Member Reviews
One of the best books I've read this year rocketing into my top 5!! I read into the early hours as couldn't put it down, when I wasn't reading I was thinking about it and telling my friends about it!!
Loved Jess's character and loved the way the story unfolded through both Jess and Dr Shileds views.
Highly recommended will make you question yourself and your morals!!
I haven't raced through a book as quickly as I did this one for a LONG time! I was curious the moment I read the blurb and so was thrilled to receive an advance reading copy. I adored absolutely everything about this book. The characters were incredibly strong and fascinating, each one multi-layered and utterly captivating. I found Jess, the protagonist of the book, really likeable and I warmed to her immensely. Sure, she had her flaws but the situations she found herself in were somehow really relatable. Dr Shields was a brilliant, fascinating character and I loved being able to glimpse into her mind. The plot is original, fast-paced and exciting and it kept me on my toes throughout. I really liked the set up of the book, switching between Jess and Dr Shields point of view worked really nicely and aided the story well.
I love when I'm desperately searching for moments to be able to read a book and I experienced that with An Anonymous Girl a lot. Definitely one of my favourite psychological thrillers of 2018 and I envy people who will get to read this book with fresh eyes! This is a MUST read!
Great book, enjoyed it more than the first by the author. Intriguing through out and good twists with complex characters
I wanted to love this book, the synopsis sounds brilliant and while the book isn't badly written after reading 30% of it I'm left feeling bored. Nothing remarkable stands out about the characters and unfortunately it isn't the story I was expecting from the blurb.
Having really enjoyed 'The Wife between us'. I was keen to read this latest offering. I was certainly not disappointed. Jess is a struggling make up artist in New York City. When she gets the chance to take part in a psychiatric study and get paid handsomely for it, she jumps at the chance. However, Dr Shields, the psychiatrist running the study, decides that Jess' answers make her an ideal candidate for what she has in mind next! But who is the mysterious Dr Shields? Jess soon finds herself out of her depth in the tasks she is set. I don't want to give anything away, but this is a real page turner that will keep you guessing. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.
Very strange book! Took me quite a while to get into it and I was really struggling with it if I’m being completely honest.
I was a huge fan of The Wife Between Us, a superbly creepy psychological thriller released last year. My expectations were high for An Anonymous Girl and I was instantly sucked in by the story of Jess who signs up for a very strange sounding research project. Of course, this is no ordinary research project, and it soon becomes clear that the elegant Dr Shields has an ulterior motive...
A real page-turner with a compelling protagonist and antagonist, this kept me reading late at night.
(Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
I really enjoyed this book, having read the previous book by these authors, I was excited to see what this book had in store. It was very different but the twists and turns were excellent, not knowing who was telling the truth all the way through. Definitely recommend.
I read, no DEVOURED this book in a day - I started reading in the morning and finished the same evening. That's how utterly engrossed I was.
I've been desperately searching for a thriller that would be on the same wavelength as The Girl on The Train as I really enjoyed that book and haven't managed to find one that is quite as unpredictable and exciting...until I read this book that is.
An Anonymous Girl is an incredible psychological thriller which will keep you turning the page and sneaking a read whenever you can. The pace is great, even in the quieter moments the atmosphere of unease and suspense continues and in the truly shocking twists, which come around every corner! A reader definitely won't leave this forgotten on the nightstand.
This is definitely a book where no plot details can be spoiled - it simply wouldn't have the same impact if you knew what was to come. So I won't be giving many details but here are some of the high points for me:
Characters - While you can't help but root for the main character Jessica, and I enjoyed her intelligence, vulnerability and overall personality - Dr. Shields has got to be one of the most compelling and deeply unsettling characters I've come across in Fiction. She has a presence which can ensnare and basically, still waters run VERY deep. I liked that there were two female protagonists who are given equal focus and whose voices shape the narrative.
Twists galore - This is one of those books that just when you think you've got things figured out, you'll get thrown a curveball and re-evaluate it all. I absolutely love books which are unpredictable.
Writing style - I've not read Greer Hendricks or Sarah Pekkanens books before but consider me a fan. This book was so well written and gripping and no words are wasted. Will definitely be reading their other book soon.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy dark and twisty thrillers. I can see An Anonymous Girl being massively popular on it's release early next year and deservedly so. This is definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
I loved “The Wife Between Us” and it was definitely one of my top reads of last year. I was worried about reading this book as I felt it had a lot to live up to and didn’t think it could be as good as “The Wife Between Us”. I was wrong and if anything this book is even better than the first one.
This is a dark, domestic thriller with lots of twists throughout. The writing is clever and unexpected. If you liked “Girl On A Train”, you will definitely enjoy this book. This book is outstanding and I would recommend to anyone.
I was't only very excited to read the novel but a little anxious as well. I don't need to be reminded how unexpectedly twisted The Wife Between Us was so I didn't know if the follow-up of that bestseller would be as satisfying as the first. The bar was set quite high but it definitely lived up to my expectations!
An Anonymous Girl really plays the psychological card and is for me THE perfect definition of a 'psychological' thriller! The book contains quite a bit of psychological warfare and I couldn't be happier about that as I'm always fascinated by secrets and lies, how some people can derive answers from non-verbal clues, how they can read people and instinctively know their strenghts and weaknesses, what drives them and what makes them afraid. If you have an interest in the human psyche and psychology then this one is a real hit.
The novel is told in alternate chapters by Jess (Jessica), a girl working as a make-up artist and Dr. Shields, a psychology professor. Their interaction commences with Jess taking part in a survey where she has to answer truthfully on some thought-provoking questions that form the basis of a morality study. I loved getting to know Jess by working my way through her answers. Her thoughts and feelings were there, stripped from every disguise, and I liked her character, it shows she’s flawed but her honesty was touching. It also made me think what I'd answer on the questions myself. The novel takes a bit of a turn when her loyalty is being tested though. It's not clear what Dr. Shield's intentions are at first but I did have an unsettling feeling that there was an unseen threat and Jess was being used for something. There's definitely manipulation in this novel involved but is it Dr. Shields or the third person who joins their little triangle who is lying to Jess? Trust is an important issue in the novel and I have to admit I was quick to judge some people as well... I liked and trusted some characters first, to change my mind about them as the story progressed, until I was completely at a loss about who to trust.
An Anonymous Girl is a novel of action and reaction, and as it nears the end it has something of a chess game with the main characters playing some serious mind games. Halfway through the book Jess doesn’t know who represents the real danger in this tangled web she finds herself in anymore. The tension hung in the air and it was great not knowing what their next move would be. The confrontation and finding out who would lie and who would tell the truth in the end was fascinating to see unfold.
I can’t wait to see what the authors come up with next!
Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for the chance to read and review this novel.
“It’s easy to judge other people’s choices”
Jessica Farris is a make-up artist living in New York in her small studio apartment with her dog, Leo. When she overhears a client talking about an appointment she’s going to blow off in the morning as even $500 isn’t worth getting up early on a Saturday for, her interest is piqued. When you’re living paycheck to paycheck that fee would help pay the rent, so Jess notes down the info and, ironically, lies her way into the Morality and Ethics Research Project. After all, it will be easy to sit and answer a few questions. Unbeknown to Jess the person in charge of the study, Dr. Shields, is watching her every move from another room and becoming increasingly convinced that she’s found someone special.
“It’s remarkable how the simplest of our decisions can create a butterfly effect; how a seemingly inconsequential action can cause a tsunami….”
When Dr. Shields proposes expanding the study Jess is unsure, especially as she’s given little information about what will be expected from her. But Dr. Shields lures her into agreeing by the promise of even higher compensation. As Jess is instructed to do increasingly bizarre things by Dr. Shields, she starts to question what is really going on. Is this really still a study on morality and ethics or is there another agenda entirely? As she tries to unravel the truth enigmatic doctor and the study, things begin to happen that make Jess believe she is in danger and has made a big mistake....
“..sometimes the people who seem the most accomplished and together are the ones who can hurt you the deepest.”
An Anonymous Girl is an unputdownable, cryptic and, at times, unnerving book. It is well written with two great main characters. Jess is someone you can relate to: a young woman just trying to make ends meet, loyal to her family, doing her best to make up for past mistakes, and who is still figuring herself, and life, out. Dr. Shields on the other hand is a glorious villain: sinister, obsessive, cunning, malevolent, unstable, twisted and menacing, but also highly intelligent and knows how to use both money and kindness to control Jess. As I read I thought I had certain characters figured out. I was wrong. I sat in surprise and shock as the unexpected twist was revealed. I didn’t see it coming at all. The dramatic conclusion was full of tension and was so well done that I couldn’t guess what would happen and who would triumph. This book was a fantastic and electrifying read that lived up to the hype.
