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They're Watching
From the hosts of This Is Horror Podcast comes a dark thriller of obsession, paranoia, and voyeurism.
After relocating to a small coastal town, Brian discovers a hole that gazes into his neighbour’s bedroom. Every night she dances and he peeps. Same song, same time, same wild and mesmerising dance. But soon Brian suspects he’s not the only one watching and she’s not the only one being watched.
They're Watching is The Wicker Man meets Body Double with a splash of Suspiria.
After relocating to a small coastal town, Brian discovers a hole that gazes into his neighbour’s bedroom. Every night she dances and he peeps. Same song, same time, same wild and mesmerising dance. But soon Brian suspects he’s not the only one watching and she’s not the only one being watched.
They're Watching is The Wicker Man meets Body Double with a splash of Suspiria.
218 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2020
7 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
Michael David Wilson
16 books107 followersMichael David Wilson is the founder of the popular UK horror website, podcast, and publisher, This Is Horror. Michael is the author of the novella, The Girl in the Video, and the novel, They’re Watching, co-written with Bob Pastorella. His work has appeared in various publications including The NoSleep Podcast, Dim Shores, Dark Moon Digest, and Hawk & Cleaver’s The Other Stories. Michael lives in Gifu, Japan. You can connect with Michael on Twitter @thisishorror. For more information visit www.michaeldavidwilson.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 31, 2020
3.5 Stars
This was an entertaining horror novel of obsession and voyeurism. I personally love fiction that play with the idea of stalkers so the premise was right up my alley. I thought the first half was stronger than the second half, but overall it was a fun quick read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was an entertaining horror novel of obsession and voyeurism. I personally love fiction that play with the idea of stalkers so the premise was right up my alley. I thought the first half was stronger than the second half, but overall it was a fun quick read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
September 14, 2024
This felt like a comedy horror that gradually got more and more creepy but you couldn't look away (lol) and it's kinda funny but it's also incredibly creepy and you're not exactly sure whats going on. It felt culty, pulpy and a bit sexy
October 17, 2020
Honored to have early eyes on this one. Review to come!
October 29, 2020
This book is a great example of how a reader can really dislike the protagonist, and still enjoy a novel.
Brian (the protagonist) moves to new town to start a new job. He moves into an apartment building where he rather quickly finds a peephole into his neighbor's apartment next door. His neighbor also happens to be a beautiful woman who likes to dance nude every night, and Brian wastes no time in getting over the distasteful reality that he is spying on her, even though he repeatedly claims he isn't the kind of guy who would do that sort of thing. On his first night in his new home he is warned about the area, and he discovers that a lot of people mysteriously end up missing from the town. Even though he gets a threat on his first night there and then subsequently experiences enough weird things to make warning bells go off, he becomes so infatuated with his neighbor that he ignores everything else. Brian is the definition of bad choices, and while I didn't quite see that ending coming, I can't say I was totally surprised.
Even though Brian is a bit of dope, there are some other great characters in the book, most notably a private investigator named Ted. I have a feeling a lot of people who read this one will like Ted. And the tension is so high in this one that you find yourself unable to stop turning pages. I rather quickly stopped worrying about Brian, but that certainly didn't stop me from feeling a deep dread that this story wasn't going to turn out well for a number of characters. Brian has no clue who to trust, and that ends up being his downfall. It certainly made me feel paranoid every time he interacted with another character.
And about that ending...yeah, it's pretty great. So 4 stars from me. Mainly because I just couldn't find any sympathy for Brian and his plight. He certainly couldn't help himself.
Brian (the protagonist) moves to new town to start a new job. He moves into an apartment building where he rather quickly finds a peephole into his neighbor's apartment next door. His neighbor also happens to be a beautiful woman who likes to dance nude every night, and Brian wastes no time in getting over the distasteful reality that he is spying on her, even though he repeatedly claims he isn't the kind of guy who would do that sort of thing. On his first night in his new home he is warned about the area, and he discovers that a lot of people mysteriously end up missing from the town. Even though he gets a threat on his first night there and then subsequently experiences enough weird things to make warning bells go off, he becomes so infatuated with his neighbor that he ignores everything else. Brian is the definition of bad choices, and while I didn't quite see that ending coming, I can't say I was totally surprised.
