The best and worst thing about this book was the characters. The main character, Shay, desperately needs a good shake. I just wanted to scream at her to get a life. She is so much better than she thinks she is, and she lets other people treat her like crap. Meanwhile, the Moore sisters, her new "friends," both need a good slap. They are not as amazing as they (and everyone else) think they are. I often have a hard time with these psychological suspense-type novels because when all of the characters are so unlikable I struggle to like the book as a whole. However, in this case they were so well-written that as much as I hated them, it made the book engrossing. Very unusual experience for me.

Hmmm, what else is there to say? Hendricks and Pekkanen have definitely written a successful page-turner, although as with their previous books it takes considerable suspension of disbelief to appreciate the plot. In this case, it's the Moore sisters ability to use their magnetic personalities to assemble and manipulate a group of women (I struggle to call them "friends") to do their bidding without it becoming obvious that's what is happening. It was kind of strange reading this directly after The Holdout by Graham Moore, which features a woman wrongly accused of murder. Here, Shay is not just implicated in a murder (or more)—others are actively attempting to frame her. To me, that is terrifying enough on its own and was very well done. When the final twist came (view spoiler), it just seemed unnecessary. The mental anguish of a lonely woman losing her job, her potential romantic partner, her home, and her new "friends" while simultaneously dealing with the aftermath of witnessing something traumatic and being set up for murder was suspense enough.

In fact, I think I'll go ahead and bump my original 3 stars up to 4 because all of that character stuff was written so well. If that last plot twist had just been written into the plot all along instead of used as a surprise, I think it would have been much more effective. Anyway, that's enough from me.

Because I have really enjoyed every other book written by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, I didn’t need to know much before going into You Are Not Alone. Sometimes I just jump in, knowing very little about a book ahead of time.

This had me engaged from the very beginning when we first meet Shay. She doesn’t have a whole lot going for her so when she meets the glamorous sisters Jane and Cassandra, she is thrilled to be swept up into their lives. Shay is also big on numbers and statistics and writes these things down in her journal.

Are the sisters too good to be true? For Shay, who is lonely and in need of some friends, she is happy to be included in their world but soon, we the reader, get a vibe that maybe not all is great with the sisters. Could they be setting Shay up for something?

Here is the official synopsis:

You probably know someone like Shay Miller.
She wants to find love, but it eludes her.
She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end.
She wants to belong, but her life is so isolated.

You probably don’t know anyone like the Moore sisters.
They have an unbreakable circle of friends.
They live the most glamorous life.
They always get what they desire.

Shay thinks she wants their life.
But what they really want is hers.

This was a solid five-star read, it left me eager to get my hands on whatever these brilliant authors write next! This is a Book of the Month Club pick and if you belong to that subscription service, I highly recommend you grab You Are Not Alone.

Pre-Order it here, this book will be published on March 3!

I have to admit that <i>You Are Not Alone</i> took me a while to get into. Told from multiple perspectives and timelines, this novel gets <b>really</b> creepy around halfway through.

Shay is a loner, who lives in NYC and calculating data and statistics is her thing. She’d make a great actuary; though currently, she’s unemployed. Shay witnesses a woman committing suicide on the subway and thus starts a chain of events that (albeit) <u>very</u> slowly changes the course of Shay’s life.

<i>You Are Not Alone</i> had some good plot twists at the end that I definitely didn’t see coming, which I think ultimately saved this book for me. The first half was a bit confusing and I had a hard time seeing where it was all leading up to with regards to the other characters. Once it hit its rhythm, the wheels started turning rapidly. Definitely creepy!

One simple lie can snowball into an absolute mess especially when dealing with strangers.
Shay is in a rut. She just lost her job and her roommate is asking her to move out. These events are stressful enough without adding trauma. Shay is standing at the subway the same moment a woman throws herself in front of the train. The dead woman haunts her and she begins to research the woman. Why did she jump? Shay comes across the woman's friends who welcome her into the circle after Shay lies about how she knows the dead woman. It will take some time to realize that the lie will be what puts her life in danger.
This book moves quickly switching between the various characters. The authors include the history of each woman as well as where they are now in their life. This fleshes, out each character making them complex and rounded. This also lets readers see how miscommunication and misinformation can cause major trouble.
The twist isn't mind-altering but it’s solid and makes you look at the characters a different light.
This book doesn’t quite reach the perfection of The Wife Between Us but it’s much better than An Anonymous Girl. You Are Not Alone keep the taught tension the authors are so good at. Taking women's normal everyday issues and blowing them up into a story that is twisting, exciting and downright creepy.

