“Watching You” is a new mystery thriller by Lisa Jewell. The book starts with a murder in a town in England where the residents all seem to be watching each other. Joey and her husband, Alfie, have just moved in with her brother Jack and his wife Rebecca. They live in a cute neighborhood, two doors down from the Fitzwilliam’s, a husband and wife and their teenage son. Mr. Fitzwilliam, is the headmaster of a school, and it seems that everyone is infatuated with him, including Joey and some of the students at his school. His young wife, Nicola, seems to only care about him and running. Freddie, their son, is obsessed with watching everyone and everything going on in their neighborhood.

As the book progresses, we find many more of the residents watching each other, and trying to uncover what is going on in their small town. We know the police are interrogating some of the key players, but we don’t find out until close to the end who was murdered. It was pretty obvious to me who the murdered was when a key detail is given by them to another character. I just wasn’t sure which person they murdered which kept me interested and intrigued.

This is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Jewell, and definitely will read others by her. It was very well written, the chapters were not too long, and the pace was great. I like how it was told by multiple points of view which helped us to have a better understanding of the characters and what motivates them.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books for the free advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This mystery set in Bristol, England begins with a murder scene and then jumps back to a few months before the crime took place. Someone has been killed in the kitchen of a beautiful painted house in the neighborhood of Melville Heights, a place where the facade of fanciness and beauty hides sinister secrets. The narrative switches between the perspectives of multiple people in the same neighborhood and builds up to the night of the crime, and as the stories weave together the characters simultaneously unravel.

I love that this story gives a lens into each character’s perspective while keeping secrets in the right moments and unveiling information at a steady pace. While the end wasn’t shocking, the numerous red herrings had my mind scattered and curious throughout the whole book. I found this story and its characters a lot more engaging than the other book that I’ve read by this author (Then She Was Gone), and I would highly recommend it! This book comes out on December 26th.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is my first Lisa Jewell book, but I will definitely read her again. This is a fast-moving narrative that forces you to constantly question perceptions and how we understand others. We are introduced to a handful of characters who all put on performances for the people in their lives--just like we all do in real-life. I enjoyed the speculation Jewell makes you undertake while evaluating each character. We know on the first page that someone dies, but we don't know until the end who it was.

My one small criticism is that I do wish the culprit wouldn't have been given away so soon. Normally I say I don't mind knowing who the bad guy or gal is early on, but I would have preferred to have known a little less here; I figured out the culprit very early on. I will say, though, I still had questions that I had to read to the end to find the answers to.

A good, solid read; a page turner. This will make you re-consider how well you know those around you and how you project yourselves to others.

Lisa jewel keeps you on the edge of your sssg till the very last second! She creates characters with their universe and it's so distinct, you feel like you're living inside the narration. Watching you was very enjoyable. I liked it more than the girls in the garden but I don't know if it topped Then she was gone. It was great nonetheless.

Thank you Atria & NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

I am a huge Lisa Jewell fan, so I was excited to dive into this new book by her - and I was NOT disappointed. Fast paced, twisting, cleverly diabolical - I devoured this in one sitting without pause.

Lisa does the most incredible work creating characters who are grounded perfectly in reality, with flaws and weaknesses that are completely believable and let the reader fully by into the cast of the story. I completely loved how this story moved from character to character, slowly unravelling the events that lead to the murdered body in the kitchen, while constantly causing me to second guess who that body might belong to, and who put it there.

I spent the entire time reading, convinced I had it figured out, and convinced I had the characters pinned down only to find again and again that I was wrong. I loved it - I love a book that will surprise me.

I won't reveal even a single hint of a spoiler, other than to say that mystery lovers need to have this one on their TBR this winter - it is the perfect book to cozy up with on a snowy afternoon. Lisa Jewell remains a force to be reckoned with.

Watching You was an excellent read! I loved it! Thrilling and suspenseful, this book will have you guessing until the end. Full of unexpected twists and an unbelievable ending. I loved Joey, a relatable character that rings true. I thought all the characters were great and the story mesmerizing. I enjoyed this Authors writing and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

I give Watching You 5 stars for its Thrilling read.
I would recommend this book to fans of Suspense and Thrillers.

Ever have that feeling someone is watching you?

Lisa Jewell has done it again. She’s given us the perfect thriller guaranteed to keep you guessing right to the end!

Joey and her husband Alfie move in with her brother Jack and his wife Rebecca. It was intended to be temporary stay - just long enough for the newlyweds to get their feet under them.