Even though Brian is a bit of dope, there are some other great characters in the book, most notably a private investigator named Ted. I have a feeling a lot of people who read this one will like Ted. And the tension is so high in this one that you find yourself unable to stop turning pages. I rather quickly stopped worrying about Brian, but that certainly didn't stop me from feeling a deep dread that this story wasn't going to turn out well for a number of characters. Brian has no clue who to trust, and that ends up being his downfall. It certainly made me feel paranoid every time he interacted with another character.
And about that ending...yeah, it's pretty great. So 4 stars from me. Mainly because I just couldn't find any sympathy for Brian and his plight. He certainly couldn't help himself.
December 10, 2020
THEY'RE WATCHING is a heart pounding suspense thriller, tickled through with elements of horror. And it better be, as this offering is the brainchild of the two hosts of THIS IS HORROR Podcast, Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella. There's a lot of pressure to deliver the goods for a duo who bring you the best in horror week and week on their popular podcast. And, they pull it off!
They're Watching is aptly titled. People are watching at all times. You kinda feel watched yourself as you fall into the story. This reads just like a good mystery or suspense thriller. The story telling is tight and for a story told between a guy from the UK and a guy from the US, the voice is seamless.
Almost. If there was one grip I had, it was that at one point in the story, the two writers seemingly argue amongst themselves as to which direction the story should play out. The result pulls you a bit out of the story but is, in a way, kind of funny to watch play out. (Almost like watching Bugs Bunny argue with the guy animating him.) By act three, they get back on the same page and really end things on a decidedly horrific note.
THEY'RE WATCHING is a solid story all around despite some minor hiccups. The plot is immersive. The tone is unique. One minute you're reading a mystery, the next a suspense thriller. It all ends just the way most would hope, a horrific conclusion any listener of THIS IS HORROR would open this book and expect to see.
The eyes have it!
They're Watching is aptly titled. People are watching at all times. You kinda feel watched yourself as you fall into the story. This reads just like a good mystery or suspense thriller. The story telling is tight and for a story told between a guy from the UK and a guy from the US, the voice is seamless.
Almost. If there was one grip I had, it was that at one point in the story, the two writers seemingly argue amongst themselves as to which direction the story should play out. The result pulls you a bit out of the story but is, in a way, kind of funny to watch play out. (Almost like watching Bugs Bunny argue with the guy animating him.) By act three, they get back on the same page and really end things on a decidedly horrific note.
THEY'RE WATCHING is a solid story all around despite some minor hiccups. The plot is immersive. The tone is unique. One minute you're reading a mystery, the next a suspense thriller. It all ends just the way most would hope, a horrific conclusion any listener of THIS IS HORROR would open this book and expect to see.
The eyes have it!
December 6, 2021
The hosts of the This Is Horror Podcast and brains behind the long-running This Is Horror website combine forces to deliver an entertaining horror thriller which is very easy to speed through in a few sittings. It feels shorter than the listed 214 pages and has some great hooks which will guarantee you will be desperate to find out what is store for Brian. Published around Halloween 2020, this is the first release from This Is Horror in a while, which has a superb track record, previously publishing original work from TE Grau, Ray Cluley, Stephen Graham Jones, Pat Cadigan, Joseph D’Lacey, Conrad Williams, Gary McMahon, Simon Bestwick, David Moody, Josh Malerman and Nathan Ballingrud. And if that list of authors does not impress you, then you might as well stop reading this review now! These guys know their horror from A-Z, backward and upside down.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
August 18, 2021
I loved the beginning even if i think it went from "oh pretty girl" to full on obsession really fast. Then i was lost in the second half with the investigation, i felt like it didnt add much more to the story. I would have rather seen the stalking and obsession for yuki grow slower and in a more realistic way.
