Synopsis: Five people are chosen to compete on a new reality TV show called One Lucky Winner. The prize is 10 million dollars, so they know the stakes will be high going in. However, as the contestants arrive at the secluded estate in Northern California and the challenges they are asked to do become dangerous, they begin to wonder if it is all worth it.

Thoughts: This was an extremely original thriller, and I applaud Gudenkauf for writing such a binge-worthy and entertaining storyline (I finished the book in a day). I really enjoyed the chapters highlighting the backstory of each of the contestants and seeing how this led to them being selected for the show. The book also included social media comments from viewers, which were fun to read. I would just go in knowing to suspend some disbelief for full enjoyment.

Read if you like:
-Reality TV shows
-Locked door thrillers
-Secluded settings
-Alternating POVs
-Revenge plots
-Big Brother/ Survivor

Thank you HTP for the ARC! Pub 3/26

Heather Gudenkauf has done it again with her latest novel, "Everyone is Watching". What a killer book LOL!!!!

4.5 rounded up
I don't watch reality shows. I don't have anything to compare this to. Loved Maire, not a fan if Camille and hated Ned. Started this last night and stayed up most of the night to finish. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I’ve always loved Heather Gudenkaufs books, but this one is like something she has never written and I read it in one day. It was good to see her change up her stories from the Iowa life to reality TV. I’m an Iowa girl, myself and I was super impressed with this book. I still want more Iowa mysteries and now I have an idea for her next book. Great job, Heather!!!

Heather Gudenkauf's latest is another winner from her! Five contestants battle for a 10 million dollar prize. I'm not personally a fan of reality shows, so I wondered if this book was for me. But yes, yes it was! I was interested from the start, and could not put it down. I've read every one of her books, and they never disappoint me. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

5 contestants, all picked by the host of a reality show, have one thing in common! The host knows a secret for each of them that can be the ruin of their life as they know it. The reality show is live streamed at off times, with violence and perhaps even death incorporated into it. The original host, Cat, is locked away while Fern plays up to her dream of being famous. I was expecting it to end the way it.....with one contestant actually getting a million dollars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book grabbed ahold of me, sucked me right in, and did not let go until the very end! This was an awesome read. The chunks of backstory for each of the major players that are interspersed between present day chapters were really interesting, and gave better insight into each of the characters. The plot itself was made even more interesting by the fact that it could actually play out exactly as the book does. I was kept guessing as to the motive the entire time, and only managed to piece a few things together. The ending was quite a surprise, and I'd recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐛𝐮𝐭...𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Our society has an obsession with reality television. Long after we realized just about everything was scripted, we still tuned in not only to root for our favorites but to also hope we saw that one arrogant, unlikable contestant get the ax.

The game show 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 has a most unique concept--instead of regularly scheduled programming, an alert will go out to viewers when the show is streaming live all over the world. Five contestants have been brought to a secluded estate in Northern California, stripped with all contact with the outside world, to compete for the chance to win a prize of ten million dollars. The participants are known as 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒚𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒙𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆. Each has a reason for wanting to win the prize money, with some being more compelling than others.

As soon as the first challenge airs, it's clear that the contestants are expected to play to win. Tasers and even firearms are introduced in this deadly game in which there can be only one winner. But the real question is, who is behind the game, and why were these particular five people chosen? This was a deftly plotted, fast-paced thriller that explores both the dark side of human nature and the casual cruelty so many are guilty of when they are safely behind a keyboard. Thank you so much to Park Row Books and NetGalley for this early read. EVERYONE IS WATCHING will publish March 26, 2024.

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
*******************************************************
The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.

When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…
Oooooh…I love me a good Heather Gudenkauf and this one was EXCELLENT!!!!

I am not into survivor-big-brother-type shows usually but this one just appealed and hit home for me as it just zinged on and off the page. (It led to many discussions with hubby over who we know would do this as we certainly would not!) Great characters, a grippingly tense plot - overall an excellent book and a perfect addition to the author’s oeuvre.


#shortbutsweetreviews

Everyone is Watching is a delicious book to be devoured in one binge reading session.

Five contestants are brought together to be game show contestants with a prize of ten million dollars. They are to live in isolation and things so0n get tense. The show is broadcast to the world and secrets begin to be revealed amongst the five.

The show won't end until the secrets are all revealed and the audience knows just who each contestant really is.

Heather Gudenkauf’s newest novel was a book I couldn’t put down. From start to finish, I was intrigued by the premise of the game but also by the characters and what they had done. I was a little let down by the whodunit but still a great thriller. 5/5.