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Creepy home invader? Check. Paranormal radio show host? Check. A past trauma resurfacing as a killer returns? Double check.
This book had me hooked from the first page. Nola hosts The Night Watcher, a spooky radio show, and one terrifying call changes everythingโ€”again. Years ago, she witnessed The Hiding Man kill her babysitter. Now heโ€™s back... and Nola is the target. ๐Ÿ˜ฑ

I loved the pacing and dual POVs between Nola and the detective. The ending? A bit rushed and predictable, but still satisfying enough for a 5-star experience. I need more like thisโ€”immediately.

๐Ÿ–ค Perfect for fans of: home invasion thrillers, atmospheric horror, and unsolved trauma coming back to haunt you.

#BookReview #NightWatcher #DaphneWoolsoncroft #ThrillerReads #CreepyBooks #HomeInvasionThriller #Bookstagram #SpookyReads #FiveStarRead #RadioShowGoneWrong #BooktrovertInVT #ThrillerBookReview #BookRecommendation




Already posted on IG. Will be posted on FB tonight.

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I love a good podcast thriller!!

This story follows Nola Strate, host of Night Watcher, a radio show focusing on calls of creepy, sometimes unexplainable sightings & happenings. When a distressed caller phones in with a description of an eerie looking man following her, Nola is triggered by a harrowing event from her past ...

This debut thriller is super atmospheric and would work well on the big screen. Be sure to read the foreword by the author, or do your own research on her family - hearing Woolsoncroft's own personal tale made me all that more invested in the story she was telling.

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I am a huge fan of books with a podcast or radio aspect so I was super excited to get an ARC of this title! Thank you Net Galley!
The story started off strong and kept me engaged throughout. Who does love a good murder mystery with an unreliable narrator?? There were definitely twists and turns that made you go from one person to another as the murderer. Unfortunately the ending did not pack the punch I was hoping for. I really hate that there was not a better ending to this story.

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Synopsis: Late night radio host Nola Strate is no stranger to true crime - she witnessed a horrific crime as a child and now listens to callers reporting strange happenings on her show. One night, a caller to the show reports strange happenings in her home that sounds eerily similar to the crime Nola witnessed as a child.

Thoughts: One of my favorite thrillers of the year so far! This book is SO creepy and chilling. The suspense kicks off right at the beginning and never slows down - the mounting tension and sense of danger just escalates throughout. I was constantly kept guessing. The author hosts her own true crime podcast, which I think contributed to this debut being such a banger! Youโ€™re definitely going to want to pick this one up ASAP - itโ€™s the perfect read for Summerween! ๐Ÿ‘ป A note on the audio: I always love Helen Laser, and she did not disappoint here. Such a spooky and entertaining audio production.

Read this if you like:
๐ŸŽ™๏ธtrue crime
๐ŸŽ™๏ธpodcasts
๐ŸŽ™๏ธserial killers
๐ŸŽ™๏ธdual pov

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"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 grey / He thrives as loose beyond the prey / Like a fox to his hen as he is called the hiding man."

That little rhyme perfectly captures the eerie vibe of Night Watcher. The Hiding Man is the stuff of nightmares. He doesnโ€™t just appear. He stalks, he waits, he haunts the silence between the sounds.

What really made this book stand out to me was the authorโ€™s note. Woolsoncroft reveals that the story was inspired by her aunt, who disappeared in the 1980s and was likely murdered. That real-life connection gave the story a weight I wasnโ€™t expecting. It added depth and made the horror more unsettling.

The plot centers on Nola, who was just a kid when her babysitter was killed in the next room. Now, twenty years later, it seems the same killer has returned and is targeting women again.

The suspense is thick. Woolsoncroft has a gift for that creeping, hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck kind of fear. The Hiding Man is pure nightmare fuel - his presence is felt even when heโ€™s off-page, which somehow makes him scarier.

The pacing dragged a bit for me in the second half, and I found myself drifting through a few chapters, but the creepy feeling kept pulling me back in. I also loved the multiple points of view, and the narrators (if you're listening to the audiobook) did an excellent job bringing it all to life.

