Shadow in the Night

Ava McKinsey wakes in her luxurious Dublin bedroom, paralyzed by the certainty that someone is watching her. The night is thick with fear and anticipation as she investigates, only to be attacked by a masked intruder. He is both terrifying and strangely familiar, his touch blurring the line between fear and desire. Ava's body betrays her, responding to his dangerous dominance even as her mind screams for escape. The encounter leaves her shaken, confused, and deeply unsettled—especially when she realizes her stalker knows her name. The experience awakens something in her, a dark hunger and a sense of being truly alive for the first time, even as she's left with more questions than answers.

The Stalker's Game

The man stalking Ava, known only as the Shadow, reveals his obsessive surveillance—cameras in her home, bugged devices, and nightly visits. He manipulates her reality, erasing evidence and gaslighting her into doubting her own sanity. His desire for Ava is all-consuming, teetering between protection and predation. He struggles with his own rules, torn between keeping his distance and giving in to his need to possess her. The Shadow's internal battle is as intense as his external actions, and his fixation on Ava grows more dangerous as his self-control frays. He is both her hunter and her secret guardian, determined to claim her, no matter the cost.

Unreliable Memories

Haunted by the attack, Ava tries to confide in her therapist, Dr. Vale, but is met with skepticism and clinical detachment. Her history of mental health struggles and unreliable memories make her doubt herself, even as she clings to the reality of her experience. The people around her—her adoptive mother Ebony, her ex-boyfriend Cormac, and her friends—offer little comfort or understanding. When her best friend Liath leaves a terrified voicemail about being stalked and then disappears, Ava's world tilts further into paranoia and dread. The boundaries between fantasy and reality blur, and Ava is left isolated, desperate for answers.

Missing Girls, Hidden Truths

As Ava investigates Liath's disappearance, she uncovers a chilling pattern: other girls from Darkmoor College have gone missing, all dismissed as runaways. With the help of her friend Lisa, Ava connects the dots—each girl was being stalked, each had unreliable memories, and all were adopted. The authorities are dismissive, the adults complicit or indifferent. Ava's determination hardens as she realizes the danger is real and close. The sense of being hunted intensifies, and the woods and old buildings of the campus become a gothic labyrinth of secrets, where the line between victim and prey is razor-thin.

The Trap Is Set

Refusing to be passive, Ava sets a trap for her stalker, capturing his image on film. The confrontation is electric—fear, anger, and forbidden desire collide as she asserts herself. The Shadow is both enraged and aroused by her defiance, and their dangerous dance escalates. Ava's evidence is quickly stolen, replaced with a poisonous lily—a symbol of both threat and intimacy. The stalker's message is clear: he is always one step ahead, and Ava's attempts at control only draw her deeper into his web. The power dynamic between them shifts, but the danger only grows.

Evidence and Obsession

Ava's search for Liath leads her into increasingly perilous territory. She discovers that her own memories are unreliable, possibly manipulated. The stalker's presence is constant—sometimes protective, sometimes predatory. Cormac, her ex, becomes more aggressive, revealing his own dark side. The lines between friend and foe blur, and Ava's obsession with the truth mirrors the stalker's obsession with her. As she uncovers more about the missing girls, she realizes she is not just investigating a crime—she is the next target. The sense of claustrophobia and paranoia mounts, and Ava's world narrows to a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The Web Tightens

Ava's investigation brings her into conflict with powerful forces—her therapist, the college administration, and a shadowy society with roots deep in the school's history. She discovers that the missing girls were all being drugged with memory suppressants, their trauma erased to protect their abusers. The stalker's warnings grow more urgent, but Ava refuses to back down. Her relationships with Lisa and Ebony are strained by secrets and lies. The sense of being watched, manipulated, and hunted becomes overwhelming, and Ava is forced to confront the darkness within herself as well as without.

The Therapist's Lie

Ava uncovers evidence that Dr. Vale, her trusted therapist, has been drugging her and other girls to suppress their memories of abuse. He is not just complicit—he is an active participant in the cover-up, working for a secretive society that preys on vulnerable girls. When Ava confronts him, he attacks her, intent on silencing her forever. The Shadow intervenes, saving her in a brutal confrontation. Dr. Vale's confession exposes the rot at the heart of the institution, but it also reveals that he is only a pawn in a much larger, more sinister game. The true enemy remains hidden, and Ava's victory is hollow.

