Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where people are brutally murdered in their own kitchens. But it is the sort of place where everyone has a secret. And everyone is watching you.

As the headmaster credited with turning around the local school, Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by one and all—including Joey Mullen, his new neighbor, who quickly develops an intense infatuation with this thoroughly charming yet unavailable man. Joey thinks her crush is a secret, but Tom’s teenaged son Freddie—a prodigy with aspirations of becoming a spy for MI5—excels in observing people and has witnessed Joey behaving strangely around his father.

One of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, also lives on the same street, and she’s not convinced her teacher is as squeaky clean as he seems. For one thing, he has taken a particular liking to her best friend and fellow classmate, and Jenna’s mother—whose mental health has admittedly been deteriorating in recent years—is convinced that Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam…

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In the past, I have been in the minority in not really loving Lisa Jewell’s novels. When I read the description for Watching You, I knew I had to read it. I’m so glad I did because it is my favourite Lisa Jewell novel!

The book alternates between Joey, Jenna and Freddie and I really enjoyed each of these characters. It was interesting to see them come together in storylines and how they interacted with the other main character – Mr. Fitzwilliam.

Even though this novel isn’t necessarily creepy, it had just the perfect amount of creep factor. You never knew the full truth about Mr. Fitzwilliam and you kind of got a creepy vibe from him.

4 calculators out of a potential 5. I really enjoyed it and will definitively be getting more Lisa Jewell novels!

Thank you to Netgallery and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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