I’ll Be Watching You

by Deborah Masson

He watches you constantly.
He sees everything. As a CCTV operator, Casey can travel at speed through the streets of Aberdeen and keep people safe, all from the comfort of his chair.

He knows your secrets.
You are one of the people he likes to follow. He keeps an eye on you, notices every detail of your body language, even in your most private moments, when you think no one is watching.

But now he wants more.
There's a reason he knows your routine like the back of his hand. It's because he wants revenge. And when you know as much as he does, it’s easy to take advantage…

Praise for Deborah Masson
'Terrifying, edge-of-your-seat stuff' - Emma Curtis
'A genuine rising star' - Denzil Meyrick
'First-class crime fiction' - Marion Todd

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2026

About the author

Deborah Masson was born and bred in Aberdeen, Scotland. Always restless and fighting against being a responsible adult, Deborah worked in several jobs including Secretarial, Marketing, Reporting for the city’s weekly freebie newspaper, and a stint as a Postie - to name but a few. But through it all, she always read crime fiction and, when motherhood finally settled her in to being an adult, maybe even a responsible one, she turned her hand to trying to write what she loved to read. Deborah started with short stories and flash fiction whilst her daughter napped and, when she later welcomed her son into the world, decided to challenge her writing further through online courses with Professional Writing Academy and Faber Academy. Her debut, Hold Your Tongue, was the result of those courses. She’s since published Out For Blood.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be watching you…
Casey Carter certainly will be in Aberdeen where he works as a CCTV operator, watching who skulks in the shadows to try to keep people safe. His colleague Robbie is the only one who knows who he really is, he knows about his past whose “skin” he has been trying to shed. There’s one person Casey has been very closely observing because he has one thing on his mind – revenge with a capital R. They have to pay.

It’s creepy, creepy, creepy as Casey plays a calculated and invisible cat and mouse game which is chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing. It’s fascinating trying to figure out who the real Casey is as he has submerged himself, has he ceased to exist? The answers clearly lie in the past and as the plot unfolds it becomes increasingly intense and dark with so many different elements going on which makes for gripping reading. The deeper it goes the evidential storm clouds lift and the hazy truth starts to reveal itself and I have so not predicted THAT. The author has me looking in all different directions and I thoroughly enjoy it’s unpredictability. It’s powerful, shocking and surprising with twists that keep on coming and it’s unsettling as Casey sets about enacting his violent revenge.

Deborah Masson always delivers intense and suspenseful novels and this is no different. It’s very well written, it’s hard to put down and takes me through a whole rollercoaster of emotions.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next ‘The Village’ by AJ Campbell for a BlogTour later in the month so will post review then, next on here will be ‘When I Kill You’ by B.A.Paris ( both covers in comments )
Take ‘YOU’ ( TV Show ) and add a bit of the film series ‘Saw’ and put them with a highly deranged yet motivated guy who works for the Council CCTV monitoring Unit and you have this incredibly fascinatingly good read

Have to say small parts of it do feature one of the characters unsavoury and nasty crimes but the author keeps it at the crime information level and does not divulge anything we don’t need to know for the story, worth mentioning

It’s a terrifying ordeal for the 4 main victim characters, all 4 have secrets and he knows them, he has followed them and captured them ( in very crafty ways ) whilst maintaining a ‘normal’ life bantering with his work CCTV bestie

But then he has never really been normal, not after the start he had in life, how could he be

Tantalisingly moreish yet chillingly dark its impossible not to get involved in this book

Read it and see…..

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Deborah Masson’s writing and characterisation, having followed her DI Eve Hunter  crime series from the beginning. ‘I'll Be Watching You’ is a standalone novel. It's chilling and impossible to put down, with some very satisfying twists and turns. The city of Aberdeen almost takes on a character of its own in all of Masson’s work and that's partly why I enjoy it so much. A great read from one of Scotland's finest crime writers!

