Watching You Fall

by Dreda Say Mitchell, Ryan Carter

Some promises are meant to be broken.

When Josie’s sister Megan spirals into addiction, she makes a sacred if anything happens to Megan, Josie will take care of her young son, Sunny. Three days later, Megan is dead—and Josie’s promise becomes a life sentence.

Haunted by guilt over failing to save her sister, Josie welcomes her troubled nephew into her home. But as the initial shock of grief fades, unsettling questions surface. Megan wasn’t alone on the night she died. Was it really her addiction that killed her, or something more sinister?

As her family begins to fracture, Josie feels her grip on reality slipping. Strange incidents multiply. Items disappear. Whispered conversations stop when she enters rooms. Is Sunny’s presence causing these disturbances, or is Josie’s guilt-ridden grief making her paranoid? When the people she trusted most begin to doubt her stability, she’s forced to question everything she thought she knew.

Because some promises don’t just bind us—they blind us to the truth.

A claustrophobic psychological thriller about family loyalty, deadly secrets and the price of keeping your word, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2026

About the author

Her Majesty, The Queen appointed Dreda an MBE in her 2020 New Year’s Honours’ List. Dreda scooped the CWA’s John Creasey Dagger in 2004, the first time a Black British author has received this honour. Dreda and Ryan write across the crime and mystery genre – psychological thrillers, gritty gangland crime and fast-paced action books Spare Room, their first psychological thriller was a #1 UK and US Amazon Bestseller. Dreda is one of twelve acclaimed and bestselling international female writers contributing to a new Miss Marple anthology. Dreda is a passionate campaigner and speaker on social issues and the arts. She has been a frequent guest on television and radio including BBC Breakfast,, Celebrity Pointless and Celebrity Eggheads, The Stephen Nolan Show, Front Row and Woman’s Hour. She has presented Radio 4’s flagship books programme, Open Book. Dreda was named one of Britain’s 50 Remarkable Women by Lady Geek in association with Nokia. She was the 2011 chair of the Theakston Harrogate Crime Fiction Festival. Dreda was born and raised in the East End of London where she continues to live. Dreda’s family are from the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada and her name is pronounced with a long ‘ee’ sound in the middle.

Reviews

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Dreda’s gangland thrillers, and was really looking forward to reading this psychological thriller, which she has written with Ryan Carter. I enjoyed the story, but nothing about it surprised me, or had me on the edge of my seat, because I found it to be very predictable. All the time I was reading, I was thinking to myself ‘I know what’s going to happen’ or ‘I wager this happens’, and I was proved correct, completely! This is not how I like my psychological thrillers to be…I want to get blisters on my fingers turning the pages super fast, and read until the early hours, because I can’t put the book down, but alas, this didn’t happen. I enjoyed it, though I wasn’t WOWED!!

Sunny is a creepy, odd kid, but his lifestyle and the way he’s been dragged up, by a mother who prefers alcohol, drugs, and constant partying, and living in squalid conditions, plays a HUGE role, and my heart did break for this 13 year old boy.

3.5 ⭐️

Thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

Available: 15 May 2026

[RoosBookReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very predictable and straightforward story of guilt and manipulation. The characters were not likeable, the story had no twists, and the ending was pretty clear from the jump.
I also hesitate to recommend books with troubled adopted youth because I feel like there is already such stigma around them that adding more seems unnecessary, but that is likely my own bias talking.

Thank you NetGalley, the authors Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter, and Brilliance Publishing for my copy of this book.

[Flavie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like saying that I didn't like a book because I always respect the authors' work no matter what (it IS hard to write a book). But this one was a huge miss for me.

Terribly predictable, didn't get attached to any characters (even though Sunny was interesting, but it's so HARD to write a character like this, this was delicate and sadly not handled well imo). I don't think it's a good thing when the reader understands major plot elements five chapters before the main protagonist does. It made me go : "is she dumb or what? it was literally written out twenty pages ago".

I have a thousands more things to say about it (don't get me started on the ending regarding Trevor) but well, I will quickly move on to another book :/

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Amazon Publishing for choosing me.

Definitely a captivating read from beginning to end.

I did figure some pieces out, but others were somewhat of a shock. I loved the writing style and the story. Sunny is both a young boy actively living in his trauma and a demented (with reason) psychopath. I felt for him, but also feared him. This novel does a great job of writing a character that we should automatically hate but can't actually bring ourselves to hate. At least I couldn't. I found myself full of sympathy and later empathy when it came to Sunny.

