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Joseph O'Loughlin #7
Watching You
New York Times bestselling author Michael Robotham brings us face-to-face with a manipulative psychopath who has destroyed countless lives and is about to claim one final victim.
Marnie Logan often feels like she's being watched: a warm breath on the back of her neck, or a shadow in the corner of her eye that vanishes when she turns her head.
She has reason to be frightened. Her husband Daniel has inexplicably vanished, and the police have no leads in the case. Without proof of death or evidence of foul play, she can't access his bank accounts or his life insurance. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin.
O'Loughlin is concerned by Marnie's reluctance to talk about the past and anxious to uncover what Marnie is withholding that could help with her treatment. The breakthrough in Marnie's therapy and Daniel's disappearance arrives when Marnie shares with O'Loughlin her discovery of the Big Red Book, a collage of pictures, interviews, and anecdotes from Marnie's friends and relatives that Daniel had been compiling as part of a surprise birthday gift.
Daniel's explorations into Marnie's past led him to a shocking revelation on the eve of his disappearance: Anyone who has ever gotten close to Marnie has paid an exacting price. A cold-blooded killer is eliminating the people in Marnie's life, and now that O'Laughlin is a part of it, he is next in line.
Marnie Logan often feels like she's being watched: a warm breath on the back of her neck, or a shadow in the corner of her eye that vanishes when she turns her head.
She has reason to be frightened. Her husband Daniel has inexplicably vanished, and the police have no leads in the case. Without proof of death or evidence of foul play, she can't access his bank accounts or his life insurance. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin.
O'Loughlin is concerned by Marnie's reluctance to talk about the past and anxious to uncover what Marnie is withholding that could help with her treatment. The breakthrough in Marnie's therapy and Daniel's disappearance arrives when Marnie shares with O'Loughlin her discovery of the Big Red Book, a collage of pictures, interviews, and anecdotes from Marnie's friends and relatives that Daniel had been compiling as part of a surprise birthday gift.
Daniel's explorations into Marnie's past led him to a shocking revelation on the eve of his disappearance: Anyone who has ever gotten close to Marnie has paid an exacting price. A cold-blooded killer is eliminating the people in Marnie's life, and now that O'Laughlin is a part of it, he is next in line.
423 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Michael Robotham
53 books6,798 followersTwo-times Gold Dagger winner (2015 and 2020), twice Edgar best novel finalist (2016 and 2020) and winner of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (2021), Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
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September 28, 2023
EXCERPT: I fell in love and I followed her, that's all you need to know. She had hair the colour of bottled honey and wore different ribbons to school every day, even though most girls her age had grown out of wearing ribbons. winter had made her beautifully pale but the cold had rouged her cheeks. She pushed her hair back behind her ears and shifted her satchel between shoulders, right to left.
She didn't see me. She didn't even know I existed. I didn't suck into doorways or press myself against walls. I didn't slow when she slowed or speed up as she turned the corners. I was like a shadow, following in her footsteps. looking at the world through her eyes.
ABOUT 'WATCHING YOU': Marnie Logan often feels like she's being watched. Nothing she can quite put her finger on -- a whisper of breath on the back of her neck, or a shadow in the corner of her eye -- and now her life is frozen. Her husband Daniel has been missing for more than a year. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin.
Joe is concerned by Marnie's reluctance to talk about the past, but then she discovers a book packed with pictures, interviews with friends, former teachers, old flames and workmates Daniel was preparing for Marnie's birthday. It was supposed to be a celebration of her life. But it's not the story anyone was expecting ...
MY THOUGHTS: I've just been mind-fucked! Michael Robotham is exceedingly clever at twisting the reader's perceptions, and he certainly twisted mine so that my thoughts became like a volley in a ping-pong game. I didn't know what, or who, to believe.
Marnie is one hell of a character. Is she the sweet struggling mother of two, desperately searching for her missing husband? Or is she the reason her husband is missing? Marnie has a past, a less than perfect one . . .
Joe O'Laughlin is struggling with Parkinson's, but not ready to give up. He likes Marnie and wishes he could do more to help her but is very aware of the line that can't be crossed between therapist and patient. When it comes to the crunch he is backing Marnie all the way. But, is he right?
Zoe is a fairly street-smart teenager. She loves her mum but resents her for failing to provide her with the basics - tv, laptop, etc. - and for leaving her to babysit her sickly brother Elijah all the time, especially when she goes out at night. Just where does she go anyway? She wishes her dad (her stepdad really, but the only dad she has ever known) would come home, and spends all her free time at the library on their computers doing her homework and searching for her dad. Until the kind man she often sees in the library offers her his old laptop . . .
There is so much going on in this book, but it's not OTT or hard to follow. The characters are realistic and brilliantly portrayed. The plot is fast-paced and compelling, and will keep you guessing right to the end.
Even though this is #7 in a series, it is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE AUTHOR: Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
She didn't see me. She didn't even know I existed. I didn't suck into doorways or press myself against walls. I didn't slow when she slowed or speed up as she turned the corners. I was like a shadow, following in her footsteps. looking at the world through her eyes.
ABOUT 'WATCHING YOU': Marnie Logan often feels like she's being watched. Nothing she can quite put her finger on -- a whisper of breath on the back of her neck, or a shadow in the corner of her eye -- and now her life is frozen. Her husband Daniel has been missing for more than a year. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin.
Joe is concerned by Marnie's reluctance to talk about the past, but then she discovers a book packed with pictures, interviews with friends, former teachers, old flames and workmates Daniel was preparing for Marnie's birthday. It was supposed to be a celebration of her life. But it's not the story anyone was expecting ...
MY THOUGHTS: I've just been mind-fucked! Michael Robotham is exceedingly clever at twisting the reader's perceptions, and he certainly twisted mine so that my thoughts became like a volley in a ping-pong game. I didn't know what, or who, to believe.
Marnie is one hell of a character. Is she the sweet struggling mother of two, desperately searching for her missing husband? Or is she the reason her husband is missing? Marnie has a past, a less than perfect one . . .
Joe O'Laughlin is struggling with Parkinson's, but not ready to give up. He likes Marnie and wishes he could do more to help her but is very aware of the line that can't be crossed between therapist and patient. When it comes to the crunch he is backing Marnie all the way. But, is he right?
Zoe is a fairly street-smart teenager. She loves her mum but resents her for failing to provide her with the basics - tv, laptop, etc. - and for leaving her to babysit her sickly brother Elijah all the time, especially when she goes out at night. Just where does she go anyway? She wishes her dad (her stepdad really, but the only dad she has ever known) would come home, and spends all her free time at the library on their computers doing her homework and searching for her dad. Until the kind man she often sees in the library offers her his old laptop . . .
