Answer some questions anonymously for $500? Who would say no? How difficult could the questions be?

Jessica finds out just how difficult the questions are once the survey gets started. The anonymous interaction by Dr. Shields while answering the questions at the beginning is unsettling to say the least, but Jessica needs the money so she continues.

When Jessica is asked to meet Dr. Shields in person, she thinks this will be much better than replying on a computer. I wouldn't have continued, but everyone has reasons why they would or why they wouldn't continue.

At their first in-person session, Dr. Shields tells her that the research has been cancelled and that Jessica is her sole focus. Should Jessica worry about this?

Maybe Dr. Shields can help Jessica with a secret she has been keeping her entire life or perhaps she can't help her and her secret will get out?

The more Jessica thinks about this arrangement with Dr. Shields, the more frightened and paranoid she becomes that she really doesn't know what she has gotten herself into and what Dr. Shields really has in mind.

We find out about Jessica as well as Dr. Shields in alternating chapters. Both seem like troubled people, but Dr. Shields seems to have the upper hand with her devious, obsessive plans of using Jessica to help solve her problem or at least find an answer.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL had me tense as I was reading and worrying what was going on. Jessica's worry seemed to consume her all day and even at night.

I didn't like Dr. Shields the minute I met her and disliked her even more as time went on. She actually was quite frightening, evil, cunning, manipulative, and needed some therapy herself.

If you want to hate a character, Dr. Shields is the person you are looking for.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL definitely will keep your interest up as well as your blood pressure.

If you enjoy a book that you won't be able to put down just because what's happening is unbelievable, then THE ANONYMOUS GIRL is that book.

And...if I must compare the books by these authors, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL was much better for me than THE WIFE BETWEEN US. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher in both print and via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the authors’ first book, The Wife Between Us, and was really excited for this one. The pacing, however, felt off to me. The first half was slow going, though it picked up about 60% of the way through. Interesting characters, but I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending (especially for Lydia).

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I felt it dragged on a bit in the middle but the ending was well worth the wait!

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL strikes me as a subtle thriller. By that I mean it's not your run of the mill page turner, yet it quietly stimulates a compulsion to read the next page, and then the next as your mind attempts to fathom just what is happening. The writing is clear and direct and obscure all at the same time. Yes, this book is something of an enigma. It would seem that there are three main characters thrown together by happenstance. Early on, there are few clues that point the way to their connection. There are also tiny bits of information that seem insignificant when first mentioned.

When I had read only a few chapters in AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, the words "would you like to play a game?" popped into my head. Yes, the words that always remind me of the 1983 movie "War Games." It came more from the sense of the book rather than from its subject matter. Additionally, there is a subtle, almost intangible thread of creepiness that percolates through these opening chapters.

Without giving anything away, this is a tale of obsession, lies, truths and human interaction. I found it mentally stimulating and quite believable.

After listening to the audiobook version of The Wife Between Us and reading the description of this, i was intrigued but also a little apprehensive. My assumptions were this would be fairly formulaic and predictable; my assumptions were mostly wrong. While there were some predictable and formulaic parts(mainly Part 1), the rest of the book really outshined the first part. I was hooked on the story from that point forward and felt that it threw some unexpected proverbial punches that i didn't entirely see coming. I definitely appreciated the fact that the authors didn't feel the need to style this book the exact same way as their previous work and enjoyed the fact that there wasn't some crazy twist at the end "just because."

Really enjoyed An Anonymous Girl and look forward to what these ladies come up with next!

Full Disclosure: I received an ARC Kindle copy of An Anonymous Girl through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*** 5 Stars***
Expected Publication: January 8th, 2019

Everywhere I look people are talking about how great this book is and honestly after reading it, they're right! Jessica Farris is a makeup artist struggling financially and carrying quite an amount of emotional stress as well, when she hears of an ethical study for women her age by an NYC psychiatrist, with generous compensation. Sounds perfect right?
Oh my this story was too good to put down. The story alternates between Jessica's point of view and Dr. Shield's, the psychiatrist performing the study. What I found different about this story was when writing from Dr. Shield's point of view it was as she was speaking to Jessica directly, which I really loved. It added a creepy twist on an already intense psychological thriller. There was twist after twist in this story, even when I thought I knew where things were going, BOOM another twist. I couldn't stop thinking about this book and one where I kept telling my husband, "Omg and now this is happening, and then she did this and then OMG OMG" Good luck putting this one down until you finish and I guarantee there will be no disappointments here. One of my favorite reads this year and I'm sure this book will be the talk of 2019 when it releases on January 8th.

