Five random people are chosen to compete on a live-streamed game show. The winner walks away with a life changing $10 million. The losers will be lucky to just walk away. There are no rules!
This was a gripping and clever thriller. Each characters’ personality was well developed, allowing the reader to cheer for some contestants while jeering at others.
Who will win?
◆The mother with the sick child?
◆The politician?
◆The Hollywood executive?
◆The attorney?
◆The psychiatrist?
All players came into the show with secrets. All will leave exposed and changed forever.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for this e-arc.*

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 3/26/24!

Overall I enjoyed this one! The concept was quite interesting and almost blurs the lines between reality show and a dark web trope. Told from several POVs, I found the characters to be well-developed as they learned about each other as well as their respective pasts. I did find the ending to fall a bit flat, but it did not significantly detract from my overall reading experience or thoughts towards this book. Would recommend picking this one up if you are a fan of Squid Game or looking for a new thriller trope! I would recommend reading any relevant trigger warnings prior to reading this novel.

This is my second time reading Heather Gudenkauf and I must say I am quite the fan of her writing style. With multiple point of views, we follow a twisted reality game show that reveals hidden secrets about each contestant and discover the real reason why each person was chosen to compete.

Right from the start I was hooked, while I was able to piece together some mysteries before they were revealed , overall I was just along for the ride. I enjoyed each of the character's point of views. I appreciated that most of the characters landed in that morally gray area. Where you could relate to their decision-making even the less than morally ones.

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is an entertaining mystery thriller with morally gray characters, a deadly cut-throat game show, secrets, and doing what ever it takes to win.

Thanks so much Netgalley and Heather Gudenkauf for the ARC copy of Everyone Is Watching. This was such a fantastic read! Let me break down some of the pros and cons for it.

Pros:
Fantastic concept! I loved the idea of the reality TV show thriller. It was really unique and a lot of fun.

Multiple POVs - I really liked that we got to get into several characters heads with the use of several POVs. I found myself wondering the whole time who (if anyone) was lying.

Flashbacks - I love when details of a story are revealed to us in small pieces with memories of the past. It was really engaging!

Cons:
Pacing at the start. The beginning of the book was a bit slow to grab my attention. It was fortunately not long into the read before that completely changed and I was HOOKED.

Everyone Is Watching was an incredible read. It had a fun concept and was entertaining. This was an easy 4.5 star read for me that I'd highly recommend to anyone who loves thrillers.

This was a great thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. The twists and turns were great. The characters were unlikable at best and that adds to the story. I really enjoyed this book. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Everyone is Watching is the perfect tasty thriller you did not know you needed in your life. I picked this up on Friday night, thinking oh, this sounds very interesting, and it probably is a quick read. If it is a good thriller, you will devour it as it is meant to keep you on your toes and guessing what will happen next. I was right; I was on the edge of my seat, turning my Kindle pages as fast as possible to see what would happen next to this seemingly random group of contestants. Or are they so random? All we know is they are battling it out for ten million dollars, and they all have reasons for wanting the money. Who will be the lucky winner?

This was definitely a fun and entertaining one! I’ve been a fan of Heather’s books for a while and Everyone is Watching did not disappoint. I love her writing and getting to know her characters and I enjoyed the twists in this one!

Everyone Is Watching is Heather Gudenkauf’s newest thriller and she has hit this one out of the park!! Buckle up and hold on very tight, you are in for one very bumpy ride!! This is a well written, fast paced story with some very intense competition. A highly entertaining thriller filled with drama, revenge, mystery and so many secrets. It is told in multiple perspectives that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The characters, well you will not like them, but you will….you shouldn’t but you will! A very compelling page turner that is highly addictive. I recommend you read this one or any of Heather Gudenkauf’s books, she does not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and Heather Gudenkauf for this twisted story to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #harlequintradepublishing. #parkrow
#everyoneiswatching. #thriller #arc

3.5 stars

I admit that I was intrigued by the locked room mystery aspect of this story at first glance. (though the contestants can leave at any time.)