Chilling, emotional, and genuinely unsettling.

4 Stars

Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

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Daphne Woolsoncroftโ€™s The Night Watcher is a deliciously creepy thriller that grabs you by the collar, whispers โ€œtrust no one,โ€ and then sprints into the shadows giggling. With her podcast crime Woolsoncroft dives headfirst into the dark corners of human behavior, and drags you with her like an eager accomplice with snack privileges.

The plot centers on a mysterious killer stalking his victims under cover of darkness, proving once and for all that nothing good happens after midnight, except maybe finishing one more chapter. The suspense builds like a horror movie soundtrack you canโ€™t turn off, and the tension is so thick you could butter toast with it.

The characters are compelling, though a few couldโ€™ve used a bit more depthโ€”kind of like coworkers you think you know until you find out they collect Victorian dolls or are really into cheese sculptures. And while most of the twists landed like a mic drop, one or two felt more like a whoopee cushion. Still, itโ€™s a twisty, chilling ride you wonโ€™t regret (unless you read it alone in a cabin with a faulty porch light).

Woolsoncroft proves sheโ€™s just as good at making up terrifying stories as she is at retelling real ones. Fans of psychological thrillers, true crime, or simply being mildly afraid of their own hallway will eat this up.

Four stars and one nervous glance over the shoulder. Recommend pairing with a blanket fort and snacks you donโ€™t have to get up for.

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WOW. Justโ€”wow. I was hooked from the very first sentence and couldnโ€™t stop listening. As a longtime fan of true crime podcasts, I was immediately intrigued, and this one did not disappoint. Daphne Woolsoncroft, host of the Going West podcast, brings her true crime background to this thriller in the best way possible. The story feels authentic, tense, and eerily real.

This book is terrifying, not in jump-scare ways, but in a slow-burning, skin-crawling, someoneโ€™s watching you kind of way. The Hiding Man is one of the most unsettling villains Iโ€™ve ever encountered, and the fear never really lets up. I was constantly guessing, theorizing, and suspecting everyoneโ€ฆ and I was wrong. Every. Single. Time. That final twist? Absolutely got me.

The dual narration worked perfectly: Helen Laser delivers a gripping, emotional performance as Nola, while Will Collyerโ€™s calm and chilling tone brings Jack and โ€œHimโ€ to life. Their delivery added so much depth to the story, especially during the most intense moments.

The authorโ€™s note added another layer of impactโ€”Night Watcher was inspired by the real-life disappearance of Woolsoncroftโ€™s aunt. That personal connection gave the story even more weight and authenticity.

If you love twisty, atmospheric thrillers that tap into your true crime obsession, Night Watcher is a must-listen. Donโ€™t sleep on this one โ€” just donโ€™t listen to it in the dark. I mean it!

Thank you so much to @hachetteaudio for the gifted ALC of Night Watcher by @daphne.woolsoncroft

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Late-night radio host, Nola, is one of the few survivors of a serial killer, The Hiding Man when she was a kid. Now, years later, The Hiding Man has disappeared but a woman calls into the show and dies on air, while describing The Hiding Man to a T.

This was such a solid thriller! Here's what I liked:

Nola: She's such touch cookie! I loved how she kept going at the mystery and confronting things about her past and her family. She never gives up which was awesome. I also enjoyed the little romance that was mixed into the story!

The mystery: This one kept me guessing. So many modern thrillers have huge twists, but this one was just so well laid out that something out of nowhere shocking wasn't needed!

The narration: Helen Laser and Will Collyer were great in this. Laser gives Nola such a good voice that I was sucked into her POV.

All in all, a great thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

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If you have ever had the hairs on your neck raise because you felt someone was watching you - or you found an item in a different location than where you last left it, this book is for you!

Daphne Woolsoncroft opens the story with a prologue explaining her reason for writing - her Aunt Carol Woolsoncroftโ€™s disappearance and presumed murder believed to have been at the hands of her boyfriend. This lack of resolution spurred Daphne Woolsoncroft to create the Going West podcast and to pen this debut novel. I was immediately fascinated - even before I got to the first page of the novel!