Down the street is the new headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam, specifically brought in to rescue the local school from looming disaster. Tom is charismatic, charming, suave...well you get the picture! He makes all the ladies swoon. As well as some of the school girls too.

Tom’s son Freddie is a self-proclaimed spy. He patiently watches, snapping photos of everyone on his block, all from the comfort of his second floor window. And make no mistake…no one escapes his eye! So exactly what does he see from his perch? Is he canvasing the neighborhood watching, searching for something specific?

Paranoia is settling in as everyone on this block is keeping a wary eye on someone else. Maybe for good reason. Everyone also has something to hide. You feel the tension building and sense it’s all leading to a murder in this quaint neighborhood. But who is the murderer? More importantly, who’s the victim?

Lisa Jewell has the perfect recipe to add just enough intrigue and red herrings to keep you glued to the pages trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together! Another fantastic thriller by this author and I cannot wait to read her next!

A super thrilling buddy read with Susanne!☃️

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Lisa Jewell for an ARC to read and review

Awesome thriller that proves you shouldn't judge someone you don't know just by watching them! I read it in two days and this is my first Lisa Jewell book but won't be my last!

The neighbors in Melville Heights are extremely alert, and everyone seems to be "watching you." Even though Joey is a newlywed (married to Alfie), she has a major crush on her neighbor, Tom (who is married to Nicola). Their teen son, Freddie, spies on his neighbors, taking photos and logging everything he sees. Another neighbor, Frances, insists that others are watching her but should her teen daughter, Jenna, believe her, or is her mom's paranoia out of control? And, what about Joey's brother, Jack, and his wife, Rebecca, who also live on the street? Are they watching anyone?

The story opens with a murder, so the reader is left wondering, who was murdered and why?

As each new character is introduced, the suspense continues to build, and the short chapters totally tricked me into reading one more, just one more, until it was the middle of the night. For the last quarter, I found myself flipping the pages even more frantically because I had to know what happened and why. Even though I guessed who was dead and why, it didn't spoil my overall enjoyment, and I definitely didn't guess the final twist at the very end. Yikes.

I would highly recommend this one for fans of a suspenseful, twisty tale. If you'd like to read more from this author, I'd recommend Then She Was Gone (4 stars), which I read and loved.

I received an advance copy of this book from BookishFirst. All opinions are my own.

Location: Bristol, England

This is the first book I have read by Lisa Jewell, an I liked it so much, that I want to read more of her books in the future. This book was a psychological thriller in a way, a murder mystery, and very creepy and scary at times.

This book takes place in a nice community where murder has never happened before, so it causes quite a stir. There are so many good characters and the murder takes place at the beginning of the book, so as I got to know all the characters, different families, teens and the main characters what is unveiled is a shocking plot that started years ago, and now has been fulfilled by the killing of the school director's wife!

On top of this there are subplots running through this story as well, and no one is immune to these plots not, even some of the teens that live there, as they are all affected in some way or another.

Then at the end, which I had no idea was coming, the murder, who was behind it and what caused this terrible event to happen was way off my radar, but made sense!

I loved this book and gave it five psychological stars!

Tom Fitzwilliam is the headmaster of the local school. Handsome, charming, intelligent. Maybe a bit too sweet with the teenaged girls he mentors. He lives with his wife, a passionate runner, younger, always seems a little bit off and their son who methodically observes the neighborhood with binoculars from his perch at the top of their home. Joey, a late twenties misfit has a crush on Tom. She lives across the way with her perfect heart surgeon brother, his mysterious wife and her unsuspicious husband Alfie. Jenna is a student who lives nearby with a psychotic mother who believes she is being gang stalked and Tom is the notorious leader. These characters converge on a mission to figure out Tom’s mysterious past and his wife’s deceptions. With many twists and turns author Lisa Jewel takes us on a suspenseful journey with shocking surprises and quite a cast. Highly recommend this new one if you are in the mood for a mild psycho thriller that is enjoyable and easy to read.

I'm really on the fence on a 3 or 4 star review. This wasn't my favorite Lisa Jewell book but I still enjoyed. What I really appreciated about the book is that I couldn't connect the dots until they were right in front of me. I really didn't see any of those twists coming, especially the epilogue. Whoa. My least favorite part was the story about Joey, but once I got to the end I realized why she was written to be so annoying. The ending of the book really brought every piece together beautifully.

If you've been reading my reviews or following me for any length of time, you already know I have a big love for Jewell. Once again I found myself falling down the Jewell hole and into this riveting story of bullying, assumptions, secrets, attractions and how things behind closed doors are different from the public front.

