You Watched in Silence is a gut-punch of a novel — raw, emotionally searing, and deeply introspective. H. Lee Justine crafts a story that holds nothing back, dragging you through grief, silence, trauma, and survival in a way that feels disturbingly real. This is not a story that tiptoes around the truth; it confronts it with a steady, unwavering gaze.
The novel explores the suffocating weight of being unseen — of having your pain witnessed but ignored. The protagonist’s voice is sharp, vulnerable, and quietly furious. You feel their isolation and the internal battles they fight every single day. Justine does an incredible job of showing how silence, especially from those who should have protected you, can be more haunting than the trauma itself.
The writing is poetic at times, almost lyrical in its pain, but never overdone. It feels like reading someone’s personal journal — brutally honest, sometimes messy, but undeniably powerful. It will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt abandoned, unheard, or buried under someone else’s indifference.
This book is for those ready to sit in the dark a little longer — to listen, reflect, and perhaps find a piece of their own story hidden between the lines.

Such an amazing read - I was hooked from the beginning! Loved seeing where the story took me, and even when I was figuring out some of the plot twists, the plot twisted a different way. Beautifully written, can’t wait to reread it and see how it reads knowing the ending.

Caitlyn's life fell apart when her best friend disappeared without a trace, leaving her living with homophobic parents in the middle of nowhere in Washington. When disgraced influencer Bella Greene turns to her group chat of devoted fans looking for a live-in nanny for her seven-year-old twins, Caitlyn jumps on the job offer, hoping to change her life and overcome her depression. Things aren't how they seem at Bella's Victorian mansion, though, with animals turning up dead and mysterious threats against the influencer, who is hiding more than Caitlyn realizes.

This book was written so beautifully and poetically, and had a compelling romance arc as well as a very interesting unreliable narrator. There are a lot of questions about Caitlyn's level of mental stability and her identity, which are all wrapped up nicely by the ending. The isolated setting of the Salmon Islands in Washington and the Victorian manor adds to the horror aspect of the novel — Bella's rented manor is near the woods, and a good bit of the book is set in the woods.

The book also does a good job of highlighting the horrors of influencer culture and family vlogging. A lot of people don't realize how many of the men who follow family vlog channels are pedophiles, and even Caitlyn isn't aware of that fact until the damage is already done. Although Caitlyn is an unreliable narrator and not the best person objectively, she's a sympathetic lens through which to show these issues, and the issue of nannies who have to sign NDAs being taken advantage of by the men hiring them. I enjoyed the twists and mostly did not predict them — I did guess that Bella's husband was going to fall for Caitlyn, but that is just unavoidable to wonder about if you've been reading news about authors lately. It also touched on how dangerous it is for online mobs to accuse innocent people of pedophilia. You Watched in Silence was a very well done novel and I really have nothing but praise for it.

wow!! this book!! I was sucked in by a gorgeous cover but stayed for the whirlwind of a story.

you watched in silence is a debut book, but definitely doesn’t read as one. it was so well thought out and meticulously planned. the whole time I was trying to guess what would happen next (some I was right, and others wildly wrong 😂). I had such a fun time reading this book.

I really loved the characters from the first moment. bella and caitlin were both really likeable and fun. learning their history and what drives them was one of my favourite parts. the side characters also all had their part to play and felt well rounded - not just cookie cutter to serve the plot.

I found the writing included the perfect amount of creepiness and intrigue to keep me hooked and on my toes. I was pleasantly creeped out exactly when I wanted to be.

while the end revelation was easily guessed and not that surprising, I did find the twist unexpected. (no spoilers- that sounds confusing af, but if you’ve read it you’ll understand).

I look forward to reading more books that this author puts out and seeing what she comes up with next.

First off, I want to thank the author, H. Lee Justin, along with Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book revolves around Caitlyn, who is offered a nannying job by Bella Greene, her favorite family vlogger and influencer. Although Caitlyn has idolized Bella for a while, even after Bella's cancellation, she begins to question whether Bella's true self is sinister and if something worse is at play.

