Watching You: A psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Family Upstairs

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Ralph, a terrible artist, suddenly notices that he has feelings for his new flatmate Jem, the liveliest and most reasonable girl he has ever met. I absolutely loved that this book created so many questions and the subtle clues are perfectly interspersed in the storyline but piecing them all together was definitely making my head spin. So I decided that I was just going to read and let the story do the job for me. And, I am so glad that I did because what transpires in the end was absolutely stunning and so totally worth it! I was captivated by the story and enjoyed how the plot unfolded at a nice pace. I found this book to be a fast read, with its revelations, twists, turns and aha moments. Toby Dobbs’s father gives him a massive Victorian house with numerous bedrooms as a wedding gift. His marriage however ends in a month. His wife Nicola spends a lot of time trying to keep in shape by running and going to the gym and wearing the right clothes etc. after all I told you her husband was handsome, ha! Their son Freddie is quite a very different sort of boy, he goes to a private school and likes to spend a lot of time on his computer and using his new high powered, extra special binoculars to spy on his neighbors, well at the beginning he claims he was just writing about what was happening in his neighborhood. How much does he know about the crime?

For those readers that fancy themselves part-time literary sleuths, this is one sure to keep you guessing. Lisa Jewell—and just about the entire cast—put in quite a bit of work, the goal being to throw readers off the scent. Unfortunately, I figured things out earlier than I would have hoped to. Don't worry, the answer is not blatantly obvious and in no way did figuring things out hinder my experience. In fact, of the four Jewell novels I’ve read to-date, this is the one I struggled the most to set down for any length of time. Meaning, I had to force myself to put it aside to play pretend at being a functioning adult. In the midst of working as a nanny in the big city, Betty’s continued search leads her to a mysterious man who was apparently quite important to her late Arlette. Given the number of mysteries I read, I’m always amazed to discover a popular author whose works have previously escaped me. But while I own an audiobook of her’s, I had yet to read or listen to anything by Lisa Jewell. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find out how much I enjoyed her upcoming book. I was captivated into the story straight from the beginning and had a hard time putting it down. This was a very addicting thriller. Something happens and there is a murder and after that I had to find out what was going to happen next. You can tell right in the beginning that everyone has secrets. There are creepy unlikable characters, which I mentioned aren't who they seem to be at the end.

Naturally, as the majority of suspense novels tend to, Watching You starts off with a dead body. A lifeless corpse strewn across a kitchen floor, accompanied by one piece of pivotal evidence lying in a pool of blood. Something not easily explained away by the owner, yet in hindsight, maybe too obvious? We also have some important themes and topics woven and integral to the story which were dealt with so sensitively such as Asperger's syndrome, the grooming of young girls by a predator who also happens to be the headmaster, suicide, and infidelity (amongst others). This is only my second Lisa Jewell book and each one has been an amazing reading experience. I can say with certainty that I will be reading more from her and I look forward to seeing what else she comes up with in the future.

Around twenty-three years earlier, teenagers Gray and Kirsty Ross crossed paths with a mysterious young man while on holiday in Ridinghouse Bay. However, while the neighborhood’s exterior is charming and enviable, if you pay close attention, you will see another side to Melville Heights. You may notice some residents have strange habits, some behave badly, are masking dark obsessions, or hiding painful secrets, and some … like to watch…Plans for Novellas in November #NovNov23 #NovellasInNovember #Fictionophile#novellas October 28, 2023