A truly outstanding read - very possibly the most original and memorable psychological fiction I have ever read.

This is a story with several seemingly unrelated stories running through it as some of the characters try to work out why they have been thrown together.

Casey is a man with a very cool job - manning the cctv in the city of Aberdeen. His motives aren’t entirely altruistic however as he monitors the movements of certain people and uses his knowledge of blindspots for darker means. Casey is escaping a dark past having changed his name due to being the infamous ‘butchers boy’, whose mother was murdered in a ver grisly fashion. Casey has lost the love of his life, the story of this relationship being woven through the book.

Utterly gripping, deliciously dark and achingly original. This is a book I recommend 100%.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

4+

I’ll be watching you…
Casey Carter certainly will be in Aberdeen where he works as a CCTV operator, watching who skulks in the shadows to try to keep people safe. His colleague Robbie is the only one who knows who he really is, he knows about his past whose “skin” he has been trying to shed. There’s one person Casey has been very closely observing because he has one thing on his mind – revenge with a capital R. They have to pay.

It’s creepy, creepy, creepy as Casey plays a calculated and invisible cat and mouse game which is chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing. It’s fascinating trying to figure out who the real Casey is as he has submerged himself, has he ceased to exist? The answers clearly lie in the past and as the plot unfolds it becomes increasingly intense and dark with so many different elements going on which makes for gripping reading. The deeper it goes the evidential storm clouds lift and the hazy, shocking truth starts to reveal itself and I have so not predicted THAT. The author has me looking in all different directions and I thoroughly enjoy its unpredictability. It’s powerful, mind blowing and surprising with twists that keep on coming and it’s unsettling as Casey sets about enacting his violent revenge.

Deborah Masson always delivers intense and suspenseful novels and this is no different. It’s very well written, it’s hard to put down and takes me through a whole rollercoaster of emotions.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

NB will post to social media nearer publication!

After reading this book I will be definitely more aware of CCTV cameras and the people who operate them.

This creepy thriller has a touch of reality about it and I was at times really creeped out.

I loved the twists and the plot unfolded slowly at first but then all became clear and I really enjoyed it.

What a thrilling read!

I loved the flip of the narrative, having the main character as the ‘bad guy’ really added a new dimension to the storyline.

Excellent writing and brilliantly constructed characters. I read this book in just over a day and could not put it down!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

He watches you constantly. He sees everything. As a CCTV operator, Casey can travel at speed through the streets of Aberdeen and keep people safe, all from the comfort of his chair. He knows your secrets. You are one of the people he likes to follow. He keeps an eye on you, notices every detail of your body language, even in your most private moments, when you think no one is watching. But now he wants more. There's a reason he knows your routine like the back of his hand. It's because he wants revenge. And when you know as much as he does, it’s easy to take advantage! Woah! What a wild read! Some really freaky characters! This book had great suspense, murder, mystery, intrigue, and a few jaw dropping moments! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I swore I read at least 3 other books like this . This being the 4th.
This was probably the one I read I like the least .
It just seemed lacking but it wasn't a bad read .
I raced through it .
It was a good enough read but not my favourite ever .

Review of ‘I’ll Be Watching You’ by Deborah Masson, due to be published on 1 January 2026 by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers.

Casey works as a CCTV operator, watching the streets of Aberdeen, keeping the city safe alongside his colleague, Robbie, who is the only person in his life that knows who he really is - the Butcher’s Boy - son of a notorious killer convicted of killing his wife and hanging her body from a meat hook in his shop.

This is a story of past trauma, a man seeking revenge, a man who is unhinged. The descriptions of his intense stares add a layer of creepiness and his location for his revenge plot to play out gives an unsettling claustrophobic edge to the storyline.

A deeply dark and disturbing tale, that leaves a lasting sense of unease. Recommended read.

A little bit of a slow start but I’m glad I stuck with it . So dark and scary . Really well written and once I got in to it I flew through the book .

I've read all of Deborah's other books and this was quite different.
I've never really thought before about CCTV cameras when out and about, but now I am. I wasn't at first sure where this was going and then things started to fit into place and it really wasn't what I expected.
This was totally weird and I wasn't sure at first, but when I put things together it became very thought provoking.
Would I recommend - yes, but don't expect it to be like Deborah's other books.

Casey is not who he seems to be - and very far from the person that his colleague and friend Robbie believes him to be. In a previous life, he was the notorious Butcher's Boy, the son of a man convicted for slaughtering his wife and hanging her on a meat hook.

Since then, he has reinvented himself, changing his name and falling in love with Beth whilst progressing from barista to CCTV monitor.

But things have not worked out quite as Casey planned. He lost Beth and has been spiralling ever since, heading in a very dangerous direction indeed.

This is a story about intergenerational trauma, obsession and revenge. It is suspenseful and original, but is only recommended for those with a strong stomach, as it comes with trigger warnings and graphic violence.

It took a while for me to get into it, but was a gripping road thereafter. If it had not been for the slow start, the book would probably get 4 stars instead of 3.5 stars.

This novel immediately plunges us into the unsettling world of Casey, a young man outwardly affable, wanting to protect Aberdeen in his role as CCTV operator.
We soon learn, however, that he is inwardly consumed by control and manipulation.
Casey's meticulously constructed new life, following his mother's brutal death, unravels to reveal a chilling, almost unbelievable end goal.
The narrative is a breathtaking exploration of grief's powerful grip, demonstrating how profound loss can twist a person into something unrecognisable.
The storyline is exquisitely crafted, painting a picture where darkness and malevolence are ever-present. Despite its disturbing depths, the book is remarkably enlightening, providing a memorable portrayal of the human psyche's resilience and fragility.
The ending provides a deeply satisfying, albeit unsettling conclusion to this unforgettable journey that will sit with me for some time. That, for me, is the sign of a fantastic book.
Highly recommended for those who appreciate literary darkness with profound emotional resonance.

This book got under my skin. The power that those operating CCTV have is terrifying when you see it all written down with some creative licence.
Casey is a multi layered character and we mostly follow his endeavours.

For me this book could have been much better if it had been easier to follow, for whatever reason the format and lack of defined chapters made it hard to work out in which role Casey was at the time.

I'll be watching you is a thought provoking read that will have me looking over my shoulder next time I walk down the high street.

The CCTV control room has eyes everywhere and those that work there save lives, protect us from violence and bear witness to everything we do. Casey is good at what he does, day after day he spends his shift scanning the crowds watching and waiting.

Short, sharp chapters with good pacing made this thriller easy to get into, its multi-layered characters adding depth and intrigue. A well written thriller that gathers momentum as it progresses, building tension and atmosphere as Caseys obsession becomes a reality.

My thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own

The story starts with Casey doing his job as a CCTV operator.
Casey had a terrible start in life and tragedy followed him into his adult life.
Once the story moves on it is absolutely terrifying!
I don't want to spoil it for anyone but this is not for the faint hearted.
I raced through it and really didn't want to finish.
Dark and scary!
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.