This is the one book you need to read this month

2026 is set to be one of the finest years for Irish books, and there is one that everyone needs to add to their reading list this January.

Esther Is Now Following You is journalist Tanya Sweeney's fiction debut, and it's a triumph. I was lucky enough to read the book before Christmas, and was hooked from the very first page.

Sweeney has crafted an incredibly clever, sharp, tender, but slightly disturbing tale about celebrity obsession and how it can completely take over our lives.

Our world is obsessed with Hollywood stars and influencers, but we often fail to see just how far that obsession can go. Many of us will watch their films, like a Reel they made, or go see them live in concert, but some people will take that obsession too far, and that's what happens in Esther is Now Following You.

Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes, and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she’s never felt before.

She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site online, where she and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move.

When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.

After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading.

This book is the perfect balance of drama and sensitivity. Sweeney has written about some extremely heartbreaking topics like grief and baby loss, but manages to weave in thrilling plotlines, twists you'll never see coming, and an air of tension that keeps you glued to the book from the get-go.

It's one of the most unique books I've read in quite some time, and one that has made me look at how much we worship celebrities and influencers in such a different way. It's also a rarity to see someone write about the complexities of grief with both respect and sensitivity, but without sugarcoating what grief can do to you. Sweeney is such a talented writer that she makes the reader feel sorry for Esther, but disturbed by her actions, too.

Esther Is Now Following You is a total triumph and a debut you simply cannot miss out on.

It is available to buy in Irish bookshops now.

You can also buy the Kindle version here.