I’m Watching You
By Amanda Brittany
Review and Rating 3⭐️

Young women are being viciously attacked and killed by someone in a yellow hi-vis jacket near Quarry Lake in the town of Ensley.

Riona is home for the summer before leaving to attend university. One night she and her friends are at Quarry Lake when they hear something suspicious. They investigate and find a candle burning in an old boathouse. Finding nothing, the girls go on with their lives. The Ensley killer is never caught.

Now many years later, Riona begins seeing a figure in a yellow hi-vis jacket lurking around. She and her friends from the night at Quarry lake receive menacing letters that say simply ‘I’m watching you’.
Soon, bad things begin to happen to Riona and one of her friends goes missing. Has the Ensley killer returned?

This was not my favorite thriller, especially at first. It was really hard for me to get in to reading and it took me longer than usual to finish. It seemed to me to really drag in some parts and I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. The multiple POV, past and present timelines, and many characters also made for a bit of confusion at times.
I hung in there and finished it up and the plot did get more interesting to me later in the book. I am rounding it up from 2.5 ⭐️ to a solid 3 ⭐️.

I want to thank #Netgalley, #Joffe books, and Amanda Brittany for providing an eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my

This is a a great psychological thriller, full of unexpected twists and turns with a very creepy atmospheric feel to it that made me so uneasy I couldn’t read it in bed!! Amanda Brittany always delivers a gripping read for me and that’s why she’s one of my “go to” authors!

When Riona and her friends spend time drinking by Quarry Lake, they are risking their lives as the lake has become the hunting ground for a serial killer who has been targeting young girls in the area. They hear a splash and a scream but they run away, too scared to do more than briefly search for the cause of the sounds. But years later, Riona, Erika and Stacey receive notes saying “I’m Watching You”. Has the killer returned to tie the loose ends of that night?

I thoroughly enjoyed I’m Watching You! There are some shocking revelations throughout the narrative that kept me on my toes, unable to pinpoint who was responsible for the notes or work out exactly why! Riona was a likeable if somewhat naive character and I couldn’t work out why someone would be playing with her emotions like they were! Her aunt Bernie was another likeable character and I would love to have had more of her in the book-in fact I think I can see a nice spin off book for her in the future!

I do love dysfunctional families and at the heart of I’m Watching You is a family who struggle to form and maintain relationships with others. I’m always fascinated by the “nature versus nurture” debate and here there was plenty for me to think about as the plot gradually gave up more of its secrets to the reader. From about half way through I couldn’t put the book down and the ending certainly lived up to my expectations.

Highly recommended!

Twelve years ago, three young women were murdered by a person wearing a yellow high-vis jacket dubbed the Ensley Killer. Is he striking again after all those years? Now, women in Ensley are glimpsing someone in a yellow high- vis jacket, each receiving notes that say “I am watching you”. Could it be a coincidence that the three women who are now receiving the notes are somehow tied together from the past. Putting their differences aside, it’s time to find out exactly what happened 12 years ago.

I'M WATCHING YOU by Amanda Brittany.
Riona is spending her last summer in her home town of Ensley before heading to university. She can’t wait to leave for pastures new.
Nothing ever happens in pretty but boring Ensley. Until a young woman is viciously attacked down by Quarry Lake. Then another. And another. One of them survives, one of them is in a coma — and one of them is dead.Three young women with long, dark hair — and everything to live for. The only thing anyone knows about the killer is that they wear a yellow high-vis jacket.One night that summer, Riona and her two friends are larking about at the lake. They think they hear something. They see a candle flickering in the window of the old boathouse. But they dismiss it. Twelve years later, all three are still living in Ensley. Even Riona who had expected to escape. Everyone’s forgotten the Ensley Killer — the killer who was never caught. But one day Riona glimpses a figure in a high-vis jacket. Staring intensely at her. Then a note is shoved through her letterbox: I’m watching you. And one of her friends goes missing . . .
Could the Ensley Killer be back?
Brilliant twisty read. 5*.