Helen Laser and Will Collyer give excellent performances narrating the audiobook, and Woolsoncroft skillfully delivers the prologue and epilogue.

The story is an eerie tale of a serial killer from the multiple POVs: Nola, Jack, and the killer. There is also a second timeline of twenty years prior. The suspense maintained by Woolsoncrost had me repeatedly holding my breath!

I loved the Nola, her mom, and Harvey as characters, but I found Jack lackluster and Chic incorrigible - but I believe that was the authorโ€™s intent.

I highly recommend this novel for those who like things that go bump in the night!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing an advanced review copy of the audio version of this title for an honest review.

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Thank you to Netgalley, Hatchet Audio, and Daphne Woolsoncroft for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I kept hearing about this book and it hasn't even been published yet! I was so excited when I was approved for the audiobook. I listened to it in one day. I was hooked! Though, I did think this was going to go in one direction and it definitely surprised me! (SPOILER: I thought supernatural, but I was wrong!)

Lola hosts a late night radio show, listening to listener tales of hauntings and scary events. One night a call comes through from a woman with shocking details. She is describing a serial killer that Lola encountered as a child. In fact, she is one of the only survivors of this serial killer. Is he back to finish what he started? Is he watching Lola? What are the coincidences that this killer, The Hiding Man is back after her father announced he is writing a book about the incidents surrounding his first killing spree? Is it also coincidence that there are links between the victims and Lola, besides just her babysitter?

You have to read to find out!
4.5 stars!

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Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for the gifted Audiobook!

I LOVE the fact that this was a debut! Bravo to Daphne Woolsoncroft for creating this creepy and bingeable book! (sidenote: the cover 1000% sold me on this one, but no regrets).

This one starts of with a BANG! The main character, Nola Strate, is a late night call-in radio host in Portland, Oregon. She receives the creepiest call and from their things just start getting weirder and weirder!

I flew through this whole book basically in one sitting and I never wanted to stop reading! I saw a few people say they were genuinely scared while reading this, and I was concerned because I'm a baby, but I was never scared (take that for what you will).

I wanted just a little bit more from the ending because of how well-constructed the lead up was. That's not to say I didn't still really enjoy it, but it's just what stopped it from being a 5 star read for me.

I know this will be a big win for many, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

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I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I didnโ€™t totally dislike it; it just felt a bit elementary. There was nothing overly original or shocking to draw me into the story and some of the secondary characters werenโ€™t fleshed out well enough. The killer reveal also left me feeling a bit underwhelmed โ€“ I kept waiting for a big reveal or twist, but it was just kind of flat.

2 Stars - It was ok

Thank you Netgalley for the review audiobook copy. The honest review is all my own.

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This book put the โ€œthrillโ€ in thriller. I might have preferred a bit more actual mystery but what the story lacked in twists, it by far made up for in pulse-pounding, shiver-inducing, leave-the-lights on style. The very definition of un-put-downable, one should think twice about reading this while alone in the house. Nice job by the narrators tooโ€”I especially appreciated hearing from the author herself what brought her to telling this story.

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โ€œ๐™๐™๐™š ๐™˜๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™ , ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™จ๐™ฆ๐™ช๐™š๐™–๐™ , ๐™›๐™ง๐™ค๐™ข ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™œ๐™๐™ฉ, ๐™„๐™จ ๐™ฆ๐™ช๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™š ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ช๐™œ๐™ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™˜๐™–๐™ช๐™จ๐™š ๐™– ๐™›๐™ง๐™ž๐™œ๐™๐™ฉ.
๐˜ฝ๐™ช๐™ฉ ๐™ฌ๐™๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™จ๐™š๐™š ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ฌ๐™ž๐™š๐™ก๐™™๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™›๐™š, ๐™„๐™ฉโ€™๐™จ ๐™›๐™–๐™ง ๐™ฉ๐™ค๐™ค ๐™ก๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š, ๐™๐™šโ€™๐™ก๐™ก ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ ๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง ๐™ก๐™ž๐™›๐™š.
๐™ƒ๐™š ๐™ก๐™ช๐™ง๐™ ๐™จ ๐™›๐™ง๐™ค๐™ข ๐™™๐™š๐™š๐™ฅ ๐™—๐™š๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™™ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™œ๐™ง๐™–๐™ฎ, ๐™ƒ๐™š ๐™ฉ๐™๐™ง๐™ž๐™ซ๐™š๐™จ ๐™–๐™จ ๐™ก๐™ค๐™ค๐™จ๐™š ๐™–๐™ข๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™š๐™ฎ.
๐™‡๐™ž๐™ ๐™š ๐™– ๐™›๐™ค๐™ญ, ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™๐™š๐™ฃ, ๐™๐™๐™ž๐™จ โ€œ๐™ƒ๐™šโ€ ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™˜๐™–๐™ก๐™ก๐™š๐™™ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ƒ๐™ž๐™™๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ˆ๐™–๐™ฃ.โ€

