Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC that I could not put down! I finished this book in less than a day! The webs woven throughout this book will pull you in until the very last page! The author did an incredible job of keeping you guessing, uncovering small pieces of information and making you want more! There were times I hated Dr. Shields and times I wasn’t sure if I should feel sorry for her - it was a fast-paced suspenseful story that really made you feel like you were part of it along with the characters!

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 star review. It was an enjoyable thriller and I would recommend. to others. Generously provided to me through NetGalley

Cheers to another successful collaboration of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanan! Five stars for AN ANONYMOUS GIRl!

Protagonist Jess, is a young woman, trying to make it on her own in NYC, as a makeup artist. In fact, not only is she barely scraping by, she's also helping her parents (a great subplot behind that). She suddenly has the opportunity to make some extra money; an easy peasy interview... Not so fast, the simple interview is the beginning of a twisty dance of psychological obsession and suspense.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, which is beautifully written as a dual narrative, Jess and her psychiatrist, is immediately consuming and hard to put down, It's a page turner, to be sure. I absolutely loved this book, and will definitely read their other collaborative efforts!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review,

This is the second book I’ve read by these 2 authors and I really enjoyed both of them!

I somewhat figured out early on what was going on in this book, but that did not take away anything from it. I was still on the edge of my seat wondering what craziness Dr. Shields was going to create next. And poor Jess, I felt sorry for her throughout the entire book. But was happily surprised at the way she grew as an individual, as her story progressed.

If you like psychological thrillers, hen I would definitely recommend An Anonymous Girl. Not only is the writing fabulous, the story was great as well. I will be adding these authors to my automatic buy list when they release a new book!!

An Anonymous Girl had me hooked from the very beginning. I found myself constantly asking, "what is happening right now?" Unlike the Wife Between Us, there are no huge twists but instead, they just keep hitting you with small ones throughout the book. What makes this book so eerie is how realistic it seems. It all starts at a simple study for the psychology department with a seemingly upstanding professor, but it quickly goes dark. You get so deep inside of the heads of the characters but it is still impossible to know if what they are saying is the truth. With strong themes of truth and morality, you really get to thinking. What would I do in this situation? How important is money when it comes to testing your morals?

Thanks so much, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book! I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

The authors of The Wife Between Us are back with another collaboration, and it's every bit as good as the first. In An Anonymous Girl, Hendricks and Pekkanen tell us the tale of Jessica Farris, a struggling New York makeup artist who signs up for a psychological study as a means to earn some quick cash. Doctor Shields' study on ethics and morality turns out to be far more involved than the question-and-answer sessions Jessica expected them to be, and it isn't long before she begins to question whether events in her life or real, or just another manipulation of the enigmatic Doctor Shields.

Like many readers of their previous book, I had high expectations for engrossing read that would keep me on the edge of my seat. The talented duo definitely delivered on both counts, keeping me on my toes with surprising twists that had me frantically rereading previous portions of the book in a bid to see if I'd missed any hints that the story was headed in that direction.

I'm not going to discuss specifics of the story in this review, because knowing anything more than what it given in the blurb would ruin all the fun of reading this twisty novel for those who are interested in it. What I will say is that I found the premise of a morality study to be unique and more than a little fascinating. The questions Jessica had to answer in the initial stages of the study often made me pause to consider what my own answer would be, if I were in her place, and the personal introspection sparked by events in the story made the novel even more enjoyable for me. There's nothing I love more than a book that makes you think!

This book firmly places Hendricks and Pekkanen on my must-read list. They excel at creating captivating stories that blow me away with incredibly tense situations and shocking reveals that are completely unpredictable, and I can't WAIT to read their next book!

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is an absolute five star, must-read. These two should ALWAYS write together, because the results are golden! I was absolutely captivated from the very first sentence and devoured this book within 24 hours. It might give me pause about ever filling out surveys or being involved in marketing research again, but I’m okay with that, because it was that good.

The characters were so thorough and well thought-out, down to the minor characters. Jessica Farris is all of us. She is hard working, wants to do right, and loves her family. She is approached with an opportunity that is literally too good to be true, but once she is involved, there is no turning back. She gets involved in a web of deceit (from multiple people) and is left with an internal moral struggle and finds herself in need of saving. She’s the only one who can save herself from the lies that surround her.

Lies. Doubt. Secrets. Scandal.

This was definitely a PSYCHOLOGICAL thriller. This is easily one of my favorite thrillers ever and I am so honored to have had the chance to read an ARC. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. I will look forward to seeing this one at bookstores in January. It needs to be on my shelf!

