I received a free ARC of this novel via Netgalley.

The basics:
Five contestants compete for $10 million dollars. The catch? None of them know why they were selected— and the game is much deadlier than they could’ve imagined.

My thoughts:
I genuinely loved this novel. One of my favorite parts of this novel was that each character was morally grey— you could root for anyone and I’d completely understand your reasoning. The challenges were interesting, exciting, and equally dangerous. I love the way this author unraveled the secrets of each character.

I’d highly recommend this book to thriller lovers!

4.5 stars

I'm a fan of reality TV shows, such as Big Brother and Survivor, so I was excited to check this one it. It didn't disappoint!

Five people are brought together at a secluded villa with the promise of one of them winning $10 million dollars: the Best Friend, the Senator, the Confidante, the Assistant, and the Executive. Who will survive to win the money?

The premise was different than anything I've ever read. I found this to be a twisty roller coaster ride. I loved the multiple POVs, as well as the flashbacks as a way to give background on the characters. It was fun to piece together what the connection was between the chosen competitors. Of course, some characters were easy to root for, while others you love to hate ... just like on other reality TV shows. The storyline kept me fully engaged, and I hated having to put the book aside! I look forward to reading future books from Gudenkauf.

Everyone Is Watching was a fun and fast-paced contest-style thriller. Five seemingly unrelated people are invited to participate in a "Big Brother" style reality competition show for $10 million. But as the contest progresses, it is clear there's more to it. I found the plot to be predictable, but I was still glued to the edge of my seat. Nothing much in the way of character development, but it didn't ruin the book for me. There was one contest in particular that was rather anxiety-inducing that I liked. I enjoyed watching the story unfurl, even though I knew what it was going to say. Simple, fast, and enjoyable!

Wow! This is a book like no other I have read before. A reality show, with a big pay out, but at what cost? These 5 individuals are brought together to play a game of high stakes competitions for the hopes of winning 10 million dollars. Unbeknownst to them, however, there is a common denominator of someone in the show who wants to see them all pay for crimes in their pasts.
This book will have you cancelling all your plans while you flip the pages to find out what happens next! LOVED IT!
Big thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Publishers for a pre-publication edition in exchange for an honest review.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐮𝐟
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐨𝐰
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟑.𝟐𝟔.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝑂𝑢𝑡 𝑁𝑜𝑤!


Thank you @HTPbooks @parkrowbooks and @harpercollins for a spot on tour and a gifted digital ARC.

I’ve enjoyed Heather Gudenkauf’s books in the past, as she tends to tackle tough topics in her thrillers. However, this was a bit of a change for her. I felt it was more of a suspenseful popcorn thriller.

Five contestants, a live-streaming reality TV show, and a ten million dollar prize–the question is: what will they be willing to do for the prize?

I don’t watch reality TV, yet I found this entertaining. It was interesting that the contestants didn’t know the rules beforehand and, once on the secluded estate, they had no contact with the outside world. Yet the world was watching them as it was being live streamed; very creepy.

I love that we got multiple POVs; it helped me understand that the game was no longer just a game. Secrets would be revealed, and blood may be shed. This would not end well, and the whole world would be watching.

𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨!

I truly enjoyed the writing of the story, definitely out of comfort zone from Heather usual books. But there is always going to be one person who is trying to run away or face their past. The way Fern’s boss decided to take matters into her own hands is perfect revenge.

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5. Pub Date: March 26, 2024. Heather Gudenkauf is always a must read author for me and this book was no exception. Typically her books take place in Iowa, so I was pleasantly surprised she branched out and took this story to sunny California. This book is filled with past secrets, game show vibes, intense action, multiple POVs and fast paced scenes that leave you wanting to read more. Who will win the $10 million, who will die, who will survive and who will have their secrets revealed? I absolutely loved this book and devoured it every free moment I could. I highly recommend! Thanks to #netgalley and #parkrowbooks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. @netgalley @parkrowbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #everyoneiswatching #heathergudenkauf

NYT Bestselling author (a favorite) and master storyteller returns following The Overnight Guest with her highly anticipated tenth novel, EVERYONE IS WATCHING —an exciting high-stakes game— Big Brother meets Survivor—in this edge-of-your-seat-locked room suspense thriller!

Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

Five contestants are chosen to compete on a new reality TV show called One Lucky Winner. The prize is 10 million dollars. The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.