While I didn’t find the horror elements particularly scary, the story was still enjoyable. It kept me on my toes as I wanted to find out what would happen next. Throughout the book, I thought I could predict the plot twists, but each turn was actually unpredictable. The ending was morally ambiguous yet satisfying in its own way.

Overall, I rate this a 4.5 out of 5 and will recommend this book when it’s published to those who enjoy a compelling psychological thriller!

I received an ARC of You Watched in Silence from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. The story begins with a spooky vibe that drew me n right away and it only grew more haunting as the story progressed. H. Lee Justine has created an atmosphere that is both otherworldly and unsettling, while also telling an incredibly timely story in this age of social media and seeing the consequences of it.

Without giving anything away, the twists and turns through this book kept me on edge. As the story continued, I found myself experiencing a a ton of emotions, from irritation, disgust, excitement, confusion, sadness and pure stomach drops from the different characters, and the choices they’ve made.

This novel is insane in the best way, and I know I’ll be haunted myself for a good while. It’s become one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can’t recommend it enough anyone who likes a spooky twisty book, with some sapphic romance sprinkled in. I can’t wait for more from this author and I’m so lucky to read it early!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

You Watched in Silence is the moody island thriller of my dreams, accomplishing what so many try with casting a true mystery that has you wondering if it’s all happening in our protagonist’s head, or if the island (and home) are haunted.

Caitlyn’s life is falling apart, though we aren’t privy to exactly why. When she gets an offer to work for Bella, an influencer she is obsessed with, it’s the perfect solution to giving her some space from her not so great life and getting an inside view of Bella’s while on a remote island. Bella is trying to plan her comeback after a dark incident mars her reputation, and needs childcare (though the incident itself is also a bit of a mystery). What happens from there involves (maybe) ghosts and certainly a scathing critique of family bloggers and influencers who involve their children in their jobs without acknowledging their personhood. There are plenty of twists both before and after the reader is privy to the mysteries around these two women, and murkiness leading to the climax as to whether Bella has darker motivations than what she presents and if Caitlyn is losing it.

I loved this haunting story, it was very dark but very hard to predict and I appreciated the way it was able to look at influencers and their impact on their families along with mental illness all while wrapped up in a larger atmospheric mystery.

As someone who devours thrillers, You Watched in Silence felt like exactly what I had been craving. It is dark, twisty, and honestly kind of unsettling in a way I couldn’t put down. The whole time I was reading, I had this low-key sense of dread, like something awful was just around the corner (and usually it was).

The main character isn’t always super likable, but I actually enjoyed that. She felt complicated and real, and her choices made me question what I would do in her place. The pacing was a little slow at first, but once things started unraveling, I was completely hooked.

If you are into thrillers that mess with your head and stay with you long after you finish, definitely add this to your TBR. Just maybe don’t read it alone at night.

This is one of those books that you definitely have to pay attention because it creeps up on you in the best way possible! I feel like the characters were built well, especially Bella and Caitlin. Caitlin goes to work as a nanny for an influencer who has fallen from grace, Bella Greene. At first everything is great, until it is not. The creep factor was in full effect with dark magic. This is an amazing haunting story that horror lovers will absolutely love!

I received this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was creepy and the ending I didn’t except but should have seen coming.

I liked the beginning of the book until the middle and then I lost interest a little bit and then I got interested near the end again so I am glad I stuck it out.

I learned a lot about child exploitation and definitely recommend this book.

liked how much this showed the dark side of influncers especially with family vloggers. And now nanny Caity has come to join them as they had to move due to haters but things are not as they seem. As Bella is making a come back to her vlogs mysterious creepy happenings occur but will this stop Bella making a comeback and everyone is acting sus.

