First of all, for a debut, this book is impressive. Many writers struggle with their first novels, or hit a wall with their follow-ups, but this author has laid a solid foundation they can build upon.

As for the reading experience itself, I was surprised by how quickly I finished it which is in just three days. That’s unusual for me, as I’m typically a slow reader. But the book held my attention enough to keep me focused, which says a lot. That said, by the last 5 or 6 percent, I felt emotionally done with the story. It felt like it had already concluded, and I was just waiting for the formal wrap-up.

I listened to the audiobook version via NetGalley, as I received an ARC, which I really appreciate. I definitely recommend the audiobook experience. The tense moments came alive thanks to the voice actors, and having different voices for different characters helped break the monotony of the investigative parts.
My full review with spoilers are on StoryGraph.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for giving me the chance to listen to this book.

Thank you to Hachette Audio & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ALC of Night Watcher. Here are my thoughts!

When Nola was a child, she witnessed the horrifying murder of her babysitter by a serial killer who never got caught. As an adult, she is the host of a radio call in for people who want to share their scary stories and experiences. One evening, she gets a chilling call that transports her back to that horrific day when she was a child. The murderer is back, and Nola is terrified he’s closer to her than she knows.

This was a very spooky read. I was listening to the scene where all the horror and suspense starts up while I was walking and I was checking over my shoulder. There are so many pieces to this book that are very creepy, and the author nailed it with those little details that make the goosebumps raise on your arms. I was terrified for Nola every time she turned any corner. The narration was great and totally added to the suspense.

I really have a lot of respect for this author. She talks about her own personal experience with death and her work as a true crime podcaster. I think she brings this expertise, and care into this novel, keeping victims in mind but telling a story just right. It’s hard to believe this one is a debut, and I will be picking up future books by Daphne!

I absolutely loved this book, it kept me on my toes the entire time and kept me guessing! I thought I knew how it was going to end but I was totally wrong! Will definitely be on my reread list and the audio made it even better!

Night watcher ALC review

Ok, I LOVED this book. I want to start off by thanking Netgally, Daphne Woolsoncroft, and Hatchett audio for the opportunity to listen to the ALC copy of this book. I really enjoyed the different perspectives we got between all the characters, and even got some parts from the infamous Hiding Man.

Daphne did such a great job of leading us through Nola’s story and guiding us through her past experiences without just “telling” us what happened. I also really liked the variety of perspectives we got from Nola, where as sometimes we’d be reliving a memory in the first person perspective with her, sometimes it was her recounting how she felt and the events that occurred around it, and it helped me to understand other characters past through her memories. It really made the book feel dynamic.

The pacing of this book was great. It always kept me on my toes without feeling too rushed and I wasn’t able to predict the ending, which I’m usually pretty good at guessing for books like this. The narrators did such a great job conveying the emotion and and tension that it kept you engaged throughout this book as well.

Story Rating-4.5 ✨
Narrators- 4.5 ✨

How could a book about a serial killer be this boring?

I had no idea that this book was going to have chapters from the police officer's POV and if I had, I probably wouldn't have read this one. These types of books are very hit or miss for me in general- but this one just really fell flat for me. I couldn't bring myself to actually care about Nola, there wasn't any actual tension. I never felt fully invested in this story and there was a lot of POV hopping that was completely unnecessary. Nola's father was horrible and that conversation at the end made me want to gag.

I read this one in Audio:
I did like that the Audiobook had dual narrators, Nola's narrator was fantastic, however there were so many male POV chapters from different characters with only one male narrator it got a bit confusing at times. I also didn't like that you could hear this intense intake of breath before every sentence the male narrator spoke- that was extremely irritating.

Overall not for me. I was bored.

I thought the audio for this was great. I always love multiple narrators. It was very scary and the narrators followed suit. The only thing I didn't love was the ending. Fell a little flat for me, but otherwise I was gripped the whole time.

Nola is a radio host who 20 years earlier survived a serial killer that left her babysitter dead. Now, it appears he’s back and ready to terrorize her.

This was compelling enough for me to finish especially with the narrators who all had an excellent performance but overall the plot and character development was pretty flat.

I found points of the plot pretty unbelievable or overly convenient (like breaking into a murder scene and conveniently finding the password on a sticky note), answering the door at midnight when you’re already freaked out, etc. Some of the dialogue and introspection was pretty cheesy and generic as well.

I did enjoy the setting of Portland as I’m from there and thought the author did a great job of incorporating my city.

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This book was phenomenal! From the start it had the scare factor! It was Erie and based on a true story which gave more creepy feels! The narrators brought the story to life with emotion and was very smooth to listen to!

