Woolsoncroft’s debut is polished and well-crafted, pulling you right into the mystery from the start. I found myself on edge, constantly eager to uncover the killer’s identity. The book is straightforward—no convoluted subplots or major twists, just a bit of misdirection—but it doesn’t need anything extra to keep you hooked. The story is engaging, and the ending feels both logical and satisfying. The characters are well-developed, and the serial killer is genuinely chilling. This would make an excellent movie. Overall, it’s a simple yet compelling mystery that’s a pleasure to read

Before you dive into Night Watcher, I must offer a word of caution: do not read this book alone at night in the comfort of your home. It delivers some of the most chilling vibes I have ever encountered in literature. The story follows Nola, who witnessed her babysitter's murder at the hands of a masked man when she was just eight years old. This man was a serial killer that instilled fear in a small region of Oregon. Fast forward to the present, and Nola has stepped into her father's shoes, hosting the radio podcast Night Watcher. When a woman calls in with a terrifying tale and is later found murdered, the question arises: is the notorious Hiding Man, the serial killer, back in action? Prepare for numerous twists and an abundance of terror! I rate this captivating read 4 stars!

A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the advance reader's copy.

This was a solid, good serial killer book. Woolsoncroft’s writing in her debut thriller is solid, polished, and well done. She immediately draws you into the mystery of the story and keeps you turning pages. Throughout the entire I book, I was so anxious to know who the killer was. This was an easy, straightforward read. There weren’t any crazy subplots, and there really wasn’t a twist, a little misdirection, but no major plot twist. And honestly, the book doesn’t suffer at all from that. The story is engaging and the conclusion is reasonable and believable. I could honestly see this being made into an excellent movie. The characters were well written, and the serial killer at the center of this story was creepy as fuck. Overall, this was a simple, solid mystery that was easy and enjoyable to read! A great debut!

Daphne is the host of Going West podcast, and I'm a huge fan and have been listening for years! When I heard she had a book coming out, I had to get it, and I was lucky enough to get an ARC!
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Daphne didn't disappoint in her debut novel which follows radio host Lola, who is being stalked by a serial killer whose face she saw 20 plus years ago when he murdered her babysitter. This was fun, fast-paced, and hella creepy, and I was here for it! Do not read at night, you will get the heebie jeebies! 5 stars from me, and definitely check it out when it's released in July!
#arc #netgalley #bookreviewer
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@daphne.woolsoncroft @goingwestpodcast

thank you NetGalley!

Nightwatcher seemed like a very interesting thriller to me, with an addictive pace. The story never slows down—honestly, the author really nailed it with this one, managing to keep the suspense going right until the end.
The only criticism I have is about the ending; I felt everything was resolved too quickly, and it was quite unrealistic compared to the rest of the story.

I expected more, but even so, I think it’s a good book—perfect for when you’re stuck with heavier reads, because it’s very light and also quite scary, so I recommend reading it during the day.

I love true crime and all things spooky pod casts so I was excited about this book. I was totally glued and couldn't put it down. I loved the whole serial killer back on the lose vibe but the ending for me was a little let down. It kind of got prectable at the end but I still liked the book.

I should preface this by saying this is not my normal genre but the summary sucked me in! I will admit I had a few moments where I was pretty creeped out and I definitely couldn't read it at night, but when I felt brave enough to read I was super into it.

The story is about Nola, a podcast host who witnessed a serial killer murder her babysitter when she was a child. She spends her life terrified "The Hiding Man" is going to come back to find her some day. Fast forward to her as an adult when strange things start happening to her and suddenly it seems The Hiding Man could truly be back at it.

I did feel the podcast piece of it was a bit of a missed opportunity - I felt like that could have been incorporated more throughout the story instead of just a short part of the beginning. Outside of that I was definitely hooked and enjoyed this story!

Daphne Woolsoncroft does a fantastic job in writing this type of book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. It had that suspenseful feel that I was looking for and enjoyed in this type of plot. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and how they were told in this. I enjoyed the idea of a radio host and that it was used in this storyline.

Oh man was this was a challenge to read, it was honestly a bit all over the place and felt disjointed at times. I did not dislike the book necessarily but it was also not one of my favorites.

I was drawn to this book as I am a true crime podcast junkie and have been listening to Daphne Woolsoncroft’s podcast, Going West, with her partner, Heath Merryman. I also listened to and LOVED her fictional podcast of a similar name, Night Watch, so once I got wind of this piece of work, I knew I HAD to read it and boy am I so glad that I did!

This book follows Nola, a radio show host who has a history with an elusive serial killer, who gets a chilling call into her radio show from a woman who appears to be the victim of a horrific crime. Nola starts to feel like someone is watching her. The story of her experience with a serial killer comes to light and she is determined to figure out who is behind this and put an end to the reign of terror.

This book had me hooked and I read it in 2.5 days! It was fast paced, captivating, had short chapters and took place in rainy Oregon which really set the tone for the story. I was bummed when it was over and cannot wait to read more by this author!

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My literal worst nightmare in a book. Picture the movie, The Strangers’s spooky mask meets an episode of Criminal Minds. I loved it all EXCEPT the name of the masked man. You have this great premise: a radio talk show (one of which I’d DEFINITELY be a listener of) mixed with a killer on the loose. Title is exceptional - Night Watcher. So why not name the masked killer that? Night Watcher? Nope. You decide to name him THE HIDING MAN. It really made what could’ve been scary beyond all else seem laughable.