As for Josie and Megan, I thought they were both incredibly written. Megan is manipulative and clever. Josie is guiltridden and trying to do her best by Megan and Sunny even if it is at the expense of her own children and husband. Loved her kids. Understood Trevor - even agreed with him, and then I hated him. Still understood him, but HATED what he did. Coward.

Honestly, I could go on for a while about these characters and their story, but instead, I'll simply say there is an interesting story worth reading woven into these pages. Go read it.

[Christine Tistechok · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*
Watching You Fall is a claustrophobic exploration of the tether between grief and duty. In this collaborative thriller by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter, the prose deftly navigates the murky waters of a family unraveling under the weight of a "sacred promise."

After her sister Megan’s tragic death, Josie honors a vow to raise her troubled nephew, Sunny, only to find her reality fracturing as strange occurrences lead her to suspect Megan’s "accidental" overdose was something far more sinister. As paranoia takes root, Josie must discern if she is being haunted by her sister's secrets or her own guilt-ridden mind.

The strength of this novel lies in its propulsive pacing. The authors utilize short, punchy chapters that mirror the frantic, fracturing psyche of Josie. It is an effortlessly engageable experience; the plot is constructed with enough narrative tension to keep the listener leaning in, questioning whether the disturbances in Josie’s home are manifestations of grief or a tangible, external threat.
The characterization is particularly evocative. I found myself caught in a cycle of profound empathy and sharp frustration—the kind of investment that makes you want to scream at the characters even as you ache for their plight. It is a testament to the writing that the characters feel visceral enough to provoke such a vocal reaction.
While the thriller elements hit the satisfying beats of the genre, the book occasionally leans into familiar tropes that keep it from reaching a full five-star crescendo. However, for those seeking a psychological study of how a promise can blind us to the truth, this is a solid, gripping choice.
Audiobook Note: I listened to the ARC version of this audiobook. The narration added a layer of atmospheric tension that heightened the "gaslighting" elements of the plot.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for providing this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

[Olive · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept notes for this one while reading.

Enjoy my thoughts:
-Prologue was pretty weak.
-The chapters are nice and short, so they're flying by. I must like something because I'm getting through it pretty fast.
-I am bothered by the FMC and her secrets about.. Well.. Everything.
-Feels quite predictable so far. I have a theory. A very early-on theory.. A theory I do not like..
-Of course, once again, a main character has no idea what they've signed up for.
-For the record, I don't entirely either, but something is deeply disturbed about that child.
-I hope I'm wrong.
-What an odd thing to say...
-Could have solved it by now if any single character were capable of sharing what they know.. Or even being remotely likeable.
-Someone.. Or several someone's are only sharing some of what they know. Of course. They claim they don't remember but I don't think anyone honestly believes that.
-The intentional manipulation is so obvious.
-Aaaaand there it is. 😑

Ughhhhh. Listen, this wasn't a bad book by any means.. Reasonable length, short chapters, interesting concept and story..

But my first and only theory came much too early, and was unfortunately correct. I hate when I guess it this early.

Also, I crave more twists. This wasn't twisty, more secretive than anything. And I live for the twists.

This one was just too predictable, far too early, for me, personally.

Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

⭐ 2.75

[Ema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watching You Fall is about Josie and Megan, two sisters with a deeply complicated and toxic relationship. They went down very different paths in life, but no matter what Megan did to her over the years, Josie always stood by her. I was so sick of their relationship.

When Megan is found dead from a drug overdose, Josie is forced to keep her promise to take care of Megan’s son, Sunny. The autopsy says Megan injected herself, but Josie refuses to believe it. Megan was terrified of needles because of a traumatic event in her past, so Josie becomes convinced that someone killed her.
She has two prime suspects in mind, but the truth is far more complicated than it first appears.

Things become even more tense when Sunny moves in with Josie’s family. He constantly stirs up trouble, and Trevor wants nothing to do with him because he despised Megan. Josie keeps making excuses for Sunny’s behavior until she finally reaches her limit.

I have to say, this story had a lot of potential. I liked how it touched on PTSD, trauma, and narcissistic behavior, and the writing itself was decent. Still, something felt a little off. The storyline set thirty years earlier and the overall execution did not feel as tightly developed as I had hoped.

