Mister Tender's Girl takes two "ripped from the headlines" events-the near fatal stabbing attack of a young Wisconsin girl by two of her friends who claimed "Mr. Slenderman"-(an internet created "superhero" character who stalks children) told them to do it, and the death of a Parisian cartoonist killed by extremists who were offended by a cartoon of Mohammed the artist had drawn-and combines them into one tantalisingly twisty tale. Fourteen years after Alice Hill fled to America from London after two of her friends stabbed her, claiming they were commanded by "Mister Tender"- a popular graphic novel character Alice's father created-Alice again finds herself being stalked by someone still fascinated with Mr. Tender. Although her father stopped writing Mister Tender comics after Alice's attack (and three years after he was killed by terrorists), Alice receives an unfinished Mister Tender book with drawings of Alice's current life in a style that is strikingly similar to her father's. Although physically recovered from her stabbing, Alice is still so scarred by the attack she refuses to have knives in her house. Along for the ride are Alice's mother ( a clearly disturbed woman who makes "Mommy Dearest" look like June Cleaver) and her brother Thomas, who has demons of his own. No one but her family knows about Alice's history (including she changed her name to Alice Gray when she turned 18 and is hiding a secret almost as disturbing as her attack), yet someone is clearly following her and appears to want her dead. Alice has so many neuroses and paranoias you begin to wonder if she is a victim of her own mind, but it soon becomes apparent her fear is real. Mr. Wilson writes with such a staggeringly intense style it's impossible not to become mesmerized by Mister Tender and the hold he has on his devotees. Although Mr. Tender's Girl has a "conclusion" there are enough unanswered questions that it's possible we've not seen the last of him. Here's hoping Mr. Wilson has more "Tender" tales to tell.