by: Petie McCarty
Series: The Watchers
Genre: Christmas Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 18, 2025
The Watchers Series
Fallen angels seeking parole for their betrayal . . .
Someone is watching Rachel . . . but who? And why?
Child psychologist Rachel Kelly has her Christmas stocking full of troubles this holiday season, both personal and professional. Recently separated from her boyfriend, Rachel still loves him but has no idea how to win him back. If that’s not enough to cause her sleepless nights, she’s uncertain how to handle her newest therapy client—a six-year-old boy who claims he talks to Watchers. And a Watcher is coming to help Rachel.
Lt. Jake Dillon has his heart broken when his fiancée Rachel, without warning, suddenly calls it quits. Yet when a stalker crashes Rachel's Christmas party and takes her young clients hostage, Jake is the first person Rachel calls. Now he has a choice to make—stand back and wait for the cavalry to save her, or step in and try to save her himself. Time is running out, and Jake may be their only chance for rescue.
Unless Rachel's young Watcher spy is telling the truth . . .
This romantic suspense tale with paranormal elements is Book 2 in The Watchers series . . . A captivating tale of small-town Christmas romance that will leave you looking over your shoulder and wondering, Is someone watching me?
Jake whipped his BMW into the Azalea Center parking lot and switched off his headlights in one smooth motion. Guided by the light from the few streetlamps, he coasted to a silent stop next to Wally’s Jeep, though his emotions had urged him to come screeching around the corner like the cavalry. Common sense and the need for stealth won out. He couldn’t risk driving the trespasser underground only to have him surface later after Jake had gone.
Clicking off his interior lights, he unlocked his glove compartment and drew out his Sig Sauer, then climbed out and quietly pushed the car door in until the latch held. He waited several seconds to let his eyes and ears take in the entire scene. Damn. All the landscaping crowded around the Center provided a multitude of places for a trespasser to hide.
He put a hand on the hood of Wally’s Jeep. Still warm, even in the cold night air. A brief stab of guilt hit him for dumping his team so abruptly in the Beef n’ Barrel. Couldn’t be helped.
He scanned the closest landscape beds for some sign of Wally. A stiff north breeze whipped across the parking area, stirring up leaves and debris. Barely visible through the treetops, the almost-full moon blazed bright.
He made his way past the large perimeter oaks to the interior sidewalk and began a slow circle of the building, checking sections of the garden as he paced. All the offices on the west side of the building were unoccupied, and all the windows were dark, with a few showing vestiges of their interiors due to adjacent emergency lighting.
Rachel’s office, just around the corner, faced the back of the property. At this time of night, her office interior would be entirely visible with her lights on. Jake knew this because he’d snuck over here enough times in the last few months to observe her office from the garden. He was pathetic and, every few weeks, needed a glimpse of her to get by. A wry smile twitched the edges of his mouth. He could’ve been called in as a trespasser on any one of those nights should someone have spotted him and cared enough to make the call.
Careful to remain off the sidewalk, he silently paced toward the back garden. If the trespasser was a stalker, then the perp probably knew the Center had no security guard and no security system. A fact that had always bothered Jake.
At the back corner of the property, he crossed the sidewalk to inspect the landscape areas adjacent to the building. With quick steps, he shifted from one landscape bed to another. Crouching as he left the larger camellias, he moved through the shorter azaleas and Indian hawthorn.
Clearing the corner, his position even with the back of the building, he paused to reconnoiter and stared at the faint pool of light cast by an overhead office. Rachel’s office.
As his gaze rose to the second-floor office, his eyes searched for the all-too-familiar figure. Without thinking, he straightened to his full height, clearly visible to anyone glancing out the window. Yet no one searched for a figure in the garden. All eyes in the office were busy.
Rachel stood with Olivia and her children on one side of the conference room. On the other side of the room, a man in a worn red jacket and baseball cap faced them. Pointing a gun.
This was Jake’s horrible nightmare.
Clicking off his interior lights, he unlocked his glove compartment and drew out his Sig Sauer, then climbed out and quietly pushed the car door in until the latch held. He waited several seconds to let his eyes and ears take in the entire scene. Damn. All the landscaping crowded around the Center provided a multitude of places for a trespasser to hide.
He put a hand on the hood of Wally’s Jeep. Still warm, even in the cold night air. A brief stab of guilt hit him for dumping his team so abruptly in the Beef n’ Barrel. Couldn’t be helped.
He scanned the closest landscape beds for some sign of Wally. A stiff north breeze whipped across the parking area, stirring up leaves and debris. Barely visible through the treetops, the almost-full moon blazed bright.
He made his way past the large perimeter oaks to the interior sidewalk and began a slow circle of the building, checking sections of the garden as he paced. All the offices on the west side of the building were unoccupied, and all the windows were dark, with a few showing vestiges of their interiors due to adjacent emergency lighting.
