First I would like to thank NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced listening copy. The following review is my honest opinion.

This book was written by true crime podcast queen, Daphne Woolsoncroft. This is Daphne’s debut novel, and I know that her stories will just get better the more she writes.

I enjoyed that the author added her own personal story as a forward and note to the reader, letting us know why she started her podcast, and why she wrote this book.

The story itself starts off strong, with Nola, the host of a podcast, receiving a call from a listener who thinks she might have a ghost. She claims that she feels watched inside her own home, and that she thinks she is seeing someone/thing in her house. What the caller describes, reminds Nola of the person she saw, the night her babysitter was murdered. The woman is then “murdered” on air leading Nola to try to discover if this call was real, and is He Back?

The story was twisty, making me think I had it figured out and then another twist! Then I’m back to square one. All of the twist were very well done and had me constantly guessing.

Throughout the story, you are introduced to several key players, including Nola’s father, who is a total Douche Canoe! Some characters you love, some characters you hate, and you find yourself feeling unsympathetic for them, almost rooting against them.

For me, the reveal of the “Hiding Man” was a bit anti-climactic. It seemed a little rushed and maybe not fully meshed out. The reasoning behind the initial killings was a bit meh. The author does provide clues as to what caused the resurgence of killings, for all those true crime “detectives” out there.

The narration was pretty good. The female narrator does a good job of creating fear, anger, and tension throughout the story. The male narrator, for me, wasn’t very memorable, and I don’t think that is because of the narrator himself, but more because it was predominantly Nola telling the story.

Overall, it was a very solid read. It was entertaining. Definitely recommend you check it out if you are a fan of “Going West”, podcasts/ radio show vibes in a book. Fast pace, unraveling of secrets, and thrillers that keep you guessing.

Interesting novel, with just the exact amount of thrill, mystery, action and suspense.
Nola is sweet and objective enough to manage doubting even those closest to her when it comes to a serial killer. I dont think I would have found in me the strength to suspect my family, but she does it just fine.

Decent mystery with an exciting premise. Pacing was a bit off and the ending was too rushed for so much buildup.

From the beginning, I was all in. I love books that feature crime podcasts/radio shows, and this one was particularly good as an audiobook. It gives the podcast angle much more authenticity. Nola has taken over the NightWatch show from her father. When she was a child, when Nola's parents were out for the evening Nola's babysitter was brutally murdered and Nola saw "the Hiding Man" and his terrifying mask. The Hiding Man is linked to other murders, but he went dark for years and an eerie phone call to the show leads Nola to believe that he may have resurfaced. Can they find him before he comes after Nola?

The dark, rainy setting of Portland really adds ambiance to this creepy novel. I really liked the setup and the various frightening things that occur, it's definitely a scary, atmospheric novel that lends itself really well to the audio format. The dual narrators were helpful with the different scenes. I did like Nola (although she was terrible about keeping her phone charged and with her. If I thought I was being stalked I would have my phone charged up and glued to my side 24/7. And don't get me started on how much she was drinking All. The. Time. Girl.). Jack, the police detective though...he was another story. He was pretty terrible at his job, glossing over evidence, not connecting dots, at some times I thought armchair detective Nola was doing a much better job than he was.

Yet for all of that buildup, I found the resolution to be very anti-climactic. I wanted more from the identity of the killer and I wanted more than just a rushed wrap-up ending. I wanted more connection. (view spoiler)

Overall, for a debut novel this one is decent. There are tons of 5 star reviews and people who loved it, maybe that will be you if you give it a chance. I'll definitely try something else by this author in the future.

The Night Watcher was a wild ride from start to finish! I was hooked right away and genuinely had no idea what was coming next. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my couch the entire time, and I found myself constantly trying to piece things together, only to be surprised. Story was well paced and plotted without being over done.

I listened to the audiobook version, and it was excellent. The narrator was clear, concise, and brought the story to life without overdoing it. There were no issues with the audio quality, and the performance really enhanced the overall experience.

If you're into dark thrillers with unpredictable plots and atmospheric storytelling, this one's definitely worth your time. I'd recommend it to fans of suspense who enjoy a good psychological twist.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

👁️NIGHT WATCHER👁️ by Daphne Woolsoncroft is a mix of true crime and thriller that follows a young woman trying to find out the truth of a murder in her past. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for the audio-ARC. This title releases today!

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Nola runs a radio show that she inherited from her father in his retirement. It is called Night Watch and is a paranormal and true crime type call in show broadcasted out of Portland, OR. Nola and her father are both pretty obsessed with true crime after Nola's babysitter was killed by The Hiding Man while Nola was in her care as a child. Nola was left alive. When a woman calls into the radio show 20 years later and is abruptly cut off, Nola finds out the next day that the woman was murdered. Does this new murder have anything to do with her family or the Hiding Man? Is her father somehow wrapped up in this tangled web? Is he The Hiding Man?

For the most part, I did feel the suspense in this novel but there were a few areas where I was either a bit confused or not sure why some seeming tangent was playing out. I liked the true crime bent, the relationship between Harvey and Nola, and the past vs present narratives. I did think there were a couple of scenes that were overly drawn out and seemed a bit like filler. Overall, I would recommend this one to someone who likes a sense of thrill and suspense but isn't too worried about the details.

🌙 Bookish Thoughts
Night Watcher is not a book to listen to at night. The vibes were eerie, the dread was slow building and it definitely gave me some anxiety! It felt like true crime meets psychological thriller and I was fully into it!

It started strong and kept my attention. Nola made some wild choices and I definitely questioned her survival instincts more than once.

The full cast narration really elevated the audiobook. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook! This was a solid 4 star thriller!

🔦 What to Expect:
• True crime podcast
• Creepy stalker
• Childhood trauma
• Full cast narration
• Serial Killer

📖 Final Score: 4 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 4.5 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Full Cast
📅 Pub Date: July 8, 2025
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

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.

I enjoyed this book. I mostly listened to the audiobook but I would sneak chapters on my kindle here and there as I could. I highly recommend listening to the audio for this. It alternates between Nola and Jack. Nola’s sections also mix in 20 years ago. It gives a little more depth to the story. This author really knows how to write a story that keeps you engaged. Almost every bit is full of tension and suspense. I felt like I was there with the characters at some points. It’s crazy how so many things are intertwined in this book. (But I guess that’s the point, otherwise it wouldn’t be in the book?) The ending kind of threw me for a loop. Not what I was expecting at all.

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 (audio gets five!) 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)!

This audiobook was well paced, easy to follow, and perfect on its own (but adding the physical text is always a treat in my opinion). Loved that there was more than one narrator for the alternating POVs!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so intrigued to read this story once I learned Daphne Woolsoncroft, wrote this story based loosely on her missing aunt in real life.

This story is about the brutal unsolved crime that happened twenty years ago after Nola witnessed her 21-year-old babysitter’s murder, though still carrying the trauma since he was never found, When a woman called into the her radio show Night Watch, Nola is convinced that The Hiding Man has resurfaced and is now coming for her.

The book had the potential to be so much better than it was for me. It began with the perfect eerie, creepy atmosphere and premise that lead me on thrilling ride. Nola clearly was spooked from the trauma she suffered as a child, as well as the recent murders happening around her, then when the secrets of the past begin to unravel. I just knew who the Hiding Man was, or so I thought. Well, I was so wrong and the person who was the perpetrator was such a letdown. I was really enjoying the story up till the lackluster end, which caused a four-star rating. The narrators Helen Laser and Will Collyer did a great job, so I have no complaints with the audiobook. Thank you Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Daphne Woolsoncroft for the audio-ARC.

True crime podcast narratives have quickly become one of my favorite subgenres, and Woolsoncroft masterfully delivers a haunting, atmospheric story that exemplifies the best of the form.

She captures voyeurism at its most compelling, crafting an unsettling yet utterly immersive experience. It’s the kind of story that pulls you in and refuses to let go. With a chilling blend of serial killers, sleuthing, and slashing, this is a dark thrill ride you won’t want to miss.

As a true crime podcaster herself, Woolsoncroft draws from her real-life expertise to craft a debut that is both gripping and memorable—a standout novel guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

All the chills, all the thrills!

4.5 stars rounded to 5 for Goodreads

📚 Book Review 📚

I had not heard of Daphne Woolsoncroft before so I went into this one with no expectations.

This was a creepy start. Nola is a radio host for a late night programme called Night Watch and listens to spooky and macabre stories from callers each night.

One night, a woman calls in terrified for her life, convinced that someone is in her house. The line goes dead and a woman’s body is found the next day. This is very close to home for Nola because as a child, she witnessed the horrific murder of her babysitter by a notorious serial killer.