Thank you to @netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the review copy. This book will be published on 15 May

[Adam Forster-Nnachi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Dreda Say Mitchell, Ryan Carter, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this advanced copy of Watching You Fall. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.


I'd say the biggest strength of this book is what a fantastic main character Josie is. I was rooting for her right from the start. It was clear she was just trying to do the best for her own family whilst also trying to save her nephew and get some sort of justice for her troubled sister.


Her husband Trevor was less clear cut in my mind. At some points he came across unreasonable and cold, while at others it seemed like he was the only one with any commin sense. I veered back and forth between being suspicious of him and empathising with him.


There was such a sense of foreboding for the vast majority of the book and it was clear that something terrible was going to happen at some point.


This book was definitely on the slower burn, which I am not opposed to, but I did feel like the story drifted at time and whole chapters would go by without the plot moving forward in any meaningful way.


I think the biggest sign that the book didn't blow me away is that it took me longer than usual to read something of this length. None of the twists really blew my mind but it was enjoyable enough overall.

[Andria Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the story even though it was sad and tragic. Josie finds that her sister has died from an overdose. The police believe it was an accidental overdose or maybe even a suicide, but Josie just knows it's a murder. There seems to be a few suspects in her mind but the police don't seem interested in investigating any further. Josie always promised if anything happened to her sister that she would take in her sister's son. She tries to do that but her husband is totally against it, so over the top against it. Sunny has lived a traumatic experience with his mother being a drug addict. Sunny gets to move in anyway and it causes a lot of trouble in Josie and Trevor's marriage. Josie continues to seek out evidence on who killed her sister. There are some twists and turns, lies and deceptions, especially a very big deception that has been going on a number of years. Also Josie has some secrets from her past that she has had guilt over for many years. Her sister and she have had a very rocky but enabling history. I was taken in by this story almost from the very beginning and it held my interest to the very end. Very entertaining, but so very sad and tragic. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer and Amazon Publishing for the complimentary read.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc Review

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first book by the author but when I read the synopsis, I was instantly intrigued. I have came to love reading physiological thrillers that keep me on the edge to see what is next or who’s the culprit. In this book we have two sisters, secrets between all the characters but Josie doesn’t know who’s telling the truth and nothing will stop her from figuring out what happened to her sister. Josie’s guilt and family loyalty makes her not believe in what’s going on around her family.

The chapters were short, there was so many unlikable characters, it was predictable but I still wanted to continue to see if I was right. It was an ok read for me, the cover and the name didn’t resemble much from the actual story so I kept trying to figure out why the authors chose these but that’s just a me thing, I really love when the covers and title make you realize throughout the book why the authors chose the design and title. Even if it was predictable I appreciated that they incorporated doubts, making you think that maybe you may be wrong.

Thank you once again for this opportunity

[Casey R Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unhinged Characters, Predictable Payoff

📚 On Casey’s Bookshelf

Book: 77
Dates read: 04.16.2026 – 04.21.2026
Title: Watching You Fall
Author: Dreda Say Mitchell, Ryan Carter
Format: digital ARC

#caseysbookshelf

The way I live for a good thriller. And listen… I don’t know what’s going on across the pond, but the Brits really know how to write some emotionally unhinged characters. So I was ready for this one.

The premise pulled me in immediately. A promise made out of love turns into something much heavier after loss, and what follows is this slow unraveling of grief, guilt, and suspicion. You’re constantly questioning what’s real, what’s imagined, and who can actually be trusted.

Now I will say this… I felt like I knew where this was going early on, but I still held out hope for a twist that would really shake things up. Unfortunately, when it came, it felt more expected than earned.

What stood out to me more were the racial dynamics woven into the story. Both sisters are biracial, and there’s a noticeable emphasis on proximity to whiteness… from their partners to the way the children are described as being able to “pass.” It felt intentional, and paired with the co-authorship, it raised questions for me about what the story was trying to say, whether directly or indirectly.

Character-wise, I struggled. There weren’t any real anchors for me. No one I felt connected to or even fully invested in, which made the emotional stakes land a little flat.

On the surface, it’s a solid psychological thriller with an intriguing setup. But for me, the execution didn’t quite match the potential.

Thank you to Edelweiss for the #giftedcopy in exchange for an honest review.