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel immediately plunges us into the unsettling world of Casey, a young man outwardly affable, wanting to protect Aberdeen in his role as CCTV operator.
We soon learn, however, that he is inwardly consumed by control and manipulation.
Casey's meticulously constructed new life, following his mother's brutal death, unravels to reveal a chilling, almost unbelievable end goal.
The narrative is a breathtaking exploration of grief's powerful grip, demonstrating how profound loss can twist a person into something unrecognisable.
The storyline is exquisitely crafted, painting a picture where darkness and malevolence are ever-present. Despite its disturbing depths, the book is remarkably enlightening, providing a memorable portrayal of the human psyche's resilience and fragility.
The ending provides a deeply satisfying, albeit unsettling, conclusion to this unforgettable journey that will sit with me for some time. That, for me, is the sign of a fantastic book.
Highly recommended for those who appreciate literary darkness with profound emotional resonance.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This is my own opinion.

[Fiona Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous, five star read

What a fabulous, enthralling read. The story was well plotted with just enough foreshadowing to keep the reader guessing.

This read was definitely ‘unputdownable’ . I was invested in the journey of all the characters. The story of the key protagonist, Casey was particularly well written.

This was undoubtedly a five star read and I will be recommending it.

[Carrie-Jennifer Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! I have been waiting on another book from this author for years! I loved the setting as I was easily able to picture places and scenes. I felt a lot for the main character which kept mainly switching back and forth between empathy and dislike. I saw none of the plot twists coming.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey loves to watch people. In fact, he's made it his job to watch on CCTV, but there are some people he's more interested in than others.

The synopsis of this book definitely caught my full attention, but it wasn't as fast-paced as I expected, and it was more character driven as the multi POV storyline unfolds.

I would say it's a cross between You and the Saw movies. So if you like either, then maybe give this one a go.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ‘I’ll Be Watching You’ by Deborah Masson, due to be published on 1 January 2026 by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers.

Casey works as a CCTV operator, watching the streets of Aberdeen, keeping the city safe alongside his colleague, Robbie, who is the only person in his life that knows who he really is - the Butcher’s Boy - son of a notorious killer convicted of killing his wife and hanging her body from a meat hook in his shop.

This is a story of past trauma, a man seeking revenge, a man who is unhinged. The descriptions of his intense stares add a layer of creepiness and his location for his revenge plot to play out gives an unsettling claustrophobic edge to the storyline.

A deeply dark and disturbing tale, that leaves a lasting sense of unease. Recommended read.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watching from the shadows

I have been a fan of Deborah Masson’s DI Eve Hunter series for a while now, so I was really looking forward to picking up her latest book, I’ll Be Watching You. This one is a bit different as it’s a standalone thriller rather than a police procedural and I was keen to see how the author handled a shift in focus.

The story follows Casey, a CCTV operator in Aberdeen who spends his days watching the city through the lenses of his cameras. It’s an unsettling premise, especially because he doesn’t just watch to keep people safe – he’s obsessed with learning routines and harbouring a desire for revenge.

I’ll be honest, this was a bit of a slow burn for me. I didn’t find myself feeling quite as invested in the characters as I have with the Eve Hunter books in the past. That said, it definitely delivered on the twists and suspense that I was expecting. The idea of being watched when you think you’re alone is a really creepy thought, and it kept me turning the pages to see where it was all heading. While it didn’t quite capture me in the same way her previous books did, it was still a solid thriller that held my interest.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that make you look at your own surroundings a little differently, this might be one for you.

Many thanks to the author, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

[Kate Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deborah Masson’s I’ll Be Watching You was a different read to what I normally pick up, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would! Our unreliable narrator, Casey Carter gives off Netflix’s ‘You’ Joe Goldburg’s vibes, psychotic, obsessively controlling and egocentric. He works as a CCTV operator, spending his days watching the screens with his work mate, Robbie. Casey is harbouring some serious trauma after witnessing his father’s murder of his mother, hanging her carcass on a meat hook in their butcher shop and gaining him the nickname ‘Butcher’s Boy’.
One boring day, in between the Greggs runs, Casey sees his ‘dead’ wife Beth on the screen which sparks a trail of horrifying events. Casey kidnaps four people, each who have some dark secrets, and each who hold a part of his dearest possession. Determined to reclaim these pieces, Casey’s going to live up to his nickname. In the creepy underground tunnels of Aberdeen, Lewis, Danny, Jen and Bill await their Saw film like fates, owning up to their mistakes and confessing their deepest, darkest secrets. We see what ties them to our psycho and each other as Beth and Casey’s past haunt their realities.
Overall, this was an easy read. It kept my engaged enough to finish it quickly but it didn’t leave me feeling overwhelmed or floored by the content. It felt like a midrange book, one I enjoyed but I doubt I’ll reread it.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a CCTV operator, Casey has the power to keep people safe but he also knows the secrets of those he watches. He already knows everything but now he wants more, he wants revenge, and it’s easy to take advantage when he knows so much.

