This book follows the life of makeup artist Jessica Farris. She travels to the homes of her clients, to do their makeup, whether it be for a night out to a club, for a wedding, for a photo shoot, etc. She loves what she does and enjoys her job.

One evening when she is at the house of her last client for the day, she overhears a voicemail left on her clients phone regarding an upcoming appointment this weekend, stating the time and location of the meeting. Intrigued, Jessica learns that her client has decided not to show up to this appointment, and decides to secretly go in her place.

Dr. Shield's, a Psychology Professor, is doing a study on morality and ethics, and has several questions for the subjects in her study. Dr. Shield's pays her subjects for their time and their honest answers, and all questions for the study are delivered in a private room via a computer. All Jessica has to do is type in her answer to each question, and answer as honestly and in dept as she can.

Before she knows it, Jessica is in way over her head with the study. The typed answers on the computer soon turn to real life situations, where Dr. Shield's wants Jessica to follow through with certain tasks and challenges in society, and Jessica has to pass certain "tests". Jessica begins to wonder just what this study is about, and why Dr. Shield's has her doing such tasks.

3 words to describe this book: obsessive, gripping, and riveting!! Wow! What a book!

This book certainly lived up to all of the hype I have been reading about when reading other bloggers and reviewers talk about this book. I loved the writing of this novel, and Hendricks and Pekkanen did not disappoint! Even though this book is not released until January 2019, I had to read this book as soon as I got it.

I was hooked from the very first page. Hendricks and Pekkanen have a style of writing and a way with words that captivate their audience and sucks the reader in. The pages literally turn themselves. I read this book in one sitting, it was that riveting. You will find yourself immersed in this book right through to the shocking end! You will be sitting on the edge of your seat the entire way through this book, and before you know it you will be at the end.

If you haven't had your eyes on this book yet be sure to be on the lookout for it and add it to your to be read list. You too will love it!

All of the stars for this fantastic book!

I like thrillers of all types. Just put someone in a dangerous situation and I am all in trying to find out how they will extricate themselves. This story is told by two people, the prey and the predator. Our anonymous girl inserts herself into a game thought up a woman who thinks of herself as rational and focus, even virtuous. There is a husband who has come to realize his wife is not the woman he thought she was. He wants out, even going so far as to have a short affair with another woman. His wife won't let go.
How does this make the life of the girl strange, difficult and even dangerous? The wife is running a study into morality or so she claims. Her view on the subject is very narrow and highly egotistical. She is also trying to prove her husband's infidelity was solely the result of the other woman and he really truly loves only her. The girl, who shares some of the physical attributes of the other woman, is manipulated into testing the husband. Only she met him before the wife expected her to and that causes complications.
How is the girl to save her life? What will become of the husband? Answers you will only find by reading the book.
I liked this book much better that the previous book by these authors. In that one, voices you thought were two different people proved to be the same person at different points in her life, rendering all assumptions and conclusions there void. This story has two voices that are different people facing the same events, actions and reactions, making the threat much more intriguing. I liked this book very much.
I read this book both on Netgalley and in print form from a copy I got from the publisher.

Jess is the Anonymous Girl. She is a make up artist barely eking out a living in Manhattan. While doing makeup for two young women she learns one had signed up for a questionnaire session the following morning that would pay $500 and that she intended to miss the session. Jess decides to go in her place. This decision is the start of the novel. Jess is the protagonist and a pair of therapists, she’s a Psychiatrist and he’s a Psychologist, are the antagonists. Jess becomes involved with the Psychiatrist because of the questionnaire and her husband, the Psychologist because of his wife. It is a complicated and twisted tale of deceit and manipulation masterfully written by the two authors (one writes Jess’ chapters and the other the Psychiatrist’s). Both do an excellent job of enticing the reader and keeping them involved. This may be even more gripping than their previous novel. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.

Review by 2shay..........

Good story! That’s the single most important thing I can say. Obsession is the second most important. Riveting is a close third.

