I have high standards for thrillers and Lisa Jewell never fails to disappoint. In recent years, thrillers have become more and more popular, with publishers cashing in on the Gone Girl and Girl on the Train phase. This has lead to a genre that is inundated with cookie cutter plots and overly dramatic characters. It is hard to find a quality read that is so engrossing it is impossible to put down. Lisa Jewell’s Watching You is certainly a quality read. Focusing on the residents of a single neighbourhood, Melville Heights, these characters give a whole new meaning to the term “nosy neighbours” Every resident is hiding their own secret, while they are carefully watching each other. It is a creepy thought, the idea of your neighbours watching you a little to closely.

Lisa Jewell is a very talented writer. She gives away just enough information at the exact right moment to keep you guessing until the very end. Watching You is the third novel by Jewell that I have read and what I love about them is that the plot and the characters are completely different in each novel. She creates unique stories that are very thrilling, yet believable at the same time. Her characters are flawed, but not in an exaggerated way. They are relatable, so that even though you mat not like them, you can understand them. I will eagerly await her novel book!

Normally with my reviews I share the synopsis of the book, but I’m not going to do that for this one. I do have a warning, though. Apparently the edition I marked as “Want to Read” on Goodreads was the one edition that had a very inaccurate synopsis. It very clearly stated which character is murdered, however that character is not the victim. I was kind of livid about this synopsis and couldn’t understand why no other review I found was complaining about it. And then after checking 3 different book seller sites and the other editions of the book on Goodreads, I realized this was the only place I could find this wrong synopsis. So my warning to you, don’t read the synopsis on Goodreads in case you get the wrong edition (though I’m hoping this will be corrected before the book is published).

Ok, now that my little PSA is done, let’s get on to the book. Watching You follows the intertwined lives of residents in a small English town. Joey is kind of a hot mess who moves in with her brother and sister-in-law when she returns home with a new husband in tow. When she first notices her neighbor, charming and charismatic Tom, she develops an instant crush. Freddie is Tom’s son and he likes to spend his time watching and keeping tabs on the townspeople from his bedroom window. He doesn’t believe his father is the great man everyone in town seems to think he is. Jenna is a student at Tom’s school. Her best friend has a crush on Tom and Jenna finds his interactions with her friend a little inappropriate. Additionally, her mother has paranoid delusions that Tom has initiated gang stalking of her and wants everyone in town to know what a fraud he is.

I’ve read some reviews that said there were way too many people to keep track of in this book, but I have to disagree. I did not have trouble keeping the characters straight at all. Jewell is excellent when it comes to writing character development and that skill is on full display here. However, I do have to say that I did have kind of a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I didn’t feel a real attachment to any of them. I wanted to find out what happened, plot-wise, but didn’t care that much about what kind of fall out the characters faced. There were a couple of side character I did enjoy, though. Joey’s brother, Jack, and her husband, Alfie, were both really sweet. I wouldn’t have minded getting to see more of them.

Overall, Watching You kept me turning the pages, but the mystery was not as satisfying as I hoped it would be. I did like how the story showed how easily our personal perceptions could be wrong and Jewel’s writing is always enjoyable. I just felt like the conclusion was a little lackluster and the book didn’t have much of the creepy “You’re being watched” vibe that I was expecting. I also think that my overall feelings for the book were negatively impacted by that incorrect synopsis I read. I still recommend this one to Lisa Jewell fans, though, and fans of character-driven mysteries.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3 Stars

Do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched?

Watching You by Lisa Jewell takes place in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England. However, there are cracks beneath the polished veneer of the houses. Each of the neighbors has their own secrets and their own agendas. What goes on behind the closed doors of Melville Heights will make you wonder what's happening in your own neighborhood.

Watching You is the second novel that I have read by Lisa Jewell, the first being The Girls in the Garden. Watching You is one of those slow burn psychological thrillers. Throughout the beginning of the story, we are introduced to a myriad of different characters, and each of their perspectives helps the story unfold. At first, I kept getting the characters confused, which made the first part of the novel a little "clunky" for me. The characters live in a place where neighbors keep an eye on each other, and that's not always a good thing. Nothing is quite as it seems, and as the story progresses, the characters grow increasingly suspicious. As the plot begins to unravel, the tension builds in a twist that you won't see coming. Watching You will be out in just a few days, so make sure you add it to your TBR! This one gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 from me. Thanks again @netgalley and @lisajewelluk for the digital copy of this book!