๐—ฃ๐˜‚๐—ฏ ๐——๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ: 7/8/25

Audiobook ๐ŸŽง/ eBook ๐Ÿ“–

๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜†: Night Watcher podcast host Nola is haunted by her past. Taking calls about the supernatural everyday at work seems to ease the memories. When a woman calls in one night and appears to be killed on air, Nola fears her past has come back to life and a serial killer might be on the loose.

๐—›๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐—น๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐˜๐˜€:
๐Ÿ”ช Eerie atmosphere
๐Ÿ‘€ True crime plot
๐Ÿ”ช Dual POV/narration
๐Ÿ‘€ Cat and mouse

๐— ๐˜† ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—ต๐˜๐˜€: I was drawn to this one based on the eerie vibes and the location being Portland, OR. For the most part the story was addictive and page turning- it did lag at some points. There definitely were some goosebump provoking scenes on page that creeped me the eff out. I enjoyed the ebook more than the audiobook- it felt more suspenseful on page. I think the narrators could have added more to the experience if they added more suspenseful inflection. Overall, this was a stellar debut. The writing flowed well and the storytelling was excellent. Highly recommend adding this to your fall TBR!

๐—ฅ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด: 4/5 โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

TW: Stalking, Gore

*Thank you @NetGalley, @GrandCentralPub, and @HachetteAudio for sending this ebook and audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NightWatcher

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This felt like something straight out of the horror movies. From the moment you get exposed to the call to the radio show to the very end. I will say the person who did it was kind of easy to spot but that being said, it was still an amazing ride. Woolsoncroft had me sat and going through everything including the fear that Nola felt. She had us fearing our own homes at night. I haven't been this sad about finishing a book since I finished my first Ruth Ware and Darcy Coates. To the author i will say, Well done. it sounded right up my alley and it was the perfect story for right now.

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Night Watcher is a masterful debut that grips you from its eerie opening to its chilling finale. Daphne Woolsoncroft, best known for her trueโ€‘crime podcast Going West, brings her storytelling prowess to fictionโ€”crafting a psychological thriller that pulses with suspense and emotion.
๐Ÿ”น Atmospheric Storytelling

From the fog-drenched streets of Portland to the claustrophobic confines of Nola Strateโ€™s hometown, Woolsoncroft immerses you in a haunting world where every shadow feels alive. The pacing, driven by short, tension-filled chapters ending in cliffhangers, makes it nearly impossible to stop readingโ€”a quality echoed by Audiobook Fanatic, who said the novel is โ€œaddictive and highly bingeableโ€
bookshop.org+11audiobookfanatic.net+11goodreads.com+11
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๐Ÿ”น A Sympathetic, Resourceful Heroine

Nola Strate, a late-night radio host haunted by witnessing a brutal childhood murder, is one of the most relatable thriller protagonists in recent years. Sheโ€™s intelligent, determined, and scarredโ€”but she never feels like a clichรฉ. The layers in her relationship with her father and her dynamic with her producer and local detective add depth beyond standard slasher tropes
goodreads.com
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๐Ÿ”น Chilling Premise & Flawless Execution

