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Nightwatching
There was someone in the house.
Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. Then she hears a noise - old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it's the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs... In that split second, she has three choices.
Should she hide? Should she run? Or should she fight?
Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. Then she hears a noise - old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it's the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs... In that split second, she has three choices.
Should she hide? Should she run? Or should she fight?
336 pages, ebook
First published February 1, 2024
2871 people are currently reading
79979 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Sierra
3 books742 followersTracy Sierra was born and raised in the Colorado mountains. She is an attorney who currently lives in New England in an antique colonial-era home. When not writing, she spends time with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,102 reviews
February 8, 2024
“Mama, you said monsters didn’t exist.”
She lowered her head, feeling a great weight descend. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I lied.”
I hated this book. Every horrifying, infuriating, anxiety-inducing page of it that had me staying up late reading, then unable to sleep. The suspense! The impossibility of looking away! The desperate need I now have for Sierra to write another book! It's just not fair.
Nightwatching drops you right in the middle of the horror with the very first line: "There was someone in the house."
A mother, alone and helpless in the house with an intruder, must do everything she can to keep her kids safe. As they hide in the house, she starts to feel she knows this man, recognises his voice, but at the same time come doubts for her memory, her sanity. The story alternates between the terrifying present and flashbacks that fill in the story of this woman and her family.
I picked this book up thinking I was getting some trashy fun fast-paced thriller-- which, don't get me wrong, I'm fine with --but what emerged was something I'm tempted to liken to The Push: a story equal parts intense, unputdownable, and a thoughtful, sad, frustrating psychological portrait of a woman and her fragile mental state.
I cannot overstate how much this book made me feel. It was genuinely horrifying. Parts were sad. I was so angry and frustrated for her that I wanted to scream. Nightwatching is one of those books that is so suspenseful that I felt very real panic and anxiety reading it. And now I have to return to the real world! And read something else! Tell me... how?
January 8, 2024
This was *SO MUCH MORE* than what I was expecting it to be, wow. On one hand, yes, this is a very tense, gripping, heart-pounding story of survival during an absolute worst nightmare scenario….BUT, it’s also an extremely intricate (and honestly ENRAGING) story of a mother at her breaking point and I just found it so satisfying and empowering. I hated and loved every nail-biting minute. I can’t wait for you all to read this.
October 21, 2023
A mother and her two children are home alone with a blizzard raging outside. The kids are in bed and the mother is almost back to her bedroom after settling her son, when suddenly she hears creaking on the stairs. This is an old house that makes strange noises anyway, but she knows every creak, so she’s well aware that someone is creeping up the stairs! What can she do? Run, hide? How can she when the footsteps are moving ever closer, which means the intruder will see her!
Oh my days, the tension was unbearable at times, and as the story continues, it pulls you one way, then another and finally another! What is the truth of this story? Is the mother lying? Has she exaggerated or even imagined the events?
Well, I for one had no idea how this one was going to end, the characters were well drawn, shockingly so at times, but I really enjoyed this creepy yet wonderfully atmospheric storyline that gives new meaning to the term ‘twists and turns’!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Oh my days, the tension was unbearable at times, and as the story continues, it pulls you one way, then another and finally another! What is the truth of this story? Is the mother lying? Has she exaggerated or even imagined the events?
Well, I for one had no idea how this one was going to end, the characters were well drawn, shockingly so at times, but I really enjoyed this creepy yet wonderfully atmospheric storyline that gives new meaning to the term ‘twists and turns’!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
March 6, 2024
There was someone in the house.
This is the literally the first line in the book.... oh we are starting of hot and heavy... ok I'm ready!...
NOT! Sigh, it looks like I'm an outlier in this one, because this was MID!
NightWatching is about a woman who while comforting her son in the middle of the night notices that someone is in her home and she needs to find a way to escape from this intruder with her two children.
When I saw the blurb and the high ratings on GR, i thought i was definitely onto another five star read. I had envisions of a modern day 'panic room' novel with high action intensity, super suspenseful while having me at the edge of my seat... I produced NONE of these emotions.
What went wrong?
➼ For me the action started and ended on chapter 1.
➼ You already know I cant do slow paced book if its not enticing me along the way.
➼ The repetitiveness... come on now Chill!
➼ I couldn't resonate with none of the characters, because no one has a name. They are all referred to how the MC sees them, such as, 'son' 'daughter' 'husband' 'the sergeant' 'The Corner'
➼ The book told in the first 50% is in the Present with flashbacks and then the remaining 50% is the aftermath with some more flashbacks. This format kept pulling me away from the Fear Factor.
➼ After finishing the book I don't see the relevancy of the flashbacks. They didn't hold any weight to the storyline.
➼ The intruder is named 'the corner' ummmm why??? I feel like the author tried to explain this slyly in the end but I still didn't like it.
➼ I think the writing style for me put me off. The author has the same style as Ashley Audrain (The Push) and I cant get into her books either.
➼ Again the flashbacks ruined the 'nerve wrecking' emotions from me. If the book had just stuck to the present and the aftermath i would have rated it higher, based on the suspense.
➼ I am used to men in Thriller books being complete donuts and non the wiser, but did ALL and i mean ALL the men in this book have to have not one redeeming quality about themselves. My goodness it was way to OTT.
What went right?
➼ Admittedly some of the 'Present' chapters did have me feeling quite unnerved with all the uncertainty.
➼ One thing about me i like to feel all the emotions when reading a book and the GASLIGHTING in the 'Aftermath' chapters had me RAGING.
➼ Although i was getting frustrated with the plot and story, i was still eager to get to the revelations... so kudos to the author... then again I literally cant DNF a book, sooooo....
Overall don't let my review put you off. I am clearly in the minority as so many absolutely loved this book. I always say reading is subjective and everyone's taste is not like for like. This one was just an unfortunate miss for me.
2.5⭐
This is the literally the first line in the book.... oh we are starting of hot and heavy... ok I'm ready!...
NOT! Sigh, it looks like I'm an outlier in this one, because this was MID!
NightWatching is about a woman who while comforting her son in the middle of the night notices that someone is in her home and she needs to find a way to escape from this intruder with her two children.
When I saw the blurb and the high ratings on GR, i thought i was definitely onto another five star read. I had envisions of a modern day 'panic room' novel with high action intensity, super suspenseful while having me at the edge of my seat... I produced NONE of these emotions.
What went wrong?
➼ For me the action started and ended on chapter 1.
➼ You already know I cant do slow paced book if its not enticing me along the way.
➼ The repetitiveness... come on now Chill!
➼ I couldn't resonate with none of the characters, because no one has a name. They are all referred to how the MC sees them, such as, 'son' 'daughter' 'husband' 'the sergeant' 'The Corner'
➼ The book told in the first 50% is in the Present with flashbacks and then the remaining 50% is the aftermath with some more flashbacks. This format kept pulling me away from the Fear Factor.
➼ After finishing the book I don't see the relevancy of the flashbacks. They didn't hold any weight to the storyline.
➼ The intruder is named 'the corner' ummmm why??? I feel like the author tried to explain this slyly in the end but I still didn't like it.
➼ I think the writing style for me put me off. The author has the same style as Ashley Audrain (The Push) and I cant get into her books either.
➼ Again the flashbacks ruined the 'nerve wrecking' emotions from me. If the book had just stuck to the present and the aftermath i would have rated it higher, based on the suspense.
➼ I am used to men in Thriller books being complete donuts and non the wiser, but did ALL and i mean ALL the men in this book have to have not one redeeming quality about themselves. My goodness it was way to OTT.
What went right?
➼ Admittedly some of the 'Present' chapters did have me feeling quite unnerved with all the uncertainty.
➼ One thing about me i like to feel all the emotions when reading a book and the GASLIGHTING in the 'Aftermath' chapters had me RAGING.
➼ Although i was getting frustrated with the plot and story, i was still eager to get to the revelations... so kudos to the author... then again I literally cant DNF a book, sooooo....
Overall don't let my review put you off. I am clearly in the minority as so many absolutely loved this book. I always say reading is subjective and everyone's taste is not like for like. This one was just an unfortunate miss for me.
2.5⭐
March 25, 2024
From the synopsis:
She is home alone in a blizzard with her eight year old daughter and her five year old son, when she hears a noise. It’s the sound of footsteps, heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.