Special Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An Anonymous Girl had me hooked from the moment I started reading it! Based on the view points of two main characters, the narrative continuously goes from carefree, to sinister, to apprehension and back. It is a fascinating psychological thriller with many twists and turns that keeps you questioning every character and what they are hiding. Through every chapter you will be wondering who can you trust? One of them is lying, but who? A captivating and suspenseful read, I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

A great psychological suspense story. A page turner. I couldn't predict what was gonna happen and I also couldn't put it down. Book some time for this. Highly recommend!

Life can change on a dine. It can come in a phone call, a text, a word, or even an invitation. For Jessica Ferris, a young woman struggling to make ends meet as a free lance makeup artist, her change of life comes when she joins in on a study conducted by Dr Shields. Jessica had not been the intended study subject but had fallen into becoming a subject through a bit of deception on her part and the need for money.

Dr Shields has it all. She is educated, beautiful, has a handsome husband, although he might be a philanderer, and yet there is something unnerving about her. Cool as a cucumber, she is a manipulator who entices Jessica to enter the study and become anything Dr Shields wants her to be. How to dress, who to see, where to go are all under the guise of a morality study. Little does Jess know that she is being trained to carry out the devious plans of Dr Shields that will consequently have disastrous results for Jessica.

This was quite an unnerving thriller fraught with so many twists and turns that the reader didn't know who was a villain or who was a hero if even there was one. It built up the suspense preying on a person who was obviously out of her element. Would Jessica learn the game in time or would she succumb to the machinations of Dr Shields?

I do heartily recommend this book to those of us who do like the working of a well written and performed psychological thriller. This one will keep the reader on their toes as they are taken along on a journey to control, compulsion, and manipulation. Have to say I did so enjoy the authors previous book, The Wife Between Us, as well! Keep em coming ladies!

Thank you to Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press and Net Galley for a copy of this riveting novel.

Twisty. Psychological. Page-turner.

We all have our own internal moral compass, but at what point are we willing to forgo it for a monetary value. Jessica Faris gets herself enlisted in what she thinks will be a quick questionnaire for $500, but the responses she supplies Dr. Shields are rather intriguing and Jess soon finds herself preforming mysterious tasks for additional money. I am not going to give anything else away because you are better off going in blind.

All in all I could not tear myself away from this book! I just had to keep going to see what the next reveal would be. An Anonymous Girl definitely gets points for being original.

Keep an eye for this book, it is one that lives up to the hype.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC!!

An Anonymous Girl is about a girl that participates in a morality survey, and then things begin to spiral out of control.

This book was amazing! It had me anxious the entire time, wondering what was going to happen next! This is one of the few books where I wasn't disappointed with the ending. Usually I feel like there should be more, or some type of explanation of what happens next, but not with this one! This is my second book by this duo, and while I liked The Wife Between Us, this book was so much more satisfying!

Absolute must read! It is one of the top five books I've read this year! Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress! Everyone be sure to grab your copy January 8th!

An Anonymous Girl was great and I loved this on-edge psychological thriller!

Jessica sneaks into a psychological study on Morals & Ethics, with the promise of cash! Instantly you're left questioning both those things with the unusual decision. What starts as two afternoon computer based questionnaires quickly escalates, as does the payment to be involved in the "study", but is it still a study when you're the only one involved? What about when you're sent on missions, to benefit the observer? Things quickly take a voyeuristic turn in this creepy thriller, as Jessica is drawn into the personal life of Dr Shields.

I am expecting this book by Pekkanen and Hendricks will be made into a movie quite swiftly. After success with The Wife Between Us, this talented duo is on a roll, whatever they are doing, they should keep doing this, because these to novels, released in quick successions are both brilliant (in my opinion). Keep them coming ladies!

This would be a great option for those who enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, The Wife Between Us (written by the same authors).

**I received this book from Netgalley for the purpose to read and provide an unbiased review.

Once again, this amazing author duo has spun a tale that makes you question what you are reading and what you think you know about the characters within the pages. Their first book, The Wife Between Us, blew me away and this one had the same effect on me.

