I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing.

Nola Strate, a late night call-in radio host in Portland, Oregon, listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But one foggy, wet evening, when a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nola’s escape from a serial killer years before, she becomes fearfully aware that he is back to finish what he started.

Nola Strate is being watched, again. After an encounter with a notorious serial killer in the Pacific Northwest as a child, Nola has grown up and tried her best to forget her traumatizing night with The Hiding Man. She installed security cameras outside her Oregon home, never spoke of her experience, and now hosts Night Watch, a popular radio call-in show her semi‑famous father used to run. When coincidences lead Nola to believe that she is being stalked, and a caller on Night Watch has a live incident with an intruder in the caller’s home—the description of whom is chillingly familiar—Nola is convinced that The Hiding Man has resurfaced and is coming for her.

With a mysterious next‑door neighbor lurking in the shadows, more people getting hurt, the police not taking her concerns seriously, and evidence pointing towards her own father, Nola decides to become, like her listeners, a Night Watcher herself, and uncover the monster behind The Hiding Man’s mask.

Night Watcher was a very thrilling and suspenseful debut. This book had the perfect amount of suspense and creepy factor to it. The true crime podcast angle was a smart and timely hook, and the book delivered plenty of genuinely unsettling moments. I really enjoyed Nola's story as she tried to figure out the identity of The Hiding Man and why he was back after all these years. The radio show was also a great added element and added a lot to the story. But I did think that the romance subplot was a bit unnecessary. It just did not feel natural in the context of the story. And the final reveal felt a little distant and did not land with the emotional punch I was hoping for after such a suspenseful buildup. A more personal connection could have made the ending far more satisfying. Overall, it was still such a well done debut. Woolsoncroft’s background as a true crime podcaster clearly shows.

Rating: 3.5/5

5 ⭐️

Thank you Hatchette Audio for the audiobook of Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft for a review!

I really enjoyed the audiobook and the multiple character narrators that brought this book to life! They were great listening to.

Okay I loved this book! I started reading/ listening to this late at night with one light on 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! 👻⛈️🔪

I finally found a good audio book!!

This book was about a radio host of one of those paranormal/crime type shows. She had been in her house when she was a child while her babysitter was murdered and saw the dude.

Well it's looking like serial killer dude is back and the readers of this book did such a good job! I about got my fat butt slung off the treadmill due to it though. I was just exercising away and it was at a really spooky spot of the book. My husband decided to take years off my life by just barging in at that time.

I'm not sure if the book would read as good as listening to it was but this was great.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

I generally steer away from mystery/thriller on audio, but wanted to get to this one asap and ended up listening on audio, and loved it! This really was a solid read from the beginning with great pacing, kept me guessing, and had intriguing characters and premise. I wasn’t terribly scared while reading, but I also don’t tend to get creeped out by books. My only critiques are that I really wished the ending left me wanting a bit more, and the 2nd POV we get didn’t feel totally necessary or I just needed more of a background on him. Solid debut!

This isn’t my usual kind of read—fiction about serial killers is typically a pass for me—but I was intrigued by Night Watcher because of the author’s unique perspective. Daphne Woolsoncroft, co-host of the true crime podcast Going West, draws from her own family’s history with a real-life case, bringing an eerie authenticity to this fictional story.

It’s creepy, unsettling, and honestly... kind of the stuff of nightmares. The audiobook is incredibly well narrated and adds a level of intimacy and dread that’s hard to shake. I’m not entirely sure the book was for me, but I can absolutely respect the skill and emotional weight behind it.

Thank you to the NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC. All opinions are entirely my own.

I found the pacing and structure of this suspenseful crime book about a serial killer, The Hiding Man, very odd. Night Watcher started out compelling, then was everywhere and all over for 80% of the book (different POVs, not nearly enough character development), and then the wrap up came sliding in just under the wire with one big reveal that was so out of the blue it didn't satisfy. I would have preferred the flow to be a bit more moderate with the delivery of twists and questions, instead of the staccato pace we got. That said, the story was interesting and not all hyped up, and I greatly appreciated such a realistic approach. It truly read like true crime.

