I was excited to pick up this book and read it. It did not let me down. It is a fast paced story that was hard to put down but a great author. She is a new author for me and I look forward to seeing what is next for her. This is a story where the author's writing style made the story realistic. Her attention to details made the story feel as if I was right there with the characters. They are connectable and brought the story to life. This is a story that is full of action and the twists and turns are like no other. A story about a serial killer and the mystery of the killing of two girls. I was pulled into the story from the start and found this story to be engaging. It is a must read for sure. I highly recommend this book.

Overall, it's worth sticking it out, but know before you begin that the pacing is atrocious. Also, while there were a number of thought provoking observations, the reader got something more like glances at them rather than an in-depth look.

As an introduction to a series, this novel does a good job of establishing Jordan’s relationships, career path, and lifestyle. The mystery is featured side-by-side with a “day in the life of being a TV journalist” details and her love life. Jordan has many skills including crime scene and forensic science expertise, which sets her apart from the typical non-professional sleuth. Not surprising, readers will shake theirs heads at some of her dangerous choices.

At times, the description of the crimes may be hard to read, and commentary of young black girls in peril as well as inequality in media and police attention are emphasized throughout. This seems to be a slower-paced novel of suspense with a strong tie to relationship (women’s) fiction.


Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-galley. I listened to the audiobook for this review. My ratings and reviews are my own.

Content Warnings: harm to children and SA mentioned as well as vivid descriptions of the cause of death after an autopsy; physical assault; discussions of abuse to minors

I received this book from NetGalley as an advanced copy

Jordan who is a crime reporter takes a job in Chicago. She is one to arrive first at the scene of whatever is going on in her designer clothes. She is a good reporter and h ad a lot of experience but nothing has prepared her for what is going on in Chicago. She is called on to cover murders of many black woman in the city.
There was a young girl that was found in an abandoned lot that scares and frustrates her, she works hard to give the victims a voice that seems to be lost.

She believes that there is a serial killer on the loose and it needs to be stopped.

This was a great story, moved a little slow in the beginning but then I got into it. I did enjoy this one very much!

Here's the opening from my review for NPR (and its public radio affiliates):
Though its subject may sound familiar, journalist and talk-show host Tamron Hall's debut novel As the Wicked Watch is a singular thriller that brings the vulnerability and systemic neglect of Black girls as victims of violent crime into vivid relief.

That's an ambitious agenda, and fiction is a distinctly different mode of storytelling from news reporting, even if taking big issues and making them personal is second nature for the Emmy Award-winner. But the novel's storyline proves perfectly tailored to Hall's experience and skill set.

Unlike the media frenzy that ensues when middle-class white women like Gabby Petito go missing, Black girls often disappear without fanfare. Yet when a thriving 15-year-old Black girl who's the pride of her family vanishes in Chicago and the police are eager to dismiss the event as just another "case of a potential runaway," the explanation does not sit well with intrepid local TV reporter Jordan Manning. She's determined that this time will be different.

Full review: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/30/1050572074/as-the-wicked-watch-tamron-hall-review

As the Wicked Watch is a mystery/thriller set in Chicago. News reporter, Jordan Manning, is following the story of a local teenage girl who is found brutally murdered. Jordan had become close to the victim’s mom and will stop at nothing to see justice done. When she gets too close to the truth and is attacked herself, she is even more committed to finding the evil that is attacking woman in the community.

While I liked the storyline itself, it was just a bit drawn out for me. As much as I wanted to find out what was happening, I had no problem putting this book down to do other things. There were several pets that probably could have been cut out and not changed the story at all. Overall, good premise but the writing needs to be streamlined a bit to hold my interest.

#AsTheWickedWatch 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️.5/5

“It reminded me of the power of the job. It’s not about making or breaking someone’s day; it’s the ability to make or break a system that can destroy someone’s life if they are innocent. It’s also about humanizing people and not being used as a weapon against the lesser-thans and the have-nots”.

I really liked Jordan Manning. She’s a great investigative journalist and I want to hear more about her! I really enjoyed the audio for Jordan as well. It matched who I envisioned Jordan as so well.

Hall goes into detail about how Black women and children do not get the coverage they deserve when missing. I think a lot of social media realized that during the disappearance of Gabby Petito, and this book could not have come out at a better time. I was furious at the handling of the Masey James case and the beginning arrests. But sadly, it’s a reality in our country. I thought this brought so many social issues to light in a way to really open it up for discussion.

