Another Winner From the Queen of Domestic Suspense
My love affair with the Lisa Jewell novel goes back years, and I actually have my UK blogger friends to thank for it. Before her books really took off in the US, I received copious recommendations from Facebook groups stating that Jewell's novels had become a staple in their reading repertoire, so I hastily headed over to Book Depository and searched through her blessed backlist. I believe my first of her books was The Girls in the Garden, but I've also enjoyed I Found You, And Then She Was Gone, The Third Wife, etc... Well, you get the picture. To say that this latest book was my most anticipated 2018 release would be an understatement; I would say I'm relieved that it delivered, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I would enjoy Watching You
In typical Jewell fashion, this book begins with a bang, and questions are immediately arisen in the readers mind. A large cast of seemingly unrelated characters doing seemingly unimportant things follows, but as expected, these individuals are drawn into a sinister web of lies, trauma, and murder. The chapters alternate between various POVs (mainly Joey, Freddie, and Jenna), interspersed with police transcripts of varying interviews for the murder described in the prologue. While the first 2/3 of the book is a slow burn, it is far from boring or dull; the tension slowly ramps up to the point where I had sparks coming from my finger tips turning the pages so fast in the final countdown (err. 100 pages that is). The letter written just prior to the epilogue was a truly wonderful touch; it answered many questions I had throughout and added an emotional touch that gave credibility to a certain character's actions.
As always, Lisa Jewell has provided a satisfying character study into the darker side of human nature. There are lots of twists and turns, and some that are easier to spot than others, but it is such a satisfying read. Can I humbly recommend this as a post-Christmas/holiday purchase for my North American friends? It comes out on December 26th and would be THE best use of those gift cards that you know you'll be receiving. <3
In typical Jewell fashion, this book begins with a bang, and questions are immediately arisen in the readers mind. A large cast of seemingly unrelated characters doing seemingly unimportant things follows, but as expected, these individuals are drawn into a sinister web of lies, trauma, and murder. The chapters alternate between various POVs (mainly Joey, Freddie, and Jenna), interspersed with police transcripts of varying interviews for the murder described in the prologue. While the first 2/3 of the book is a slow burn, it is far from boring or dull; the tension slowly ramps up to the point where I had sparks coming from my finger tips turning the pages so fast in the final countdown (err. 100 pages that is). The letter written just prior to the epilogue was a truly wonderful touch; it answered many questions I had throughout and added an emotional touch that gave credibility to a certain character's actions.
As always, Lisa Jewell has provided a satisfying character study into the darker side of human nature. There are lots of twists and turns, and some that are easier to spot than others, but it is such a satisfying read. Can I humbly recommend this as a post-Christmas/holiday purchase for my North American friends? It comes out on December 26th and would be THE best use of those gift cards that you know you'll be receiving. <3