The narrators were all right and easy to understand, but not great. I wasn't happy to hear the author chiming in, with both a forward and afterward, since she has a strident delivery I didn't care for. I found her voice out of all of them to be particularly grating. It was just a bit too sharp to listen to for very long. If I had the choice again, I'd absolutely go with the paper version over audio.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

• serial killer thriller
• multiple narrators
• atmospheric

I was hooked right away with the Author's Note at the beginning - totally shocking & scary! The rainy, shadowy Pacific NW setting really set the tone for the story. This is a podcast angle well-done. I didn't *love* the reveal at the end, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. The narration was excellent - I was on the edge of my seat all the way through the thrilling conclusion!

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you to @hachettaudio and Netgalley for my #gifted copy!!


Nola hosts a podcast about hauntings and creepy things. One night she gets a terrifying call that leaves her in a whirlwind of worry and memories! I love the way the audiobook did the call, the sound changed, and it sounded like a phone call and that made it feel so much more real and scary!
Nola's fear and the sense of her being watched and the paranoia it brings is fantastic! Then we get the Pov of him everyone in a while and wow does it just add to that uneasy feeling! I couldn't stop listening! The Narrators Helen Laser really made the book immersive; they are 100% added to my favorite narrators and now I have to go look up all their work! I couldn't believe this was a debut book, I'm so looking forward to what she does next and adding her podcast to my listen list!

4.5*

Night Watcher is the debut thriller by Daphne Woolsoncraft, co-host of the true crime podcast Going West. With so many early reviews praising it with a perfect five stars, I couldn't resist diving into the ARC audio on NetGalley.

The audio started off with a gripping intensity that had me on the edge of my seat, especially during Nola's chilling flashbacks that revealed the traumatic night involving the Hiding Man. Felicity’s live call to the station added an extra layer of suspense that I found just brilliant. Based on this, I was strapped in for a 2 day binge listen.

As the story progressed, I noticed the pacing slowed down, which made me long for the heart-pounding momentum I felt during the first half. By the end, though, I was truly invested in Nola's investigation and eager to uncover the identity of The Hiding Man. I was hoping for a more explosive confrontation after Nola’s harrowing experiences, but I still appreciated the resolution.

The narration itself was well done. I loved the dual narration format, and Woolsoncraft’s foreword provided a heartfelt glimpse into the real life tragedy that inspired her to write this book and create her podcast. I do wonder if the experience might have felt even creepier had I read a physical copy instead of listening.

Overall, Night Watcher is a commendable debut that highlights the author’s potential. At times, it gave similar vibes to titles like "A Flicker in the Dark" and "The Butcher and the Wren," though perhaps not as dark. Despite some pacing lulls and a slightly anticlimactic ending, I enjoyed the experience and would definitely read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to @hachetteaudio and @NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and share my thoughts on Night Watcher!

This story was a DNF for me. May consider picking it back up in the future. For the moment it is just best if I set it aside

This is one of my favorite books I’ve listened to so far this year! I was wanting a creepy, stalkery, serial killer vibes audiobook to listen to on our roadtrip and this was the perfect book for that! I was completely enthralled with this book from the very beginning. I couldn’t wait to get back to listening to it after every stop. I can’t wait to read more books from this author in the future! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC!

I jumped out of my seat when I saw that I was approved for this book because it sounded SO GOOD. After listening to the audio, I know I’m part of the small crowd who doesn’t get the hype and I feel so bad about being bored through parts where the plot stalled. Stuff was happening but I don’t think it added to the story.

The detective really frustrated me. What do you mean you’re allowed to be on the case where your bestie is the main suspect?? Although Nola was the main character, she blended in with the random side characters that keep popping up and I just couldn’t connect with her.

The audiobook is well narrated, and the author’s intro GAVE ME CHILLS!!

4.5 stars
Woah. This was creepy and addictive. The authors note was shocking and so real and personal and she has the perfect podcast voice which made the story better. Such an interesting job choice for the main character and the serial killers’ M.O. was creepy as heck. I’ve felt the feeling of being watched when home alone and it is not good. I liked the side plot romance. After all the sketchy stuff with Nola’s dad it does make you jump to certain conclusions. I’d love to read this authors next book. All the narrators were great.
Thanks to net galley for this arc.

