Another thriller for me this month! Not sure if I'm on a roll but here we are. I did quite enjoy this one. It was different than others I've read in the genre. I literally spent the whole book going "ok, who is telling the truth and who is actually batshit crazy?"
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Intrigued? This one publishes early next month! I'd recommend it to fans of Gone Girl, Girl on a Train, The Woman in the Window, and Watching You.
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Here's the official synopsis:
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Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.
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When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly
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Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanan, authors of the best-selling hit book "The Wife Between Us," are back and the hype their book is receiving is well deserved!

In a world where morality is an ever changing gauge, a fluid point on which no two people agree, making ones way through relationships - familial, friendship, romantic liaisons - can be tricky at best. So, when Jessica, a make up consultant in need of money, overhears a client talking about a morality study at the local university that pays a handsome fee in return, she maneuvers her way into the study, a move that will alter her life forever.

This is a smart, expertly written psychological thriller that weaves a web of deceit so intricate that you will caught into it before you realize the first strand has been laid down for you. The characters are deftly written, I disliked them and loved them at varying times and all at once - is that is even possible - until the very last line of the book.

While I wasn't a fan of The Wife Between Us, I found An Anonymous Girl to be extremely entertaining, very thrilling, a marvelous cat and mouse game and the ending was sheer perfection. The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is because there were scenarios that were just too over the top that they were unbelievable. That doesn't always bother me, after all this is fiction, but it didn't always work in this work. The book was, however, an excellent read and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to #Netgalley, the authors and #StMartinsPress for my advanced copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekhanen for the opportunity to read and review their latest thriller - loved it! I also liked their first book, The Wife Between Us. This one also definitely deserves all the hype it is getting - don't miss it!

Jessica is just scraping by working as a make-up artist and trying to help her parents with the expenses of raising Jessica's sister who is disabled. She sneaks into an ethics and morality study, hoping to make a few extra dollars. The questions grab Jessica from the beginning and her answers grab the attention of the psychologist running the study, Dr Shields. Soon Dr Shields offers more money for more testing and Jessica finds herself questioning who she can trust. The story is told in alternating chapters between Jessica and Dr Shields, allowing us a glimpse into both sides of the story.

Enough said - this is a great ride and will keep you glued to the pages. 5 stars - highly recommended!

“Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.” This book definitely lived up to the hype! So many unexpected twists and turns in this intriguing psychological thriller. The authors do an amazing job portraying creepy and realistic obsession while consistently building suspense. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy of this novel. 4.5 stars. Review posted on GoodReads and Instagram @readingnookreviews

There’s always a concern that authors of an outstanding first novel can’t create another one equally as good. I am glad to say they succeeded in creating a second compelling, twisty read, comparable to the first. If you like taut psychological thrillers, this should appeal to you.

In the previous novel (The Wife Between Us), there were a lot of places where I needed to go back and re-read a section because I’d made false assumptions about what was going on. Here, in An Anonymous Girl, the plot follows a more traditional path forward, but it is no less suspenseful or captivating. The story is told in alternating voices which seems to be the norm for current psychological thrillers. It works well to drive the story forward and maintaining the tension throughout. I must say that I didn’t find much to like about any of the characters, however, and wasn’t sure who I was cheering for at times, but the end was satisfying if not exactly to my liking.

I think the collaboration between these authors promises us a future of good storytelling and I look forward to their next effort.

Thanks to NetGallery, St. Martin’s Press and the authors, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Having read The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, I looked forward to reading An Anonymous Girl. While I liked their first book better, An Anonymous Girl does not disappoint. Jessica is a make-up artist struggling to make ends meet and help her parents financially take care of her younger sister. She finds an opportunity to participate in a research study about lying. What happens next is mind-blowing. So many twists and turns involving two therapists.. Which therapist is telling the truth? You just have to read this one for yourself to discover the answers. I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s for an honest review.

This is the second book I've read from these authors and it is just as fabulous as the first one. It had me sucked in by the first chapter! This is a fast and enjoyable read. It has you sitting on the edge of your seat and you won't know what hit you till the last page!I

Fantastic read!!

Thank you to the publisher, #Netgalley and #stmartinspress for letting me have the arc of this fabulous book in exchange for an honest review.

#ananonymousgirl

Thank you St Martin's Press for the arc. It seemed like a slow burn in the beginning but I forced myself to stick with it and I am glad that I did. . About the last hour or 100 pages it really kicked in. Loved the ending.

The second book by this writing duo. I am more familiar with Sarah Pekkanen and have read and reviewed almost all of her books here on Kritters Ramblings.

The synopsis for this one is we have Jessica Farris who is barely making ends meet for a few reasons and when at a job she hears about a study where she can make a large amount of cash and at this moment in her life she will do about anything for more income. Dr. Shields is the person running this study and she has quite a few reasons to run this study and they aren't all fo real academic research.

When I was pitched this book, the synopsis had me go hmmm. I was up for a psychological thriller with a study and a doctor at the heart of it. This is a spoiler but I have to share because this was the reason why I just couldn't enjoy this book and it is a sub genre that I just don't enjoy reading so if you don't either you may want to skip this one. The reason for Dr. Shields to enact her study is to get to the bottom of her husband's possible affairs. I personally do not like cheating husband books. Everyone may have a subgenre that they do not enjoy reading for any reason and cheating husband is the one for me that I doesn't enjoy reading - haven't experienced it, but just not something I like reading about. So if I had known that before starting, I would have possibly skipped this one.

Beyond that, the book was definitely set up well and the perfect twisty turny thriller. The pacing was right on and I liked the elements of it. I just didn't enjoy Dr. Shields' motive. I will read their next joint venture as long as we can stay away from the cheaters!

In the end, I have to say that I loved their first collaboration so much better. Go check out The Wife Between Us, it is such a great read that will go places that you could never have predicted!

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's first novel, The Wife Between Us, completely creeped me out. So I was prepared for demented and twisty when I picked up their new novel -- An Anonymous Girl.

Not. Prepared. Enough.

Holy crap. There is nothing scarier than a scenario that could actually happen. This tale of jealousy, lies, manipulation, and madness could happen.....and that makes it the worst sort of mind game. Ok Greer & Sarah....kudos ladies! You got me again. I am totally creeped out.

Awesome story! I picked up this book this morning fully intending to read a couple chapters then get some laundry, chores, etc done. Poof...suddenly it's this afternoon and I got nothing else done but read this book. Total binge.

The basics: A make up artist in NYC needs a little extra cash. She's getting a bit desperate. She didn't hit it big doing makeup for theater productions like she dreamed....she's making calls on clients to pretty them up for dates, events, etc. It's a job....but not a high paying one. She hears about a blind study on morality and ethics that pays $500. She could use the money....so she tells a bit of a fib to get into the study. Little does she know that lying to get into this study on ethics will be more than ironic.....it's going to be twisted and dark.

The story definitely kept my attention from start to finish. Lots of psychological suspense. I felt sympathy for the main character, Jessica. Jess hangs on to guilt and self esteem issues from past decisions and actions....and those hangups are used to manipulate the crap out of her. It was disturbing because we all carry similar emotional baggage. In the hands of a knowledgeable manipulative person...maybe we all could be victimized like she is in this story.

Don't read this story looking for high literature.....this is mind candy of a disturbing nature. It's meant to create a feeling, an unease, discomfort....not existential literary fulfillment. Grab a classic for existential....grab this book for a total mind F. It makes for an awesome afternoon of psychological torment! I loved it! I can't wait to see what twisted plot they come up with next! I will definitely read it!

Any book that makes me binge the entire story at one sitting deserves full stars from me.... I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Rating: 3 stars (rounded down from 3.5)

The writing duo of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen wrote this year’s best seller, “The Wife Between Us”. I haven’t read that book yet, but I was excited to get my hands on their second book, “An Anonymous Girl” because of the buzz generated by “The Wife Between Us”. I was actually a bit disappointed in “An Anonymous Girl”. When I’d read the final page, I thought, “Wow, that ending was a bit of a letdown.” The book is a mystery in the Psychological Thriller genre. It started out well, but in my opinion ended with a bit of a whimper instead of the bang I was expecting.

This book is told from alternating points of view. First we hear from Jessica, ‘Jess’ Farris. She is a twenty-eight year-old make-up artist trying to make her mark in New York City. She’s had some set-backs along the way, and is usually scrambling to earn more money to make ends meet. She is secretly paying for some of her younger sister’s medical bills. She jumps at a chance to enter a psychological study focusing on morality at NYU that promises to pay her some good money for just a little bit of time invested.

Next we are introduced to Dr. Lydia Shields who is the psychiatrist behind the NYU study. From nearly the beginning of her narration, we understand that the coolly logical Dr. Shields is using this study to find the perfect human subject with whom to continue her own personal research project. That project to prove whether or not her husband is faithful. Jess is Subject 52, and is singled out by Dr. Shields for this extra-curricular research.

From there the cat and mouse game begins. At first Jess is completely taken in by Dr. Shields, but as she is asked to take on more complex tasks, she becomes more wary. Along the way are introduced to other characters, including Dr. Shields’ husband, Thomas, and the plot grows more complex. However, even with the complexity, the pace of story was a bit to slow for me.

I wasn’t sure which of the characters were unreliable narrators, and I enjoyed the suspense of that unknown. They very well could have ALL have been unreliable. The plot denouement occurs on Christmas Da. Sadly, it wasn’t the present of and ending that I was anticipating.

Was the book suspenseful? Yes.

Did it keep me on the edge of my seat? Not so much.

I think it was a good solid effort, hence the 3-star rating. It wasn’t a waste of my reading time, but it didn’t live up to the anticipatory hype I’d built up in my mind based on the acclaim of the authors’ debut book. It didn’t quite keep me as engaged, and didn’t surprise me to the degree that other psychological thrillers that I’ve read recently did.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, St Martin’s Press; and the authors, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having enjoyed The Wife Between Us, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on An Anonymous Girl. It didn’t disappoint. It’s got twists and turns, and the dual narration keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

This was a fast-paced suspense novel about a beauty consultant, Jess, that sneaks her way into a study in order to make some quick cash. She soon becomes the sole study allowing her to make more cash on the side of her beauty consultant gig. I won’t say anymore about the plot because I believe you should go in not knowing much. I formed some opinions of what I thought was going on and the storyline kept taking a different turn. Is it believable? No, but I promise it’s enjoyable and hard to put down.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

As a big fan of thrillers, I enjoyed this book. I didn't rush to finish it, but rather liked reading each part and spiraling deeper down the rabbit hole of obsession and deceit and mind games. I didn't figure out the twist(s), but I also didn't find them shocking when they occured. I think this was because everything was laid out so well and the characters so well defined that when crazy things happened, they all made sense. An easy book to get into that definitely got under my skin at times.

Its remarkable how the simplest of decisions can create a butterfly effect...

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen wrote another readable thriller. It wasn't earth shattering but it was a quick read and kept me interested. While some parts seemed far fetched most of the book was very good.

Earlier this year I read The Wife Between Us, it was amazing. I love the way Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen write well together. And I LOVED the twists! I kept seeing the cover art for their newest book, An Anonymous Girl, everywhere. I was excited to receive an advanced digital copy of the ebook via Netgalley.


I'm addicted to psych thrillers and murder mysteries. While this book was addictive in that I could not put it down, it lacked the suspense I typically get from psych thrillers. However, I truly loved the story line.


Warning: There are mentions of suicide, grooming, sexual assault, and affairs.

These two authors really know how to weave a story. I read The Wife Between us and was blown away and this book, An Anonymous Girl is just as tightly written, suspenseful and thrilling. The characters are so developed, yet there is still something that the reader has to try and develop and understand on their own. It was a very good read. I can't wait for more from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkamen.

Well that was underwhelming. I started this book as a second chance for Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's writing because at the begining of the year I read The Wife Between Us, with the highest expectations and it was my most anticipated book of 2018, and I was very disappointed as I was with this book. An Anonymous Girl started out promising for me and in the first 25% of the novel I was really enjoying it. However at the 35% mark I felt it dragged on way too long and by 50% I was completely over it. This book had potential but fell very flat in my opinion. As with The Wife Between Us the ending was underwhelming and I think I have chalked it down to their writing style not being for me. I gave the authors a good try but with both novels not working for me I think I'm going to skip their next book.

2.5 stars out of 5

This story is told from two different viewpoints, that of a psychologist, Dr. Shields, and that of Jessica who signs up to serve as a subject in a study run by Dr. Shields. Neither woman was particularly likable. Jessica seemed remarkably naïve and too easily manipulated. She consistently made really poor decisions and I always felt like something wasn’t quite right with her. I had the feeling that I was meant to be cheering for her and hoping that she could escape the predicament she had gotten herself into but I just couldn’t be in her corner.

Dr. Shields’ sections were written in a very different style. She was clinical, cold, and detached. She treated life as a psychological study or experiment and could never immerse herself into actually living instead of observing and recording data like a scientist. I found her more elegant of speech but she was a total bore. Have you ever known someone who recounts their day step by step in minute detail? These people exist in real life, unfortunately, and they are excruciatingly dull. No one cares about the particulars of your life and I certainly didn’t care to read Dr. Shields’ minutiae. I dreaded her chapters and truthfully started half-skimming them. I understand this was done to illustrate her issues and state of mind but I wish it could have been accomplished in a more engaging way.

I don’t need to like or even relate to the main characters in a book in order to enjoy it so I don’t think the personalities of the two women was a deal breaker. The plot was just fine and I believe if it was written solely from the perspective of Jessica I would have been much more involved. The story would explode forward with something interesting happening and then I’d come to a Dr. Shields chapter and it would grind to a halt. If there was less of the Dr. and more of anything else I would have enjoyed the book a lot more.

The conclusion was a bit anticlimactic. There was a bit of a twist at the end that although it disappointed me it did not surprise me. I really wanted to like this book but my enjoyment level while reading was very low and I couldn’t wait to finish and be done with it. I don’t think it is a bad story by any means and I’m not entirely sure why it didn’t work for me. Reading other reviews it seems I’m the black sheep on this one and please don’t let me dissuade you from giving this a try. It wasn’t my favourite thriller but it might be yours!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

Not as twisty as The Wife Between Us, but truly enjoyable to read. Well written. Four stars - I’d definitely recommend.

A fairly bland psychological thriller. I appreciate and have patience for a good slow burn if executed well, but it felt like that was most of what this book consisted of, with the payoff at the end not as explosive as I had hoped nor meriting all of the buildup. Although there are some interesting elements at play here concerning morality and obsession, I wish that overall the story had felt more worth my time.