Another book off the shelf. We keep reading with intention. 📚

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originality initially pulled me into the story but I was also captured by the convincingly-written characters, especially that of Sunny. Most characters, including disturbing thirteen-year-old Sunny, are loathsome but true to life. I'm grateful not to have violent and loud neighbours like Sunny's family, Josie's sister Megan dies and though the two weren't close, she experiences grief and is intent on righting wrongs, at great cost to Josie's husband and two children. Their new living arrangement is frightening. Drugs, brokenness, and guilt also contribute to the tension and despair. Emotions and angst are understandably raw and I felt for a few of the characters. It doesn't help that Josie and Megan have a past, simultaneously connecting and distancing them.

The story and ending did not surprise me which unfortunately felt anticlimactic but I'm glad I read Watching You Fall. It is a refreshingly different take on a thriller, at a deeper level.

My sincere thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this intriguing novel.

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter and Amazon Publishing, Thomas and Mercer for this complimentary advanced copy via Netgalley all opinions expressed are my own and being left voluntarily.

Two sisters, a shared past, a hidden secret. Now one is dead and the other is convinced it wasn't an accident.

We meet Josie, who has just been told her sister Megan has died fter a drug overdose. The sisters had a complex relationship but Josie has always tried her best to do right by Megan.

After her death, she vows to take on Megan's son, Sonny, and raise him in the folds of her own family. But things become chaotic and dangerous, and soon Josie realises that there are way more secrets at play than she could have ever imagined.

This book had so much promise but I feel like the pacing let it down. It was slow and dragged out in parts. It really failed to grab my attention and make me feel fully invested as the story felt far too predictable.

I will try more from this author duo in the future though.

[Laci · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5/5 ⭐️

What pulled me in right away was Josie. She’s already carrying so much guilt over her sister Megan’s addiction, and when Megan dies, she’s left trying to honor a promise she made…to take care of her young nephew, Sunny.

At first, Josie is just trying to hold her family together while navigating her grief, but the more she thinks about Megan’s death, the more she starts to wonder if there was more to it than an overdose. The questions kept piling up, and I found myself just as determined as Josie to figure out what really happened.

I also loved how unsettling the story became. Things start disappearing, conversations stop when Josie walks into a room, and the people closest to her begin questioning her version of events. It created this constant feeling of doubt where I wasn’t sure who to trust or what was actually going on.

What really made this one stand out for me, though, was the emotional side of the story. Beneath the mystery, it’s a story about grief, family loyalty, addiction, and the weight of promises we make to the people we love.

[Stacey Fitzpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance listening copy of Watching You Fall received from Dreda Say Mitchell& Ryan Carter, Brilliance Audio and NetGalley.

Rating: 4 stars

This was my first audiobook through NetGalley and I loved having this alongside my usual ebooks. I love the choice of an Audiobook as I can listen to it throughout the day whilst carrying out my usual every day tasks.

I loved the plot of the story, the short chapters made it easy to follow and stay engaged with. It was well paced with mini cliffhangers throughout the book.
The constant reflections in the characters timeline help you better piece together and understand the choices of the present.

Perfect if you love a fast paced psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

[GG · Rating 3 out of 5]

To start with I wasn’t sure where this was going to go, and was excited to find out, but I quickly realised how obvious it was going to be. I didn’t like the characters, and definitely didn’t feel sympathy towards Josie (although maybe that’s the point?). I didn’t feel much suspense, nor creeped out or uncertain. There was, however, something going on almost always, which kept me reading. There was a good braided reveal but not really twisty and I pretty much had everything figured out from early on, it wasn’t shocking. A good read overall, but not impactful.
The cover doesn’t reflect the story.

2.5⭐️ rounded up

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

While being quite predictable and having no real twists, this was a tense read. The writing was well done, with short chapters that really pull you emotionally between empathy and frustration. There was also a constant feeling of unease and going back and forth on who you can actually trust. Not a bad read at all, but I was exasperated at times wishing these truly unlikeable characters would just talk to each other so that we could avoid so many predictable scenarios. However, underneath it all was an emotional story of grief, loyalty, and family.

I listened to the audiobook, and liked how the narrator brought the story to life.

[Karyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Watching You Fall by Dreda Say Mitchell. The short chapters ending on mini cliffhangers made it impossible to put down. The pacing was fast and gripping, and I didn’t fully piece together the truth until the very end — but there were just enough hints throughout to keep me completely hooked.

