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Nightwatcher #1
Nightwatcher
“If you like Mary Higgins Clark, you’ll love Wendy Corsi Staub.”
—Lisa Jackson, bestselling author of Devious One of the most exciting of the new breed of thriller and suspense writers, Wendy Corsi Staub asks, “Are you ever truly safe...even in your own home?” With Nightwatcher , the acclaimed, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Hell to Pay delivers a ripped-from-the-headlines masterwork of suspense, the first book in an electrifying new series. Intense, powerful, and refreshingly original, Nightwatcher returns to the site of America’s worst national nightmare—New York City on September 11, 2001—as a serial killer, plying his bloody trade in the chaos following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, operates unnoticed by everyone…except for one frightened woman who has seen his face. Author Lee Child has called her work, “solid gold suspense,” and any reader who’s ever stayed up late, devouring the novels of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner with every light on in the house, should prepare to lose even more sleep over Wendy Corsi Staub’s Nightwatcher .
—Lisa Jackson, bestselling author of Devious One of the most exciting of the new breed of thriller and suspense writers, Wendy Corsi Staub asks, “Are you ever truly safe...even in your own home?” With Nightwatcher , the acclaimed, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Hell to Pay delivers a ripped-from-the-headlines masterwork of suspense, the first book in an electrifying new series. Intense, powerful, and refreshingly original, Nightwatcher returns to the site of America’s worst national nightmare—New York City on September 11, 2001—as a serial killer, plying his bloody trade in the chaos following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, operates unnoticed by everyone…except for one frightened woman who has seen his face. Author Lee Child has called her work, “solid gold suspense,” and any reader who’s ever stayed up late, devouring the novels of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner with every light on in the house, should prepare to lose even more sleep over Wendy Corsi Staub’s Nightwatcher .
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 28, 2012
117 people are currently reading
1773 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
82 books1,905 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
April 13, 2013
I blasted my way through this suspenseful book, the first in the trilogy by Wendy Corsi Staub featuring the character of Allison Taylor. I have already ordered the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy from the library.
Most of the people in the book came from seriously dysfunctional families. Allison certainly did. Her dad abandoned her and her mom when she was a child and then her depressed mother committed suicide. They had been on food stamps and whispered about and treated poorly in the rural area where she grew up. She couldn't wait to go to art school and now lives and works in New York City for a fashion magazine.
The story begins the day before September 11, 2001 and since it is set in New York, we get to see close up the heartache and misery people endured. Allison's own misery grows worse when the day after the attacks, her neighbor Kristina, who had been pursuing their married neighbor Mack, is brutally murdered right in her own apartment by someone who sets up a scene with candles, music, and lingerie. Mack and his wife had been having marital problems. She claimed her family once had some sort of mob ties and had to go into the federal Witness Protection Program. She is a cold fish who has no friends and rudely rebuffs anyone's attempts to be nice to her, including her in-laws. Mack has lost a lot of friends due to this bitchy woman. They had infertility problems and she refused to use a surrogate or adopt. The process of in-vitro is painful and miserable and the night before 9-11, she tells Mack (who really, really wants kids) that she is giving up. The next morning before she leaves for work, he tells her he is dumping her.
It is into this little Peyton Place soap opera (!!) that 9-11 erupts. After Kristina both turns down the brain-damaged handyman Jerry (and gives him the finger), she is found murdered, maliciously stabbed with that middle finger gone, cut off while she was still alive. Soon after, another tenant, a lesbian named Marianne, moves in and Jerry tries to get something going with her only to be politely turned down. Then Marianne turns up dead in her apartment killed the same exact way as Kristina and with some of Kristina's lingerie. Her finger is cut off too and the story of Kristina's death has never been in the media due to 9-11 coverage so it has to be the same killer as no one else would know the details. The building has also been plagued with someone getting in apartments and stealing women's clothing.
I liked following the evidence and watching how Allison and Mack respond not only to 9-11 but to the murders in their building. What Allison does not realize is that she accidentally saw something and is now on the killer's hit list. Of course, the police make some stupid assumptions at the end of this story and arrest, harass, and charge the wrong person not realizing the real murderer walked off but then this story is continued on in 2 more books so hopefully by the very end, they will realize their mistake.