There is so much going on in this book, but it's not OTT or hard to follow. The characters are realistic and brilliantly portrayed. The plot is fast-paced and compelling, and will keep you guessing right to the end.
Even though this is #7 in a series, it is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE AUTHOR: Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 4, 2018
I’ve always enjoyed psychological thrillers so it's a little strange that I haven't read Michael Robotham before. Of course, my antipathy towards British based novels of any type may account for it. But I've overcome this for Ian Rankin and William Boyd and I can now add another author to this diminutive list.
This is the seventh in a series of books featuring clinical psychologist Joseph O’Loughlin. It’s always a bit tricky picking up a series when a character has been long established but I have to say this aspect was made easy by the pure fact that O’Loughlin is very much a peripheral figure here – the story is all about Marnie Logan and she hold centre stage throughout. Marnie is mid-thirties in age, has two children and is struggling to cope with life. Her husband disappeared over a year ago, leaving her to deal with the outfall from his gambling debts. To coin a phrase, she is skint. To add insult to misery, she has an overly attentive neighbour and is being pressed hard, by a particularly nasty figure, to make good on the inherited debt. She also has a strange feeling that she’s being watched…
O’Loughlin doesn't make an appearance for some time – the connection with Marnie being that he is a neighbour and has been seeing her professionally for some time. We’re also introduced to O’Loughlin’s side-kick, Vincent Ruiz, who is by some distance a more interesting character than the psychologist. Ruiz is a street smart ex-cop in the mode of many such fictional characters.
I listened to this novel on audiobook, read by the excellent Sean Barrett who had an unsettling, spooky voice that totally suited this tale. The characters were all brought to life effectively, and I found the pace of the book to be brilliantly sustained. It helps that there is no secondary plot to pull the reader/listener off track, and it’s told in a linear style that kept me fully focused.
I eventually worked out pretty much how this one was going to play out, but in truth it didn't diminish my enjoyment of this excellent thriller. If I have one niggle about this book it would be that I found O’Loughlin to be a rather anonymous character. His insights were value adding but I learnt precious little about the man, and what I did made him seem pretty bland. Now this could be the result of me being late to the party on this series; maybe if I'd read the the earlier books I'd have a different view. I don't know.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to all lovers of crime fiction. I’ll be seeking out Mr Robotham again.
This is the seventh in a series of books featuring clinical psychologist Joseph O’Loughlin. It’s always a bit tricky picking up a series when a character has been long established but I have to say this aspect was made easy by the pure fact that O’Loughlin is very much a peripheral figure here – the story is all about Marnie Logan and she hold centre stage throughout. Marnie is mid-thirties in age, has two children and is struggling to cope with life. Her husband disappeared over a year ago, leaving her to deal with the outfall from his gambling debts. To coin a phrase, she is skint. To add insult to misery, she has an overly attentive neighbour and is being pressed hard, by a particularly nasty figure, to make good on the inherited debt. She also has a strange feeling that she’s being watched…
O’Loughlin doesn't make an appearance for some time – the connection with Marnie being that he is a neighbour and has been seeing her professionally for some time. We’re also introduced to O’Loughlin’s side-kick, Vincent Ruiz, who is by some distance a more interesting character than the psychologist. Ruiz is a street smart ex-cop in the mode of many such fictional characters.
I listened to this novel on audiobook, read by the excellent Sean Barrett who had an unsettling, spooky voice that totally suited this tale. The characters were all brought to life effectively, and I found the pace of the book to be brilliantly sustained. It helps that there is no secondary plot to pull the reader/listener off track, and it’s told in a linear style that kept me fully focused.
I eventually worked out pretty much how this one was going to play out, but in truth it didn't diminish my enjoyment of this excellent thriller. If I have one niggle about this book it would be that I found O’Loughlin to be a rather anonymous character. His insights were value adding but I learnt precious little about the man, and what I did made him seem pretty bland. Now this could be the result of me being late to the party on this series; maybe if I'd read the the earlier books I'd have a different view. I don't know.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to all lovers of crime fiction. I’ll be seeking out Mr Robotham again.
October 11, 2017
The seventh book in the series and they just get better and better! Watching You is brilliant!
I always enjoy the relationship between Joe and Ruiz and the fact that even though one has a chronic illness and the other is retired, they still work so well as a team. Some of the other characters are remarkable too especially Marnie. I spent most of the book wishing she was not such a hopeless case but when she changed........
The story is smart and fast paced. Each chapter runs into the next one so it is nearly impossible to put down. There are a few amazing twists and just when you think you have solved things you find you really have not. And then there is a breath taking moment right at the end when Gennia has the last word. Loved it!
I think I only have one Joe O'Loughlin book left to read. I hope Mr. Robotham is busy writing more.
I always enjoy the relationship between Joe and Ruiz and the fact that even though one has a chronic illness and the other is retired, they still work so well as a team. Some of the other characters are remarkable too especially Marnie. I spent most of the book wishing she was not such a hopeless case but when she changed........
The story is smart and fast paced. Each chapter runs into the next one so it is nearly impossible to put down. There are a few amazing twists and just when you think you have solved things you find you really have not. And then there is a breath taking moment right at the end when Gennia has the last word. Loved it!
I think I only have one Joe O'Loughlin book left to read. I hope Mr. Robotham is busy writing more.
May 5, 2024
I pulled a Pat* with this one and I’m so glad I did and it’s made me want to read the others it was so good.
Are Marnie Logan’s instincts right that she is being watched? This is the tip of the iceberg of what she’s got going on in her life. She consults clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin.
This is an outstanding book with so many twists and turns I’ve got whiplash. The character of Marnie, oh boy, where do I start? What a fascinating creation from the author. It’s fast paced, chock full of tension making it hard to put down. It’s dramatic but without being overdone. As for the ending, wow. Goes out with a bang!
What a cracker of a book.
Our late and much missed Aussie friend was forever jumping into series half way through! 💔
Are Marnie Logan’s instincts right that she is being watched? This is the tip of the iceberg of what she’s got going on in her life. She consults clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin.
This is an outstanding book with so many twists and turns I’ve got whiplash. The character of Marnie, oh boy, where do I start? What a fascinating creation from the author. It’s fast paced, chock full of tension making it hard to put down. It’s dramatic but without being overdone. As for the ending, wow. Goes out with a bang!
What a cracker of a book.
Our late and much missed Aussie friend was forever jumping into series half way through! 💔
December 2, 2024
5★
“On the journey home, she tries to pretend that everything is normal when she fears nothing will ever be normal again. Her life is crumbling and she’s holding it together like a child protecting a sandcastle from the waves.”
