Loneliness could make us vulnerable, and this book proved that.

Shay was lonely, downsized from her job and losing her roommate to love, she was just about to take the subway when she witnessed a suicide. More shaken than she thought she followed the victim's life. In the meantime, the Moore sisters entered her life, bringing joy and making her feel not so alone. Then began the real story when things started happening around her.

My first book by the dynamic duo, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, I was completely immersed in the story. The web of suspense slowly clinched its tendrils around me as I turned the pages.

Shay was on a merry-go-round which seemed to be too good to be true. And you know what happens on such a trip. You almost can never get off. Many a time I wanted to poke the main character a warning, but tapping on my kindle was all I did.

The dynamic duo's writing was like a trap, waiting to capture me. Short, snappy chapters unfurled the past and present of the many characters, and each brought a tangy spice to the overall tale.

A cat and mouse atmosphere soon embroiled the book, where my heart pumped hard at the situation that unfolded in front of me. Fast pace and a plot which held me enthralled kept me going until my vision all but blurred. And the last chapter brought out the twist which I so wanted and my vengeant heart was at peace. And I was blessedly alone.

Whew!! I survived the tale

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are two of my favorite authors so I knew I was in for a treat. Hooked from the start You Are Not Alone follows the story of Shay who works a low-paid temporary job and lives with the love of her life. A devoted statistician, she’s extremely relatable — a young woman who feels isolated and vulnerable, perhaps someone whose helplessness comes into question. But when she witnesses a shocking accident, her focus on the victim could be seen as obsessive. She meets the Moore sisters — Cassandra and Jane — two stylish and alluring women who appear to have everything, demonstrating the lifestyle Shay would love. There is definitely an unsettling mood right from the start which made me want to read on. The book digs deep into the multi-layers of each character and their secrets, an enigma if ever there was one!

Shay’s obsession to find out more about Amanda may come at a cost, and the Moore sisters seem to be all too controlling. I did wonder why she didn’t have an ‘Aha’ moment a little sooner, and regroup to weigh up her options. But she’s desperate for friends, and let’s face it, she’s been abandoned, so why not? I think this more than adequately covers for any inconsistencies in character. For instance, why didn’t she get suspicious about her make-over? Then I reminded myself that her naivety was born out of loneliness and a hungry need to fit in.

There are quite a lot of characters and for me, this became a little confusing. I wondered if they scrambled the plot a little and whether they were entirely necessary. This book is about greed, paranoia and revenge, and while the roller-coaster journey was dark and tense, the ending is nicely wrapped up. A clever twist I didn’t see coming.

At no time did I get that jarring feeling that the book was written by two authors. The narrative is joined seamlessly and effortlessly to give an outstanding reading experience. A medium to fast burn for me, which is what kept me coming back.

Thank you to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the privilege of reading this book.

Life for Shay is tricky. She goes to work each day in a dead end temp role, and then returns to the flat she shares with a man she adores but who already has a girlfriend. She is isolated and alone, and fears she will never realise her dream of finding somewhere she belongs. But then everything changes when a shocking accident throws her into the path of the Moore sisters. Glamorous and successful, Cassandra and Jane are everything Shay has ever dreamed of being. But appearances can be deceiving, and Shay soon realises that her new friends may not be so perfect after all…

I've never read anything by Hendricks and Pekkanen before, and if I'm honest, I was a little concerned by the idea of reading a book written by a duo. I've read books by two authors before, and I normally find it results in quite a jarring reading experience. This was the complete opposite – highly enjoyable and engaging, and so cohesive that I honestly couldn’t tell you where one author’s section ended and the other’s began.

The synopsis of this book, while intriguing, did leave a lot to me imagined in terms of plot details. It’s definitely one of those books that you go into with a very limited idea of specifics, which I think is a real strength, as it meant that each revelation was truly a surprise. However, in that sense it is definitely a slow burn of a book. While there’s obviously a sense of something not quite being right from the very beginning, it is only over time that you realise how many secrets the various characters are hiding, and it becomes clear that it isn’t only Shay who will benefit from this sudden and intense friendship. I won’t say more than that just in case of spoilers!

Shay is something of a tricky one. Initially, she seems like a character who is very vulnerable and open to manipulation. Indeed, I found that most of her early chapters really tugged on your heartstrings - I think most women in their 20s and 30s have experienced some level of isolation, and so reading about Shay’s struggles was very poignant for me. It also worked well to explain why she is so vulnerable to the influence and even manipulation of some other characters. However, over time there are definitely some questions raised about her mental state and to what extent she is a victim in everything that is happening. But then you question yourself for wondering about her, as most of the doubt comes from Cassandra and Jane. So it’s definitely a bit of a mind-bender!