I liked Jess. She has a lot of family issues to deal with, and a lot of guilt. She probably should be seeing a psychologist, but Dr. Shields is not the right one for her. Or...maybe Jess is the wrong anonymous girl? I thought from the beginning that Dr. Shields might have bitten off more than she could chew with Jess. After all, Jessica got into the study by sneaking a look at a client’s phone. Yeah. Sneaky. Jess is broke. She spends a lot of her money helping her sister...anonymously. Consequently, she can barely pay the rent on her studio apartment. She’s a makeup artist trying to break into theater work, but for now she meets clients at their homes to make them look pretty for big events.

As much as I liked Jess, I wondered why she stayed after the first couple of meetings with Dr. Shields. The money keeps coming in larger sums, and Jess is nearly desperate financially. I understood that, but really? I was so taken by the tasks that Dr. Shields was setting, that I really didn’t care why.

I don’t want to give away spoilers, but the looks into the obsession that Dr. Shields has with her husband eventually tells it all. Those insights are really good, and led this reader to conclusions that were...wrong! It’s that kind of story.

I have no idea how two people can work together to create a novel, but I’m glad they have found a partnership that works. I haven’t read The Wife Between Us, but have friends who loved it and have put it on my to-be-read list. If that previous book was a blockbuster, I expect this one will be too. If you’re a fan of psychological suspense, pre-order now and...

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

This is the second writing collaboration by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen that I’ve had the opportunity to read. These authors are very skilled at creating a reading environment that keeps the reader flipping pages to see what new twists are coming.

Jess is a struggling makeup artist who lies to get into a psychological study on ethics and morality because the monetary compensation is good and she needs the money. Her responses to the questionnaire intrigue Dr. Shields, the psychiatrist conducting the study, and she is invited to ‘help’ conduct further research through real life interactions. And the rollercoaster ride begins!

I didn’t find this book as gripping as the authors previous book. That being said, it’s still very well written, certainly holds your interest and is well worth reading.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC.

It's hard to write much about this book without revealing spoilers (not that there's a big twist, necessarily), but also because this was a slog to get through. I just couldn’t get into the book or care about any of the characters. Their dilemmas seem so petty.

Can you truly enjoy a book without any likable characters to root for? I disliked the protagonist immediately not because of her morality but because of her naïveté. It’s hard for me to like meek women characters.

Although, I find myself being impressed by the construction of this novel - its layers, pacing, multiple point of views, and how economical it is in terms of every conversation having relevance, every character fitting into a piece as though the book were a puzzle - but the whole is somewhat unpleasant.

I'm giving it three stars because I believe it's an okay book,, but one that's difficult to recommend without a huge asterisk, as in "It's good BUT..."

I feel like this book was very well "high praised" already because of their previous novel "The Wife Between Us". Honestly, I feel like this book lived up to the hype and the details and characters in the storyline were well thought out and believable. No one wants to read a book that they do not think could actually happen in real life. These two ladies really know how to make a story come alive and for the suspense to build at just the right times. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year, and I can not wait for the authors to conspire together once again on their next novel!

I liked this book enough to give it a solid three stars, but I really wanted to like it more. The Wife Between Us was such a great read and An Anonymous Girl had such a great premise that maybe I just set my expectations too high. After reading the first three chapters on Bookish First I just knew I had to get my hands on it. So when I saw it available as a read-now title on NetGalley I snatched it up and read it right away, even ditching my current read for it.

This book will definitely keep you turning the pages to find out what is going on. The pacing is good and these authors are clever with the twists and turns. But, while I enjoy a story with alternating narrators, some of the doctor's point of view just didn't always ring true for me. The plot was engaging but it just didn't go where I wanted it to. That is no fault of the authors' and much more to do with personal taste and a much different vision. I expected this to delve more into ethics and morality, playing up the psychological aspect a lot more than it did. Hard to explain without giving things away!

I do predict this will be a huge hit and I will continue to recommend it to readers who like a good, fast twisty page-turner.