I got really caught up in this one. I was pleased to see that both Professor Joe O’Loughlin and retired Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz have active – very active – roles in this thriller.
“I fell in love and followed her, that’s all you need to know.”
Marnella, Marnie, has a shadow who opens the book with that sentence. Sometimes she senses she’s being watched, but when she looks around, she never sees anyone.
“I am the half-figure at the edge of her photographs and the shadow in the corner of her eye that vanishes each time she turns her head. I am the ghost that dances behind her closed lids and the darkness that blinks when she blinks. I am her nameless champion, her unheralded hero, and the conductor of her symphony. I am the one who watches.”
Marnie grew up with loving parents who fostered a whole slew of kids, but Marnie hated sharing her life with them. Dad worked on oil rigs – two weeks away, two weeks home – so Marnie’s mum had to manage on her own.
Then, a dreadful car crash killed Marnie’s mother who was driving while in labour, crashed into a tree, the baby was born, and both mother and son died. Marnie got out of her car seat somehow and was so troubled that she began having therapy.
The story takes place in the present, but there are flashbacks and entries printed in italics by this shadowy figure. Today, we meet Marnie, her teenaged daughter, Zoe, and 4-year-old boy Elijah, who have been seemingly abandoned by husband and father, Daniel, who owed heavy gambling debts to some dangerous people.
Marnie’s convinced he didn’t just leave. The day he went missing, she had come home and found a mug with instant coffee granules in it, ready for hot water, and flowers still wrapped by the sink where a vase sat half-filled. Daniel was obviously in the middle of something.
Because he’s not been declared dead, which can take seven years, she can’t access any money and is having trouble paying rent and feeding her kids. So she agrees with Daniel’s creditor to become an escort in his 'agency'.
During this time, she’s become a patient of Professor O’Loughlin, a psychologist, who’s been helping her with her abandonment issues. When Joe’s office is burgled, he discovers the only thing missing is Marnie’s file with all of his notes and her history.
So he calls on his old friend, Vincent Ruiz. He tells him the police are useless.
“ ‘And you called me because... ?’
‘The team needs you.’
‘What team?’
‘Pick a team—it needs you.’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘Sure you do—you can say yes any way you like. You can do it in a funny voice if you want to.’
‘Very droll, for that you can buy me dinner, but it can’t be tonight. I’m otherwise engaged.’
‘Tomorrow then.’”
Tomorrow it is, and thus their team of two is back in harness. Vincent still has the presence and manner of a badge-carrying detective, and gets away with attending crime scenes (of which there are plenty) and questioning people before the police arrive and shoulder him aside.
Joe is plagued even more by his worsening Parkinson’s.
“His left arm is jerking and his body begins to gyrate and twist. Joe takes a small pillbox from his pocket and swallows his medication. Then he waits for his brain to acknowledge the drugs. He imagines how forces of good are meeting the enemy in his cerebral cortex, circling like fighting fish, calling a truce. Mr. Parkinson is a patient man. He knows that science moves slower than the disease.”
The police are convinced Marnie is responsible for her husband’s disappearance. Perhaps she’s murdered him. She needs his life insurance money and she’s awfully anxious to have him declared dead after only a year.
On top of that, it seems people who have crossed her in the past have turned up dead in unusual circumstances. How clever and desperate is this woman?
There are short chapters in italics interspersed with the regular narrative, to differentiate between the stalker/shadow’s monologues and the regular storyline. This means we have a bit more information than Vincent and Joe do. A bit. That’s all, just a bit.
This is a suspenseful story that goes down some dark alleys of the mind and shows what can happen to children with trouble childhoods. We know they can grow up to become sociopaths and psychopaths or have any number of disorders, but knowing that doesn’t make them any easier to catch.
That’s where Joe comes in. It’s his job to figure out what makes people tick, how they’re likely to act and react, and where they’re likely to look for either targets or help.
I think you can read any of this series as a standalone, although of course it’s good to see the characters develop. I began with #6, actually, and then went back to the beginning.
Robotham is an Aussie author but lived and worked in the UK for years, and when he started this series, publishers told him he must set his stories in the UK (or US) because nobody was interested in Australian crime. HA!
I love his Cyrus Haven series as well, but I’m sure I heard him say he was going to set a new one in Australia. Can’t wait!
“On the journey home, she tries to pretend that everything is normal when she fears nothing will ever be normal again. Her life is crumbling and she’s holding it together like a child protecting a sandcastle from the waves.”
I got really caught up in this one. I was pleased to see that both Professor Joe O’Loughlin and retired Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz have active – very active – roles in this thriller.
“I fell in love and followed her, that’s all you need to know.”
Marnella, Marnie, has a shadow who opens the book with that sentence. Sometimes she senses she’s being watched, but when she looks around, she never sees anyone.
“I am the half-figure at the edge of her photographs and the shadow in the corner of her eye that vanishes each time she turns her head. I am the ghost that dances behind her closed lids and the darkness that blinks when she blinks. I am her nameless champion, her unheralded hero, and the conductor of her symphony. I am the one who watches.”
Marnie grew up with loving parents who fostered a whole slew of kids, but Marnie hated sharing her life with them. Dad worked on oil rigs – two weeks away, two weeks home – so Marnie’s mum had to manage on her own.
Then, a dreadful car crash killed Marnie’s mother who was driving while in labour, crashed into a tree, the baby was born, and both mother and son died. Marnie got out of her car seat somehow and was so troubled that she began having therapy.
The story takes place in the present, but there are flashbacks and entries printed in italics by this shadowy figure. Today, we meet Marnie, her teenaged daughter, Zoe, and 4-year-old boy Elijah, who have been seemingly abandoned by husband and father, Daniel, who owed heavy gambling debts to some dangerous people.
Marnie’s convinced he didn’t just leave. The day he went missing, she had come home and found a mug with instant coffee granules in it, ready for hot water, and flowers still wrapped by the sink where a vase sat half-filled. Daniel was obviously in the middle of something.
Because he’s not been declared dead, which can take seven years, she can’t access any money and is having trouble paying rent and feeding her kids. So she agrees with Daniel’s creditor to become an escort in his 'agency'.
During this time, she’s become a patient of Professor O’Loughlin, a psychologist, who’s been helping her with her abandonment issues. When Joe’s office is burgled, he discovers the only thing missing is Marnie’s file with all of his notes and her history.
So he calls on his old friend, Vincent Ruiz. He tells him the police are useless.
“ ‘And you called me because... ?’
‘The team needs you.’
‘What team?’
