Watch Your Back by Emma Christie #WatchYourBack @MtLeopardPress @theemmachristie @headlinepg #BookReview

 

Your past is right behind you . . .

Jo has always kept her head down and surrounded herself with strangers who know nothing about her mum's murder. But fifteen years after the killing she receives a box of unopened letters addressed to her - sent from the prison.

But before she can read them, they're stolen, and soon Jo realises that someone must have a terrible secret to hide.

Determined to protect her new life from the violence of her past, she embarks on a mission to find out the truth.

But can Jo find the sender, before they find her?

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Watch Your Back by Emma Christie was published on 23 October 2025 by Mountain Leopard Press. My thanks to the author and the publisher who sent my copy for review.

I have a real fondness for Scottish crime fiction, or Tartan Noir as it is often named, especially at various crime fiction festivals. Emma Christie sets her stories in Edinburgh, with lead characters who always appear to be the man, or woman next door. 

Jo has done her best to keep her past quiet: her mother was murdered when Jo was younger, and she’s built a new life with people who don’t know that history. Then she receives a box of unopened letters from prison addressed to her, and before she can open them they’re stolen. Suddenly Jo realises someone must be hiding a very dark secret. Now the past is rushing back. And rather than let the past define her, Jo resolves to unearth the truth before that someone unearths her.

The novel is set in the historic streets of Edinburgh and uses its setting to amplify the mood of tension and the creeping fear of being watched.

The idea of past trauma resurfacing in an everyday, 'normal' life is used effectively, and that contrast between the calm surface and the under-currents of menace works beautifully.

Jo is a compelling lead character: we sense the weight she carries, her need to keep things safe, and the fear that someone else might upset the quiet life that  she’s created. That emotional tension draws you in.

The sense of place adds so much atmosphere, as is the norm with this author's books. Edinburgh becomes more than backdrop: its historic streets and hidden corners mirror the themes of hidden pasts and things being uncovered.

If you enjoy a thriller that combines emotional depth with a strong mystery, built on character and setting rather than just things that make you jump, then Watch Your Back is a very good choice. Emma Christie has crafted a story where you feel the weight of the past, the fragility of the present, and the danger of what lies ahead. I found it engaging from beginning to end, and the ending is really satisfying.

It's solid, engrossing, and will leave you looking over your shoulder long after you finish. Recommended by me. 

Emma Christie writes psychological thrillers set in Portobello, Edinburgh's thriving
seaside neighbourhood. 

Her debut novel The Silent Daughter was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021, shortlisted for the Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021 and longlisted for the Crime Writers' Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award 2021. 

It was followed in 2022 by her highly acclaimed novels Find Her First and In Her Shadow. 

When she's not travelling in her campervan, Emma lives in Barcelona with her partner Mari and far too many plants. 

Find her online at www.emmachristiewriter.com or across social media @theemmachristie.