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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft. Narrated by Helen Laser and Will Collyer.
This was great to listen to! Both narrators were believable and engaging.
I want to talk about the radio show. First, props for adding this feature in. It’s clear radio isn’t nearly as significant as podcast and many other social media outlets. However, it’s nostalgic for those who woke up with radio morning shows, listened to their favorite radio personalities on their way to work and possibly fell asleep listening to them at night.
Second, I felt the mystery/thriller portion kept my interest. Keeps you curious and trying to figure out who, why, when and how? It did drag a bit in the middle but we are receiving some necessary information.
Third, the reveal and motives are underwhelming. Perks for receiving the pov from the killer. That was a nice touch.
Overall, this is a 3.5 star for me. A fun read for anyone who enjoys thrillers/mystery. This is NOT HORROR!
This was great to listen to! Both narrators were believable and engaging.
I want to talk about the radio show. First, props for adding this feature in. It’s clear radio isn’t nearly as significant as podcast and many other social media outlets. However, it’s nostalgic for those who woke up with radio morning shows, listened to their favorite radio personalities on their way to work and possibly fell asleep listening to them at night.
Second, I felt the mystery/thriller portion kept my interest. Keeps you curious and trying to figure out who, why, when and how? It did drag a bit in the middle but we are receiving some necessary information.
Third, the reveal and motives are underwhelming. Perks for receiving the pov from the killer. That was a nice touch.
Overall, this is a 3.5 star for me. A fun read for anyone who enjoys thrillers/mystery. This is NOT HORROR!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Thank you Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, Netgalley, and Woolsoncroft for the ARC!
If you like true crime podcasts, you are going to like this one. I loved how the story takes place in the present trying to solve a modern crime while also trying to solve crimes from the past, how the FMC is clearly dealing with a lot of PTSD, and how they were able to connect the killer to her. I enjoyed the true crime aspect of it, and the way in which society doesn't treat victims well. While there are several other books like this on the market, I do think this one is unique in the father/daughter aspect and the FMCs is open that she is often making poor choices.
If you like true crime podcasts, you are going to like this one. I loved how the story takes place in the present trying to solve a modern crime while also trying to solve crimes from the past, how the FMC is clearly dealing with a lot of PTSD, and how they were able to connect the killer to her. I enjoyed the true crime aspect of it, and the way in which society doesn't treat victims well. While there are several other books like this on the market, I do think this one is unique in the father/daughter aspect and the FMCs is open that she is often making poor choices.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Wow! What a fun and frightening debut. Chilling, tense, and dripping with unease from the first chapter to the last page!
The story opens with a spine-tingling call to the Night Watch radio show—and the creepiness never lets up. The sense that someone’s watching, things keep moving out of place, and seriously… you do not want to be the babysitter.
Daphne Woolsoncroft’s true crime roots shine here—her storytelling feels eerily real. The pacing is razor-sharp, and I absolutely flew through it. When I couldn’t listen to the audiobook, I found myself pulling up the eBook on my phone because I had to know what happened next. I especially loved the characters, with Nola standing out the most. I truly felt for her—traumatized as a teen, and now facing the terrifying possibility that her worst nightmare has returned.
🎧 Narration Note: Helen Laser and Will Collyer are phenomenal. They nail the tone and truly heighten the suspense. I was genuinely stressed out listening—perfect voices for this creepy ride.
Final Verdict: 👍 A thrilling debut that delivers on atmosphere, suspense, and strong character work. Don't read it alone at night!
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
RECAP: Years after surviving a childhood encounter with a serial killer known as The Hiding Man, Nola Strate tries to move on, hosting Night Watch, a radio show once run by her father. But when a caller describes an intruder who sounds chillingly familiar & strange events escalate around her, Nola fears the killer is back. With the police dismissing her, danger closing in, and suspicion even falling on her father, Nola must uncover the truth & face the monster from her past.
REVIEW: This is great for readers who enjoy a tense & fast-paced story, where the main character is unsure what’s real & what’s not. Audiobook has dual narration, which I was a fan of. You're plunged into the action almost immediately, but not in a way that's confusing. There are some flashbacks, but they're done well. I wouldn't say this is necessarily a horror book - maybe very light horror, IMO, but it's definitely suspenseful. Having the author's note at the start also helped give me a better appreciation for her writing and where she was coming from.
REVIEW: This is great for readers who enjoy a tense & fast-paced story, where the main character is unsure what’s real & what’s not. Audiobook has dual narration, which I was a fan of. You're plunged into the action almost immediately, but not in a way that's confusing. There are some flashbacks, but they're done well. I wouldn't say this is necessarily a horror book - maybe very light horror, IMO, but it's definitely suspenseful. Having the author's note at the start also helped give me a better appreciation for her writing and where she was coming from.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Infidelity, Violence
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a really good, creepy read! I couldn’t put it down. I’ve been a fan of Daphne‘s podcast for a long time now and was really excited to read her debut novel. I will definitely be reading anything she writes in the future - her writing style is really strong. I think the story itself felt a little bit rushed in the end with the resolution… some plot holes or lack of explanation. I figured out who did it but I don’t think it would’ve been possible to know why? All in all, quite good!
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.*
I'll start by saying that the first half of this book was quite good! The suspense that was built was great, it was sufficiently creepy, all good things. The second half just fell flat for me personally.
I think this is a wonderful starter thriller for people who might want to get introduced to the genre. It's a pretty standard, no-frills kind of option for people who might be interested in seeing what the genre might have to offer. For someone like me, however, who reads a lot of thriller/horror already and has run the gamut of most of the tropes, this felt pretty formulaic and predictable. Which, to be clear, is not always a bad thing! As a library employee, I have patrons who specifically seek out familiarity in their reads. If you're looking for that, this is that! And that's wonderful for you! For me, though, I wanted more out of the stalker plot. I wanted him to be scarier before his reveal. I think the POVs would have been much punchier if he had more chapters rather than spending so much time with the detective. It's something I'll recommend to people for sure, but it just didn't hit for me.
I'll start by saying that the first half of this book was quite good! The suspense that was built was great, it was sufficiently creepy, all good things. The second half just fell flat for me personally.
I think this is a wonderful starter thriller for people who might want to get introduced to the genre. It's a pretty standard, no-frills kind of option for people who might be interested in seeing what the genre might have to offer. For someone like me, however, who reads a lot of thriller/horror already and has run the gamut of most of the tropes, this felt pretty formulaic and predictable. Which, to be clear, is not always a bad thing! As a library employee, I have patrons who specifically seek out familiarity in their reads. If you're looking for that, this is that! And that's wonderful for you! For me, though, I wanted more out of the stalker plot. I wanted him to be scarier before his reveal.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A truly fantastic debut! This was one creepy book! I live in the Portland area and I found myself reading late at night, which really added to the fear factor! Several nights I actually had to stop listening because I really felt like someone could be watching! Also, masks are always eerie, but the one in this book is next level!
This book has a bit of something for everyone mystery, horror, family drama, and a budding romance. I enjoyed the podcast element too. I don’t want to go into too many specifics about the story! Just read it! It’s fast paced and will definitely suck you in!
I highly recommend the audiobook! The dual narration really brings the story to life!