Watching You
A Novel
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4.2 • 2K Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
“A twisty whodunit” (Cosmopolitan) about a shocking murder in a picturesque and well-to-do English town from the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times (London) bestselling author of the None of This Is True.
You’re back home after four years working abroad, new husband in tow. You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now, you’re crashing in your big brother’s spare room.
That’s when you meet the man next door. He’s the head teacher at the local school. Twice your age. Extraordinarily attractive.
You find yourself watching him. All the time. But you never dreamed that your innocent crush might become a deadly obsession.
Or that someone is watching you.
In Lisa Jewell’s latest “spine-tingling thriller” (Real Simple), no one is who they seem—and everyone has something to hide. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware, Watching You will keep you guessing as “Jewell teases out her twisty plot at just the right pace” (Booklist, starred review) until the startling revelations on the very last page.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
At the beginning of this beguiling mystery, we know that someone’s been murdered and that Joey Mullen, an underemployed new bride, is the prime suspect. Joey lives two doors down from dashing school headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam, whom everyone in her posh British suburb seems to be obsessed with…but who may not be as irreproachable as he seems. As the story unspools, alternating points of view—including a student at Tom’s school, Tom’s son, and Joey herself—keep us on our toes. Lisa Jewell’s character development is so compelling and thorough, we haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the prologue of this crafty conundrum from bestseller Jewell (Then She Was Gone), a dead body lies on the kitchen floor of the Fitzwilliam family's Victorian house in a posh neighborhood of Bristol, England. The author smoothly juggles multiple story lines some dating back 20 years centering on paterfamilias Tom Fitzwilliam. For some reason, the now middle-aged, nationally honored schoolmaster seems to effortlessly bewitch women and girls alike, among them his slavishly solicitous wife, Nicola; increasingly paranoid stalker Frances Tripp, the mother of one of his students, 15-year-old Jenna; and Jenna's best friend, Bess Ridley, who has a schoolgirl crush on him. While all the people watching Tom facilitate the serpentine plot, they're also the novel's weakest link, since their respective obsessions remains baffling and at times border on the tedious. That said, prepare to be blindsided by the murder victim's identity, not revealed until late in the game and an even more stunning final surprise. Jewell does a masterly job of maintaining suspense.)
Customer Reviews
A well written twisted tale
The author does an excellent job of fully developing characters. She will lead you down one path for awhile and then take you down another which is refreshing as a reader. This is my 3rd book of hers I read and I recommend it but I do think her other books are better.
Kept me interested
The various characters kept the plot from becoming stale. The book held my attention as it moved along and I had no idea what to expect at the end. The story wrapped up nicely, giving each set of characters an ending. Be sure to read to the very last sentence bc the author saved one more plot twist for the very end!
Hooked and wanted to finish
I loved this book. I’m trying to habitually read and this was a great choice. From beginning to end, the character arc was fantastic and the story unfolded perfectly. I enjoyed this book very much!