Wow! Five big stars. For once, the hype and buzz are deserved.


Remember the rules: Be open and truthful, and avoid pivoting away from any embarrassment or pain these questions provoke.


This book grabbed me from the get go. A twenty eight year old woman sneaks herself into an ethics and morality study in order to earn some extra income. I was able to immediately put myself in her shoes. The initial questions had me wondering how I would answer.

The chapters alternate between the woman and the doctor heading up the study. It quickly becomes a fast paced ride. Definitely entertaining. There are some real twists so that the tension keeps getting ratcheted up. It’s a hard book to put down. I can even see this being made into a movie.

Don’t look for believability here. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some interesting concepts being explored. Power. Trust.

Jessica is such a well thought out character. Out of her depth, but a real fighter. No dummy, but she’s up against a master. I was entranced trying to figure out how she would extract herself from this game of cat and mouse.

I would love to know how Hendricks and Pekkanen write together because the finished product is seamless.

If you like dark psychological thrillers, this one’s for you!

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: January 8, 2019

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher St. Martin’s Press for the ebook ARC of An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review.

Seeking women ages 18-32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she will 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 i one of Dr. Shield’s manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

I give this book a rating of 4 stars and highly recommend it. I was hooked from the very beginning. I could not wait to read this book since I read Hendricks & Pekkanen’s last book together, The Wife Between Us. This book was captivating and pulled you right in. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. The end was shocking and unexpected.

#AnAnonymousGirl #NetGalley

I found this book really interesting and was pulled into the story right away. I didn’t always agree with the protagonist’s decisions, but I was really rooting for her.
The actions of the psychiatrists were disturbing.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Absolutely enthralling mystery. I started this book and couldn't put it down. I found myself thinking about it when I couldn't read, trying to peice together motives and figure everything out. The main character, Jess, is likeable and relatable, but I found myself being sympathetic toward even the antagonist by the end of the book. Very slick writing-I forgot the book had two authors several times throughout the book!-everything just flowed together so well! I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Another Greer Hendricks book that has you hooked from the start. You know a train wreck is coming for Jess and you can’t stop reading about it. You even know the players in the story so the twists come in a different way. I enjoyed the chaps res where Dr. Shields is narrating like she is talking to Jess. I found that I wanted to know a little more about Dr. Shields sister and Subject #5 at the end. I received an ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

i haven't read the other super popular book by this author duo, but i own it. this one took a bit for me to get into, about 40% but then i was invested. it isn't exactly scary or super thrilling, but it is creepy AF and left me feeling all unsettled. something fell flat for me though, but i can't put my finger on it. could just be wrong book wrong time for me.

I LOVED this book. Unfortunately its one of those books its hard to review without including spoilers. I knew I wanted to read it after reading the synopsis and seeing other Goodreads reviews on it. It didn't disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy to review.

Twisted and full of suspense. While the mystery portion of the plot was easy to catch onto fairly early, it in no way takes away from the suspense of the story. It is a plot that feels like it could all too plausibly happen in real life. These authors have a knack for creating compelling characters. Another great read.

Netgalley making dreams come true and granting wishes :)

This is the second book I have read by the authors.

The story starts out with a young makeup artist trying to make it in the city. She overhears about a psychology study that had a decent payout and the girl she is working on won’t be attending so she takes her place. Who knew that this seemingly meaningless switch would open up a whole other set of problems.
Dr. Shields is the brains behind this morality study that Jess finds herself revealing her secrets in. She draws her in and Jess seems to feel comfortable with her. At least for now.
Who do you trust the therapist luring you in or the husband with something to hide? Everyone has a secret and an agenda in the book and I loved every second of it.

Overall, this was a rapid read that draws you in with twists and turns and an ending I didn’t see coming.

I love the mystery/thriller/suspense genre, but it has been quite some time since one made me sit back and say “WOW!” Am I experiencing a book slump? Or have the books I’ve been reading in this genre lately all been missing something?

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 study becomes more 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.

I thought the plot of An Anonymous Girl was sound. What wasn’t sound was the execution of the story. It started off well enough but then the story dragged, as did my interest. I was waiting for some action, a feeling of suspense and intrigue. This book didn’t leave me eager to turn the pages to see how the story would end. All the lines are tugged closed, but I found I didn’t care how it all en6+ded. I guess that’s a good thing because all I was left with was a blah feeling.