The characters were easy to follow, and the past timelines added meaningful depth, helping you understand the motivations behind their actions. A perfectly paced psychological thriller that kept me guessing the whole way through.

[The Hateful Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I trusted this book for longer than I should have. It begins with what feels like promise and direction, only to reveal itself as a predictable and boring plot dressed up at the start to make you think it was going somewhere good.
It wasn’t and it didn’t.

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it, won’t think about it again.

Grateful to NetGalley for the ARC and for their ongoing courage in letting The Hateful Reader judge things. Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: May 15, 2026

[Samaa El-Kolalli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good quick read. Sunny was a terrifying character and I was constantly afraid for Josie and her family. The twist with Bill being Trevor was interesting, but sunny being the killer was not unexpected. The affair and child were clear relatively early in the book as well. Josie and her sister’s relationship were infuriating and the fact that Josie acted like she did not understand Sunny’s dislike for her was odd, especially after reading his story where the distaste was spelled out clearly. Overall, enjoyable book, but definitely had some areas for improvement

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Josie's sister, Megan, dies, she knows she has to step up and take care of her son, Sunny. It doesn't matter that the sisters weren't getting along at the time of the death. While she tries to find out what really happened to her sister, Josie begins to notice small changes. Is she imagining it or is someone trying to stop her from uncovering the truth?

This was a fantastic book to listen to. The audiobook narration kept me enthralled all the way through and though I did predict the ending, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. This was a solid thriller that I would definitely recommend.

[Heather Cantrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisty, tense, and completely gripping. This one had me on edge the entire time, constantly trying to piece together what was really going on—and still being surprised.

A psychological thriller following Josie, a woman weighed down by guilt, who takes in her nephew after her sister’s suspicious death… only for things to spiral in ways she never expected.

Perfect if you love a fast-paced read that keeps you guessing until the very end.

[Bookloverinhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie cuts off her drug addicted sister. But when Megan is dead of an overdose Josie feels guilty and agrees to take in her 13 year old nephew, Sunny. But Sunny has unusual behavior and says odd things all which leads to Josie to learn all the secrets Megan was keeping.

Just good enough….

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #WatchingYouFall in exchange for an honest review. Thank you #BrillianceAudio for approving my request.

[Rebecca Duell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watching You Fall was such a fast and addictive thriller! If you’re a fan of Freida McFadden’s twisty, suspenseful style, this book will definitely keep you hooked. The story pulled me in right away with the family drama, grief, and growing paranoia, and I kept second-guessing everyone until the end. It was an easy, entertaining read with plenty of tension and mystery throughout. The narrators did a good job and the story was easy to listen to.

This is a review of the audiobook.

[Maja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and also Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

Sadly, I did not click with this. While it had the typical short chapters I do usually enjoy so much, I felt like the story was dragging along, and was overall also pretty predictable. The book surely had a lot of potential, but, well, as I said.... it was not able to deliever. I also did not feel any connection to any of the characters, which made it only harder to push through those 300 pages. 3 stars from me.

[Cecily - MillennialBookGal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Dreda Say Mitchell, Ryan Carter and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook!

4.25 Stars
The writing in this novel is great. The formula of the whodoneit story unraveled in a great way and though it felt predictable at times there was much more depth to the story than who did what. The dynamic between the FMC and her nephew was intense and well developed.
Overall, good read.

[Letsreadagoodbook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this narrator at all I was hoping the book would finish soon so I could stop listening to it! The story was very interesting but not interesting enough to get passed the person reading it!! Idk the cover and the story dont match at all! It was an ok! Read nothing something ill keep talking about tho

[Brandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of Watching You Fall and I did not enjoy the narrator. I think had I read this book instead, I would have enjoyed this more.
The premise of the book is very interesting. A lot of drama. But the narrator didn't help to keep me engaged and made the book feel boring.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story effectively explores themes of manipulation and guilt. While it may not be the strongest thriller, it was an enjoyable read. The chapters are short, but the story doesn’t move quickly. I managed to figure out the ending ahead of time. Don't get me wrong; Dreda writes very well, but unfortunately, this book didn't deliver the toe-curling, goosebump-inducing experience I was hoping for.

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with the opportunity to enjoy this book as an ARC.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. The characters were very unlikable and the story felt like it was longer than needed.