‘Pick a team—it needs you.’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘Sure you do—you can say yes any way you like. You can do it in a funny voice if you want to.’
‘Very droll, for that you can buy me dinner, but it can’t be tonight. I’m otherwise engaged.’
‘Tomorrow then.’”
Tomorrow it is, and thus their team of two is back in harness. Vincent still has the presence and manner of a badge-carrying detective, and gets away with attending crime scenes (of which there are plenty) and questioning people before the police arrive and shoulder him aside.
Joe is plagued even more by his worsening Parkinson’s.
“His left arm is jerking and his body begins to gyrate and twist. Joe takes a small pillbox from his pocket and swallows his medication. Then he waits for his brain to acknowledge the drugs. He imagines how forces of good are meeting the enemy in his cerebral cortex, circling like fighting fish, calling a truce. Mr. Parkinson is a patient man. He knows that science moves slower than the disease.”
The police are convinced Marnie is responsible for her husband’s disappearance. Perhaps she’s murdered him. She needs his life insurance money and she’s awfully anxious to have him declared dead after only a year.
On top of that, it seems people who have crossed her in the past have turned up dead in unusual circumstances. How clever and desperate is this woman?
There are short chapters in italics interspersed with the regular narrative, to differentiate between the stalker/shadow’s monologues and the regular storyline. This means we have a bit more information than Vincent and Joe do. A bit. That’s all, just a bit.
This is a suspenseful story that goes down some dark alleys of the mind and shows what can happen to children with trouble childhoods. We know they can grow up to become sociopaths and psychopaths or have any number of disorders, but knowing that doesn’t make them any easier to catch.
That’s where Joe comes in. It’s his job to figure out what makes people tick, how they’re likely to act and react, and where they’re likely to look for either targets or help.
I think you can read any of this series as a standalone, although of course it’s good to see the characters develop. I began with #6, actually, and then went back to the beginning.
Robotham is an Aussie author but lived and worked in the UK for years, and when he started this series, publishers told him he must set his stories in the UK (or US) because nobody was interested in Australian crime. HA!
I love his Cyrus Haven series as well, but I’m sure I heard him say he was going to set a new one in Australia. Can’t wait!
February 6, 2017
My Goodreads friend, David, read and reviewed this book, which was his first Michael Robotham, and that review was the impetus that made me start the series. Thank you, David!
This book continues the excellence I've seen in the previous books in the series. Robotham introduces a new character, Marnie Logan, and she becomes the main character. Much of the book is about letting the reader come to know her, her family, her thoughts, and her history. She is a patient of psychologist Joe O'Loughlin. When things go sideways, DI Gennia shows up to investigate. Joe and Vincent Ruiz try to help Marnie. I loved the first meeting between Ruiz and Gennia.
There are italicized chapters from an unknown character's point of view, and these give a lot of insight as the book progresses. This character is pretty creepy. Pacing and tension amp up as things are revealed. I kept looking at how many remaining pages were left and thinking what more could possibly happen! I like how Robotham doesn't overtly tell certain things, but gives enough information that allows the reader to realize what's what.
Joe O'Loughlin and Vincent Ruiz are great characters and I love them. I'm a bit sad that there's currently only one more book to go in the series.
This book continues the excellence I've seen in the previous books in the series. Robotham introduces a new character, Marnie Logan, and she becomes the main character. Much of the book is about letting the reader come to know her, her family, her thoughts, and her history. She is a patient of psychologist Joe O'Loughlin. When things go sideways, DI Gennia shows up to investigate. Joe and Vincent Ruiz try to help Marnie. I loved the first meeting between Ruiz and Gennia.
There are italicized chapters from an unknown character's point of view, and these give a lot of insight as the book progresses. This character is pretty creepy. Pacing and tension amp up as things are revealed. I kept looking at how many remaining pages were left and thinking what more could possibly happen! I like how Robotham doesn't overtly tell certain things, but gives enough information that allows the reader to realize what's what.
Joe O'Loughlin and Vincent Ruiz are great characters and I love them. I'm a bit sad that there's currently only one more book to go in the series.
October 5, 2020
Each book in this series just keeps getting better & better! (& more terrifying!) Obviously the reason I love a (good) book series is because you get to know the characters... & while that's definitely true here, i do have to say that each book would be exceptional even without that prior attachment! I don't know how an author could possibly keep coming up with these mind blowing & completely original ideas. I'm actually in awe! Anyway! Even though this book could absolutely be read as a standalone- i really, really encourage anyone looking to please start at the beginning. You're going to want to read more anyway, so you should definitely just read them in order! 😊
May 6, 2015
The first book I've read by Robotham, and it definitely won't be the last. Loved it. The characters were interesting and well rounded, the plot kept me guessing with its excellent psychological mind play, and the writing style zipped along at a nice pace while still building plenty of atmosphere. I only discovered after reading that the book is part of a series, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of the book, which stood very well as a stand alone novel.
August 14, 2018
5/5 Stars.
Number 7 in the Joseph O’Loughlin series
There are Psychological thrillers and then there is “Watching You”.
This would have to be the most intensely addictive book I have come across for quite some time. It’s so addictive it’s like heroin for readers.
Marnie Logan’s husband disappeared 18 months ago and Marnie’s life has, quite literary, gone to hell in a handbag. She has two children to support and she has no money. Her husband’s life insurance for $300,000 can’t be released until there is a death certificate. A death certificate won’t be released for another 18 months. The missing husband owes a lot of money to a loan shark who wants his money back, now. To recover his money he forces Marnie into prostitution. Her 15 year old daughter is being a typical 15 year old, “why is mum so useless”. And to top everything of her little boy has celiac disease. But things are not about to get any better. Anybody who gives Marnie a hard time ends up dead. Not just dead but horribly dead. Marnie is the police’s number one suspect.
Since her husbands disappearance Marnie has been seeing Prof Joe O’Loughlin, who is treating her for depression and anxiety. When Prof Joe finds out just how much trouble Marnie is in he calls his old friend ex Di Ruiz to lend a hand.
This is a very slick read. The tension just mounts and mounts until it’s almost unbearable. The Marnie character is so complex and she was in such a world of pain you longed for things to improve for her but they don’t. Things just go from bad to worse.
The end was so unexpected I found myself screaming “not now, just a few more chapters, please”.
Highly recommended.
Number 7 in the Joseph O’Loughlin series
There are Psychological thrillers and then there is “Watching You”.
This would have to be the most intensely addictive book I have come across for quite some time. It’s so addictive it’s like heroin for readers.