I read this author’s first book, Hold Your Tongue, when it came out and having enjoyed it, have been meaning to read more since. The concept of this sounded really fresh and intriguing, I was interested in finding out more about the main character and his job watching people and the overall story kept me guessing.

The story started strongly but then became a slow build up to the final chapters, however there was still plenty of suspense and a creepy atmosphere to keep me engaged and wanting to continue reading. The story ended up being quite dark and disturbing, however still had thought provoking and emotional moments, which the author managed to merge together well. This ended up a solid read overall and I will be looking out for other books by this author, while making sure to pick up to ones already on my reading pile. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey is not who he seems to be - and very far from the person that his colleague and friend Robbie believes him to be. In a previous life, he was the notorious Butcher's Boy, the son of a man convicted for slaughtering his wife and hanging her on a meat hook.

Since then, he has reinvented himself, changing his name and falling in love with Beth whilst progressing from barista to CCTV monitor.

But things have not worked out quite as Casey planned. He lost Beth and has been spiralling ever since, heading in a very dangerous direction indeed.

This is a story about intergenerational trauma, obsession and revenge. It is suspenseful and original, but is only recommended for those with a strong stomach, as it comes with trigger warnings and graphic violence.

It took a while for me to get into it, but was a gripping road thereafter. If it had not been for the slow start, the book would probably get 4 stars instead of 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Roz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey has tried hard to move away from the past that haunts him. His father a viscous bully who murdered his mother, the media dubbing him “butcher’s boy”. Years pass and looking back from the present day Casey works monitoring his neighbourhood as a cctv operator. However his watching extends to more extreme situations and results in a group of strangers being kept captive and being forced to tell their truths.

After a slow start this book really ramps up the suspense and terror of being watched and stalked by someone you have no idea is doing so. The reveal of why and how is brilliantly written and very thought provoking. The author has a good style of writing which I very much enjoyed and the book kept my interest with the pages turning as I couldn’t wait to see what the outcome would be.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Arkless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library for book club.

I recently heard the author at a library event and was intrigued. She read the first chapter, which had me wanting to know more.

The main protagonist is a CCTV monitor in Aberdeen, where I have lived the last couple decades. It was nice reading about places and streets and knowing what they are like. I didn’t know to what extent Union Street was placed above the natural ground, but I do know St Nicholas Kirk had been on a hill. So, it is interesting to learn about the tunnels and vaults under the city’s main street.

Back to the main protagonist, the book is mainly him telling his story. As most storytellers do, with time he exposes more and more to his reader. It turns out to be a rather dark story, but well written. I didn’t really want to put it down. The story is gruesome in parts, in case that is something you try to avoid.

[Booky Mcbookyface · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll Be Watching You by Deborah Masson

Flew through I’ll be watching you. I love reading a book based in my home city. Seeing all the shops, cafes, parks and pubs as the story unfolds.

Love, loss, trauma, control & jealousy.
Cctv operator “Casey” feels them all. Casey is in control of the city’s CCTV and keeping us safe but for 4 strangers their secrets are about to come to light and not necessarily for the reasons you may think.

Great read with twists and turns along the way. I really liked Casey’s character and all the emotion he puts you through it’s very conflicting. The secondary characters are well written and keep the story flowing, so well at points you want to just hear there stories.

I’m very much looking forward to reading Deborah Masson’s other works and getting them on the TBR.