An Anonymous Girl is another psychological thriller from the writing team of Hendricks and Pekkanen. They have a penchant for female characters that are never who they claim to be and this go around is familiar territory for them. While the storyline is not new, Hendricks and Pekkanen have a way of drawing the reader in even as the narrative seems old hat, due in part to a strong blurb and a decent opener that makes the main character relatable. There is little ebb and flow in this story, instead, it focuses on the widest flattest foundation on which to build the tiniest climatic exchange. Anonymous Girl lacks the requisite tension to be a true thriller, but you will feel wrangled after reading it, if only because it feels like a bait and switch. I was expecting a dark and twisted mystery, instead, it's more overcast with bends you can see from miles away. Jessica Farris, the not so anonymous girl in question, is seemingly in over her head, but not because she's naive or ignorant, she just doesn't have the grit to match wits with the so-called villain. Anonymous Girl could have been an ode to female empowerment, but Jessica does not develop into a woman who commands respect or attention. Jessica begins this story under the veil of deceit, is she amoral, unredeemable? No, she's too bland to be bad and her dishonesty and the subsequent reveal is anticlimactic. She doesn't win against evil, the villain just decided to end play. It ends with a whimper instead of a bang. It is not badly written, it's just not memorable enough to stand out in the crowd or the shelf.

Would you participate in a study on ethics and morality...maybe not after reading this...

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~BOOK BLURB~
An Anonymous Girl
Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
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Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.
When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.
 
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~MY QUICKIE REVIEW~
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This was slow-building psychological suspense…that didn't have me hooked until the last 1/3 of the book.  At that point, everything starting clicking together and then...the sh*t hit-the-fan.  I have to say…I thought this was going to disappoint me just like The Wife Between Us did, but by the end, I was pleasantly surprised.
 
An Anonymous Girl is a smartly written and cleverly plotted novel.  With decidedly flawed characters and an interesting storyline.  I recommend to anyone who likes a slow build-up to an intense ending.  Sadly though, you may have to wait until it comes out in January 2019.
 
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~MY RATING~
☆4.5☆STARS - GRADE=A-
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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
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Plot~ 4.5/5
Main Characters~ 4.5/5
Secondary Characters~ 4/5
The Feels~ 4.3/5
Pacing~ 4.3/5
Addictiveness~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4.2/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 4.7/5
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Book Cover~ It's nothing special…
Setting~ New York City
Source~ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
There is a plethora of "psychological thrillers" out there this year. While I think I am reaching my saturation point, I have to say that his book ranks near the top of the list. Strange and creepy and more than a little scary, it digs into one's psyche and provides things unexpected to keep the reader guessing. While I can't imagine this happening in real life, it's worth going along for the ride.

I might be in the minority with this one but I didn't really love it. Jess sneaks her way into a psychology study where she receives compensation for answering some questions based on ethics and morals. The questions seem easy enough and when the psychiatrist asks if she'd be interested in round two with real-life scenarios, she's game. Plus, the money doesn't hurt. Chapters alternate between Dr. Shields, the psychiatrist running the study, and Jess. The concept of the book piqued my curiosity at first but once I found out why Dr. Shields was running this study (basically a personal agenda), I lost interest and the chapters seemed slow. There were no major twists (or maybe they were predictable for me) but if you like thrillers that are a little more subdued, you might enjoy this one.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing a copy of this book for me to read.

This is a difficult review to write. I was intrigued with the plot idea and thought it would be something I would really enjoy reading. An Anonymous Girl is the story of Jess, a professional make-up artist who is trying to make it financially while also helping out her parents at home. When she hears of a psychology study that is paying some decent money, she finagles her way into participating. The ensuing story focuses on Jess and the aftermath of her decision. Through the beginning stages of the study, we learn quite a bit about Jess and begin to see some of the character of Lydia Shields, the psychologist conducting the study.

This is one of those twisty-turny psychological thrillers that have become so popular. I’ve read several in the genre and have found that I frequently am not engaged with either of the main characters—it seems like there usually are two. This was the case here, too. Jess seemed like she was sort of drifting through life, not knowing exactly what she wanted out of life. Lydia was more of a puzzle, though we found out more and more as the story progressed. She wasn’t appealing to me at all. This was part of my problem with the book—I didn’t particularly care for either of the women.

The plot was rather slow-moving and I had to make myself continue reading. When I got about 2/3 of the way through, I finally felt that I really wanted to find out how the story was going to play out.
For those who like this type of genre, I’m sure this will be a very good read. For me, I’d give it a 3.5 rating.

3..5 Stars: I was so excited to get an ARC of An Anonymous Girl to read this fall, and it was the perfect read for the Halloween season. This was a creepy, twisty, wild ride from start to finish. The way these two authors right is so engaging, and I was quickly drawn into the story, even though I felt like I didn't know what was going on about half of the time. This was a fast read and well paced. Every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, and who the bad guy was, they threw another twist at me, and I was wondering all over again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book. On sale January 8, 2019.

Very well-done psychological thriller, with lots of surprising twists.

