Release date: February 17, 2026
Publisher: St. Martins
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Synopsis:
The multimillion-copy and New York Times bestseller B. A. Paris returns with a triumphant, unsettling new suspense novel.
Who is watching Nell Masters?
Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.
Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .
Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?
Review:
This book is an over the top, obsession fueled thriller that leans all the way into paranoia, stalking, and the uneasy feeling that someone is always watching. The first half absolutely hooked me. The creeping dread, the secret identity, the lingering questions about who’s telling the truth and who’s spiraling—it was tense, unsettling, and genuinely fun in that twisty domestic suspense way. I flew through it because the paranoia felt sharp and controlled.
The second half didn’t hit quite as hard for me. It started to veer a little off the rails, and while the twists kept coming, some answers felt a bit too easy and left a few lingering questions behind. That said, I still had a great time with it. The first half was such a blast that I’m rounding my 3.5 up to a solid 4 stars. It’s dramatic, messy, and perfect if you’re in the mood for something unsettling but wildly entertaining.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 