Out February 7th 2019 (UK)
As Jessica enters a psychological study conducted by Dr Shields, she's hoping to make some quick money answering a few questions on morality. She has no idea however that when she agrees to participate in the research further, she'd soon be stuck in a web of lies and paranoia.
I enjoyed this writing duo's first book The Wife Between Us immensely. So I was really excited to see that they're coming out with a new thriller. I was not disappointed. An Anonymous Girl was gripping and a true page turner. However, as much as I loved it, I couldn't help feeling that it was overshadowed by their previous masterpiece and couldn't quite reach the level of The Wife Between Us. That being said, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommend An Anonymous Girl to any mystery fan out there and am looking forward to reading anything else that Hendricks and Pekkanen come out with.
'The Wife between Us' was one of my top reads of the last year so I was very excited to see whether Hendricks and Pekkanen could equal the twists, turns, menace and suspense. For the most part, I found it just as gripping and I thought the characterisation of Dr Shields was especially strong. Certain aspects stretched the bounds of credulity but overall I'll definitely be recommending this one to thriller fans.
Jessica signs up for a psychology study run by the mysterious Dr. Shields. She she thinks it will just be a case of answering a few questions, collecting her money and leaving. However, as the questions grow more and more intense, the sessions become outings and Jess is told what to wear and how to act and soon she feels that Dr Shields knows what she’s thinking and hiding. As her paranoia grows, she wonders what is real and what is a Doctors experiment. She is soon caught in a web of deceit and jealousy and realises that obsessions are deadly.
Wow! What can I say? I really enjoyed the first novel The Wife Between Us but I have to say for me this was even better! It pulls you in from the very first page. A fabulous psychological novel with a great storyline and twists which kept me turning the pages until the very end. The characters were all fantastic, some unlikeable but still very interesting and made the story what is was (fantastic).
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pam McMillan for an advanced copy for my honest review.
I enjoyed The Wife Between Us. It was an engaging thriller, even though I guessed the twist in the end.
Unfortunately, this book disappointed me a little. The premise was interesting. I liked the start, kept me reading. But, after a while it just became too slow and dragging. I found myself I don't care enough. So, I guess it was an OK read with the end, but didn't top TWBU. I would still pick up a book from Hendricks and Pekkanen as I like their writing and stories.
Thanks a lot Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.
I was so excited to read this after loving The Wife Between Us.
This book exceeded my expectations, I actually stayed awake all night because I was so hooked.
I am very impressed.
I really liked The Wife Between Us, although I saw it's twist coming I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly, An Anonymous Girl doesn't keep up with the pace of T.W.B.U. I really struggled to stay connected to the story. The start was fast and interesting, but halfway through I realised I just wanted to know what happens and move on. Although I found the ending satisfying and the plot wasn't too bad, the struggle to keep engaged and the feeling that it could have been shorter didn't make me a fan of this book. I would still pick up a book from Hendricks and Pekkanen.
Another twisty and involving thriller from this dynamic duo of crime writers- a page turner which hits the mark on the psychological aspect of psychological thrillers.
A bit of a cat and mouse story this one, as Jessica joins a study, needing money but not realising that the enigmatic Dr Shields may well ruin her life...
It's a wonderfully addictive read, as Dr Shields twists Jessica's world and demands more and more. However Jessica is not without her own inner demons..
A fine bit of storytelling, beautifully done, unpredictable and with two very different but highly intriguing female protagonists.
Recommended once more. Also try The Wife Between Us - both excellent additions to the genre.
This book doesn't pull any punches, it is a psychological mind bender where you are never quite sure if you know what is going on.I think it is a very clever book ,and it makes you question all the characters ,and even how you would react to certain situations.I thought it was great.I liked the main character, and I didn't want anything bad to happen to her but I wasn't sure if she was going to be alright.I don't want to give too much away and spoil it for other readers, My only very slight criticism is that as I was so eager to get to the end to find out what would happen I did get slightly impatient towards the end of the book, and think it could have been a little shorter, but I am a very impatient reader especially if I am really enjoying a book, so the fault may well be with me.I thought this was a terrific book, and I would give it 4 and a half stars if I could.Thanks so much to the publishers and netgalley for an ARC.