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Phobia
What do you fear most?
When members of a phobia therapy group begin dying in ways that mirror their greatest fears, Detective Jake Hawksworth faces his most complex, and terrifying, case. The investigation leads to the remote and mysterious Fear Institute, where everyone is a suspect. As Jake, his partner, and an alluring criminal profiler with secrets of her own, delve deeper into catching The Fearmonger, the body count rises.
The twisted killer’s sinister calling a cryptic symbol related to the haunting works of H.P. Lovecraft. Could the clues to solving the case be hidden among the pages of the enigmatic writer’s unsettling works?
As Jake closes in on the killer, deep-seated fears from a long-buried childhood trauma begin to surface, blurring the lines between reality and madness. To stop this monster, he must confront the darkness that’s been awakened in the shadowy corridors of his mind or fall further into the abyss.
When members of a phobia therapy group begin dying in ways that mirror their greatest fears, Detective Jake Hawksworth faces his most complex, and terrifying, case. The investigation leads to the remote and mysterious Fear Institute, where everyone is a suspect. As Jake, his partner, and an alluring criminal profiler with secrets of her own, delve deeper into catching The Fearmonger, the body count rises.
The twisted killer’s sinister calling a cryptic symbol related to the haunting works of H.P. Lovecraft. Could the clues to solving the case be hidden among the pages of the enigmatic writer’s unsettling works?
As Jake closes in on the killer, deep-seated fears from a long-buried childhood trauma begin to surface, blurring the lines between reality and madness. To stop this monster, he must confront the darkness that’s been awakened in the shadowy corridors of his mind or fall further into the abyss.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2025
About the author
William J. Goyette
3 books65 followersJUST RELEASED – THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO IN OUR BLOOD! My third novel, Phobia, the second installment in the Jake Hawksworth series, is now available in ebook and print formats on Amazon and other fine booksellers.
PHOBIA is a pulse-pounding, page-turning, plot-twisting rollercoaster ride of terror and suspense.
When members of a phobia therapy group begin dying, Detective Jake Hawksworth faces his most complex, and terrifying, case.
READ AN EXCERPT NOW:
https://www.amazon.com/Phobia-Jake-Ha...
I'm also excited to announce that the third in the Jake Hawksworth crime thriller series, Little Red Herrings, is currently in the works.
Jake isn't superhuman. He can't take on five guys at once, can't scale buildings, can't save the world from weapons of mass destruction. Jake is everyman. He's a flawed, complex character we can all relate to and want to root for.
Like Jake, I'm no superhero either. I'm more of a "word nerd," with my mind always in the "on" position. Right now, I have about a half dozen new ideas banging around in my head.
When I'm not lost in my fictional world, I'm traveling the world with my wife, spending quality time with my two daughters, or rolling around on the ground with my dog.
And I do like to think that I'm their superhero.
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Blood-Jake...
PHOBIA is a pulse-pounding, page-turning, plot-twisting rollercoaster ride of terror and suspense.
When members of a phobia therapy group begin dying, Detective Jake Hawksworth faces his most complex, and terrifying, case.
READ AN EXCERPT NOW:
https://www.amazon.com/Phobia-Jake-Ha...
I'm also excited to announce that the third in the Jake Hawksworth crime thriller series, Little Red Herrings, is currently in the works.
Jake isn't superhuman. He can't take on five guys at once, can't scale buildings, can't save the world from weapons of mass destruction. Jake is everyman. He's a flawed, complex character we can all relate to and want to root for.
Like Jake, I'm no superhero either. I'm more of a "word nerd," with my mind always in the "on" position. Right now, I have about a half dozen new ideas banging around in my head.
When I'm not lost in my fictional world, I'm traveling the world with my wife, spending quality time with my two daughters, or rolling around on the ground with my dog.
And I do like to think that I'm their superhero.
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Blood-Jake...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 29, 2025
My favorite of his books so far!
February 11, 2026
Calling all David Fincher fans! If you enjoyed detective thrillers like Se7en and Zodiac, you’ll love William J Goyette’s most recent novel Phobia.
Similar to the killer in Se7en, the killer in Goyette’s novel murders his victims based on their phobias, a clever and twisted premise that immediately had me hooked.
But it wasn’t just the premise that had me reading this book late into the night while listening to eery music to set the mood.
The book has a great cast of characters that are well written and developed. On top of that, and similar to Goyette’s previous two novels, the book is extremely suspenseful and fast-paced with a twist I certainly didn’t see coming.
