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Watch It Burn
You look so much like her.
You could be her.
You will be her…
Meet Millie, a personal trainer and loyal friend; she sees the best in people. When a kind, good-looking workman helps her out with a flat tyre, she’s thankful but soon forgets it. When their paths cross again and he helps her out a second time, romance blossoms.
Millie has no idea that behind his mask
lies something truly terrifying…
Meet Paul, a painter, decorator and all-round tradesman; he’s liked and trusted. Paul’s a social chameleon, spinning the wheel of convincing characters to fill any given situation. He’s a loner with no friends; he has no need for them.
Paul’s a functioning psychopath –
functioning, that is, until he sees her…
You could be her.
You will be her…
Meet Millie, a personal trainer and loyal friend; she sees the best in people. When a kind, good-looking workman helps her out with a flat tyre, she’s thankful but soon forgets it. When their paths cross again and he helps her out a second time, romance blossoms.
Millie has no idea that behind his mask
lies something truly terrifying…
Meet Paul, a painter, decorator and all-round tradesman; he’s liked and trusted. Paul’s a social chameleon, spinning the wheel of convincing characters to fill any given situation. He’s a loner with no friends; he has no need for them.
Paul’s a functioning psychopath –
functioning, that is, until he sees her…
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2025
26 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Magillen
5 books54 followersCARRIE MAGILLEN spent fifteen years as a computer engineer, all the while with a yellowing copy of Plot by Ansen Dibell on her bookshelf and her soul dying a little every time she asked if you'd switched it off and back on again.
She left IT in 2006 and studied creative writing at Webster University in the Netherlands, Wollongong University in Australia, and Winchester University in England. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and her two very hairy children (American cocker spaniels).
Her debut novel, When He’s Not Here, was a No.1 bestseller in 2020. Stone the Dead Crows is her second novel.
Carrie loves hearing from readers and you can reach her via her website: carriemagillen.com
She left IT in 2006 and studied creative writing at Webster University in the Netherlands, Wollongong University in Australia, and Winchester University in England. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and her two very hairy children (American cocker spaniels).
Her debut novel, When He’s Not Here, was a No.1 bestseller in 2020. Stone the Dead Crows is her second novel.
Carrie loves hearing from readers and you can reach her via her website: carriemagillen.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 16, 2025
TW: rape, sexual abuse (including children), violence. And more….
Don’t start this psychological thriller unless you have time to finish it in one sitting. I had both the Kindle version and audiobook, so if I wasn’t cozied up with iPad in hand, I had it going on headphones, or riding along in the car with me.
The author(s) used a pretty cool device, unique to me in my reading. I was reading along and there was a paragraph that didn’t seem to fit, didn’t make sense. I had to back up to see if I had missed something. Then many pages later it would appear again in a different context. I don’t want to say more.
I’ve read everything Carrie Magillen has written and this offering is the first she has co-authored. I’m curious how that process worked, and where, if there were places where one author had more influence over than the other. There are two very distinct POVs and this is readily apparent on the audio recording. Paul puts the bad in bad guy. Prepare to cringe. I mean really cringe.
I was so wrapped up in the reading, I didn’t notice some plot holes and several areas where it was just over the top. To further my criticism here would risk literary spoilage and I just don’t want to do that. This is white-knuckle, hold-your-breath reading and I absolutely love that experience. Honestly, had it been toned down a bit (and a very few issues addressed, WATCH IT BURN could have been a five-star read for me.
If Goodreads is any indication, for the life of me, I don’t know why Carrie Magillen’s works haven’t taken off in the US.
If you enjoy torturing yourself with tension, suspense and 😳😳😳🙀🙀🙀don’t miss this one.
Don’t start this psychological thriller unless you have time to finish it in one sitting. I had both the Kindle version and audiobook, so if I wasn’t cozied up with iPad in hand, I had it going on headphones, or riding along in the car with me.
The author(s) used a pretty cool device, unique to me in my reading. I was reading along and there was a paragraph that didn’t seem to fit, didn’t make sense. I had to back up to see if I had missed something. Then many pages later it would appear again in a different context. I don’t want to say more.
I’ve read everything Carrie Magillen has written and this offering is the first she has co-authored. I’m curious how that process worked, and where, if there were places where one author had more influence over than the other. There are two very distinct POVs and this is readily apparent on the audio recording. Paul puts the bad in bad guy. Prepare to cringe. I mean really cringe.
I was so wrapped up in the reading, I didn’t notice some plot holes and several areas where it was just over the top. To further my criticism here would risk literary spoilage and I just don’t want to do that. This is white-knuckle, hold-your-breath reading and I absolutely love that experience. Honestly, had it been toned down a bit (and a very few issues addressed, WATCH IT BURN could have been a five-star read for me.
If Goodreads is any indication, for the life of me, I don’t know why Carrie Magillen’s works haven’t taken off in the US.
If you enjoy torturing yourself with tension, suspense and 😳😳😳🙀🙀🙀don’t miss this one.
July 28, 2025
Oh my Jesus what a read. wow flipping wee. couldn't put it down it had me nail biting literally. I hope there's a follow on from this book. I need to read to see what really happened to Paul. Get on amazon and buy it. You won't be disappointed
August 18, 2025
Great story and loved the first person style of writing.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews