An Anonymous Girl is a clever psychological suspense thriller, set in New York City about a young woman who is cynically manipulated by a sociopathic but charismatic psychiatrist for their own ends. I have not read The Wife Between Us yet, but will be remedying that before too long. A large proportion of my GR friends have already read this, and most have given it 4 or 5 stars.

This is definitely one where it’s best to avoid spoilers to get the most out of it. I can say that Jess is a freelance make-up artist, struggling financially because she feels compelled to help with her sister’s medical bills, so when the opportunity to make a large amount of money by joining a psychological study, she barely hesitates, and soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous game that she can’t escape.

Written in mostly alternating chapters, Jess in the first person present (which I normally dislike but it works here) and the mysterious Dr Shields in second person present, which is a lot less common, and does jar a bit, but this style does feel necessary for the plot. This is a collaboration between two authors and I’m not sure if they did one voice each? It’s an effective and unusual narrative method that certainly helps the book stand out from all the other psychological thrillers being released.

We are gradually drip-fed information as the tension rises, and while I wouldn’t say that the twists are particularly shocking, I didn’t know where it was going to go, but liked the ending. The moral questions raised by the study would make this a good book club choice I think.

My thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
An Anonymous Girl is released on January 8th 2019.

This is the first time I have read anything from this author duo but it won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed An Anonymous Girl once I figured out who was who. I found the beginning of the book somewhat dragging and it took me a couple of starts before I really got into it.

I find two POVs confusing and think that was what led me to stumble in the beginning. I don’t think that having two POVs helped the book and would probably eliminate it.

I totally recommend this book and give it 4 stars.

Let's put it this way: WOW! Poor Jess just wants to make a little extra money to help her family out with her disabled sister. The secrets, the twists, the insanity all pile up pretty quickly and soon neither Jess nor the reader can figure out what is the truth, and more importantly, how to survive. I would love to know how the authors set out to write the story together. Do they enjoy a glass of whine, rub their hands together, and cackle about what they are going to put their characters and readers through? I imagine they must! But this book does take a bit of patience as there are so many twists and turns and possibilities that it is easy to get lost. Definitely well worth the time!

Wow! What an addictive read! I can see why An Anonymous Girl by Hendricks and Pekkanen is one of the most anticipated mysteries of 2019.. I read so many thrillers it's rare that I have one that keeps me guessing.

The book is about a makeup artist who signs up to take a psychological test on ethics and morals for financial compensation. The study is being conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, who is administrating the study for self-serving motives. Let the game of cat and mouse begin. Who is playing? Who can you trust?

This thriller is worth all the hype. I was totally blown away! I haven't stopped ;raving about it since. Highly recommended!


Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Greer Hendrichs and Sarah Pekkanen for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

This book was so good. I'm always curious with a dual author, who wrote what and who decided the plot and characters. What an interesting work dynamic, and one that I will continue to look forward to. I was a psychology major in college so I was deeply invested in the premise. Jessica Farris is a struggling makeup artist living in a studio apartment in NYC with her dog, Leo. Her family is in Allentown and taking care of her sister, who was injured in an accident. Jessica finds herself going to participate in a study run by a psychiatrist about morality and ethics. She needs the cash and how hard can it be, right? Suddenly, Jessica finds herself being asked to participate past the point of comfort and finds herself in a dangerous situation. Can she survive it? Or will she take the path of subject 5??

This book was so good. I really enjoyed the psychology study aspect and Jessica's character was well developed. Not all good or bad, but somewhere in between (which is where we all lie, right?). I loved the Dr Shields character and the twisty goodness of this book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out how it would all wrap up. It did- the ending was a bit clunky, but overall I would highly recommend this one.

Get ready, dear readers, because Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are here again to treat your mind like their plaything. You may think you know where this book is headed, but even if you're right, you have no idea how Hendricks and Pekkanen will take you there.

Jessica is one of those young women who has carved out a fairly comfortable life for herself. A makeup artist in New York, she may not be working in film and theatre, but that doesn't mean she can't support herself. The problem is that there is never quite enough money; Jess also secretly helps her parents pay for some assistance services for her disabled sister. So when the opportunity to make $500 by taking part in a psychological study presents itself, Jess decides to do it.

If you read Hendricks' and Pekkanen's previous novel, <em><a href="http://www.voxlibris.net/?p=7987">The Wife Between Us</a></em>, you expect twists and turns. Your first sense that the authors have a character you need to treat with great suspicion arrives when you meet the doctor conducting the study, the forboding Dr. Shields. You also sense that Jess needs to tread carefully with Dr. Shields, so when she divests herself of personal, private information, you want to reach into the book, shake her, and beg her to stop.

Whereas the plot twists in <em>The Wife Between Us</em> felt shocking, I anticipated what would happen in <em>An Anonymous Girl</em>. And yet I also found this book to be more satisfying than its predecessor. The anticipation builds dread and fear as what you expect to happen begins to unfold. It is chilling.

The ending feels bittersweet. There is something I desperately wish would happen--a bit of closure I want that Hendricks and Pekkanen deny me. As I always attest, however, authors who are strongest at their craft do not give you the story you want; they give you the story you need. That certainly is the case with <em>An Anonymous Girl</em>.

This was a well written book. I'm so impressed with the level of detail the author provided through out the story. I flew through the book because you just can't put it down as you may miss what's going to happen next....
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of An Anonymous Girl. This review is in my own words.

The Wife Between Us, Hendricks and Pekkanen previous book was one of my favorite books of 2018. As soon as I saw a new book was being published I knew I had to read it. Even though I absolutely loved The Wife Between Us but in my opinion An Anonymous Girl was even better.

In all honesty, I am still thinking about this book , that is how good it is. Every minute, every word is worth the time you spend on it. The characters, the plot, the setting, all of it makes this book a marvelous read. It kept me intrigued, invested in the characters and what I loved the most was that unexpected ending and all the suspense leading to it. I was fascinated how the authors managed the dual POV, going back and forth between the two main characters, the amount of detail they put into it without being boring or adding unnecessary story lines. I also loved how the subjects of morality and honesty are explored, a very different take from other books which is what makes this book so unique and interesting.

An Anonymous Girl, an addictive, intriguing thriller that I recommend and cannot wait to read more book from these Authors.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy

“Sometimes the people who seem the most accomplished and together are the ones that can hurt you the deepest.”

A 28-year-old makeup artist looking to make quick cash signs up for a morality study that blurs reality from manipulation in AN ANONYMOUS GIRL.

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen ratchet tension in this unnerving, twisty psychological suspense that probes how far someone will go for love, for money, and how sometimes, obsession can unleash a darker side in us all.

We meet Jessica Farris, a Manhattan makeup artist struggling to make ends meet. During a session with a client she overhears something about an ethics and morality study with a high pay day—just a few questions for $500. The next day, she shows up for the study and becomes Subject 52.

Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

Should a punishment always fit the crime?

The questions rattle Jessica. Intimate and dangerous, grating the surface of her deeply buried secrets.

“This test can free you, Subject 52. Surrender to it.”

And yet, she continues, that day and the next, until she meets with the mysterious Dr. Lydia Shields, who leads the study.

Elegant and poised, Dr. Shields draws Jessica deeper into the study. The checks are getting bigger but the asks are getting bigger too. There’s role play (wear this, flirt with that man at the bar), temptation, and everything begins to feel like a test. Everything seems strange, skirting a perilous edge that could send her life into freefall.

“The original study has been indefinitely suspended. You, Subject 52, have become my sole focus.”

Then Jessica learns about Subject 5—it’s not clear what happened to her. She catches Dr. Shields in a lie, and then another. And before too long, she finds herself entrenched in a situation that has unraveled beyond control. In a situation that may not have an out.

As with THE WIFE BETWEEN US, this is a tale of two women hiding secrets, their thoughts and point-of-views imparted through cleverly wrought split narration.

Hendricks and Pekkanen adeptly escalate as the novel progresses, drawing the reader deeper into the story which has become increasingly unsettling and tense. Some secrets and intentions are revealed, and yet, the authors save one final, gasp-inducing punch at the end.

It’s a must read for avid readers of the genre, and one that lingers after the final page.

What an awesome ride this book was! An Anonymous Girl is a smart, captivating psychological thriller with just the right amount of suspense.

This was my first book by the dynamic duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen and I am HOOKED! I absolutely loved their writing style and the distinct voices of the two narrators. It was so well written, the plot unfolded in a logical way, and the pacing was great.

I loved seeing the inner workings of the main characters’ minds and the cat and mouse game that ensued from their interactions. Reading this was like watching a long and excellent episode of “Law & Order: Criminals Intent” and I loved every minute of it! If you enjoy psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this book!

Authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have teamed up to create another spellbinding, spine-tingling novel of psychological suspense. An Anonymous Girl is the second book they've written together, and I hope there are many more to come.

Jess is a twenty-something makeup artist who is looking for a quick and easy way to make some extra cash. Doing other people's makeup is something she loves, but the pay isn't the best, and Jess could use a little something extra. So, when she hears about a study on ethics and morality being conducted by a psychology professor at a nearby college, she decides to check it out. After all, it promises to compensate generously, and she figures there's no harm in answering a few questions.