Rachel’s office, just around the corner, faced the back of the property. At this time of night, her office interior would be entirely visible with her lights on. Jake knew this because he’d snuck over here enough times in the last few months to observe her office from the garden. He was pathetic and, every few weeks, needed a glimpse of her to get by. A wry smile twitched the edges of his mouth. He could’ve been called in as a trespasser on any one of those nights should someone have spotted him and cared enough to make the call.
Careful to remain off the sidewalk, he silently paced toward the back garden. If the trespasser was a stalker, then the perp probably knew the Center had no security guard and no security system. A fact that had always bothered Jake.
At the back corner of the property, he crossed the sidewalk to inspect the landscape areas adjacent to the building. With quick steps, he shifted from one landscape bed to another. Crouching as he left the larger camellias, he moved through the shorter azaleas and Indian hawthorn.
Clearing the corner, his position even with the back of the building, he paused to reconnoiter and stared at the faint pool of light cast by an overhead office. Rachel’s office.
As his gaze rose to the second-floor office, his eyes searched for the all-too-familiar figure. Without thinking, he straightened to his full height, clearly visible to anyone glancing out the window. Yet no one searched for a figure in the garden. All eyes in the office were busy.
Rachel stood with Olivia and her children on one side of the conference room. On the other side of the room, a man in a worn red jacket and baseball cap faced them. Pointing a gun.
This was Jake’s horrible nightmare.
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These days Petie spends her time writing new Cinderella series tales, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones to go along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.
Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in Book 2 of The Watchers, Christmas Watch.
Places to find Petie McCarty:
You can follow the Christmas Watch Blurb Blitz here.
We appreciate you featuring CHRISTMAS WATCH today.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteThanks bunches for following me, Marcy!
DeleteThis sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Sherry, for your continued support!
DeleteThe cover is lovely
ReplyDeleteThanks, Terri! I have an awesome cover designer, Trident Graphics, who's done my last 6 covers. He rocks!
DeleteThank you so much, Kim, for sponsoring my Goddess Fish Book Blitz tour for my new release, Christmas Watch! I greatly appreciate your support!
ReplyDeleteChristmas Romantic Suspense - love this genre mix!
ReplyDeleteA great read.
Thank you for sharing the excerpt.
Thansk Barbara! I hope you'll give the book a try!
DeleteLove holiday suspense!
ReplyDeleteGreat! Maybe you'll give it a try!
DeleteWhat part of the book was the most fun to write?
ReplyDeleteThe very end of the story, where the protagonists find out who their Watchers are...
DeleteDid you have any writing education?
ReplyDeleteNo, I have a degree in Zoology, so absolutely no help there. LOL My greatest help, much more than the 2 dozen writing texts on my shelf, is reading. I read probably 4 books a week, both good and bad, and I learn from both. The best way to improve writing is to read, at least for me.
DeleteDoes writing energize you or exhaust you?
ReplyDeleteI lose myself and many hours at a time when writing. After my sweetheart, it's my great love in life.
DeleteDid you ever write a book that made you cry?
ReplyDeleteYes! This one and also Betting on Cinderella!
DeleteWhat advice do you have for writers?
ReplyDeleteRead, read, read! That is how you will improve your writing. Pay attention to what you like and remember what you didn't. You can learn from both. I learned way more from reading books (about 3-4 per week) than I did from the 2 dozen or so writing texts on my shelves. No kidding!
DeleteDo you have a favorite book you've written?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite to write was Any Fin For Love! The characters in the story about the small town of Loon, Alabama were just a hoot to write!
DeleteThis looks like a great read. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michael! Good Luck!
DeleteGreat genre and cover!
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Barbara!
DeleteDo you have any advice for new writers?
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! I think it was Stephen King who said, "The only difference between published and unpublished writers is that the published writers never gave up!"
DeleteFascinatingly curious cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! My cover designer is the absolute best!
DeleteWhat was your favourite book as a child?
ReplyDeleteMrs. Mike. My mom always took us to the Bookmobile, which would come to the elementary school nearby in the summer. We would always spend hours reading. But then, we had air conditioning, and it was Florida, so hardly a surprise! :)
DeleteIf you could write in a new genre, which would it be?
ReplyDeleteRomantic Comedy
DeleteDo you like Stephen King?
ReplyDeleteI have too vivid an imagination and too easily get nightmares. So no horror movies for me and no Stephen King. Though I read his book, On Writing, twice. The book was both an autobiography and a how-to guide for being a better writer. Best writing text ever!
DeleteWhat is the best trait your main character has?
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't write, what would your dream job be?
ReplyDelete