In a nutshell, this book was interesting but not all that gripping. I’m glad I read it, but it won’t appear on any re-read list.

3.5 Stars

After reading The Wife Between Us earlier this year and An Anonymous Girl this past week, one thing is certain: Hendricks and Pekkanen can write.

An Anonymous Girl tells the story of Jess, a struggling makeup artist and her relationship with psychiatrist Dr. Lydia Shields, who’s using Jess in a morality study she’d conducting. While at the beginning everything seems kosher, a plot of deceit, misdirection, and control slowly unravels. The heart of the story looks at morality, love, and ethics taking great stake in examining the relationship between the three. There are plenty of red-herrings and twists making Jess (and the reader) double guess many things; however, just as in The Wife Between Us, I was never fully shocked by these. In this case though, it didn’t take away from the pleasure of reading this book and discovering the truth of Dr. Shields real motives and reasons.

This was one of those books where I kept changing my mind as the book played out. As one of the secrets was revealed, I thought its ramifications would be extensive. In the back of my mind, I was playing with different scenarios as I read, wondering where this would all lead to. I didn’t want to trust anyone, everyone was evil, but in reality, someone had to be good, right?

Jessica lives alone and she is proud of this accomplishment. As a traveling make-up artist, she gets a variety of clientele and she finds her way into a variety of addresses. She is making it, just making it and when she hears about an opportunity to make an extra $500, she grabs it.

Her client is a no-show, so Jessica invites herself in for the survey. Sitting alone, Jessica must be honest as she answers the computer questions. Becoming more sensitive and developed as she moves through the survey, Jessica feels exposed as she answers each sequential question on the survey. Hesitant to continue, she does as she could really use the money. These morality and ethic questions were harder than Jessica anticipated.

After continuing her first set of questions and receiving her money, Jessica is invited back for more testing and more money. The thoughts of how this money could help her parents and her disabled sister go through her mind.

Reading flashbacks, I learn about Jessica as she grew up and about her relationship with her sister. I learn a lot about Jessica from her flashbacks, she seems like a quiet person who has learned to cope with life on her own, and she has her own secrets. These flashbacks are an important part of the novel.
The novel picks up when Jessica decides to do the second survey. Jessica knows what to expect when she arrives on testing day yet the test still takes its toll on Jessica as she answers the questions.

The novel takes on this tantalizing and creepy feeling as Jessica is roped right into the madness. Jessica is loving the money while acting like a puppet on a string. Dr. Shields has Jessica performing a variety of tests for her research project. Poor Jessica, I wasn’t feeling good about this.

This is my second novel by this author. I also read The Wife Between Us which I loved. I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I can’t wait to see what Greer Hendricks will write next, for I am ready.

This book was given to me in both print format and via NetGalley, by the publishers, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I really liked The Wife Between Us by the same author, so I thought I'd like this book too and once I started reading it I couldn't put this book down!

Jessica is a makeup artist in NYC who volunteers for a psychological study to make some money. She starts answering questions and the person running the study asks her to come back the next day. The questions are really personal and intrusive, and Jessica can't stop thinking about them (and the money she's getting paid is great) so she goes back. By the time she realizes what's happening, the doctor running the study has Jessica doing all kinds of weird things and Jessica is getting suspicious.

I don't want to write any spoilers but you have to read this book! One of the best of the year in my opinion.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Farris appears to be like any other struggling young woman trying to make it in the Big Apple.  However, like all of us, she has her secrets and she tells her lies.  So, when she makes a split second decision to do the unthinkable - pretend to be someone else so that she can earn some quick money in a psychological survey - her life is turned upside down.  Will she make the right choices or will she fail the test?

As soon as Jessica enters the study, things get weird.  At first, it all seems normal, just answering questions on a computer anonymously.  But then, she's invited to join an expansion of the study and that's when it gets real.

From the very beginning, An Anonymous Girl draws you in.  The prologue alone was enough to make me sit up and take notice, not something that happens very often with a novel of any kind.  Having studied psychology at one time, the questions posed and the manipulations used fascinated me.  The deception and manipulations are implemented so well that half the time Jessica doesn't know if she's telling the truth or misremembering.  And neither does the reader.  That is the thing that propelled me to the end.