Unfortunately for Jess, the study turns out to be far more intense than she was expecting. The initial interview sessions seem pretty standard and the pay is great, but things take a sinister turn when Dr. Shields, the professor in charge of the study, begins arranging outings for Jess. These outings might seem innocent enough, but Jess doesn't understand why Dr. Shields is telling her what to wear and how to act while she's out. She considers dropping out of the study, but the promise of a pay increase is something she can't turn down, so, against her better judgement, she continues to participate.

What follows is one of the creepiest stories I've had the pleasure of reading in quite some time. The reader knows almost immediately that Dr. Shields is up to no good, but it takes Jess quite a bit longer to figure this out. This kind of set-up doesn't always work for me, because I tend to lose patience with the characters since I know more about what's going on than they do, but here, the authors did a fantastic job of feeding me just enough information to keep me fully engaged at all times without taking away from the impact of the big reveal.

Most of the story is told from Jess's point of view, but we are treated to some chapters from Dr. Shield's perspective as well. I found Jess to be a very relatable character, but my favorite portions of the novel were those that allowed me to see into the mind of the villain. Since I read a ton of psychological thrillers, the antagonists can sometimes feel like carbon copies of one another, but that wasn't the case with Dr. Shields. Her mind is a dark and twisted place, and her motivations were unlike any I've come across before.

Jess is definitely the heroine of this story, but she's not a narrator you can fully trust. Her involvement in the study causes her to become quite paranoid and confused at times, making it difficult to tell what's real and what is a product of her slowly fragmenting psyche. I loved this aspect of An Anonymous Girl since unreliable narrators are my catnip, but I know it won't appeal to everyone.

I could go on and on about all the things I loved about this book, but instead, I'll simply urge you to pick up a copy for yourself as soon as you possibly can. It's a story that's guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night, and I doubt you'll view surveys or medical studies in quite the same way after you reach the end.

Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
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Quite possibly one of the most unique story lines for a psychological thriller! I thought they had all been used at least once and then some. Not this one, this is like none other that I have read. It had me pondering how the heck did the authors come up with this? Brilliant, unique and twisted could all be used to describe this book. I read this as a group read with my fellow Traveling Sisters and it was quite the hit.

Jessica is a struggling make up artist that decides to sign up for a psychological study at the local university. The study is run by Dr. Shields a respected instructor at the university, what could go wrong? Let's just say things got really weird........

Wow! this book took unethical to a different level. The nurse in me kept screaming OMG what are you doing Dr. Shields?! Why is Jessica going along with this? This book begs to question the age old question of ethics, human nature and what people will do. How far are people willing to go when being pushed? If you are looking for a twisted, crazy book that you can't put down, this is it!

Thank you so much to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin's Press and Netgally for this ARC!

An Anonymous Girl was my first finished read of 2019! I started this one on my kindle right before bed, which was a huge mistakes because of how addictive it is. Whenever I had to put it down, I found myself wondering what was going to happen next.

I absolutely loved getting the viewpoints of both Jessica and Dr. Shields, particularly as the story unfolded. I’m not going to say too much about the story because it’s really best going in as blind as possible. But I will say that you’ll find yourself considering your own morality (and possibly the motives of everyone around you).

An Anonymous Girl was a truly excellent psychological thriller and I’d highly recommend it. This is one that I would absolutely love to see get turned into a movie or mini-series. I actually liked it so much that I immediately went out and got Hendrick’s and Pekkanen’s first book.

An Anonymous Girl begins with Jessica, an isolated freelance makeup artist trying to make a life for herself in the big city.

Dr. Shields is running a psychological study on ethics, paying $500 to participants. Jess wasn't initially part of the study, but sneaks her way in for the money and immediately intrigues Dr. Shields with her candid and thoughtful answers to the questionnaire.

The link between Jess and Dr. Shields grows stronger as Dr. Shields' questions for Jess get more and more personal. Both parties seem to have a strange, somewhat obsessive fascination with one another. It's an obsession that grows dark and suspenseful.

There are a couple of annoying things here. One is the unneeded attention to detail. Jess's every move is scrutinized and analyzed in a way that does not advance the story. As a result, small things take up a lot of space.

The other bothersome aspect is the passive second-person point-of-view. The story is told from both Jess and Dr. Shields' voices. Dr. Shields' section is told in the second-person point-of-view, so Jess is always referred to as "you."

I don't have anything against the second-person point of view. But here, the second-person POV is used so aggressively that the word "I" seems to be avoided at all costs.

As a result, every reference Dr. Shields makes to her own actions is done using a passive voice. Dinner is made. Bites are gingerly taken. Dishes are cleared. It breaks one of the cardinal rules of writing! Of course, it's okay to break rules when it the results justify it. Books don't have to have impeccable grammar. But it's not justified here. In fact, it's mildly infuriating.

Despite these criticisms, though, An Anonymous Girl is still an enjoyable book. I believe these authors will be ones I continue to read simply for a fun, juicy story.

