Thank you so much NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing!

5 ⭐️

Okay I loved this book! I started reading this late at night in silence with one light and I was immediately spooked. 👀 It started out with a creepy scene and from there it was suspenseful the rest of the way through! It read so easily and like a movie playing in my head. I LOVE when books are able to do that. The entire story I was seriously wondering WHO could this killer be?! A lot of suspicions about which character it was. I enjoyed the rainy and gloomy setting in Portland, Oregon to add to the creep factor. Please run to read this! 👻⛈️🔪

Great premise for a thriller but only average execution of the story. The beginning of the book moved well and the original crime was compelling. However, the main body of the book churned and churned without really pulling me into the story. There were also some elements that just didn't make any sense and seemed unnecessary .The ending was somewhat satisfying and redeemed the book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A masterful debut! It’s clear the author pulled from her own family experiences and research as a true-crime podcaster to craft this frightening tale that masterfully mixes horror and crime drama.

4.5 stars! I love scary movies and this was the first book I read where it felt like I was actually watching a scary movie. It had all the elements I love - suspense, creepiness, and a well established plot. It was spooky and well thought out. I loved that it strayed away from the typical thriller tropes and the characters felt so much more realistic than those in your typical thrillers.

Okay.. phenomenal?!!!

Thriller with horror and podcast elements.. winning combination.

If you LOVED tell me what you did then please give this a try..

Also read it at night time if you want to be extra creeped out 😏😏

I love a book that can get under my skin in an eery manner and this absolutely did.

Main character - very likable and also a radio host who listens to hauntings.. honestly do I need to say more this book writes itself 😂 She had a run in with a serial killer as a child and she is started to get the vibes she’s being watched.. eek

This is where I tell you to put your phone down and go read it.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Daphne Woolsoncroft for the #netgalley #gifted copy!

Holy CRAP!!!! This was such a thrilling read!!!! I read this book in one sitting because, I HAD to know the ending!
This was also the first time, in a long time, that a book literally gave me the creepy feeling. Every sound I heard around the house, while reading, made me jump, lol. I loved it!!!

Unfortunately, my only response will be to read it for yourself. My thoughts, I was excited to read this. It was my first book by this author. It was average from start to finish. I don’t want to give any details about the book away to explain what I did or didn’t like.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an audio/eArc in exchange for my honest thoughts. This book was a lot of fun! Fun in the creeped out, constantly looking over your shoulder, is the hiding man watching ME kind of way. I am a sucker for books featuring podcasts/talkshows so this was a shoe in for me. I enjoyed Nola as a character and Harvey was such a sweet character. We follow Nola who watched her babysitter be murdered by their towns infamous serial killer as a kid. Her dad also runs a local radio show talking about paranormal/ghost stories/etc. 20 year later the Hiding man seems to have returned and stuff gets creepy from there. I very much enjoyed this cast of characters, there wasn't anyone who i felt like was just making stupid choices to move the story along. All the characters felt believable to me. The plot while not super original was unique enough in it's own way to have fun while listening.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of Night Watcher in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. I went in expecting a gripping mystery blended with a chilling atmosphere, but I found the story ultimately underwhelming. While the premise was intriguing and the writing easy to read, the tension and sense of fear weren’t strong enough to carry the book on their own. The resolution, in particular, left me feeling disconnected, as the mystery didn’t feel as integrated into the rest of the narrative as I’d hoped.

Overall, this fell a bit flat for me in terms of both thrills and suspense.

Thank you, #Partner @grandcentralpub for my #gifted (free) copy. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I made a huge mistake of starting this book while my husband was working late and I was home alone at night. OMG, I was scared sh*tless!!! This was a great debut from #daphnewoolsoncroft, who is a host on @goingwestpodcast, and she made this book seem so real and chilling. I will definitely be reading more from her!

When Nola Strate was 8 years old she witnessed her babysitter get murdered by a masked man AKA The Hiding Man. Now, twenty years later, Nola is the host of a true crime podcast, and she feels like she is being watched. Could The Hiding Man be back?

I ended up reading this one via audio and thought it was incredible! Audio was the perfect format for this style of book.

This story was eerie and nail-biting, and kept me on my toes throughout. This will be the perfect fall thriller for readers that enjoy podcasts/radio shows and serial killers.

I am a huge fan of books with a podcast or radio aspect so I was super excited to get an ARC of this title! Thank you Net Galley!
The story started off strong and kept me engaged throughout. Who does love a good murder mystery with an unreliable narrator?? There were definitely twists and turns that made you go from one person to another as the murderer. Unfortunately the ending did not pack the punch I was hoping for. I really hate that there was not a better ending to this story.

When Jeneva Ross deceived this as “atmospheric & chilling” she was not messing around!

This book was so good and so creepy, I full expect it to be on all the best thrillers to read this fall lists. I couldn’t put it down!!

The masked man aspect mixed with the crime podcast, absolutely phenomenal.

I can’t wait for more people to read this

I knew this book was going to be awesome when I read just two chapters before bed and had a nightmare. (Is it weird that I’m kind of happy about that? Haha.) This had all the vibes I’m into: a true-crime podcast host tangled up with a serial killer, creepy stuff happening a decade later, police procedural chapters, and genuinely unsettling moments. I loved how suspicious I was of every man in the story, and I was constantly questioning whether the main character was even reliable. The Hiding Man is such a terrifying concept, and I was glued to the pages (and my headphones—the audiobook is super well done). If you want something to creep you out and keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it!