For some reason all the women are infatuated with the chubby middle-aged headmaster brought in to fix the local school. This includes a newlywed neighbor and a young female student. Others, like the crazy woman across the street and her daughter, don't like or trust the headmaster. The whole situation comes to a head when there is a murder in this well-to-do neighborhood. Once again Ms. Jewell brings together a twisted puzzle to keep readers guessing. For me, sadly, one of the guessing was which character was which. There were too many female characters whose first names started with "J." There are 26 letters in the alphabet. Unless it is a plot device, I do not understand why so many people had to have names starting with the same letter. But that is a minor pet peeve when the story is so good!

“Watching You” is a new mystery thriller by Lisa Jewell. The book starts with a murder in a town in England where the residents all seem to be watching each other. Joey and her husband, Alfie, have just moved in with her brother Jack and his wife Rebecca. They live in a cute neighborhood, two doors down from the Fitzwilliam’s, a husband and wife and their teenage son. Mr. Fitzwilliam, is the headmaster of a school, and it seems that everyone is infatuated with him, including Joey and some of the students at his school. His young wife, Nicola, seems to only care about him and running. Freddie, their son, is obsessed with watching everyone and everything going on in their neighborhood.

As the book progresses, we find many more of the residents watching each other, and trying to uncover what is going on in their small town. We know the police are interrogating some of the key players, but we don’t find out until close to the end who was murdered. It was pretty obvious to me who the murdered was when a key detail is given by them to another character. I just wasn’t sure which person they murdered which kept me interested and intrigued.

This is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Jewell, and definitely will read others by her. It was very well written, the chapters were not too long, and the pace was great. I like how it was told by multiple points of view which helped us to have a better understanding of the characters and what motivates them.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books for the free advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This mystery set in Bristol, England begins with a murder scene and then jumps back to a few months before the crime took place. Someone has been killed in the kitchen of a beautiful painted house in the neighborhood of Melville Heights, a place where the facade of fanciness and beauty hides sinister secrets. The narrative switches between the perspectives of multiple people in the same neighborhood and builds up to the night of the crime, and as the stories weave together the characters simultaneously unravel.

I love that this story gives a lens into each character’s perspective while keeping secrets in the right moments and unveiling information at a steady pace. While the end wasn’t shocking, the numerous red herrings had my mind scattered and curious throughout the whole book. I found this story and its characters a lot more engaging than the other book that I’ve read by this author (Then She Was Gone), and I would highly recommend it! This book comes out on December 26th.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is my first Lisa Jewell book, but I will definitely read her again. This is a fast-moving narrative that forces you to constantly question perceptions and how we understand others. We are introduced to a handful of characters who all put on performances for the people in their lives--just like we all do in real-life. I enjoyed the speculation Jewell makes you undertake while evaluating each character. We know on the first page that someone dies, but we don't know until the end who it was.

My one small criticism is that I do wish the culprit wouldn't have been given away so soon. Normally I say I don't mind knowing who the bad guy or gal is early on, but I would have preferred to have known a little less here; I figured out the culprit very early on. I will say, though, I still had questions that I had to read to the end to find the answers to.

A good, solid read; a page turner. This will make you re-consider how well you know those around you and how you project yourselves to others.

I absolutely love all of Lisa Jewell’s books, so when I got accepted for watching you I was very excited and happy. I thought this one was a dark suspenseful read and had some good twists I wasn't expecting and such diverse characters with all different personalities all mixed into the intricate plot.

I loved how throughout the book there was added police interviews and it really makes you start trying to do your own little investigating and trying to figure out who the killer is.

Watching you was definitely a mesmerizing tale of murder that is so enthralling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was mysterious, dark, suspenseful, and overall just mind-blowing. Lisa did a phenomenal job with her plot, characters and writing.

Lisa jewel keeps you on the edge of your sssg till the very last second! She creates characters with their universe and it's so distinct, you feel like you're living inside the narration. Watching you was very enjoyable. I liked it more than the girls in the garden but I don't know if it topped Then she was gone. It was great nonetheless.

Thank you Atria & NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

I am a huge Lisa Jewell fan, so I was excited to dive into this new book by her - and I was NOT disappointed. Fast paced, twisting, cleverly diabolical - I devoured this in one sitting without pause.

Lisa does the most incredible work creating characters who are grounded perfectly in reality, with flaws and weaknesses that are completely believable and let the reader fully by into the cast of the story. I completely loved how this story moved from character to character, slowly unravelling the events that lead to the murdered body in the kitchen, while constantly causing me to second guess who that body might belong to, and who put it there.

I spent the entire time reading, convinced I had it figured out, and convinced I had the characters pinned down only to find again and again that I was wrong. I loved it - I love a book that will surprise me.

I won't reveal even a single hint of a spoiler, other than to say that mystery lovers need to have this one on their TBR this winter - it is the perfect book to cozy up with on a snowy afternoon. Lisa Jewell remains a force to be reckoned with.