One mistake here- there is a character named Jacky who is Emily's sister. The author says that Jacky was named by parents enamored with the American Camelot of the Kennedy years and that she was named Jacky after "both the President and the First Lady." I was alive then but if an author isn't up to such basics research it! Yes, there was a first lady named Jackie Kennedy but her husband was NOT Jacky or Jack. He was JOHN F Kennedy! He had a brother named Jack who worked for the government but Jack Kennedy was never the president.
This was a pleasurable read.
Most of the people in the book came from seriously dysfunctional families. Allison certainly did. Her dad abandoned her and her mom when she was a child and then her depressed mother committed suicide. They had been on food stamps and whispered about and treated poorly in the rural area where she grew up. She couldn't wait to go to art school and now lives and works in New York City for a fashion magazine.
The story begins the day before September 11, 2001 and since it is set in New York, we get to see close up the heartache and misery people endured. Allison's own misery grows worse when the day after the attacks, her neighbor Kristina, who had been pursuing their married neighbor Mack, is brutally murdered right in her own apartment by someone who sets up a scene with candles, music, and lingerie. Mack and his wife had been having marital problems. She claimed her family once had some sort of mob ties and had to go into the federal Witness Protection Program. She is a cold fish who has no friends and rudely rebuffs anyone's attempts to be nice to her, including her in-laws. Mack has lost a lot of friends due to this bitchy woman. They had infertility problems and she refused to use a surrogate or adopt. The process of in-vitro is painful and miserable and the night before 9-11, she tells Mack (who really, really wants kids) that she is giving up. The next morning before she leaves for work, he tells her he is dumping her.
It is into this little Peyton Place soap opera (!!) that 9-11 erupts. After Kristina both turns down the brain-damaged handyman Jerry (and gives him the finger), she is found murdered, maliciously stabbed with that middle finger gone, cut off while she was still alive. Soon after, another tenant, a lesbian named Marianne, moves in and Jerry tries to get something going with her only to be politely turned down. Then Marianne turns up dead in her apartment killed the same exact way as Kristina and with some of Kristina's lingerie. Her finger is cut off too and the story of Kristina's death has never been in the media due to 9-11 coverage so it has to be the same killer as no one else would know the details. The building has also been plagued with someone getting in apartments and stealing women's clothing.
I liked following the evidence and watching how Allison and Mack respond not only to 9-11 but to the murders in their building. What Allison does not realize is that she accidentally saw something and is now on the killer's hit list. Of course, the police make some stupid assumptions at the end of this story and arrest, harass, and charge the wrong person not realizing the real murderer walked off but then this story is continued on in 2 more books so hopefully by the very end, they will realize their mistake.
One mistake here- there is a character named Jacky who is Emily's sister. The author says that Jacky was named by parents enamored with the American Camelot of the Kennedy years and that she was named Jacky after "both the President and the First Lady." I was alive then but if an author isn't up to such basics research it! Yes, there was a first lady named Jackie Kennedy but her husband was NOT Jacky or Jack. He was JOHN F Kennedy! He had a brother named Jack who worked for the government but Jack Kennedy was never the president.
This was a pleasurable read.
November 14, 2012
Having permanently left her Midwest roots behind, making it in New York is validation for Allison Taylor. Like millions of other New Yorkers, she never fathoms the horror about to unfold in the days to come.
Infertility has become the final nail in the coffin for Mack MacKenna’s marriage, or so he thinks on Monday evening. Tuesday morning, however, shatters that illusion with devastating finality.
The unmitigated horror of 9/11 shakes the entire country, yet Allison is subjected to one more unfathomable act, when she discovers her upstairs neighbor has been butchered. Allison tries to overcome her shock and fears by helping her next door neighbor, Mack, to cope with the loss of his wife. As they discuss the murder, they both agree on who the likeliest suspect is, but Allison cannot shake the feeling that maybe she is wrong. All Allison can hope is for life to get back to normal. Yet, with each passing hour, her fear mounts, so the certainty that she will never feel safe again spirals out of control.