Shrouded in the shadows, she sees the figure of a man who appears down the hallway.
Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall.
“Hold still-he”ll see you!!” She whispers.
They hide there as the man searches for them-“Come out, Come Out, Wherever you are!”
“Mama, you said monsters don’t exist” her son whispers again, suppressing tears.
“I’m sorry, she whispers back, “I lied”.
**********************************************************************************************
Yes, all of this is paraphrased from the first 3% of the book!! And, as you can see, you can cut the tension with a knife!!
BUT-that tension isn’t maintained as much of the middle of the book isn’t the action packed survival story that I expected.
There is a lot of ruminating about, shall we say, demons from the past, much of which is a bit WEIRD, and reads more like horror and those passages will take you out of the action and away from the present danger. That created an uneven pace as you question what is real, and what may be imagined before returning to the action.
Mislabeled?
With those subtle vibes of horror (which I don’t really care for) and written in the third person limited POV, (which is a style that I really don’t care for) I felt distant from the characters and couldn’t connect with them emotionally. For these two reasons, I cannot say that I really ENJOYED this story.
BUT-if you don’t mind that viewpoint or genre, you may want to give this one a try!
Tracy Sierra NAILED the ending (extra .5 ⭐️) and I can certainly appreciate the writing AND the many FIVE star reviews, but for me it’s a 3.5 ⭐️rating rounded down-not a great fit for me.
Available Now!!
Thank You to Pamela Dorman books for extending an invitation to read this book early, and providing a copy through NetGalley. It was a pleasure to offer a candid review!
She is home alone in a blizzard with her eight year old daughter and her five year old son, when she hears a noise. It’s the sound of footsteps, heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.
Shrouded in the shadows, she sees the figure of a man who appears down the hallway.
Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall.
“Hold still-he”ll see you!!” She whispers.
They hide there as the man searches for them-“Come out, Come Out, Wherever you are!”
“Mama, you said monsters don’t exist” her son whispers again, suppressing tears.
“I’m sorry, she whispers back, “I lied”.
**********************************************************************************************
Yes, all of this is paraphrased from the first 3% of the book!! And, as you can see, you can cut the tension with a knife!!
BUT-that tension isn’t maintained as much of the middle of the book isn’t the action packed survival story that I expected.
There is a lot of ruminating about, shall we say, demons from the past, much of which is a bit WEIRD, and reads more like horror and those passages will take you out of the action and away from the present danger. That created an uneven pace as you question what is real, and what may be imagined before returning to the action.
Mislabeled?
With those subtle vibes of horror (which I don’t really care for) and written in the third person limited POV, (which is a style that I really don’t care for) I felt distant from the characters and couldn’t connect with them emotionally. For these two reasons, I cannot say that I really ENJOYED this story.
BUT-if you don’t mind that viewpoint or genre, you may want to give this one a try!
Tracy Sierra NAILED the ending (extra .5 ⭐️) and I can certainly appreciate the writing AND the many FIVE star reviews, but for me it’s a 3.5 ⭐️rating rounded down-not a great fit for me.
Available Now!!
Thank You to Pamela Dorman books for extending an invitation to read this book early, and providing a copy through NetGalley. It was a pleasure to offer a candid review!
July 7, 2024
When I caught myself thinking, “OMG, can she just stop talking?” I knew it was time to bail on this book. The endless monologues and repetitive plot had me rolling my eyes. Sure, it’s got the tension of a horror movie, but not the good kind—more like the kind where you’re yelling at the characters for doing dumb stuff while the villain's on their tail. If that’s your jam, you’re in for a treat. Otherwise, maybe skip this one!
November 7, 2023
You want to see a nightmare unfold on the pages of a book? Pick up Tracy Sierra's debut and I assure you that you'll be sleeping with one eye open. Or two! Heck, I may never sleep again after reading this. Yikes! 👀
An unnamed mother goes to check on her sleeping children (8 yr old daughter / 5 yr old son) before turning in for the night herself. As she's about to leave her sons room she hears something out of place. What was that? Then to her horror she sees a man ascending the stair case to the second floor where her and her children are. She has to make a quick decision, gather the children and hide. The old home they live in has a secret panel in her husbands office. Taking the back stair case, not part of the new addition, she makes her way to their hidey hole. The kids, of course, are terrified. Stay quiet, don't cry, we can't make a sound. Shh, Shh, Shh.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
There is something so familiar about him, his voice, his shape and size but in her terror she can't make the puzzle pieces slot together. When he makes his way to search the attic she has to make a split decision. Leave the kids and run for help.
Run like the devil himself is hot on your heels. 🏃♀️
Mom isn't seen as a reliable witness, in fact, mom may be the monster behind the mask.
"Easier to believe a woman's lying than that bad things happened on your watch. Easier to believe the simplest thing is always correct. And it's simple to say a woman is crazy."
What is true and what is not?
Hot damn, was this ever good. This is the most impressive and assured debuts I have read in quite some time. It was utterly terrifying for the sole reason that this could happen to anyone of us. We like to think of our homes as our safe place. A place you retreat to for warmth and comfort. When that safe space is invaded and malicious intent is staring you directly in the eye any sense of normalcy in the world shatters around you. This mother, with two young children, is hellbent on protecting them at all costs but with every decision made there will always be that dreaded doubt to do things differently, to be smarter, to be quicker, to not be so damn weak and figure out a way to get them out of this safely. Riveting, shocking, infuriating, and harrowing this is an excellent debut that is not to be missed. ALL. THE. STARS!!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for my complimentary copy.
An unnamed mother goes to check on her sleeping children (8 yr old daughter / 5 yr old son) before turning in for the night herself. As she's about to leave her sons room she hears something out of place. What was that? Then to her horror she sees a man ascending the stair case to the second floor where her and her children are. She has to make a quick decision, gather the children and hide. The old home they live in has a secret panel in her husbands office. Taking the back stair case, not part of the new addition, she makes her way to their hidey hole. The kids, of course, are terrified. Stay quiet, don't cry, we can't make a sound. Shh, Shh, Shh.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
There is something so familiar about him, his voice, his shape and size but in her terror she can't make the puzzle pieces slot together. When he makes his way to search the attic she has to make a split decision. Leave the kids and run for help.
Run like the devil himself is hot on your heels. 🏃♀️
Mom isn't seen as a reliable witness, in fact, mom may be the monster behind the mask.
"Easier to believe a woman's lying than that bad things happened on your watch. Easier to believe the simplest thing is always correct. And it's simple to say a woman is crazy."
What is true and what is not?
Hot damn, was this ever good. This is the most impressive and assured debuts I have read in quite some time. It was utterly terrifying for the sole reason that this could happen to anyone of us. We like to think of our homes as our safe place. A place you retreat to for warmth and comfort. When that safe space is invaded and malicious intent is staring you directly in the eye any sense of normalcy in the world shatters around you. This mother, with two young children, is hellbent on protecting them at all costs but with every decision made there will always be that dreaded doubt to do things differently, to be smarter, to be quicker, to not be so damn weak and figure out a way to get them out of this safely. Riveting, shocking, infuriating, and harrowing this is an excellent debut that is not to be missed. ALL. THE. STARS!!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for my complimentary copy.
February 24, 2024
5 OUTSTANDING stars!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
Pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat tension from start to finish! Best thriller I’ve read in YEARS!
Middle of the night. A blizzard storm. Home alone with her young children, a woman finds an intruder creeping through the dark shadows of her house. She quickly wakes the children to find a hiding spot.
I had an immediate connection with this intense story. After the first chapter, I was 100% invested in this propulsive storyline. I was engaged and consumed with the endearing and vulnerable characters. I was deeply submerged in the thick, claustrophobic atmosphere. I was nail-bitingly curious about what would happen next.
I was quite literally hanging on every single word of this anxiety-inducing storyline from start to finish. My heart rate was beating at top speed while flying through these pages. I was thinking of this book constantly while I wasn’t reading it and trying to sneak in a few pages at every opportunity.
Bottom line, this is a phenomenal psychological thriller that I highly recommend! I am in shock that this is a debut novel. It exceeded my expectations on every level. I am eagerly waiting for whatever this author writes next!
Run to your nearest bookstore or library and get your hands on a copy NOW!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
Pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat tension from start to finish! Best thriller I’ve read in YEARS!
