An Anonymous Girl, due for publication in January 2019, is from the same writing duo who penned the bestseller The Wife Between Us. Their second novel leaves no doubt how good these authors are and just like with their first book, the less you know going into it, the better.

In An Anonymous Girl, Jessica Farris is a struggling make-up artist on the job one day when she overhears two clients discussing a psychological morality and ethics study. It starts out as a short survey paying $500. The doctor conducting the study, Lydia Shields, offers Jess the opportunity to expand her participation in the study into real life scenarios. All is not as it appears, however, as Jess soon starts to figure out, when the doctor's requests become stranger and more personally invasive.

This was a really fast read and I was invested the entire time in finding out what was really happening and how the authors would resolve the story. They did a really effective job at slowly letting the tension grow as it got creepier and creepier building toward the climax. My final recommendation: don't miss this one, just make sure you set aside enough time to read it, because you're not going to want to put it down until you get to the last page.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited at the opportunity to read this book, as I know the authors have had much prior success. I imagine that will only increase with the release of this book, as well. The story intrigues you from the very first page and never seems to lull afterward, which is rare. The characters are all likeable, or at least intriguing, so that you remain invested in every action and reaction. While some reveals were predictable, the payoff of their reveal still felt satisfying. I will say, like many, if not most thrillers, the ending felt uncharacteristic to the main players. Usually the endings of thrillers also feel rushed, and this one did not, but it did feel as though Jessica and Lydia wrapped up their stories in ways that were unbelievable to the characters we had come to know. Overall, this is a great, quick read, unique and well-paced.

This was sooooo much better than the authors’ first book. While I liked that one, it was very similar to a book I’d read shortly before picking it up. So, while to most readers it was thrilling and refreshing, I felt differently. This time, though, I was wowed.

An Anonymous Girl hooked me from the get-go. I loved the two narrative styles. Seeing the story from Jess’s POV was obviously the main aspect, but the creepy tone of Dr. Shields just added an extra oomph. And it did get creepy.

The story starts out innocently enough. Girl takes another’s place in a study. Girl ends up being the perfect candidate for more. But, what exactly is the ‘more?’ And that’s where the interesting pieces come into play.

Dr. Shields sends her on tasks. These are supposed to test theories on morality. But it becomes clear there is far more taking place than a simple study. Things begin to be revealed, but slowly. And there are still twists on those things.

While I did like Jess, the rest of the characters were shady. As the full/true story comes to light, games are still being played by all parties. It’s hard to understand who is telling the truth. And who is playing her false. At times, it seems like everyone. I trusted no one. Especially when someone’s true colors come to the surface. It is that moment this becomes more than a simple study. It’s dangerous and life-threatening.

This book is intense. There’s not a lot of down moments. With each task she is assigned, I found myself looking for clues to the truth. It’s obvious to us this is a personal matter for the doctor, but why? What more does she know? And just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants?

This a fantastic thriller. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a game, one that you have to be twenty steps ahead to figure out. Some parts are easy, others you’ll be clueless about. I highly recommend this!

I was a huge fan of The Wife Between Us, so I was excited to read this as an ARC.

Jess joins a research group, thinking that she will answer a few questions, make a bit of money, and be done with it. Turns out, she is the person that the researcher is looking for, and she is asked to extend her study. We go from there.

There are twists and turns galore in this one. Its intense, fast paced, and excellent.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and the Authors for an ARC of this fantastic book!