The Society's Reach

The conspiracy is deeper than Ava imagined—a powerful, ancient society known as the Sochaí manipulates the college, the police, and even her own life. Dr. Vale was only their tool, and the missing girls were victims of a system designed to protect the powerful and silence the weak. Ava's sense of safety is shattered, and the realization that she is up against an enemy with limitless resources and no conscience is paralyzing. The Shadow's own past is entangled with the society, and his motives become more ambiguous. Ava must decide whether to run or fight, knowing that either choice could destroy her.

The Past Resurfaces

As the truth about the society and the missing girls emerges, Ava's own repressed memories begin to surface. She recalls her childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted guardian, the betrayal of those meant to protect her, and the role the Shadow played in both her suffering and her survival. The revelation is devastating, fracturing her sense of self and her trust in those around her. The Shadow's love is both a balm and a wound, and Ava is forced to confront the darkness within herself. The past is not dead—it is alive, hungry, and determined to claim her.

The Monster Within

The Shadow is revealed as Ty, Ava's childhood protector and foster brother, who killed his own father to save her from abuse. His guilt and self-loathing have shaped his obsession, turning love into possession and protection into control. Ty's struggle with his own monstrous nature mirrors Ava's battle with her trauma. Their relationship is a tangle of love, violence, and shared darkness. As they plan to escape together, the question of redemption hangs over them—can they ever be free of the past, or are they doomed to repeat it?

The Final Confession

In a final confrontation, Ava learns the full extent of the society's crimes and her own connection to the missing girls. The Shadow's secrets threaten to destroy their fragile bond, and Ava must choose between justice and survival. The confession of Dr. Vale, the evidence of the society's reach, and the revelation of Ty's actions force Ava to confront the reality that there are no heroes—only survivors. The cost of truth is high, and Ava must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to escape the darkness.

The Choice to Run

With the society closing in and the Shadow urging her to flee, Ava faces an impossible choice: run away with Ty and leave her old life—and the quest for justice—behind, or stay and risk everything to expose the truth. The weight of her trauma, her love for Ty, and her loyalty to her friends and the missing girls pull her in opposite directions. The decision is agonizing, and the consequences are irreversible. Ava's agency is both her salvation and her curse, and the future is as uncertain as the past is haunted.

The Abduction

Just as Ava prepares to escape, she is abducted by Cormac, her ex-boyfriend, who is revealed as a pawn of the society. Drugged and imprisoned, Ava faces the reality of her own vulnerability and the ruthlessness of her enemies. The Shadow races to save her, but the society's power is overwhelming. The sense of helplessness and dread is suffocating, and Ava's survival depends on her ability to outwit her captors and hold on to her sense of self. The stakes are higher than ever, and the darkness is closing in.

The High Lord Revealed

In captivity, Ava meets the High Lord—the true leader of the society and the architect of her suffering. His identity is a shocking betrayal, and his power is absolute. The High Lord's plans for Ava are both personal and symbolic—she is to be the ultimate prize, the proof of his dominance and the society's impunity. The horror of her situation is matched only by her determination to resist. The Shadow's love and violence are nothing compared to the High Lord's cold, calculated evil. Ava's fight for survival becomes a battle for her soul.

The Warden's Claim

The High Lord, now revealed as the Warden, takes possession of Ava, claiming her as his own. His obsession is as deep as the Shadow's, but colder, more methodical. Ava is stripped of agency, reduced to a prize in a war between monsters. The Warden's control is total, and his plans for Ava are both erotic and terrifying. The sense of inevitability is crushing—Ava is no longer just a victim or a survivor, but a symbol of the darkness at the heart of the world she inhabits. The story ends with Ava in the Warden's grasp, her fate uncertain, the darkness undefeated.