Watching You was an excellent read! I loved it! Thrilling and suspenseful, this book will have you guessing until the end. Full of unexpected twists and an unbelievable ending. I loved Joey, a relatable character that rings true. I thought all the characters were great and the story mesmerizing. I enjoyed this Authors writing and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

I give Watching You 5 stars for its Thrilling read.
I would recommend this book to fans of Suspense and Thrillers.

Ever have that feeling someone is watching you?

Lisa Jewell has done it again. She’s given us the perfect thriller guaranteed to keep you guessing right to the end!

Joey and her husband Alfie move in with her brother Jack and his wife Rebecca. It was intended to be temporary stay - just long enough for the newlyweds to get their feet under them.

Down the street is the new headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam, specifically brought in to rescue the local school from looming disaster. Tom is charismatic, charming, suave...well you get the picture! He makes all the ladies swoon. As well as some of the school girls too.

Tom’s son Freddie is a self-proclaimed spy. He patiently watches, snapping photos of everyone on his block, all from the comfort of his second floor window. And make no mistake…no one escapes his eye! So exactly what does he see from his perch? Is he canvasing the neighborhood watching, searching for something specific?

Paranoia is settling in as everyone on this block is keeping a wary eye on someone else. Maybe for good reason. Everyone also has something to hide. You feel the tension building and sense it’s all leading to a murder in this quaint neighborhood. But who is the murderer? More importantly, who’s the victim?

Lisa Jewell has the perfect recipe to add just enough intrigue and red herrings to keep you glued to the pages trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together! Another fantastic thriller by this author and I cannot wait to read her next!

A super thrilling buddy read with Susanne!☃️

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Lisa Jewell for an ARC to read and review

Awesome thriller that proves you shouldn't judge someone you don't know just by watching them! I read it in two days and this is my first Lisa Jewell book but won't be my last!

The neighbors in Melville Heights are extremely alert, and everyone seems to be "watching you." Even though Joey is a newlywed (married to Alfie), she has a major crush on her neighbor, Tom (who is married to Nicola). Their teen son, Freddie, spies on his neighbors, taking photos and logging everything he sees. Another neighbor, Frances, insists that others are watching her but should her teen daughter, Jenna, believe her, or is her mom's paranoia out of control? And, what about Joey's brother, Jack, and his wife, Rebecca, who also live on the street? Are they watching anyone?

The story opens with a murder, so the reader is left wondering, who was murdered and why?

As each new character is introduced, the suspense continues to build, and the short chapters totally tricked me into reading one more, just one more, until it was the middle of the night. For the last quarter, I found myself flipping the pages even more frantically because I had to know what happened and why. Even though I guessed who was dead and why, it didn't spoil my overall enjoyment, and I definitely didn't guess the final twist at the very end. Yikes.

I would highly recommend this one for fans of a suspenseful, twisty tale. If you'd like to read more from this author, I'd recommend Then She Was Gone (4 stars), which I read and loved.

I received an advance copy of this book from BookishFirst. All opinions are my own.

Location: Bristol, England

This is the first book I have read by Lisa Jewell, an I liked it so much, that I want to read more of her books in the future. This book was a psychological thriller in a way, a murder mystery, and very creepy and scary at times.

This book takes place in a nice community where murder has never happened before, so it causes quite a stir. There are so many good characters and the murder takes place at the beginning of the book, so as I got to know all the characters, different families, teens and the main characters what is unveiled is a shocking plot that started years ago, and now has been fulfilled by the killing of the school director's wife!

On top of this there are subplots running through this story as well, and no one is immune to these plots not, even some of the teens that live there, as they are all affected in some way or another.

Then at the end, which I had no idea was coming, the murder, who was behind it and what caused this terrible event to happen was way off my radar, but made sense!

I loved this book and gave it five psychological stars!

Tom Fitzwilliam is the headmaster of the local school. Handsome, charming, intelligent. Maybe a bit too sweet with the teenaged girls he mentors. He lives with his wife, a passionate runner, younger, always seems a little bit off and their son who methodically observes the neighborhood with binoculars from his perch at the top of their home. Joey, a late twenties misfit has a crush on Tom. She lives across the way with her perfect heart surgeon brother, his mysterious wife and her unsuspicious husband Alfie. Jenna is a student who lives nearby with a psychotic mother who believes she is being gang stalked and Tom is the notorious leader. These characters converge on a mission to figure out Tom’s mysterious past and his wife’s deceptions. With many twists and turns author Lisa Jewel takes us on a suspenseful journey with shocking surprises and quite a cast. Highly recommend this new one if you are in the mood for a mild psycho thriller that is enjoyable and easy to read.