Overall, this was a great addition to the Jake Hawksworth series. Like Jake’s hunches, I also have a hunch that people will enjoy this one!
Similar to the killer in Se7en, the killer in Goyette’s novel murders his victims based on their phobias, a clever and twisted premise that immediately had me hooked.
But it wasn’t just the premise that had me reading this book late into the night while listening to eery music to set the mood.
The book has a great cast of characters that are well written and developed. On top of that, and similar to Goyette’s previous two novels, the book is extremely suspenseful and fast-paced with a twist I certainly didn’t see coming.
Overall, this was a great addition to the Jake Hawksworth series. Like Jake’s hunches, I also have a hunch that people will enjoy this one!
January 6, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Let me tell you right now, this book did not tiptoe in. It kicked the door clean off the hinges. Phobia is the kind of story that crawls up in your head and starts knocking things over like it pays rent. You have a therapy group full of folks trying to face what scares them, and the next thing you know they start dropping one by one in ways that hit them right where it hurts most. That alone hooked me fast.
Detective Jake is front and center, and he is not your shiny perfect lawman. He is carrying baggage, real heavy baggage, and this case does him no favors. Every page the pressure keeps cranking up, and just when you think you have a handle on what is happening, the story jerks the wheel hard. The Fear Institute setting feels wrong in a quiet way, like you know something bad has been sitting there waiting.
The killer they call the Fearmonger is mean, clever, and twisted, and the whole symbol angle tied to those old creepy stories adds a layer that makes you squint at the pages. It is not cheap spooky. It is slow burn dread that builds until you feel boxed in. The profiler character adds heat and mystery too, and you can tell everybody has secrets, and none of them smell good.
What really got me is how the story messes with your head the same way it does the characters. Fears bleed into memories, and reality starts slipping sideways. You feel Jake fraying as the case digs into things he thought were buried for good. That part felt raw and honest, and it stuck with me after I put the book down.
Now I am not saying it is perfect. Some spots drag just a little, and a couple of turns I saw coming, but overall this book delivers tension, atmosphere, and a solid punch to the nerves. It is dark, it is smart, and it does not hold your hand.
I give it a 4 outta 5 Catfish!
Let me tell you right now, this book did not tiptoe in. It kicked the door clean off the hinges. Phobia is the kind of story that crawls up in your head and starts knocking things over like it pays rent. You have a therapy group full of folks trying to face what scares them, and the next thing you know they start dropping one by one in ways that hit them right where it hurts most. That alone hooked me fast.
Detective Jake is front and center, and he is not your shiny perfect lawman. He is carrying baggage, real heavy baggage, and this case does him no favors. Every page the pressure keeps cranking up, and just when you think you have a handle on what is happening, the story jerks the wheel hard. The Fear Institute setting feels wrong in a quiet way, like you know something bad has been sitting there waiting.
The killer they call the Fearmonger is mean, clever, and twisted, and the whole symbol angle tied to those old creepy stories adds a layer that makes you squint at the pages. It is not cheap spooky. It is slow burn dread that builds until you feel boxed in. The profiler character adds heat and mystery too, and you can tell everybody has secrets, and none of them smell good.
What really got me is how the story messes with your head the same way it does the characters. Fears bleed into memories, and reality starts slipping sideways. You feel Jake fraying as the case digs into things he thought were buried for good. That part felt raw and honest, and it stuck with me after I put the book down.
Now I am not saying it is perfect. Some spots drag just a little, and a couple of turns I saw coming, but overall this book delivers tension, atmosphere, and a solid punch to the nerves. It is dark, it is smart, and it does not hold your hand.
I give it a 4 outta 5 Catfish!
November 28, 2025
Wow! Great read. Suspenseful and very hard to put down! So many plot twists and surprises. Bill Goyette is a very talented writer, with incredible character development a style that keeps you going and going. I loved his first two books, and this one shows that they just keep getting better and better! I'm keeping my eye out for the next one.
February 16, 2026
You might think you had it figured out fairly early, but...TWIST!
March 11, 2026
Scared
Very well written book enjoyed it.kept me guessing all the way through scary also won it on Goodreads . enjoyed
Very well written book enjoyed it.kept me guessing all the way through scary also won it on Goodreads . enjoyed
January 11, 2026
This book pulled me in from the first page! Story was thoroughly interesting and descriptive, yet not so detailed that I needed to flip back pages to doublecheck character names, etc. Chapters were quick and fluid, and I couldn’t put it down. The “one more chapter before bed“ mentality had me up until 1 AM. It was not predictable, and kept me guessing until the end. I loved that!
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews