THE FATHER — Then, there’s Henry Ballard who is the father of Anna. Henry was a farmer and his own life was falling apart with the pile of bills he had to take care of and his marriage that was on the brink of separation. The story gives us a sense of the secrets Henry had been keeping relating to the disappearance of Anna. I love a good unreliable narrator story, and the changing POV of this one made sure I never knew who to suspect. There were many twists and hints to the culprit along the way, which I missed while reading. The ending was satisfying and all questions were answered! This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted. I found myself fascinated by the witness and how she was treated by the community. So many of us would have done the same, not taken the extra step to get involved, especially given she didn’t know the girls or even their last names. In fact, when we read so often of people directly witnessing crimes and not stepping in, her actions seem almost minor and definitely understandable.

Next, I didn’t really find this book to be all that grasping or mysterious. By the end, I was a little confused and the last chapter just tried to bring everything together. The writing definitely wasn’t my favorite thing, but it did have it’s moments. The next day, the news of Anna Ballard, one of the girls on the train, missing was on the TV broadcast. Ella heard the news and guilt crept into her instantly like never before. She should’ve done something that night. What would have happened if she didn’t stay still? Acquaintance · The Survivalist Path - Unprotected but Dangerous · The Survivalist Path - Thrifty · The Survivalist Path - Zhivchik · The Survivalist Path - Wounded Beast · The Survivalist Path - Tough Guy · The Survivalist Path - Cold Blooded · The Survivalist Path - Junkie · The Survivalist Path - Eagle-Owl · The Survivalist Path - Combat Medic · The Huntsman Path - Secured Perimeter · The Huntsman Path - Trophy · The Huntsman Path - Forest Cleaning · The Huntsman Path - Controller · The Huntsman Path - Sellout · The Huntsman Path - Woods Keeper · The Huntsman Path - Justice · The Huntsman Path - Evil Watchman · The Huntsman Path - Eraser - Part 1 · The Huntsman Path - Eraser - Part 2 · The Huntsman Path - Sadist · Ambulance · Shady Business · Nostalgia · Fishing Place · Courtesy Visit · Hunting Trip · Reserve · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 1 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 2 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 3 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 4 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 5 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 6 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 7 · The Tarkov Shooter - Part 8 · Pest Control · Swift One · The Huntsman Path - Relentless · The Huntsman Path - Factory Chief · Hunter · The Hermit · The Huntsman Path - Outcasts · Stray Dogs · The Delicious Sausage · Cease Fire! · Broadcast - Part 3 · Broadcast - Part 4 · The Huntsman Path - Administrator · Slaughterhouse · The Huntsman Path - Big Game · Broadcast - Part 5In this book, almost everything happens “off-screen” so to speak, so—if you want the action this may not be the book for you.

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Honestly the whole book reads as repetitive as anything. Ella's sections are just her defending why she didn't get involved (she brings up Sarah having sex in the bathroom and her own son watching porn and reading magazines with a disapproving air) and then realizing she needs to get some help when she starts receiving mysterious postcards in the mail blaming her for Anna's disappearance. Matthew, is dealing with the fact he's about to become a new father and is still adjusting to his life after leaving the police force. Henry keeps going over the last thing Anna said to him. And Sarah is hiding a lot more than you would think about her home life. So, did I at least get a good payoff for my investment? NO!!!! When we finally find out what happened it was so ridiculous! It felt like it came out of no where, there was no build or set up to even think that would be the outcome. 😤😤😤 This sin meant it took me a while to get into the groove, reading Shrines of Gaiety. Who are all these characters? Where are we going? Who is the guy they are getting to do the voice over on these trailers? Without his mismatched voice, this movie would have a decent trailer. But, unfortunately, he ruins it! He should be announcing cooking shows, NOT thrillers!

On the one hand, it's good to see an accurate portrayal of female sexuality, and everything Nora says about how we've modified female sexuality to be in line with men's wants and needs, is true. However, this movie is a good example, of women's preconceptions of what men's sexuality is supposed to be. Women tend to believe all men would be happy with a purely sexual relationship, and feelings wouldn't be involved. That's not true for men or women, who have a normal love map. If you spend lots of intimate time with another person, of either gender, you're likely to have some feelings, even if it's not love. No one should use anyone just for sex, it's wrong on a million levels, mostly to yourself. One year passed and Anna was still missing. The mystery of her disappearance is up until then uncovered and everyone from Anna’s circle hid secrets. It could not get any worse as Ella started to receive threatening letters. I was really intrigued after reading the description for "I Am Watching You". If I was on a train or other public transportation and I saw young women getting ready to head off with men just released from prison...would I intervene? First of all, I would probably have earphones in and wouldn't hear their conversation. But if I did hear it? I'm honestly not sure what I would do. Other times I have to help them out a bit. Stir it up. Until I can see the look that I have come to understand and is probably the thing I like the very best.

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Now another thing with this one that seemed to make it a bit tougher to connect to the story for me was the way the book changes the point of view between several different characters. The chapters are titled with things such as The Witness (Ella), The Father, The Friend and eventually The Private Investigator along with a couple of other POVs later in the book so as it's switching I was struggling to match who was who and the characters were just not popping out to me and taking a life of their own. Perhaps it was the style or perhaps I just didn't feel there was enough depth to them to really connect but it gave the story another bit of slowness to it. It’s not a fast paced book by any stretch. It’s more of a steady Eddie. I really wanted to see what had happened to Anna, but I wasn’t enthralled by this one at all. And I was dissatisfied by the ending, which seemed a bit of a rush job after all the lead up getting us there. Ella was a mother and a florist. Upon the disappearance of Anna, Ella was reprimanded for not doing anything regarding what happened that night on the train. The kettle screaming angry clouds onto the mirror while I am planning the calls in my head all at once. I Am Watching You is a novel that makes me ponder how far we should mind our own business. Perhaps, silence is not always golden.