No one is left unaffected as readers get an intimate look into the lives of characters in the catastrophic days following 9/11. I also really like how no one is portrayed as all good or bad, which gives a real sense of authenticity to their personalities. Even the guessing game about the perpetrator is non-stop, especially when readers think they know, and something else throws them off. If like me, readers cannot wait to see what happens next, it is time to get a hold of the sequel to Sleepwalker.
Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Infertility has become the final nail in the coffin for Mack MacKenna’s marriage, or so he thinks on Monday evening. Tuesday morning, however, shatters that illusion with devastating finality.
The unmitigated horror of 9/11 shakes the entire country, yet Allison is subjected to one more unfathomable act, when she discovers her upstairs neighbor has been butchered. Allison tries to overcome her shock and fears by helping her next door neighbor, Mack, to cope with the loss of his wife. As they discuss the murder, they both agree on who the likeliest suspect is, but Allison cannot shake the feeling that maybe she is wrong. All Allison can hope is for life to get back to normal. Yet, with each passing hour, her fear mounts, so the certainty that she will never feel safe again spirals out of control.
No one is left unaffected as readers get an intimate look into the lives of characters in the catastrophic days following 9/11. I also really like how no one is portrayed as all good or bad, which gives a real sense of authenticity to their personalities. Even the guessing game about the perpetrator is non-stop, especially when readers think they know, and something else throws them off. If like me, readers cannot wait to see what happens next, it is time to get a hold of the sequel to Sleepwalker.
Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
May 1, 2017
This was an engaging mystery set against the sad backdrop of 9/11. I was unable to figure out who the serial killer was and the ending leads perfectly into the next book "Sleepwalker". Anxious to see where this goes with Allison and her neighbor Mack. Thanks to my good friend, Christine, for giving me this book and the next two in the series. Checkout her blog at "mapyourmystery.blogspot.com" for all things cozy!
April 26, 2013
Loved it! Great story...couldnt put it down and i love how the story doesnt end with this book! Onto the next...
September 3, 2015
This book was on my Kindle for a while before I read it, and I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner. This is a really good book, by a great author. She tells two stories--the tale of the murder, which twists and turns in a fascinating way. This is set against the background of New York in 9/11, and the shock, horror and anguish felt by the police detectives and citizen alike, waiting for some word about friends and relatives missing after the Twin Towers attack. I rate an author by the feelings she/he stimulates in me, and I felt like I was back again on that clear September morning that no one can ever forget.
I just read that Ms. Staub has written over 75 books. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
I just read that Ms. Staub has written over 75 books. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
September 1, 2025
What I love in a mystery/thriller is a fast-paced, twisty plot and a shocking ending. This book had neither of those things. It moved at a medium pace, and while it kept me entertained, I was never on the edge of my seat. The twist was okay. I didn't guess it, but it was far from mind-blowing. However, I recognize that fast and twisty is not what the author was going for. What makes Nightwatcher sing is the atmosphere. The author does a great job of detailing the post-apocolyptic feeling of New York City after the 9/11 attacks and weaving the resulting paranoia and trauma into the story. Also, I liked the main characters, Allison and Mack. I found them really likable and enjoyable to read about. Overall, the book was good enough to make me pick up the sequel.
January 13, 2013
This book was emotional - you can't help but flash back to the 9/11 attacks when reading the descriptions and relate to what the characters were feeling. I felt the suspense related to the serial killer plot of the book was lacking. Perhaps, that is because the emotion of 9/11 superseded everything else? I'm not sure. I also did not like the ending - it frustrated and disappointed me. I understand that it lends itself to the sequel, but.... Overall, this was a good book and I plan to read the sequel.
July 27, 2025
Wendi Corsi Staub is an oldie but goodie author of mine. My dad suggested reading her a long time ago. Nightwatcher was really good because a murderer was on the loose during the aftermath of 911. I think everyone needs to be reminded of that horrific day once in awhile to remember all that was lost that day. There were a couple of storylines that kept me guessing. It says book #1 so i will investigate this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 7, 2013
Story Description:
HarperCollins|August 28, 2012|Mass Market|ISBN: 978-0-06-207028-9
As the city sleeps in the early hours of September 10, 2001, the killer waits and watches, unaware of the cataclysm to come. Even the nightmare of 9/11 will not postpone his private reign of terror.
