“Nightwatching” is a thriller by Tracy Sierra. What I liked about this book was the tension - a mother is at home with her two children when someone breaks into the house. What I found frustrating, at times, was the back story filling in of information. Some of it, I think, was necessary - such as the relationship with her husband, the relationship between the family members, and the relationship between external family. However, at times, there was too much back and forth between the present and past to the point where I got a bit tired of it all and just wanted to read the present storyline. I’m glad that the twist I thought would arrive didn’t arrive. I think the writing was strong and interesting, so I’d read another book by this author. Overall, a 3.5 star read for me - though I’d recommend it to people - rounded up to 4 stars.

What a book to read on Halloween! I couldn’t put it down and now I can’t sleep. It’s haunting and creepy. Great descriptions throughout the story and it made me feel like I was hiding with the family from the intruder. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"There was someone in the house". When I say that this starts off right away, I mean it. That was the first sentence and it only escalated from there. This was equal parts terrifying and frustrating. A story of sheer terror laced with resilience while also focusing on the world's view of female credibility. There is also a lot of backstory and inner dialogue, so those that want something simple and quick, this may not be for you. However, I absolutely loved it and give it four and a half stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Viking for this ARC.

This is a tense, fast-paced thriller involving the home invasion of a mother and her two children, while also exploring the misogyny in our society as the unnamed mother begins to question her sanity.
The intruder is creepy AF and I didn't quite know where the story was going to go.
Make sure your doors and windows are locked when reading Nightwatching! Recommend!

Wow. This was one freaky ride! I was slightly worried when I read the synopsis that this would end up being a haunted house book, but I need not have worried. This was a page-turningly suspenseful thriller-leaning-towards-horror story that only included the ghosts in people’s minds.

The synopsis is all you’re getting, as the rest gets into the story too much. A newly-widowed mother has just put her children to bed when she hears footsteps in the house. Luckily, this house has a secret hiding space that she is able to get the children into before the intruder finds them. As a blizzard rages outside, they stay hidden, as she tries to keep her young children quiet and calm.

While in the hiding space, the woman (whose name I can’t remember; maybe it was never said?) finds herself thinking about her life, and how she could have ended up in this situation. She’s always been a meek woman who lets people walk all over her. She’s never had the strength to stand up for herself - she can’t even make herself scream. Now her kids need her more than ever. Will she stand up or just take this assault on her home lying down?

The suspense was definitely there, so much so that I almost got annoyed at chapters regarding the past. They were great, but the grit of the story is in this home invasion, and those chapters were riveting. I had no idea where the ending was going, and I was pleasantly surprised by how the entire story played out. I definitely recommend this one curled up under a blanket; it’s cold out there. I’m giving this one 4.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut!

(Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Viking - Pamela Dorman Books, Tracy Sierra and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on February 6, 2024.)

Thanks so much Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley!

A mother is home alone at night with her two children. She hears a noise and knows that someone is in her home. Her phone is somewhere else and the only option is to make it to the hidden place within the home.

This book is sheer terror. I was instantly grabbed from the first page. What I especially loved was that it all started instantly. No back story. You immediately jump in. My heart was beating fast after the first page. I won't give anymore away, but this is a fantastic thriller.

Suffocating, Claustrophobic, Exhilarating and Tense!. Prepare to stay up all night witht this nightmare of a book.

When a woman hears a noise after putting her children to bed she is quick to become alert. She is home alone and a blizzard has blanketed the neighborhood in silence. She is sure there is an intruder and she believes she knows him. She hides herself and her children in a small secret room but the nightmare has just begun!.
Tracy Sierra has done an excellent job keeping the tension tight in a full length story of one long night. I dare you to begin this before you go to sleep ! #NIghtwatching #tracysierra #Penguin

I love thrillers/suspense novels, and am one of those insufferable readers who pride themselves on being able to spot twists coming a mile away. But not this time -- I devoured this book in a single night, and could not put it down simply because I had no idea what was going on or what might be coming next. It was fast-paced and adrenaline-heavy, and once I finished it a little after 2am, I went and slept in the hallway outside of my children's rooms because I knew there was no way I would be able to relax otherwise. Even so, I freaking loved it. This book was absolutely incredible from start to finish!

I LOVED this book. It more than delivers on the promise of the premise. Thrilling, anxiety inducing and thought provoking all at once. Highly recommend.

Wow. This book started off like any mother's nightmare: "There was someone in the house." And it just went from there. It's not just a propulsive read to try to find out what happens, it's also a powerful tale of women and credibility. Definitely recommend.

Wow! There were a few different ways this heart-pounding novel could have gone, a few different ways I THOUGHT it would go, but in the end I was just along for the ride. A frightened mother looks down the hall late one night to see a menacing figure. Terrified, she manages to hide herself and her two children, but the real trouble is only beginning.

There is no slow part. Nightwatching starts with a middle of the night break in. A frightened mother barely has time to hide her young children and herself. She struggles to keep them quiet and calm while the intruder searches the house and shouts out threats. The suspense kept me reading well past my bedtime.

How far would you go to protect your children? A woman is alone in her home with her children during a blizzard when she hears the sound of someone coming up the stairs. Panicked, she and her children take cover inside a small hidden room. There, they listen as the man cajoles, threatens, and tries to find them. This novel is literally my worst nightmare, creepy as hell