This book is gonna be huge. Hendricks and Pekkanen seem to have hit their stride. Their first two books got a lot of buzz but this one is better than both of them. Shay Miller is in the wrong place and the wrong time and gets wrapped up in the glamorous/sinister lives of the Moore sisters and their friends. I wasn't expecting much going in because I thought An Anonymous Girl was just so-so, but I am happy to be wrong. You Are Not Alone is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read in a while.

This book had me hooked from the very first page. I didn't know too much about this book but I have read Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's other books and thought this one would be just as good! This book really kept me guessing until the very end. I found Shay to be a very likable character, someone I felt myself connecting to. She is somewhat lost in trying to figure out herself and how she fits in. She gets caught up with two sisters that seem very mesmerizing and then she suddenly realizes maybe these new friends are not who she thought they were. Very captivating, tense and twisty thriller. I want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martain's Press for this opportunity!

I have to admit, I didn't even read the description of "You are Not Alone" before reading it. I saw "Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen" and I knew that I would love it. If you have read their previous hits, "The Wife Between Us" and/or "An Anonymous Girl," you will likely enjoy this one.

That being said, at about 30 pages in I gave in and decided to read the publishers summary to see if that would give a little more insight about the story. It didn't really tell me much- in fact, the publisher's summary doesn't really say anything.

... And that's great! I recommend that people go into this book 'blind'- it makes it so much more fun and interesting. Hendricks and Pekkanen do an excellent job of telling a mystery, even if you don't realize what the mystery is until you are partway through the story. They leave small hints throughout the story and the final 'reveal' is surprising, but also believable.

I don't want to give away too much of the story (or really any of it, haha). I do want to add that there are themes of loneliness and finding a connection in the modern world that really made the story- it made the characters feel more real, as if the crazy things going on in their lives could actually happen. I recommend this book for people that enjoy modern mystery/suspense thrillers. This one was a fast read for me! :)
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Book for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved it!

I am such a super fan of these ladies and was super excited to be able to read an advanced copy of their new book. Having loved their previous two An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us, I was ready for a super thrilling ride for these ladies do not disappoint.

While this book was certainly thrilling, providing much exciting reading time, it was not a five star read for me unfortunately. Perhaps it as the amount of characters that sometimes overwhelmed me or the fact that some of the events seemed a bit unrealistic. However, the writing was excellent and kept the reader truly interested in the outcome of a lonely girl looking for acceptance, warmth and friendship.

Thank you to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out March 3,2020.

I thoroughly enjoyed this writing duo's past books (The Wife Between Us, An Anonymous Girl) - fast-paced, intriguing thrillers. Their latest is a bit of a miss for me. The premise itself is a rather implausible - girl witnesses subway suicide, gets drawn into influential friend group, things go south. There's just too many characters to keep track of + they're one-dimensional women, with little reason for me to feel invested in their lives. Even the main character, Shay, who is the suicide witness, is unappealing and rather flat. I did turn pages quickly, wanting a satisfactory ending that just did not come. Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Yep, these ladies have done it again. It's not like I doubted, but still. So here we go: Shay has seen a woman commit suicide and then makes the mistake of trying to learn everything she can about her. She becomes friends with her friends. She lives in her apartment. All stuff that a normal person would see as complete bananas. And honestly, it is. Several times in the book, I just wanted people to have a genuine conversation where they were honest with each other, and then maybe nothing bad would have happened. But that doesn't always make for great reading.



So in addition to Shay being weirdly obsessed with the dead woman (whose name is Amanda), two of Amanda's friends, who are also sisters, sort of become obsessed with Shay. It's almost like this sick, little circle of what the hell is going on here?

And I couldn't get enough. Since I did have an ARC and it doesn't come out until next month, I had plenty of time to read and still be ahead of the curve. But I swallowed this book. It's inventive and creepy and even a bit fun. Hendricks and Pekkanen always seem to know exactly what to do to get someone hooked.

I'm in love with this book.

You Are Not Alone publishes 3.3.2020.