Allison Taylor adores her adopted city, New York, loving every minute of the invigorating urban hustle. But on a bright clear September morning, the familiar landscape around her is savagely altered-and in the midst of widespread chaos and fear, a woman living upstairs from her is found, brutally slaughtered and mutilated.
For Allison…for her neighbour, James “Mack” MacKenna desperately searching for news of his missing wife…for homicide detective Rocky Manzillo, hunting for a monster called “The Nightwatcher” amid the smoking ruins of a devastated city, this tragic day will hold a special horror. Because a different kind of terror has entered their lives…and it’s coming to claim Allison Taylor as its next victim.
My Review:
I felt so bad for Allison Taylor. She was such an innocent victim in this story but these horrible things kept happening and she knew that someone was after her and what a terrible feeling it caused. The day she came home and realized someone had been in her apartment would have done it for me.
I was gripping this book so hard that my hands were turning white! My heart was pounding, I was swallowing and turning the pages as fast as I possibly could. Nightwatcher is a fast-paced suspense thriller like no other. Your heart will just pound and pound as you read and you’ll want to force your brain to read the words faster and faster and faster. It was so good that I read it within a few hours as I just couldn’t go to bed or do anything until I was done. This is one book you simply can’t miss!!
HarperCollins|August 28, 2012|Mass Market|ISBN: 978-0-06-207028-9
As the city sleeps in the early hours of September 10, 2001, the killer waits and watches, unaware of the cataclysm to come. Even the nightmare of 9/11 will not postpone his private reign of terror.
Allison Taylor adores her adopted city, New York, loving every minute of the invigorating urban hustle. But on a bright clear September morning, the familiar landscape around her is savagely altered-and in the midst of widespread chaos and fear, a woman living upstairs from her is found, brutally slaughtered and mutilated.
For Allison…for her neighbour, James “Mack” MacKenna desperately searching for news of his missing wife…for homicide detective Rocky Manzillo, hunting for a monster called “The Nightwatcher” amid the smoking ruins of a devastated city, this tragic day will hold a special horror. Because a different kind of terror has entered their lives…and it’s coming to claim Allison Taylor as its next victim.
My Review:
I felt so bad for Allison Taylor. She was such an innocent victim in this story but these horrible things kept happening and she knew that someone was after her and what a terrible feeling it caused. The day she came home and realized someone had been in her apartment would have done it for me.
I was gripping this book so hard that my hands were turning white! My heart was pounding, I was swallowing and turning the pages as fast as I possibly could. Nightwatcher is a fast-paced suspense thriller like no other. Your heart will just pound and pound as you read and you’ll want to force your brain to read the words faster and faster and faster. It was so good that I read it within a few hours as I just couldn’t go to bed or do anything until I was done. This is one book you simply can’t miss!!
December 17, 2012
I have never read anything by this author before and I am glad that I finally have! This book was very good set in the backdrop of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the twin towers. On a seemingly normal Tuesday morning, Mack has had enough with his wife and tells her he wants a divorce. Carrie, his wife, leaves for work in the the first tower but never returns. Mack is devastated by her loss but then things turn even worse when a woman in his building is murdered....on the night of 9-11. What kind of monster could do this on such a day filled with terror. Allison Taylor, Mack's neighbor, tries to comfort him but she is also dealing with her friend's death and the horror of what New Yorkers have gone through. With a serial killer on the loose and trying to help Mack come to terms with his wife's death, Allison must also try to keep herself safe because the Nightwatcher is out for her too.
This was a great fast paced psychological thriller. The fact that is was set on 9-11 made the pace and action feel frantic. I thought it was a great idea to set a murder mystery on 9-11. There has definitely been enough time passed for the author to use such a setting. I'm not sure it would have been acceptable for 9-11 to be used much earlier than this since it affected all of America. The characterization of the main characters could have been a little better but it was written to have a sequel so I am sure that the reader will learn more about Mack and Allison in the next book. I will definitely read the next book and I would highly recommend Nightwatcher! 4 stars for Staub!!
