You Watched in Silence

By: H. Lee Justine

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

In this shivery blend of queer psychological thriller and horror, evocatively set in the secluded islands of the Pacific Northwest, You Watched in Silence combines the bite of Jessica Knoll with the twists of Verity and the atmospheric tension of The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Caitlyn believes her world is falling apart when her best friend cuts her off—until she gets a message from the only person who can put it back together. Family vlogger Bella Greene—the celebrity influencer she and her ex-best friend were obsessed with—offers Caitlyn a job as nanny to her twins.

Like millions of others, Caitlyn knows that Bella’s life is in pieces, too. Canceled over perceived indifference to a tragic suicide by one of her fans, Bella fled with her family to a remote island off the coast of Washington. For Caitlyn, the opportunity to help Bella will also help her to heal; a way to honor the past while creating a new future.

Caitlyn can’t believe how easily she bonds with the twins. She also feels an instant connection with the family’s flirtatious chef, Hannah Zhou, who soon stirs romantic impulses that Caitlyn never imagined having again. It feels like magic … until she catches a glimpse of a mysterious girl that nobody else can see.

Before she knows it, Caitlyn descends into constant terror, unable to tell if she is losing her mind or being haunted by a past she’d rather forget. Worse, there is magic here, a dark force that manifests in mysterious pentagrams, animal sacrifices, and scrawled threats right in Bella’s backyard, and increasingly close to her home.

But who’s behind it? Is it a disgruntled employee? A scorned lover? Or someone out for unjust revenge? Because Bella didn’t do anything wrong … right?

©2025 H. Lee Justine (P)2025 Blackstone Publishing

Excellent modern horror

This book does an amazing job at exploring the innately creepy nature of the parasocial relationships that many influencers cultivate to be successful as well as the consequences when that success is placed above all other relationships and responsibilities.

So good!!

Wonderfully haunting! First, the writing is gorgeous. All of me was enveloped. I was IN the woods. I could see and feel my surroundings. I empathized with Caitlyn’s emotions, felt her fear. I LOVE when authors can bring you into a story so wholly.

Next, the story is intriguing, relatable and UNEXPECTED. I am rarely surprised by an ending, but this one got me! If you are a guesser like me, this one will have you guessing and re-guessing and re-guessing, only to be wrong about it all. Definite recommend!!