

Good Housekeeping

Gossipy, darkly funny, and deliciously unhinged, Esther captures the chaotic energy of early-2010s internet culture, feeling like a sharp pop-culture time capsule. Combining Fleabag’s humour, Green Dot’s obsessive longing, and the momentum of Baby Reindeer, Sweeney crafts a compulsive psychological thriller that has drawn widespread acclaim."

Cosmopolitan, Best Books for 2026

This funny, fierce first novel tells the story of a young woman who develops an obsession with a famous comedian and starts stalking him.

Irish Independent

Darkly funny.

BookTime

Oh, I adored this book so much I read it in a day. Bittersweetly funny, wildly entertaining and tugs at your heartstrings, Esther is a wonderful character at the heart of an exceptional book. Esther, I'm now following you!

Sarah Pinborough

Esther is a fantastically nuanced character - Tanya Sweeney has such an eye for detail, the characters leap from the page, bright and alive. Humorous, chilling, and sometimes an uncomfortable read but you’re never not in Esther’s desperate, awkward corner that she has backed herself into. A sharp and addictive insight into the mind of a grieving woman, who fills her emptiness with obsession. I thoroughly recommend.

Cecelia Ahern

A sex, drugs and rock'n'roll spin on Bridget Jones. This is car-crash reading at times — uncomfortable and cringe, but completely compelling.

Sunday Independent

A dazzling fiction debut... a razor-sharp dark comedy about celebrity obsession in the social media age.

Irish Examiner

A darkly funny, compulsively readable novel.

Ramona

A FABULOUS sad and funny debut about fame and obsessive fandom… I raced to the explosive end.

Daily Mail

For fans of You and Baby Reindeer, this book is a reminder of just how addictive the online world can be. Witty, poignant and surprisingly moving.

Heat

What a great book this was. I was laughing and crying throughout – it was amazing! It’s an emotional roller coaster ride of a novel, where obsession and fandom come together and then go completely off the rails. Wow, what a hilarious read. I was sad when the book ended, as I loved Esther so much.

Take a Break, Book of the Month

Outstanding.

My Weekly

Looks set to be the smash of 2026...A joyride that’s challenging not to finish in one go…A pacy, darkly funny and original thriller about obsession and celebrity fandom...a compelling portrayal of a sharply funny, often exasperating, woman in the grips of an acute mental spiral.

Irish Times

Tanya’s debut feels very well-conceived and well put together. Even if Esther sort of scares you, you’ll want the best for her.

Belfast Telegraph

It was an honour to narrate such a wild and wonderfully written story! I’ve truly never read anything like it. The Tedettes aren’t ready.

Evanna Lynch

Gives us the creeps and plenty of laughs… a hot recommendation from here!

Oliver Callan, RTE 1

This surprisingly dark, but brilliant, debut takes an emotional look at love and loss.

Sun

THIS IS SO GOOD! Obsessive, funny, tragic, cringed out of my skin at times - all the good stuff.

Emma Van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body

A witty read.

That's Life!

For any women who enjoy reading about unhinged female protagonists… Oh yeah, I knew it was going to be good. Tanya’s brilliant, I’ve been reading her for years.. this needs to be a huge Netflix series.

Joanne McNally

Hugely looking forward to this bookish treat in 2026, soooo culturally on point.

Elizabeth Day, bestselling author of One of Us

The best new read to curl up with.

Irish Country

A killer thriller.

That's Life, Crime Scene