This was an interesting story. The beginning immediately had me wondering, if you saw another person in a reflection and you knew you were alone in the room, would you run or close your eyes and hope it went away? We follow Caitlyn as she starts her dream job as a nanny for an influencer whom she is obsessed with. And everything is fine... at least initially. She starts falling for the chef, and we know something is wrong as she keeps saying 'she is not worth loving'. And then she starts seeing ghosts, and the influencer begins to receive threats. But as we read on, we realise something isn't right, someone is not telling the truth, we are definitely missing something....

It has suspense, romance and mysteries. Bella, the vlogging influencer, is not extremely likeable, and we wonder why Caitlyn is so obsessed. The story has just the right pace, though I thought there could have been some more thrilling events. Though we suspect Caitlyn of something, the end is still a bit of a surprise and we learn the reason for the name of the book at the very end. I enjoyed that part.

I will continue following the work of this author!

This was a delightfully creepy little book! The atmosphere alone is enticing enough to read the whole thing, but the story is so unique too! What do you get when you cross a superfan, a disgraced family vlogger, and a private nanny position on a secluded (some might even say spooky) island for the twins they've "known" all their life? An opportunity of a lifetime for said superfan to get all the access they'd ever wanted. Add in some spooky happenings and an instant connection to the family's private chef? It's the total package!

This book is equal parts creepy, wholesome, and intriguing, and really makes you think about the relationship you really have with your favourite creators, vs what the relationship you really have with them is.

Disclaimer: Thank you to MTMC Tours, Blackstone Publishing, and H. Lee Justine for this e-ARC. I was provided this ARC for review only, I was not paid for this review. All opinions are my own.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! Lee's writing felt natural and flowed very well. I had so many questions as I was reading (why did that happen? Who did it? Why aren't certain characters making a bigger deal out of it?). Needless to say, it all came together for the twist at the end. While I had some suspicions, I was nowhere close to having things fully figured out.

Additionally, Lee does phenomenal in incorporating some modern issues, particularly relating to family vlogging, influencing, and cyber bullying. I also felt that she makes the grief that one particular scene feel very relatable.

Thank you so much for allowing me to review You Watched in Silence! It was a joy to read.

You ever read something and just have no idea how it’ll turn out? Well, this book was exactly that. Caitlyn takes an opportunity to work for her idol- a vlogger with twins. She’s the new nanny, but Bella is under scrutiny for the suicide of a fan- when she tries to restart her career crazy things start happening and the twists and turns just keep coming.

The ending wasn’t anything I could have ever guessed, and I truly enjoyed this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for the ARC and the privilege of reviewing.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“You Watched In Silence,” H. Lee Justine’s chilling and emotionally resonant debut, is a genre-blending triumph that merges psychological suspense, gothic horror, and razor-sharp social commentary. On the surface, it’s about a woman hired as a nanny by a family vlogger, but underneath, it’s a haunting meditation on parasocial relationships, the exploitation of children online, and the thin veil between admiration and obsession.

The story follows Caitlyn, a young woman with secrets of her own, who lands what should be a dream job: nannying for her favorite influencer, Bella, whose perfectly curated online life she’s been obsessively following. But the job and Bella herself aren’t what they seem. As Caitlyn becomes enmeshed in the influencer’s real-world dysfunction, including a husband who’s clearly uncomfortable with the family’s online exposure and children who seem more like props than people, she begins to unravel—mentally, emotionally, and possibly supernaturally.

Is Caitlyn seeing ghosts, or is her trauma catching up with her? Are the animal sacrifices and eerie sightings real, or figments of a fractured psyche? Justine keeps you off balance in the best way, constantly forcing you to question what’s real and what’s performance, both in the influencer’s glossy life and in Caitlyn’s unreliable narration. The psychological tension is perfectly paced, and the slow-burning horror is laced with dread, a little gore, and enough ambiguity to keep you guessing until the very end.

What truly sets this book apart, though, is its searing critique of family vlogging culture. Drawing uncomfortable but timely parallels to real-life scandals, “You Watched In Silence” explores how children are monetized, manipulated, and even harmed in the pursuit of content. While there are paranormal elements at play, the true horror lies in the real-world exploitation that mirrors the book’s fictional events. At times, the commentary is direct (perhaps even preachy), but it's an essential part of what makes the book so impactful.