Marnie Logan’s husband disappeared 18 months ago and Marnie’s life has, quite literary, gone to hell in a handbag. She has two children to support and she has no money. Her husband’s life insurance for $300,000 can’t be released until there is a death certificate. A death certificate won’t be released for another 18 months. The missing husband owes a lot of money to a loan shark who wants his money back, now. To recover his money he forces Marnie into prostitution. Her 15 year old daughter is being a typical 15 year old, “why is mum so useless”. And to top everything of her little boy has celiac disease. But things are not about to get any better. Anybody who gives Marnie a hard time ends up dead. Not just dead but horribly dead. Marnie is the police’s number one suspect.
Since her husbands disappearance Marnie has been seeing Prof Joe O’Loughlin, who is treating her for depression and anxiety. When Prof Joe finds out just how much trouble Marnie is in he calls his old friend ex Di Ruiz to lend a hand.
This is a very slick read. The tension just mounts and mounts until it’s almost unbearable. The Marnie character is so complex and she was in such a world of pain you longed for things to improve for her but they don’t. Things just go from bad to worse.
The end was so unexpected I found myself screaming “not now, just a few more chapters, please”.
Highly recommended.
March 8, 2023
This author has got to that stage where he is on his game. The 7th of 9 in the Joe O’Loughlin series just gets better and better like my wine cellar including a 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Premier Cru Classe, Pauillac……….😂😂😂😂. I wish. 🍷
The plot is punchy and humorous at times despite the subject matter, always dark and psychologically screwed up to beyond belief.
Despite the fictitious nature of this genre, the author is very clever in putting human emotion into the thought process to pull back the heart strings like an harp at the Royal Albert Hall.
A real father holds you when you have nightmares and kisses your scraped knees. He carries you on your shoulders when you are tired and pulls out thorns and drinks cups of pretend tea at pretend tea parties, surrounded by dolls and teddy bears. A real father reads bedtime stories and takes you swimming and to ballet and to drama classes. He waits up for you when you go on your first date. He wipes away your tears when your jilted. He walks you up the aisle when you get married and cries when he holds his Grandchild for the first time. A real father loves you unconditionally, not because your eyes are the same colour as his, or you share the same DNA. He loves you because he’s the one who’s always been there’.
That’s not poetry, that’s Michael Robotham biography.
Enjoy GR friends….📚💕
The plot is punchy and humorous at times despite the subject matter, always dark and psychologically screwed up to beyond belief.
Despite the fictitious nature of this genre, the author is very clever in putting human emotion into the thought process to pull back the heart strings like an harp at the Royal Albert Hall.
A real father holds you when you have nightmares and kisses your scraped knees. He carries you on your shoulders when you are tired and pulls out thorns and drinks cups of pretend tea at pretend tea parties, surrounded by dolls and teddy bears. A real father reads bedtime stories and takes you swimming and to ballet and to drama classes. He waits up for you when you go on your first date. He wipes away your tears when your jilted. He walks you up the aisle when you get married and cries when he holds his Grandchild for the first time. A real father loves you unconditionally, not because your eyes are the same colour as his, or you share the same DNA. He loves you because he’s the one who’s always been there’.
That’s not poetry, that’s Michael Robotham biography.
Enjoy GR friends….📚💕
December 14, 2014
I like mysteries but I rarely read those that are within a series. And yet, paradoxically…I’m a huge fan of the Australian crime writer, Michael Robotham and his Luis/O'Loughlin series. They are excellent psychological thrillers and I’ve enjoyed them all so far. This one is #7 in the sequence, which didn’t really matter because it was strong enough to stand on its own without having any knowledge of the previous books in the series.
I listened to an audio of this novel. The narrator’s voice has a quiet, soothing quality; and, in my view a perfect fit for psychologist (and retired profiler) Joe O’Loughlin, the main character in these stories. I’m most intrigued with this type of mystery because the author incorporates profiling into each of his novels…a fascinating subject even without the crime.
Joe and his partner, ex-police detective, Vincent Ruiz become involved in a police investigation surrounding one of Joe’s clients, Marnie Logan. Her husband is missing, leaving her in limbo with his gambling debts and their nasty collectors. The story centers on this woman’s connection to obsessive stalking, family secrets and the effects of dissociative identity disorders. The subsequent investigation by O'Loughlin and Ruiz is suspenseful with many twists along the way. It was a perfect holiday vacation audio!
I listened to an audio of this novel. The narrator’s voice has a quiet, soothing quality; and, in my view a perfect fit for psychologist (and retired profiler) Joe O’Loughlin, the main character in these stories. I’m most intrigued with this type of mystery because the author incorporates profiling into each of his novels…a fascinating subject even without the crime.
Joe and his partner, ex-police detective, Vincent Ruiz become involved in a police investigation surrounding one of Joe’s clients, Marnie Logan. Her husband is missing, leaving her in limbo with his gambling debts and their nasty collectors. The story centers on this woman’s connection to obsessive stalking, family secrets and the effects of dissociative identity disorders. The subsequent investigation by O'Loughlin and Ruiz is suspenseful with many twists along the way. It was a perfect holiday vacation audio!
September 29, 2015
Michael Robotham has done it again watching you was a real page turning Psychological thriller that kept me glued to each page finished the second half yesterday & could not put this down till it was finished having said that i really loved this story the characters were believable & well written the plot was well put together a lot of twists & turns one i never saw coming.
Marnie Logan life fell apart after her husband Daniel went missing 12 months earlier she was at a low point in her life so saw her psychiatrist Joseph O'loughlan he realised something was terribly wrong but did not get it out of her turning to Prostitution as Daniel had owed a lot of money to a Patrick Hennessey He set his henchman Niall Quinn onto her he bashed her left her bruised but she continues searching for Daniel anyway Quinn & Hennessey turn up dead & in comes DI Gennia & detective Ruiz to look into Marnie's past what they uncover through another Psychiatrist is that Marnie has a split personality then to top things off she & her son Elijah are kidnapped what happens after that i wont tell but the ending is very exciting highly recommended for Psychological fans
Marnie Logan life fell apart after her husband Daniel went missing 12 months earlier she was at a low point in her life so saw her psychiatrist Joseph O'loughlan he realised something was terribly wrong but did not get it out of her turning to Prostitution as Daniel had owed a lot of money to a Patrick Hennessey He set his henchman Niall Quinn onto her he bashed her left her bruised but she continues searching for Daniel anyway Quinn & Hennessey turn up dead & in comes DI Gennia & detective Ruiz to look into Marnie's past what they uncover through another Psychiatrist is that Marnie has a split personality then to top things off she & her son Elijah are kidnapped what happens after that i wont tell but the ending is very exciting highly recommended for Psychological fans
July 4, 2020
Another great book by Michael Robatham. He is definitely my favorite crime thriller author. In this book, Marnie takes center stage. Her husband, Daniel, has been missing for over a year and she's trying to make ends meet with 2 children, a low paying job and no access to Daniel's bank account.