What didn’t really work for me was the pacing and descriptors. Y’all know me + a million descriptions = head in the clouds confused. I would sit there and think “why are we talking about her Stuart’s?” which led me to think about when I worked at DSW, then to Christmas and well, now I had to rewind because I tuned them out. It was kind of uneven in pacing/flow. We’d go into this graphic depiction of murder and what happened with Dr. Chan, then next thing I knew we were talking about Thomas and getting drinks. While I don’t mind either, I felt like it didn’t flow well in transition that made me feel like I missed something entirely. But, I didn’t. I understand that as a journalist all the details matter, but for this book, it muddled the plot a bit.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I’m excited to see where Jordan goes next, and what happens next. Thank you @harperaudio and @william for the gifted copy. As The Wicked Watch is out now!

Shelf Awareness for Readers, Oct 29, 2021: Tamron Hall draws on the depth of her own experience as a broadcast journalist in As the Wicked Watch, in which a Black female reporter goes above and beyond the parameters of her job to help solve the gruesome murder of a Black teen in Chicago. Crime reporter Jordan Manning first covers the story of 15-year-old Masey James as a missing persons case--one that crawls under Jordan's skin, especially after her exclusive interview with Masey's mother. When Masey's body is eventually located in an abandoned playground, Jordan is the first on the scene: "I couldn't ignore what I recognized as a plea for help, for the police to care, for attention from the media, for answers."

Recognizing that her role in television gives her not only access, but the ability to put pressure on the people and groups that tend to ignore cases of missing--or murdered--Black girls, Jordan takes action: interviewing police leads, connecting with Masey's family, tracking down loose ends in Masey's case--and all in her signature stiletto heels. Throughout the case, Hall's experience in journalism is evident; Jordan's tracking of the clues makes for a compelling mystery, just as they offer a fascinating look behind the scenes of what it takes to get the perfect broadcast story--hours and hours of work often distilled down into minutes or seconds of television coverage. The first in a planned series featuring reporter Jordan Manning, As the Wicked Watch is a well-paced and thoughtful crime novel that probes questions of race, representation and community care. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Discover: In this well-paced and tightly plotted mystery, a broadcast journalist probes questions of race and representation following the murder of a teenage Black girl.

I was really drawn in by the premise of As The Wicked Watch. Described as “a reporter unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two Black girls, the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.” Sounded right up my alley. And at the start I was really enjoying the glimpse into the life of an investigative journalist - especially knowing how intimately the author knows that world.

Unfortunately, the execution of the plot really just fell flat for me. The pacing felt off and there were parts that dragged or felt repetitive. And I felt like the lead character Jordan Manning made a lot of poor choices. When her friends and colleagues pointed out that she was being reckless or thoughtless - it didn’t seem to matter or change anything at all.

I know this is being described as the first in a series but I think this will be the only one I read. Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the advance copy to review. I also purchased the audiobook.

3.75 TV journalism stars

This book digs into the crime scene in Chicago as covered by TV reporter Jordan Manning. It was fascinating to see how Jordan’s 10–12-hour workday might result in a 3-minute segment on the evening news.

Jordan has unique qualifications for her job, having gotten a degree in forensic science. Although, she does border on doing police work as she digs into covering the story! This tale quickly focuses in with the sad story of Masey Jones, a black teenager who has been missing for a few weeks. The police originally wrote her off as a runaway.

Jordan is on the story, interviewing the mother, a vigil, and finding new clues that she indirectly shares with the police. She starts to make some unsafe choices as she pursues this one, but it seems to be personal for her, especially when Masey’s body is discovered.

The police are really under pressure to solve this case and that intensifies when they make a questionable arrest. It was interesting to see the interplay between the police and the media for a case like this.

I really liked the reporting side of this one but there were some forays into Jordan’s love life that I could have done without. There were a few repetitious parts and uneven storytelling, but overall, I liked this one.

If you’re interested in reading a narrative from the perspective of Black female broadcast journalist written by a novelist with first hand experience, then Tamron Hall’s While the Wicked Watch is the novel for you. As a mystery, it’s a good first attempt, but the novel’s focus was more on Jordan Manning and her movement between various communities and her experiences in the liminal spaces of existing in and between multiple communities. This, and Hall’s continual and overt addressing of racism and sexism throughout the novel, are what make it most interesting and valuable.

So, while I did find the plot interesting, what I found most valuable about the novel had less to do with the story arc itself and more to do with the representation of communities (including those linked through proximity, age, race and profession) and the perspective of a Black female journalist. Let’s be real: issues of race and gender in this country are serious and getting folks to confront them when they don’t have to is difficult at best. The complicated interplay between perception and representation of race and gender is especially fraught in the news media, which has enormous power to shape a narrative that favors one perceived reality or another.