The supporting cast is just as layered as Caitlyn. The queer romance subplot with the cook is a standout; it’s subtle, genuine, and refreshingly grounded amidst the chaos. And while not every twist lands with full surprise, the book remains gripping, twisty, and compulsively readable, with an emotional climax that ties everything together in a satisfying and thought-provoking way.

Dark, daring, and disturbingly relevant, “You Watched In Silence” is more than a spooky thriller—it’s a powerful statement on the ethics of modern media, voyeurism, and the fine line between caring and consuming. H. Lee Justine delivers a debut that is bold in its commentary, creative in its storytelling, and deeply unsettling in all the right ways. Whether you’re here for the ghost story, the psychological unraveling, or the cultural critique, you’ll walk away disturbed and thinking. Highly recommended for fans of haunted house horror, twisty unreliable narrators, and social commentary wrapped in psychological dread.

I loved this novel a lot. It hooked me right at the start and just kept getting better as it went along. It perfectly nailed the vibes and managed to be a spooky haunting story as well as a critique on modern culture, fandoms, and influencers. This story was twisty and turny, and although some of the reveals you easily see coming (some you don’t!) the journey is still an enjoyable ride.

There was a big element of mystery in this novel that kept me engaged and flipping digital pages, while also delivering a quality romance and bonus ghost story. The author does some very creative things with the writing as well….. which I am not going to spoil here. The characters were delightfully complex, nuanced, and layered.

This is one of those stories where the less you know going in the better, so ill stop talking and just tell you that you should check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

I truly enjoyed this book. The characters were well fleshed out. I felt like I knew them. The twists and turns kept me invested in the story until the very end. I will recommend to this book to others.

This book was such a roller coaster ride. The twists and turns and revelations were wild. I was terrified, laughing, blushing and kicking my feet, clutching my pearls, angry, sobbing, this story invoked just about every emotion. It was fantastic and I loved reading something so exciting.

Caitlyn is running from her past, and memories of her best friend that abandoned her, when she suddenly gets the chance to move somewhere new and become a nanny to her favorite influencer's kids. Strange things start happening, and Caitlyn tries her best to avoid temptation with the alluring cook, Hannah, who seems to be able to tell there's more to Caitlyn and she wants to find out.


I love this book, If you love mystery and suspense and horror all in one, this is the book for you. It really takes you on a ride and sucks you into Caitlyn's head. I hope this book and this author gets all of the flowers they deserve cause this is truly the best horror book I've read in the last 2 years.

(I received this as a arc)

In a story that blends the parasocial with the paranormal, the reader is taken deep into the dark side of family vlogging as we follow a long-time fan who gets the opportunity to nanny for the kids that she has seen online from their literal birth.

This book had a really strong sense of in media res as the reader feels as they have been plonked a couple of chapters into the story as Caitlyn starts her new job as a nanny. We very quickly learn the background of family vlogger Bella Greene and get hints to "an incident" that lead her to flee to a secluded Washington island whilst she works on her comeback to social media. From the very start, you get a real sense that everyone is keeping secrets, no one more so that Caitlyn. You really couldn't look away as all of the layers of the story were peeled back and you realise that things are so, so much worse than you ever could have predicted.

Readers who are well-versed in the genre will likely predict some of the twists and turns of the story but the execution is utterly impeccable and several aspects of the story are played really close to the chest and are guaranteed to shock. With an atmosphere that is guaranteed to send shivers down you spine and events that have you questioning what is real, this book is so incredibly addictive; you'll need to make sure that you have plenty of time to read this book because once you start reading, you aren't going to want to turn away from the show that is unfolding.

Massive props to Lee for this masterpiece that will have your jaw on the floor when you realise what they are doing. I can't wait to re-read and annotate this book as it will be SO satisfying to see all the dominoes fall into place a second time around.