Really enjoyed this read!
This begins 12 years after the Ensley killer was wreaked havoc on the shores of Quarry Lake.
12 years prior, one night friends Riona, Erika and Stacey go swimming at the lake. They have some drinks and some fun until they hear a splash and notice a light at the boathouse. When they investigate, they find nothing.
12 years later, they receive threatening messages…maybe from the Easley killer?

Very suspenseful
Thanks NetGalley and Joffe Books

This was not my favorite read. I just could not get into it. It took me longer to read than usual. It was not terrible, however, not my top choice. The characters were interesting and thought out, with some unexpected surprises.

A page-turning thriller with twists and turns that kept me engaged and wanting to read more. A must read if you need a good thriller.

This is my first read by author Amanda Brittany and it was a really good and enjoyable book. I will be looking at other books by this author as I was gripped from page one.

Twelve years previously three women were attached in Ensley and the attacker was never found. Fast-forward twelve years and Riona is still living in Ensley and suddenly things start to happen that points to the Ensley Killer may potentially be back.

I enjoyed reading about Riona, she seems to have her head on straight and was a good character in this novel.

Amanda Brittany weaves a really good twisty novel and keeps the reader wanting more throughout this great novel.

The blurb reads

"Riona is spending her last summer in her home town of Ensley before heading to university. She can’t wait to leave for pastures new.

Nothing ever happens in pretty but boring Ensley. Until a young woman is viciously attacked down by Quarry Lake. Then another. And another. One of them survives, one of them is in a coma — and one of them is dead.

Three young women with long, dark hair — and everything to live for. The only thing anyone knows about the killer is that they wear a yellow high-vis jacket.

One night that summer, Riona and her two friends are larking about at the lake. They think they hear something. They see a candle flickering in the window of the old boathouse. But they dismiss it.

Twelve years later, all three are still living in Ensley. Even Riona who had expected to escape.

Everyone’s forgotten the Ensley Killer — the killer who was never caught. But one day Riona glimpses a figure in a high-vis jacket. Staring intensely at her. Then a note is shoved through her letterbox: I’m watching you.

And one of her friends goes missing . . .

Could the Ensley Killer be back?"

Thanks to Netgalley, Amanda Brittany and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

An unsolved murder and attacks, a creepy man in a hi-vis jacket, a death which has been covered up, anonymous notes and a stalker on Instagram! What more could you want to get gripped by yet another great read from Amanda Brittany. I really enjoy the way she writes, just giving little snippets along the way. I changed my mind so many times, suspecting one person, then another. Plenty of suspects to choose from!

Chapters written mainly from the point of view of Charlotte and Riona and the odd chapter from the unknown stalker / killer.

Written in two parts.

Part one is set in 2009 when the Ensley murders take place.

Part two is set in 2021 when Charlotte comes back to see her mother after hearing that the quarry is going to be dredged. Will this uncover a secret that she has kept hidden for 12 years?

The past always catches up to you!  Secrets, lies and above all, creepy characters.

I'm not sure I will be able to see a man dressed in a yellow hi-vis jacket  without thinking of this book now! 😂

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and author for an ARC.

my 1st book from this author and very much enjoyed Riona Stacey and Erika are the best of friends. Riona has a younger sister Alene they live with their aunt Bernie who is a police officer. someone is killing young women in this area and wears a yellow Hi-Vis.

Riona lives in the quiet town of Ensley with her aunt, & younger sister, & she's just killing time until she can escape to university. That summer, three young women are attacked out by Quarry Lake - one dies, one is left in a coma, & one survives, & their attacker, who wears a high-vis jacket, becomes known as the Ensley Killer. One evening, Riona & her friends, Erika & Stacey, are by the lake when they see a candle flickering in the window of the old boathouse. They quickly check it out but nothing seems to be amiss.

A few weeks later Riona leaves for university, even though her sister has just admitted that she's pregnant & the father wants nothing to do with them. Meanwhile, Charlotte & her teenage twins, daughter Mia & son Ryan, moved into the village a few months before to live with Charlotte's estranged mother, after escaping after the suicide of a violent partner. They all disappear the same night that Riona & her friends are at the lake, following a fight between the siblings. Mia falls into the lake & drowns, & Charlotte & Ryan leave without telling anyone.