Ending was ok. People been writing it was really shocking so i waiting on something grandious and was let down a bit.
Overall an ok book. Nothing special but nothing bad either.
I live stalker thrillers and read alot of them so maybe im numb to the creepy feeling and want more.
Side note: in both Michaels books he been having asian women dancing in a sexual way. I dont mind it but i see a pattern :)
Love the cover! It made me pick the book up to begin with.
Ending was ok. People been writing it was really shocking so i waiting on something grandious and was let down a bit.
Overall an ok book. Nothing special but nothing bad either.
I live stalker thrillers and read alot of them so maybe im numb to the creepy feeling and want more.
Side note: in both Michaels books he been having asian women dancing in a sexual way. I dont mind it but i see a pattern :)
Love the cover! It made me pick the book up to begin with.
October 21, 2020
Fast, unsettling, and somehow able to leave you with a permanent sense of impermanence as all that you know is tested, questioned, and revised, “They’re Watching” is a perfect feast of paranoia, mistrust, and horror. Not one to miss.
November 12, 2020
Hear our extended discussion with authors Bob Pastorella and Michael David Wilson on our website: https://bookedpodcast.podbean.com/e/5...
October 31, 2020
Certainly you can’t name your novel They’re Watching without evoking a sense of paranoia and mystery. So just looking at the cover page, Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella of This is Horror, have set the bar for what they’ve promised the reader.
The novel delivers on these promises in a bigger way than I could have anticipated, however. We spend the runtime following Brian, who has just moved into a new apartment and wastes no time discovering a peephole that offers an unfettered view into his attractive neighbor’s apartment. What he sees sets an entire chain of events in motion that takes the reader to some quite unexpected places.
I mean unexpected. Wilson and Pastorella have done a stellar job of creating a narrative that moves along at a rapid fire pace - you won’t be able to limit yourself to just a chapter, I promise you. The story keeps the reader feeling like they’re constantly off balance. Consciously or not, I find myself thinking of what might happen next in a story, and I was on the money exactly zero times while reading this one. It creates an immersive, unsettling atmosphere when, moving parallel to Brian, the reader doesn’t know who to trust or what to make of the events that unfold.
There are some terrific supporting cast members on display in They’re Watching. Ted, the private investigator, makes for quite a few memorable moments, while still remaining something of an enigma to the reader. His interactions with Brian add a great deal to the complete product. Lexie and Yuki round out the group, putting themselves on display to Brian, but keeping just far enough into the shadows to leave the reader with questions.
The movement of the story, the seamless way that Wilson and Pastorella blend their voices together, the ending - oh my god, the ending - and the resounding note of unease that plays throughout the whole thing make this one of my favorite reads this year, and I can’t recommend it enough.
I received a copy from the authors for review consideration.
The novel delivers on these promises in a bigger way than I could have anticipated, however. We spend the runtime following Brian, who has just moved into a new apartment and wastes no time discovering a peephole that offers an unfettered view into his attractive neighbor’s apartment. What he sees sets an entire chain of events in motion that takes the reader to some quite unexpected places.
I mean unexpected. Wilson and Pastorella have done a stellar job of creating a narrative that moves along at a rapid fire pace - you won’t be able to limit yourself to just a chapter, I promise you. The story keeps the reader feeling like they’re constantly off balance. Consciously or not, I find myself thinking of what might happen next in a story, and I was on the money exactly zero times while reading this one. It creates an immersive, unsettling atmosphere when, moving parallel to Brian, the reader doesn’t know who to trust or what to make of the events that unfold.
There are some terrific supporting cast members on display in They’re Watching. Ted, the private investigator, makes for quite a few memorable moments, while still remaining something of an enigma to the reader. His interactions with Brian add a great deal to the complete product. Lexie and Yuki round out the group, putting themselves on display to Brian, but keeping just far enough into the shadows to leave the reader with questions.
The movement of the story, the seamless way that Wilson and Pastorella blend their voices together, the ending - oh my god, the ending - and the resounding note of unease that plays throughout the whole thing make this one of my favorite reads this year, and I can’t recommend it enough.
