Member Reviews
4.5 Stars This book was crazy good! The authors hooked me on the first page and slowly and skillfully pulled me into the story until the very last page. I couldn’t stop reading! The plotting and pacing were perfectly executed, and though it took a little getting used to reading alternating first person/second person points of view, I couldn’t help but admire the skill it took to craft this riveting novel. (*Spoiler Alert!* I would have liked the final showdown between Jess and Dr. Shields to have been more explosive after their intense buildup, but that’s just my preference.) I highly recommend this book. Received an advance copy from NetGalley. |
Richa T, Reviewer
WOW... to the authors... you deserve a pat on your backs.... this is an excellent book. I would recommend this book to everyone.... what a thriller!!! |
This story was so intriguing. It felt like a subtle build, yet kept me on the edge of my seat and just like in their other story, the twists were definitely surprising. I really enjoyed this collaboration and definitely hope to read more from these authors. This one definitely left me wanting more! |
All the while reading, I imagined Rachel McAdams being Jessica. That confused look, and yet coy enough to pretend she's someone else...until... ...things start getting more and more serious by the day and she keeps asking herself why she got involved in the first place. It's hard to go into the best parts not revealing any of the plot, so I'll just say this - women are almost never how you see them at a first glance. So don't believe what you see. Even if it's on a screen. This was one twisty story, let me tell you. I guess when you see the word Anonymous in the title, you should take a hint. But I did not see that coming. I think this book was even better than THE WIFE BETWEEN US, but with a less believable ending. Or maybe not. More imaginative for sure. Big thank you St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. |
Jessica Farris signs up for an anonymous study when one of her clients backs out. The study is open to women ages 18-34 and the topic is ethics and morality. At first it seems harmless. The questions are vague and she has no problems answering them. She is paid in return for her time and she can't say no to the money. Then the questions become more specific and Jessica has a feeling the person conducting the study is tailoring them just for her. When Dr. Shields contacts her directly to participate in further "research" Jessica feels like she has no choice once she realizes there is more money to be made. Soon enough Jessica starts to feel like she is a pawn in Dr. Sheilds' personal life and her attempts to withdraw herself from the study could bring disastrous results. Once again I'm in the minority with these authors. I had the same reaction to this book as I did to The Wife Between Us. I loved it right from the start and it drew me in. About halfway through there were too many plot twists and it became confusing. I'm not even really sure I have the sequence of events down and I reread parts several times. Instagram posts, boutique owners, benches, Vicodin, too much all thrown in at once for me. I love a good twist but this one tried to have too many and in the end I wasn't really surprised by anything. |
Reviewer 490156
This book was amazing. I could not put it down. Jessica innocently enough tries to earn some extra money and ends up in a dangerous situation between a respected psychiatrist, Dr. Shields, and her husband. The story follows Jessica as she figures out what Dr. Shields has been up to and what she continues to plan. I did not know until the very end which way this book was going to go. I really wanted this book to continue past the ending. If you enjoy a suspenseful book, check this one out. |
fern b, Educator
I wasn’t able to put the book down, I read more and more in the psychological thriller category which seems to be ever expanding and land in my beach weekend read category.....must have to do with the social times we live in and or some iteration of good vs evil. Greer and Sarah have a seamless collaboration and that was the most compelling part for me. |
Once again, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen blew me away! This book is not only completely original, but it has that spark in it that seems to be missing in many suspenseful novels these days. I wasn't expecting to love this one as much as I did because sometimes the hype for a new novel can overwhelm readers into thinking it's going to be the next best thing, when it turns out it's not. But this one? It definitely is. I hope these authors continue to write together because their books are explosive! I highly recommend it. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I wasn't expecting such a great read ! I highly recommend reading this title. It had me hooked cover to cover |
Wow! This is the second book that I've read by Greer Hendricks and Sara Pekkanen and I am hooked on this dynamic duo! Jessica is a single girl with a struggling career trying to make it in the big city. Jessica has a sister who needs special medical attention due to an accident as a child and Jessica feels responsible to support her family in taking care of her. When she not so accidentally becomes part of a study run by Dr. Shields, her life begins to change. The extra money is exactly what she needs. At first her involvement in the study and her relationship with Dr. Shields seems to be a positive influence on her but things quickly start to change? The chapters alternate between Jessica's point of view and Dr. Shields' notes. Being able to see the story from two points of view made the characters so much more interesting and believable. I could actually see myself in Jessica's shoes and understand why she makes the choices that she does. As I neared the end of the book, it wasn't all that shocking to me until the very end. I thought I had it all figured out, but it turned out that I didn't really know the characters all that well! Those unreliable narrators will get you every time! This book is a real thinker! I could say more but don't want to give it away. |