[Big Bertha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be watching you is a thought provoking read that will have me looking over my shoulder next time I walk down the high street.

The CCTV control room has eyes everywhere and those that work there save lives, protect us from violence and bear witness to everything we do. Casey is good at what he does, day after day he spends his shift scanning the crowds watching and waiting.

Short, sharp chapters with good pacing made this thriller easy to get into, its multi-layered characters adding depth and intrigue. A well written thriller that gathers momentum as it progresses, building tension and atmosphere as Caseys obsession becomes a reality.

My thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll Be Watching You is a chilling, dark thriller that definitely got under my skin. Masson creates an eerie, unsettling atmosphere that made me feel genuinely uncomfortable at times—a real creepy read. It took a little while to warm up to the story, but the slow burn ultimately added to the tension and gave the plot more weight.
While it wasn’t a brilliant read for me overall, it was certainly effective. The author does an excellent job of delivering moments that are disturbingly memorable. A solid choice if you enjoy thrillers that leave you feeling just a little bit on edge.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of I’ll Be Watching You by Deborah Masson

This is a dark and unsettling psychological thriller set in Aberdeen. The story follows Casey, a CCTV operator whose familiarity with the lives he observes slowly tips from vigilance into an obsession. The tension builds steadily and touches on the level of monitoring and the impact on privacy in our society. While the pacing occasionally follows familiar thriller beats, the concept kept me engaged to the end. A solid and absorbing read that earns a rounded up four stars.

[Victoria (Vicki) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all of Deborah's other books and this was quite different.
I've never really thought before about CCTV cameras when out and about, but now I am. I wasn't at first sure where this was going and then things started to fit into place and it really wasn't what I expected.
This was totally weird and I wasn't sure at first, but when I put things together it became very thought provoking.
Would I recommend - yes, but don't expect it to be like Deborah's other books.

[Trina Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow somewhat confusing start for me but once I got used to the writing style the intruige had me hooked. Casey operates the CCTV system in his local town, but he's not looking out for the citizens, he's checking the cameras more for his own needs.
The storyline takes on a darker, deeper, more sinister tone in the 2nd half as we discover who he has been looking for
It's certainly a tense read which in the end I enjoyed

[CJ Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Masson and her DI Eve Hunter crime series from the beginning which I love so was in trained to see a stand alone offering. ‘I'll Be Watching You’.

This book follows one man's journey for revenge, Casey is not all he seems to be consumed by grief he seeks justice but not all is as simple as it seems.

A highly charged emotive engaging read with a complex plot which is executed to give maximum impact a solid five stars from me.

[Bernadette Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Full of twists and turns that kept me reading well into the night!
'Casey' watches people; for a living and for revenge with a capital R
Told by several characters, this had me feeling sympathetic towards 'Casey', then hating him as the story unfolded
I couldn't help but read 'Casey's' voice in that of Jo from the Netflix series You as their characters are very similar
Definitely one to read if you haven't already

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I've read a lot of books! I couldn't put it down and spent lots of nights reading it until 1am or later. I finished it a few days ago and have immediately started reading it again. It's a thoroughly good book and kept me gripped throughout. I absolutely loved it.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book from this author. I'll definitely look out for more.
Casey watches over the people of Aberdeen via CCTV, alerting the authorities to any incidents he sees. All the while, thinking back to his perfect partner Beth.

[Rebecca Curley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read... what a dark twist

At first I thought it was a slow starter but quickly gained pace... a mix of emotions reading it... shock, intrigue, and at parts a little teary... !
Amazing read and highly recommended...!

[Gordon Smart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow I was hooked by the story even though the plot is bonkers. I liked the Aberdeen setting as it reminded me of my time there. There’s plenty of preposterous things about the plot but it still manages to be a page-turner.

[Kris Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Graham Fi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. As it’s set in Aberdeen I totally related to the town. Good audio book reader.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Fraser Aberdeen

An enjoyable read.
Had no idea where it was going so it kept me interested until the end.
I would recommend.

[✨Sarah ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down. Ended up reading it in 24 hours.