I received a copy from the authors for review consideration.
November 16, 2021
What a fabulous book. The narrative, as it pitches forward, is not unlike a black comedy. Darkly humorous chaos unfolds as the protagonist, Brian, lurches through the tropes of a 21st century folk horror and bumbles his way into the affections of the girl he's peeping on. Only, he thinks he might not be the only one. As the tension escalates and the danger Brian finds himself in becomes more real, he slowly becomes untethered. In that way, it's reminiscent of The Wicker Man while the tone had me thinking of The Illiminatus Trilogy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Despite the forementioned dark humour, this book goes to some even darker places and forces us to ask if we all, as bystanders, are culpable for the things that destroy us. If we are, then maybe we should spend more time watching ourselves.
A great book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Despite the forementioned dark humour, this book goes to some even darker places and forces us to ask if we all, as bystanders, are culpable for the things that destroy us. If we are, then maybe we should spend more time watching ourselves.
A great book!
October 28, 2020
The cover for this book is fantastic and eye-catching!
They're Watching is a book from the This is Horror podcast duo and it's creepy as heck! It's the story of a guy who moved to a strange quaint town and begins peeping on his hot neighbor. She dances nude every night to hypnotic music and he's entranced, but is he the watcher or the watched?
The first 3/4s of this book were very tense and suspenseful and had me intrigued to keep reading and find out wtf was going on! Brian is a total creep, but maybe his neighbor wants him to creep? Is this town just all a big cult?! Does this dude really have a job or is he a little delusional? What's with all the fish?!
Unfortunately, the last quarter of the story read like it was extremely rushed and everything just fell apart. 🤷🏻♀️ The ending is shocking, but I don't think there was enough explanation for why or how things ended up. The whole investigator storyline felt random and was kinda boring. Brian's sister showing up and leaving was weird and I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be a true character or was just quickly written in as an excuse.
Overall, I wish a little more time was spent on this one refining the plot details.
They're Watching is a book from the This is Horror podcast duo and it's creepy as heck! It's the story of a guy who moved to a strange quaint town and begins peeping on his hot neighbor. She dances nude every night to hypnotic music and he's entranced, but is he the watcher or the watched?
The first 3/4s of this book were very tense and suspenseful and had me intrigued to keep reading and find out wtf was going on! Brian is a total creep, but maybe his neighbor wants him to creep? Is this town just all a big cult?! Does this dude really have a job or is he a little delusional? What's with all the fish?!
Unfortunately, the last quarter of the story read like it was extremely rushed and everything just fell apart. 🤷🏻♀️ The ending is shocking, but I don't think there was enough explanation for why or how things ended up. The whole investigator storyline felt random and was kinda boring. Brian's sister showing up and leaving was weird and I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be a true character or was just quickly written in as an excuse.
Overall, I wish a little more time was spent on this one refining the plot details.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2020
A tightly written, well plotted thriller with seamless voice transition between the co authors. I had no idea where this was going at any point in the story, but there were plenty of tantalizing bread crumbs to follow. The ending was one I never would have guessed, but nor did it come unearned - you can see exactly what led to this, but only in retrospect. An awesome writing duo in Wilson and Pastorella.
July 19, 2021
Super creepy little horror novel based around voyeurism and obsession.
A man moves into a new apartment which has a hole in the wall that looks into his neighbor's apartment. He starts watching her, becomes more and more obsessed with her, and then things get weird. I don't totally understand the reveals at the end, and I'm not sure I'm supposed to.
I preferred the author's other book The Girl in the Video (which has similar themes) slightly more, but I will continue to follow his work.
A man moves into a new apartment which has a hole in the wall that looks into his neighbor's apartment. He starts watching her, becomes more and more obsessed with her, and then things get weird. I don't totally understand the reveals at the end, and I'm not sure I'm supposed to.
I preferred the author's other book The Girl in the Video (which has similar themes) slightly more, but I will continue to follow his work.