The premiseโ€”a caller describing a masked intruder during a live radio showโ€”immediately heightens tension. When the โ€œHiding Manโ€ resurfaces, the sense of dread escalates to a truly unsettling level. Reviewers agree it delivers: Goodreads users described the start as โ€œabsolutely terrifyingโ€ and praised Woolsoncroftโ€™s polished writing and atmospheric build-up
goodreads.com+8goodreads.com+8goodreads.com+8
. Publisherโ€™s Weekly even labeled it a โ€œcreepy mysteryโ€ perfect for a quick thrill
bookshop.org+9publishersweekly.com+9books.apple.com+9
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๐Ÿ”น Balanced Thrills, Emotion & Clues

What sets Night Watcher apart is its blend of horror-style frights with trueโ€“crime-style investigation. Flashing between Nola, the detective Jack, and glimpses into the killerโ€™s psyche, the novel balances psychological probing and pulse-pounding suspense
publishersweekly.com+8audiobookfanatic.net+8goodreads.com+8
. While some critics wished for a more explosive resolution, the emotional weight and suspenseful journey leave a lasting impact .
๐Ÿ”น Memorable Ending

While a few readers felt the conclusion was only โ€œunderheated,โ€ the overwhelming impression is one of satisfaction. With solid character arcs, emotional stakes, and chilling revelations, the ending feels earnedโ€”even if itโ€™s not a face-melting twist
goodreads.com+2publishersweekly.com+2books.apple.com+2
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Final Verdict

Night Watcher is a powerful debut that blends slasher-style horror with investigative tension, anchored by a compelling lead in Nola Strate. Woolsoncroft proves sheโ€™s a voice to watch in thriller fiction. If you enjoy psychological suspense, atmospheric spooks, and character-driven mysteries, this is your next must-read. Just be sure to read with the lights on.

Rating: 5โ€ฏ/โ€ฏ5 ๐ŸŒŒ Thrilling, haunting, and impossible to put down.

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Night Watcher was a breath of fresh air for me. It was a thriller that felt like a teen slasher movie I grew up watching. From a knife to make their kills to wearing a creepy mask, I just couldnโ€™t stop making comparisons in my head to the great movies like Scream, Halloween, and Friday the 13th.

Nola hosts a call-in radio show called Night Watcher. One night, a woman calls in and describes a scene that hits close to home for Nola, and she believes the killer known as The Hiding Man is back.

Nola was a great lead. I really liked getting her in head and seeing how some of her thoughts played out. For example, Nola doesnโ€™t want to run away from the killing; she wants to take it head-on because she just needs to know who is behind the mask. She puts her passion for true crime and her curiosity over her safety, and I loved it. It made her a little bit of a wild card, which made her even more fun to follow.

Although the book didn't have many twists and turns, it maintained suspense throughout. Like Nola, I also needed to know who was behind the mask, and I recommend you all find out the answer to that.

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Terrifyingly GOOD!!!

As a child, Nola escaped a serial killer. Now a late night call-in radio host in Portland, Oregon, she listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But when a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nolaโ€™s escape years before, she becomes fearfully aware that heโ€™s back to finish what he started.

The audiobook is so creepy that I was looking in my rearview mirrors the whole time I was driving. I was completely enthralled by the story and how it all unfolded. It was chilling and twisty and I can't believe NIGHT WATCHER is a debut! The Author's note adds an emotional touch to the story.

My true crime podcast girlies...this one's for you!

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This book was a solid 4 in writing and 4.5 in narrators. The story was great, made sense and I didnโ€™t find out who the killer was in the first chapter so thatโ€™s a win! The narrators did a great job convey emotion without being too emotional and throwing my off my rhythm. Some of their voices were unnecessary but not terrible. The pacing was great and Iโ€™ve already recommended it to others!

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Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, Iโ€™m feeling so blessed because I was SO OBSESSED!!!

First off, her being a true crime podcast host, absolutely loved. And the whole plot of the hiding man had me shook, I was genuinely scared at some moments and literally was looking behind my back scared I was going to see him ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ. Iโ€™m so obsessed I canโ€™t wait to get a copy of this for my shelf.

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