This was a great fast paced psychological thriller. The fact that is was set on 9-11 made the pace and action feel frantic. I thought it was a great idea to set a murder mystery on 9-11. There has definitely been enough time passed for the author to use such a setting. I'm not sure it would have been acceptable for 9-11 to be used much earlier than this since it affected all of America. The characterization of the main characters could have been a little better but it was written to have a sequel so I am sure that the reader will learn more about Mack and Allison in the next book. I will definitely read the next book and I would highly recommend Nightwatcher! 4 stars for Staub!!
October 7, 2012
got better as it went along...was looking forward to second book in series after I saw some reviews.
February 15, 2013
Not one of her best.
Read
December 23, 2019Great book cant wait to read the next one in this trilogy
July 31, 2017
Set the day before 9/11, 'Nightwatcher' revolves around a handful of characters whose lives change drastically when national security is threatened. To make things worse, there's a serial killer on the loose targeting women. Will they be able to figure out who the killer is before it's too late?
The story was told from different characters' respective perspectives using third-person narrative. This storytelling technique was effective as the author succeeded in fleshing out every character and developing various storylines. Simultaneously, Staub seamlessly moved the plot along and captured the heartache and pain that 9/11 caused to many people. This subject as well as the murders were both written and handled realistically, complete with intricate details that conveyed information and emotions.
All the characters came across as actual people with their own problems or desires. Mack and his wife were unhappy together and barely communicated hence worsening their fragile relationship. Meanwhile, one of Mack's neighbours Kristina was interested in him and wasn't afraid to show it. The beautiful and ambitious Allison loves New York but she's constantly under the pressure of looking good due to her job. Then there's the creepy handyman Jerry who's always lurking around and watching Kristina..
The murder mystery was incredibly well-thought-out, believable and chilling. Although the identity of the perpetrator seemed too obvious, the twist was different from what I'd expected albeit in a good way. It's easy to think that was responsible for the murders since . The revelation was aptly surprising and the explanations made perfect sense. The ending certainly paves the way to a promising, thrilling sequel.
Overall, 'Nightwatcher' featured a blend of tragedy, crime and mystery that packed an emotional punch and delivered a solid, enjoyable story.
The story was told from different characters' respective perspectives using third-person narrative. This storytelling technique was effective as the author succeeded in fleshing out every character and developing various storylines. Simultaneously, Staub seamlessly moved the plot along and captured the heartache and pain that 9/11 caused to many people. This subject as well as the murders were both written and handled realistically, complete with intricate details that conveyed information and emotions.
All the characters came across as actual people with their own problems or desires. Mack and his wife were unhappy together and barely communicated hence worsening their fragile relationship. Meanwhile, one of Mack's neighbours Kristina was interested in him and wasn't afraid to show it. The beautiful and ambitious Allison loves New York but she's constantly under the pressure of looking good due to her job. Then there's the creepy handyman Jerry who's always lurking around and watching Kristina..
The murder mystery was incredibly well-thought-out, believable and chilling. Although the identity of the perpetrator seemed too obvious, the twist was different from what I'd expected albeit in a good way. It's easy to think that was responsible for the murders since . The revelation was aptly surprising and the explanations made perfect sense. The ending certainly paves the way to a promising, thrilling sequel.
Overall, 'Nightwatcher' featured a blend of tragedy, crime and mystery that packed an emotional punch and delivered a solid, enjoyable story.