5/5 Stars

Yikes! This book had my heart pumping and my head screaming "Run!" Great psychological thriller. Very clever. I found the lack of clues at the beginning a bit frustrating and started to lose interest. But I knew something big was coming so kept going. About mid-way through, it took off!! Don't want to give away any spoilers but if you like edge of your seat suspense and an intricate plot, definitely read this book.

This book was pretty good. A little hard to keep all of the characters straight, and not really sure why the lawyer or the shop owner would be a part of all this. Or the nurse really. The protagonist was weird even to me, not relatable at all. I did enjoy the statistics since I am a New Yorker, some of them were interesting. Overall a fair story. Not their best.

First, I have to say that this was the second book in a row that I read with strong women characters and a subway that plays a major event in the storyline. Right off the bat, I was feeling a sense of deja vu and a little let down with the originality of it all. But that was where the similarities ended. This story was in a league of its own and I was left wondering where this story was going to take me.

Told in multiple POVs with a group of powerful women set in NYC, these women had set out to ruin those around them that may have wronged them in one way or another. But as you're reading it, you're not sure if you want to feel for them or believe them. I felt as if I could totally get behind them and their reasonings for everything that they were doing. It made sense. But when they happen upon a woman named Shay, I wasn't sure what to believe. Shay was just a woman that was in the wrong place at the wrong time and a bit of an odd loner. But then her oddities made it seem like I shouldn't root for her. Maybe she was the person they were making her out to be. Who was I to believe?

After being introduced to a majority of the characters, we as the reader are taken back in time and given a little background on each character. While there is more POVs than I would've liked, I enjoyed getting into the minds of each of them. They all played their roles and these women played them well. Successful women, liars, players, friends and a game of manipulation that ended up being a total page turner. This story was well thought out, fast paced and never let up. It is a book that will consume you and you'll want to stay up all night to find out how it's all going to end (or was that just me)?

I've read all 3 books by this astounding writing duo and they never cease to amaze me. The way they write so seamlessly, it seems like they are one person. This book was no different. They are a step above their peers in the psychological/domestic thriller genre and every book I read of theirs places me right in their story and the unbelievable becomes believable. 4.5 stars!

Because I had read and really enjoyed both The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl when I requested this 3rd collaboration of Hendricks/Pekkanen on NetGalley, and I'm sure glad I did.

This bizarre psychological thriller revolves around loner/lonely Shay after she witnesses a suicide on the subway platform, and how her seemingly natural obsession with this random event draws her into a friendship with twisted sisters Cassandra and Jane that is both satisfying and terrifying for poor Shay as the story unfolds. Everything hinges on Shay just being in the wrong place at the wrong time at every turn.

Without revealing too much more about the plot, I'll just say that these ladies really seem to have nailed it again. I was curious about how they teamed up for their first novel and was really interested to discover that their first collaboration was actually as editor (Hendricks) and author (Pekkanen), and after 7 years and 7 books, a great friendship, and a lot of other coincidences, their partnership evolved into the idea of writing a book together. After reading this article (https://www.writermag.com/writing-ins...) I'm rooting for these ladies and look forward to seeing/reading what will come next.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shay is at the wrong place at the wrong time, But, she meets some supportive women who invite her into their inner circle. She's always wanted a group of girlfriends. She never imagined they'd be as glamorous as Cassandra and Jane Moore. But, the Moore sisters aren't what they seem.
You Are Not Alone is my first Greer Hendricks novel. I have several in my TBR, which I will definitely keep there. You Are Not Alone is a well written thriller, and it's quite action packed. I was reminded of those movies where the bumbling non heroic person gets caught up in some international intrigue because of a case of mistaken identity.
Though I didn't really like any of the characters, I identified with Shay's loneliness and desire for the friendship of the Moore sisters and their group of friends.

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

Woo hoo they did it again!!!

Fabulous book. Brilliant audio. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have written an addictive and compelling story. Barrie Kreinik and Dylan Moore brought the captivating tale to life with their exceptional audio narration. Just like the previous two books from this dynamic writing dual this book was twisted and filled with complex characters. It’s like putting together a giant puzzle when you’re not certain you have all the pieces. Their stories really dive deep into their character’s brains their psyches. Twists, turns, misdirections, lies.