The Darkness Remains

The novel closes with the promise of further torment and struggle. The Shadow is left desperate to reclaim Ava, the Warden is triumphant, and Ava is caught between love, violence, and the hunger for freedom. The society's power is unbroken, and the darkness that haunts Ava is as alive as ever. The emotional arc is unresolved, the questions of justice and redemption left hanging. The story is a descent into the gothic heart of trauma, obsession, and the impossibility of escape. The only certainty is that the darkness remains, and the hunt is far from over.

Characters

Ava McKinsey

Ava is the protagonist, a young woman marked by trauma, unreliable memories, and a hunger for answers. Adopted by the wealthy and distant Ebony, Ava is both privileged and profoundly alone. Her psychological landscape is shaped by childhood abuse, repressed memories, and a history of mental health struggles. Ava's relationships are fraught—her friends, lovers, and guardians are all potential threats or betrayers. Her journey is one of self-discovery, agency, and the search for justice, but it is also a descent into obsession and darkness. Ava's development is defined by her refusal to be a passive victim, her willingness to confront horror, and her complex, often contradictory desires—for safety, for love, for danger, and for control.

The Shadow / Ty / Scáth

The Shadow is Ava's stalker, protector, and eventual lover. His real name is Ty, her childhood foster brother who killed his own father to save her from abuse. Ty is defined by guilt, self-loathing, and an all-consuming obsession with Ava. He is both her savior and her captor, his love expressed through violence, surveillance, and control. Ty's psychological complexity is rooted in trauma—his inability to forgive himself, his need to possess Ava, and his struggle to balance protection with predation. His development is a tragic arc of love twisted into obsession, and his relationship with Ava is a mirror of her own darkness.

Dr. Vale

Dr. Vale is Ava's therapist and a key figure in the conspiracy. Outwardly calm, rational, and caring, he is in fact a master manipulator, drugging his patients to suppress their memories and covering up abuse for a secret society. Dr. Vale's role is that of the trusted authority turned villain, his psychoanalytic skills weaponized against the vulnerable. His relationship with Ava is one of betrayal and gaslighting, and his development is a descent from respected healer to exposed monster. He is both a symbol and an agent of institutional evil.

Cormac Foley

Cormac is Ava's ex-boyfriend, a privileged, aggressive young man whose charm masks a capacity for violence and cruelty. He is both a red herring and a genuine threat, his jealousy and entitlement making him easy prey for the society's manipulation. Cormac's relationship with Ava is toxic, defined by power games and resentment. His development is a fall from golden boy to abuser to victim, his fate a warning about the dangers of unchecked privilege and complicity.

Ebony McKinsey

Ebony is Ava's adoptive mother, a successful, emotionally reserved woman who provides material comfort but little warmth. Her relationship with Ava is marked by awkward affection, unspoken love, and a failure to protect. Ebony represents both the possibility of safety and the reality of abandonment. Her development is largely static, but her presence is a constant reminder of what Ava has lost and what she still yearns for.

Lisa Sheil

Lisa is Ava's best friend and confidante, a fellow journalist and investigator. She is practical, supportive, and brave, providing emotional grounding and comic relief. Lisa's relationship with Ava is one of genuine care, but it is strained by secrets and the dangers of the investigation. Her development is that of the loyal sidekick forced to confront the limits of her own safety and the darkness of the world she inhabits.

Liath Byrne

Liath is Ava's friend and the most recent victim of the society. Her disappearance is the inciting incident that drives Ava's investigation. Liath's character is revealed through memories, messages, and the testimonies of others—she is vibrant, troubled, and ultimately doomed. Her fate is a warning and a motivator, her absence a constant presence in the narrative.

The High Lord / The Warden

The High Lord is the true leader of the society, the architect of the abuse and disappearances. He is a figure of absolute power, his identity a shocking betrayal. The Warden's obsession with Ava is as deep as the Shadow's, but colder, more methodical. He represents the ultimate expression of institutional evil—control, domination, and the reduction of victims to objects. His development is that of the hidden hand revealed, his relationship with Ava one of possession and dehumanization.

The Sochaí (The Society)

The Sochaí is the shadowy organization at the heart of the novel's conspiracy. Its members are powerful, untouchable, and utterly ruthless. The society's reach extends into every institution—college, police, therapy—and its methods are both sophisticated and brutal. The Sochaí is less a character than a force of nature, a symbol of systemic evil and the impossibility of justice within a corrupt system.