January 7, 2019
WOW!!! I just finished this, and all I can say is that I can't wait to read the next books in the series. I thought I had it figured out, and I kind of did. But there was a twist in there that I did NOT see coming. I took one star off b/c there were a ton of characters to keep up with. At first it was confusing, but as the book went on it got easier. Another thing that I didn't like was how the author jumped from one scene to another without any segue or break in paragraphs. There were a few times when I was REALLY confused, but them realized it was jumping to the next character's story. Overall, this was a great book. I will definitely be checking out the next 2 in this series and her other works :)
May 4, 2021
this book will definitely take you to the height of psychological suspense! this takes place during the same time as September 11, 2001. At the same time the Terrace attacks are happening, something triggers an individual to start a murderous spree. let the psychological games begin. Jerry, is a caretaker of multiple apartment buildings. He is also a little mentally slow. He simply wants simple things in life, that we all want. How does he accomplish his goals? Jerry doesn’t quite understand what happened on 9/11 when you get to the end of the book, you will be desperately seeking out the next book in the series! Trust me, the way the book ends, you will scramble to get the second book. I recommend you get the second book, before you start the first one..
March 28, 2024
Loved the first one and immediately segued into part two. Hard not to keep this series going. And wow, talk about getting the feelings of horror, despair and paranoia after living through NYC on 9/11. The author did a really masterful job channeling what I think must have been even worse for the true New Yorkers living through that devastation. A wonderful book of time and place in American history.
August 5, 2025
I loved this book! I’m shocked there aren’t higher reviews, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next in the series. The suspense and shock at the end was incredible and really draws you in. It’s also a reminder of the devastation around the events of 9/11 and I feel, reminds us to be grateful of each day we are here. There are a multitude of feelings that were brought up from this book, but really 5/5! Could not recommend more for a thrill chaser like myself!
March 30, 2022
Good read, fast paced
This book didn’t drag at all. Characters were interesting and relatable. Murders in the shadow of what happened on 9/11. I didn’t know this was a series when I started and was a little disappointed when I got to the end and there were still loose strings. Other than that, good writing, interesting story.
This book didn’t drag at all. Characters were interesting and relatable. Murders in the shadow of what happened on 9/11. I didn’t know this was a series when I started and was a little disappointed when I got to the end and there were still loose strings. Other than that, good writing, interesting story.
July 6, 2022
5 out of 5 stars
Last year I began reading Wendy Corsi Staub novels and I enjoyed all that I have read. I picked this up because I read the Physic Detective series and one of the characters from the series has a smallish part in this and I am glad I picked it up because it was a great read. I plan to finish the series.
Last year I began reading Wendy Corsi Staub novels and I enjoyed all that I have read. I picked this up because I read the Physic Detective series and one of the characters from the series has a smallish part in this and I am glad I picked it up because it was a great read. I plan to finish the series.
September 2, 2025
Might be the worst ending to a murder mystery I’ve ever read because it didn’t end. It just stopped, everything left hanging and all wrong. A decent story up to that point but it’s like she just stopped writing with everything off. I suppose there’s a sequel, there’d almost have to be but am not interested enough in any of those characters to find out.
September 16, 2020
Easy read, plot was enjoyable, lots of obvious foreshadowing. I even figured out the end of the second book halfway through this one. my attention was held enough to go ahead and move on through the series.
September 10, 2024
Nightwatcher
The book definitely held my interest, with the background of the 9/11 tragedy. The characters were relatable, and the suspense was high around the murders, but the ending felt a little rushed. I’m betting there’s a sequel.
The book definitely held my interest, with the background of the 9/11 tragedy. The characters were relatable, and the suspense was high around the murders, but the ending felt a little rushed. I’m betting there’s a sequel.
January 2, 2026
I thought about DNFing the book after about 20 pages. The murder mystery is fairly conventional, but it felt like most of the book really spent a lot of time leaning heavily into describing the aftermath of 9/11 for the people of New York.
June 17, 2018
Very well written. The story was very intriguing with the Twin Towers in the background (so to speak). It was easy to to follow the characters and understand what was going on with them.
July 7, 2018
Too many damaged characters.
April 3, 2019
Great page-turner! Loved the way everything progressed leading to the next book. The hunt is on for the Nightwatcher.
May 8, 2019
Emotional story, who done it.
August 15, 2019
Fantastic
Two murders take place at the same time as the 9-11 terrorist attack. Short of police and several twists and turns lead to a surprising ending
Two murders take place at the same time as the 9-11 terrorist attack. Short of police and several twists and turns lead to a surprising ending
December 1, 2019
I had a hard time following this book. So many moving parts and they just didn't seem to pull together for me.
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