I was constantly questioning what Dr. Shield's motives were and what she was trying to accomplish by her 'study'. As the doctor's questions and requests become more manipulative, Jessica has real reasons to be concerned but it may be too late to get out. Such a twisted mind. Such a twisted story. And I loved it!

An Anonymous Girl is the perfect psychological suspense read because you really won't be able to guess how it ends. And you will not want to put it down. If this is a genre you like to read, you're going to love An Anonymous Girl.

I was excited to read this book after hearing so much about it, and it did not disappoint! "An Anonymous Girl" is the story of Jessica, who signs up to take part in a study at a university conducted by Dr. Shields, on morality. What is initially supposed to be just answering some personal questions on a computer soon turns into Dr. Shields asking Jessica to participate in actual assignments out in the field, so to speak, in which Jessica is orchestrated to look, act, and behave in a certain way. As Jessica gets further and deeper into participation in the study, and disclosing more and more of her personal information to Dr Shields, and begins to experience the ramifications of her study participation negatively impacting her personal life, she begins to do some investigating on her own into Dr Shields that culminates in a climactic ending. This book moved quickly, with many twists and turns, and I had a hard time putting it down! Alternating between the voices of Jessica and Dr Shields in the story-telling, the authors give you a good sense of the history of both main characters, and what it is that drives them into the present story-line. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait for the next one from these authors! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed these two authors first collaboration in The Wife Between Us so I was excited to get my eyes on an advanced copy of this one.

Guess what?

You can get your hands on it too thanks to this being one of the selections for Book of the Month.

This book kept me up until the wee hours of the night and I was completely hooked within the very first chapter.

Jessica works as a freelance makeup artist and ends up doing a job for a woman that completely changes her path. When she overhears that her client is planning to turn down a psychology study that is paying a good sum of money, Jessica decides to turn up in her spot to see if she can take her place.

In a room alone, the survey on the computer begins with, “Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?”

That is just the opening question though and the questions start to become more and more invasive.

The thing is, Jessica starts to enjoy answering these questions and since she is doing such an incredible job, the doctor conducting study asks if she can assist in further research.

The money is too good to pass up and this is how Jessica finds herself becoming more and more paranoid as she worries that things happening in her daily life are really her being tested in the study.

Jessica could never guess though just what Dr. Shields is really up to and, at times, neither can the reader.

This is a smart psychological thriller with a well-thought plot. If you love Black Mirror, I have a feeling you will love this one as it toys with the moral compass and what happens when we choose the wrong keeper to our secrets.

An Anonymous Girl

A compelling psychological suspense novel that draws you in with a survey on ethics and morality and keeps you on the edge of your seat as the survey turns into a dangerous experiment.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
When Jessica Farris, a striving make-up artist, signs up for a psychological 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 the questions are about morality and ethics and quickly become intense and invasive. “Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?” is only the first of many she has been instructed to answer honestly. She does and then she is invited back for more. Jesse accepts because really needs the money to make ends meet. Eventually Jesse meets with Dr. Shields directly, and Jesse therapeutically shares some of her deepest secrets with her. Next their sessions become outings where Jesse is told what to wear and how to act. She begins to feel as though she may have told Dr. Shields to much. Dr. Shields seems knows exactly what she’s thinking and what she’s hiding. As Jessie‘s paranoia grows it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what is real and what is one of Dr. Shields experiments. Caught in the web of deceit and jealousy, Jesse quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly. AN ANONYMOUS GIRL was written by the authors of the bestselling thriller The Wife Between Us, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.


REVIEW
This book took my breath away. My heart was racing when I closed the back cover. It’ a perfect book to read in the winter while next to a warm fire and covered in a soft cuddly blanket. You are going to need the comfort, because it gets crazy.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL is a haunting tale, where Dr. Shields is always two plays ahead of Jesse in a game of chess. Jesse frustration and angst was palpable. You can’t help but cheer for her, and hope she wins.

The story was skillful crafted and carefully plotted. It was totally enthralling and hard to put down. Chapters narration alternates between Jessica and Dr. Shields. point of view. The writing was superbly detailed with descriptions of settings, clothing, and dialog. The main characters were intriguing from the very first page. I loved Jess and her vulnerabilities, which is what propel this story and made it so good. It a dark and suspenseful story of love and betrayal, and ethics, morality and obsession. Put this on your 2019 reading list now.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher St. Martin’s Press
Published January 5, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

To be posted to my blog, http://readwithallison.com

Hello, fellow readers! It has been several hours since I finished An Anonymous Girl, and I finally feel like I am able to put my thoughts in to words. I am sad to say that I missed Hendricks and Pekkanen's debut release, The Wife Between Us, but I will definitely be adding it to my TBR after finishing their second book.

