Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Bodies on the Hadrian’s Wall. Twenty years ago they thought the case is closed. But then...bodies are found again. Independent murderer? Copycat? Accomplice? Who?

I liked the psychological settings and the two heroines entangled in the case - Isla the psychologist and Mina the detective. They are both smart and feisty (without being rude) and their sleuthing pace is similar, so they well complement each other.
Isla’s family is more complicated, as she is the daughter of then leading detective and wife of one of the victims, so the case is much more personal for her - mainly because the killings might be closer to the home than she thinks.

So, the premise is good. But the handling is a bit heavy-handed for me, the atmosphere a bit too eerie and aloof, it is difficult to emotionally relate even if I can understand the characters.
The build-up is smart, though, and while a bit predictable, I enjoyed the subplots and motives.

Ms Kavanagh can deliver a solid mystery and this certainly is a good mystery. A bit of warmth included and I would go for 4 stars easily!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded intriguing to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

Another killer read by a very talented author! I love Emma's writing, and this book once again did not disappoint. Recommended!

Isla Bell goes out for her morning jog along the moor wall as she does every morning and as she approaches she sees four bodies posed as though sleeping - they are the first victims of a serial killer except for Ramsey who survives while his brother and two others do not.
The small village of Briganton is changed forever as one victim after another is killed. Isla's father who is Detective Eric Bell finally breaks the case when he arrests Heath McGowan shortly after he murders his pregnant girlfriend.
Twenty years later we find Isla has become a professor in criminal psychology and is obsessed with finding an abnormalities in the brain of psychopaths, specifically serial killers. She has interviewed and done medical testing on 12 serial killers before she approaches Heath McGown and he agrees though he has never spoken about the murders.

Shortly after her meeting with Heath McGowan a new victim is killed in the same manner as the previous victims.
A young officer MIna starts looking at the previous cases and wondering if something was missed.

I struggled with this book but I can't really put my finger on why. It has the elements of what should be a good story but was a little clumsy and I kept putting it aside.
I would like to read another book by this author though to see if it was just a one off.
I found some of the descriptions repetitive and cliched (Isla and MIna both forgetting to eat repeatedly is one example)
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exhange for my opinion

I AM WATCHING is a serial killer dark thriller by bestselling British author Emma Kavanagh. I have read numerus novels by this author, and always find them enjoyable reads. This was no exception but found it was a little slow at the beginning but soon picked up pace, and had my full attention.

From a distance, they seem to be sleeping. Three bodies, sitting propped up against the ancient stones of Hadrian’s Wall. A closer look reveals the horror of their too-white faces, and the ring of vivid red bruises around each neck.

Isla Bell, a fifteen- year-old schoolgirl had been out for a morning run onto the moor, Hadrian’s Wall, when she discovered four bodies. Only one of them survived, Ramsey Aiken. His brother Zach, Ben Flowers and Kitty Lane were among the dead. That day changed the small, close-knit community of Briganton forever, and it also shaped the course of Isla’s life.

Then a few weeks later, more bodies are found. Isla’s father, DS Eric Bell, brought down the killer on the wall-Heath McGowan…now in prison.

Twenty years later, Isla is a professor of criminal psychology at the University of Northumberland, now married to Ramsey, who still suffers from PTSD. Isla specializes in studying the brain function of psychopaths and serial killers. Specializing in brain function and its influences in criminal behavior. Why did Heath McGowan kill those people?

13 serial killers, removed monsters, to study their brains through MRI.

Finally, Isla has a chance to get answers. Isla convinces Heath, in prison, to take part in her research. Isla’s husband, Ramsey cautions her against the meeting.

But then another body is found, displayed just as before . . . and then another. But the killer on the wall is in prison? A copycat?

Lots of twists and red herrings to occupy the reader’s attention.

Many thanks to the author, Kensington Books via Netgalley for my digital copy.

This was my first book by Emma Kavanagh and it was an exceptionally good read. It was intriguing and addictive with many surprising twists and turns. Although I found the start a little slow, the pace soon picked up and I became engrossed in the story. I love small-town crime novels and this book did not disappoint, especially as it was set around the historical site of Hadrian's Wall, which is very local to me. It hit all the right criteria for a good mystery novel, with strong main characters, good writing style, and some unexpected developments in the story. I will be reading other books by this author, Emma Kavanagh and I highly recommend "I Am Watching" to anyone who likes crime mysteries. Rating: 5 Stars.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I AM WATCHING by Emma Kavanagh is a great psychological suspense novel. It kept me guessing until the end. I am glad I was picked to read this one because it is amazing. It has bit of everything, suspense, heart and great characters.