I'm really on the fence on a 3 or 4 star review. This wasn't my favorite Lisa Jewell book but I still enjoyed. What I really appreciated about the book is that I couldn't connect the dots until they were right in front of me. I really didn't see any of those twists coming, especially the epilogue. Whoa. My least favorite part was the story about Joey, but once I got to the end I realized why she was written to be so annoying. The ending of the book really brought every piece together beautifully.

If you've been reading my reviews or following me for any length of time, you already know I have a big love for Jewell. Once again I found myself falling down the Jewell hole and into this riveting story of bullying, assumptions, secrets, attractions and how things behind closed doors are different from the public front.

Some might think that this is a slower burn of a suspense novel and while I can see that, it doesn't take away from the addictiveness in the read. Most of the time I was completely and utterly baffled as to why this Fitzwilliam was SUCH an attraction to seemingly everyone around him. The instance I read about the flash of torso skin that was seen and it being compared to freshly baked bread, that was it - WHAT?! Haha - but we are all attracted to different things for various reasons and who the hell am I to judge? Clearly he had this magnetism to him that attracted those around him and kudos to him!

Jewell does such a great job in bringing all these different little nuances to the story - the background of each of the characters, their families, how they all intertwine and interact. A character I grew to love is Freddie. At first, I was a bit put off on the whole thing but I knew.. just KNEW.. there was something going on there and when it was brought to light, I felt this wash of understanding and just ended up adoring him. I absolutely appreciate how Jewell worked this into the story line. I also think it was genius putting in a letter towards the end of the novel that really gives the reader an understanding of a particular character.

What did I love about this book? Well, really guys and gals, what DIDN'T I love about this book? Some things were slightly predictable but over all I was getting surprised little by little, which is always nice when reading a thriller.

Add this to your Christmas wish list - it comes out the day after and is a great way to end the year. Take a trip to Melville and tell Joey I said hi.

Solid domestic thriller.
Kind of a slow burn, but once I could keep all of the characters straight, it was interesting to follow each of their storylines and see how they all intersected in the end.
I liked the exploration of good vs. evil vs. caught-in-the-middle. There is at least one definite evil character, but it isn't clear until the very last paragraph just how evil that person is. There are also quite a few characters that do unsavory things--from spying to cheating to skating on a thin line of acceptable behavior. Jewell does an excellent job at looking at those characters' actions and exploring the grey areas of what they do, and then showing those characters' growth over the course of the novel.
I wasn't a particular fan of Joey, I thought by her age she should have had it a bit more together, but as I followed her arc I came to understand more about her and appreciated her development throughout the tale. I thought Freddie was a fascinating guy and looked forward to his scenes.

Lisa Jewell does it again with this fast-paced, high creepy factor psychological suspense that has the reader asking just who has been watching who, and who is/are the real victims?

Tom Fitzwilliam and his family have settled in the upscale community of Melville Heights (Bristol, England). Tom is a headmaster brought in specifically to turn around the local school. Charming, charismatic, and one who always seems to have everything under control, Tom's the sort of man other men want to be like, and women of all ages want to be with. He's a family man, married to wife Nicola with whom he has a teenaged son, Freddie.

Neighbors Jack Mullen (a heart surgeon) & his pregnant wife Rebecca have recently offered Jack's newly-wed sister Joey Mullen, and her husband, Alfie Butter, a place to live until they can get a good place of their own. Adding to the cast of characters are several others: there's a local busybody (of course!), plenty of local women/students interested in Tom, and the afore-mentioned Freddie, who is admittedly a bit weird, spying on and taking pictures of people. But hey, you know what it's like in a town where gossip spreads like wildfire. And there seems to be plenty of gossip surrounding amiable Tom Fitzwilliam; but the reader must decide how much of it, if any of it, is true.

The book opens with DC Rose Pellam conducting a murder investigation in the Fitzwilliam's kitchen. The story is told through third person narrative, except for the transcripts of the police interviews. Ms. Jewell cleverly has several of the characters looking into Tom Fitzwilliam throughout the book for their own purposes, so we get to see this "perfect" man through the eyes of several people. Second job for the reader, figure out who was murdered and why?

As in her past books, Lisa Jewell does a good job of keeping the reader wanting to know more, more, more, so that the pages seem to turn on their own volition. I promise you, you will not see this ending coming!!! Books like Watching You are the reason I keep reading Ms. Jewell. She doesn't disappoint!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for permitting me to read an e-ARC of this entertaining book in exchange for an unbiased review. Opinions expressed here are my own.