Here’s a situational example of perceptual bias from the book: when Jordan and her white male cameraman, Scott, are driving around the block he sees three young Black men hanging out on the corner and worries that they’re up to no good. When they pass by again, Jordan points out the CTA bus sign next to them, which Scott had missed. He saw three young Black men and the inherent bias of that race-gender combination was the narrowed lens through which he saw the situation. Jordan, on the other hand, as a Black woman sees three Black men through a wide angle lens. This is a common issue and if you haven’t heard phrases that describe the “offenses” “standing while Black” or “driving while Black” then you need to pay more attention. Significantly, the media has enormous power to shape people’s perception. This awareness is echoed throughout the novel and directly stated in Ch 12:

“It reminded me of the power of the job. It’s not about making or breaking someone’s day; it’s the ability to make or break a system that can destroy someone’s life if they are innocent. It’s also about humanizing people and not being used as a weapon against the lesser-thans and the have-nots.”

Ultimately, Tamron Hall has written a book that seriously addresses issues of race and gender, particularly in the context of broadcast media, and she does so using a delivery method that will appeal to a larger audience. Fiction, particularly a genre like mystery, will always reach a wider audience than nonfiction. And this is where popular culture has the potential to elicit change. Hall is not subtle in pointing out the issues, but because she entertains her audience, because you can’t help but like Jordan Manning, there’s hope that people will actually think about what she’s saying. Who knows? Maybe the next time they watch the news they’ll wonder about the photos used, the words chosen and they’ll consider a little more critically whose representation of the story is being shown and what is being left out.

[I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this novel from William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.]

Based off this debut, I wouldn’t want to read more books in the series. I like what Tamron Hall was trying to do in regards to highlighting the challenges of reporting on and finding justice for Black victims, but the execution of the story fell short for me.

First off, I’m not a fan of any of the characters. I just did not connect the way I would’ve wanted. I also don’t like how Jordan’s forensic background played so heavily into her actions. It felt like there was a constant battle about who her character was. It’s as if Hall couldn’t decide what angle she wanted to tell the story from. I just felt like ok is she a reporter, a detective, or a forensic scientist? There is a level of detective work as an investigative reporter, but I feel she was really over stepping and jeopardizing the case. Again, I also get that there are certain things that need to be done to get the scoop, but Jordan tries to portray herself as nice and caring, yet her actions came off as one of those reporters who only do and say certain things for her personal benefit. She was a master manipulator to get what she wanted. It just felt cringey to me. I have my masters in journalism and have covered community stories, so a part of me understands how challenging it can to be to not get overly involved and attached, but Jordan was VERY overly involved. Overall, I just don’t like how her character is written.

I’m also not a fan of the plot or pacing. It was way to slow for me. There seemed to be a lot of fillers. Just sentences and paragraphs that were unnecessary in my opinion because they did nothing to advance the story. The first maybe 70 pages were particularly painful. I really struggled with the way characters were introduced. Every time a new character was mentioned, we got a whole back story of how Jordan knew them. It read like a list. Idk it was weird. The flow just wasn’t there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

I was really looking forward to this one, I love watching Tamron Hall host so many real life crime shows and documentaries, so I had high expectations for this one! I am sad to say that I was pretty disappointed with it.

This is the first book in a series by debut author Tamron Hall. I love her, but unfortunately, did not love this book. The book follows Jordan Manning who is a journalist/ forensic expert as she tracks a case of a killer in Chicago after a 15 year old girl is brutally murdered & raped.

The book is really weird to me because it will jump from being really descriptive & dark when talking about the poor girls murder and rape, but then the tone will totally change and become more self absorbed (because that is what the main character seems to be in my opinion.)

Aside from that, the writing style and the book in general were pretty boring and I found myself wanting it to just be over before I was even half way through with it. I think that it was because of the overflow of unnecessary commentary page filler that consumed this book. I did not connect with the MC at all and found her to be so overly self absorbed, dramatic, whiny, etc.

I wanted to love this one, I have been looking forward to reading it for months, but unfortunately it just was not for me and a huge let down!

Years ago when I watched The Today show every morning, I was always a fan of Tamron Hall. Sadly, I haven't watched her ID Channel show but as soon as I saw that she had a book coming out, I knew that I wanted to read it.

Jordan Manning is a news reporter in Chicago, covering the crime beat. She uncovers the story of missing teenager, Masey James which sadly turns into a gruesome murder story. Jordan puts her job and her life on the line to get to the truth of what happened to Masey and why.

I enjoyed As The Wicked Watch. It's rare to read a crime fiction novel from the perspective of a news reporter. I found it interesting and wondered how much of Jordan was really Tamron? However, the focus was so much so on the reporter that I felt the case actually took a backseat and as someone who is invested in true crime it felt weird to be more focused on a journalist than the victim. Now, I realize this is fiction and maybe I didn't read the synopsis,well but the book just wasn't what I expected in that sense. I would still read more from Tamron Hall and even another Jordan Manning novel.