Ava's Trauma (as a character)

Ava's trauma is not just a backstory but an active force in the narrative. It shapes her perceptions, her relationships, and her choices. The trauma is both a source of vulnerability and a wellspring of strength, driving her quest for truth and her refusal to be silenced. It is personified in her nightmares, her flashbacks, and her interactions with the Shadow and the Warden. The development of Ava's trauma is the emotional arc of the novel—its exposure, its confrontation, and its unresolved, lingering presence.

Plot Devices

Unreliable Narration and Memory Suppression

The novel's structure is built on the unreliability of memory and perception. Ava's trauma, the effects of drugs, and the manipulations of those around her create a shifting, unstable reality. Flashbacks, hallucinations, and repressed memories are used to withhold and reveal information, keeping both Ava and the reader in a state of uncertainty. This device heightens suspense, deepens psychological complexity, and mirrors the experience of trauma survivors. The use of memory suppressants as a literal plot device is both a metaphor and a mechanism for control.

Dual Perspectives and Obsession

The narrative alternates between Ava's perspective and that of the Shadow, creating a claustrophobic intimacy and a sense of being watched. The stalker's obsession is mirrored by Ava's own compulsions, blurring the line between victim and predator. This duality is reinforced by the use of second-person address, direct address to the reader, and the mirroring of desires and fears. The structure is recursive, with events and emotions looping back on themselves, creating a sense of inevitability and entrapment.

Gothic Setting and Symbolism

The novel's settings—old mansions, college towers, woods, and basements—are gothic spaces filled with shadows, secrets, and hidden dangers. The physical environment mirrors Ava's psychological state, with locked rooms, secret passages, and decaying grandeur symbolizing repression, trauma, and the persistence of the past. Symbolic objects—lilies, knives, cameras—are used to foreshadow events, mark transitions, and embody themes of beauty, danger, and memory.

Power Dynamics and Dubious Consent

The novel's eroticism is inseparable from its violence, with power dynamics constantly shifting between Ava and her stalker(s). Scenes of dubious consent, dominance, and submission are used to explore the complexities of trauma, agency, and desire. The narrative structure withholds and releases pleasure and information in parallel, creating a rhythm of tension and release that mirrors both sexual and narrative suspense.

Conspiracy and Institutional Corruption

The plot is driven by the uncovering of a vast, secretive conspiracy that implicates every institution in Ava's life. The society's power is both overt and invisible, its members hidden in plain sight. The use of red herrings, false leads, and shifting allegiances creates a sense of paranoia and helplessness. The structure is circular—every attempt at escape or justice leads back to the same web of power, reinforcing the theme of inescapable darkness.

Foreshadowing and Recursion

The novel is filled with foreshadowing—dreams, warnings, repeated motifs—that signal future events and the recurrence of trauma. The structure is recursive, with events echoing and repeating, creating a sense of fate and inevitability. The use of flashbacks, recovered memories, and mirrored scenes reinforces the idea that the past cannot be escaped, only confronted.

Analysis

Hunting Pretty is a dark, psychological thriller that uses the conventions of gothic romance and dark academia to explore the enduring effects of trauma, the allure and danger of obsession, and the impossibility of justice in a corrupt world. The novel's structure—built on unreliable narration, shifting perspectives, and recursive motifs—mirrors the experience of trauma survivors, for whom reality is always unstable and the past is never truly past. The power dynamics between Ava and her stalker(s) are both erotic and violent, reflecting the complexities of desire, agency, and survival in a world where every institution is complicit in abuse. The secret society at the heart of the novel is both a literal and symbolic enemy, representing the systemic nature of evil and the futility of individual resistance. The novel refuses easy resolutions—justice is elusive, redemption is uncertain, and the darkness remains. The lesson is not one of triumph, but of endurance: survival is an act of defiance, and the refusal to be silenced is itself a form of victory. In the end, Hunting Pretty is a story about the cost of truth, the hunger for connection, and the ways in which love and violence are forever entwined.

Last updated: August 25, 2025