Middle of the night. A blizzard storm. Home alone with her young children, a woman finds an intruder creeping through the dark shadows of her house. She quickly wakes the children to find a hiding spot.
I had an immediate connection with this intense story. After the first chapter, I was 100% invested in this propulsive storyline. I was engaged and consumed with the endearing and vulnerable characters. I was deeply submerged in the thick, claustrophobic atmosphere. I was nail-bitingly curious about what would happen next.
I was quite literally hanging on every single word of this anxiety-inducing storyline from start to finish. My heart rate was beating at top speed while flying through these pages. I was thinking of this book constantly while I wasn’t reading it and trying to sneak in a few pages at every opportunity.
Bottom line, this is a phenomenal psychological thriller that I highly recommend! I am in shock that this is a debut novel. It exceeded my expectations on every level. I am eagerly waiting for whatever this author writes next!
Run to your nearest bookstore or library and get your hands on a copy NOW!
September 28, 2023
There’s a blizzard outside, a mother is alone with two young children, there is a stranger on the stairs of the old New England house, so where to hide to protect them from his evil intent?
Wowza, this is one incredible book, can I breathe now??! Right from the first few words the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife as you feel as if you are standing in that house with her. Her fear is tangible, it seems like a living thing, the freezing outdoor temperatures matching her frozen fear. The creaky old house alerts her to the presence and its atmosphere is a strong and powerful thing. Claustrophobia? Not half, it’s almost smothering in its intensity, the menace gives me chills. Suspense? Too right there is and it’s there from the beginning to the very end. Fast paced? You bet, almost heart poundingly so. Twists and turns? There absolutely are, as you question what you learn and your thoughts turn in a multitude of directions, hoping and praying all will be well.
The quality of the writing here is simply fantastic. It’s written from the unnamed mothers perspective and that is quite fascinating. Her internal thoughts and monologues are riveting as she silently responds to the intruder, hatches plans, reflects on incidents in her life, including tragedies, muses on her motherhood and the guilt she feels, all of these are sharply incisive. There are several occasions where you feel anger on her behalf and though occasionally you do feel some doubt, her brave persistence is truly admirable.
The characterisation is exemplary. You do SEE her, the sweet children, her truly awful father-in-law, and the police officers who question her.
Overall, I can’t praise this book highly enough. As psychological thrillers go this is one of those stellar ones as it’s a genuine “under the covers“ read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review .
Wowza, this is one incredible book, can I breathe now??! Right from the first few words the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife as you feel as if you are standing in that house with her. Her fear is tangible, it seems like a living thing, the freezing outdoor temperatures matching her frozen fear. The creaky old house alerts her to the presence and its atmosphere is a strong and powerful thing. Claustrophobia? Not half, it’s almost smothering in its intensity, the menace gives me chills. Suspense? Too right there is and it’s there from the beginning to the very end. Fast paced? You bet, almost heart poundingly so. Twists and turns? There absolutely are, as you question what you learn and your thoughts turn in a multitude of directions, hoping and praying all will be well.
The quality of the writing here is simply fantastic. It’s written from the unnamed mothers perspective and that is quite fascinating. Her internal thoughts and monologues are riveting as she silently responds to the intruder, hatches plans, reflects on incidents in her life, including tragedies, muses on her motherhood and the guilt she feels, all of these are sharply incisive. There are several occasions where you feel anger on her behalf and though occasionally you do feel some doubt, her brave persistence is truly admirable.
The characterisation is exemplary. You do SEE her, the sweet children, her truly awful father-in-law, and the police officers who question her.
Overall, I can’t praise this book highly enough. As psychological thrillers go this is one of those stellar ones as it’s a genuine “under the covers“ read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review .
March 12, 2024
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Viking - Pamela Dorman Books, and Tracy Sierra for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.6!**
As a parent, there's NOTHING more frightening than the possibility of something bad happening to your child...but what if the ominous presence only appeared at night, under cover of darkness...and couldn't even be SEEN? How can you protect your children if you aren't even sure WHO the enemy is....or exactly WHY they are lurking in the corner?
Such is the terrifying predicament the mother in this book experiences one snowy night. Sure, it's an old house...but those sounds aren't normal...and she can't afford to take ANY chances. With the harrowing blizzard raging outside, she makes the snap decision to hide her two children in a secret space behind the wall, desperate to keep them safe at all costs. She warns them not to make a single sound, as the Corner (the name she gives this terrifying entity) taunts them from down below. Can she manage to conquer this enemy without putting herself and her children in even GREATER danger? Could her evil father-in-law be behind all of this terror? Or is there a good REASON the security cameras didn't get a glimpse or this perpetrator, and that there are no footprints in the snow the next day...other than her own?
After some rave early reviews from trusted reviewer friends, I have to admit I could not resist the pull of this book, particularly since psychological thrillers are my absolute favorite kind of thriller, and I haven't read one that felt compelling and unputdownable in QUITE a while. But I have to say that when it came to this read....for the first 40% or so, it was a bit TOO easy for me to put it down...and I ALMOST put it down permanently.
The beginning of the book thrusts you immediately into the tense scenario with mother, child, and unknown perp, and I'll be honest: it was a bit jarring in terms of presentation. I found the author's writing a bit clipped, the dialogue from the perp a bit...odd, to say the least, and it felt like the opening events were not so much frightening as just a matter of course. This might sound strange to say, but for me, the tension felt lacking and I kept waiting for it to pick up....and for the plot to start to GO somewhere. All that being said...there is a REASON the beginning of the book is written like this, and I feel going back into it a second time, none of this would feel as bizarre and discordant as it did the first time...but at the same time, I don't feel like this is the type of read that would benefit from a revisit, because going into it knowing the twists would pretty much take all of the air out of the tires.
So thankfully, at about the midpoint, this book started morphing into something that is much more my speed: your standard "are they or aren't they an unreliable narrator" tale. Where I don't necessarily feel like the author tread too much in terms of new ground here, I DID finally feel like I had a reason to dig my heels in and keep reading. The narrator's backstory slowly becomes more and more relevant, and the book finds the much-needed emotional foothold that felt lacking during its frenzied, scattered beginning. It was a relief to feel invested in the mystery and in the main character in general, and the author cleverly weaves in some social commentary about misogyny, abuse, and the tendency of men to paint women as 'crazy' unless evidence is all but shoved in their faces. I found the ending a bit lackluster and 'safe' in terms of storytelling, but at the same time, it was certainly serviceable.
Though I don't feel as though this debut particularly covered any new ground in the space or made me think or feel as much as I would have liked, there was enough palpable tension to keep me invested enough to finish and Sierra certainly has the writing chops to make a name for herself in the space in the future. And if there's anything I can attribute to Sierra after finishing this one?
...I had REM's "Nightswimming" (or in this case, "Nightwatching" 😂) stuck in my head for DAYS afterward.
(But whether that would be a blessing or a curse in YOUR mind is anyone's guess!)
😉
4 stars, rounded up from 3.5
As a parent, there's NOTHING more frightening than the possibility of something bad happening to your child...but what if the ominous presence only appeared at night, under cover of darkness...and couldn't even be SEEN? How can you protect your children if you aren't even sure WHO the enemy is....or exactly WHY they are lurking in the corner?
Such is the terrifying predicament the mother in this book experiences one snowy night. Sure, it's an old house...but those sounds aren't normal...and she can't afford to take ANY chances. With the harrowing blizzard raging outside, she makes the snap decision to hide her two children in a secret space behind the wall, desperate to keep them safe at all costs. She warns them not to make a single sound, as the Corner (the name she gives this terrifying entity) taunts them from down below. Can she manage to conquer this enemy without putting herself and her children in even GREATER danger? Could her evil father-in-law be behind all of this terror? Or is there a good REASON the security cameras didn't get a glimpse or this perpetrator, and that there are no footprints in the snow the next day...other than her own?
After some rave early reviews from trusted reviewer friends, I have to admit I could not resist the pull of this book, particularly since psychological thrillers are my absolute favorite kind of thriller, and I haven't read one that felt compelling and unputdownable in QUITE a while. But I have to say that when it came to this read....for the first 40% or so, it was a bit TOO easy for me to put it down...and I ALMOST put it down permanently.
