Another nasty, dark, bloody, twisty, mind bending, nail biter, soul crushing, riveting page-turner! Oh boy this author is villanelle. She is the evil queen of ultra-talents kingdom, pushing our buttons and playing mind games with us and you’re voluntarily letting her do that because you’re having so much fun.

Welcome to the power drunk, vicious, ambitious, competitive business women’s world. When you google “perfect” you may see their faces on the screen. They’re impeccable, flawless, extra ordinary: Too perfect to be true. They eat their colleagues’ heads or any other vital organs at their lunch breaks and they spit some parts, cleaning their mouths, turning back to their great schemes of stabbing other people behind their back. They’re the workers of HERD. But what a minute, where the hell is the founder? Her name was Eleanor, right? Where is she? Oh, no. She’s gone! No, not dead. At least nobody found a body but she is missing.

And let me to introduce you to two sisters buried some many ugly secrets and kept so many skeletons in their closets reunite in NYC: Katie and Hana. Why were we introduced with them? Oh, I see, they’re good friends with Eleanor. They involved separately to her investigation. They wanted to find her but: as they keep digging about Eleanor’s past to find where she’s hiding or what happened to her, they start to face with their own dirty big secrets. See, sometimes it’s better not to know too much!
I’m not gonna give spoilers not to ruin your enjoyable reading. I canceled my appointment with Henry Cavill for reading this book. ( Okay, not real appointment, I’m not delusional, just a happy drunk. I just skipped to binge watch “Witcher” but as far as I can see I made the right choice, this book is more delicious than ex-Superman’s and Tom Cruise movie villain’s looks. I hate his Legolas wig anyways)

There are lots of twists make you forget your name and repeat to yourself: “Don’t call me Shirley!” several times! You feel flabbergasted, dump, numb because of too much “I didn’t see it coming” moments. The ending is also fantastic. I’m so happy to announce that I found a real five starred, entertaining read.

I already added “Lost Night” novel of the author to my tbr list as high as Mount Kilimanjaro. So happy to read a brilliant writer’s work.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books to share this thrilling ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review. Special thanks to Andrea Bartz for her talented writing and this unputdownable journey.

A riveting thriller about four ambitious young women. Bartz has crafted a memorable group of characters: Katie, a tech reporter with a looming book deadline; Hana, Katie's older sister, who runs her own PR business; Mikki, an artist and graphic designer; and the luminous Eleanor, the founder of two successful start-ups, private and always in control of her own image. Hana, Mikki, and Eleanor met during their first year at Harvard, and eventually accepted Katie (4 years younger than her sister) into their crew. Eleanor runs The Herd, an exclusive coworking space for women, and employs both Hana and Mikki part-time. When Katie returns to New York after a failed research trip, she's desperate to find a new subject for the book she has under contract with a major publisher. Eleanor, this bright and magnetic (but evasive) semi-celebrity, is a natural choice—as a longtime friend and presumptive future member of The Herd, Katie has insight and access. But she knows she'll have to approach quietly, secretly, to avoid having her project shut down by Eleanor, Hana, and The Herd. All four women are protecting secrets, and when Eleanor goes missing on the eve of a major Herd event, everyone is at risk of exposure. I stayed up late reading this, increasingly jumpy as the book neared its end. Chapters alternate between Katie and Hana's perspectives, which helps to maintain the quick, thrilling pace of the plot. Definitely a thriller to look out for in 2020!

The Herd by Andrea Bartz is a suspense filled novel about an elite all-female professional group called The Herd. The founder of this group is Eleanor who is quite charismatic and demanding. Two of her Harvard educated friends are a part of this community. All of them have secrets. But what happens when the author cleverly unveils their secrets? You will be kept on the edge of your seat until the last page. I could not put this book down and read it in one day. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fast paced book with many twists and turns.

I really enjoyed this all female thrill ride in the heart of NYC! Women are cut throat and I loved it. There were a lot of characters and stories to keep straight but I enjoyed the concept and the twists in this book. Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy. Add this to your TBR for 2020!!!

“The Herd” by Andrea Bartz is a twisty psychological thriller set in New York.
Katie and Hana are sisters who’ve managed to get a job at the Herd, an elusive and glamorous all female workspace.
The story takes off when the enigmatic founder, Eleanor, goes missing and the two sisters begin investigating.
I enjoyed this novel. It was hard to put down, the twists surprised me at every turn.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Herd is a compelling examination of how women view themselves and other women in today's world. The book tells the story of two sisters, Hana and Katie, who become part of The Herd, a workspace run by women for women. It is run by Eleanor, whose friendship with the sisters goes back to their college days. She appears to have it all. But looks can be deceiving. After Eleanor disappears without warning, the sisters discover that she was hiding things from everyone in her life. As the book nears its climax it becomes clear that someone in Eleanor's inner circle is out for revenge. The characters are well written. I would read another book by Andrea Bartz.

The Herd is a very, very good thriller. It showcases the complicated dynamics between the characters as the masks of perfection slip and dark pasts are exposed. The characters are well developed and the storyline is outstanding. I enjoyed this book! It was hard to put down, although at times it felt so intense I had to stop and think about what just happened. I highly recommend this one. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.
#TheHerd #NetGalley

First time I read Andrea Bartz, and certainly not the last. The ending was a little all over the place, in my opinion, but it was a really entertaining read with interesting notions—the place of women in society, women’s friendships, all thrilling good and ugly—and Bartz’s engaging writing feels so natural, it's a real treat.