4.5 Stars
I enjoyed the previous book The Wife Between Us by these authors tremendously and was excited to read this one. The story draws you in instantly. It starts very simply but builds the suspense page my page. You can feel what Jessica feels because she has been shown to be as clueless as the reader, neither have any idea what is going to happen next. The writing is inviting and the 2 points of view are depicted very differently. Jess’s story is told in a more personal manner while Dr Shields story is told more in a passive voice as if Dr Shields is talking about another person; a detached person talking about a 3rd party.
Dr. Shields is playing a game, a twisted one where the ‘study’ is not really a study but more of a game that fuels Dr Shield’s agenda. There is a palpable tension that you can feel all through the book. Jess is vulnerable and impressionable and Dr. Shields is a master of the game. Dr.
Shields weaves a web that’s impossible to get out of. The lure of money and the desire to know more drags Jess into this sticky tangled web. Slowly you see obsession rearing it’s ugly head and it is evident in both Dr. Shields and Jess. As the ‘tests’ progress you can see that Jess is weighing her options more carefully and is almost paranoid about how her actions will be judged. Rather than being herself she rethinks hers actions and does what she assumes would make Dr. Shields think highly of her. You begin to wonder if it is simply a crafty revenge story or is there more? Your patience is suitable rewarded as you continue to read. By the time part 3 begins you can no longer decide who is the prey and who is the predator. It is simply a matter of who can outsmart the others better. All the characters are flawed human beings but they are still relatable. The exchanges between them feel like a long volley in a tennis match.
The book is gripping and you will read it compulsively to find out the truth. The rest of your life will probably go on hold once you start this book because putting it down is extremely hard. There are many twists in this plot and while you maybe able to guess some of them the ending will leave you shocked. Overall this is a winner of a book for sure, worth every minute you spend on it.

My favorite quote from this book:
“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.

Also shared on:
https://romasharma.blogspot.com

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. #AnAnonymousGirl #NetGalley

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of AN ANONYMOUS GIRL in exchange for my honest review.***

When Jessica answers an ad for a research study that pays $500, she has no idea she’s enlisting to be a pawn in Dr Lydia Shield’s psychological warfare to test her husband Thomas’s fidelity.

As a psychologist who has conducted research, Lydia made me cringe on so many levels. Everything about Dr Shields made me want to scream at Jessica, as if I was watching a predictable horror movie “don’t go up the stairs alone.” AN ANONYMOUS GIRL is a so much more nuanced than a B movie. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen crafted a Lydia as a crafty, manipulative sociopath and Jessica as her unwitting pawn, who needed the money and validation. While Jessica saw the red flags, the money lured her, fueled by guilt and wanting to help her family.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL would make a great movie, though living up to the book would be difficult. It is the epitome of a true psychological thriller. I read it in one sitting, because I couldn’t put down this gem and future best seller.

3.8 stars - I really enjoyed The Wife Between Us so I was eager to read this one. I did like it and it kept me wanting to turn the pages but I didn't like it quite as much as other books I've rated 4 stars hence the dorky specific star rating -ha! The story was well written and overall I did enjoy it. A couple reasons made me put it technically within the 3 stars rating. One reason was from ~30 to 50% I kept thinking, okay something really needs to happen. But around 50% it picked up. I also did wish there were some more/bigger twists for some added wow factor. And finally, just a personal preference but I prefer books with more dialog than this book had. But that being said, I felt the writing style was strong. I really enjoyed seeing the 2 POVs and felt it added to the book.

Although billed as a novel of psychological obsession and suspense, Anonymous Girl is chick-lit drama at its worst. Granted this novel has found wide appeal and much praise from other reviewers, so take my review with a grain or two of salt. We all have different tastes and this was not mine. I wish I could say I liked more than dental surgery.

Outstanding second novel by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. What a roller coaster ride of emotions these authors take the reader on through the experiences that Jessica has when she finds herself in a study for Dr. Shields. The reader will find themselves questioning some of their own moral choices as they read this page turner, told in alternating points of view from both Jessica and Dr. Shields. The twisty relationships and the suspense of this book keep the reader from putting the story down. I loved it and I can't wait to see what they come up with next! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed The Wife Between Us and so I was excited to get an ARC of this book. It definitely pulled me in and was a quick read but it wasn’t as good as The Wife Between Us. I really disliked the characters in this book. I wanted there to be a better twist than there was. Normally I like the story being told by multiple perspectives but in this case I feel like I would have preferred it to be told by a narrator.

Whoa. I like the dual narratives and don’t want to say too much about this novel. The suspense is crucial. There is a predictability to the general story but it’s not without twists that make up for any parts you saw coming.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This is a great thriller that leaves the reader wondering what is going on and who can be trusted. I enjoyed how this book has a psychiatrist as one of the main characters. Being a psychology major, I enjoyed seeing psych. studies show up in fiction literature because it helps add depth to the novel, and I find them interesting. 