October 17, 2020
I expected a good story from a Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella collaboration. What I didn’t necessarily expect is how much I would love They’re Watching. This is my second book I read by Wilson, first by Pastorella. But my gods… they went above and beyond my expectations. I recently listened to The Girl in the Video by Wilson, and They’re Watching is a great novella that pairs well together, for a few reasons: Both deal with an English and Japanese main character, someone is stalked, and both possess dark and eerie tones while maintaining an ultra-realism.
Without going into detail, this book conjured up a few films and books for me: Hot Fuzz, Midnight in the Meat Train, and Fahrenheit 451.
Hot Fuzz for the small and strange English village (town?). Midnight in the Meat Train for the I-can-see-that-happening-to-me scenario and the dread and anxiety in both tales build up until the very last scene where everything explodes in a glorious and horrible moment where…(hehe, I’m not telling you the ending). Then lastly, Fahrenheit 451 for one very specific scene that involves a car full of don’t-give-a-fuck teenagers.
I love this book so much because every chapter made me so uncertain of what to believe. What’s real? Is Her the answer to the truth? Is Her the right or wrong choice? Is Her aware of how fucking creepy the main character is? Is Her a god? A demon? An Angel? Is Her even real?
Is any of this real?
Then there’s Ted. Good o’ Ted. He’s my favorite character by far, for both his outer rugged private investigator shell, covering a tough-love and caring core. I’d really like to know more about his story. A PI with a background in dealing with shitty people, unable to trust anyone, and somehow managed to build up a pain tolerance level to an impressive degree! I’d love to read more of his side of the story during They’re Watching, as well as what his life was like before this story began.
Like The Girl in the Video, the ending does not disappoint. In fact, it left me saying two words: Holy. Shit.
Without going into detail, this book conjured up a few films and books for me: Hot Fuzz, Midnight in the Meat Train, and Fahrenheit 451.
Hot Fuzz for the small and strange English village (town?). Midnight in the Meat Train for the I-can-see-that-happening-to-me scenario and the dread and anxiety in both tales build up until the very last scene where everything explodes in a glorious and horrible moment where…(hehe, I’m not telling you the ending). Then lastly, Fahrenheit 451 for one very specific scene that involves a car full of don’t-give-a-fuck teenagers.
I love this book so much because every chapter made me so uncertain of what to believe. What’s real? Is Her the answer to the truth? Is Her the right or wrong choice? Is Her aware of how fucking creepy the main character is? Is Her a god? A demon? An Angel? Is Her even real?
Is any of this real?
Then there’s Ted. Good o’ Ted. He’s my favorite character by far, for both his outer rugged private investigator shell, covering a tough-love and caring core. I’d really like to know more about his story. A PI with a background in dealing with shitty people, unable to trust anyone, and somehow managed to build up a pain tolerance level to an impressive degree! I’d love to read more of his side of the story during They’re Watching, as well as what his life was like before this story began.
Like The Girl in the Video, the ending does not disappoint. In fact, it left me saying two words: Holy. Shit.
May 10, 2023
What a great story.
This book, written by two of my favorite people, was excellent. It had me guessing, and sweating and kept me on the edge of my seat. A page-turner! Would you keep looking through the hole in the wall?
This book, written by two of my favorite people, was excellent. It had me guessing, and sweating and kept me on the edge of my seat. A page-turner! Would you keep looking through the hole in the wall?
October 22, 2020
After hearing about this collaboration for a while on the This Is Horror podcast, I was so excited to finally be able to read it! This book has everything I love—ambiguity, paranoia, possible occult ritual? I’m kind of the perfect reader for a story like this. I love the way the story makes you complicit, makes you look long & hard at what’s done in secret, and how we justify our behaviors to ourselves.
February 3, 2022
(I received this audiobook gratis from the author and give my review honestly without compensation)
They’re Watching is a cavalcade of questions that lead to bad decisions that only raise more questions. There are elements that feel like this story may lead you down a very strange path, yet, everything remains frustratingly murky. And that lack of insight leads our main character into making further bad decisions. There is also a ton of anxiety, which I have mentioned in another review, Michael David Wilson is adept at writing. There will be no answers here, nothing that explains a down-to-earth cult or an otherworldly-empowered cult. This is a story of introducing new questions that seem to only compound previous ones. I know how frustrating not knowing can be, I can feel choosing to make a bad decision now for a possible righteous outcome, I sympathize with knowing someone else is right and deciding to mess around anyway; Michael and Bob have effectively written a believably anxious and selfish person avoiding trouble only to get deeper into it. Where I may not have enjoyed the ending, I was engaged throughout. I did want to see where it went, I just didn’t actually get to see.
They’re Watching is a cavalcade of questions that lead to bad decisions that only raise more questions. There are elements that feel like this story may lead you down a very strange path, yet, everything remains frustratingly murky. And that lack of insight leads our main character into making further bad decisions. There is also a ton of anxiety, which I have mentioned in another review, Michael David Wilson is adept at writing. There will be no answers here, nothing that explains a down-to-earth cult or an otherworldly-empowered cult. This is a story of introducing new questions that seem to only compound previous ones. I know how frustrating not knowing can be, I can feel choosing to make a bad decision now for a possible righteous outcome, I sympathize with knowing someone else is right and deciding to mess around anyway; Michael and Bob have effectively written a believably anxious and selfish person avoiding trouble only to get deeper into it. Where I may not have enjoyed the ending, I was engaged throughout. I did want to see where it went, I just didn’t actually get to see.
August 4, 2022
Fish Motifs, Yoga Pants, and Red Robes, Oh My!
It's hard not to empathize with the dorky protagonist of this fast-moving and somewhat chaotic tale of obsession, poor choices, and run-of-the-mill bad luck. The protagonist, a slightly insecure bloke with poor impulse control, settles into new digs and finds his anticipated routine seriously disrupted by an alluring neighbor. Mystery, misadventure, and mishaps commence and proceed with nary a pause. The novella has a nice pace with ample twists and turns, although at times the plot feels a bit erratic. While a few conversations get bogged down, the authors' provide descriptions of daily routines that the reader can identify with and a detailed accounting of some Indian food seriously left my mouth watering. What I thought were unresolved loose ends and sub-plots insufficiently accounted for were, in fact, better resolved and more clearly developed than I initially realized. There may even be a teaser for a sequel hanging there at the end. Overall a creative and entertaining read that was well worth the effort.
#michaeldavidwilson #bobpastorelle #thisishorror #horrorfiction #horrorlit #goodreads
It's hard not to empathize with the dorky protagonist of this fast-moving and somewhat chaotic tale of obsession, poor choices, and run-of-the-mill bad luck. The protagonist, a slightly insecure bloke with poor impulse control, settles into new digs and finds his anticipated routine seriously disrupted by an alluring neighbor. Mystery, misadventure, and mishaps commence and proceed with nary a pause. The novella has a nice pace with ample twists and turns, although at times the plot feels a bit erratic. While a few conversations get bogged down, the authors' provide descriptions of daily routines that the reader can identify with and a detailed accounting of some Indian food seriously left my mouth watering. What I thought were unresolved loose ends and sub-plots insufficiently accounted for were, in fact, better resolved and more clearly developed than I initially realized. There may even be a teaser for a sequel hanging there at the end. Overall a creative and entertaining read that was well worth the effort.
#michaeldavidwilson #bobpastorelle #thisishorror #horrorfiction #horrorlit #goodreads
December 3, 2020
I've seen other reviewers say They're Watching feels like it was directed by Brian DePalma, and another that it pays homage to Giallo cinema. I think both of these estimations are spot on and if you like either or both of those descriptions then you shouldn't pass on this one. They're Watching doesn't mess about, it gets straight to the story, no frills, no fluff. Its snappy pace and prose are perfect for the narrative. Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella get down to brass tacks giving us the protagonist, Brian who's just moved to a apartment complex in a coastal British town. Brian soon discovers a hole in his apartment through which he sees his beautiful neighbor Yuki dancing seductively. Voyeurism quickly turns to mystery quickly turns to paranoia quickly turns deadly serious. Who can Brian trust? He may be watching Yuki, but They're Watching, too.