While I was a bit unsure before beginning, almost as soon as I picked this one up I knew that it would be a good one. It’s immediately engaging, and so well written that you definitely won’t want to put it down. I for one can’t wait to go back and explore the authors’ other work, as I’m confident that they’ll be just as thrilling and unique as this one!

Disclaimer – I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

A great fun read, which unfortunately was marred by an implausible last quarter of the book. A night of insomnia was all I needed to pretty much finish half of this in one sitting. It raced along and pulled me in. It moves along at quite a pace, and what seems like an innocent connection between the isolated Shay Miller and the glamorous Moore sisters becomes a mystery that deepens. Intriguing and compelling.

I really enjoyed this book. One Sunday morning Shay witnesses a suicide. Amanda throws herself in front of a subway train. From then on Shay becomes obsessed with finding out more about Amanda. She is also quite traumatised by the whole experience. When she decides to attend a memorial service for Amanda she meets Jane and Cassandra Moore, glamourous, successful sisters who lead the kind of life Shay would love to live. Gradually she becomes more involved with the sisters, but why would they be interested in her? It soon becomes clear that they have an ulterior motive, but what is it? This is a great story which I thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

'You Are Not Alone' is a fantastically gripping book that I couldn't put down. The characters are electric and I wish the backstories woven through the novel were complete novels themselves so I could spend more time with the characters. I love the grey areas of morality that has given me a lot to think about.

The plot itself is twisty and turny, with parts you can see coming with a sickening sense of inevitability and others that whack you out of nowhere. The whole book is atmospheric and creepy and is a brilliant read.

I enjoyed this story. 

The way it was written was very well done. The author left clues along the way to help you figure it out at the end.

It kept me glued from page one with all the twists and turns

This book grew on me as I read it and began to realise it is a great deal more than it seems at the start. It seems at first to be a tale of sisters and friends who bond and try to to do favours by influencing the lives of others. That is far from the truth. When one of their number commits suicide,it isn't time for revenge, an objective they pursue relentlessly. They woo Shay who looks like their friend and set her up to take the blame for a major act of revenge. As the book moves on,with considerable suspense,more detail emerges about their relationship,their family background and their target. It becomes a gripping story. It is well written and the characters are believable. I have no hesitation in recommending it.

This is another great read from Hendricks and Pekkanen.
The story is told through different perspectives, though primarily by the main character, Shay.
Shay is single temp whose life takes a dramatic turn when she witnesses a young woman, Amanda, committing suicide at a subway station.
Traumatised, she decides to go to Amanda's memorial service, where she meets Amandas’ friends, Cassandra and Jane.
They go out of their way to become friends with Shay and she can’t believe it when they help her to turn her life around.
As we’re reading this from Jane and Cassandra’s perspective as well, we start to realise that they may have an ulterior motive for befriending Shay.
This is a twisted story of manipulation and whilst Shay is vulnerable, I think I’d have become suspicious before she did.
I loved the ending as it pulled everything together that had been building up throughout the book.
Thanks to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow.

I had such high hopes for this book after reading An Anonymous Girl & The Wife Between Us and this book didn’t disappoint.

This book left my heart hammering, my mind whirring trying to piece all the jigsaw pieces together and while I did figure out a few twists, the ending I did not remotely guess.

I ploughed through this book so quickly because I just had to know how it ended.

The character shay while I didn’t originally like her because she felt like such a wet wipe towards the end I did start rooting for her.

Absolutely loved this book!

Having enjoyed Hendricks and Pekkanen's previous two novels, I couldn't wait to get my hands on their latest book.

The story of 'You Are Not Alone' is told through the perspectives of several characters, though primarily by the main character, Shay.

Shay is a single, recently jobless and soon-to-be homeless woman, whose life takes a dramatic turn when she witnesses a young woman, Amanda, committing suicide at a subway station. Traumatised, she decides to go to Amanda's memorial service, where she meets Amanda's seemingly-perfect friends, Cassandra and Jane Moore. The Moore sisters soon take Shay under their wing, and helps her to turn around her life for the better. However, Shay begins to realise that not all is as it seems...

As with the authors' previous works, I really enjoyed this book. I found that the short chapters kept the storyline fast-paced and made me eager to read 'just one more chapter'. What's more, there were a couple of twists/reveals which added to the intrigue and drama.

It lost a star in my rating as a lot of the minor characters seemed to blend into each other, and I couldn't always remember who was who (apart from the Moore sisters), despite them having interesting back stories in their POVs. Shay also seemed a little too dense at times for a logical person, but I guess that can be partly excused by her vulnerability/state of mental health.

Nevertheless, this was a quick and enjoyable read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to other readers.