I think I would have enjoyed this even more if it had stayed solely in the female main character’s POV. The police procedural side felt weaker in comparison, and I found the cop’s perspective a bit naive—I just couldn’t take him seriously. That said, this was still a solid read and easily earns four stars from me. The spooky vibes were spot-on, and the reveal about The Hiding Man wasn’t predictable at all. :)

OH! And I’d be remiss not to mention the author’s background. She’s a podcast host herself, and her aunt was a victim of a serial killer—so there’s a deeply personal connection here that made the story even more impactful. It’s written with care and intention, and I can’t wait to read more from her (and check out her podcast too)!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was really excited to read this one! I am always on the hunt for new authors. Safe to safe, Woolsoncroft will be added to my list of authors to continue to read.

This book was a mix of emotions and reactions, but overall I enjoyed this bingeable read. I especially loved the audiobook format as I alternated back and forth. There were parts of the book where I was truly creeped out, but also parts where I was thinking this is a bit unbelievable and was very much shaking my head at some decisions made. I wasn’t left super happy with the ending (a bit too much explaining for me), but this was a solid debut. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy.

I ate this up! Sooooo well done. Propulsive and eerie. I want more!!! It’s clear that the author knows true crime and is an expert at weaving uncanny details with well developed characters while leaving just enough out so the reader needs to do some work. Loved!

4.5 ⭐️ Spine tingling and totally absorbing! Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft had me spooked right from the start. I actually had to stop reading it at night. It creeped me out that much. Lol!

Okay, let’s just pause for a second. A late night radio show all about hauntings and eerie sightings? I was already in. But then a caller triggers a traumatic memory from Nola’s past, and it turns out the serial killer she escaped as a child might be back and watching her again?? I was clutching my Kobo reader with wide eyes before I even hit chapter two!

Nola Strate is the host of Night Watch, and when one chilling call stirs up the nightmare she’s long buried, she becomes convinced The Hiding Man has returned. She’s lived quietly for years with security cameras, silence, and secrets, but this time the fear is louder than ever. And when the police won’t take her seriously and those closest to her seem shady at best, Nola decides it’s up to her to uncover the truth.

This was exactly the kind of chilling, fast paced thriller I love. The atmosphere was so well done: dark, shadowy nights, subtle noises that made my skin crawl, and the constant feeling that someone’s always watching. I was totally drawn in by Nola’s character. She’s cautious, a little paranoid (rightfully so), and so easy to root for. Her radio show added such a clever and immersive angle. It gave everything a pulse of dread I could feel.

I listened to the audiobook via Libro.fm (huge thanks for the ALC!) and alternated between that and the digital copy from NetGalley, flipping back and forth every spare minute I had. The narration pulled me right in and worked so well with the eerie, suspenseful tone of the story.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Between the mysterious neighbour, the haunting memories, and a rising panic that no one could be trusted, not even her own family, I was fully invested. The Hiding Man is one of the most unnerving villains I’ve come across in a while. Dark, relentless, and packed with tension. I didn’t want to look away, but I had to know how it ended.

Three words: Dark. Gripping. Sinister.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley for the digital copy, and Libro.fm for the audiobook ALC!
A must read for thriller fans who love a good scare and a twisty, atmospheric ride.

Daphne Woolsoncroft is a true crime podcaster, so I knew she would make a seamless transition to writing mystery/suspense. I was not wrong. In the Night Watcher we meet Nola Strate, who is a late night call-in radio host for all things haunted and cryptic. One night the call is so eerie that it freaks out everyone in the studio, especially Nola as it reminds her of a night in her childhood when she escaped a serial killer. Is the killer back? Is he watching her again? There were times I felt a rush of fear while reading, which I liked. The story moved along very quickly in two POVs in both the past and the present. I was not able to guess the ending and I was quite pleased with how the story concluded. I will look for more of Daphne's work in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

An edge of your seat thriller. The opening segment on a late night podcast propels the reader into an atmospheric, creepy read. We listen to the harrowing cries of an intruder, linking to a serial killer from the past. The Hiding Man is back to finish what he started from twenty years ago.

Bottomline this story is a bit terrifying.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing

This book was unique given the author’s perspective, both in being a true crime podcaster and also a family member of a victim of a serial murderer. The build-up of the story was great - the killer is described in such a way where it does creep you out as the reader. A white, ghostly mask with stitching on the sides of the mouth? Yeah, sounds creepy to me. I was excited by the fact that the killer was genuinely spooky because oftentimes I don’t feel that way when reading a horror novel. However, the reveal was lackluster. We only know of the killer’s existence toward the end of the book, making it a little disappointing that it wasn’t someone who was in plain sight. Although, we are introduced to him randomly when Nola runs into him, it’s not as exciting because we don’t know this man. We get his backstory eventually on why he chose to follow the path he did, but it wasn’t anything remarkably special. It just felt like the air was let out of the proverbial balloon. Overall, it was okay. There were fun, suspenseful moments but again, the conclusion was disappointing.