December 1, 2020
A pulpy, fast-paced little novel that feels lived-in and tactile. The characters aren't just cleanly moving through the world but interacting with it, and getting their bodily fluids all over the place. There are music and film references, characters eat and shit and kill. Everything that happens feels solid and real in a way that lends authenticity to the narrative and makes you care about people you may not really like.
The authors fit a lot into the book's short runtime and it feels like a love-letter to giallo horror - I think I would have preferred a meatier ending but this was an engaging and fun and quite often gross story with enough twists and enough snark to make it a fast read that swallowed up my time with it.
The authors fit a lot into the book's short runtime and it feels like a love-letter to giallo horror - I think I would have preferred a meatier ending but this was an engaging and fun and quite often gross story with enough twists and enough snark to make it a fast read that swallowed up my time with it.
November 25, 2025
A MYSTERY UNTIL THE END
This is one of those novels that pulls you in immediately. You know, the first time Brian peeks through the hole in his closet at his lovely neighbor Yuki, this is going to go very wrong for him. But you keep hoping it doesn’t. Maybe it will work out. Early in the book, I was reminded of a line from the first X-Men movie, when Magneto told a hapless guard, tricked by Mystique, “Never trust a beautiful woman. Especially one interested in YOU.” Throughout, I wondered, How will this turn out? Where is this going? Right up to the end, where there was still hope. Even then, it didn’t end the way I thought it might. Well done. - Jeff
This is one of those novels that pulls you in immediately. You know, the first time Brian peeks through the hole in his closet at his lovely neighbor Yuki, this is going to go very wrong for him. But you keep hoping it doesn’t. Maybe it will work out. Early in the book, I was reminded of a line from the first X-Men movie, when Magneto told a hapless guard, tricked by Mystique, “Never trust a beautiful woman. Especially one interested in YOU.” Throughout, I wondered, How will this turn out? Where is this going? Right up to the end, where there was still hope. Even then, it didn’t end the way I thought it might. Well done. - Jeff
November 10, 2020
I read an early draft of this and have now read the final version. Goddamn. These dudes can write. This book has so much going for it. It's creepy, sexy and funny by equal measure. Very much like the authors.
It's really gratifying to see that Michael and Bob's chemistry behind the mic translates onto the page.
Part folk horror, part stalker story, part sitcom. This book covers a hell of a lot of ground, all of it awesome.
Highly recommended and I hope this isn't the last collab we see from these two.
It's really gratifying to see that Michael and Bob's chemistry behind the mic translates onto the page.
Part folk horror, part stalker story, part sitcom. This book covers a hell of a lot of ground, all of it awesome.
Highly recommended and I hope this isn't the last collab we see from these two.
October 6, 2024
Well here we are, my second One Star read of the year. I don’t even know what this book was about, was there even a plot or a point? I can’t remember where I heard about this book, but I just remembered I HAD to read it and now I’m questioning why. Brian was totally idiotic and unlikeable, the writing was incredibly basic and boring and made 211 pages feel like 880. What I should have been able to finish in one sitting dragged on for 2 days. Just bad.
June 19, 2024
I thought this was a really great book. Engaging from start to finish. Really enjoyed following along with the main character Brian. His motivations, worries and terrors where well written and very believable. I really thought this was an awesome book, definitely enjoyed the story and where everything went. I'd highly recommend you grab a copy today and check it out.
May 30, 2021
Meh. Nothing new or innovative, and definitely nothing scary. It's very similar to what Ira Levin did in the 70s, but he did it better.
July 18, 2021
Interesting, unsettling...but not as edge of your seat as wilsons previous project.
July 26, 2022
this was pretty bad, like it was written by a 14 year old
May 31, 2023
I was lost thru much of the story. Lost interest in the last hour. Not sure what happened.
December 26, 2023
A delusional creep stumbles onto a plot that's crazier than he is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews