I recommend this book not only because it is has a great storyline, but because it helps to step into the life of a young woman caught in a situation in which she has little to no control. When No One is Watching is a book to awaken those who will have an open mind to begin to understand that "privilege isn't about what you've gone through; it's about what you haven't had to go through" (Janaya Khan, Vogue, "Janaya Future Khan's Guide to Understanding White Privilege", June 3, 2020). This is an extremely relevant novel based on current events in our country, but also because racial issues need to be discussed and not ignored just because it is a difficult and uncomfortable topic.

This book had amazing potential but the final story was not developed well. It didn't evolve in an engaging way and the ending was jarring in a very disjointed way.

When I first started reading this, I wasn't sure how it was going to be a thriller. The first half or so isn't very "thriller-y," but, importantly, gives the reader a feel for the characters as well as the culture of the Brooklyn neighborhood facing gentrification. Despite this, the whole story flows quite nicely and once I hit the second half, I couldn't put it down.

I really liked how the story was set up, and the twists were so good! Alyssa Cole did a great job of creating an increasingly creepy atmosphere. My only complaint is that a few of the "weird things" that happen to the characters are never explained and don't tie into the larger plotline. I personally like my thrillers pretty tidy, and this one left a few (very minor) loose ends.

This book reminded me of Get Out and a little of Such a Fun Age as well. Definitely worth a read! I love Alyssa Cole's writing style and character development, and this book is a great example of both.

Wow! This was so unlike anything Alyssa Cole has written, and that is definitely not a bad thing! This was a wild ride. I could not put this down. I LOVE her romance writing, but this thriller was wonderful.

Gentrification horror. The movie Get Out meets the book Lock Every Door. Sydney was born and raised in Brooklyn but sees many changes happening in her neighborhood as locals seem to be moving out with no notice and new people are moving in. She gets help from Theo, a new neighbor from across the street to help explore the history of the neighborhood and figure out what is behind the changes. The story depicts the horrors of what can happen of what can happen when marginalized people get pushed out by big corporations. Scary!

4.5 *s.

Call me an Alyssa Cole fan now. When No One is Watching is the most unique thriller I have read. It packs history, timely topics of racism (particularly surrounding the gentrification of neighborhoods) and then adds in a thriller on top. I was completely hooked. I'm not a romance reader, but I'm ready to try Alyssa Cole's other books.

Alyssa Cole takes her first foray into thriller territory with the timely offering, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING. Cole, known for her sensual, and often thought-provoking, romance novels, makes a promising change of pace with this tense psychological thriller.

The novel’s protagonist, Sydney Green has moved back to her old neighborhood in Brooklyn where she grew up, but notices that things have changed. Condos are going up and there are numerous FOR SALE signs. People, she has known for years, have moved out. At first Sydney feels a sense of frustration and on a ‘walking tour’ of the neighborhood realizes that the real history of the community has been whitewashed.

On the planning committee for a block party, Sydney is surprised when Theo, who is white, agrees to assist her with planning her own ‘walking tour’ of the neighborhood. While doing the research, they realize that there is something sinister, and maybe deadly going on.

Both Sydney and Theo are interesting characters. Sydney is vibrant, smart and dynamic. Theo is guarded and at a low point in this life, but somehow, they seem to belong together. Both are dealing with complicated issues in their lives, but you will discover these issues and more when you read the book. I like the fact that, despite their immediate attraction to each other, the relationship is allowed to slowly mature.

There are some interesting secondary characters but Theo’s girlfriend, Kim, stands out. We only discover her role in the dilemma taking place towards the end. She is the perfect example of white privilege. To me, the book’s main weakness comes in its uneven pacing. The earlier chapters move at a somewhat leisurely pace, and abruptly changes as it moves to a conclusion, which seems a bit rushed. But this is a minor grouse. All the elements of great story telling are present here and Cole’s talent as an author still shines through. Excellent characterization, well-developed internal and external conflicts, and a vivid sense of place, makes this effort a significant one.

WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING is a promising debut in a new genre for Cole. As it deals with racism and gentrification and sends a strong message to readers, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING is too timely not to be important. I am sure that, like me, Cole’s fans will be looking forward to her next release in this genre.

Sydney Green's beloved Brooklyn neighborhood is quickly becoming gentrified. It seems like her neighboring residents have turned over in the blink of an eye, replaced with new people in new condos. Sydney and other life long residents do not appreciate the revitalization. The abandoned mental hospital a few blocks away is going to become an upscale private rehab, and not the kind that would accept any of the original neighborhood residents. Renovated homes are raising values and taxes, but most upsetting is the way the once strong community is changing and looking at the original families with suspicion and accusation.

One sultry summer day, Sydney takes a guided tour of her neighborhood, and finds the history to be both inaccurate and full of racial omissions. She decides to use her educator skills and her anger to develop her own tour, and her neighbor Theo offers his help. Theo is new in town, engaged to a wealthy woman who has relegated him to the attic of their new home, and unemployed, so he has the time. As Sydney and Theo research and create their tour, suspicious things start to happen.

This thriller takes off like an Own Voices novel with a powerful message on race, class, redlining, and gentrification, before you know it, the thriller part is creeping in and gaining strength. The characters are just angry or snobby enough to be capable of just about anything. I was absolutely gripped for the last 25% as I second guessed intentions and who to believe. I bet you will be too!

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Holy guacamole! What on earth has this thriller done to my brain?!
Alright, I kept hearing that this book is Rear Window meets Get Out and I have to agree with that comparison. I although, was not prepared for everything that happened in When No Is Watching, Alyssa Cole has rendered me speechless. But nonetheless I have had time to digest and decompress and am going to be honest here, I wouldn’t be a LitBuzz Bee if I wasn’t right?

When No One Is Watching introduces us to Sydney Green, she’s a bad ass, smart, Brooklyn native and the other half of the book’s narrative. The other point of view is told through Theo’s, her across the street (attractive) neighbor.

For some time now the neighborhood has been changing and shifting into something foreign and unfamiliar. Sydney has sat back and observed these changes and tried to not ping it to the gentrification that is so obviously taking over. At every new turn and new building purchase Sydney fights the itch to give in to the conspiracy theories floating around. “Residents being snatched up by mole people and their homes being sold.”

Meanwhile, during these huge shifts of the setting, the rest of the native residents are trying to plan out a Community Festival. This Festival will bring all the neighbors out of their homes and come together to eat and have fellowship. Sydney’s role in the festival is to prepare a true to the history of the neighborhood tour. (Kind of like those engagement tours you can do on Air BnB.) Sydney has been gathering information on the history of the buildings, streets, and stories about the people and landmarks. During her prep work and research for the tour her neighbor Theo volunteers to help out with the legwork. They clash heads at first but it plays an excellent role in the evolution of both of their mindsets.

Theo and Sydney’s research leads to scary and disturbing realizations of the current strange happenings. All the answers to every disappearance becomes disturbingly clear, but not until the very end, until then When No One Is Watching will have you biting your nails!

So back to my honest take, I thought it was a tad bit slow. It wasn’t until 60% that the real actual action began. BUT when all the puzzle pieces came together I realized that EVERY SINGLE detail in this book is part of the grand scheme of things. When all of that hit me I sat back and gave Alyssa Cole a slow impressed clap.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole gets 4.5 stars from me. I am once again thoroughly impressed by her cadence, prose, the historical accuracy, the complex characters, and contemporary flare that only she can muster in her books. I highly recommend to all, its a quick read filled with so much educational information on historically black neighborhoods and gentrification. In other words she has filled a fiction book with a bunch of facts. I hear you Ms. Cole, I learned with this book, and I thank you.

Also side note, I am so down for this to become a movie. If a petition has been made please tag me in it.

Here is the link to purchase your own copy of When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole.

4.5🌟

This book has been described as Rear Window meets Get Out - and I think that is a great way to describe this book.

This isn't your average thriller. I am so surprised by how much is in this book. This book shows the microaggressions a Black woman experiences every day. The contrast between Sydney's POV and Theo's is compelling. However, I was a bit confused about the character of Theo. In the beginning, we learn that he has a mysterious past, and throughout the book, he showcases some pretty creepy and questionable behavior. This is where the Rear Window comparison comes in. Theo spies on his neighbors. He watches them so much that he knows the daily habits of his neighbor's life. In the beginning, we are introduced to Theo's girlfriend and she is trouble. They both recently moved into a nice house in Sydney's Brooklyn neighborhood,. After some terribly racist comments and behavior from her, as well as her disinterest in Theo, she breaks up with him and leaves to stay with her family in the Hamptons. She gives him a week to move out and this causes a huge conflict for Theo, pushing his behavior in even weirder ways. I think Cole did a good job of creating a character that is unsettling, but with the way he is treated by his girlfriend, forces the reader to have sympathy for him. Yet, I felt like he was only there to push and serve the plot, and in the climax of the book, there is so much exposition of his backstory. I felt that this was used to push the reader in acceptance of the romance between Sydney and Theo. I honestly would have enjoyed this dynamic more, if they never had a sexual relationship. I am aware that this was used to create more conflict for Sydney, and is rooted in to cause suspicion of Theo when she reads those creepy text messages from his ex-girlfriend. I just think that individually as characters they were more interesting than their relationship.

I absolutely loved the tone of the first half of the book. It was eerie and captivating, and also slow. The story took its time, it was patient and intimate, especially with Sydney and her experiences, and as much as I find the ending creepy, I felt like there was an immediate change of tone and timing, and I just wanted the story to slow down and continue to be unsettling in this calm and quiet way it was before. Obviously, the pacing needs to speed up a little bit at the climax, but the ending felt rushed. As much as I love the way it ended, I just wish the book was longer, and the ending was given more time. It was exciting to read how Sydney took justice into her own hands, but it didn't have the impact I think the author was going for, because of the timing issue.

Other than that, I loved this book. There were a lot of twists that were actually surprising but also were realistic to the story. The author was able to include all of these issues that people are currently facing and have been for a long time and showcased them in a way that was not in a 'teaching' way but as people. real people, experience racism, and systemic racism, gentrification, financial scams aimed at the Black community, and the difference in class.