A Chilling serial killer thriller that is so haunting and memorable that you won't soon forget ! I highly recommend this intense page turner . Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books ! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book . All thoughts and opinions are my own ! #Netgalley # KensingtonBooks #IAmWatching

Fifteen years old Isla Bell is out for her morning run along the historic site of Hadrian's Wall when she comes across three bodies propped up against it. They appear to be sleeping, but as she gets closer, she can see the horrible bruising around their necks. Close by is another body laying on the ground. She approaches it cautiously, then sees that he is injured, but still alive.
She runs home to get her Dad, police Detective Eric Bell.
After more deaths, he finally catches local Heath McGowan, who is sent to prison for the crimes. Ramsey is the only victim to survive. He goes off to school and tries to forget his harrowing experience.
Twenty years later, Isla is married to Ramsey. She is a professor of criminal psychology, studying the brain functions of psychopaths and serial killers. She gets a chance to include Heath in her studies and hopes to answer the question "why"?
Then another round of murders begins in Briganton, similar to the ones twenty years ago. Is it a copycat, or does Heath have a partner?
This chilling thriller keeps the plot twists coming. It started slowly, building the tension and intrigue.
Once it got going, I couldn't put it down, I had to find out what was happening and I never guessed the shocking ending!
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of I Am Watching.

I was interested in reading this because I love murder mysteries, especially when it involves a serial killer.

But there was something about I Am Watching that I just did not like, and I can't' quite put my finger on why exactly.

The premise wasn't bad, though not original.

Twenty years ago, a man was arrested for a spate of serial murders that shocked a small town. Twenty years later, the murders begin again. Is the original killer dictating these new kills from behind the scenes? Who is responsible?

Okay, not bad. I can get on board this gravy train. I enjoy a good serial killer story just as much as the next person.

Oof, but the characters and the lack of development made it difficult to get interested in the story.

Isla Bell is a professor of criminal psychology, astute and working on understanding why psychopaths kill.

Like real life and in fiction, she is intelligent and self aware about what she does but a total moron when it comes to her personal life.

But readers don't know her. Why did she and her husband get married? Love? Convenience? Because they survived a tragedy together?

No one is written with any depth, they're just chess pieces moving on a board and eliminated when the killer comes a-calling.

This story didn't resonate because it was SOO predictable; I called out each twist as they occurred; police corruption, that the killer in prison is not who he says he is, the continual fake-outs of "It was this person! No, it wasn't. It was this one! No? Then, this dude who is standing right next to me!"

When the true identity of the murderer is revealed...wow, I saw that coming a mile away.

The big twist is not a twist. It was contrived and phony, because since there is no exposition on anyone, the identity of this person came out of left field. We know nothing about this person, his or her thoughts, why he or she did what she did, what made this person this way.

Who are any of these people? What has surviving a serial killer done to a person? Who were they before the murders?

I didn't care or like any of these people because I know nothing about them. I didn't even hate them enough to like them in that way. At least give me that!

It's like the author just chose this person to shock the reader but didn't take into account that readers aren't that stupid to fall for this fake-out.

3-4 stars! While this book was not as mind blowing as some are, in the ending, it was very well written! The characters were done in a way that really made you connect with them, or want to know more about them, even if you had the mystery solved. I usually do not love those I figure out early on, but this one was done in a manner that actually help my attention and made me want to finish it.
Will be using in a challenge and recommending to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub!

From a distance, they seem to be sleeping. Three bodies, sitting propped up against the ancient stones of Hadrian’s Wall. A closer look reveals the horror of their too-white faces, and the ring of vivid red bruises around each neck. The victims were found by schoolgirl Isla Bell, out on an early morning run along the historic site. That day changed the small, close-knit community of Briganton forever, and it also shaped the course of Isla’s life. Twenty years later, she’s a professor of criminal psychology at the University of Northumberland. She specializes in studying the brain function of psychopaths and serial killers, wrestling with the question that still haunts her: why? Why did Heath McGowan kill those people—and two more besides—before he was finally caught by Isla’s police detective father?

At last, Isla has a chance to get answers. Heath, previously unforthcoming about the murders, agrees to take part in her research. Isla’s husband, Ramsey—the only one of Heath’s victims to survive—cautions her against the meeting. But no matter how ready Isla feels to peer within a killer’s mind, there is no way to prepare for the fresh horror about to engulf Briganton. Another body is found, displayed just as
before . . . and then another. Is this a copycat, someone inspired by or receiving help from the serial killer behind bars? Or could the truth be darker still?

I enjoyed this one, I thought it was well written and the characters were interesting. My only complaint is that the beginning started a little slow, but other than that it was a great story.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #IamWatching Pub Date: 26 Mar 2019

Before I go too far with this review, I should admit one thing.

I, um... guessed the killer after reading the blurb.

So there's that.

Part of my enjoyment of this mystery was just wondering if I was right, and feeling tremendously vindicated when I was. However, that's not to say that there weren't other things about this book to enjoy, because there were. Emma Kavanagh is a talented author, and this novel is atmospheric, quite brutally graphic in parts, and if you didn't guess right off the bat like I did, the ending is a shocker.

As a schoolgirl out on her morning jog, Isla Bell finds the bodies of three of her classmates, strangled and white with death, propped against Hadrian's Wall. The discovery sends a bolt of lightning through the sleepy village of Brigaton. After all, the 'wall' has always been like a protector, shielding their people from the wild of the moors beyond. And the murders don't stop there...