HOLY … WOW!
This was literally so intense and chilling the entire time. I felt like I was holding my breath start to finish. 😮‍💨
The terrifying things are done in such a subtle and careful manner it intensifies the terrifying moments that much more.
Let me tell you also how creepy it is to experience the sounds the character was experience in real time while I was reading … coincidence? Or am I about to be murdered?!
Well I’m still here writing the review so I’m ok lol

👏👏👏
This book was so well done and you can tell the author did the work and research! Having a true crime podcast of her own there’s no wonder this book was amazing!
I loved the authors note at the beginning of the audiobook (thank you @netgally and @hachetteaudio for the audio). I like anytime an author shares insight as to the reason behind their book. This was inspired by a family member of hers who sadly went missing at the hands of a boyfriend in FL in 1984 and was never arrested for his crimes. And went on to do it multiple times after. Finally getting arrested and later passing away in prison taking the real information of her family member to the grave.
It’s just wild to me what people get away with.

I highly recommend this book and the audio for it!
To critique one thing about the audio though is the male narrator read it in a way that made it feel choppy and disjointed but I got used to it over time

A great debut! Going into this I didn’t know Daphne Woolsoncroft had a podcast but I’ll definitely be checking it out soon. This was chilling and full of suspense that had me hooked from the very beginning. I binged the hell out of it. I listened to the audiobook and the narration by Helen Laser and Will Collyer was incredible. I feel like listening to this definitely enhanced the eerie atmosphere of the book.

I really liked Nola as a main character and her determination to uncover the identity of the man behind The Hiding Man’s mask. Her fear was palpable but she didn’t let that stop her, especially after realizing her concerns weren’t being taken seriously. You can’t help but root for her. In addition to Nola we get the POV of Jack, the lead detective for both the original murders and the current cases. I enjoyed following along with both investigations and seeing Nola confront her past trauma.

I loved the mystery of who The Hiding Man really was and with several suspects, this will certainly keep you guessing.
With multiple POVs, the creepy feeling of being watched and an ever building sense of dread I definitely recommend this for fans of true crime or thrillers featuring serial killers.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

A fast paced serial killer thriller - yes please! I love that the author is a true crime podcaster IRL. I had no clue whodunnit, even though I tried hard to figure it out the whole time! The intense opening scene hooks you right away, then I have to say the pacing for me was a bit of a roller coaster at times. There was a touch of romance that, of course, I wanted more of!! And WHYYYYY did the MC continue to go places alone with all that was happening???? Omg she stressed me out. Overall, a fun thriller!

This one was a bit scary - what masked long time serial killer stalking women in the night isn’t?? So, fair warning!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this book. 5 stars all the way!! I will be recommending this book to all my friends and family that read.

Nola Strate took over the Podcast Nighwatch from her father. Nola has been through it, she witnessed a murder when she was a child and the man was never caught. This story was was Nola perspective, Jack's perspective and him... As i said in the beginning 5 stars and this will defiantly be one of my fave reads of 2025

Overall, this was a quick listen. I will admit, the beginning of the book had me freaked out! Listening in the middle of the night isn't recommended for those who are scaredy cats like me!

I did like the storyline overall. I thought the main character was relatable as an FMC trying to make it through a scary world. That being said, for as good as the beginning was, the ending was just kind of anticlimactic for me. I would have loved one more plot twist at the end.

4.75 ⭐️ 🫣 🎙️ 🖤 🔪 ⛈️
Spooky Summer is here with Night Watcher!!
A creepy, “somebody is watching me”, foggy woods, stormy nights, suspenseful serial killer mystery thriller! The whole vibe did it for me and I really enjoyed the ride of this one! This book explores the darkest form of human nature and portrays the resignation of how “if we are lucky, justice may be on the other side of perseverance”. The influential beginning authors note kicked off the tone with all the feels and I did not want to put this book down until the very last page!!
I LOVED the eerie radio host vibes, I actually wish we could have gotten more of the people calling in with creepy sightings! The whole book had a 90’s/early 2000’s retro feel to me, even though it was mostly modern day with a few flashback chapters—maybe it just reminded me of old school late night radio talk show and scary nostalgia.

Told in the POV’s over a twenty year span of our main protagonist Nola, the detective Jack, and Him. . . The Hiding Man. 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 unsettling sinister scene that triggers memories of Nola's escape from a serial killer years before, she becomes fearfully aware that he's back to finish what he started.


“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.
He lurks from deep beyond the gray,
He thrives as loose among the prey.
Like a fox, to his hen,
This “He” is called the Hiding Man.”


Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me this free audio ARC for an honest review toward Daphne Woolsoncroft’s Killer Debut. I cannot wait to read more from her!! 🖤 I think the audio made the thrill come to life even more, Night Watcher is a top favorite book of 2025!! 👏🏻

If you are looking for a suspenseful, murder-full mystery, big on the creep factor, look no further. Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft, grabbed my attention from the outset and had me guessing who was the perpetrator throughout.

Nola is a successful radio personality who hosts a call-in show where the public can phone in to share scary and other-wordly sightings. On one such show a terrifying event appears to happen while the caller is telling her story to Nola and her-co-producer. This call sends Nola down a spine-tingling rabbit hole with too many similarities to a horrifying event she witnessed as a child.

Night Watcher, told from the perspectives of Nola and a local police detective, reveals a chilling story that began 20 years prior with a string of serial killings. The audio version of this bingeable thriller kept me company while I drove around town running errands, cleaned my house from top to bottom, and watered my 100 plants. I had to know what happened 20 years ago and what was going on right now. Both audio narrators did a fine job of adding to the hair-raising suspense. They gave a solid listening experience, especially the narrator who voiced Nola. Additionally, the author’s notes read by the author (who is also a podcast host) at the beginning and end of the book, added to the listening experience.

The early autumn, Pacific Northwest setting, was the perfect backdrop to this nightmarish story. It made a great summer read/listen, and would be equally creepy if enjoyed in the Fall or Winter months.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC of Night Watching by Daphne Woolsoncroft in exchange for my honest review.

I saw this one on Instagram when someone posted about it, and it sounded like something I’d like, so I ran to NetGalley to request it! ⁣The perks of being a mood reader!
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Fun fact - I have a thing about adults in masks. I hate them! It completely freaks me out! But apparently I can read about it with no problem. 😂⁣
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A masked serial killer and the podcaster he’s stalking? Sign me up! This one caught my attention immediately! ⁣
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Pacing was a little all over the place for me. At times, moving quickly and at other times too slowly. I was slightly disappointed by the ending, but overall really enjoyed this one. ⁣
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The narrators did a great job. I enjoyed the multiple POVs. ⁣
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Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC of this book. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-Star Review

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft is an absolutely riveting, high-stakes thriller that had me in its grip from the first chapter. The audiobook is incredible—the narration adds so much atmosphere and tension, I found myself reading and listening at the same time just to stay immersed in the story. The pacing is pitch-perfect, the suspense is relentless, and the twists kept me guessing (and second-guessing) right up to the jaw-dropping ending. Woolsoncroft masterfully blurs the line between truth and paranoia, pulling you deeper into a world where no one is quite who they seem. It's edge-of-your-seat, binge-worthy suspense with emotional depth and razor-sharp writing. This one is an instant recommendation for thriller lovers.

Read if you like:
🔪 Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera – smart, twisty, podcast-vibe suspense
🏚️ The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead – dark secrets and psychological intensity
👥 The Only One Left by Riley Sager – unreliable narrators and eerie tension
🎧 The Night Swim by Megan Goldin – haunting past/present dual timelines and an excellent audiobook experience
🔍 The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave – slow-burn mystery meets emotional suspense

Perfect for fans of thrillers that are as compulsively readable as they are psychologically intense. Cancel your plans—you won’t want to stop once you start Night Watcher!

Daphne Woolsoncroft's Night Watcher grabbed me right from the start and kept me frantically flipping until the last sentence. There's nothing I like to root for more than a final girl, and Nola Strate's first encounter with The Hiding Man occurred when she was a child witnessing the murder of her babysitter. After years of inactivity, The Hiding Man is back, and I loved the creepy, someone-is-watching vibes. With multiple red herrings about the identify of the serial killer, and almost everyone seeming like a viable suspect, a final confrontation between Nola and The Hiding Man is inevitable, and I loved every suspenseful minute of it.

Wow. Okay i definitely want more from this author. Daphne Woolsoncroft KILLED it with this. I was captivated from the start. A perfect spooky thriller that will leave you scared of the dark. You never know who’s watching. Years after witnessing her babysitters murder as a little girl, Nola is still haunted by what she saw. After getting a creepy call into her radio station, a girl was found murdered in the same aspect that Nola’s babysitter, and others were from many years prior. Nola now faces her worst nightmare once again.

The audiobook was perfect. Narrators were great. Kept me captivated the whole time.

This one gave me chills in the best way. Super creepy vibe, slow-build suspense, and just enough weirdness to keep me guessing. I loved how it mixed real-life fears with a hint of the supernatural. Quick read, but it stuck with me. Definitely recommend if you’re into eerie thrillers.

The narration totally enhanced the creep factor — so well done.