We Will Be Watching (by Ruth Ware)
I deleted my Instagram account a few years ago, and the only real downside was losing touch with the authors I followed. I loved seeing their upcoming books, event announcements, and the occasional glimpse into their lives. My husband and I often wish more authors and local businesses would invest in their own websites or newsletters instead of relying so heavily on social media—because not everyone is on those platforms.
So I’ve adjusted my approach. When I discover an author I truly enjoy, I check for a website and sign up for their newsletter if they have one. Thankfully, many do, and the emails usually bring exactly what I want: book news and event updates. It’s been a much better experience.
Recently I signed up for Ruth Ware’s newsletter and received an unexpected bonus: a free digital copy of an unpublished short story called We Will Be Watching. The story follows four colleagues who enter a London escape room called the “Masked Ball” as a team-building exercise. They put on masks and move through three increasingly unsettling rooms. What starts as a game quickly turns darker—the setting becomes genuinely menacing, and the clues begin exposing personal secrets from their real lives. Paranoia takes hold as they wonder who’s really running the game and whether they’re in actual danger.
I loved it. Short stories are hit-or-miss for me, but I keep reading them in hopes of finding the hits. Ware delivered one here. The locked-room atmosphere is properly spooky, the suspense builds as you wonder whether they’ll escape, and the ending is excellent—exactly what I expect from her.
If you’d like to read We Will Be Watching, just sign up for Ruth Ware’s newsletter here and it’s yours.
(Side note: Substack is also becoming a great place to follow authors directly.)
Feel free to explore my reviews of Ruth Ware's other books, linked below.
Since flowers don't grow in the dark, twisty depths of an escape room, I thought I'd brighten things up by sharing a few photos of my Rose of Sharon. It's grown into a big, beautiful bush that I prune back generously each fall, and in return it rewards us with these gorgeous bright pink blooms all summer—much to the delight of the bees and hummingbirds who visit it daily.
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