This psychological tale had me gripped with many twists and turns. I shall look out for more from these authors. Thanks to #Netgalley for ARC

Shay is just going about her day when she picks up a necklace on the platform and when she looks up to ask a bystander if it is theirs witnesses their suicide.
Drawn to the woman Shay attends her memorial service and from there is drawn into the orbit of the Moore sisters who offer a hand of friendship and a new lease of life to Shay.
However things pretty quickly darken and twist and as the plot thickens the story rampages along with Shay drawn ever deeper into trouble.
A great page turner- to be read in one sitting!

Shay, a lonely young woman, witnesses a suicide one morning down in the subway station. The woman, Amanda, has dropped her necklace before jumping in front of the train and Shay picks it up. Feeling a degree of guilt that she didn't try harder to stop Amanda jumping, she attends a memorial for her held by Amanda's friends with the intention of returning the necklace. Soon she is befriended by Amanda's friends, eventually becoming completely immersed in Amanda's life, and all at the direction of her new BFF's. What do they want from Shay in return?

This is a slow burner of a read, with twists and turns aplenty. The characters are great and you find yourself rooting for Shay to cop on, read between the lines, questions things, anything but definitely don't listen to Amanda's friends!!! It's obvious they have ulterior motives and this makes it a bit of a creepy read. I was totally sucked in from the first chapter, and the stats at the beginning of each chapter only heightened my interest in what was really happening.

Best to go in blind to this hugely entertaining and enjoyable thriller. You won't be able to put this one down!

I've read the first two books by this writer duo - Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. So I read The Wife Between Us and The Anonymous Girl last year and they both had me gripped. Their books go back and forth between various characters and I know that is not what everyone likes to read. For me it is great and you get different viewpoints but in their books it can get very intense as you know all that is going on and can feel the tension building up.

I actually felt that You Are Not Alone was their best work. I felt there was something instantly likeable about Shay and the Moore sisters were also intriguing. Their books are like a huge puzzle and you have to work out what's going on. The last few chapters I read in one night as I wanted to see how it would all end. Loved it!

I think the less you know about this book before you read it is for the best, I've seen many spoiler reviews of it and you just need to immerse yourself fully into this one. Intrigued to see what this duo do next!

Wow a fabulous page turner. Shay describes witnessing an apparent suicide and nothing is the same after that. Befriended by mysterious Jane and Cassandra who help Shay turn her life around. New apartment, new look , new friends , new job. Hmmm ..... saying goes when it sounds too good to be true ?
Tensions mount as the new friends show their true intentions and as the police pursue Shay , she has no one to turn to but the internet for help.
I got slowly drawn in to this great story and was rooting for Shay all the way. Couldn’t put it down.
Don’t miss this great read.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this duo. I thought it had a strong start to the book, but found it a little frustrating along the way, like it was dragging. I liked the idea for the story, I thought it was different. But I did find that there were almost too many characters in the story, some unnecessary and I didn’t like the way it went back and forth in time so much to explain the back story. I thought it was good that Shay (one of the main characters) who works in statistics, was telling you about statistics in the book, such as how many people commit suicide etc, it just made it a bit more interesting for me.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is my first by established authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the writers of this twisted and tense psychological thriller, although I have had both The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl on my kindle for some time. They do not disappoint with their latest offering, You Are Not Alone, which is set in New York.

Shay Miller witnesses a brutal suicide at an underground train station. She tries to stop the young woman from jumping in front of the train but is unsuccessful. Lonely Shay quickly becomes obsessed with the dead woman. Wanting to know more about her life, she attends a memorial for the woman and meets her friends, Cassandra and Jane Moore, with whom she feels an instant connection. The friends are incredibly successful, beautiful and charismatic sisters who invite Shay into their inner circle.

The effectively-told story alternates between Shay's perspective and some of the other characters, including the sisters. A smart plot, concise chapters, multiple viewpoints, and a blend of past and present, all contributed towards making You Are Not Alone a perfect read for me. For the majority of the time, I had no idea what was going on or where it would all end. Lies, deceit, murder, betrayal, this book really has it all. Highly recommended with confidence!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

I was delighted to receive an ARC of this book and yet again it was another great read by this writing duo.
In the beginning this is a bit of a slow burner which builds up and then has plenty of twists and turns. Would definitely recommend.

One hell of a thriller I couldn’t put down!
You are not alone is Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s 3rd book, following the success of The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl. Like the previous two books it’s a tense, psychological thriller with twists and turns running throughout.

Shay is obsessed with statistics, she’s lonely, looking for love and down on her luck having just lost her job. Her day is about to get worse as she witnesses a young woman commit suicide by jumping in front of a high speed train. Shay wonders if she could have done more to stop it. Obsessing about the woman and trying to find out more about her, Shay attends her funeral.
Enter the Moore sisters, Cassandra and Jane, beautiful, compelling and dark, Shay is drawn to them and wants to be friends with them but why are they drawn to Shay?

Deceit, lies, obsession, revenge, things are about to get worse for Shay with twists and turns on every page can Shay unravel the truth and save herself?