Because I'm Watching by Christina Dodd

Author: Christina Dodd
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date of publication: September 2016

Veteran Jacob Denisov lives alone in his small, darkened home, sleepless, starving, blaming himself for the horrors of the past and waiting for the moment when he gathers enough courage to kill himself. When neighbor Madeline Hewitson drives her car through the front wall of his house, she breaks his house—and Jacob's life—wide open. She isn't called "Mad Maddie" for nothing. The survivor of a college dorm massacre, a woman accused of her lover's murder, she is haunted by ghosts and tormented by a killer only she can see. Dealing with construction and forced to see the world outside his home, Jacob watches Maddie, recognizes a kindred spirit and wonders—is this truly madness, or has someone caught her in a twisted labyrinth of revenge and compassion, guilt and redemption, murder and madness?

Because I'm Watching is the third book in the Virtue Falls series.   For the most part, I thought this was a good addition to the series. I didn't like it was much as the second book, but it was still entertaining. What I really like about this series is that so far each book can be read as a stand alone.  There are some characters that the books have in common, but you really don't have to read the others to know what is happening.

I found this story to be almost comical at times.  The events and the neighborhood residents' reactions to them have an air of humor around them. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a comedy.  There is a real threat in the neighborhood and  a question of whether or not Maddie is crazy. I just felt like it was less serious than the first two, especially  toward the beginning.. Which brings me to Maddie and Jacob.  Both of them have been through horrible trials in their lives.  Just hearing what Jacob alone endured as a POW was horrific.  So, them finding each other and helping each other made sense.  

  It's clear from the start that someone is messing with Maddie.  It kind of annoyed me that it took the others around her, especially Jacob, to figure it out.  I figured it out very early on and anyone paying attention would be able to see it.  I was only wrong about who was doing it because that really came out of nowhere. 

  The stronger part of the whole story was Sheriff Kateri's story arc and her run for permanent position as sheriff of Virtue Falls..  We get to learn a bit more about her in this one.  I really want  to see that woman find her HEA.  Since the book kind of ends in a cliff hanger, maybe the next book will have her finding some peace and happiness.