I was able to read a finished copy of this one and I think it's the better of a stack of popcorn thrillers that I had read during January. I enjoyed it and starting to thing 2025 is the popcorn thriller era!

"Sometimes the world is out to get you."
We Are Watching by Alison Gaylin is a gripping tale of psychological suspense. Magnolia Lerner Russo (Meg) and her daughter Lily have been left to pick up the pieces after the tragic death of her husband Justin. On a road trip to bring Lily to college, they were in a car accident after an altercation on the road with some men in another vehicle. Now four months later disturbing events start happening. Weird posts on social media, strange people watching their every move and then there is that severed finger in the bookstore. For years Meg's father Nathan has been saying that people are out to get them, and it seems dear old dad might be right.
I absolutely loved this book! Fast paced and well-written I was immediately drawn in. Gaylin expertly blends paranoia, suspense, grief and conspiracy theories into a tension filled deep dive into extremism and misinformation. The plot felt all too eerie especially considering the real world implications. Anyone looking for a thriller with a gripping plot and a sharp insight on the world today give this a try!
Thank you to NetGalley, Alison Gaylin, and William Morrow for this ARC. Released on January 28th 2025.

📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

We Are Watching By Alison Gaylin
Publication Date: January 28, 2025
Publisher: William Morrow

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Just the title of We Are Watching was enough to give off creepy AF vibes and immediately put this book on my TBR list. This latest suspense thriller from Alison Gaylin is a story filled with so many conspiracy theories and so much paranoia, it would probably make even the most committed preppers a little concerned. An underlying sense of fear permeates this book and had me obsessed from the first chapter.

I'd heard a ton of good reviews about this book and I was really excited when my wish for it was unexpectedly granted on NetGalley this week. On a whim, I started reading in the early morning hours on a wintry Saturday morning....And the next thing I knew, it was 10 am and I was turning the last page.

Essentially, this book is about a family that becomes the diabolical target of a bunch of radical conspiracy theorists. That's basically all you need to know to get a jist of this one, but if you want to read the full synopsis, feel free.

This book was an incredibly quick read for me. Most likely because my heart was racing and there's a palpable feeling of the eyes of crazy back-road hillbilly naysayers being on these main characters throughout the entire book. And when I say crazy, I mean downright CRAY-CRAY. (No offense meant to the non-crazy back-road hillbilly naysayers out there). 😉

Tensions were high as I read this diabolically wild book, as it seemed the characters' paranoia became more and more justified with every page I turned. I figured out that one of the trusted inner circle was involved with the conspiracists somehow, but who cares -- I loved every step of the breadcrumb trail that led me to that certainty. And that ending?! No spoilers here -- but it left a chilling shiver down the back of my neck.

In my opinion, this book felt like an incredibly timely publication, intentional or not, as it seemed a brilliant satire-like commentary about some of the present-day happenings within our country. If that wasn't Gaylin's intent, then perhaps we have our own little Prophesy happening here. #IYKYK

A fantastic and thoroughly heart-pounding read, I highly recommend picking this one up if you're looking for an intelligent suspense thriller for your next book. Give me more Alison Gaylin!

#WeAreWatching #AlisonGaylin #WilliamMorrow #ARC #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #bookreviews #bookrecs #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #mustreads #conspiracythrillers

Some books take a while to pull you in—this wasn’t one of them. At its core, this is a story about fear—both the personal kind that lingers after loss and the more insidious kind that fuels conspiracy theories and paranoia. What made it even more compelling was Meg and Lily’s relationship. Their bond felt raw and real, grounding the story in something deeply human even as the suspense ramped up.

What really got me was how effortlessly Gaylin wove together personal grief, family secrets, and the terrifying power of conspiracy theories. The mystery behind why these extremists were so obsessed with Meg’s old novel had me hooked.

Beyond the twists, though, this book stuck with me because of how scarily plausible it all felt. It’s not just a thriller—it’s a sharp look at the way misinformation spreads, how people latch onto fear, and the devastating consequences when fiction becomes something more dangerous.

This was insane! Fans of conspiracy theories, rejoice. Y’all will absolutely love this. Kept my attention start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley & William Morrow for the chance to read this book.

Honestly if someone would have told me the plot of this book beforehand I most likely would have skipped it and been like "ehh, personally not my thing", But thankfully I did not and I am very stubborn, I rarely give up on a book and I am so glad I didn't! This was a WILD WILD ride, a great fast paced read, I could not put this book down. I finished it in one sitting and enjoyed all the crazy twists and turns in this story! Someone this story, as far fetched as it was had me hooked from the beginning! I am not surprised that I loved this author's book, She happens to be one of my favorites and One I have been wanting to read more from for a while now! So it's a 5 star read for me!

This story was unlike any I’ve ever read. If you’re looking for conspiracy and craziness, this is the book for you!

A single Mom, Meg and her daughter, Lily become the targets of evil and crazy people who think they will cause the world to end. It’s starts with the family taking a trip to drop her daughter off at college, tragically a car causes them to have a fatal accident. The father is killed and the wife and daughter are left picking up the pieces. Scary things begin to happen and suddenly, Meg realizes that the things her old rockstar Dad has been saying for years makes sense.