The beginning of the book thrusts you immediately into the tense scenario with mother, child, and unknown perp, and I'll be honest: it was a bit jarring in terms of presentation. I found the author's writing a bit clipped, the dialogue from the perp a bit...odd, to say the least, and it felt like the opening events were not so much frightening as just a matter of course. This might sound strange to say, but for me, the tension felt lacking and I kept waiting for it to pick up....and for the plot to start to GO somewhere. All that being said...there is a REASON the beginning of the book is written like this, and I feel going back into it a second time, none of this would feel as bizarre and discordant as it did the first time...but at the same time, I don't feel like this is the type of read that would benefit from a revisit, because going into it knowing the twists would pretty much take all of the air out of the tires.
So thankfully, at about the midpoint, this book started morphing into something that is much more my speed: your standard "are they or aren't they an unreliable narrator" tale. Where I don't necessarily feel like the author tread too much in terms of new ground here, I DID finally feel like I had a reason to dig my heels in and keep reading. The narrator's backstory slowly becomes more and more relevant, and the book finds the much-needed emotional foothold that felt lacking during its frenzied, scattered beginning. It was a relief to feel invested in the mystery and in the main character in general, and the author cleverly weaves in some social commentary about misogyny, abuse, and the tendency of men to paint women as 'crazy' unless evidence is all but shoved in their faces. I found the ending a bit lackluster and 'safe' in terms of storytelling, but at the same time, it was certainly serviceable.
Though I don't feel as though this debut particularly covered any new ground in the space or made me think or feel as much as I would have liked, there was enough palpable tension to keep me invested enough to finish and Sierra certainly has the writing chops to make a name for herself in the space in the future. And if there's anything I can attribute to Sierra after finishing this one?
...I had REM's "Nightswimming" (or in this case, "Nightwatching" 😂) stuck in my head for DAYS afterward.
(But whether that would be a blessing or a curse in YOUR mind is anyone's guess!)
😉
4 stars, rounded up from 3.5
November 6, 2023
It looks like I'm the odd man out again. I was so looking forward to this book, but I am very disappointed. For one thing, no one in the book has a name. I found this to be an incredibly strange choice, and it left me feeling very disconnected from the characters. The main character did give the villain a nickname though. She called him "the Corner" which I found exceedingly stupid. Not even "the Corner man", just "the Corner." Every time I had to read this it was like nails on chalkboard.
Also, during the home invasion part, you get flashbacks of her past. They were mostly irrelevant to the story, and it broke up the tension that could have been there from the invasion. This caused an uneven pace and made the book seem slow.
The main character was irritating too. During the invasion part, she kept telling herself she was stupid and she should have done this or that differently. She was constantly berating herself for a multitude of things. Now don't get me wrong. I'm hard on myself too and I'm not saying I'd do any better in her situation, but it certainly doesn't make a fun read. Another thing I didn't like was the police being completely incompetent and acting like she was crazy. Everyone just acted like she was a hysterical woman. Her father-in-law was atrocious. In fact, pretty much every character was awful, except the kids.
This book seemed to be a commentary about women's oppression and the way men don't always believe women and think they're hysterical. But you know what? That's not how every man is. You wouldn't know it from reading this book though. Her ex-boyfriend, the cops, her father-in-law, the security guys, her husband. Every one of them was ridiculous. Certainly, there are problems women face in society, but I didn't feel like Nightwatching accurately portrayed them.
I did like the last 10% though. The ending was unexpected and more exciting than the rest. I wouldn't recommend Nightwatching at all, but based on current reviews I'm very much an outlier and most people will love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking, Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC.
Also, during the home invasion part, you get flashbacks of her past. They were mostly irrelevant to the story, and it broke up the tension that could have been there from the invasion. This caused an uneven pace and made the book seem slow.
The main character was irritating too. During the invasion part, she kept telling herself she was stupid and she should have done this or that differently. She was constantly berating herself for a multitude of things. Now don't get me wrong. I'm hard on myself too and I'm not saying I'd do any better in her situation, but it certainly doesn't make a fun read. Another thing I didn't like was the police being completely incompetent and acting like she was crazy. Everyone just acted like she was a hysterical woman. Her father-in-law was atrocious. In fact, pretty much every character was awful, except the kids.
This book seemed to be a commentary about women's oppression and the way men don't always believe women and think they're hysterical. But you know what? That's not how every man is. You wouldn't know it from reading this book though. Her ex-boyfriend, the cops, her father-in-law, the security guys, her husband. Every one of them was ridiculous. Certainly, there are problems women face in society, but I didn't feel like Nightwatching accurately portrayed them.
I did like the last 10% though. The ending was unexpected and more exciting than the rest. I wouldn't recommend Nightwatching at all, but based on current reviews I'm very much an outlier and most people will love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking, Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC.
July 28, 2025
**4.5-stars**
Nightwatching is the stuff nightmares are made of.
It was very good; disturbing in such a realistic way. It was told with such incredible intensity and was completely gripping. This author knows how to pull the Reader in.
It all begins on a cold Winter night, when a blizzard is raging outside the old farmhouse that a mother lives in with her two young children.
After retucking her son into bed, the Mom hears a noise she shouldn't be hearing; heavy footsteps on the stairs. Quietly peeking down the long, dark hallway she spies the silhouette of a large man at the top of the stairs.
Pure fear rushes through her. She must protect her children.
As silently as possible, she gathers both children, along with a few comfort items and shepherds them to the oldest part of the house, where the hidden room is waiting to shield them from the intruder.
Climbing into the darkness of the tiny place, the mother must keep the children quiet and hope to wait out the evil lurking just outside the door.
I can't tell you how truly horrifying this set-up is to think about. It's actually one of my biggest fears and the way the author captured that sense of fear is amazing.
Those tense moments tucked in that secret room, trying to keep the children quiet, trying to keep herself from panicking, I honestly think my heart was racing just as fast as this Mom's was.
While tucked in the hidden room, there are moments of quiet reflection, so we do get a glimpse through this Mom's life and a background of her family.
Those moments, while slower and of less intensity than the present timeline, did add a nice reprieve from the scary bits, which I didn't mind.
This went in an interesting direction that I wasn't expecting and the author did make me question a lot of what I thought I knew. The gaslighting was off the charts.
For me personally, I felt the ending, or the way things wrapped up was a bit abrupt though. I could have enjoyed more time with these characters at the end.
There was so much build-up, to have the ending occur so suddenly, I guess it made the pace feel a little off. That's 100% personal taste though. It's definitely not that the author did anything wrong, and the conclusion did actually still give me chills.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a tensely frightening Thriller. This type of scenario I feel is a fear for a lot of people, both in what occurred at the house, and the way the MC was treated in the aftermath.
Thank you to the publisher, Pamela Dorman Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this one. I am really looking forward to more from Tracy Sierra!
Nightwatching is the stuff nightmares are made of.
It was very good; disturbing in such a realistic way. It was told with such incredible intensity and was completely gripping. This author knows how to pull the Reader in.
It all begins on a cold Winter night, when a blizzard is raging outside the old farmhouse that a mother lives in with her two young children.
After retucking her son into bed, the Mom hears a noise she shouldn't be hearing; heavy footsteps on the stairs. Quietly peeking down the long, dark hallway she spies the silhouette of a large man at the top of the stairs.
Pure fear rushes through her. She must protect her children.
As silently as possible, she gathers both children, along with a few comfort items and shepherds them to the oldest part of the house, where the hidden room is waiting to shield them from the intruder.
Climbing into the darkness of the tiny place, the mother must keep the children quiet and hope to wait out the evil lurking just outside the door.
I can't tell you how truly horrifying this set-up is to think about. It's actually one of my biggest fears and the way the author captured that sense of fear is amazing.
Those tense moments tucked in that secret room, trying to keep the children quiet, trying to keep herself from panicking, I honestly think my heart was racing just as fast as this Mom's was.
While tucked in the hidden room, there are moments of quiet reflection, so we do get a glimpse through this Mom's life and a background of her family.
Those moments, while slower and of less intensity than the present timeline, did add a nice reprieve from the scary bits, which I didn't mind.
This went in an interesting direction that I wasn't expecting and the author did make me question a lot of what I thought I knew. The gaslighting was off the charts.
For me personally, I felt the ending, or the way things wrapped up was a bit abrupt though. I could have enjoyed more time with these characters at the end.