This was a very interesting audiobook.
The narrator was good. Nice soothing type voice.
The characters were interesting. The author doesn’t give too much detail or background other than what is needed which is honestly pretty good in this book because it’s not really needed.
The story itself is suspenseful. You don’t know who the killer is pretty much till the end. The author does try to throw you off and change your suspicions a bit, which is fun.

Overall a nice read.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

Nola Strate had an encounter with a notorious serial killer, The Hiding Man, as a child. Ever since, she has made a concerted effort to forget that night, installing security cameras in her home and never speaking of the experience. Nola hosts a popular call-in radio show, Night Watch, which she took over after her father retired. One night, a caller on Night Watch has a live incident with an intruder in her home. The description of the intruder eerily matches that of The Hiding Man. Is the Hiding Man back? Nola is determined to find out.

Wow! What an impressive debut novel by Daphne Woolsoncroft! The Hiding Man was very creepy and terrifying. The characters were well developed. I could feel the tension throughout the story. I felt like I was right there with Nola. The narration by Helen Laser, Will Collyer, and even the author Daphne Woolsoncroft was perfect. This is definitely in my top 5 books of the year so far. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers, especially those with a serial killer element! I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

4.5 - Thank you SO much to Hachette Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book is out now!

Let me tell you. I should not have started this book while I was on a walk and often isolated on the trail. This definitely gave me heebie jeebie vibes! The audio started with the Author's note where Woolsoncroft talked about her personally connection to true crime. I am not a true crime follower or listener but she has a podcast discussing true crime cases so it was a natural progression to take that knowledge and to write a book.

I am fairly certain that this is her debut and I thought she nailed it out of the park. I was hooked from the start until the end. And the way that Woolsoncroft wrote how our FMC Nola was feeling, made you feel as if you were there. I thought Woolsoncroft did a good job with giving us the backstory on what happened to Nola has a child that shaped who she became as an adult. You meet a bunch of different characters and of course knowing the end, it was easy to see that it was this person. But I will say I did not guess correctly and it was pretty much debunked shortly after I made my guess.

The audio narration was done by veteran narrator Helen Laser and new to me narrator Will Collyer. Helen as always is able to transfer the book into something more. She was exceptional in this! I also thought Will was good for the male portions (he handled the pov of the monster as well as the detective). Between the two of them this was an all star audiobook.

It's hard to talk about a lot of the plot of the book without giving too much away but if you are looking for something to keep you on the edge of the seat and with a little scare, I highly recommend this one! Especially if you plan on reading this by audio.

Night Watcher was hands down the best ARC I’ve had the chance to experience, and the audiobook narration took it to another level. The voice actor for Jack was especially phenomenal; he truly embodied the detective and brought so much depth to the character.

This book served as a great entry point into the mystery/thriller genres. It wasn’t overly graphic or terrifying, but the suspense was consistent and kept me hooked. The reveal of the killer was unexpected, though it didn’t have the kind of jaw-dropping twist I’d normally look for. That said, I could feel how much heart and personal experience the author poured into this story, which gave it a lot of authenticity.

I’d absolutely recommend Night Watcher to anyone curious about trying thrillers for the first time or looking for a suspenseful, well-told story with standout narration.

Night Watcher has a wonderfully creepy and atmospheric setting, with the danger of a killer lurking from start to finish. Nola is a complex main character with a dark backstory that isn’t over, as the masked killer she saw as a child was never caught. I enjoyed the tension and well-placed red herrings as the storyline plays out.

This was creepy, suspenseful, pulse pounding and so good. I listened on audio and it was haunting and atmospheric. Highly recommend.
Posted on Goodreads

Thank you for the chance to listen and review "Night Watcher" by Daphne Woolsoncroft.

Nola is happy with her life at the moment - good job with an interesting nighttime radio show, a possible budding relationship with a co-worker but then one evening a caller's story reminds her of the long ago murders by The Hiding Man, when she witnessed her baby-sitter being killed by him. As Nola and family friend, Jack, the detective who investigated The Hiding Man years ago, start to investigate a new string of murders that may be attributed to the return of the Hiding Man, Nola seems to be targeted. Someone is trying to scare her and she feels she may be the next victim. She and Jack start to wonder if the killer may be closer to them then they ever thought.