Joe O'Loughlin, a psychologist takes a bit of a back seat to Marnie, as does his pal, retired detective Ruiz, but they are prominent enough to please me, as I am big fans of them both.
As usual, the book has some unexpected twists, and the words seem to run off the page, I can never read it quick enough.
4.5 stars
Joe O'Loughlin, a psychologist takes a bit of a back seat to Marnie, as does his pal, retired detective Ruiz, but they are prominent enough to please me, as I am big fans of them both.
As usual, the book has some unexpected twists, and the words seem to run off the page, I can never read it quick enough.
4.5 stars
July 20, 2018
This is the seventh addition to the Victor Ruiz (retired cop)/Joe O’Loughlin (psychologist) series, who find themselves solving crimes that law enforcement doesn’t have time for – or as in the later books of the series – the cops being simply too dense or unimaginative to perceive a crime has been committed, let alone solve it. The guest star in this episode – Marnie – is one of Joe’s patients and whom life is treating pretty much the way a baby treats a diaper. To make sure the reader “gets that” the first 70 pages of the book are pretty much one sad tale after another in Marnie’s life.
In a nutshell Marnie’s husband has disappeared leaving her with two children, no money and at least in this author’s hands – powerless to do anything except make a few really poor decisions. These “choices” embroiling her in a murder investigation, which “drags” Victor and Joe in to save the day.
There is a somewhat interesting plot twist which unfortunately is nowhere near enough to mask the fact there isn’t much of storyline here populated with one dimensional characters – all compounded in that this is a 400+ page and mind numbingly repetitious. The conclusion takes almost 75 pages – and could have been done in less than 10.
Watching You is anything but a taut psychological thriller - Pass on this one
In a nutshell Marnie’s husband has disappeared leaving her with two children, no money and at least in this author’s hands – powerless to do anything except make a few really poor decisions. These “choices” embroiling her in a murder investigation, which “drags” Victor and Joe in to save the day.
There is a somewhat interesting plot twist which unfortunately is nowhere near enough to mask the fact there isn’t much of storyline here populated with one dimensional characters – all compounded in that this is a 400+ page and mind numbingly repetitious. The conclusion takes almost 75 pages – and could have been done in less than 10.
Watching You is anything but a taut psychological thriller - Pass on this one
August 8, 2013
I was so thrilled when Michael Robotham’s latest book, Watching You, the seventh in the Joseph O’Loughlin series downloaded on my Kindle. The only thing that disappointed me about this fast-paced, edge of your seat, nail-biting and every other cliché I can conjure instalment, was that I finished it in one sitting. I simply could not put it down. Damn. Damn. Damn.
The novel begins with Marnie Logan, a young, married woman with two children whose husband, Daniel, disappeared without a trace over a year ago. Grieving for her husband, Marnie (who has her own demons past and present to deal with) tries to cope. Depressed, she’s been seeing her neighbour, Joe O’Loughlin on a professional basis for quite some time. What she hasn’t revealed to him is that throughout most of her life she’s had the uncomfortable sensation of being watched – it’s nothing tangible, just a flash in the corner of her eye, a light touch, like cobwebs, upon her shoulders; the uneasy sensation that nothing you do is private.
It’s not until she finds an incomplete birthday present that Daniel was working on for her birthday, a scrapbook of memories, DVD of interviews and images of people from her past, that things begin to go awry. Far from being the celebration Daniel intended, there are people he interviews who are either terrified of Marine and what she did to them, or curse her to an early grave. When Marnie, confused and upset, turns to Joe to explain what’s going on, he turns to his buddy, Vincent Ruiz for help.
Just in time, it seems, for Marnie is going to need some friends, particularly when a shady character she’s involved with turns up dead and the last number he called and the last person he’s known to have seen, was her.
Denying all knowledge and proclaiming her innocence, everyone can see she is lying, but what is Marnie hiding? When her history starts to unfold, not even Joe is prepared for what he discovers…
Yet again, Robotham has written a tautly paced, beautifully written novel that is full of surprises, even when you think you’ve predicted the outcome. The characters are expertly drawn and so believable. You invest in each and every one – whether it’s a cynical cop, a concerned psychiatrist, Marnie or her terrific kids. And, of course, there is always Joe and Vincent – their dialogue snaps, their observations (about crime scenes, individuals, the world) crackle. Humour laces the novel despite its heavy themes as does the importance of family and trust. But this novel is also about the ways in which we watch each other and what can be drawn from observation alone. It’s not enough – it’s never enough, and though scopophilia (the (erotic) love of looking) reveals a great deal (usually about the voyeur), it can only ever offer facades, a partial picture of who a person is – not that this prevents decisions, reckless, dangerous ones, being made on that basis. The book is also about the dangers posed by judging a person too quickly on their appearance or on unreliable information, on the basis of what is seen alone. Like an ice-berg, the novel demonstrates that it’s the seven-eights we don’t see that carry the burden, the weight, that offer context and explanations.
All very well and good if there is time, but for Marnie, Joe, Vincent and everyone else, time is about to run out….
Another gripping, fantastic novel from one of the greats in the psychological thrillers/crime genre.
Damn… now I have to wait for his next one…
Five out of five plus!
The novel begins with Marnie Logan, a young, married woman with two children whose husband, Daniel, disappeared without a trace over a year ago. Grieving for her husband, Marnie (who has her own demons past and present to deal with) tries to cope. Depressed, she’s been seeing her neighbour, Joe O’Loughlin on a professional basis for quite some time. What she hasn’t revealed to him is that throughout most of her life she’s had the uncomfortable sensation of being watched – it’s nothing tangible, just a flash in the corner of her eye, a light touch, like cobwebs, upon her shoulders; the uneasy sensation that nothing you do is private.
It’s not until she finds an incomplete birthday present that Daniel was working on for her birthday, a scrapbook of memories, DVD of interviews and images of people from her past, that things begin to go awry. Far from being the celebration Daniel intended, there are people he interviews who are either terrified of Marine and what she did to them, or curse her to an early grave. When Marnie, confused and upset, turns to Joe to explain what’s going on, he turns to his buddy, Vincent Ruiz for help.
Just in time, it seems, for Marnie is going to need some friends, particularly when a shady character she’s involved with turns up dead and the last number he called and the last person he’s known to have seen, was her.
