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22 days and 00:44:32
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Watching John
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26Win a free print copy of this book!
22 days and 00:44:32
12 copies available
U.S. only
Dexter meets The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A gripping psychological thriller about right and wrong, justice and vengeance—and what happens when the line between them disappears.
No one is perfect. Good and evil live in us all. Which acts will define us in the end?
Someone needed to stand up for the children.
John knows what it costs when no one does. He saw his sister pay the price.
And once you’ve seen the trademarks of a monster, you can’t unsee them.
John is the man that flies under the radar. He works in home security, silently watching other people’s lives unfold on screens. Their routines become his. Until he notices something: mundane family life that hides the evil lurking just beneath.
The pattern is familiar. The air is heavy with secrets. A little girl trapped in a nightmare. A man desperate to reclaim control over a world that makes him feel weak.
When the system fails yet another little girl, John steps in.
The deeper he goes, the harder it becomes to tell whether he is protecting the innocent—or becoming the very thing he hunts.
Another home security video, another man aglow in his computer light, sending nauseating messages to a child in a chatroom. It never ends.
Once you’ve seen it, vanquishing monsters isn’t a choice. It’s fate.
A psychological thriller built around a single, unsettling question: is it ever right to do wrong for the right reasons?
No one is perfect. Good and evil live in us all. Which acts will define us in the end?
Someone needed to stand up for the children.
John knows what it costs when no one does. He saw his sister pay the price.
And once you’ve seen the trademarks of a monster, you can’t unsee them.
John is the man that flies under the radar. He works in home security, silently watching other people’s lives unfold on screens. Their routines become his. Until he notices something: mundane family life that hides the evil lurking just beneath.
The pattern is familiar. The air is heavy with secrets. A little girl trapped in a nightmare. A man desperate to reclaim control over a world that makes him feel weak.
When the system fails yet another little girl, John steps in.
The deeper he goes, the harder it becomes to tell whether he is protecting the innocent—or becoming the very thing he hunts.
Another home security video, another man aglow in his computer light, sending nauseating messages to a child in a chatroom. It never ends.
Once you’ve seen it, vanquishing monsters isn’t a choice. It’s fate.
A psychological thriller built around a single, unsettling question: is it ever right to do wrong for the right reasons?
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 12, 2026
About the author
Christina Patterson
1 book13 followersChristina Patterson is a debut author published under the Meridian House literary imprint.
Her first novel, Watching John, launches the Watching John series, a psychological thriller built around a single unsettling question: is it ever right to do wrong for the right reasons?
In Watching John, Patterson examines consequence, responsibility, and what happens when ordinary people decide that looking away is no longer an option—forcing both the character and the reader to confront where the line between justice and wrongdoing truly lies.
Her first novel, Watching John, launches the Watching John series, a psychological thriller built around a single unsettling question: is it ever right to do wrong for the right reasons?
In Watching John, Patterson examines consequence, responsibility, and what happens when ordinary people decide that looking away is no longer an option—forcing both the character and the reader to confront where the line between justice and wrongdoing truly lies.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Wow—unbelievable for a first novel. Christina Patterson comes out swinging with a hit.
Watching John is a psychological thriller that grips you immediately and doesn’t let go. I read it in two days, and that wasn’t by accident—I genuinely couldn’t put it down. The pacing is tight, the tension keeps building, and just when you think you understand what’s happening, the story shifts and pulls you deeper.
The book has the feel of a modern-day fusion between Dexter and Mr. Robot. It plays with morality, identity, and perception in a way that’s both unsettling and addictive. The psychological depth is what stands out most—this isn’t just about plot twists, it’s about getting inside a mind that keeps you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
Patterson’s writing is sharp and controlled, especially for a debut. There’s confidence in how the story unfolds, and it shows. The atmosphere is intense without feeling forced, and the narrative keeps a steady pressure on the reader from start to finish.
Bottom line: it’s invigorating, fast, and highly engaging. If this is her first novel, it sets a very high ceiling for what comes next.
Watching John is a psychological thriller that grips you immediately and doesn’t let go. I read it in two days, and that wasn’t by accident—I genuinely couldn’t put it down. The pacing is tight, the tension keeps building, and just when you think you understand what’s happening, the story shifts and pulls you deeper.
The book has the feel of a modern-day fusion between Dexter and Mr. Robot. It plays with morality, identity, and perception in a way that’s both unsettling and addictive. The psychological depth is what stands out most—this isn’t just about plot twists, it’s about getting inside a mind that keeps you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
Patterson’s writing is sharp and controlled, especially for a debut. There’s confidence in how the story unfolds, and it shows. The atmosphere is intense without feeling forced, and the narrative keeps a steady pressure on the reader from start to finish.
Bottom line: it’s invigorating, fast, and highly engaging. If this is her first novel, it sets a very high ceiling for what comes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Amazing first novel debut! Wow. Jaw on the floor!! I was really lucky to get E-Arc book and digged into it almost immediately (had to finish other arc I was reading)) but I flew through pages. Intense, gripping, what is really good and what is really bad questions popping in the head! It is not even about the plot that is definitely twisty, but it is also about the mind, what is inside this mind! The ending was fantastic! I definitely did not predict that one)).
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky to receive an ARC copy of this! It was a gripping thriller that was quick to page turn through! I loved the conflict of “whats truly good” and the morally grey characters.
The ending was done perfectly (no spoilers so can’t explain) but the way the book wrapped up at the end will have you eagerly awaiting book 2!
The ending was done perfectly (no spoilers so can’t explain) but the way the book wrapped up at the end will have you eagerly awaiting book 2!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Intriguing read about vigilante justice that some will say heroic! This one drew me in from the start as I was very curious as things would unfold, especially considering the MMC in this character will have you rooting form him and questioning his behaviors at the same time! Great read and I will definitely be continuing to Book 2, the ending peaked my interest even more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews