Hendricks and Pekkanen are brilliant! This book leaves you stunned over and over again. The main character manages to insert herself in a psychological study thinking she is just going to make some quick cash. But little does she know, her life is about to be tossed in to total chaos as she reveals her deepest vulnerabilities. The characters are fantastic and totally sinister. Just when I thought I had figured everything out, another twist was thrown my way. Great read.

Excellent book. If you are ever tempted to join a psychological study, read this book first and then RUN! Jessica, a make-up artist weasels her way into a morality study because she can use the $500.00 payment. Manipulation at its best by Dr. Lydia Shields. I felt badly for Jessica. She was clearly out of her element in her dealings with Dr. Shields. My first book by these authors but I will now read their first collaboration. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the Authors for allowing me to read and review this book.

As a fan of "The Wife Between Us," I had high expectations for "An Anonymous Girl." I am happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. It is a twisty thriller that kept me enthralled and guessing until the very end. The authors are experts at delving depression into the human psyche, creating characters who are both vulnerable and sympathetic while also wholly unlikeable. From the very first moment that Jess joins Dr. Shields' study, and begins answering questions in that empty classroom, the suspense begins and doesn't stop until the final page. I highly recommend this book.

Jessica was only looking to make a few extra bucks--but what she got when she swiped a spot in a research study from a college student was much more than she bargained for. Once she is offered more money in exchange for a deep dive into her innermost secrets, Jessica's relationship with Dr. Shields becomes dangerous.

While I like the premise of this book being a psychological thriller, it doesn't really live up to the hype. Although I thought the ending was predictable (and I was proven wrong, of course) the actual ending didn't deliver what I wanted it to, and it was really rushed given how slow the rest of the story went. The manipulation by Dr. Shields and Jessica's attempts to thwart it were a little absurd, even though they were not out of the realm of possibility. It'll suck you in, but it won't wow you.

Greer and Sarah did it again! An Anonymous Girl is a compelling story with lots of twists and turns As with their previous novel, The Wife Between Us, I’m not going to say too much as to not disclose too much of the plot. Excellent, excellent read.

My thanks to the authors, the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I was in my 20s, I would frequently make a little extra cash by participating in studies and focus groups. All you have to do is spend an hour or two answering a few questions, and you walk away with a nice wad of cash. I never thought twice about it—but I guarantee that anyone who reads "An Anonymous Girl" will never approach a psychological study quite so cavalierly.

Jessica Farris wasn't even supposed to be participating in Dr. Shields' research into "ethics and morality." A freelance makeup artist living in Manhattan, and thus perpetually in need of extra cash, Jessica learns about the study from one of her clients, who states her intention to blow it off, not wanting to show up at 8 AM on a Sunday morning: "I'm not going to set an alarm to go to some dumb questionnaire." Once she finds out that it pays $500, Jessica decides to go in her place. A bit ironic for a study of morality, perhaps, but she's got rent to pay.

Before long, Jessica has become the mysterious Dr. Shields' favorite subject, and the research takes a strange turn—but the amount she's being paid increases as well, and with her father out of a job and her disabled sister in need of expensive care, she finds she's caught up in a situation that is quickly spinning out of her control.

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen wrote one of my favorite thrillers of 2018, the bonkers-but-entertaining "The Wife Between Us," and I expected "An Anonymous Girl" would be another crazy thrill ride of twists upon twists. Much to their credit, the authors have produced a work of more straightforward psychological suspense that does have plenty of surprises, but their priority here is to tell a solid story, not just to trick the reader with misdirection.

The authors of The Wife Between Us are back at it with another good twisty psychological thriller. Although the twists in An Anonymous Girl weren’t quite as shocking as in their first book, this was definitely a page turner. I was kept up very late at night because I couldn’t stop telling myself - just one more chapter. And when the chapters are small, it’s too easy to say, ok - just one more. Next thing I knew it was 1 AM and I had another 12 hour work day to tackle after not enough sleep. 3 days in a row!

Jess is a make-up artist in New York City and desperately needs to earn as much money as she can to help her family when she finds a way to sneak into a study that pays very well. She does so well, that Dr. Shields, a beautiful psychiatrist who is running the study, asks Jess to continue as her only subject. Jess, Subject 52, accepts. At first it’s because of the money, but then she becomes so drawn to Dr. Shields, that she’ll do almost anything for her.

I’ve been seeing a few reviews that say that the two POVs, Jess and Dr. Shields, are both unreliable narrators. I didn’t really feel that way. I thought that Jess seemed to have it mostly together. Was she a bit of an odd duck? Sure. But aren’t we all? And Dr. Shields? She just seemed to be absolutely perfect.

Although I really enjoyed this book, I did like the authors’ first book a bit more, mostly because I really love those BIG twists. Not everyone needs those, however. All in all. I still enjoyed the heck out of this story and can not wait for the next book! These two are my new favorite authors for this genre.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy!*

**And a special thank you to Goodreads as I won a beautiful print copy I now have from one of their giveaways!!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.*

I've had a number of my bookish friends suggest that I read Greer Hendricks/Sarah Pekkanen, and The Wife Between Us has been on my "want to read" list for a while, so when I saw An Anonymous Girl as a Netgalley ARC, I was excited! This is the first of their books that I have read.

The Wife Between us is a well-crafted, gripping psychological thriller. It is the story of Jessica Farris, a young midwestern make-up artist struggling to make it in New York City following a traumatic experience with a director while working on a show on Broadway. While on a job, she spies a client's appointment to participate in a psychological research study and overhears her decide not to participate. She also overhears that the compensation will be $500 and she desperately needs to make rent. So, Jess purports to be a friend taking part in the study in her client's stead.

Enter the mysterious Dr. Shields - a NYU professor conducting a morality study of young women. Dr. Shields quickly learns that Jess (subject 52) is different from all of the other participants and changes the course of her research to focus solely on Jess. Offering Jess "generous" compensation to change her participation while agreeing to absolute confidentiality (she cannot even speak of the study), Dr. Shields ensnares Jess in her intricate web. Wounded herself by infidelity, Dr. Shields begins to use Jess as a pawn in a dangerous game she is playing with her husband.

I enjoyed the premise, and was pleasantly surprised by how good the twists and turns were! I'd definitely recommend this book and will read more by this duo!

*with thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

“””I don’t fear strangers, though. I’ve learned more harm can come from familiar faces”””

“””Every family generates its own particular dysfunction”””

Jessica signs up for a paid psychology study being conducted by Dr. Lydia Shields. Question #1: could you tell a lie without feeling guilty. The study pays well, but is it worth it? This twisty, mind bendy, suspense filled, paranoia infused book will keep you turning the pages to see how Jessica’s psyche survives. Not the holy crap ending I was waiting for, but still worth the read.

I really enjoyed this book, but not as much as The Wife Between Us, which led me to expect more twists in this. Still Pekkanen and Hendricks did it again. I enjoyed this suspenseful read and alternating narrators. I noticed that one of the dates was off - November 7th jumped to 9th the next day, I believe. Great book, and I'm looking forward to more by these authors. It was a great premise of a psychological study gone out of control

If you read and enjoyed The Wife Between Us, you will definitely enjoy this book. It starts off with Jessica, a make-up artist in New York eavesdropping on a client's conversation about not wanting to go to an interview for a psychologist's study the next morning, even though it will pay $500. Jess needs the money, so she decides to go in her client's place. The questions in the interview are very personal and all about morality and ethics (i.e. would you lie, cheat or steal), all of which force Jessica to think about things she has done in her past.

Little does Jessica know that this starts off a chain reaction and although she gets to continue in the study and gets paid for it, she is asked to do things that seem very sketchy. The book is told from Jessica's point of view, as well as the psychologists, which makes it very interesting. It is a psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. I really enjoyed this book as it kept me entertained and guessing what would happen to Jessica and she gets asked to do such crazy things.

Thanks to #NetGalley and

This duo is absolutely killing it with their writings!

After falling in looveee with "The Wife Between Us", I just knew that I had to pick this one up.

Twenty-eight year old Jessica is makeup artist whose life consists of work, her dog Leo, one-night stands, and struggling to stay afloat financially. With a younger sister, Becky, who suffered a brain injury when they were smaller, and parents who are constantly struggling to keep up with her medical bills, Jessica can't help but feel the need to help her parents out in any way she can. In fact, she helps pay for Becky's treatment unbeknownst to her mom and dad. During a makeup gig scheduled for her by BeautyBuzz, she overhears a voicemail regarding a research study that pays $500. Unethically, Jessica steals the phone number and information, and shows up as a last-minute entry into the study. How could she ever pass up the chance to earn $500 just for sitting in a study?

Jessica is labeled "Subject 52" in the moral and ethics research hosted by Dr. Lydia Shields. Soon after, what started off as a simple series of questions and surveys, Dr. Shields would like to continue the study with Jessica outside of the university. Placed in situations that test Jessica's morals, and also the morals of the men she encounters during these studies. But Dr. Shields has an agenda beyond that of a morality study. Jessica begins to feel apprehensive to the situations and locations Dr. Shields is sending her to. But the compensation, is beyond what was originally expected. Can Jessica continue to be another Subject in Dr. Shields strange research? Or is there something more that will drive Jessica to her wit's end?

Being that this is the second book written by this duo, it is natural to compare the story to "The Wife Between Us". These two books are similar in that the writing keeps you intrigued page after page, from beginning to end. However, this one is not as fast-paced as The Wife Between Us. It is not to say that this book lacked in any way shape or form, but the suspense was much more psychological. The plot and revelation are beautifully twisted.

I would actually love to see if these author's end up writing separately, to see what it is that makes them such AMAZING storytellers together. A definite recommendation to anyone that enjoyed "The Wife Between Us"

An anonymous Girl

When Jessica signs up for a psychology study, in place of one of her clients, she finds that what she thought would simply be a matter of answering a few questions, quickly turns into an almost total invasion of her life.
The mysterious Dr Shields who has designed and is running the study begins to take over Jess's life, setting her on outings where she is told what to do and say, and what to wear. Jess does some research on the doctor and finds that what she thought and believed not only about the good doctor but to some extent about herself, is not all it seems.
Follow Jess through all the ups and downs of her life as it is changed by the interaction with Dr Shields; through a web of lies, contradictions, set-ups, and jealousy, until she is overcome with paranoia and begins to doubt her sanity.
This is a fascinating, ever-changing story. The main characters are totally believable, well rounded and well written. Early on, we understand why Jess takes her client's place in the study and then learn where this leads her, mentally and emotionally. Dr Shields is a seductive woman easily able to lure Jess into her web, and Thomas, her husband, is shown to be another who is not all he appears to be.
In all I found this to be an engaging and powerful book, one that I couldn't stop reading once I started.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of reading and reviewing it.

An Anonymous Girl starts with an intriguing premise. How far would you go to make extra money? Or hide a devastating secret? As you get to to know Jess and learn about her situation, everything seems reasonable. But then Dr. shields increases her game. Her requests to Jess become more intense. The money does not seem worth the anxiety it is giving Jess. Then Thomas enters the picture. Is he a friend or a foe? What is this game Jess finds herself in? I honestly think the only time my pulse was normal during this book was when Noah made Jess French toast. The intensity grew with every chapter and I was both excited and saddened to reach the conclusion. Definitely one of the most satisfying psychological thrillers I have read.

This was an amazingly dark and deep psychological thriller!! It’s one of my favorite reads this year!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Last year I devoured The Wife Between Us, so when I saw that Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen were at it again with An Anonymous Girl, I immediately requested the book on Netgalley. This book has that gorgeous monotoned colored cover, with faces of women who could be anyone, and that really intrigued me. What was even more entrancing was the story. 