Denying all knowledge and proclaiming her innocence, everyone can see she is lying, but what is Marnie hiding? When her history starts to unfold, not even Joe is prepared for what he discovers…
Yet again, Robotham has written a tautly paced, beautifully written novel that is full of surprises, even when you think you’ve predicted the outcome. The characters are expertly drawn and so believable. You invest in each and every one – whether it’s a cynical cop, a concerned psychiatrist, Marnie or her terrific kids. And, of course, there is always Joe and Vincent – their dialogue snaps, their observations (about crime scenes, individuals, the world) crackle. Humour laces the novel despite its heavy themes as does the importance of family and trust. But this novel is also about the ways in which we watch each other and what can be drawn from observation alone. It’s not enough – it’s never enough, and though scopophilia (the (erotic) love of looking) reveals a great deal (usually about the voyeur), it can only ever offer facades, a partial picture of who a person is – not that this prevents decisions, reckless, dangerous ones, being made on that basis. The book is also about the dangers posed by judging a person too quickly on their appearance or on unreliable information, on the basis of what is seen alone. Like an ice-berg, the novel demonstrates that it’s the seven-eights we don’t see that carry the burden, the weight, that offer context and explanations.
All very well and good if there is time, but for Marnie, Joe, Vincent and everyone else, time is about to run out….
Another gripping, fantastic novel from one of the greats in the psychological thrillers/crime genre.
Damn… now I have to wait for his next one…
Five out of five plus!
November 14, 2016
Another fantastic Joe O'Loughlin book in a long line of brilliant thrillers from Michael Robotham. In fact. I have run out of superlatives to describe just how good this author, and this series is. In the words of Molly Meldrum, "Do yourself a favour", and get hold of a Michael Robotham book any way you can, and you will soon find out for yourself just how good at writing psychological thrillers this man is.
5+ stars
5+ stars
April 21, 2014
This series is a marvel, each book better than the last. Joe O'Laughlin is a psychiatrist who also suffers from early onset Parkinson disease, his medication helps stabilize his symptoms, but this makes him a very real character. IN this case he is treating Marnie, whose husband has recently gone missing after owing some money to a very bad man.
He becomes, with ex-cop Ruiz, is Marnier's case and the reader is treated to some high tension suspense. So many revelations, twists and turns, that at times I was holding my breath. Even at the end when I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong. Another major twist and another revelation once again gave the case a new look.
In the after word the author says that after finishing a book he is always afraid that the words and idea will not keep coming. Yet, somehow they do which is a very lucky thing for the fans of this series.
He becomes, with ex-cop Ruiz, is Marnier's case and the reader is treated to some high tension suspense. So many revelations, twists and turns, that at times I was holding my breath. Even at the end when I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong. Another major twist and another revelation once again gave the case a new look.
In the after word the author says that after finishing a book he is always afraid that the words and idea will not keep coming. Yet, somehow they do which is a very lucky thing for the fans of this series.
November 25, 2020
4,5 stars
The best sequel after the book#1 for me: an intense thriller that explores the depth of the human psyche and deals with a rare disorder.
- The case is VERY unusual, kept me guessing up to the end.
- Joe's ex was almost not present. Thanks God.
- Sean Barrett is an excellent narrator! His four-year-old Elijah was so sweet!🥰I wanted to hug him and never let go.
All in all, a very convincing thriller and nicely done audio book. My only tiny complaint was a bit too much time (for my taste) I had to spend in the head of ah..in one special head.
May 20, 2017
Another masterful piece of storytelling by Mr Robotham!!
This author is slowly becoming a favourite of mine! You begin each of his books innocently enough,gaining access to the myriad characters,their backgrounds and secrets and before long you find yourself meandering along a path where nothing is as it seems,polluted as it is by red herrings, invariable twists and turns!!
Peppered with more than enough angst,you experience the unique tingle along your spine as you try,without much success,it must be added,to unravel the 'who,why and how' of each specific set of circumstances you are presented with!!
In this story,we are presented with Marnie, mother of two,whose husband has been missing for a year. Financially strained,she is coerced into earning money in a particular fashion,at the hands of a particularly nasty man,only for Fate to play its own hand in the sudden demise of said individual.
Will 'Fate' be unmasked as a real or fictional character and why do the cards always seem to fall in Marnie's favour??
This was a wonderful tale,a rollercoaster of a ride that left me intrigued,puzzled, scared, questioning and curious as to how it would be happily resolved!! Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and those seeking to lose themselves in a great story!
This author is slowly becoming a favourite of mine! You begin each of his books innocently enough,gaining access to the myriad characters,their backgrounds and secrets and before long you find yourself meandering along a path where nothing is as it seems,polluted as it is by red herrings, invariable twists and turns!!
Peppered with more than enough angst,you experience the unique tingle along your spine as you try,without much success,it must be added,to unravel the 'who,why and how' of each specific set of circumstances you are presented with!!
In this story,we are presented with Marnie, mother of two,whose husband has been missing for a year. Financially strained,she is coerced into earning money in a particular fashion,at the hands of a particularly nasty man,only for Fate to play its own hand in the sudden demise of said individual.
Will 'Fate' be unmasked as a real or fictional character and why do the cards always seem to fall in Marnie's favour??
This was a wonderful tale,a rollercoaster of a ride that left me intrigued,puzzled, scared, questioning and curious as to how it would be happily resolved!! Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and those seeking to lose themselves in a great story!
January 8, 2020
Another fantastic read in the Joseph O'Loughlin series! I seem to be getting closer and closer to the end of this series and I can only hope that this author reconsiders and keep on going! This is one of my all time favorite series - If you like police procedures, FBI, psychiatrist type mystery thrillers, you will enjoy reading this - my suggestion is to start with the first one and just enjoy the ride!!!
September 13, 2015
I'm such a fan of this author and I enjoy this particular series. So, I was surprised that this was not my favorite book. The second half was better than the first half. I wanted to walk away from it in the beginning. I just didn't like any of the characters and Joe had such a minor role as the author set up the crime. So the last half had Joe then trying to solve the crime. I love the layers to his stories, but this one felt overwritten and too long.
October 6, 2019
I really do like the combination of Robotham and Joe plus Ruiz - arguably one of my current favourites. For me the start of this book was rather ordinary - though an "ordinary" Robotham is far better than other ordinary books! It was good but... Around halfway through it really came alive for me and I finished it that afternoon!
Good characters, good writing, good author, good series. I have the next one and will get to it when I can.
Good characters, good writing, good author, good series. I have the next one and will get to it when I can.
