Someone is Always Watching

Armstrong, Kelley. Someone is Always Watching. 2023. 368p. ISBN 9780735270923.

Blythe has always had a very close group of friends in Gabrielle and siblings Tucker and Tanya. Their lives are suddenly disrupted by an act of violence when Blythe discovers Gabrielle covered in blood in the principal's office, standing next to his lifeless body. Gabrielle does not remember what happened, and the evidence suggests she was not the killer. 

 The group's facade of friendship suddenly buckles under the weight of this aggression, and disturbing nightmares begin to plague Blythe's nights. Tucker has always had violent tendencies, and he had plenty of reasons to hate the principal. Tanya has dark secrets she might have wanted to protect. Gabrielle could be faking her amnesia. And Blythe herself is uncharacteristically experiencing fits of rage. 

As this trauma seeps through everything, the erosion of trust undermines what remains of their friendship. But Blythe is determined to resolve what happened to them. Investigating this violent mystery, Blythe finds clues suggesting a long-forgotten secret hiding the truth about all of their pasts. 

Fans of murder mystery books may enjoy Someone is Always Watching, but the promise of a thrilling novel unravels partly through the book as the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and is solved with a large section of the book still remaining. The pacing is uneven, and the characters don't feel fully developed. Though the premise behind the mystery shows potential, the execution falls short, leaving readers with a sense of disappointment and frustration.