Watching You by Lisa Jewell
Simon
& Schuster: 12/26/18
eBook review copy; 336 pages
ISBN-13: 9781501190070
Watching You by Lisa Jewell is a very highly recommended
psychological thriller. Wait for the shocking ending!
As in most neighborhoods, everyone is watching everyone else and
they all have secrets. Melville Heights is one of the good
neighborhoods in Bristol, England, but that doesn't mean murder
can't happen here. We know from the prologue that someone was
murdered right from the start - a dead body lies on the kitchen
floor at the Fitzwilliam family home - and we know very quickly
who the main suspect is as far as the police are concerned. Now
let the real fun begin as we are introduced to all the players in
this drama and their interconnection to each other as well as the
secrets they are trying to hide.
Tom Fitzwilliam is the new head-turning headmaster at the local
school. He's charming and loved by everyone - or is he? Joey
(Josephine) Mullin and her new husband, Alfie, have just moved
back to Bristol. They are living with Jack and Rebecca, her
brother and his pregnant wife. Joey quickly becomes infatuated
with Tom. Tom's wife, Nicola, ignores her son, worships Tom, and
is focused on herself. Tom's son, Freddie, is watching the whole
neighborhood and some of the local teenage girls. He likes to keep
logs and take photos of what is going on around him. Jenna Tripp
and her friend Bess Ridley are two of the girls Freddie is
watching. Bess has a crush on Tom, while Jenna is suspicious of
him. Jenna's mother, Frances, is stalking Tom and is sure he did
something wrong years ago.
This may seem to be a complex tangle of characters, but it was
very easy to keep them sorted out as you read. After the prologue,
the story then begins, starting three months before and leading up
to the murder. Each person has multiple secrets and concerns. The
narrative unfolds at an even pace through multiple perspectives
and keeps the tension high as each new twist to the multiple story
lines unfold. Even when you think you have it figured out, you
won't. You will be guessing right up to the unexpected ending and
the shocking revelation on the last page.
Watching You is an engrossing and unforgettable
psychological thriller. The writing is excellent, as is the
development of each character. You may like or dislike them, be
understanding or suspicious of them, but you will know each
character by the end. And even more importantly, you will be
surprised more than once about their secrets.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of Simon
& Schuster.
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