We chat with author H. Lee Justine about You Watched in Silence, which is a shivery blend of queer psychological thriller and horror, evocatively set in the secluded islands of the Pacific Northwest.
Hi, Lee! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I’m a long time ghostwriter who has been featured in NPR for my work with celebrity clients. I’m also a content creator, primarily on TikTok, who analyzes narrative in shows, movies, books and games. And I’m the debut author of You Watched in Silence, a psych thriller that follows a fan who becomes nanny to a cancelled family vlogger on an isolated Washington island.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I started writing short stories at about age ten. I think like most writers, I found that passion through reading. I was also a kid who was obsessed with horror and had nightmares nightly (I think these traits existed independently of each other, but who knows), and so I was a pretty dark writer from the very beginning. I’d frequently have a creepy dream, jot it down into my journal, and then create a short story around it. I was a pretty strange child, and I poured some of that weirdness into the twins in You Watched in Silence.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I know I read plenty before this series, but the first books I remember actually holding in my hands and reading voraciously were the Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket. So, it’s no wonder I ended up a little dark as an author.
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Outsiders by S. E. When I learned she started writing it at fifteen, I realized there was no reason not to start writing, even in childhood.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite book of all time and I consider “and so it goes” to be a very handy personal coping mechanism that I use on a weekly basis.
Your debut novel, You Watched in Silence, is out November 18th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
I’m going to borrow some of the words I’ve seen in the early reviews: atmospheric, chilling, unflinching, dark, and twisty.
What can readers expect?
Expect to be equally frightened by the paranormal and parasocial horrors.
Where did the inspiration for You Watched in Silence come from?
I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge Mike Flanagan fan, and I was especially moved by The Haunting of Bly Manor. I think viewers of the show will see a lot of similarities not just with the sapphic romance between the nanny and personal chef, but also in the gothic atmosphere. Obviously Bly Manor is set in England and You Watched in Silence is on a Pacific Northwest island. But they both happen in houses that are beautifully haunting and isolated by the woods.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really loved the unfolding of the relationship between Hannah and Caitlyn. I don’t think I’m capable of writing a love interest I wouldn’t fall in love with myself, so I’m never surprised when a review cites Hannah as their favorite character. I think she’s mine too. I love her for being simultaneously kind, joyful, rigidly moral, and willing to speak out.
At the same time, I loved my main character Caitlyn for the exact opposite reason. She is so flawed, and not in a way that is cute, quirky, and acceptable. No, she’s just kind of a walking mess. Melodramatic in the way I think a lot of people are in their early twenties. She lingers within her own pain, and is deeply self-critical. She’s always willing to analyze herself to the darkest possible conclusion. Caitlyn isn’t in any way as self-assured as Hannah, and I think that brings a balance to their dynamic.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I actually did hit a pretty big road bump while writing this book. In the year prior, I’d been struggling with fatigue and was trying to figure out the reason with my doctors. But every month it seemed to get more extreme and came to a head when I was about halfway through the book. My brain fog had become so severe I couldn’t write. I couldn’t even read an email. To distract myself from the discomfort of the extreme fatigue one night, I tried to play Monopoly and realized I couldn’t even add the numbers on the dice together in my head. I was counting on my fingers.
That was terrifying, so I told my doctor something was horribly wrong and to run every test possible. Thankfully, it ended up being a B12 deficiency which had an easy solution. But while waiting for test results and injections, I continued to get more disoriented. I’ve got other health issues like POTS (which is represented in the book) but that was the scariest time of my life, healthwise. I hadn’t ever experienced that level of disconnection with my brain.
When I was feeling better and dove back into the book, I decided to write some of that disorientation into the story. Because why not bring the scariest sensation I’ve ever experienced into my horror book?
This is your debut novel, however you’re also a ghostwriter! What was it like getting to work on your own novel and seeing it now published?
When ghostwriting, so much of my analysis as a writer goes into emulating the voice of my client. With my own book, I got to explore the characters in a way that felt pure and original. There was nothing to emulate, so they got to be themselves, and that was a joy to experience. And getting to experience that unique work go into the world with my name on it is humbling.
What’s next for you?
I’m very excited to say I have a second book coming from Blackstone in October 2026! Nothing Even Happened is a post-apocalyptic horror novel also set in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a bit of a departure from You Watched in Silence, since it’s not a domestic thriller. But I think readers that enjoyed the writing style and depth of You Watched in Silence are really going to enjoy Nothing Even Happened.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up in 2026?
I loved DON’T LET THE FOREST IN by CG Drews this year, and am equally excited to read their adult debut horror YOU DID NOTHING WRONG. I’m also thrilled we’re getting another sapphic romance from Becca Grischow because the Thanksgiving story I’LL GET BACK TO YOU was so fun. I can’t wait to see what she does with FOR THE BRIDE in 2026.
