This was a gripping mystery / thriller with lots of twists and turns along the way. This story was told by alternating characters and I found them all interesting. Great book.

🌟 I love Lisa Jewell she is one of my favourite authors, She is a master at creating tension and writing excellent characters, and Watching You is no exception.
The book begins with a fantastic bang with a dead body in the kitchen. From the outset we are left to guess not only who the body belongs to, but who did it, and why. A cleverly written book with gradual reveals, an intriguing plot and strong characters.

This book will get you hooked right from the first chapter... lots of twists and turns throughout....highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read Watching You by Lisa Jewell in exchange for my honest review.

I'm afraid the characters and the storyline just didn't hold my attention as Lisa Jewell usually does.

The book started with the murder immediately laid out which presented questions such as who was it and who did it. The story then took us back a few months before the crime and introduced us to engaging and well-developed, albeit unlikeable, characters. Told in multiple POVs (Joey, Freddie, and Jenna) it shows how they are connected to one character, Tom Fitzwilliam. Each of them is unique and have interesting stories to share. I get to see a deeper look into their lives and thus I was able to have a better understanding of some unquestionable and slightly disturbing things they did. A lot of times though, my perception of the characters change as the story unfolds and secrets were revealed. Even though there are lots of characters, I still find the story easy to follow. The plot may be complex yet it was expertly woven which made it such a page-turner despite being predictable. I managed to guess the killer early on even with red herrings left and right and thus wasn’t surprised by the reveal. However, there are still some satisfying twist and turn until the end. It may be slow at times but surprisingly, I wasn’t bothered by it. If anything, I was hooked. It got a strong start but even stronger finish and everything was tied quite neatly. Overall, it was unsettling but definitely a brilliant novel. Another solid work by Lisa Jewell.

This was my first book by Lisa Jewell and it is not my usual fayre. So the fact that I read it straight through was quite a pleasant surprise. It was hard to put down, the style so easy to read; plenty of red herrings and possible answers- we didn’t even know who the victim was until close to the end. I would say it would be almost impossible to guess whodunnit.
Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This is the first Lisa Jewell I've ever read and I really enjoyed it. I loved the character descriptions and the way little clues were fed into the story little by little. It was enthralling enough to want to read in two or three sittings and I'd definitely recommend it.

This was a good solid book by Lisa Jewell.
The storyline was strong and the book has lots of interesting characters.

During the first part of the book, I could not put it down as I was eager to know the twist. However when I read further in, it became pretty obvious.

I liked the quirky sentence at the end, as it really got me thinking when I finished the book.

It isn't my favourite Lisa Jewell book but I would recommend it.

Reviewed on Bookclub by Mowie

I have read Lisa Jewell books before and have enjoyed them so was excited to start this one. I have to admit, I did find it a bit confusing to begin with. There are a lot of characters and the story switches from different perspectives for each chapter. Joey has returned from abroad with her new husband in tow. They have nowhere to live so they move in with her brother and his wife. Joey develops an infatuation with their neighbour, a head teacher from a local school who is also twice her age, with this infatuation leading to a tragic conclusion.

I struggled through the beginning of the story and didn’t feel connected with any of the characters. As the story moved on so did my interest in it and by half way the pace had definitely picked up and I was enjoying it more. All of the characters seem to be hiding something and they were all definitely watching each other! A slightly creepy read with a shocking ending which I certainly wasn’t expecting.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you find it a little hard-going at the beginning, persevere with it and keep going – it’ll be worth it by the end!

Really enjoyed this page turner of a book - another successful book from Lisa! The plot draws you in and you can't put the book down - good characters and as the book unfolds I kept changing my mind as to how it would end! Lots to keep you guessing and an interesting last paragraph!!! loved it ! Perfect summer read!

I don't usually like thrillers but I made an exception for this book, as I am a fan of Lisa Jewell's previous book. And I wasn't disappointed. There was no blood or gore and the book itself was very low-key but I was kept gripped until the final pages, when I totally didn't see the twist at the end. Highly recommended, a really great book.

Lisa Jewell flew under my radar for years and years, until I discovered her last year when I bought the audio version of I Found You on a whim and loved it. Now, with Watching You, I feel like I’ve confirmed that that was no fluke, and I’m going to go back and read every damn word this woman has written, which will take a really long time (especially given my current reading pile).

Watching You is a psychological thriller about a set of neighbours in a smallish town. It’s about being dissatisfied and reaching for something more. It’s about how little you know about the people who live nearby and what’s going on behind their closed doors. But it’s written with such warmth that you genuinely feel for these people, and with such skill that you don’t want to put it down.