Super readable, much less predictable than their first novel and far twistier, this sophomore thriller by Hendricks and Pekkanen is weird and crazy. Jessica sneaks into a psychology study on a college campus because of the financial incentive it offers. But Dr. Shields has some strange questions and decides to take the study to the next level based on Jessica’s answers. This one kept me guessing throughout. I received it as a galley and enjoyed it immensely.

An Anonymous Girl was a decent mystery, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations. I read The Wife Between Us by these authors earlier this year and loved it, so they set the bar high.

I didn’t think the reveals or the ending in this book were very satisfying. I’ll still read the next book they write, though, and hopefully it will be on par with The Wife Between Us.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for this honest review.

When Jessica, a makeup artist, has a chance to make $500.00, she agrees to a psychological study done by Dr. Shields. Little does she know there is much more to Dr. Shields' study that she is unaware of. Dr. Shields is manipulative and frightening as she follows her real agenda.

This story will draw readers in under its spell quickly as the characters come together, and as Jessica is drawn under the spell of Dr. Shields. Well written with many twists and turns, it is beautifully written and frightening in its intensity. It is a difficult book to put down - it is so enticing that readers will want to know how this thrilling dark tale will end. Another winner for these talented authors.

Thanks to Goodreads for this incredible book!

It took me a while to finish Anonymous Girl, though it wasn't boring. The story unfolded slowly, and the tension kept building, however towards the two-thirds mark, I was pretty sure I could guess how it would end and this was confirmed, so I can't say it was the most exciting thriller either. I also feel this will, unfortunately, be a little forgettable for me, since I read so many books in this genre and it doesn't stand out in my mind as one of the more original, exciting ones, I'm afraid. That being said, it's not a bad book by any means and if you are looking for a book that is more of a cat-and-mouse style mystery than a particularly twisty one, you might enjoy this.
write, but it was just too slow for what I was expecting.

This was a fascinating story. Out of desperation, Jess decides to enter into a study without really understanding the true stakes. What starts out as just a regular question and answer style questionnaire ends up becoming so much more. How far is too far? What is right and what is wrong? Can you justify actions done against those that have wronged you? The relationship between Jess and the doctor was really engrossing.

I did not want to put this book down. I really hope these authors keep churning them out! So many twists and turns and nail-biting moments.

I devoured this book....loooved it. Great game of cat and mouse that kept me lured! One of the best psych thrillers I have ever read....beginning to end!

Summary
Jessica is a young makeup artist trying to find her footing in New York City. Struggling to make ends meet and help her family out back home, she joins a study on morality and ethics to earn some extra money. After the session, she leaves feeling a bit exposed and vulnerable. When the professor of the study—Dr. Shields—contacts her for further participation, and thus money, Jessica accepts. After all, everything is confidential. But as the requirements for the study grow stranger and more demanding, Jessica starts to wonder what type of study she got herself into. Is she being paranoid or being manipulated?

This was a fantastic book! The whole premise was intriguing to me since it is rather unique and original. I love when a book can keep me on my toes and guessing throughout, and this book did exactly that! Any time I thought I knew what was going on, I started to question myself. The plot twists were so fascinating and unexpected, and there were many times I could not put this book down because I was dying to know what was going to happen next. I felt like I was trying to put a puzzle together and would not be content until all the pieces fit. I found this to have a good amount of suspense without being overly disturbing or gruesome. Overall, I appreciated the original and enticing writing, and I would highly recommend this book to fans of suspense!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martins for this ARC. WOW! Where do I begin with this one? This book far surpassed my expectations after reading and loving The Wife Between Us. Enter Jessica, the subject who sneaks herself into a study on morality conducted by Dr Sheild, a psychiatrist. Told in dual POV’s, from Jessica's and Dr Sheild's stand points, we are slowly spiraled into their twisted worlds. Both women are broken in their own way and each one uses the other. What will it take to make one break their moral compass? This is the question hanging in the balance. Soon we will find out.How long before this unethical study bleed into dangerous territory or has it already gone there before? I could not stop reading An Anonymous girl. Every moment I was away from this book,I was thinking about it. Well executed like a chess play between grand masters, but in the end there can only be one winner left standing, and she will have to lose to get there.

