Nola Strate is a late-night radio host in Portland, Oregon. Her show, Night Watch, features listeners calling in to share stories of hauntings and other creepy happenings. One evening, a caller, seemingly in present distress, strikes a special cord with Nola, reminding her of her own escape from a serial killer years before.

It's after this disturbing call that Nola begins to feel like she's being watched. Could it possibly be The Hiding Man, the serial killer from her past, back to finish the job, or is there a new threat looming just outside her sight?

Nola is convinced it is The Hiding Man, but will she be able to figure out who it actually is before it's too late?

Y'all, this was really good. I listened to the audiobook and felt like the narration fit the story to a tee. It legit had some moments that got under my skin, playing into some of my own real life fears. Nola was also quite believable as an MC with an intriguing backstory. I also loved the overriding True Crime feel. Nola's show, Night Watch, gave it a podcast vibe that I thought was really well done. At times, I felt like a real-life listener.

It was compelling from the start, and I found myself completely invested very early. I think it was that call that's mentioned in the synopsis, that Nola receives at the show, it would be impossible to walk away after that. The mystery was super intriguing. Had Nola's past truly come back to haunt her? I wasn't sure, but I loved sticking around to find out.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys intense Thriller stories, perhaps with a podcast, or serial killer element. Also, this is just Horror enough to appeal to true Horror fans. Don't believe me? You'll have to check it out for yourself.

Thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm looking forward to more from this author, especially if she remains in this lane.

Thank you so much to @hachetteaudio for the audiobook of NIGHT WATCHER by Daphne Woolsoncroft!

I’m going to start this off by telling you the BEST part of NIGHT WATCHER & that is 100% the description of the incredibly creepy serial killer, The Hiding Man. The mask he dons is what nightmares are made of & I was absolutely LIVING for it.

On an episode of the call-in radio show, NIGHT WATCH, Nola receives a call from someone who is convinced there’s someone in her home and after describing this intruder, Nola is reminded of the man she escaped as a child, The Hiding Man.

This is just a fun page-turning thriller and I actively enjoyed my time with it. It’s perfect for when you’re just looking for a fun time & nothing thought-provoking.

However, NIGHT WATCHER doesn’t do anything mind blowing & it doesn’t really stand out in a sea of thrillers. Plus, the killer reveal was a bit on the disappointing & anti-climatic side.

But again! Fun time! & that’s really all that matters to me at this point.

The audiobook narrators did a phenomenal job & really kept my head in the story. This book does alternate between a couple of characters, but primarily follows Nola. I had a really great time consuming this one via audio!

I was really unsure how to rate this one because I did really like it 90% of the time but the ending really disappointed me. It felt like it was pulled out of thin air and I think it has potential to be so much more “twisty”!

But I can’t lie I was getting paranoid and constantly looking behind me to see if someone was watching 😅

It had my heart pumping and skin crawling!! A good read for sure even if the ending was disappointing!

I loved this spooky thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat! True crime podcast themes in a book always pulls me in and keeps my attention. The ending will leave you gasping for air!

If you are looking to add a spooky thriller to your fall TBR, make sure add this to the mix and listen to it as an audiobook. While the narrators were new to me, I loved every minute of their performance.

😘 Thank you @GrandCentralPub and @HachettAudio the gifted copies!

Without giving too much away, this book kicks off with a gripping start that immediately draws you in. It's packed with suspense and tension. I was on the edge of my seat more than once. And if you're into eerie reads, this one definitely delivers on the creepy factor. After all, the killer is known as The Hiding Man. This is very immersive!

I love trying to piece things together while reading thrillers, and Night Watcher had me suspicious of nearly every character. When the big twist was finally revealed, I did not see it coming! I lightly gasped.

The buzz around this book is well-deserved. Daphne has created something truly fresh and original with her debut and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by one of my favorites, Helen Laser and Will Collyer... phenomenal!!!!

Thriller Checklist:
✔️Past vs Present
✔️Who Done it?
✔️Small Town

I want to express my deepest condolences to the author and her family for the loss of their loved one.

From the very beginning, the book captivated me. The eerie atmosphere and the chilling murder that the protagonist experienced drew me in, making me feel like I was listening to a true crime podcast.

The inclusion of multiple point of views was incredibly impressive. We had access to the thoughts and feelings of Nola, the protagonist, Jack, the detective, and even the killer.