There was so much build-up, to have the ending occur so suddenly, I guess it made the pace feel a little off. That's 100% personal taste though. It's definitely not that the author did anything wrong, and the conclusion did actually still give me chills.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a tensely frightening Thriller. This type of scenario I feel is a fear for a lot of people, both in what occurred at the house, and the way the MC was treated in the aftermath.
Thank you to the publisher, Pamela Dorman Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this one. I am really looking forward to more from Tracy Sierra!
February 17, 2024
Gripping, shocking, chilling, pulse pounding, and hard to put down! I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book and was happily surprised by where Tracy Sierra took me in this riveting book.
A mother home alone with her two young children, sees a man in her home. She gathers her children and hides with them in the secret room they have in their home. She realizes that she knows who the man is and leaves her children in hiding and runs out into a snowstorm looking for help.
Talk about a shocker!!! I had so many questions and theories swirling through my mind while reading this book. I desperately tried to grasp what was happening, and what would happen. Nightwatching kept me on my tippy toes the entire time.
WOWZA! This book was so good! I felt many things while reading this book: shock, anxiety, anger, disbelief, more shock, and more anger. I felt for the mother in this book. I was not happy with the a few of the other characters.
The author did an amazing job setting the stage for a home invasion. We all lock our doors at night for a reason. We all want to be and feel safe in our homes. What happens when that sense of safety is destroyed? What happens when you have young children with you? How hard and fast does your heartbeat as you can hear someone walking around your home? This book was oozing with tension, dread, danger, and fear.
This was a witches words buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to see what she thought of the book!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
A mother home alone with her two young children, sees a man in her home. She gathers her children and hides with them in the secret room they have in their home. She realizes that she knows who the man is and leaves her children in hiding and runs out into a snowstorm looking for help.
Talk about a shocker!!! I had so many questions and theories swirling through my mind while reading this book. I desperately tried to grasp what was happening, and what would happen. Nightwatching kept me on my tippy toes the entire time.
WOWZA! This book was so good! I felt many things while reading this book: shock, anxiety, anger, disbelief, more shock, and more anger. I felt for the mother in this book. I was not happy with the a few of the other characters.
The author did an amazing job setting the stage for a home invasion. We all lock our doors at night for a reason. We all want to be and feel safe in our homes. What happens when that sense of safety is destroyed? What happens when you have young children with you? How hard and fast does your heartbeat as you can hear someone walking around your home? This book was oozing with tension, dread, danger, and fear.
This was a witches words buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to see what she thought of the book!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 6, 2024
Certainly tense and itchy, especially in the beginning. But after a while it all got a bit too much, wondering what was real or not and all the horrible things happening to the main character. It’s a book where you feel you should have a lot of sympathy with the characters struggles, but it’s just so overwhelming that you go numb instead.
February 19, 2024
A couple of weeks ago I was chatting it up on my weekly talk with my pal Shelby and she said I had to read this book. I promptly told her say no more and managed to multitask and get myself on the library waiting list for it without even disconnecting the call . . .
She didn’t tell me anything at all about the plot – simply said it was a must read. I still have not looked at any blurb or review about this one. I’m just here to tell you she was right. And also? I had some trepidation upon starting because . . .
Those aren’t my favorite stories (either to read OR to watch). I have a tendency to either start screaming (at both book and film versions) “FIND A WEAPON! KILL THAT MOTHEREFFER!!!” or become bored quickly because I am Dug the dog and my attention span wanes when the action all takes place in one room.
I have zero intention of spoiling this for any of you. Just know that about the 50% mark things took a twist and by the time I finished reading on Saturday I wanted to call Shelby right back and be like . . . .
We all know thrillers are a dime a dozen. I RARELY give more than 3.5 Stars to any of them. This one, though? It gets every single one.
She didn’t tell me anything at all about the plot – simply said it was a must read. I still have not looked at any blurb or review about this one. I’m just here to tell you she was right. And also? I had some trepidation upon starting because . . .
Those aren’t my favorite stories (either to read OR to watch). I have a tendency to either start screaming (at both book and film versions) “FIND A WEAPON! KILL THAT MOTHEREFFER!!!” or become bored quickly because I am Dug the dog and my attention span wanes when the action all takes place in one room.
I have zero intention of spoiling this for any of you. Just know that about the 50% mark things took a twist and by the time I finished reading on Saturday I wanted to call Shelby right back and be like . . . .
We all know thrillers are a dime a dozen. I RARELY give more than 3.5 Stars to any of them. This one, though? It gets every single one.
January 9, 2025
FIVE-STAR READ ALERT!!
This was a phenomenal debut, that will stick with me for a while! Talk about reading your own worst nightmare printed, in literary fiction format! This is the very situation I've always considered to be by far the scariest 'what if' scenario, out of all the horror tropes there are, this is the ONE!! This incredible thriller had me captivated from the beginning line, to the very last!
Imagine yourself home alone, with your young children in the middle of the night, only to be startled awake by a noise downstairs. You have already familiarized yourself with the creaks and groans of your old spooky home, so you immediately know that this noise isn’t the dog or cat, and it can't be your little ones so your mind naturally takes you to your worst nightmare scenario - someone's broken into your house and wants to harm you and your family! To add to everything, it’s practically a blizzard outside, and travel is far from safe, so even if you can reach the police, it will take some time for them to reach you. Now, how do you hide yourself and your little ones away quietly until it’s safe?! This was the challenge our protagonist faced! To say this was a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night type of read would be accurate! The writing of these scenes was so vivid, I felt myself holding my breath as though I were right there and hiding alongside her and became invested almost instantly in the outcome. I just had to know if anyone would survive the night!
Most of this novel takes place over one stressful night, as our unnamed protagonist hides away from the intruder, who creepily whispers to her and her children, taunting them to come out from hiding. It’s a battle of wills, for certain, and I was rooting for her as I frantically turned the pages, biting my nails. As the three hid in terror through the night, we are given insight into the recent events in our protagonist's life that have led up until this. Losing a husband to a freak accident (or was it?), navigating raising two very young children alone, with no income to speak of, really illustrated the incredible mental fortitude of this woman! The latter portion of the novel while very much still a psychological thriller, was also an incredibly accurate examination of our culture today in which we tend to dismiss and even sometimes blame victims (especially females, which is infuriating in itself!), but that’s pretty much all I can say about it, without spoiling anything. Let's just say, this portion really got me emotionally invested, if I wasn't already!
This deliciously twisted, chilling novel had me reeling upon turning the last page – it was so incredibly creepy and simply put, SPOOKEY! It was also relevant, and addressed issues that need discussion, making it a very complex and incredibly rewarding read. If you are looking for a novel that will really mess with your mind, look no further!
Nightwatching was an impressive introduction to a talented new voice in literary suspense, and I couldn’t recommend this one more!
This was a phenomenal debut, that will stick with me for a while! Talk about reading your own worst nightmare printed, in literary fiction format! This is the very situation I've always considered to be by far the scariest 'what if' scenario, out of all the horror tropes there are, this is the ONE!! This incredible thriller had me captivated from the beginning line, to the very last!
Imagine yourself home alone, with your young children in the middle of the night, only to be startled awake by a noise downstairs. You have already familiarized yourself with the creaks and groans of your old spooky home, so you immediately know that this noise isn’t the dog or cat, and it can't be your little ones so your mind naturally takes you to your worst nightmare scenario - someone's broken into your house and wants to harm you and your family! To add to everything, it’s practically a blizzard outside, and travel is far from safe, so even if you can reach the police, it will take some time for them to reach you. Now, how do you hide yourself and your little ones away quietly until it’s safe?! This was the challenge our protagonist faced! To say this was a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night type of read would be accurate! The writing of these scenes was so vivid, I felt myself holding my breath as though I were right there and hiding alongside her and became invested almost instantly in the outcome. I just had to know if anyone would survive the night!