Book Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Back in January I read The Wife Between Us by this author duo and loved it. It was one of my favorite books this Winter. I was very excited to read An Anonymous Girl and I have to say this book did not disappoint. It was actually one of my favorite book I read this summer (http://whattoreadnextblog.com/2018/09/11/52-top-5-summer-book-picks/) .

An Anonymous Girl is about a psychological experiment gone wrong. I went into this book blind and it was perfect.

This story is about an affair, marriage and the role of manipulation as one participant goes through an experiment. There are plot twists and turns. The whole story keeps you guessing.

My feels: This book is best to go blind. It will surprise you and it will keep you guessing how it will all get resolved.

I give this book 5 stars

I will publish this review on What to Read Next Blog in January closer to publication date.

The psychological thriller genre can become a bit repetitive. The praise received for these stories commonly compares the biggest or best rated stories to the fresh release that falls flat. You hear all the crazy hype and pick up the thriller and find yourself less than thrilled. This happens pretty frequently, especially for those who consider themselves avid readers of this genre. Welp, that is exactly how I felt about The Wife Between Us. There was a decent twist, but I didn’t quite understand the intense praise. I thought it was decent, but found it lacked something. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the story, who the hell knows? I’m tickled pink to report that An Anonymous Girl was the thrill ride I was hoping for with The Wife Between Us. There is no doubt in my mind that this story deserves the praise and rave reviews it has been receiving. If you haven’t put in a request, do it now. Do not wait, do not pass go, do not collect $200, especially do not wait until release. Read this story right now!

If the synopsis doesn’t have your interest peeked, you have no soul. No really, if that didn’t spark something inside you, reach out to your GP and ensure you are human. Because that is one hell of a synopsis. Followed by one hell of a story. Like I am literally having a hard time conveying into words the immensity of this amazingness. And I don't fan girl over many "thrillers".

An Anonymous Girl is a story that I won’t go too deep into details. Why ruin something so damn good? I will tell you these two authors made sure that I had no clue who to trust. There were specific scenes and happenings that had me question the reality of the situation. Is Jessica nuts? Is this study nucking futs? What the frankenfarts is going on in this story?!?! While those are a lot of question and explanation marks, I assure you not knowing what the heck is happening makes it that much more enjoyable and addicting. It was truly a story where I didn’t know if I could trust any single character. The unreliable narrator and supporting characters really send home the psychological thrill in this story.

Hendricks and Pekkanen are pretty much the perfect team if they continue producing home runs like An Anonymous girl. Together these two will Batman and Robin the fuck out of this genre.

NetGalley, I can’t believe I just learned about you around a year ago. How I ever survived before is unclear. I will keep sending those requests if you keep offering titles like An Anonymous Girl before pub date. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now go to NetGalley and request this story. So you can return and send me a ton of thank yous!

It took me a few chapters to get in to this book but once I did it never slowed down. Just when I thought I'd figured out what was going to happen a new twist changed everything. Jessie lies her way in to a survey for compensation and finds herself getting drawn deeper and deeper as the questions get harder and more personal. As more is required for her for more compensation she finds herself in quite the predicament. She needs the money but at what cost? When the study becomes more real life experiments she starts to question the validity of the study and what's being asked of her. Is the infamous Dr. Shields after more than basic information on morality?

An Anonymous Girl is an engrossing story about obsession and power. Those who have power are often cunning and manipulate others who are seen as a means to an end. When money and love are added to the equation the results are devastating.

Jess is a hard working freelance makeup artist. She sees a way to get ahead of her living paycheck to paycheck. It seemed like a simple solution but in life things are not always what they appear to be.

The characters are so well written it is easy to see them as real. The plot is carefully crafted to slowly reveal clues about what is really happening beneath the obvious. This is psychological suspense at its best.

Thank you St Martin's Press for supplying this Advanced Reader's Copy for review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
#AnAnonymousGirl #NetGalley