I was provided an ARC of this title from St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review.

Description: Jess is a down on her luck young woman living in New York and working as a makeup artist. Her parents think she is working on Broadway, but she is too embarrassed to tell them the truth about her current job. During one of her makeup sessions with two college girls, Jess learns about a psychology study at the local university. The study pays very well, and Jess is desperate for money. Jess shows up to the study the next day and manages to talk her way in to the study with the mysterious Dr. Shields. The study begins innocently enough with Jess answering open ended questions on a computer in an empty classroom. Jess really begins to open up to Dr. Shields. Eventually Jess is the sole focus of this study on ethics and morality and is pulled in to a twisty game of lies and deceit.

What I Liked: The book alternates between Jess and Dr. Shields' perspectives, which kept the story fast paced. It was interesting to know what was going on from both sides of the story, especially for a psychological suspense novel. Every time I thought I had figured out the story, the next chapter would drop a bombshell and I was clueless all over again!

Dr. Shields was a fascinating character because you never knew her next move. I was constantly surprised by each plot twist (and there were alot of them!), but the story never felt complicated.

What I Didn't Like: The book is a little on the long side at 371 pages, but I never felt bored while reading it. But given the length of the book and the slow burn leading up the ending, I was a little let down by how the story wraps up so quickly.

Final Thoughts: An Anonymous Girl was one of my top ten books of 2018. I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. Hendricks and Pekkanen really nailed the story and kept me guessing until the very end.

I thought this description sounded unusual so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel but I really enjoyed The Wife Between Us so I was excited to find out. While very different from their last book this is a great read and much better than I thought the blurb sounded. Jess is a young woman working hard to make ends meet when she finds an unexpected chance to make some money. That decision puts her in a research study with Dr. Shields. Jess will find herself delving into situations where honesty and morality intersect. While I think more straight forward than their last book this novel will certainly have you wondering who you can trust. In many ways Jess is not always the most sympathetic of narrators but she makes for a very compelling character as she is thrust into a situation that will put her in a difficult, perhaps even dangerous, situation. This was a quick read and very different from the plot of most novels in this category so it will easily hold your attention as you follow Jess and hope she can save herself.

“I have no idea if I’m traveling down the right path now. I’m hopscotching through a minefield.”

After 14 years of living in one place, our landlord increased our rent by 35% (as a “re-assessment”). The night before the move, with so much still to pack, I found myself engrossed in An Anonymous Girl and was literally unable to put it down!!

“Uncertainty is an excruciating state in which to exist.”

The beginning of this book grabbed me right away with an ironic twist. Jessica Farris is a make-up artist in need of money. She sneaks a look at her client’s phone to get the details for a psychology study that will pay $500 and the next day, she becomes an official participant in the research project. The funny thing is it’s a study about Morality/Ethics and Jessica was devious in finding out the study details and was duplicitous in gaining admission into it. A second irony is that Dr. Shield’s attitudes and behavior is even more questionable in terms of morality and ethics. Is this a social commentary that people are drawn to an occupation and study areas that are especially relevant to their own issues? Many have postulated that such a link does exist.

The interplay between Dr. Shields, who heads up the study, and Jessica is fascinating and suspenseful, facilitated by alternating first person narratives. Just when you think you have figured it out, you encounter an unexpected twist.

Following the success of The Wife Between Us, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen set themselves a high bar to write as compelling a psychological thriller for their second book. Yet they were able to achieve an equally enjoyable read in my opinion.

An Anonymous Girl is an extremely well-executed cat-and-mouse psychological thriller that will keep you frantically turning page after page until you reach the satisfying conclusion. Hendricks and Pekkanen are masters at suspenseful thrillers and I am on the edge of my seat awaiting their next book!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The more I read thrillers, the more I realize they are just not for me. With that said, I did enjoy this one. It had you guessing on who was crazy, who was sane, who was involved, and who was just an innocent bystander. If you love thrillers, I highly recommend this one!