Full of action, perfectly placed incidents and words – this story was original. I’ve never read a conspiracy thriller like this one. Well written and fast paced, I enjoyed this story! A 4️⃣⭐️ read❗️

A thriller that delves into social media, conspiracy theories, and a deep hatred for those believed to be evil. We open with Meg and Justin driving their daughter Lily to college. They are driven off the road by skinheads and Justin dies in the accident. Months later, Med is recovered enough to reopen her bookstore but things dissolve into chaos as it becomes apparent that there are people who are trying to harm her and her daughter and father. She must not only discover who or what is behind the attacks but also keep her father and daughter safe from a never ending list of people who seem to be in on the conpiracy. While this was a far-fetched real-world situation, in a world run by social media and misinformation, it's not completely implausible that such a dark conspiracy theory could exist.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. I find myself often being more focused on plot and progress, rather than my emotional connection to the characters, but in this story they really gripped me. The pacing of this story was really well done, too. I felt like each chapter, each new twist/occurrence just heightened the tension even more. I had no real idea of what to expect or where we were going, but I enjoyed the wild ride! I think that this will be a hit with our patrons at my branch.

wow that was wild and really interesting! would definitely recommend. very conspiracy theory themed and some very effective stuff. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview We Are Watching.
I was thrilled to get this ARC and not disappointed. This novel centers on a family that has been living in turmoil for many years. Nathan an old man lives in solitary isolation. He was once a bit of a rock star but that’s in the past. His surviving daughter rarely speaks to him. Nathan rail’s conspiracy theories. People are out to get him and they have been for years. But Meg his daughter does not believe or subscribe to his stories of being watched and tormented.
But a single incident changes Megs existence and soon everything and everyone is not what they appear to be.
People are watching and maybe her father is not so crazy. Maybe he’s right
Very good novel. 4 stars

What a wild ride, pun intended. I did not know where this was going, and for awhile, thought the old man was insane. Each chapter I feel like something new was unraveling as we got closer to the ending. I was very engaged throughout reading this.

A compelling if improbable thriller about a family who is targeted by Qanon-style cultists through three generations. When Meg's husband is killed in a bizarre car accident on their way to take their daughter Lily to college, Meg's father is sure it's not an accident. Meg is used to her father's paranoid delusions about people being after them and is just trying to get through the day to day, when more and more unsettling incidents start taking place. Likeable characters with complex relationships and an interesting setting make this thriller - at times the plot stretches it a bit, but it makes up for it by being a fun and relevant premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC.

Conspiracy theorists, untrustworthy characters, and utter chaos. That's what this book was. I thought this book had good pacing, I was intrigued and invested throughout, and actually felt that the ending wrapped things up nicely.

Is it really paranoia if people really are out to get you? An innocent family is in for nightmares galore in this new book by the author of The Collective.

Wow was this book TENSE. And I mean that in the best way possible. Disturbingly realistic in its scares and storytelling because in today’s world I absolutely can see people believing such outlandish and crazy ideas about a family.

Pretty sure this will be one of my top thrillers if not reads for the whole year.

*Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book started of running and didn’t stop until the very last page! This is a great example of what could happen if a conspiracy theory goes too far. I found this book to be fast paced and the characters to be well-written. I honestly did not see any of the twists coming! I’m giving this one 4 stars because of the ending, as I was hoping to see more explanation as to what happens “after”. However, that could definitely be unique to who I am as a reader and what I hope to see in novels, as I thought this book was well crafted on the whole. Definitely recommend giving this one a read!

4.5 stars
We Are Watching, by Alison Gaylin, is a riveting dark psychological thriller by the gifted author of “The Collective,” and other award-winning books.
In this tale, Justin and Meg are driving their daughter Lily to college, when they are accosted by a car full of menacing young men looking for trouble. An accident occurs, and months later, Meg is grieving, her family changed forever. Then she realizes she is being stalked by members of a dark cabal, acting out their doomsday conspiracy theories.
The story in this highly readable novel is intense and disturbing. There are touches of horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction woven into the intriguing premise of this plot as it propels the story, with overtones of dread and excitement, hurtling toward the final crisis.
Gaylin’s prose is so intelligent and readable, with each word chosen carefully for impact and context. Meg’s character is full of humanity and investment in her family, adding a special layer to this fine story.
I highly recommend this to readers who like strong suspense with layers of speculative intrigue, intense drama, and an unexpected ending!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

We Are Watching centers around a dangerous conspiracy theory, fueled by the internet, and how it connects back to the main character’s family.
While the suspense kept me turning the pages, the ending felt incomplete and maybe a little too unbelievable? Grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy.

3.5⭐️ this book was definitely different. Unique, there were a few moments that I wasn't sure which direction we were going but we got there! I enjoyed the characters- Meg, her daughter Lily and her father Nathan. Meg's husband Justin died in a car accident on the way to drop Lily off at college. A trio of skinheads taunted Meg and caused her to crash. Fast forward about a month- Meg and her daughter are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives when Meg notices strange people hanging around. It seems no one can be trusted these days.

I enjoyed the story, I definitely would have liked a little more character development for as deep of a plot as this was. The setting was great, atmospheric and fun. I love a good cold, dreary setting in the winter! The pace was medium- enough suspense to keep the pages turning but slow in parts. The ending was good. I liked how the author wrapped up the story and left an afterthought there at the end. I would definitely read more from this author! Thank you@netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for a copy of this title. All my reviews are unbiased.

3.5 stars.

✨I really enjoyed the fast pace of this book and the plot that was centered around a conspiracy theory cult. What I struggled with was the plausibility of the narrative. I think it just required too much suspension of belief for this reader.

✨ With that said, it was an entertaining read, and I did enjoy it. I was on the edge of my seat for sure.