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!

Wow. I loved every page of this book. Woolsoncroft knows how to build suspense. I was jumping at every little sound I heard while reading. I’ll definitely be triple-checking that my door is locked, and my curtains are going to be pulled tight.

If you love a good suspenseful thriller, you’ll love Night Watcher.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC! Woolsoncroft has a new fan.

Ok. This was a pretty good read! Let's get into the details.

Nola Strate is the host of the long-running radio show, Night Watch, which she took over from her dad. She was the survivor of a terrible event as a young child. She saw her babysitter killed by a creepy man wearing a ghostly white mask. It's been 20 years since, and the killer was never caught. He was presumably dead after so many years. Until now. A frantic phone call to the show and another woman found dead leaves Nola afraid for her life. Her father is also releasing a book about "The Hiding Man" as he was dubbed. The body count rises, and Nola feels that someone is watching her. Is this a copycat or is The Hiding Man back to finish what he started long ago?

I really enjoyed this one. There were moments that I felt true dread and terror. I look forward to more from this author in the future!
This was a 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for graciously providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great debut. The prose was well crafted, the characters were multi-dimensional and dynamic, and the plot was engaging and well-paced.

I am a massive fan of Daphne Woolsoncroft's podcast, Going West. When I heard that she had a debut novel coming out, I knew that I had to get my hands on it. I am so excited that I was able to read it ahead of its release, courtesy of the publisher, Daphne, and NetGalley.

Night Watcher was extremely spooky and was so fun to read! It tells the story of Nola Strate, a radio host who happens to also be the child survivor of a notorious serial killer's attack. Now, The Hiding Man is back to killing, and Nola seems to be an ongoing target. I found the story of this faceless/masked man to be soooo creepy, and I was really compelled to keep reading to discover his identity.

The biggest "complaint" I have about this book is the pacing. Since it is a NetGalley book, I was reading it on my Kindle which can make it difficult to see how long it exactly is. But it felt extremely long. Some parts were extremely compelling and I couldn't put the book down. Other times I felt like the book was dragging and that there was a lot of extra detail and time in between key events that was unnecessary. Overall, the premise was super entertaining and accomplished what I think it set out to - I was creeped out!

This was a page turner. A thriller until the very end. I loved the past and present storylines that came together. I live in Washington so having the story based in Portland was an added bonus and featured some familiar places.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

4.5🌟
Oh my gosh…the beginning of this book was absolutely terrifying! I instantly thought, “What did I get myself into”!?🫣
But not to worry, my fellow scaredy cats. If you can get through the initial shock you’re in for a fantastic read! (Don’t give up!)

Nola is the online host for a popular radio show where callers share their own ghostly sightings. But tonight’s caller will change everything for Nola. This woman is claiming to see the figure of Nola’s 'true life' nightmare. The man who killed her babysitter in front of her all those years ago and was never caught. Can this be possible?

IS HE IS BACK?😱

Can Nola assist in rooting out The Hiding Man before he comes after her and finishing what he started?

Wow! A truly impressive debut.

Daphne Woolsoncroft’s writing felt polished and drew me in immediately. The storyline felt genuinely terrifying at times! The characters were all well developed and I loved Nola’s character as well as her supporting cast.

Here’s the break-down:
Writing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character development ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Storyline ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My only hiccup… I wanted a bit more punch from the ending, but overall it was an excellent debut! And I can’t wait to read her next!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

3.75 rounded up to 4 stars

It wasn't bad, just a little underwhelming. Mostly due to the end and the way it wraps up.

I'm not normally a thriller reader (more the psychological thriller fan) and this one was just creepy enough not to freak me out too much

I wish there had been more podcast elements in it, which is what I was under the impression it was mostly about, but it really was just a minor aspect of the plot.

It was quite a page turner and I did appreciate the alternating perspectives.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this e-ARC

I read many thriller and horror books. Night Watcher was a standout for many reasons. Certain scenes gave me goosebumps and had me watching my back. Daphne Woolsoncroft masterfully added tension throughout the novel. I highly enjoyed this book and will look for more by the author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Daphne Woolsoncroft, and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.

3.75 stars rounded up.

Fast paced? Yes!
Intriguing plot? Yes!
Creepy vibes? Yes!
True crime podcast/radio show? Yes!

This book had a lot of things that I really liked. Short chapters, fast pace, a decent plot that definitely had some creepy moments...most of what I like in a thriller. While reading, it definitely made me not want to be home alone. It's the kind of book that has you listening for sounds outside if you're reading it at night.

My only complaint is that the ending was a little lackluster. I actually had a few different theories and it didn't turn out to be any of them, which was fine. I like being surprised by the ending. But this one was actually a little disappointing. I wanted something more after following the whole story. Overall, a very decent read.