Characterisation is a great strength of Jewell’s. I knew these people. So often when I read, I find myself flicking backwards and forwards, trying to remember who is who. But there was none of that. I knew them, and I wanted to know more. I tore through this book’s five hundred pages in two days. And I would have been left feeling a little bereft if it weren’t for the fact that I know there are so many more Lisa Jewell novels out there for me to devour.

Well written and exploring some topical issues. The plots throws you a few dummies and all is not as it seems. Interesting how your past can catch up with you too

Watching You managed to be, for me anyway, many things at once – it had an air of mystery to it, but it also felt like it was very much about the relationships of certain characters, and why they felt the way they did.

There are some surprising and/ or important (albeit uncomfortable at times) themes included in this novel – from paedophilia and affairs to mental health and parent-child relationships. I felt that the plot itself was a really good read, although I can see what other reviewers mean when they feel that there’s too many characters. At times I admit I did get a bit confused as to who was who and how they related to other people. However, each character has their own interesting backstory and I really enjoyed reading about them all. What I probably enjoyed most about this novel, though, and what set it apart from other similar reads, is that it really surprised me in terms of who I as the reader – and also the characters in the book – was completely wrong about. You get so used to feeling suspicious of everyone in mystery/ suspense novels, but in Watching You, some people were actually a surprise - in a good way!

I’m going to leave this review here as I don’t want to spoil the story, but I definitely felt that this had less of a mystery ‘whodunnit’ feel to it than some of Lisa Jewell’s other novels – and, surprisingly (as someone who loves that element of mystery), I didn’t mind at all! I enjoyed watching the development of the characters and the bit of mystery was an added bonus! It perhaps wasn’t as much of a gripping, stay-up-all-night-reading-just-one-more-chapter book as some of her other reads, but I’d definitely still recommend it.

[Rating: 4/5]
Many thanks to Cornerstone for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.

I was caught up in this from the start - the writing draws you in and makes you want to know who these characters are, and what their relationships with each other are. We knew from the start that a crime has been committed and there was a body in the Fitzwilliams' house. But we didn't know who it was. As the story unfolded, I had various theories and then changed my mind. There were a few troubled characters and it wasn't easy to see who was going to be the culprit. I had worked it out and changed my mind a few times. What is the secret behind the Fitzwilliams' closed doors. Is superhead Tom too good to be true? Has Joey had her head turned by his charm? And what of lonely Freddie? What is his story? He's a sad, lonely boy whose parents seem too busy getting on with their lives to worry about him. So he fills his life watching others. And we meet some of Tom's pupils, Jenna Tripp, a nice, normal 15 year old schoolgirl from a troubled home, she'll do anything to protect her mother, how far will she go. Plenty intrigue, lots to keep you guessing and a final, throwaway sentence that will shock. I gasped!

A well written creepy and twisted story with several red herrings am long the way. Liked the main characters who all struggled with their lives.

I finished this book late last night, having been hankering after time to continue reading all day. I was certainly gripped!
The story starts towards the end of the tale, and then uses flashback to see events unfold interestingly. It is told from a variety of narrators central to the story, from both then (leading up to the main event) and after, from a range of statements given to the police. The characters were gripping and real and the back story so twisted and involved that my brain was kept hooked from the start. You are led along so many paths and hypothesise about so many options, it is great! The final few lines blew me away.
A brilliant read!

Creepy, chill inducing book! I found myself looking over my shoulder the entire time and drawing my curtains closed! Wonderful writing and story I could not put it down!

Wow ! Another excellent read from Lisa Jewell ! I always really look forward to her books and get very excited when a new one is published ! A brilliant book that I read in almost one sitting !
10/10 :)

What an entertaining book, really enjoyed it...It was a case of who was watching who and why. With lots of questions, to be answered all the way through. Plenty of clues along the way. Comes togeather for a thrilling end. All the ends tied up nicely.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Wow - Lisa Jewell entertains her readers again with her new book, a murder mystery
Tom Fitswilliams is a super headteacher, pupils and staff all respect him, he lives in the yellow painted house, with his wife and teenage son Freddie. Freddie is a bit of a loner, after school each day he heads to his bedroom, he spends a lot of time looking out his window, taking pictures and making a note of anything and anyone who interests him, he is especially interested in pretty teenage girls.
In the blue painted house live Jack and Rebecca and Jacks sister Joey and her new husband Alfie. Although Joey is newly married she has developed a crush on Mr Fitzwilliams even though he is twice her age.
Two teenage girls Bess and Jenna also play a big role in this story which is full of secrets, obsessions and infatuations and Freddie is not the only person who is people watching and taking photos of the neighbours.
The story opens with a murder, but who commmitted the murder and why? The reader is kept guessing right to the end.
This has to be my favourite book to date from Lisa Jewell