I Am Watching You

As someone who is now well into their senior years but has been a voracious reader for more than 7 decades I love all kinds of books on a wide variety of topics. I love both non-fiction scientific topics to fiction thrillers with different twists and turns. This is why when I saw this 287-page soft cover novel (I am watching you by Teresa Driscoll) while browsing on Amazon I purchased the book. I enjoy unusual plots and mysteries that force you to think about the character’s motivations as the story flows. The short chapters are great because it keeps you turning the pages to find out what is going to happen next. This story begins when a woman, Ella Longfield, while on a train, when sees two men who begin flirting with two girls on the same train. She hears them talking and discovers the two men just got out of prison. She is considering possibly notifying the police about these two suspicious men but decides not to do anything because it is none of her business; however, when one of the girls turns up missing, she regrets not doing anything at the time. There are also some other family secrets that reveal themselves later in the book that makes this a page turning read. I never give away too much information when reviewing any novel, but if you like a well-written book with an interesting and compelling story, you may want to check out this novel. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Never trust a politician: A critical essay about politics and politicians).

I would rate this book somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. The premise is solid and I was hooked from the description alone. While most chapters ended with a cliffhanger, the story would pick back up (from that viewpoint) days later with just a summary of what happened. That frustrated me. I also didn't see the point of some of the side stories. They didn't add value for me. It took until the middle of the book to get anywhere near guessing who may have been involved. I enjoyed the surprise ending, but there were literally no clues even suggesting the actual party/parties involved in the disappearance. I love looking back to see what hints I missed, but there were none. This is in a quick, entertaining read. I would recommend it, but it's not a mind blowing must read.

Creative twisting plot. Good character building descriptions throughout. Quality reading!

I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll is a mystery, thriller novel. The book is told in multiple points of view from the witness (Ella), the father (Henry), the friend (Sarah), and the private investigator (Matthew). Anna goes missing after taking a trip to London with her friend Sarah to go see Les Miserables. On the train they meet a couple of guys who were just released from prison. Overhearing the conversation, Ella feels uncomfortable for the girls but decides to stay out of the situation. After hearing the news of Anna’s disappearance she goes straight to the police to tell them what she heard on the train. A year later is when the story takes place. Anna is still missing and the family is getting ready to do an anniversary appeal to help get any new information. Ella, the witness, has been overwhelmed with guilt feeling as though this is partially her fault because she kept to herself and let the girls be. However, Ella's name was slipped to the media and now she has started to receive threatening letters in the mail accusing her of not helping. Sarah, the friend, feels as though this is her fault because she left Anna alone the night she disappeared and may have some inside knowledge on who may have known what happened to her. In order to give this information to the police, Sarah has to reveal a huge secret from her past but is she ready to admit to it? Henry, the father, had a big row with Anna right before she left but does his secret have anything to do with her disappearance? Matthew, the private investigator, is hired by Ella to help find out who is sending the letters but will he be the one to figure out what really happened to Anna? I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll was a successful novel but in a different way than imagined. From the description and title I was expecting a little more creepiness over the feeling of someone really watching Ella. Besides a few postcards and two incidents that happened at her flower shop, not much is touched on this subject. The majority of the book is trying to figure out what really happened the night Anna disappeared. I really enjoyed the different points of view because it brought fresh perspectives to the story as you continue to ask yourself what secrets are they holding on to? In the description on the book you are to assume that there would be more of this person “watching" Ella and doing more to threaten her, or revealing that they know about Anna and what happened that night. From the novel you don't get much of this which was disappointing. Once you look past the disappointment of the main plot of the novel, the story and development were done well. I enjoyed trying to figure out what exactly happened to Anna that night and everybody's involvement. The story really does make you think, “What would you do?” Would you intervene if you were Ella on the train? Would you have revealed your secret if you were Sarah? Would you have lied to the police if you were Henry? All of these situations, the wondering, and the secrets kept me interested in the book. I give I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll 3 out of 5 stars. I was really disappointed with not having enough of the creepiness I was expecting of someone actually watching Ella and diving into that aspect of the book. The title and the description really had me wanting more than what was given. I did enjoy the story and the different points of view but felt it could have been a little stronger. I do recommend giving this book a try as the story was interesting!

Interesting story with surprises laced throughout. Some parts took a bit long to develop, but suppose it was necessary to allow the author the space to weave in the little clues that make you question whether or not you have figured it out. Definitely a surprise ending! Read in 2 days here and there, between the ins and outs of the day.

Die Geschichte wechselt die Personen und Erzähler. Erst am Ende kommt die Hauptperson zu Wort. War sehr kurzweilig und gut zu lesen.

Adoro il modo in cui è scritto, le note di sarcasmo e le riflessioni della protagonista che ti portano proprio nella sua testa, i personaggi sono ben caratterizzati, mi ha coinvolta veramente tanto. Personalmente ho preferito prenderlo in lingua originale, è molto scorrevole. Voglio decisamente leggere altro dell'autrice

I finished this gripping book in 2 days! Written with empathy , insight and self-awareness of the strictures of proper form stifling out instinct, and stymying action , this is not your usual whodunit. Each character is well-developed and there is great psychological and philosophical insight into guilt, shame, trauma, grief, rumination and obsession. At the end of the day, for all the exoneration one does, karma comes a full circle and one wonders about the way karma actually works - that karma delves not in the technical, nor the narratives, not even the factual , but hovers over the cause and effect of moral guilt.

Teresa Driscoll is an author I have previously found to be riveting however 'I Am Watching You' takes that gift to a new level. I have to say, for someone that reads many books a week, it's a big claim to make however I would say that it is my favourite thriller of the year. It really kept me guessing and swiping at a mad pace. Quite frankly, it fits all of those cliches we use too often in reviews but it "is unputdownable and is suspense at its best." It begins with an incredible first chapter which says it all "I made a mistake. I know that now. The only reason I did what I did was what I heard on that train. And I ask you, in all truthfulness –how would you have felt?" Known as 'The Witness' - this chapter is told in Ella's POV which made it feel like a friend in a coffee shop telling the story, it sucked me in... "And then I am thinking, Report them? Report them to whom, Ella? Will you just listen to yourself? Other people will do precisely what you should have done from the off. They will mind their own." A teenage girl has disappeared after being harassed by a group of strange men on a train the day before... Ella witnesses and does nothing... "This screen that is scrolling putrid, awful words: Missing . . . Anna . . . Missing . . . Anna . . . The kettle screaming angry clouds onto the mirror while I am planning the calls in my head all at once. A black and terrible jumble of excuses. None of them good enough. To the police. To Tony. You have to understand that I was going to phone . . ." You can feel the panic, sense the dread... my stomach dropped as if I'd been on that train and looked away, down... just didn't move.... This is a tense, page-turning thriller. A pacy and emotional plot that is made even more intense by seeing things through the family's POV. This is especially intensified as 'The Father' explains how things disintegrate around this ordinary family when their beloved daughter Anna goes missing, making the entire story quite chilling... This is such an unexpected yet incredibly intricately woven plot that has an utterly surprising ending that I have no hesitation in recommending 'I Am Watching You' to anyone who enjoys this genre. It is up there with Gone Girl, or The Girl on the Train .. it's that good. As mentioned, it’s told from multiple POVs, which means the reader gets to know all of the characters and sense their desperation, emotions, fear, internal conflict and heartbreak... and it is that perspective that always heightens the suspense for me, and makes it feel believable... I really look forward to more from this versatile and talented author. 5 Suspenseful Stars...

Till end my heart was scared to see what would happen.