A whodunnit ensues with a red herring thrown in here and there. Although the start was really good, it got a bit lacklustre for me as the story continued and the ending was a bit flat. The best part of the audiobook for me was the narration at the beginning by the author, very interesting. I think I’ll check out the podcast!

I’d like to thank Hachette Audio, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

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This could have easily been a 4 or 5 star read for like 90% of the book. The ending left me thinking, really? That’s it? And in all honesty I wanted to rate it 1 star just out of anger from the ending but objectively it is not a 1 star. The writing is great and very addictive. I was hooked from the opening sentences and felt myself thinking about this book often when I wasn’t reading it. The build up to the climax of this book was amazing but in an instant everything was just over! It left me feeling incredibly unsatisfied. Even though the book pretty much wraps everything up nicely, it just fell short in the end for me personally.

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft follows the host of a paranormal call-in radio show. When a strange call seems a bit too familiar to her childhood run-in with a notorious serial killer, Nola believes she's being stalked by The Hiding Man once again.

Nola, a late night call in show host, is a witness to a murder when she was a child. One night a woman calls into her show and everyone hears the lead to her murder. Is the killer back and watching Nola?

This was a solid thriller. I enjoyed the story however it didn’t have a hook or anything I will remember in the future. I listened to the audiobook. The female narrator was enjoyable. The male narrator came across in most of the book as a radio commentator. This may have detracted from the overall experience.

Thank you to Hatchett Audio and NetGalley for the alc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you @grandcentralpublishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

SUMMARY: Nola Strate is a late-night radio host in Portland, Oregon with a haunting past. As a child, she was in the house when her babysitter was brutally murdered. Nola glimpsed the killer who was wearing a terrifying and unique mask. The killer became known as the Hiding Man.

When a caller into her talk show gives a terrifying account of a masked intruder, it triggers traumatic memories of Nola’s childhood encounter with the Hiding Man. Nola knows she must uncover the truth because she knows the Hiding Man is coming for her.

MY THOUGHTS: This is one of those books I simply couldn't stop listening to! It opens with the chilling phone call to Nola's talk show, setting a tense tone right from the start! While Nola and her crew initially question whether it's a prank, Nola can't shake the unsettling feeling that the masked intruder might be the infamous Hiding Man from her past. The suspense continues to build throughout the narrative, with multiple narrators breathing life into the characters and their experiences. Each twist and turn keeps you on the edge of your seat, making it an unforgettable listening experience!

I went into this book not knowing anything about it. The introduction by the author instantly grabbed my attention. I’m a big true crime fan and to learn that she has a true crime podcast made the intensity that much more exciting!

Growing up in the PNW, being familiar with all the locations and streets mentioned, really upped the game for me. The creepiness factor was off the charts!

A thrilling storytelling and I loved every minute!

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.

I both read and listened to this book and I highly recommend you choose the audiobook version. There are two narrators and they both did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. Nola is a radio host so to listen in to her on-air episodes in the audiobook felt very realistic. I do love a good mystery with a radio show/podcast piece to it.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Nola Strate, a late night radio host in Portland, Oregon, listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But one foggy evening, a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nola’s childhood escape from a serial killer, and she fears he’s back to finish what he started.

This book was a perfect format for an audiobook! Loved the multi cast narration which really gave each character and their POV a distinct voice. The author is one of the narrators which I always love adds such a personal feel to the story.

I think fans of the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer will love this one. Just the right amount of scary and creepy!

Thank you Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing, Netgalley and Daphne Woolsoncroft for the audio arc of Night Watcher
Narrated by Helen Laser; Will Collyer; Daphne Woolsoncroft

This is the first book Ive read of Daphne's and really appreciated the authors notes at the beginning. If you haven't already, check out Daphne's True Crime Postcast, Going West because there is a very personal note that links the Postcast and the production of this book. Night watcher is a medium paced rocket of a book that will pull you in from the first few pages, shakes you along the way and does not let go until the very end ! Our MC, Nola had to deal with a close shave with a murderer in her childhood and now, in her adulthood, she feels eyes on her again. Is this the murderer coming back to finish the job? Nola is desperate to uncover the person who she had named the Hiding Man.

I really enjoyed going on this journey with Nola, uncovering secrets and experiencing the genuine fear, claustrophobia and chilling moments that Nola experienced. Nola and the side characters felt relatable, flawed and real and coupled with great writing from Daphne, made for a very compelling read/listen.

All the narrators ( and its always great when an author decided to narrate their own books ) did a fantastic job building this thrilling and chilling ride of Night Watcher.

4 stars