Twelve years later, Riona is back in Ensley, having just left her cheating ex. She currently runs a business with Erika, but hasn't spoken to Stacey in years, ever since Stacey tried to cop off with Riona's university boyfriend. One day Riona thinks she sees a strange figure, wearing a high-vis jacket, in a field at the back of her house & she receives an anonymous note saying "I'm watching you". Erika confirms she has received the same message whilst Stacey gets back in touch after also receiving a warning. Charlotte is also back in the town after receiving a message from her mother about the lake being drained.

After reading The Island House also by the author, I was looking forward to a twisty tale. There were plenty of twists but unfortunately they were all to easy to see coming: the untrustworthy love interest, the character that you know is going to return by the end, the friend acting out of character but the main character fails to check up on them, etc. I was left feeling rather disappointed as the narrative seemed rather disjointed to me & I didn't connect with any of the characters. Mine seems to be an outlier view though, so don't let me put you off.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Joffe Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This was definitely a page turner. For some people I would say it's definitely a read in one sitting type of book. The chapters were fast paced and the change of perspectives kept me wanting to read. This was definitely a plot driven novel with the characters just sort of there especially in the first half as the chapters switched from present day to 12 years ago.

Certain aspects of the plot felt a little too unbelievable but for a thriller novel I could overlook those things. The author did a really good job of not giving away anything about who did it till you needed to know. She also did a really good job of allowing for your assumptions of who did it to shift and change throughout the last half of the book.

This is one of my favorite thriller novels that I have read this year.

This plot had me turning the pages so fast. It’s full of suspense and I must admit made me look over my shoulder a few times and read with the lights on ha! A clever and unique stalker plot that has many suspects along the way but deep down you know who it is but there is so much going on waiting for the big reveal is all too much. I love how everything tied up at the end.

A little repetitive at times but I think that’s deliberate. Our movements are all routine and that makes it easy for a stalker to stalk their prey!

A good strong plot with a clever mystery. This book suffers a little from pacing issues and finds itself becoming dull at points but it is a good book overall.

This is the first novel that I have read by this author. I really wanted to like it and there were some very good parts to it, the character development and the idea of the plot was good however at points it became rather dull and dragged a little but did pick up at the end. This is a very readable book however not necessarily the best book within this genre, but I would read another by the author and give it another chance.

Great book. Took be a bit to get into it, but when I did, I was hooked. Thought I worked out the ending, but I was wrong.
Grwat read from a new author to me. I would read again.

A great psychological thriller for this October season. The Vibes reminded me of the movie Scream with a mask on a mysterious person and a yellow high visibility jacket terrorizing females. In 2009, the Ensley killer brutally murdered one, left one in a coma and one survivor.
Riona, Stacey, and Erika were near the Quarry Lake, a notable area for the killer and hear a scream and a splash. While running away from the scene, they see a candle burning in a boathouse, they checked the area but found nothing. Strange enough to keep running. Ansley left her small town to go to college and returns 12 years later. She receives notes with I’m Watching You on it and sees the masked person with the yellow Hi-Vi matching the killer’s description. Her friends are receiving the notes also and have spotted the masked person! The suspense grows and I could not put it down until I found out who it was. Told in several POV’s with flashes of a struggling mom and her twins and several other sketchy characters detailing a variety of suspects. There were a lot of scenes I would find myself screaming at the characters not to go in there or do that.
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC in exchange for my review!

Just the title alone of this book got my attention. My biggest fear is being watched. I have had nightmares where I felt something was standing over me. So I needed to read this book to find out who was watching who. He book is told from past to present and several POV. I love this in a book because it helps with the storytelling. I read this book in 2 sittings and was so surprised by the finish. When you find out who started all the problems, you will shake your head at the depravity some people are consumed by.

An eminently readable psychological thriller, an intriguing mystery with some great characters and a terrific twisty plot.

A hidden killer and a past that comes back to haunt the present, there are plenty of suspects and they are fleshed out by some great writing.

Overall an excellent read one of those one sitting books that is pitch perfectly entertaining.

I absolutely adored this book from start to finish! I always love thrillers like this, and this was not a disappointment. What a gripping plot!