Now an adult, Isla is studying serial killers, desperate to figure out why Heath McGowan did what he did all those years ago to her friends, and two more people besides. Her husband Ramsey is the sole survivor of the attacks, and her work just brings back the trauma for him, over and over again. But Isla is driven - she wants to ensure that a murderer's traits can be detected early, before he or she unleashes the kind of anguish that Brigaton suffered.

When a body is found by the wall - white and still, with fingerprint bruises laced around its throat - it seems that history is about to repeat itself...

Is it a copycat?

Or something even worse?

Undeniably spooky and atmospheric, the red herrings laid out by Kavanagh make this novel an exciting one, while still being skillfully layered with interesting characters and relationships. Strangely, I think the only thing that lets this novel down is the cover - it doesn't do justice to the setting, since so much of the book is centered upon Hadrian's wall and the lonely moors. But that's a minor quibble - anyone who likes British mysteries should enjoy this - just don't expect the typical police procedural style!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate it, as always!

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I loved it. The characters are intriguing and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout. This is another great read by Emma Kavanagh.

Intriguing & very well written. Loved the characters, this is such an enjoyable fast jacked thriller that will keep you guessing till the end. I would recommend this to anyone.

Isla found the first bodies by the wall when she was only fifteen--four bodies lined up. Only one survived, teenage Ramsey. His brother, Zach, was among the dead. Three weeks later, another body is found. Then, two weeks later, another. Terror and fear run rampant in the small town of Briganton until Isla's father, Detective Sergeant Eric Bell, brings the killer, Heath McGowan, to justice. Now Isla is a professor of criminal psychology; she specializes in brain function and its influences on criminal behavior. Maybe she can figure out why serial killers are what they are. Maybe she can prevent what happened in Briganton from happening in another town. She and her partner, Connor, have scanned and studied the brains of twelve men--all serial killers. Now, they are on to their thirteenth: Heath McGowan. Meanwhile, Mina a detective on the Briganton force, was drawn to the department by the thought of working with the famous Eric Bell. She answers a routine inquiry for Victoria Prew, who feels that someone has been inside her home. But later that night, a call comes in. They've found Victoria at the wall. It's happening again in Briganton. With Heath McGowan in prison, who has killed Victoria--and will they strike again?

"It began with the bodies."

This was a really good book--just an enjoyable, dark thriller that kept me guessing until the end. I totally thought I had it all figured out, but... nope! Putting all the puzzle pieces together was actually really fun, even though a lot of this one was really gruesome (think: lots of bodies, lots of death, and many piling up at said wall). I kept telling my wife about the plot, and I'm not sure enjoyed the thought of all those bodies-ha!

The characters in this one are not always the most nuanced, but Isla is great--she finds the bodies at age fifteen and now she's a grown woman, struggling to decipher the minds of serial killers. Her father, meanwhile, made his career on the apprehension of Heath McGowan, whom Isla herself is now interviewing and examining. And Mina, new to the small town, is wary of how the case was handled so many years ago, but hesitant to confront her idol.

"She was a thirty-five-year-old woman, and she was afraid of the dark. Heath McGowan was the reason."

There are lots of red herrings in the story and plenty of twists and turns to keep you puzzling and guessing. Despite it being a small town, there is no shortage of suspects. If you enjoy a good, dark thriller, I recommend this one. 4 stars.

Such a great thriller! I loved this book to bits! They mystery was easily solved, but I just loved the characters so much that I didn't care. I wanted to keep reading about them.

Actually 3.5
I loved the storyline, and felt it had a lot of potential. However, on several occasions early on, I nearly gave up – it was very slow paced, it was only in the second half that the book really picked up the pace and had me on the edge of my seat. The plot itself focused around the small village of Briganton which was rocked by a sadistic serial killer 20 years earlier, who artistically displayed his victims along the historic wall in the village. Fast forward to present day and criminal psychologist/ scientific professor, Isla, is studying the brains of serial killers, including working with the convicted killer, Heath McGowan, who was the infamous ‘killer on the wall’.

This project is very close to her heart, for one, she originally found the victims of the wall 20 years ago, secondly, her father ‘the great Eric Bell’ headed the investigation and brought McGowan to justice; and finally, her husband, Ramsey, was nearly a victim too. He had been found just in time by Isla. But now – everything changes as another victim appears at the wall, it can’t be McGowan, he’s firmly behind bars … a copycat? Can Isla help unmask the killer before it’s too late…………

See – look how freakin’ awesome the storyline is. Discounting the first half of the book, it was a gripping page turner with some dark and twisted passages, which I loveeeed! I just wish there had been more of it. And boy – the twist! It was such a great ending. The characters (+ character development) were fantastic, I connected with them ALL! I am torn on the rating for this one, The first half really let this book down. I’d rate the first half 2/5 and the second 4.5/5!