Five contestants are competing in a live streamed reality show for 10 million dollars. The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive. Everyone has a reason for wanting the money...and everyone has secrets that they want to keep hidden.

The more I got into this story the more I enjoyed it. The competitions that these players have to go through are dangerous and intense. I enjoyed the contestant's backstory and learning how some of them were connected. It's very twisty and fast paced in the second half leading to a shocking revelation. A very enjoyable popcorn thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love a book with a reality show premise and boy is this one a twist!
These people are desperate for money (or just for winning, depending on the character) and this is not your average show!
Streamed live, the contestants are pushed to compete in deadly competitions and to test exactly what extremes they'd go to in order to beat the others for the money.
Twists abound and I couldn't put this down as zi tried to see what these characters would do next, what fueled the director and host, why exactly they were all chosen...
What a ride!

I have been a fan of Heather Gudenkauf's suspense books for many years. Her latest book Everyone Is Watching has a different feel to it as the author delves into the world of reality television with a story filled with secrets and grudges.

What would you do for $10 million?

One Lucky Winner is a reality TV show, set at a luxurious Californian estate that has five competitors, each given nicknames for the show - the Confidante, The Senator, The Boyfriend, The Best Friend and The Exec. They compete in a series of intense, potentially deadly and outrageous challenges that will test them mentally, physically and psychologically.

Readers get POVs from the five competitors and the TV assistant who is keeping the show running, doing all she can to ensure that each episode goes viral. Everyone is hiding something and tension increases with the harrowing competitions and as Gudenkauf reveals the characters' secrets, backstories, motivations and how everything is connected. The pacing and tension kept me turning the pages - the only thing that gave me pause was the ending that didn't sit well with me.

With its locked room vibe and luxurious setting, this is Big Brother at a whole new level. While on the outrageous side, it is an original take on the thriller genre that also explores secrets, deceptions, long-held grudges and a reminder that you cannot outrun your past.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the digital advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

Updated:

Link to Blog Tour

https://wendyreadsandwrites.blogspot.com/2024/03/blog-tour-everyone-is-watching-novel-by.html

Excerpt of this book will be posted on my blog, as part of the Book Tour I was invited to participate.
Pub Date: March 26th, 2024

Everyone is Watching was the reality tv show suspense-thriller that I didn’t know I needed. The premise was unique & relevant to contemporary pop culture, and it was paced excellently. As always, Heather Gudenkauf seamlessly weaves together multiple narratives and POVS, bringing it all together for the final “ah-ha” moment.

I love that, all at once, Everyone is Watching demonstrates voyeurism and the depth of the human condition. What would these characters, seemingly from all walks of life, do for $10 million dollars? Would they lie, cheat, steal? Would they kill? Everyone is Watching sets the stage for this exploration and I thought it was extremely entertaining and clever.

I was fond of the “nicknames” assigned to the book’s characters (the best friend, the attorney, the assistant, etc) but felt like I would have enjoyed a deeper look into some of our main cast. I think that, while they were aptly labeled, the depth of the characters was surface-level and was a little incongruous to the novel’s exploration of the human condition. Ultimately though, I really enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to read more by Gudenkauf in the future.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing with an electronic advanced copy of Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.

Heather Gudenkauf's EVERYONE IS WATCHING sounds like every reality competition show lover's dream. Five contestants are flown out to an Italian style villa in Napa, each contestant carries an incriminating secret and the tea shall be spilled through the course of the show - all for a hefty $10 million cash prize. This is a quick and propelling mystery, very reminiscent of SQUID GAME or THE TRAITORS. It's packed with reveals and killer challenges that will have you questioning the motives of all of the contestants, the host and production and how they're connected.

While this book was easily digestible, I did think we could've flushed out the POV's of everyone a little more. I felt like it was a relatively simple mystery and all of the connections were rather convenient and shallow. I would've like more of a deep dive and even more challenges if you ask me. I also predicted the ending, but it's such a fast read that you'll get through it before you know it. Almost leaning towards a 2.75 stars, but 3 stars is sufficient. Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the ARC!

This one was fun and the twists kept coming! A locked room mystery within the context of a reality competition with multiple POVs and flashbacks. Revenge. Secrets. Ten million dollars on the line. All the things. This was a fast-paced, exciting thriller that I would definitely recommend. Publishes 3/26.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC!

4 stars!! Survivor Reality TV meets locked-room mystery! In an age where everything can be done thru your phone, a thriller novel was the last thing I expected! The twists and turns were fabulous and each character blended into one another perfectly! The chapters were expertly written and kept you on the edge of your seat! I can’t wait for this to hit shelves March 26th!

Thank you to the publisher, Park Row, the author, Heather Gudenkauf, and Netgalley for the advance copy of this novel!

A fun, locked room thriller that manages to add an original element via a reality TV show where anyone can watch what’s going on at any time. The revelations aren’t shocking, but this book is nonetheless very entertaining.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This page-turning thriller combines reality tv competitions and locked room mysteries, and when you take into account Gudenkauf's characters and rich writing, this is a must read.

Fun, interesting, fast-paced, great writing- fantastic.

Sorry the hive but this one was not for me. It felt like a weird attempt at clue and inheritance games but too many character and just a funky weird concept. Couldn’t get into this one. DNF at 25%

Book: Everyone is Watching
Author: Heather Gudenkauf
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Park Row, for providing me with an ARC of Heather Gudenkauf's latest release, "Everyone is Watching." Having previously delved into the author's work, I approached this novel with eager anticipation, and I'm delighted to report that it exceeded my expectations. Gudenkauf has crafted a gripping narrative that seamlessly blends everyday individuals with perilous circumstances, delivering a compelling locked-door thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

At the heart of the story lies "One Lucky Winner," a groundbreaking game show where contestants vie for a jaw-dropping prize of ten million dollars. Isolated from the outside world, participants find themselves thrust into a relentless series of challenges, their every move broadcasted globally. Yet, as the competition intensifies, it becomes clear that there's more at stake than just monetary gain. Each contestant harbors secrets and motivations, driving them to desperate measures, with vengeance simmering beneath the surface.

The allure of this book lies in its ability to deliver on its promise of high stakes. Gudenkauf masterfully escalates the tension with each turn of the page, drawing readers into a world where danger lurks around every corner. Through skillful storytelling, she immerses us in the competition, presenting a diverse cast of characters whose fates we can't help but become invested in. As the challenges grow increasingly perilous, the line between victory and tragedy blurs, leaving us anxiously rooting for our favorites while fearing for their safety.

What truly sets this novel apart is Gudenkauf's adept characterization. Each contestant is meticulously fleshed out, their backstories and motivations intricately woven into the fabric of the narrative. From heart-wrenching struggles to self-serving ambitions, we're given a glimpse into the human complexities that drive their decisions. By offering a glimpse into their inner worlds, Gudenkauf fosters a deep connection between readers and characters, ensuring that their triumphs and tribulations resonate long after the final page is turned.

Gudenkauf's writing is nothing short of captivating, drawing us into a world where deceit and desperation reign supreme. With every twist and revelation, she keeps us guessing, skillfully maneuvering through the labyrinth of secrets and lies. While the characters may withhold information, it only serves to heighten the suspense, keeping us eagerly anticipating each new revelation.

In "Everyone is Watching," Heather Gudenkauf has crafted a pulse-pounding thriller that delivers on its promises and then some. With its gripping narrative, well-drawn characters, and relentless pacing, this novel is sure to captivate readers from start to finish. Prepare to be ensnared in a web of intrigue and suspense as you join the contestants in their quest for glory and survival.

This book comes out on March 26, 2024.

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