Most of this novel takes place over one stressful night, as our unnamed protagonist hides away from the intruder, who creepily whispers to her and her children, taunting them to come out from hiding. It’s a battle of wills, for certain, and I was rooting for her as I frantically turned the pages, biting my nails. As the three hid in terror through the night, we are given insight into the recent events in our protagonist's life that have led up until this. Losing a husband to a freak accident (or was it?), navigating raising two very young children alone, with no income to speak of, really illustrated the incredible mental fortitude of this woman! The latter portion of the novel while very much still a psychological thriller, was also an incredibly accurate examination of our culture today in which we tend to dismiss and even sometimes blame victims (especially females, which is infuriating in itself!), but that’s pretty much all I can say about it, without spoiling anything. Let's just say, this portion really got me emotionally invested, if I wasn't already!
This deliciously twisted, chilling novel had me reeling upon turning the last page – it was so incredibly creepy and simply put, SPOOKEY! It was also relevant, and addressed issues that need discussion, making it a very complex and incredibly rewarding read. If you are looking for a novel that will really mess with your mind, look no further!
Nightwatching was an impressive introduction to a talented new voice in literary suspense, and I couldn’t recommend this one more!
February 6, 2024
Nightwatching has a very complex plot. I'm going to keep my synopsis brief and only summarize the beginning of the book, in order to not give anything away.
A newly widowed mother of two is home alone in a blizzard when she realizes a stranger is in her house. Soon after she spots him in the hallway, she sneaks her son and daughter into a hidden room. Catching glances while trying to remain unseen, she realizes she knows him from somewhere.
Desperately trying to keep her children calm and quiet, while the intruder shouts menacing threats, she realizes his voice sounds familiar. The mother must quickly form a plan to save her children. Soon she realizes she must somehow leave the house, while a raging blizzard storms outside, to save their lives.
Nightwatching is not your typical home invasion story and it turned out to be nothing like I expected. This enthralling story had me on the edge of my seat in suspense. But not only is it a high stakes thriller, Nightwatching is also a complex story that's centered around how our culture easily dismisses women as liars or dismisses them as crazy. The story also touches on the internal struggle of guilt that moms face every day.
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra will be available on February 6. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copy!
A word of advice, if you plan on reading Night watching, don't read any more reviews on it! The story has many twists and I've seen several reviews openly spoiling them.
A newly widowed mother of two is home alone in a blizzard when she realizes a stranger is in her house. Soon after she spots him in the hallway, she sneaks her son and daughter into a hidden room. Catching glances while trying to remain unseen, she realizes she knows him from somewhere.
Desperately trying to keep her children calm and quiet, while the intruder shouts menacing threats, she realizes his voice sounds familiar. The mother must quickly form a plan to save her children. Soon she realizes she must somehow leave the house, while a raging blizzard storms outside, to save their lives.
Nightwatching is not your typical home invasion story and it turned out to be nothing like I expected. This enthralling story had me on the edge of my seat in suspense. But not only is it a high stakes thriller, Nightwatching is also a complex story that's centered around how our culture easily dismisses women as liars or dismisses them as crazy. The story also touches on the internal struggle of guilt that moms face every day.
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra will be available on February 6. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copy!
A word of advice, if you plan on reading Night watching, don't read any more reviews on it! The story has many twists and I've seen several reviews openly spoiling them.
January 30, 2025
I so wanted to love Nightwatching. I really, really did. And I know not loving it makes me quite the outlier, but the claustrophobic feel and sinister vibe just didn’t make up for the mostly slow pace and increasing desire to throw my book across the room. And while there were plenty of serious themes that Ms. Sierra eloquently shined a light on in a precise and nuanced way, I just couldn’t get over the negatives to this plodder of a book. I do have to admit, though, that I didn’t DNF it, which I guess says something all on its own—but I still had a hard time not skimming through most of each and every page.
My biggest hang ups were threefold. First was the fact that none of the characters had names. The closest we came was Corner, who was the intruder. Why was he named that? Beats the heck out of me as it was never adequately addressed. Second was how unbelievably irritating each of the characters were. I mean, not only was the woman gaslit and doubted herself every step of the way, but also ALL of the men were 100% a***holes without a single redeemable trait. Perhaps worse than either of those, however, was how the plot—which initially scared me but good—was broken up by flashbacks aplenty that stilled the much wanted chills running up and down spine. And guess what? Many of them had almost nothing to do with this promising plot.
All in all, while I did enjoy the last 10% of the book, it just didn’t make up for the bulk of what I just read. I do have to admit that I loved the setting of an old, eerie house and the twisted, twisted premise, which had me imagining what kind of messed up nightmares I was going to have. Still, this debut horror/thriller mashup was missing enough of the much wanted chills that I just can’t make myself recommend it despite its multitude of rave reviews. Nevertheless, perhaps you should take my word with a large grain of salt. After all, tons and tons of people have loved the creepy atmosphere, potentially unreliable narrator, and many heart-pounding moments. Rating of 2.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. She hears a noise—old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.
She sees the figure of a man appear down the hallway, shrouded in the shadows. Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall. There they hide as the man searches for them, trying to tempt the children out with promises and scare the mother into surrender.
In the suffocating darkness, the mother struggles to remain calm, to plan. Should she search for a weapon or attempt escape? But then she catches another glimpse of him. That face. That voice. And at once she knows her situation is even more dire than she’d feared, because she knows exactly who he is—and what he wants.
Content warning: breaking and entering, gaslighting, stalking
My biggest hang ups were threefold. First was the fact that none of the characters had names. The closest we came was Corner, who was the intruder. Why was he named that? Beats the heck out of me as it was never adequately addressed. Second was how unbelievably irritating each of the characters were. I mean, not only was the woman gaslit and doubted herself every step of the way, but also ALL of the men were 100% a***holes without a single redeemable trait. Perhaps worse than either of those, however, was how the plot—which initially scared me but good—was broken up by flashbacks aplenty that stilled the much wanted chills running up and down spine. And guess what? Many of them had almost nothing to do with this promising plot.
All in all, while I did enjoy the last 10% of the book, it just didn’t make up for the bulk of what I just read. I do have to admit that I loved the setting of an old, eerie house and the twisted, twisted premise, which had me imagining what kind of messed up nightmares I was going to have. Still, this debut horror/thriller mashup was missing enough of the much wanted chills that I just can’t make myself recommend it despite its multitude of rave reviews. Nevertheless, perhaps you should take my word with a large grain of salt. After all, tons and tons of people have loved the creepy atmosphere, potentially unreliable narrator, and many heart-pounding moments. Rating of 2.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. She hears a noise—old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.
She sees the figure of a man appear down the hallway, shrouded in the shadows. Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall. There they hide as the man searches for them, trying to tempt the children out with promises and scare the mother into surrender.
In the suffocating darkness, the mother struggles to remain calm, to plan. Should she search for a weapon or attempt escape? But then she catches another glimpse of him. That face. That voice. And at once she knows her situation is even more dire than she’d feared, because she knows exactly who he is—and what he wants.
Content warning: breaking and entering, gaslighting, stalking
August 15, 2025
Home invasion ✅ Eerie happening that build up ✅ Feminist messaging ✅
Wow this was spectacular! If you like a suspenseful read that also has lots of lyrical and lush imagery, you will love this 100%
Writing: this being a debut novel is crazy to me because it reads like this author has been in the writing world for years. The writing is immersive, captivating and truly beautiful. There were some points early on when I was considering if some scenes were really nessassary or if they could’ve just been cut. The answer is absolutely not! Every single moment in the story is crucial to understanding the MC and the stakes at hand. Even though the story can read a bit slow at times, I very much enjoyed getting to know what made our character the way she is and I adore the author for adding in these thorough explanations.
Characters: speaking of our protagonist, I wanted to give this woman the biggest hug several times while reading for the awful things she was put through. What I found interesting is that she’s never given a name during this whole story and either referred to as “Mama/Mommy”, “Ma’am” or “That woman”. I think this is something that could reflect how it doesn’t really matter who you are when it comes to gaining justice, but rather the story and what actually happened to you. The MC is an absolute fighter 👏 the love for her children was the driving force behind her actions and it was so beautiful to read about. I loved being inside her head as it was riddled with plans, ideas and opinions that I completely agree with.
Thrills: like I said, this story has its slow moments but there are also lots of times where I was filled with fear for our MC and her children. We waste no time getting down to action and neither does the hero of this story when it comes to finding solutions to the incredibly dangerous challenge at hand (that being literally trying to escape your home from a psycho and find help while trying to ID him) AND THAT ENDING WOW 🤯 absolutely amazing finale!