I really enjoyed the vulnerability of Jess. It is what made the novel what it was. Without her character being this way, there wouldn't have been as good of a 'thrill.' The alternate point of view, is also wonderfully creepy. That's what really adds to the complexity of the novel. 

I do have to say my favorite part of the novel was the epilogue. If you've read the book, you know why - how awesome the last few lines were - and if not, you really should check this book out just to see how it ends. I definitely did not see it going that way.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Let me start by saying, I LOVED the Wife Before Me. I was super excited to be granted an ARC from the publisher and from NetGalley. I read this book in two days!
Jessica's is a makeup artist living in NY City. The story starts with her at her appointment with two college age girls. One of them mentions that she received a reminder for a "behavioral study" the next morning that she has no plans on making. She mentions there is compensation which gets Jessica's attention. She makes the decision to show up in the girl's place and thus begins her intense road with Dr. Shield.

This was a great pyschological thriller. There was no hidden mystery or a "who done it" vibe to it. It was clear from the start who was the anatogist and that there was something seriously disturbed with them.

Great read!

I was a huge fan of “The Wife Between Us”, so when I heard about this book, I had to read it! I devoured it in two days, and it would have been less if I didn’t have to take care of kids and go to work! This is a carefully thought out psychological suspense novel that will keep you guessing until the end. The premise hooked me from the beginning—a young woman with secrets from her own past participates in an anonymous study on ethics and morality, with the promise of generous compensation—yet she sneaks her way into the study, which immediately makes one question her morality. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are an amazing writing team, and they’ve certainly knocked it out of the park once again!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! This was a step up from The Wife Between Us. The debut novel had too many superfluous twists whereas this one had just enough to keep things interesting. I loved the psychological aspects of this as well as the mentions of various studies. I’ll definitely be picking up future novels from this author!

Awesome psychological suspense! Very well written character study. What starts as a study on morality quickly goes off the rails for a young woman who entered the study in an immoral way. Fast paced, addictive read, impossible to put down. Fans of The Wife Between Us will love this book. Be warned don’t start this book late at night because you will lose sleep.
.

After having loved The Wife Between Us, I was delighted to get a copy of this novel and it lived up to the hype! I'm a sucker for psychological thrillers, flawed characters, unreliable narrators, and breath-taking twists; this book has it all! When Jessica enrolls in an ethics study, she is hoping to make some extra money but she has no idea that the psychologist behind the study has a personal agenda that will rock her world and those of the people to whom she is closest. I kept thinking to myself, "Well, I didn't see THAT coming!" You may think you know what's going on but you probably don't. This book speaks to many themes: morality, retribution, infidelity, guilt, betrayal, secrets, and lies. Really had my head spinning! This is one you do not want to miss!

I have never had a favorite book because I tend to go from book to book and often forget the plots of the books I read - even if I found them to be amazing! I will never forget An Anonymous Girl. I will recommend this to everybody. I love psychology and I throgougly enjoyed the psychology references made by Dr. Sheilds and Jess. My mind was blown more times than I could count. I am so bummed to be done with this books. I could see this becoming a huge film if the authors allowed it. A girl can dream, right?

This book is about Jessica, a gal who is willing to participate in a study for some extra money to assist her family. This book is about family members that hold a lot of guilt, while unaware that each other feels the same. This book is about a couple who have lied to each other, one out of love and the other out of fear and self preservation. This book is about a young woman who had a strong level of love and trust. This book will rock your whole world.

I apologize to my boyfriend because I was so distracted while reading this book.

I was extremely lucky to receive a free copy of An Anonymous Girl from NetGalley. My opinions are honest and true.

Seeking women ages 18–32, that kind of lines everything up for this home run story. It is slow at times (maybe a tad much) but stick with it for an enjoyable thrill-read told from the view of the creepy doctor and willing therapist. Is it as good as "A wife between us", maybe, no, who cares! Some nice surprises tucked in the corners I thought for an overall god read.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, Wow! I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book but OMG, I read it in 1 day! I did not want to stop for anything other than going to the bathroom and then only before it was to late. This story grabbed me and dragged me through to the end! I liked the way it was written and the way the characters are fleshed out and their stories are told, very interesting and intriguing. I will be looking forward to more from these writers!! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my own personal opinion.