Some might think that this is a slower burn of a suspense novel and while I can see that, it doesn't take away from the addictiveness in the read. Most of the time I was completely and utterly baffled as to why this Fitzwilliam was SUCH an attraction to seemingly everyone around him. The instance I read about the flash of torso skin that was seen and it being compared to freshly baked bread, that was it - WHAT?! Haha - but we are all attracted to different things for various reasons and who the hell am I to judge? Clearly he had this magnetism to him that attracted those around him and kudos to him!

Jewell does such a great job in bringing all these different little nuances to the story - the background of each of the characters, their families, how they all intertwine and interact. A character I grew to love is Freddie. At first, I was a bit put off on the whole thing but I knew.. just KNEW.. there was something going on there and when it was brought to light, I felt this wash of understanding and just ended up adoring him. I absolutely appreciate how Jewell worked this into the story line. I also think it was genius putting in a letter towards the end of the novel that really gives the reader an understanding of a particular character.

What did I love about this book? Well, really guys and gals, what DIDN'T I love about this book? Some things were slightly predictable but over all I was getting surprised little by little, which is always nice when reading a thriller.

Add this to your Christmas wish list - it comes out the day after and is a great way to end the year. Take a trip to Melville and tell Joey I said hi.

Solid domestic thriller.
Kind of a slow burn, but once I could keep all of the characters straight, it was interesting to follow each of their storylines and see how they all intersected in the end.
I liked the exploration of good vs. evil vs. caught-in-the-middle. There is at least one definite evil character, but it isn't clear until the very last paragraph just how evil that person is. There are also quite a few characters that do unsavory things--from spying to cheating to skating on a thin line of acceptable behavior. Jewell does an excellent job at looking at those characters' actions and exploring the grey areas of what they do, and then showing those characters' growth over the course of the novel.
I wasn't a particular fan of Joey, I thought by her age she should have had it a bit more together, but as I followed her arc I came to understand more about her and appreciated her development throughout the tale. I thought Freddie was a fascinating guy and looked forward to his scenes.

Lisa Jewell does it again with this fast-paced, high creepy factor psychological suspense that has the reader asking just who has been watching who, and who is/are the real victims?

Tom Fitzwilliam and his family have settled in the upscale community of Melville Heights (Bristol, England). Tom is a headmaster brought in specifically to turn around the local school. Charming, charismatic, and one who always seems to have everything under control, Tom's the sort of man other men want to be like, and women of all ages want to be with. He's a family man, married to wife Nicola with whom he has a teenaged son, Freddie.

Neighbors Jack Mullen (a heart surgeon) & his pregnant wife Rebecca have recently offered Jack's newly-wed sister Joey Mullen, and her husband, Alfie Butter, a place to live until they can get a good place of their own. Adding to the cast of characters are several others: there's a local busybody (of course!), plenty of local women/students interested in Tom, and the afore-mentioned Freddie, who is admittedly a bit weird, spying on and taking pictures of people. But hey, you know what it's like in a town where gossip spreads like wildfire. And there seems to be plenty of gossip surrounding amiable Tom Fitzwilliam; but the reader must decide how much of it, if any of it, is true.

The book opens with DC Rose Pellam conducting a murder investigation in the Fitzwilliam's kitchen. The story is told through third person narrative, except for the transcripts of the police interviews. Ms. Jewell cleverly has several of the characters looking into Tom Fitzwilliam throughout the book for their own purposes, so we get to see this "perfect" man through the eyes of several people. Second job for the reader, figure out who was murdered and why?

As in her past books, Lisa Jewell does a good job of keeping the reader wanting to know more, more, more, so that the pages seem to turn on their own volition. I promise you, you will not see this ending coming!!! Books like Watching You are the reason I keep reading Ms. Jewell. She doesn't disappoint!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for permitting me to read an e-ARC of this entertaining book in exchange for an unbiased review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

There are twenty-seven painted houses in the lovely neighborhood of Melville Heights. Joey Mullen resides in one with her husband, Alfie; they live with Joey's brother Jack and his pregnant wife, Rebecca. Joey is struggling to get her life together after coasting for a while. This attempt isn't helped by the fact that she seems to have developed a crush on her neighbor, Tom Fitzwilliam, who lives two houses down. Tom is a well-known and beloved headmaster, credited for helping several schools improve their outcomes. He lives with his wife and son, Freddie, who closely monitors the neighborhood with his camera and Internet connection. And then there's teenage Jenna Tripp, who attends Tom's school. She's wary of Mr. Fitzwilliam, who seems awfully attached to her friend Bess. It doesn't help that Jenna's mom, who has mental health issues, is convinced Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her. This group of individuals is tied together by Tom Fitzwilliam--and soon by a gruesome murder that will change everyone's lives.