Many thanks for Netgalley and Macmillan for providing me with an advance copy of An Anonymous Girl in exchange for an honest review.

Holy Twists and Turns Batman!! What in the world just happened? Ok, ladies and gentlemen please keep your arms safely inside the car or they could be cut off during the rollercoaster ride you are about to take reading this book. Be prepared to go up and down. Be prepared to be disturbed. Be prepared to feel uncomfortable at times. Honestly be prepared to not know who is being manipulated and who is the manipulator. 

How much is your moral compass worth????? This book explores that question in a skillful and dangerous way that will hold you captive until the very last page.

I heard raving reviews of their first book and did not get around to reading it. (That will be remedied immediately!!) So when I saw this book I knew I had to check it out. I was NOT disappointed. This was incredible!! It's twisted in a way I cannot due justice to with a review. The only thing that will keep you from finishing this book in one sitting is the need for sleep. I did not want to put it down. I had to know what was going to happen next and how this crazy story ends. You will be surprised. I would be willing to bet you won't guess the ending. It has all the makings of a well deserved 5 star psychological thriller. 

My thanks to the authors, St. Martins Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved the Wife Between Us so when I saw that this writing duo had another book coming out, I knew I had to read it. What started off as slow and a bit confusing ended up being really twisted, creepy, and interesting.
I will admit that this book took me a bit longer to get into but maybe that was the authors intentions as with each part, the suspense grew until it came to the end, and I was still shocked and awed.
I didn't know who to believe and often times found myself questioning everyone's ethics, morals, intentions, and actions.
I didn't love the way one of the POV's was told in though I did appreciate being in both of their heads. I almost wished to get insight into the male POV because I questioned him A LOT.
This writing duo writes seamlessly together. I could never tell that there were two voices, and they really know how to play on a reader's mind.
While I had higher hopes for this one, I was entertained nonetheless.
I know I am not saying much about this book... but read it and go in blind. I think all psychological thrillers should be read like this so you get that "OMG, what is going on feeling" that you are supposed to get. It's interesting to see the lengths people will go to for money and to find the truth. It's also interesting to see from a therapists perspective, the lengths they go to for their own life and love when as a medical professional, their own morals and ethics come into play.
Another job well done... a duo I will read again and again.

"How do you know if you can really trust someone?" I finally ask.

"If you need to ask that question, then you probably already know the answer," he says.

I loved "The Wife Between Us' so I was holding my breath that these authors had written another as good. They did! It took me a bit of time to get used to the writing style but the style actually contributed to the character development - especially of Lydia. I could just see her sitting there looking so elegant and put together, wearing her feeling of superiority like the cashmere wrap she favored. Jess was somewhat of a young, naive mess of a girl who definitely got in over her head.

The twists come one after another at breakneck speed sometimes - and agonizingly slowly others. There are plenty of surprises in this book and I won't breathe a word of them - don't want to spoil the experience for other readers.

This was the first book I read in 2019 and I loved it! I am a fan of these authors and their last book The Wife Between Us, which a read and listened to later on audible. I found myself reading up into the late late hours to see what might happen next with Jess and Dr. Shields. I can not wait for the next book from these talented authors. Highly recommended for lovers of suspense, thrillers, and psychological dramas,

Who has the nerve to assume another's identity to participate in a psychological morality study? And, what sort of psychiatrist recruits study subjects under false pretenses? Does the overly generous compensation for the subjects' time recompense them for the risk they are taking ?

In The Anonymous Girl, the authors of The Wife Between Us have created another first person, second person psychological thriller with serious creepiness and a myriad of twists and turns. I wanted to love this title; however, I feel that it droned on much too long and I lost interest about halfway through. I did finally finish the book; however, I would have preferred it with an editorial cut of 100 pages or so.

I would recommend The Anonymous Girl for fans of The Wife Between Us and anyone who enjoys first person, second person narration.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#TheAnonymousGirl#NetGalley

In need of money, Jessica Farris signs up to be a part of a study in psychology, specifically ethics and morals. The questions start out slow, but quickly build, and Jessica finds herself drawn in despite her earlier intentions. But what the initial study leads to is something Jessica could never have predicted, and she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her life.

This book is so suspenseful! I, like Jessica, constantly found myself guessing what was real, who could be trusted, and what was really going on. There were so many layers of secrets to peel back that I was constantly flipping pages, having to know more and more. There were some really creepy moments too, some psychological horror that left chills.

I'm still a tad unsure how I feel about the ending. I know I like it, I'm just not sure if I love it. Without giving anything away, I'm not sure if it feels like it fits with everything we had learned about the characters. The very last chapter I definitely loved though.

I would definitely recommend this book. While I didn't love it quite as much as I loved their previous book, The Wife Between Us, this was still a really good book. I can't wait to see what these authors come up with next!