I read and loved the authors' previous novel, The Wife Between Us.  It was an intense ride that left you wondering right up until the very end.  An Anonymous Girl delivers the same psychological punch, keeping you guessing right until the last page.

*review will post to my blog on 1/8/19 when book releases.

Jessica’s and Dr. Shields’ narratives and skewed perspectives drew me in from the get-go. Their evolving connection starts off as a slow burn but about midway, the story really kicks into high gear. Loved and despised these obsessive and flawed characters, the imaginative storyline and slow-building tension.

*will post in online venues closer to publication date

“Every lifetime contains pivot points - sometimes flukes of destiny, sometimes seemingly preordained - that shape and eventually cement one’s path.” - Dr. Shields

Twenty eight-year-old Jessica Farris stumbles across one of these life-defining moments one seemingly ordinary day on her job as a make-up artist. While working on the face of a young woman headed out for a night of NYC clubbing, Jessica learns about an ethics and morality study for women ages 18-32, which is being held at a local university. Jessica’s client, Taylor, is supposed to participate in the study in the morning, but says that she plans to blow it off. Jessica is intrigued by the study, not to mention it’s an easy way to make $500 bucks - so she makes a snap decision to show up in Taylor’s place, pretending to be her.

When Jessica arrives at the university, she has no idea what to expect - this is a morality study, but what kind of information are they looking for? All Jessica’s fears fall to the wayside however, after she enters the classroom and begins answering questions posed by Dr. Shields, the professor in charge of the study. Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt? Describe a time in your life when you cheated. Would you cancel plans with a friend for a better offer? Jessica finds the questions easy to answer, and actually finds some relief in unburdening herself from the secrets she has been carrying.

Jessica soon proves to be an interesting subject to the elusive Dr. Shields, and is invited back for more sessions. At $500 a pop, Jessica can hardly say no. However, Dr. Shields’ invasive questions begin to probe deeper into areas of Jessica’s life that she’s not comfortable talking about. Who is this Dr. Shields? Why has Jessica proven to be such a fascinating subject? And just how far will this study push Jessica’s limits?

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have teamed up again after 2018’s smash hit, The Wife Between Us, to tell the story of An Anonymous Girl. Perfect for the psychological suspense lover, An Anonymous Girl slowly builds tension, beginning with a seemingly innocuous series of morality tests, before turning into a full-blown battle of wits.

With characters who slowly reveal damaging details about themselves, and an intriguing plot set against the backdrop of human morality and ethics, An Anonymous Girl explores just how far people will go to hide their secrets, protect their loved ones, and present a seemingly perfect life to the world. While the twists here won’t make your head spin, there is still enough intrigue to keep readers turning the pages late into the night.

While most of this novel works, the story’s main fault comes in the form of the single-faceted Dr. Shields, who could stand to be fleshed out more. Due to the narrative structure, Dr. Shields always feels to be commenting and observing from afar, making the character feel rather aloof and distant, unlike that of Jessica, who is a fascinating character with many layers for readers to ponder and explore.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Riveting, absolutely unputdownable & totally mind-blowing stuff!

This was an absolutely fantastic psychological thriller novel that I devoured in less than 24 hrs. This books unique storyline immediately drew me in and had me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of reading this book. The pacing and short chapters made this an extremely fast read.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL by GREER HENDRICKS AND SARAH PEKKANEN is a compelling, thrilling, twisted, and rapid-paced read that was so darn entertaining and exciting to read. The intensity level of this novel was so high that my thoughts and feelings never wavered once while reading this book.

GREER HENDRICKS and SARAH PEKKANEN delivers quite the fascinating, intriguing, suspenseful and well-written read here with great characters, a unique premise and an extremely enthralling storyline. There was this deep suspenseful undertone to this novel that gets more exciting, intriguing and intense as the novel progressed.

I absolutely loved the way that this story was told and thoroughly enjoyed both perspectives equally. The cat and mouse game between our main characters was probably one of the most unnerving that I have ever read which made it all the more exciting.