November 30, 2015
Audio Book - 3.5 Stars
November 11, 2013
Daniel had been missing for just over a year, and along with her daughter Zoe and son Elijah, Marnie Logan missed him dreadfully. But with every passing day she realized there was less chance of finding him alive; the police had been unable to come up with anything and he hadn’t accessed any of his normal day to day necessities. Feeling terribly depressed with the increasing struggle to find the money to live and raise her children, Marnie had resorted to seeing clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin.
But she felt increasingly that she was being watched – a strange sensation would tease the back of her neck but there was no-one that she could see. Working a job which she didn’t want, and finding no other way to access money to pay off debts Daniel had left, she found herself in deep trouble from her minders – her problems were accelerating at a rapid pace. Suddenly, bodies began to turn up wherever Marnie had been – what was happening?
When Marnie was going through Daniel’s personal belongings at his old place of business, she came across a beautiful book, a book which had photos of her as a young child, a teenager; there was a video which shocked her to the core. Daniel was so close she could have touched him – but suddenly her life took a frightening turn. Marnie was desperate for answers, so with the help of Joe and his ex-policeman friend Ruiz, they waded their way through Marnie’s past; their findings were confusing to say the least. Was Marnie who she made herself out to be? Where was Daniel? And what would happen to Zoe and Elijah?
What a brilliant psychological thriller from an absolute master of his game! I loved this book and had trouble putting it down. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages, the plot was complex and the characters had a life of their own. This book is one I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
But she felt increasingly that she was being watched – a strange sensation would tease the back of her neck but there was no-one that she could see. Working a job which she didn’t want, and finding no other way to access money to pay off debts Daniel had left, she found herself in deep trouble from her minders – her problems were accelerating at a rapid pace. Suddenly, bodies began to turn up wherever Marnie had been – what was happening?
When Marnie was going through Daniel’s personal belongings at his old place of business, she came across a beautiful book, a book which had photos of her as a young child, a teenager; there was a video which shocked her to the core. Daniel was so close she could have touched him – but suddenly her life took a frightening turn. Marnie was desperate for answers, so with the help of Joe and his ex-policeman friend Ruiz, they waded their way through Marnie’s past; their findings were confusing to say the least. Was Marnie who she made herself out to be? Where was Daniel? And what would happen to Zoe and Elijah?
What a brilliant psychological thriller from an absolute master of his game! I loved this book and had trouble putting it down. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages, the plot was complex and the characters had a life of their own. This book is one I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
December 30, 2016
4.5 stars
OK, so I am reading this series a little out of order. This being No. 7 - and I haven't read anything earlier yet. They are perfectly fine as a standalone book ... the series follows Joe O'Loughlin, a clinical psychologist who is often asked to help the police in various situations. Although, if I had realised earlier, I certainly would have tried to read them in order - purely to follow Joe's story.
This book was slightly different in that the main character is Marnie, who is a patient of Joe's. Her husband Daniel has been missing for a year and Marnie often feels like she is being watched. Struggling to make ends meet, she wants Daniel found or declared dead so she can move on with her life. But, people around her keep getting hurt, or worse, and soon, the blame starts to fall upon her.
A gripping thriller, I could hardly put it down. Just when I thought I had it worked out, I was confused again. A fabulous read!
OK, so I am reading this series a little out of order. This being No. 7 - and I haven't read anything earlier yet. They are perfectly fine as a standalone book ... the series follows Joe O'Loughlin, a clinical psychologist who is often asked to help the police in various situations. Although, if I had realised earlier, I certainly would have tried to read them in order - purely to follow Joe's story.
This book was slightly different in that the main character is Marnie, who is a patient of Joe's. Her husband Daniel has been missing for a year and Marnie often feels like she is being watched. Struggling to make ends meet, she wants Daniel found or declared dead so she can move on with her life. But, people around her keep getting hurt, or worse, and soon, the blame starts to fall upon her.
A gripping thriller, I could hardly put it down. Just when I thought I had it worked out, I was confused again. A fabulous read!
January 10, 2016
A great thriller: fair literarly style, clever plot, good rhythm but unnecessary extensive, especially because the last twist is the less well done.
Surprised but not totally convinced. I would let drop last 100 pages.
Surprised but not totally convinced. I would let drop last 100 pages.
April 30, 2013
This was my first Robotham – and wow, consider me a fan! I finished it late at night, the second day after I picked it up, and I was emotionally exhausted and in complete awe of his writing. Just brilliant! Until it hit me that I was home alone... and that I was genuinely creeped out! I already knew the premise which I was worried would ruin things for me, but it was still full of suspense, with twists that had me gasping in disbelief, questioning everyone’s motives.
There’s a reason Robotham is so popular – because he’s really just. that. good.
** disclosure: I work for the publisher & had early access to this title **
There’s a reason Robotham is so popular – because he’s really just. that. good.
** disclosure: I work for the publisher & had early access to this title **
May 10, 2018
My favorite psychiatrist/sleuth/Parkinson's patient.
Joe has been seeing a female patient for awhile: beautiful, mother of 2 and an escort. Her husband has mysteriously disappeared over a year earlier, with a huge gambling debt hanging over his head. To pay off the debt, she is forced to accompany lonely men.
This winds up as a nice mystery, as bodies begin to pile up around our lady patient. I enjoy the interaction with our doctor and Ruiz, his long time friend, a former police inspector. Joe has a great intuitive eye, able to read people by just watching and listening, reminding me of Will Graham in Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon".
Joe has been seeing a female patient for awhile: beautiful, mother of 2 and an escort. Her husband has mysteriously disappeared over a year earlier, with a huge gambling debt hanging over his head. To pay off the debt, she is forced to accompany lonely men.
This winds up as a nice mystery, as bodies begin to pile up around our lady patient. I enjoy the interaction with our doctor and Ruiz, his long time friend, a former police inspector. Joe has a great intuitive eye, able to read people by just watching and listening, reminding me of Will Graham in Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon".
May 28, 2013
I've been a long-time fan of Michael's work but 'Watching You' is something special. Just when I thought I was starting to understand what was going on, I'd turn a page and everything would change. It's said that the end of a crime/suspense thriller should have the reader looking back over the story and seeing it all in a whole new light, and that's exactly what I did. Michael's a true master of the genre, and this is the best book I've read in a long time.
March 21, 2023
So I read this out of order because I had bought it at a library book sale. This is #7 of the Joe O'Loughlin series. This follows a psychologist who is suffering with Parkinson's. He teams up with a detective Victor Ruiz. I absolutely love his writing and when I finished Suspect, the first in this series, I ordered 8 more of his books. I highly recommend this author. If you have not read his work, you are definitely missing out!
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