Set in the heart of wine country, at a secluded estate mansion in Northern California, live streamed. The contestants will battle for the grand prize through challenges that will test them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

They will spend 14 days at the exclusive Diletta Resort and Spa in beautiful Napa Valley. When not competing, they will spend their time in a lavishly appointed private cottage, swimming in the 130-foot pool, or heading to the spa for treatments, massages, wraps, and scrubs from grapes grown in the La Bella Luce vineyard. Each person will receive a case of the world-famous cabernet sauvignon with an exclusively designed label. Sounds heavenly, right?

They also have instructions not to leave the property without outside contact with the outside world. But they are greedy, and this is 10 Million Dollars—GAME ON!

However, they soon realize there is something sinister, and nothing is as it appears. Dark secrets surface, and a sinister plan of REVENGE.

Told from multiple POVs, a dream turns into a nightmare. Armageddon had come to Napa, and someone had built some twisted playground. The obstacle courses. Events: Cold and calculated. Millions of viewers. The stakes are high. It's a dangerous, cruel, and sadistic game.

What began as a simple goal of winning the coveted cash prize turned into a gripping, insane battle for survival.

Who is going home? Who will pay?

INTENSE! Told from multiple POVs, the author cleverly keeps the suspense high, fast-paced, and with twists and turns in this innovative, riveting, locked-room thriller.

While EVERYONE IS WATCHING is quite different than Gudenkauf's previous books and set outside of Iowa, she is a master craftsman and showcases her mad skills, proving she can play in any playground!

Get the popcorn ready!

EVERYONE IS WATCHING is a fun escape from reality. Even though I am not a huge fan of reality TV shows, I am a fan of the author. I am all in for anything she writes. A long-time avid fan, I have read all her books, and each one is unique.

Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Heather, where we go behind the book and the author's upcoming pub day, March 26th!

Thanks to Park Row Books and NetGalley for a gifted, advanced review copy.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Mar 26, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
Mar 2024 Must-Read Books
March 2024 Newsletter
Author Q&A Interview

This was, surprisingly, my first Heather Gudenkauf book! I own at least one of her others but for some reason haven't gotten to it yet. I loved going into this one without any idea of what to expect. The synopsis really only advertised a reality show competition, a locked room murder mystery, and secret connections between characters. Big Brother meets Clue? Works for me!

I really liked that the summary of the book was basic and to the point - it didn't give anything away. The story follows a few contestants on a new live-streamed reality show, run by a couple of women (one who remains anonymous). The players were hand-picked by them for reasons that slowly become clear throughout the book.

I enjoyed trying to make all of the connections and figure out how people may have known each other. Like many locked room-style mysteries, there were also some flashback scenes that provide additional color to their stories and potential connections. I didn't really figure out the entire tangled web and just was along for the ride! I don’t think any of the reveals were super surprising or intense but I still enjoyed them. The characters were obviously not great people and they had made mistakes in the past; none of their transgressions were that unique though.

I loved Gudenkauf's writing style - I will absolutely be picking up more of her work after this! I've been really in the mood for mysteries this month and am pumped that this hit the mark for me. I couldn't stop reading and ended up finishing in just a couple of sittings. Sidenote: the audiobook is also great!

This was such a wild ride and I really enjoyed every second of it! It gave squid game vibes. I love how each character has a unique story that sets them apart and the challenges they’re put through. Such a fun and fast paced read!

The very first Heather Gudenkauf I read was THE OVERNIGHT GUEST. As with her newest, EVERYONE IS WATCHING, at first I wondered if I would like the story indicated in the premise. I needn't have been at all concerned: once again, Ms. Gudenkauf dropped me straight in to complete absorption from the first page, as a fictional situation which normally would not interest me in the least [reality show competition featuring both mental and physical challenges, all of it live-streamed] captured and maintained my interest. Let me warn you, Ms. Gudenkauf is a master of the subtly edgy. She never lets you drop your guard; but even so, she still sneaks up on you with those frequent "Whaaat? Did I just read THAT?!!" Never tossing the reader out of the story, this intermittent [nearly constant] edginess tightens its grip on us.

Well, this is one extreme reality show! I can’t imagine ever watching this, but I bet there are plenty of people who would tune in.

It’s, “One Lucky Winner” and the winner of this show receives $10 million! With one in five chances, it seems like the contestants would do ANYTHING to get that money.

And they do. Both physically and psychologically.

Whew! There were some parts where my heart was palpitating just wondering if a character would live to win the money or die trying. The contestants know it’s going to be grueling because no one expects to get that kind of money easily.

But what the contestants don’t know is what can really hurt them!

