The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto Summary: A Dark, Messy YA Thriller
TL;DR: The Stalker, the Secret, and the Fight Back
For readers who want the core premise without full spoilers:
- Premise: Logan returns to Draycott Academy and begins stalking new student Delilah.
- Turning point: A hidden camera captures something Delilah cannot let anyone see.
- Conflict: Blackmail traps Delilah in a relationship with her stalker while she plans her escape.
- Key themes: obsession, domestic abuse, secret lives, survival, and elite school pressure.
The book is a dual-perspective psychological thriller with dark academia and revenge elements.
For more, Explore Jesse Q. Sutanto book summaries.
The Obsession Summary: A Stalker’s Secret and a Survivor’s Trap
Spoilers ahead. This section reveals the complete plot, including the ending.
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Logan returns to Draycott Academy after a suspension, still fixated on Sophie, a student who died the year before.
He believes Sophie was his soulmate, even though they never dated.
When he sees Delilah Wong, a new student who resembles Sophie, he decides she is a gift.
He begins tracking Delilah online and installs a hidden camera at her home.
Delilah lives in fear of Brandon Jackson, her mother’s boyfriend and a violent local detective.
Brandon controls their money and uses his police reputation to isolate them.
Delilah works at the school library as a cover for helping Lisa run a student drug ring.
The job helps her save money to escape to Singapore.
When Brandon’s abuse pushes Delilah too far, she trips a car jack while he works underneath his Camaro.
The car falls and kills him.
Logan’s hidden camera records the entire event.
After the death is ruled an accident, Logan uses the footage to blackmail Delilah into dating him.
He tells her they are soulmates who share a dark secret.
Delilah is forced to join Logan’s friend group and act devoted.
Her real best friend, Aisha, grows suspicious and hurt by the sudden change.
Delilah realizes Logan likely has erotomania, a delusional belief that she is destined to be with him.
She starts a counter-plot.
She bakes drugs into treats for Logan, making him manic and paranoid.
She also edits his college application so he will be rejected from the National University of Singapore.
With Aisha’s help, Delilah breaks into Logan’s dorm room and plants drugs to frame him.
Logan’s mental state collapses.
He sees visions of Sophie and decides the only way to save Delilah is to kill her and be together forever.
By the river, he destroys the USB drive containing the murder video as a gesture of trust.
The drugs make him lose his balance and fall into the water.
Delilah holds his head underwater until he drowns.
She then frames the dead Logan for the school’s drug operation.
She forces Lisa to provide an alibi by threatening to expose the drug ring.
The book ends with Delilah feeling a dark sense of freedom after eliminating both Brandon and Logan.
Summary by Chapter: Six Narrative Movements
Spoilers ahead.
The Setup and the First Murder
Logan returns to school and starts stalking Delilah.
Delilah reveals the abuse she and her mother endure from Brandon.
When Delilah kills Brandon, Logan’s hidden camera records it.
The Blackmail and the Forced Relationship
Logan uses the footage to force Delilah into a relationship.
Delilah must integrate into his social circle while hiding her role in the school drug ring.
Her friendship with Aisha becomes strained.
The Counter-Plot and the Drugging
Delilah begins drugging Logan to make him seem unstable.
She also sabotages his college application.
Logan’s grip on reality weakens as he sees visions of Sophie.
Paranoia and Breaking In
Detective Mendez focuses on Logan’s erratic behavior.
Delilah and Aisha break into Logan’s dorm room to plant drug evidence.
Delilah discovers Logan has also broken into her home.
The Final Confrontation and the Ending
A drugged Logan lures Delilah to the river.
He plans a murder-suicide, but Delilah drowns him.
She frames him for the drug operation and prepares to leave for Singapore.
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Characters In This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Logan | A Draycott Academy senior who stalks Delilah and uses hidden camera footage to blackmail her. |
| Delilah Wong | A new student who kills her abusive mother’s boyfriend and later her stalker to secure her freedom. |
| Brandon Jackson | A corrupt police detective and Delilah’s mother’s abusive boyfriend. |
| Aisha Johnson | Delilah’s loyal best friend who helps investigate Logan and break into his room. |
| Lisa Smith | The school librarian who runs a secret drug ring and employs Delilah. |
| Detective Mendez | Brandon’s police partner who suspects foul play and later focuses on Logan. |
| Sophie | Logan’s deceased former obsession who appears in his hallucinations. |
| Ally Moore-Wong | Delilah’s mother and a victim of Brandon’s abuse. |
| Moni, Hannah, Josh, Matt | Logan’s social circle at Draycott Academy. |
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Obsession Ending
Does The Obsession have a happy ending?
The Obsession ends with Delilah surviving and framing Logan for the school drug operation, but it is a dark, morally complex victory rather than a conventional happy ending.
Who is the stalker in The Obsession?
The stalker in The Obsession is Logan, a Draycott Academy senior who records Delilah through a hidden camera and uses the footage to force her into a relationship.
Is The Obsession a romance?
No, The Obsession is not a romance; it is a psychological thriller where a forced relationship serves as a blackmail plot and a survival trap.
What are the main trigger warnings in The Obsession?
The main trigger warnings in The Obsession include stalking, domestic abuse, drugging, murder, and manipulation within a teen setting.
Books Like The Obsession
You by Caroline Kepnes: A psychological thriller told from an obsessive stalker’s point of view who believes his pursuit is love.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus: A dark academia mystery set among elite high school students hiding dangerous secrets.
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: A private academy thriller about institutional power and students with dangerous secrets.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson: A YA mystery that digs into a town’s dark underbelly and high school secrets.
The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas: A gritty suspense novel about school-related deaths and psychological trauma.