Greer and Sarah have redefined the word "thriller" for a book!! Everybody needs to read it!! To me, it is the PERFECT book!! I have never read any other thriller like it. They have raised the bar to another level. There's not much to say as far as story goes - because everything is a spoiler. All I'll say is it's about a girl who signs up for psychological/morality testing because the money is good!! |
Rachel T, Reviewer
Thanks for the early review copy! I recommend this novel to fans of thrillers. It was well-written and interesting novel. |
This book was amazing. From the moment I picked it up I was hooked. Could not put down. I didn’t know who to trust. |
Julie B, Reviewer
I'm going to push this one to a 4-star rating. I'm not sure it quite hits that mark, but it's definitely more than 3 stars, and probably more than 3.5. I want to preface this by saying that mystery/suspense books are probably my least favorite genre, but I was really intrigued by the premise, and I have heard great things about "The Wife Between Us" so I figured what the hell. And I was pleasantly surprised - this was good! It kept my interest throughout, had great characters (until the end at least) and was well-written. But, my issues: First, it made me realize why I'm not typically a fan of this genre. There were just too many twists and turns. I get that it's supposed to keep you on your toes, and I would prefer to NOT figure out the ending 5 pages into the book. But this was just a little bit too much to the opposite extreme, and for me had a few too many choices as to how the book would end, even right up to the end. Second issue: Jessica, and the person she turned out to be. I liked her, felt sympathy for her, and connected with her, right up until the very end, and then I didn't like her at all. So those are probably the two points that kept me from feeling like this was a solid 4-star read. But overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it! |
Jess is a struggling makeup artist trying to make ends meet in New York City. She overhears a client who is thinking of turning down an opportunity to make $500 taking part in a research study and decides to go in her place. It is as simple as honestly answering questions about ethics and morality. Ultimately the unasked questions were the spine of this novel: what would you do for love? And what would you do for money? An Anonymous Girl is a roller coaster of a read. This definitely has psychological thriller written all over it. It was creepily clinical in places and anxiety-inducing in others. The story is written in the first person from the points of view of both the protagonist and antagonist. Although, the characters were not very likable and the Jess seemed a little too naïve at points, the story was captivating. The plot was labyrinthine; every twist and turn led you to another twist and turn and the authors gave you just enough bread crumbs to start to figure out what was happening but surprised with the details. Overall, this was a great read and hard to put down 4.5 stars. |
The plot and first few pages I read drew me in and I couldn’t stop! I was addicted to this instantly. I actually really like Dr Shields character and learned some interesting psychological information. I just wish the ending wasn’t as long as it was but other than that, awesome read!!!! |
Reviewer 490895
Another thriller by a dynamic duo! It asked a lot of questions about morality that, just as Jess had to answer, I took to heart and asked myself. Jess sneaks into a study by the grand Dr. Shields, who then takes it to a whole new level. The ethical decision making of Dr. Shields is deeply flawed and Jess is the one to pay the price. Intriguing, captivating, and unputdownable! |
Kristy T, Reviewer
This book, although slow starting, reeled me in. Once you understand what drives both the elusive Dr Shields, as well as Jessica, it is engaging and tough to put down. The characters are developed well, and human - they both have good qualities as well as faults, and you can relate to both. I love that it is told from both points of view. |
I was really excited to read this because I loved the first book they put out, The Wife Between Us. This is a psychological suspense novel. The story line is very unique to me. When I picked up this book, I couldn’t put it down. I was so engrossed in the story. Jess lives in NYC and works for a company doing freelance makeup jobs. She sneaks into a psychological survey study and gets picked to go further. She gets free therapy sessions and is put through morality and ethical tests. She falls deeper into other people’s lives and isn’t aware of it, until suddenly she is. While I was reading it, I wanted to jump into the book and shake Jess. She makes some dumb decisions, for not good reasons. I probably would have a completely different opinion of her, if it wasn’t for the ending of the book. |
Actual Stars...4.25 What I loved: This book kept you guessing! This was truly psychological suspense. I typically say that american authors just don't write psychological suspense like authors in the UK. Well, Hendricks/Pekkanen have challenged that belief. I loved the characters (but also hated them). What I liked: This didn't wrap up in the PERFECT way. Without giving away too much, it ended up in a more realistic way. And that was the best ending. What I hated: Can't say that I hated too much. I hated that the MC wouldn't LISTEN TO ME...but they never do :-) Overall - this is a great read for lovers of psychological suspense that have felt like the genre is a bit lackluster lately. This one will make you believe in the genre again! |