The Lost Night was one of my favorite books of last year. When I saw this one was on it's way out I couldn't contain my excitement. Not only do they both take place in NYC, where I live, the suspense, storyline and characters draw you in immediately.
This book hit all the markers of how social media is, what the new in things are to say and how feminism is making a new voice in this third wave. So many social identity aspects are discussed, even how POC are affected by our society. It was a page turner that didn't stop for me. I read this in a four hour stretch and I cannot wait for the release.
Herd is a woman owned co-opt style work space run by Eleanor who seems to be the perfect, uprising, on the scene feminist. Her best friends Hana and Mikki help run this awesome company. Katie, Hana's sister shows up after some horrible things she is running away from. She even has her eye on becoming one of the Herd and possibly writing something relating to what it is and who Eleanor really is. But them Eleanor disappears right before a huge event. Did she run away and start a new life or did something happen to her? When the case going towards foul play, everyone is searching out each others secrets. Who really is Eleanor? But really the question is, who really are her friends and family? As we are taken on an in-depth ride from different perspectives, we find out things that we would have never guessed.
Grab this book because it is going to be one of your favorites of the year.

I enjoyed the story so much! Wasn’t your typical thriller.
I loved both POV of the sisters, Hana and Katie, where each had their own secrets.
Not many books makes me stop and marvel at some of the words and sentences used.
The story kept me guessing until the end.

A feminist thriller? Yes and no. A good thriller? Yes. Flawed and complex women with visions and secrets. Higher intentions and bad consequences - it’s all here in a difficult to unravel murder mystery but so much more about the lives and decisions of the four main characters.

What started out as a straightforward novel, turned into a complicated story of four women who wanted to belong to something greater than themselves. The characters are complex. They have a shared history of secrets that will gradually be uncovered.

It's impossible for me to tell enough of the story for a good review without giving information that might spoil the read for others. I was interested from the beginning and never expected the final outcome. This is definitely a solid story worth the time it takes to read.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Random House through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#The Heard #NetGalley

Even better than THE LOST NIGHT! The setting (all-female networking space) in particular is amazing and thought-provoking.

A smart, feminist thriller with elegant prose and complex, skilfully constructed characters. The Herd (emphasis on her) is set in an all-female work environment, exploring the relationships between women, female ambition, and the price of success for women.

Katie and her sister Hana are finally reunited when Katie moves back to New York. When their friend Eleanor, the founder of The Herd, goes missing, they both become entangled in the investigation. And everyone is a suspect.

With lots of twists and a breathtaking finale, The Herd is a lively thriller showcasing flawed protagonists on a journey into the disappearance of a loved one. The complicated dynamics between the characters makes for enjoyable reading as the masks of perfection slip and dark pasts exposed.

First, off thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review The Herd. What a great suspense filled read. I don't usually enjoy multiple POV's but I did this one. I think that the characters are well-flushed out and it has a cut throat back drop that keeps you turning the page. It is a definite hit!

Thank you to NetGalley, Andrea Bartz and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for this ARC.

Well, Andrea Bartz does not disappoint with her second book. I basically sped read this because I was dying to know what happened next. Loved it!

Ohhhhh my,my,my!!! Andrea Bartz first wow’ed me with The Lost Night so I was super psyched to dive into The Herd!! Let me say she completely knocked it out of the park with this read!!

The moment I started The Herd I absolutely knew I needed to clear my schedule because I was not going to be able to put this book down until the last page had been read! It has women’s fiction, general fiction, and mystery/suspense all beautifully melded together to create an addictive storyline. Andrea Bartz has a gift for creating such an intricately spun plot that is so well planned out! I cannot recommend this 5 star read enough— I am currently dealing with one heck of a book hangover from The Herd!!! An absolute must read!!! I truly am so flipping excited to see what Andrea wow’s me with next!!

Andrea Bartz shows no sign of a sophomore slump in this smart, exquisitely-crafted story. The characters are fully realized and complex, the prose is masterful, and the pieces of the mystery snap together with elegant precision. This is a devastating and beautifully written story, balancing page-turning pace with thoughtful character reveals.

THE HERD begins with a mysterious act of vandalism in a high-profile women's co-working space, with a special emphasis on The Herd's founder and her small circle of friends. Soon the Bartz's use of alternating POVs allows her to give impressive insight into the group's dynamic, while keeping the curtains of the mystery drawn tight.

Bartz's debut novel THE LOST NIGHT was a 2019 highlight for me, and THE HERD raises the bar even higher. It's sure to be one of the most buzz-worthy reads of 2020, and Bartz continues to be a talent to watch.

4.5 ✨

Really enjoyed this book! Hard to put down.. although sometimes it felt so intense I had to put it down and walk away for a few minutes !,,

Loved, loved, loved this book! I was so happy to receive a copy because I also enjoyed Andrea Bartz's last book. I actually did not see that ending coming and the surprise secret that Elanor's mom revealed at the very end gave me chills.