Here’s a brief synopsis: Nova, the protagonist, witnessed her babysitter’s murder by a masked man known as “The Hiding Man.” He killed another victim before disappearing, leaving a chilling note for Nova, warning her that he would always be watching. Years later, Nova is a radio host for a late-night show called “Night Watcher.” During an interview, she receives a call from a woman who has been murdered while she is on the air. Determined to find the killer once and for all, Nova embarks on a journey to uncover the truth.

I want to express my gratitude to HachetteAudio and NetGalley for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my review.

This is a miss for me, which is so upsetting because the opening of this book was AMAZING. It kills me that the longer this book went on, the more boring it was. My biggest sin for thriller/mysteries and horror books is being boring. Give me a wild time even if it makes no sense and I'll still probably enjoy it. But if a thriller is boring? That's not for me.

I think what I really wanted out of this book is what the book opened up with, which was the really atmospheric radio station section at the beginning. I legitimately had to stop reading because I got spooked. That is literally so amazing, but then the rest of the book turns into this very boring procedural crime fiction and that's someone who loves crime fiction saying that. I loathed Jack. The incompetence of his character was honestly so annoying and felt more like a distraction in the book than anything else. Giving Jack of POV was a crime in itself. Nola also made absolutely absurd decisions at every turn, which generally works in a cheesy YA teen slasher, but not an adult serious crime fiction.

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

Nola is a late night call in radio host that has its callers ringing in with ghost stories. That is until one night, a caller describes what is happening… It’s eerily similar to a serial killer's MO. A killer who murdered Nola’s babysitter all those years ago.

One thing is sure, Nola is being watched again and the hiding man is coming for this time

This is just what I needed!! I loved the thrum of underlying fear that this book built up in spades. It is exactly the kind of tension I needed and the pacing was brilliant! I loved the narration as well, it was absolutely creepy AF!

I liked Nola. I think the author did an awesome job of showing that she was the potential victim of the serial killer but also strong and fierce. It was nice to see the balance of this in the FMC. She also wasn’t annoying haha. I have been on a run of annoying MC’s so this broke the streak. THANK YOUUUUU.

It was all perfection until the end. That was a total bummer! It just kinda fell flat. I was expecting some big crescendo…. Alas… This was not meant to be. All in all I was entertained though.

4 stars

My suspect pool kept changing, I couldn’t get it nailed down and I most certainly was wrong. This was an interesting mystery. Pretty fast paced all the way through. Enjoyed the narrator they really made this pop!

Thank you for the ALC NetGalley & Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review 🎧

This was a great multiple POV thriller, with dual narration, that balanced past and present events well. It provided context bit by bit & had me wondering who would be next. The killer POV was a good addition to provide motive without too much explanation.

The way Nola was gaslighting herself into thinking the sightings of the hiding man were in her mind had me worried for her, then thinking that she might be an unreliable narrator. Her narration was done well, and I could sense the emotions. Overall a good audiobook from start to end. It even described fries so well that it made me get some this weekend.

Engaging and immersive. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

3.5 stars. This was a really quick read for me. The storyline kept my interest and I was a big fan of the main character, Nola. I also read this through the audiobook version and the readers did a superb job. The build up of this story of a serial killer with an incredibly terrifying mask stalking an killing women felt like the ending was going to be shocking but it was a little bit of a letdown and anticlimatic.

Night Watcher, Daphne Woolsoncroft’s debut thriller, is a gripping, atmospheric tale set in rainy Portland. Nola Strate, a late-night radio host, relives her childhood trauma with a serial killer, The Hiding Man, when a caller mentions his eerie mask.
Woolsoncroft’s true-crime background crafts a chilling, authentic story, with Portland’s gloomy vibe mirroring Nola’s paranoia. The radio show concept and the creepy antagonist amplify the suspense, while Nola’s haunted yet determined character shines.

However, some red herrings feel forced, and the killer’s motive lacks depth. Secondary characters can feel flat, and the resolution leans on convenient coincidences. The audiobook, narrated by Woolsoncroft and others, enhances the tension.
Night Watcher is a pulse-pounding read for fans of Gillian Flynn or slasher films, despite minor flaws. It’s a creepy, addictive thriller that lingers. 4.5 stars.