What a fun ride! I liked the ending, too (I wasn’t sure I would). But I do have questions. 🤔😁

Thank you to @NetGalley, @htpbooks and @htp_hive for my gifted advanced readers copy!

What would you do for 10 million dollars? Lie? Cheat? Kill?
Would you do anything to keep your secrets, secret?

One group of contestants are about to find out! They each have secrets that would ruin their lives if ever found out. Each are connected in some way, but how and by who? Competing for 10 million big ones, the competition gradually becomes more difficult and lethal. Who will walk away with the prize? Will anyone be left alive?

I LOVED this thriller! Told in multiple POVs, alternating between past and present day, this book kept me glued to my seat! A must read for fans of Darby Kane and Mary Kubica!

OMG I love this. Cat is evil. Fern met Cat at a vulnerable time and now she is hosting Cat's evil reality show. Also Fern is little unhinged but so is Cat.
All the contestants are desperate for the payout and they all have secrets and histories and only one of them even seems to be decent, maybe.
This was the craziest book! I was unable to put it down.

This was a dark, deadly version of Big Brother, where secrets revealed effect viewers as well. And I was there for every second of it!

Character competitions were so well thought out and mostly realistic (if murder and assault were legal, lol). The characters came with tremendous baggage, and the slow unpacking made this story even more irresistible! Honestly, this must've been so much work for the author to create and see through with so many twists and tangles.

I'm a fan, and this book did not let me down (but did set the bar pretty high for future books!)
5⭐️

The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive. These are the contestants competing for 10 million dollars
on a game show called One Lucky Winner.

The thing is they signed up to participate knowing nothing about what to expect. They find themselves at an estate in Northern California cut off from the outside world except for the fact that the “game” will be live streamed. It is no coincidence that they were the ones invited to play.

Thank you @htpbooks for granting me access through @netgalley. I love reality TV so I was all in with this premise and it did not disappoint! I especially enjoyed that the author included some live stream comments throughout the story. This one’s a page turner so set aside some time because this is binge-worthy.

Well this was a refreshing thriller! I love Heather and her clever little ways to create an "out of the norm" thriller for everyone. This was definitely different!

Modern day Sqiud Games but with only 5 contestants and host. These 5 contestants fight til the death (literally) for a chance to win $10M. Each character has an interesting background that they do not want revealed but someone else knows these secrets. With each grueling challenge, things are revealed to the public slowly but surely.

These characters come to life and are full of DRAMA! I loved having POV for each of these characters because you got to see a glimpse into their pasts as well. I enjoyed reading their past the most. There is no denying Heather can tell a story. She is one of my favorite thriller readers. She turned a reality TV contestant show into a THRILLER that had me reading this as fast as I could.

Also, that ending! WOW.

This was an extremely fun locked room thriller set on a reality tv show like survivor. Five seemingly random people are invited to a mysterious new reality show with the opportunity to win 10 million dollars.

There is the best friend, the boyfriend, the executive, the confidant, and the senator. Each one gets their label for reasons unbeknownst to the characters themselves, the viewers, and us as the readers.

All five of these contestants have two things in common: they want to win 10 million dollars & they all have dark secrets.

The reality show itself is also suspicious as the people running it are very sketchy & the show doesn’t seem safe at all. How far would you go for 10 million dollars?

Overall, this story was bingeable, fast-paced, entertaining, and had some decent twists. I truly didn’t see them coming, and the ending actually surprised me. I think this book is definitely worth reading if you’re a fan of locked room thrillers & reality shows.

If you love drama, scandals, deception and murder in your books then add this one to your TBR!

Thank you NetGalley & HTP books for the arc, however, I couldn’t read the ebook provided to me. The formatting is unpleasant. Theres no chapter breaks and the layout was very choppy, therefore I borrowed the ebook from my library instead.

Everyone is Watching is another good book from Heather Gudenkauf. I have enjoyed them all. This one kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how these people were connected and what had they done to get them invited to a new reality show.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC. This review is entirely my own opinion.

Thank you @htp_hive @htpbooks and @netgalley for my gifted copy! 💕

I rarely turn my TV on, but I'm a sucker for The Traitors and Big Brother. This book is like Squid Games meets Big Brother in a Clue Mansion - and I ATE 👏 IT 👏 UP 👏 (in less than 24 hours if we want to be specific).

This was such a binge worthy locked room thriller for a lazy day. I loved the competitions and the creative twists. Did I want more murder mystery? Absolutely. But I'm also so satisfied by how it all played out and ended.