Overall, please please please check this book out if you’re into any of the points I just made. I couldn’t have had a better time and I absolutely recommend to my thriller lovers out there!
Wow this was spectacular! If you like a suspenseful read that also has lots of lyrical and lush imagery, you will love this 100%
Writing: this being a debut novel is crazy to me because it reads like this author has been in the writing world for years. The writing is immersive, captivating and truly beautiful. There were some points early on when I was considering if some scenes were really nessassary or if they could’ve just been cut. The answer is absolutely not! Every single moment in the story is crucial to understanding the MC and the stakes at hand. Even though the story can read a bit slow at times, I very much enjoyed getting to know what made our character the way she is and I adore the author for adding in these thorough explanations.
Characters: speaking of our protagonist, I wanted to give this woman the biggest hug several times while reading for the awful things she was put through. What I found interesting is that she’s never given a name during this whole story and either referred to as “Mama/Mommy”, “Ma’am” or “That woman”. I think this is something that could reflect how it doesn’t really matter who you are when it comes to gaining justice, but rather the story and what actually happened to you. The MC is an absolute fighter 👏 the love for her children was the driving force behind her actions and it was so beautiful to read about. I loved being inside her head as it was riddled with plans, ideas and opinions that I completely agree with.
Thrills: like I said, this story has its slow moments but there are also lots of times where I was filled with fear for our MC and her children. We waste no time getting down to action and neither does the hero of this story when it comes to finding solutions to the incredibly dangerous challenge at hand (that being literally trying to escape your home from a psycho and find help while trying to ID him) AND THAT ENDING WOW 🤯 absolutely amazing finale!
Overall, please please please check this book out if you’re into any of the points I just made. I couldn’t have had a better time and I absolutely recommend to my thriller lovers out there!
February 19, 2024
My thanks to Penguin Group, Tracy Sierra and Netgalley.
Well, I was unable to finish this book. I managed to read to 20% then I had to quit.
So, it turns out that maybe home invasions are a strange trigger for me. I've never experienced a home invasion, but?
I suppose I should have known. I have guns "yes, I'm a lib. Democrat" but I like feeling safe. I have guns and also hunting knives hidden around each room of the house. I always have, since my 20's.
This book reminded me of why I do that.
I'm still going to rate this book at 4 stars. Why? Well, I'll tell ya'! It was effective enough to scare the ever loving crap outta me!
Many people have enjoyed this book, so please read their review's.
Well, I was unable to finish this book. I managed to read to 20% then I had to quit.
So, it turns out that maybe home invasions are a strange trigger for me. I've never experienced a home invasion, but?
I suppose I should have known. I have guns "yes, I'm a lib. Democrat" but I like feeling safe. I have guns and also hunting knives hidden around each room of the house. I always have, since my 20's.
This book reminded me of why I do that.
I'm still going to rate this book at 4 stars. Why? Well, I'll tell ya'! It was effective enough to scare the ever loving crap outta me!
Many people have enjoyed this book, so please read their review's.
January 8, 2024
I’m sorry but it’s my first 1 star of the year. We are thrown straight into the home invasion which I wouldn’t mind but it then went on for 50% of the book and just got really repetitive and incredibly slow paced. Given that we are thrown straight in you have no attachment to the characters and what they are going through. Also, it throws in random flashbacks which takes you out of any potential suspense.
The premise had a lot of potential but unfortunately it just really didn’t work for me.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review
The premise had a lot of potential but unfortunately it just really didn’t work for me.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review
December 19, 2024
Hot diggity dang that was good!!
September 25, 2024
An intruder is in her house…
Run, hide, and don’t make a sound.
“The Corner” won’t leave…
Help the mother and her children!
What an outstanding debut! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Ellet in ONE sitting! I don’t think that I have ever read an entire book in a day before. Addictive and so creepy, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
It’s best to go in blind, so I’m not including a plot summary. However, it is important to mention:
1. None of the characters have names
2. The gaslighting/misogyny trope is infuriating. Why won’t ANYONE believe the mother?
3. It will make you extremely ANXIOUS!
I highly recommend Nightwatching and can’t wait to read more from Sierra!
4.25/5 stars
Run, hide, and don’t make a sound.
“The Corner” won’t leave…
Help the mother and her children!
What an outstanding debut! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Ellet in ONE sitting! I don’t think that I have ever read an entire book in a day before. Addictive and so creepy, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
It’s best to go in blind, so I’m not including a plot summary. However, it is important to mention:
1. None of the characters have names
2. The gaslighting/misogyny trope is infuriating. Why won’t ANYONE believe the mother?
3. It will make you extremely ANXIOUS!
I highly recommend Nightwatching and can’t wait to read more from Sierra!
4.25/5 stars
January 30, 2025
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra was unsettling. It was suffocating. It was the kind of story that made me want to stop reading, but I had to know. I needed to know.
From the moment she hears those footsteps, it’s a spiral of fear that never lets up. Every noise, every breath, every second spent in that hidden space made my heart pound. The tension was unbearable. And when she recognized him? That moment sent everything into chaos.
This wasn’t just suspense—it was dread, creeping in and settling deep. I kept questioning everything, feeling her fear right alongside her. Was she right? Was it all in her head? It didn’t matter because the terror felt real.
The anxiety was through the roof. This was not an easy read, but it was impossible to put down.
From the moment she hears those footsteps, it’s a spiral of fear that never lets up. Every noise, every breath, every second spent in that hidden space made my heart pound. The tension was unbearable. And when she recognized him? That moment sent everything into chaos.
This wasn’t just suspense—it was dread, creeping in and settling deep. I kept questioning everything, feeling her fear right alongside her. Was she right? Was it all in her head? It didn’t matter because the terror felt real.
The anxiety was through the roof. This was not an easy read, but it was impossible to put down.
February 11, 2024
I hated this book and had to force myself to finish it. Nameless characters? Why? I could not connect with any of them. It was not scary, tense, or thrilling in any capacity. It had potential to go that way, but the author breaks for a commercial every chapter with random flashbacks that have nothing to do with the home invasion 😕. Clearly I'm an exception to the norm here as everyone else is raving about this book. I only finished it because I paid $29 for it! Total waste of money.
March 25, 2024
A mother is home alone with her two children during a blizzard when she hears someone coming up the steps. She knows every sound her house makes after many sleepless nights and she knows someone who is not a child is coming up. She can tell this person wants to bring them harm and she knows she needs to try to get to her kids before he makes it to them. She makes a run for it and wakes up her son and daughter and takes them to a secret space where she hopes he can't find them.
Who is the man? Do they know him? Why are they the targets? Or is the mother imagining it all or is she the one who is trying to hurt her children?
The story started with an intense bang and held my attention for a bit. Yet, by the middle, it lost some of its luster but the end brought the sense of urgency back which helped. The downside I would say had to do with the story being told from a third point of view and the ridiculous name given to the bad guy.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Pamela Dorman Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Who is the man? Do they know him? Why are they the targets? Or is the mother imagining it all or is she the one who is trying to hurt her children?
The story started with an intense bang and held my attention for a bit. Yet, by the middle, it lost some of its luster but the end brought the sense of urgency back which helped. The downside I would say had to do with the story being told from a third point of view and the ridiculous name given to the bad guy.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Pamela Dorman Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
February 5, 2024
Nightwatching starts off with a bang! High octane tension, with the old house surrounding the woman and her two children in the middle of the night. The mother was up to her son and heard noises - other than old house noises - the sound of footsteps coming their way. She weighed their options and as soon as the intruder moved away from where she was, she picked up her son, quietly woke her daughter and they fled to the old part of the house where a secret room was, off her husband's office. They'd be safe in there wouldn't they?
This tension immediately tapered off, with flashbacks to the mother's past - which went on and on. The flashbacks intruded on my ability to remain focused on the tension surrounding the mother and her children, trapped in a small, dark room, not knowing what was happening in the rest of the house. Outside the house was blizzard conditions, with the temperature at freezing; the snow and ice battering the house and the chance of escape - with the three of them in their night clothes - minimal. So how will this stand off end? Will the mother's fragile nerves crack? Will she give up her children to this monster? Will they escape?