So like I said, this book is not your average thriller. It's definitely thrilling, but it's so much more than just a thrilling storyline.

What is happening in the Gifford neighborhood where Sydney grew up? The residents of Gifford Place are being pressured to sell their homes. There is a giant pharma company who wants to take over an old hospital building in the neighborhood and it seems that gentrification is happening. Is there something more sinister going on?

This is a slow starting novel with a lot of background information gathering. It builds to an explosive ending.

Although a bit of a rushed ending, this is a fantastic take on rear windowesque unease. Many topics are touched on, from slavery, police brutality, gentrification to racism. Our main character is attempting to start a Black history tour of her Brooklyn neighborhood, since most of the brownstonebtours she listens to skip over those details, at the same time she begins noticing Black neighbors disappearing. It made for quite a suspenseful read.

I had forgotten this was a thriller until about halfway into the book. That sounds like a bad review of a thriller, but I don't intend it to be. I was so enrapt by the characters and the neighborhood that when the suspense hit, I was completely taken aback. I had already grown to care about the characters, so the mystery hit that much harder. It's also worth mentioning that the intersection of race and class conflict is atypical for a thrillers that I've noticed, so it will provide a much-needed different viewpoint at our library's book club. For an author who is new to the genre, as far as I could tell, this was an impressive book. Highly recommended to a mystery or thriller fan.

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks @harpercollins @netgalley @librofm @harperaudio for the ARC and ALC of When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole!

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Synopsis from the publisher: Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo. But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised. When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

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This book was INTENSE. I highly recommend the audiobook narration because it was absolutely amazing giving a voice to the characters that made up this Brooklyn neighborhood. The slow build of fear and tension boiled to an ending I didn’t quite see coming, and was made even more terrifying by the fact that I could totally imagine this nightmare being a reality. This book hits on so many current problems in our country dealing with racism. This book may be a work of fiction, but it masterfully weaves together a story that shows how a million micro aggressions, slights,and downright racist acts can amount to an evil that can’t be put into words.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved this book. I was glued to my kindle from the very beginning! I highly recommend this This was my first book from Alyssa Cole so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was sold on the description and wow Alyssa did not let me down. This book was sick!!!! (In a good way lol) I was glued to my kindle and seriously could not put it down until the very last word. Even then I was like what just happened! Amazing book go one click it now!!​

Alyssa Cole delivers a science fiction story like none other than I have ever read. Cole's writing was so on point. This is a story of gentrification gone horribly wrong with deadly consequences. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Get Out. If you have seen it you know why I say this.

Syndey moves home to help her ill mother and notices that her Brooklyn neighborhood is slowly being replaced by new buildings and turning more white. Sydney goes on a tour of her neighborhood and is angered that the tour guide is not telling the complete history of the neighborhood. While on the tour she encounters her white neighbor Theo. The two of them develop a weird sort of attraction to each other and during the course of the week, many tragic events bind them together.

This book was a mystery, slight romance and science fiction story all rolled into one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When No One is Watching is labeled as a thriller with a Get Out vibe. I definitely agree with the Get Out vibe, but it wasn't quite as 'thrillery' as I would have thought, more of slow burn suspense with a big punch of an ending.

There was a lot of (warranted) paranoia throughout the first half of this book. It made me question all of the characters. Who was the 'crazy' one(s) and why were they behaving in the way they were.

The book really opened my eyes to gentrification - something I knew zilch about before this year.

The ending was very intense and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. This book would be fantastic on screen as a movie. It would be very timely.

I switched from the print book to the audio as time allowed and the audio is done very well! I think I actually preferred the audio for this one.

3/5⭐️

I don't even know where to begin with this book, I loved it so much!! I started listening to the audio of this while I was in my car driving for work but had to know how it ended so picked up my physical copy. We follow Sydney who lives in Brooklyn and notices some weird things going on her neighborhood. Her friends and neighbors who have been there her entire life are suddenly leaving with no goodbye and a new type of person is moving in. With the help of a new friend the two dig more deeply into what is happening. This was a great thrill ride from beginning to end and I highly recommend picking this one up! Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book.

When I saw this book profiled as a mix of Get Out and Rear Window, I was in. I love Alyssa Cole, and.I was excited to see how she'd tackle a thriller. When No One Is Watching is a slow burn novel that will make you think, make you laugh, and will make you question your life choices - especially if you can be considered a gentrifier. It's a book made for 2020, and the ending blew my mind.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Following a divorce and dealing with an ailing mother from afar, Sydney returns to her mother's home in Brooklyn. The neighborhood seems to be changing quickly, with many of her neighbors, in a close knit community - seemingly disappearing without notice.

It's hard not to notice how quickly their vacated homes become occupied by privileged people. There's also a noticeable shift in the neighborhood stores. Sydney starts doing historical research, accompanied by a new neighbor Theo, but soon becomes consumed with the odd changes all around.

How far will people go to claim what isn't there?

This is a thriller that resonates all too well these days with injustice being made more public. Well worth your time to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to HarperCollins for the copy in exchange for an honest review.