I really enjoy Lisa Jewell's novels and this was another very readable book from her. The chapters are short and quick, with the information flying at us, making you wonder what on earth is going on in Melville and who we can trust. There are a lot of stories going on simultaneously--Jenna, Joey, Freddie, and more--and we can see that they are all loosely related to Tom. So, can we trust him? Is there more to this adored headmaster than meets to the eye? Jewell is highly adept at making you wonder, unable to trust anyone and at keeping you guessing as things slowly unfurl.

The characters in this one were interesting; there are enough of them that you don't get too attached, though I did feel sympathy for poor Jenna, who has a lot to deal with regarding her mother. Mostly, we hurtle along with our group toward their own doom. I worked things out fairly early, but it didn't prevent my enjoyment of this one, as it's very readable and well-done.

Overall, this is an enjoyable, easy read with a puzzling plot and a story that will draw you in from the beginning. 4 stars.

Deliciously thrilling and unpredictable. Imperfectly sympathetic characters. I read it in one sitting.

Watching You by Lisa Jewell is a very highly recommended psychological thriller. Wait for the shocking ending!

As in most neighborhoods, everyone is watching everyone else and they all have secrets. Melville Heights is one of the good neighborhoods in Bristol, England, but that doesn't mean murder can't happen here. We know from the prologue that someone was murdered right from the start - a dead body lies on the kitchen floor at the Fitzwilliam family home - and we know very quickly who the main suspect is as far as the police are concerned. Now let the real fun begin as we are introduced to all the players in this drama and their interconnection to each other as well as the secrets they are trying to hide.

Tom Fitzwilliam is the new head-turning headmaster at the local school. He's charming and loved by everyone - or is he? Joey (Josephine) Mullin and her new husband, Alfie, have just moved back to Bristol. They are living with Jack and Rebecca, her brother and his pregnant wife. Joey quickly becomes infatuated with Tom. Tom's wife, Nicola, ignores her son, worships Tom, and is focused on herself. Tom's son, Freddie, is watching the whole neighborhood and some of the local teenage girls. He likes to keep logs and take photos of what is going on around him. Jenna Tripp and her friend Bess Ridley are two of the girls Freddie is watching. Bess has a crush on Tom, while Jenna is suspicious of him. Jenna's mother, Frances, is stalking Tom and is sure he did something wrong years ago.

This may seem to be a complex tangle of characters, but it was very easy to keep them sorted out as you read. After the prologue, the story then begins, starting three months before and leading up to the murder. Each person has multiple secrets and concerns. The narrative unfolds at an even pace through multiple perspectives and keeps the tension high as each new twist to the multiple story lines unfold. Even when you think you have it figured out, you won't. You will be guessing right up to the unexpected ending and the shocking revelation on the last page.

Watching You is an engrossing and unforgettable psychological thriller. The writing is excellent, as is the development of each character. You may like or dislike them, be understanding or suspicious of them, but you will know each character by the end. And even more importantly, you will be surprised more than once about their secrets.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/12/watching-you.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2625355990
https://www.librarything.com/work/21838949/reviews/163280362
https://twitter.com/SheTreadsSoftly/status/1073273837083656193

I received a copy of "Watching You" from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley! I had heard a lot of good things about Lisa Jewell so I was very excited to read this. I was NOT disappointed! I read this one very fast because I kept wanting to find out what would happen next. I loved the twists and turns with this book and I love that things weren't always what they seemed. I had a lot of ideas as to what all was going to happen and I was surprised in the end and I love that in a suspense/thriller! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre. I will definitely be reading more books by this author!

What do a Headmaster, a student, an awkward teenager, a paranoid/delusional neighbor and a young waitress have in common? Tom Fitzgerald.
Tom Fitzwilliam and his 'perfect' wife and his odd teenage son have had to uproot their lives a number of times. All due in part to Tom's job, currently as a Headmaster of a local private school. Unfortunately for Tom, his past will not remain behind him.
He has curious and admiring neighbors, Joey (who has an intense crush on him) and her husband. He has nosy and paranoid neighbors that watch his home and take pictures, convinced that he is a part of a devious group of people assigned to make the lives of others miserable. He has a wife who he physically abuses (and she him) regularly, and a son who is desperately trying to break free from grasp of them both.
When Tom ends up dead in his kitchen, everyone is questioned, and a surprising connection to the past is made that is closer to home than one would imagine.
Well written and intriguing, you will do you best to figure out the twist in this one.....and it is a doozy!