NetGalley & Grand Central - many thanks for the ARC.

This book is a captivating and immersive read from start to finish. The writing is engaging, the pacing well-balanced, and the characters are richly developed with relatable emotions and motivations. The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader hooked, offering just the right mix of tension, heart, and thought-provoking themes.

Well, that was a chilling, suspenseful book that isn’t set to be published until July 8th, but today, on April 1st, I very desperately want to see made into a movie.

As a child, Nola Strate’s babysitter is murdered in her home while babysitting her. It is later found out that the murderer is a serial killer who will become known as ‘The Hiding Man’ due to the mask that covers his face and the fact that he stalks his victims before murdering them. Nola comes face to mask with the man, but he leaves her unharmed and with an eery message left behind for her. She spends the rest of her life hiding in plain sight, trying to leave this terrifying incident from the past behind her. But one night, a scary and eerily reminiscent phone call comes into the late night radio show she runs. It seems that after many years of silence, The Hiding Man is back, and Nola fears he will be fulfilling the promise of the message he left for her so long ago.

This was an extremely easy read with no twists or crazy subplots. It was simply a solid mystery/suspense with an engaging story and a reasonable conclusion. I could fully picture The Hiding Man’s mask and felt Nola’s terror at the description of this faceless killer. This would make a fantastic movie and I’d be first in line to buy a ticket if it was ever made into one. In the meantime, I’m so happy I had the opportunity to read this book.

With thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Daphne Woolsoncroft for the opportunity to preview this fantastic book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightfully fun serial killer mystery! I was hooked from the beginning, and found myself doubting many of the characters as the story went on. I loved her relationship with her father and their creepy radio show as well as the way the relationships developed with her friends and co-hosts on the radio show.

I appreciated how smart the plot was and how many of the aspects fit together. The ending was satisfying as well as surprising! Normally the way the killer was found out could be seen as anticlimactic but I thought it was realistic and painted a clear picture into the ethos of the serial killer. I was creeped out in the best way and will definitely be recommending to friends and my BookTok community!

Good book! Keep me wanting to keep reading! My first by this author and i will read more !! Highly recommend this author !!

I found Night Watcher to be an excellent thriller read that included tropes such as crime podcasts, family secrets, and a serial killer. There were parts of this read where I found myself to be highly jumpy; yes, I'm a scaredy cat, but I absolutely loved the read and would highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. This is a fine novel with a couple of good twists. This was a book that I enjoyed and would recommend other to read. I found that I was engaged in the story and wanted to keep reading it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

**Book Review: *Night Watcher* by Daphne Woolsoncroft**

Daphne Woolsoncroft’s debut thriller, *Night Watcher*, is a gripping and chilling read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. As a true crime podcast host turned author, Woolsoncroft expertly weaves a compelling mystery filled with twists, suspense, and a well-crafted storyline that never feels overdone.

One of the aspects I appreciated most about *Night Watcher* was how engaging the mystery was. Throughout the book, I found myself constantly guessing the identity of *The Hiding Man*, only to be pleasantly surprised by the big reveal. It was refreshing that the culprit wasn’t someone completely out of left field but rather a character subtly woven into the story—a testament to Woolsoncroft’s strong plotting skills.

The pacing of the novel was just right, striking a perfect balance between action and character development. Unlike some thrillers that drag with unnecessary filler, *Night Watcher* remained concise and purposeful, ensuring that every subplot contributed meaningfully to the overarching mystery. The intertwining stories within the narrative all came together seamlessly, adding depth without causing confusion.

If there was one minor drawback, it would be that Nola, the main character, takes the investigation into her own hands in a way that stretches believability at times. However, it didn’t become excessive or disrupt the flow of the story, and I was still fully invested in seeing how everything unfolded.

Overall, *Night Watcher* is an impressive first novel from Daphne Woolsoncroft, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. A huge thank you to Daphne Woolsoncroft, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an advanced reader copy (ARC). *Night Watcher* is set to be published on July 8, 2025. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was FUN and I don't often gravitate towards thrillers much these days but this book had me on the edge of my seat. I kept anticipating the next bad thing and there were moments that just felt so realistically terrifying and eerie. The characters were well developed and the plot was spot on and had everything I enjoy in a thriller.

First thoughts/early bird review
I'll be back to shine this up!

Nola witnessed the murder of her childhood babysitter by the infamous serial killer, The Hiding Man, leaving a traumatic imprint on her adult life. Now, as an adult, she's taken over for her father’s late night call-in radio show featuring supernatural/paranormal experiences. One evening a call comes in that’s eerily similar to the murders that haunted Portland and touched Nola’s life.

Nola has a sense that she’s being watched and as the killings increase, her investigation hones in on someone close to her; as she follows the bread crumbs of the victims lives and those closest to her, it’s clear that The Hiding Man is watching, too.

I loved the growing tension in this story; Nola makes a fantastic MC and the supporting characters did not disappoint.
Tense and atmospheric, this is a page turning chilling thriller.

My thanks to HTP books for this gifted DRC! I’m excited to read more by this author!