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

The psychology study was one of the most clever, intriguing and entertaining hook that I have yet read and I applaud the authors for immediately absorbing me in this storyline and making this another all consuming read for me.

Publishing Date: January 8, 2019

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Eye-catching, intriguing, alluring, and ominous. Definitely a creepy feeling happening here with this cover which represents the storyline extremely well.
Title: Appealing, suspenseful, intriguing and absolutely love how the title plays so fittingly into storyline.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, engaging, captivating, and smart.
Plot: Creative, thought-provoking, suspenseful, gripping, fast-paced, absorbing, enjoyable and extremely entertaining. I absolutely loved how thrilling this storyline was with all of its subtle twists and turns!
Ending: Wow an absolutely perfect resolution that I was extremely satisfied with.
Overall: A fascinating read that had me totally engrossed from start to finish! I absolutely loved being caught up in the web of deceit and had no clue how this one was all going to play out. Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

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.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

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.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

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.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.



My Thoughts: Caught up immediately in the events of An Anonymous Girl, I was intrigued…and then concerned for Jessica’s ultimate fate. A New York makeup artist, Jessica is struggling financially, and is often exhausted from work. She lives in a tiny studio apartment with her dog Leo.

She also feels guilty about her parents’ financial circumstances because of something that happened years before. The money from the study could help.

Our story is told by alternating narrators, with someone who appears anonymous as one of them, but that person clearly seems to be directing Jessica’s life. And soon the director is obsessed with everything Jessica does, and, in fact, seems to know everything she is doing and keeps ahead of her along the way.

As the intensity increases, my concern for Jessica grows exponentially. Who, if anyone, can she trust? What events will lead her to the edge and change her life forever?

I was addicted to finding out, while cheering for Jessica. Would she escape from the clutches of her “director,” or would she fail?

A beautifully crafted tale with lots of red flags and a cautionary undercurrent, I could not put it down. 5 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

*I needed time to process this before even leaving a rating. The epilogue left a very bad taste in my mouth.*

Jessica Farris is a young woman trying to make it in New York as a make-up artist. She’s struggling to support herself, so when she finds out about a research study opportunity that offers a hefty pay check just for doing a couple of computer surveys, she ends up sneaking herself into the study. But the questions quickly become more intense and personal than she anticipated, and the sessions evolve into real life exercises where she’s told what to do and how to dress. Who is the mysterious Dr. Shields and what is this study really about?

This was a very intriguing, intense book. It had me anxiously (and often nervously) flipping pages. It’s told through two character’s points of views, in alternating chapters, so you get to see the two sides of the story unfolding almost simultaneously. There were so many twists that I didn’t entirely see coming!

One issue I had with this book was that none of the characters were particularly likable. That in and of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing - not all people are likable so not all book characters will be, either. The thing that was really hard for me, though, was the epilogue. If it had ended without that, I think the book would have been better for me. I like to see positive character growth in book characters. This particular character was fairly intelligent, and learned rather quickly how to adapt to her environment and situations. By the epilogue, though, you see her take it too far. She uses that intelligence and cunning in a negative way, and that was very disappointing to me.

However, despite that, I still have to give this book 4 stars. It was, as I said, very intense. I was never entirely sure what was really going on, or who was who. I enjoyed reading this book, even though I didn’t particularly like the very ending. It’s one that would definitely be good to re-read after you finally know what’s going on.

A sold 4-Star read did me. I will be in the lookout for more from these authors!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance reader’s copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. This review appears on GoodReads, my Facebook page, and will be posted to retail sites once published.*

An Anonymous GIrl was a fun, twisty thriller that was refreshing after a sea of many other "thrillers" that seemed to read the same. Jessica, a young makeup artist in New York City, volunteers for a paid psychological study under false pretenses with the well-known Dr. Shields. She is tasked with answering questions on ethics and mortality, and is selected for a higher level of interviewing.

Jessica gets mixed up in a very cat and mouse sort of way with Dr. Shields as the project quickly goes off the rails. This book nailed all of the necessary twists and turns to make a good psychological thriller, and I appreciated the gratuitous level of creepiness that didn't leave me afraid of the dark.

I haven't yet read The Wife Between Us, but I'm definitely planning to pick up a copy in the near future. Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book early!