The narrative of the book shifts back and forth between being told from Jessica's and Dr. Shields's points of view. Every other chapter, we get the story from the opposite character's perspective. The theme of anonymity is woven into the story as well in a few subtle and also obvious ways. For me, the pace of the story starts out very slow as we are introduced to the characters and how Jessica becomes involved in the university study conducted by Dr. Shields and how the study progresses. Slowly, more characters are introduced into the story, as well as events from Jessica's past that become relevant to the current story, as well as the pieces of Dr. Shields's life, past and present, and how those relate to the interactions with Jessica. There is plenty of action once the book really gets going. It didn't really drag for me leading up to most of the action. It was just a slower pace as we delve into Jessica's world and experiences.

Jessica is not entirely likable at first, and I wondered what drove her to make some of her choices (which is slowly answered throughout the book). Once the twists started coming, they continued throughout the book, all the way to the very last page.

I was surprised by the lack of foul language throughout this book. The genre is a psychological thriller, but there is no (or very, very little) strong language throughout (surprising for me as so many mainstream books seem to be full of it).

This was a very intriguing book, and I definitely look forward to reading more from this writing duo!

The perfect combination of an easy, enjoyable read and a book that makes you think, keeping you in suspense and anxiously turning the pages until the end. I thought this duo's previous book, The Wife Between Us, was great, and this one lives up to that standard.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a research study, using a bit of deception to get in the door, she has no way of knowing how it will all spiral out of control. She is a likable character and the reasons for her doing everything she does are quite understandable so it's easy to care about what happens to her. The writing is superb and I enjoyed how the book more or less switched between the narration of the two main characters, each with a distinctive voice. I thought the fact that Dr. Shields largely used a passive voice in her sections was an interesting element and contributed to the creepiness. Even the most minor secondary characters are well developed and interesting in their own rights.

All in all, a very successful book which I would highly recommend! Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

This is the second book I have read by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. The books was extremely fast paced and engaging. I could not put this one down. It was a roller coaster of deception but who was deceiving who and at what point. What happens when you get too deep in with your therapist or is she even really your therapist or is this part of the experiment? Are you letting your guard down too easily to earn money? What extremes will you go to in order to have an income. What are the limits ethically and morally? These are all the questions Jess has to face once she is accepted into Lydia Sheilds research group.

I loved this book. It's fresh and different, totally captivating. The main character finds herself entering a psychology study to make some quick money (something a lot of us can relate to, especially as a student!). The study gets more and more intense over time, and she finds herself getting more and more drawn in... While I don't know if I would classify this as completely "believeable," I do feel that it was entertaining and different, and well-written. I definitely couldn't tell that there were two authors, it seemed seamless. Overall, a great, quick read! Can't wait for the next one.

This book will hook you from the beginning, then take you on many twists and turns. I love when two authors can write one story with so many layers. Thanks to Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for accomplishing this. I now have to go read their first endeavor “The Wife Between Us”.

This story is told in two voices. Jess, the struggling make-up artist who finds about a study on morality, which pays well. But, she gets so much more than she bargained for! Dr. Shields, the cold woman heading up the phychology study. This is a book that will have your heart racing and fill you with uneasiness. Characters are complex, with their secrets shaping who they are. The ending will be satisfying, maybe shocking to some.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Net Galley for the ARC, also Goodreads for the physical copy, of this book. Opinion is mine alone!

This was a decent thriller. A young woman gets more than she bargained for when she participates in a research project about morality. I really enjoyed the shifts in POV between Jessica and the psychiatrist.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen was a psychological thriller that put me on the edge of my seat many times. I had read The Wife Between Us and didn't think that these authors could top that book but boy was I wrong. An Anonymous Girl had me holding my breath without even realizing it and every time I thought I had it all figured out another twist was inserted. I was so excited to read it and was not at all disappointed.

As the book began, Jessica or Jess as she liked to be called, one of the main characters in the book, was introduced. She was a woman in her early twenties who worked as a freelance make-up artist. While applying make-up for two college age young women at their apartment she overheard their discussion about a psychiatrist's study about morals and ethics one of the girls had signed up to participate in that was going to pay her $500. Jess was so tempted with the money that she sneaks to view the information about the study on one of the girl's cell phone. She showed up for the study the next morning claiming to be replacing the other girl who couldn't make it. After her personal information was checked, Jess was allowed to partake in the study. The study was being conducted by Dr. Shields, a professor at N.Y.U. and prominent psychologist. Participating in this study was going to change Jess's life more than she ever could have imagined.

Every time I thought I had figured out was going to happen In An Anonymous Girl I was often wrong. The story was told alternatively by Jess and Dr. Shields. It was hard for me to put it down because I wanted to know what was going happen next. The ending left me in a good place. I liked how Jess's character evolved, got stronger and wiser as the story unfolded. In the beginning she was so trusting, needy and dependent It made me question how much of a person's private thoughts and secrets should be revealed even when honesty, trust and best interests are promised? In the end, I believed that Jess regretted sharing some of these very private confessions with Dr. Shields. How could Jess have ever guessed what a vindictive, self-serving woman Dr. Shields would end up being?

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for the advanced reader's copy of An Anonymous Girl in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this book.