Somebody’s Watching You by Robin D’Amato

Somebody’s Watching You

by Robin D’Amato.

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Melody Hollenback has a problem. Her husband, Jeff, has joined what appears to be a cult. Considering his and her months-long unemployment and Jeff’s clinical depression, Melody has a lot to worry about.

When Jeff exhibits sudden signs of mental wellness, he is convinced the cult is curing him. He becomes increasingly immersed in the teachings, and Melody worries he is pulling away from her. In an effort to hold on to him, she pretends to join the fold. She soon discovers that the cult has long arms and keeps a tight grip on its followers. In fact, one of the group’s ringleaders, the mysterious Floyd, has been keeping his creepy eye on her.

Somebody’s Watching You, the debut novel from Robin D’Amato, reads like a quirky thriller. Set in a community unaware of danger in its tree-lined blocks, the absurd tactics of the cult frame this otherwise simple love story with both dread and humor.

A Word from the Author

Somebody’s Watching You was inspired by a friend of mine’s marriage, which was suffering from political discord. The husband became more and more involved with the party, ultimately working for them. Even though my friend struggled to make things work between them, one day her husband sent her an email telling her the marriage was over. She returned home from work that day to find that he and all of his things were gone. It took her months to find him to send him divorce papers. I didn’t want to write about politics, but I thought this dynamic was interesting. I decided to research cults and found some similarities with my friend’s situation. The cult in my book is made up, but relies heavily on my research.

(Robin D’Amato, 2021)