Little Stranger

Little Stranger is a 2023 dark romance novel by Scottish author Leigh Rivers. It is the first in The Web of Silence duology, followed by Little Liar in 2024. Rivers has written several other romance novels, all of which explore dark or taboo themes, including Chokehold and Psychotic Obsession, as well as her Edge of Darkness trilogy (Insatiable, Voracious, and Restitution). Originally a biomedical scientist, Rivers began her career as an author with her debut dark romance, Insatiable (2023).

This guide is based on the 2023 Amazon/KDP electronic edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, gender discrimination, ableism, mental illness, child abuse, child death, substance use, addiction, graphic violence, cursing, sexual violence, rape, and physical and emotional abuse. In particular, this guide and its source material engage with graphic sexual content, including various taboo and kink practices. 

Plot Summary

The novel opens when seven-year-old Olivia Vize awaits her new foster brother, Malachi Vize, at the airport. Her parents, Jamieson and Jennifer Vize, frame their choice to adopt as “rescuing” the children from their previous circumstances. Malachi is non-verbal and communicates via American Sign Language (ASL); he does not speak due to a psychological rather than physiological cause. Olivia and Malachi quickly bond, a connection that grows between them over their childhoods. When their parents catch them kissing on the lips at ages 11 (Olivia) and 12 (Malachi), Jamieson, who is physically abusive toward Malachi, violently reprimands his son.

As Malachi and Olivia enter their late teens, they sneak past their parents’ efforts to keep them from physical intimacy. Olivia has increasingly sexual thoughts about Malachi, though she worries about these thoughts being “shameful.” When Olivia has a conversation with Adam, a male classmate, Malachi, who has grown increasingly possessive of Olivia, violently beats him. In response, Jennifer arranges a courtship between Olivia and Adam. When Olivia protests, Jennifer explains that Malachi’s possessiveness over Olivia is problematic; she blames his actions on his diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Olivia researches this diagnosis and begins to fear that her sexual attraction to Malachi is not reciprocated. Despite this concern, she sleeps in Malachi’s bed that evening, and they touch one another sexually.

Months later, Olivia still dwells on this sexual contact. On a camping trip, Malachi confesses to spying on Olivia via secret cameras and asks her to undress and masturbate while he watches. She refuses to kiss him, however, and Malachi ignores her for several weeks afterward. To taunt him, Olivia invites one of the people her mother is trying to pair her with to her house. Malachi comes to her room and urges her to lay in bed with him naked. He confesses that he only feels comfortable with sexual contact with Olivia and asks her to teach him to kiss. They kiss roughly, which Olivia enjoys.

Olivia reveals that Jennifer “arranged” for her to have sex with Parker, one of her suitors. She resists continuing her “lessons” with Malachi but changes her mind after he kisses her again. When Parker strikes Olivia, Malachi brutally beats him; Jamieson approves of his. Olivia and Malachi start to have regular oral sex while the Vizes plan to adopt another child. Olivia hears other cheerleaders gossiping about Malachi, which leads her to believe he has been unfaithful to her. She screams at him, refusing to let him explain. When Jamieson catches them having oral sex, Malachi beats him brutally, then has penetrative sex with Olivia next to an unconscious Jamieson.

Eight years later, Malachi is released from prison after assaulting Jamieson. He vows to get revenge on Olivia, who testified against him following the assault. He moves into the apartment next to hers and assumes a new identity as “Kai.” He stalks her, breaks into her apartment, and drugs her. He rapes her while she is unconscious, something he believes will lead her to “realize [she] still love[s him]” (140). She sees him for the first time while wearing a motorcycle helmet, and he introduces himself as Kai, speaking for the first time in years. He agrees to meet her at a Halloween festival, where he arrives wearing a gas mask. He and Olivia have violent sex and then he renders her unconscious with chloroform and abducts her, taking her to a remote farmhouse he owns.

Over several days, Malachi rapes and tortures Olivia. During one such act, while he is not wearing his gas mask, Olivia recognizes him. She is pleased to see him and has consensual sex with him. Though she is not angry about his kidnapping or assault, she does not want to be with him, as she remains angry about his assault against Jamieson, who suffers lifelong consequences from the attack. She leaves.

Two weeks later, Olivia regrets leaving Malachi. She fears her wedding to Xander, a man Jennifer chose, who is controlling and unkind. She plans to go through with the marriage to protect her family but finds she cannot. She flees and, with Jamieson’s blessing, returns to Malachi. Malachi has been attending therapy and promises to continue seeking help for Olivia’s sake, though she insists there is “nothing wrong” with him. Malachi feels happy that Olivia finally “chose” him.