NIGHT WATCHER
Author: Daphne Woolsoncroft

▪️Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
▪️Read/Audio: 🎧
▪️Pub Date: July 2025 ✨NEW✨

👩🏼: SERIAL KILLER THRILLER 👏🏻😳

The Hiding Man has resurfaced and is coming for Nola…

This 👏🏻 book 👏🏻 is 👏🏻 scaryyyyyy….and I loved it!!! A perfect mixture of thriller, mystery and true crime. NOT a slow burn—we got right into it from the first few pages 👀🩸

“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.” 🔪

My only thought is that I wanted the ending to be a bit more gut-wrenching, hence only 4 stars. Either way, I could not stop picturing that mask….😱

I really appreciated the author’s note at the beginning. Discovering her background gave the book extra depth.

Thank you to @netgalley for a copy of this audio!!!

True crime podcaster Daphne Woolsoncroft delivers her debut fiction novel with Night Watcher. Following main character, Nola Strate, a late night call in radio host for a show detailing hauntings in Portland as she finds herself once again being stalked by The Hiding Man.

The same cereal murderer, who broke into her home and killed her Babysitter 20 years ago! Nobody believes her that he’s back… But the timing in the evidence is looking like she was much closer to this monster the whole time!

The story gave me chills, and I absolutely loved listening to it. It’s the type of story that you don’t wanna put down and you don’t know what’s going to come next.

The audio narrated by Helen Laser and Will Collyer well well done and both narrators added to the atmosphere of the story. The dual male and female narration choice added a good balance to the storytelling as well. I also really appreciated/ enjoyed the intro and exit spoken by the author.

Overall, I think this is an excellent debut and definitely deserves to be on your spooky season reading TBR !!!

This is one of those thrillers that feels like it’s made for fans of true crime. It’s gritty and eerie in a way that feels ripped from the headlines.

Our main character, Nola, is haunted by her past and that’s never been more of a reality until present day. When a caller reaches out to her on her radio show in a panic the spark to reinvestigate the boogeyman from her childhood return. When bodies start to appear, the reality hits that the past has returned for Nola.

Woolsoncroft cleverly plants red herrings along the way to keep readers guessing as they wait on the edge of their seats for what will happen to Nola next. Dark and unsettling, this book will keep you checking behind your shoulder and peering into the shadows.

This was one of my favorite Thrillers of the year and my only regret is that the first time I read it wasn't during October because it would be the perfect spooky season slasher read to get into the Halloween spirit.

Followed by her past and unable to truly break into her own, Nola a supernaturalpodcast co-host, is newly plagued with the paranoia that her childhood nightmare has returned.

Night Watcher was the name given to a killer who was never caught, and now she believes he's back. The only thing is as more and more clues are uncovered, could it be that her nightmare was actually somebody who was always supposed to keep her safe ? Could this slasher just be her father in disguise?

Full of suspense , this book gives us a scream type . And the paranoia that the characters feel can be experienced by the reader as we trudge through the darkness with them in an attempt to understand what is actually going on and more importantly how to survive it.

A really fun and creepy story. I wasn't aware of the author, who is apparently a well-known true crime podcaster, but I have become interested in knowing more about her after listening to this book. Nola Strate, who is a late-night call-in radio host, also knows a thing or two about serial killers, because she escaped from one called The Hiding Man as a child. As a caller triggers her memories she falls down a rabbit hole of fear and suspense revisiting her own case again.

The audio narrator did a great job of building suspense, and the author did a great job telling a serial killer story that seems (from the authors forward) to be influenced by her own family's experience with tragedy. The story was realistic, scary, and fast-paced. I'd definitely read another book by this author and listen to more from this narrator.

Narration: Full cast. I felt like each narrator fit their character perfectly and I was able to differentiate which character's POV it was.

About the book: Nola Strate, a late-night call-in radio host, is used to creepy stories… until a caller triggers memories of her own escape from a serial killer. Now, she fears he’s back to finish what he started.

Unique elements I loved: That the author included interview aspects from the radio show into the narration.

Overall thought: I had a fun time with this book and definitely felt the creep factor from the killer. I feel like the writing/flow may need some more editing to get the best flow out of the story.

Started strong but lost me at the halfway mark. Lots of filler I could have skipped over completely. As a debut, it was not poorly written. It just lacked direction. Narration was well done.