Nightwatching is my first by Tracy Sierra and with none of the characters named, it was extremely disappointing and off-putting. The fluctuation of tension was frustrating as well, as I waded through the reminiscing until I once again found myself with the mother in current time. There was also some repetition which was annoying. Not my favourite book of the year so far, unfortunately.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
This tension immediately tapered off, with flashbacks to the mother's past - which went on and on. The flashbacks intruded on my ability to remain focused on the tension surrounding the mother and her children, trapped in a small, dark room, not knowing what was happening in the rest of the house. Outside the house was blizzard conditions, with the temperature at freezing; the snow and ice battering the house and the chance of escape - with the three of them in their night clothes - minimal. So how will this stand off end? Will the mother's fragile nerves crack? Will she give up her children to this monster? Will they escape?
Nightwatching is my first by Tracy Sierra and with none of the characters named, it was extremely disappointing and off-putting. The fluctuation of tension was frustrating as well, as I waded through the reminiscing until I once again found myself with the mother in current time. There was also some repetition which was annoying. Not my favourite book of the year so far, unfortunately.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2024
MY REVIEW AND OTHERS can also be found on my blog: ╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
❀'𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆'❀ Is a full length thriller/suspense book by new to me author Tracy Sierra.
So by wanting to switch it up a little bit by trying something completely different that I wouldn't normally gravitate towards I stumbled across this, I liked the sound of the blurb, had no idea what I was getting myself into but I was so glad I took that plunge and purchased this.
After starting this and getting absorbed in the story the hairs on my arms stood to attention, my heart rate spiked, the narrative was so unique to what I’ve ever read before. It appeared messy with the musings of a lone woman trying her best to protect her two young children, going over in her mind if she'd done something wrong, overthinking about past events, I'm not going to lie, it did take a wee bit to get used to, but I don't think the book would've worked any other way, it all just worked (if that makes sense).
A mother alone with her two young children (8 & 5) in a secluded house on a vast property, with the nearest neighbours half a mile away with a snow storm raging outside. As she was resettling down her wee boy after a nightmare had awoken him and as she was making her way back to bed, she heard the noise that a step makes on a creaking floor board. THERE WAS SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE! Creeping up the staircase.
My heart stopped..
She knew this old house like the back of her hand and that was her saving grace. She knew what the house sounded like as it settled down at night, the creaks and groans it made.
She knew where not to step because of that floorboard, she also knew where to hide, but that fear that the intruder would hear them was terrifying.
My thought process was all over the place, you start to overthink, over analyse, was she psychotic, an overactive imagination, sleep deprived? Because when it's all said and done and help came to the rescue, THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE HER!! But trust in this author and get taken on a scary nail biting unputdownable read.
The worst thing for me is that I started this late at night in bed, I don't have children, but it made me think where would I hide if an intruder broke in if my partner was working late, would my small dog keep quiet and not make a noise. So yes I scared myself shitless!! lol
May 21, 2024
Any mother alone in her house with her young children would be petrified to hear an intruder walking around their house. First concern will always be her children and how she can protect them. An old house, with ,many nooks and crannies, it luckily has a hidden room off the den. Hearing footsteps in the other side of the house, she hurriedly ushers her children and herself inside the room.
I listened to this and I had goosebumps so going up and down my arms, when I heard his voice. Not since listening to the voice of the Golden State, rapist and killer have I been so affected. Imagine trying to keep your kids quiet and hearing a voice calling, Little piggies, little piggies, come out, I know where you are. I’ll find you. Not an exact quote but close.
Never underestimate a mother trying to protect her children, as the second part of this book brilliantly exemplifies. Tension high, though some of the tension, is relieved by forays into the characters past. Don’t read this at night, in a storm, rain or snow, when you are alone.
I listened to this and I had goosebumps so going up and down my arms, when I heard his voice. Not since listening to the voice of the Golden State, rapist and killer have I been so affected. Imagine trying to keep your kids quiet and hearing a voice calling, Little piggies, little piggies, come out, I know where you are. I’ll find you. Not an exact quote but close.
Never underestimate a mother trying to protect her children, as the second part of this book brilliantly exemplifies. Tension high, though some of the tension, is relieved by forays into the characters past. Don’t read this at night, in a storm, rain or snow, when you are alone.
February 21, 2024
I had to collect my thoughts because there is so much to unpack here!
Nightwatching definitely lives up to its status in the thriller genre. This is my first Tracy Sierra book and I will be adding her to my auto read author list, I was truly blown away by the contents of this book!
The first chapter absolutely throws you head first into the deep end and I felt as though I was plunged into ice water, the fear immediately seeping through my skin and I could almost hear my heart pounding in my ears.
The descriptive scene of an intruder in the house was so chilling and creepy. unbeknown to him, the mother was awake and frozen to the spot, aware of his presence in the pitch dark. Everything took place in only minutes, but I felt to the reader that hours past by at a gruellingly slow pace as our FMC went through all the scenarios in her mind, trying to decide the best path to take that would secure the safety of her and her two young children before the “monster” could get them.
The scenes with the intruder were truly agonizing, how do you keep young children quiet and safe for hours on end, all the while the big bad guy is patiently waiting them out with plans to harm them, nothing could be more torturous for a parent and that was palpable through the pages.
The other side of this book had flash backs from the past to events following the intrusion. There was a lot of subtext and undertones about the trials that women must endure alone due to the ignorance of men. The way that it is so easy to not believe a woman, and instead label her as delusional, paranoid, hysterical, an unfit mother, simply because she won’t placate people by being agreeable and making their jobs easier by saying she was lying and it was all a hoax.
The way a woman can start to doubt herself after the people who should be the protectors refuse to safeguard and validate her. How easy it is to be suspicious instead of listening to the difficult truths.
The book ended with a bang, so much tension building up, I was honestly spooked whilst reading in the dark, the atmosphere was chilling and claustrophobic.
I enjoyed the conversation about what defines somebody as crazy. Surely an individual who could go to such lengths to harm innocent people mustn’t be sane? And yet at the same time how can a sane person be so methodical? So rational in their thinking and plotting, aware of every outcome and consequence in a moments notice. Is it scarier to believe the people who wish us harm are fully sane because then we have no excuse, rhyme or reason for their behaviour? No where to place the blame?
It’s safe to say I loved everything about this book and it is in my top 3 reads this year. A thousand stars, highly recommend!!! A definite must read. Applause to the author!
Nightwatching definitely lives up to its status in the thriller genre. This is my first Tracy Sierra book and I will be adding her to my auto read author list, I was truly blown away by the contents of this book!
The first chapter absolutely throws you head first into the deep end and I felt as though I was plunged into ice water, the fear immediately seeping through my skin and I could almost hear my heart pounding in my ears.
The descriptive scene of an intruder in the house was so chilling and creepy. unbeknown to him, the mother was awake and frozen to the spot, aware of his presence in the pitch dark. Everything took place in only minutes, but I felt to the reader that hours past by at a gruellingly slow pace as our FMC went through all the scenarios in her mind, trying to decide the best path to take that would secure the safety of her and her two young children before the “monster” could get them.
The scenes with the intruder were truly agonizing, how do you keep young children quiet and safe for hours on end, all the while the big bad guy is patiently waiting them out with plans to harm them, nothing could be more torturous for a parent and that was palpable through the pages.
The other side of this book had flash backs from the past to events following the intrusion. There was a lot of subtext and undertones about the trials that women must endure alone due to the ignorance of men. The way that it is so easy to not believe a woman, and instead label her as delusional, paranoid, hysterical, an unfit mother, simply because she won’t placate people by being agreeable and making their jobs easier by saying she was lying and it was all a hoax.
The way a woman can start to doubt herself after the people who should be the protectors refuse to safeguard and validate her. How easy it is to be suspicious instead of listening to the difficult truths.
The book ended with a bang, so much tension building up, I was honestly spooked whilst reading in the dark, the atmosphere was chilling and claustrophobic.
I enjoyed the conversation about what defines somebody as crazy. Surely an individual who could go to such lengths to harm innocent people mustn’t be sane? And yet at the same time how can a sane person be so methodical? So rational in their thinking and plotting, aware of every outcome and consequence in a moments notice. Is it scarier to believe the people who wish us harm are fully sane because then we have no excuse, rhyme or reason for their behaviour? No where to place the blame?
It’s safe to say I loved everything about this book and it is in my top 3 reads this year. A thousand stars, highly recommend!!! A definite must read. Applause to the author!
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