⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/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 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.

This grasped me from the very beginning. A fast paced, edge of your seat, page turner. A very thrilling horror novel that truly had my heart racing and made reading in the dark an unsettling experience.
I highly recommend this one!

Thank you, publisher, for the early copy!

I enjoyed this audiobook. The narrators were great and brought the story to life. I really enjoyed that our FMC hosted a podcast. The ending was not what I was expecting, but I still very much enjoyed it!

Nola Strate is the charismatic host of Night Watch, a popular paranormal podcast where listeners call in to share their ghostly encounters. But one night, a caller reaches out because she is being haunted by an entity? A person? And then the call ends in a horrific way. Nola isn’t just spooked; she’s triggered. Because she knows this story and she’s seen him before. He’s the man who murdered her babysitter in front of her eyes twenty years ago… and was never caught.

Could it really be him? Is The Hiding Man back?

Told through multiple perspectives - including Nola, Detective Jack, and even the killer—Woolsoncroft masterfully builds tension with each page. The fear of being watched, the eerie tap tap tap at the window, the creaking of an old house - it’s all here, expertly dialed up to keep you on edge. This is not a book to read alone at night… unless you enjoy that delicious kind of dread.

While I found the final reveal a little anticlimactic (I was hoping for a bigger twist!), it didn’t take away from the overall experience. The pacing, atmosphere, and hauntingly well-crafted narrative more than made up for it.

This book is perfect for fans of true crime podcasts, dark thrillers, and late-night scares. Woolsoncroft has taken the fear of being watched and turned it into something truly unforgettable.

“The creak, the squeak, from in the night,
Is quite enough to cause a fright.
But when you see his wielding knife,
It’s far too late, he’ll take your life...
This "He" is called the Hiding Man”

Watch the shadows - and read this book. You won’t regret it.

ok, so first of all, this book blew my mind! I find it very hard to believe this is Daphne Woolsoncroft's DEBUT novel! Absolutely loved this one. This book is chilling, eerie, captivating and very atmospheric. The way you feel like you're being watched is crazy! And to find this book is inspired by the disappearance, and presumed murder of her aunt! I have nothing negative to say about this book. I think this one is going to stick with me for a long time!

Nola Strate is a late-night radio host in Portland, Oregon. On this radio show, she has callers call in with chilling stories of paranormal sightings, hauntings or anything that's deemed cryptic. One evening, there's a chilling encounter with a lady on the phone who is convinced she has a ghost/intruder in her house.

Nola Strate is being watched again by the infamous serial killer referred to as "The Hiding Man." As a child, Nola had an encounter with this serial killer, and she has been running from this encounter ever since. She has installed all the safety measures that should welcome safety, but when all those measures seem to be failing after a storm, Nola is left on edge. Many

Can Nola solve the case of "The Hiding Man" on her own before he takes out his next target?

This audiobook was fantastic! Read by Helen Laser and Will Collyer. I really enjoyed listening to them, easy to understand. They kept me engaged and I couldn't wait to listen to more. Helen and Will helped set the chilling atmosphere! Highly recommend listening to this one!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was everything I was looking for in a read right now. From spooky settings, to flawed characters, and the true crime podcast element, I was hooked from the start.

Narration was impeccable and plot kept me guessing until the end!

Oh, that's a great cover on Daphne Woolsoncroft's new book - Night Watcher. The rain, the empty park and the lone figure. Are they waiting for someone? Or something else....

When Nola was a child, she escaped a serial killer called The Hiding Man. She's back in her home town and she still feels that crawling up her back...

Nola runs a late night call-in radio and ask her listeners to help.

(And I have to insert this here. Daphne Woolsoncroft, a Los Angeles native, is the host and producer of the hit true crime podcast Going West, with a 150K-200K listeners per episode and over two million monthly downloads. Well, of course I had to have a listen and loved it.) That experience really makes Night Watcher even better.

I chose to listen to the Night Watcher. I often find that I am more immersed in a tale when I listen. That was certainly the case with Night Watcher. The two narrators were Helen Laser and Will Collyer. They did a great job of present Woolsoncroft's work. Both spoke clearly and were easy to understand. Their voices suited what was happening in the book. I appreciate having two narrators - it makes things seem believable.

I liked this first book and will be watching for a second - THE SEASON OF SINKING Summer 2026.

I've long been a fan of Daphne's podcast, "Going West," so I was very excited to read this book. I'm thrilled to say it didn't disappoint.

Our main character, Nola, is the host of a radio show where people call in with their spooky stories. One night, she receives a very disturbing call that leads her to realize the Hiding Man - the serial killer she encountered as a child - is back.

This book was so eerie and made me feel like I was being watched just like Nola. It was also very fast-paced and unputdownable from the beginning, which I always love in a thriller.

I also appreciated the exploration of a complicated father-daughter dynamic and the effects of trauma.

I had the pleasure of listening to this one on audio thanks to Hachette and NetGalley, and it was an EXCELLENT way to devour this thrilling story. The narrators really brought our characters to life.

The ending was a bit disappointing and anticlimactic for a thriller bool, but I could also see how it fit in with Daphne's true crime podcaster background.

Overall, this was a very impressive debut that you should go pick up from your local bookstore ASAP!