Jessica needs money, she's a make up artist by day, but she can barely cover her bills and her parents bills that she secretly pays each month, so when she overhears one of her clients talking about being part of a study about morality, Jessica decides to hi-jack that girls spot and get in to the study herself. I mean, what could go wrong, all she has to do is answer some silly questions anonymously and go home, right?

Of course it's not that easy. Along with the typical morality questions, Jessica is set up in real life situations where she must go above and beyond her comfort zone, to the point of being in dangerous situations, all in the name of morality, or so she thinks. Then she meets the woman behind the study, who happens to have her own personal vendetta, and Jessica may be wrapped up in something she won't be able to get out of alive.

Chances are if you read a lot of thrillers like I do, you'll be able to predict this one, unlike The Wife Between Us, the twist didn't catch me off guard, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the writing was superb as usual. I cannot wait to see what these two come up with next. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

It took a little while to get into this book—what the protagonist, Jessica “Jess,” a young makeup artist struggling to scratch out a living in NYC—thought about questions of moral and ethical complexities posed to her in a study (she manages to get herself into, tempted by the $500 compensation) by a NYU doctor of psychology wasn’t all that interesting, and it took a while for the book to “hook.”. But it doesn’t take long before it’s obvious (to the reader, at least) that something is rotten in Denmark, and I kept turning the pages. The book is told from the 1st pov of Jess and from the mixed 1st/3rd (like reading the therapist report notes) pov of Dr. Shields. Usually I don’t like mixed pov; I need to have a strong protagonist’s pov to focus on in order to get invested enough in the protagonist’s fate to read on. But the second pov was impersonal enough that it didn’t bother me. This is a well written tale with realistic, flawed (and seriously flawed!) characters. I really enjoyed it and will be looking for other books by the authors.

What did I just read??

I thought that I had it all figured out and then BAM! I didn't. The characters were so well developed. I thought Jess could be any of us, trying to make it in the world. Helping her parents and her sister while barely making ends meet. It made me think of all of the "unspoken" things that have happened in my own family or when I talk to my sisters and we all were at the same event but had difference experiences. The memory can be a tricky thing.

I look forward to reading their debut novel. I have it in my TBR pile.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy.

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
AN ANONYMOUS GIRL

This compelling, not easy, book raised questions that stayed with me even after reaching “the end.” It was intriguing from the very beginning. The psychological testing reminded me of taking the MMPI, Minnesota Multi-Phasic Inventory, in 1967 with fellow college of education majors. The very intrusive and repetitive questions prompted an exchange student in our group to call it an “ugly test.” I never found out what possible use or value that test was . . . disclosure goes only one way in these situations, as Jessica discovered, though her need to know was greater.
Whom to trust? “I don’t fear strangers . . . I’ve learned more harm can come from familiar faces.”
Secrets and guilt — we all have some. “Often the person we judge most harshly is ourself.” A recent discussion in which friends expressed punitive attitudes to those in prison set me musing on missteps we might have made but were lucky enough or connected enough to escape full consequences. How many can say they’ve never committed a wrong act? Anyone? Don’t we, and they, deserve redemption?
To what extent do wealth and power enable the privileged to manipulate others? Are they tempted to discount the humanity of those of lesser status? Evade the consequences of even heinous acts?
Can one fight back against impossible odds? Should one defend “by any means necessary”?
Be prepared for other activities to move to the back burner as the suspense builds. Jessica inspired me to care a great deal about her and her family, feeling the tension as she walked the tightrope of dangers.

I was such a fan of The Wife Between us that I was thrilled to be chosen to receive an ARC of An Anonymous Girl.

Hendricks & Pekkanen did not disappoint in their second joint endeavor. While it did not have the same wow factor as their first novel together, and I admit I was slightly confused near the end (to the point I had to re-read a few paragraphs to figure out from who's point of view it was told), I could not put this book down, I loved it. Strong women and a little bit of crazy thrown in there for good measure. Definitely give this one a try!

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance of publication.