I thought this book by Tamron Hall was very good. From start to finish the book was engrossing and an exciting thriller about a murder of honor student on her way to greatness. Journalist Jordan Manning has vowed to help solve the VERY gruesome murder of student Masey. Is there a serial killer loose in the black community. Why isn't the police giving Masey's story the attention needed to find her as everyone has shared that she is not a runaway as they have stated. Lots of shocking twists and turns. Looking forward to a series of Jordan Manning books as what happens next with Joe, Bass and the next story kicked her way by Justin. Kudos, Tamron Hall.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right book for me, or it was a perfectly fine book at the wrong time. I’ve chosen not to rate it on other sites, since I didn’t complete it, but since NetGalley requires a rating in order to leave feedback, I’ve given it 2 stars based only on the first 20%.

My biggest issue was that I just didn’t care for the main character, crime reporter Jordan Manning. Her responses to things felt overly dramatic at times, and she’d blab what should have been protected details about crimes openly over drinks with the girls or to her mom, which irritated me and made me not trust her. It felt like her behavior risked compromising the capture of the perpetrator or any future trial, since usually police don’t divulge certain details only the criminal would know.

Another issue is that I don’t like a lot of descriptive filler, so if a book is detailing where the character got her couch cushions and handwoven wrap from when it isn’t pertinent to the story, it takes me out of the story.

While it didn’t work for me, it’s still an admirable first effort from author Tamron Hall and the start to a series that many others will enjoy.

Thanks to William Morrow and Custom House Publishers, NetGalley and author Tamron Hall for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions

Jordan Manning covers the crime beat for a local television station. When the news comes in that a body has been retrieved from an abandoned park in Bronzeville on Chicago's South Side, she gets a tip that it could possibly be the body of a Black honor student Masey James, whom had been missing for weeks and erroneously deemed as a runaway by the police. After getting to know Masey's mom and seeing her younger self in the missing child, Jordan is determined to crack this case; and uncover exactly what happened to Masey even if that means putting her career and possibly own life in jeopardy, once she starts to hone in on the truth. Can Jordan discover the truth of Masey's disappearance before the next victim, pick up As the Wicked Watch and read for yourself.

I enjoyed this book despite some flaws. One of the book's bright spots is that Hall truly takes the reader into the mind of a reporter while they are investigating a case, from the office politics to community angst. So if the reader is expecting a novel where all of the pieces fall together like a police procedural, readers may be disappointed. I also really appreciated the focus she placed in Black life in Chicago, the focus on community is often the backdrop for many mysteries in small towns and can often become a character of its own; but it is often a not characteristic utilized big city mysteries, like Chicago, but in my opinion, Hall was able mimic that small town community feel nicely. Some may find Hall's regurgitation of the facts about society's lack of regard for Black life to be repetitive, but for me it did not read that way, I felt I was in the mind of a reporter who constantly had to think about the case from all angles which often included dealing with individuals whom she knew did not care and may have a lack of regard for Black life. I did think that the pacing towards the end was a bit too fast, I never really grasped the motivation of the killer, but I did like that Hall stayed away from the tired trope of a possible serial killer being of superior intelligence when that has been proven not to be true. Overall, I thought As the Wicked Watch was an enjoyable read, where Hall's insight as a Black reporter and her intimate knowledge of Chicago was evident and shined, so pick it up if you are looking for a mystery told from a fresh perspective.

As the Wicked Watch is a very strong debut from an author with a voice that I’m very much looking forward to hearing more from.

I regret to say that I did not love this book. I had very high hopes for it, but the story was just lackluster to say the very least. Maybe this story just wasn't for me.

This sounded like it would be such a good book: a journalist trying to solve murders! I felt the topic of the lack of police investigation to missing and murdered persons of color was timely, however, and looked forward to a good thriller with a conscious. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. Besides the main character using people to get a story at any cost, the author lost me with all of the details of her social life, clothing (size six!) and the repetition of the facts of the murder she was covering. I also found it hard to believe that a television journalist would also have a degree in forensic science. How likely is that combination?

We are introduced to Jordan Manning when a missing Black teenage girl, who police have dismissed as a runaway, turns up murdered. The injustice of the police investigation gets to Jordan and she takes up the cause at the same time she is reporting on it. Using her investigative journalistic skills and her knowledge of forensic science, she is determined to right this wrong.

I found the pacing very slow, especially at the beginning. I get that the author is fleshing out a character, but the overwhelming details of her life lost me more than once. I found the writing to be amateurish at times and the dialogue sometimes stilted. I did enjoy the glimpses into the Black community and how they rallied to get justice for the murdered girl. I couldn't root for the main character as I found her too self-absorbed and didn't like the way she used people to get her stories. It was a very promising book that just didn't do it for me.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of this book. The publication date is October 26, 2021.