Shay is in need of a new job, a new love, and a new place to live. One Sunday morning she is heading off to work to escape her lovey-dovey roommate and his new girlfriend. When waiting for the subway she witnesses a woman jump onto the tracks to her death. Shay is shook and a little obsessed with what made this woman jump. In trying to understand Amanda‘s (the girl who jumped) motivations she runs across sisters Cassondra and Jane Moore. What follows is a crazy, captivating, and disturbing story that asks a lot of questions, and gives few answers. A riveting story with a startling ending. This is probably not my favorite from this author team, but it was definitely entertaining, engaging, and left me wanting more.

This book in emojis. 🚇🚕🗽🏙🎒📓🖊

*** Big thank you to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and libro.fm for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This was a WONDERFUL thriller! It kept me guessing until the very end. Shay desperately wants friends. She is lonely and has a dead-end job. She's looking for some joy in life. She witnesses a woman's suicide, and she can't get the woman out of her mind. She becomes close with a new set of friends, and life starts improving for Shay. But has it REALLY gotten better? This is a thriller that I could NOT put down. I LOVED it!!!! Highly recommended!

Hendricks and Pekkanen have done it again! Their latest thriller is sure to be an instant success.

Shay Miller is a woman whose very own happiness eludes her. After she witnesses a tragedy, her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the Moore sisters. It seems as though everything in Shay's life is better when they are around. But are they really?

This book gripped me from the very beginning. The characters are extremely believable. Many times when reading a book, the story line feels familiar - as though I have read it before with different characters. Not so with You Are Not Alone. The story is fresh and compelling. The authors took me on a whirlwind journey with them as they spun this tale which was rife with lies, deceit and mystery. What an incredible journey it was! This book is a must read and a solid 4.5 stars.

WOW - WOW!! This book was a fantastic psychological thriller. It kept me gripped from the first few pages, until the very end. Cassandra and Jane Moore appeared to have it all. Their Public Relations firm was very well known in New York. They were chic, professional women, and they seemed to want to help others in need. However, why would a woman, who knew them as friends, decide to jump in front of a train? Shay Miller just happened to be standing a few feet from this woman, when she jumped. What a horrible experience for someone to witness. The woman’s name was Amanda. She was a great ER nurse, who took such great pride in her profession. What could have possibly caused her to give it all up and to kill herself? Shay felt responsible for not getting to her quick enough to save her. When she happened to see a flyer with memorial information on it for Amanda, she felt compelled to attend the memorial. The Moore sisters arranged the memorial for Amanda’s mother. It was during this time, that they noticed Shay. They wondered how she knew Amanda, since they had never seen her before. The Moore sisters befriended Shay. Doors of all kinds of opportunities seem to open for her, as the Moore sisters tried to help her with finding a new apartment. Her friend and roommate, Sean, wanted to have his girlfriend move in, and threes a crowd. Everything seemed to be going really well for her, or so she thought. Why would the Moore sisters take such an interest in helping her with everything? What was their motive? Eventually things take a turn for the very worst. The police become involved. How did Shay end up on the polices’ radar? Will the police find out why Amanda killed herself? The plot was definitely on the genius level. The plot continually evolved throughout the book. The reader never knew what was coming. The book was psychological throughout, and I couldn't put the book down. The character development was superb. Each character literally jumped off the page. I totally enjoyed this book, and hated for it to end. If you are looking for a great psychological thriller that will hook you until the very end, this book is definitely one that you should read!!!!

A fun mystery to tear through!

You Are Not Alone started off really promising for me - I think I read the first half in one sitting. It sort of dropped off after there, which I do think was both a function of the plot and my breaking the rest up into multiple reading sessions. (I'd recommend reading this book in one fell swoop for maximum enjoyment!)

The book begins with Amanda disappearing onto the subway tracks, which I'll admit had me pretty confused - didn't that happen to the subject mentioned in An Anonymous Girl? You Are Not Alone is, however, a stand-alone, centered around Shay Miller who happened to be standing next to Amanda on the subway platform. Hendricks and Pekkanen introduce a cast of characters as they reveal what really happened in the months prior to Amanda's death - and Shay gets wrapped up in the drama.

Some of the plot points seem a bit convenient - there's one important relationship in particular I'm still grappling to believe. But, this is a juicy mystery that definitely drew me in.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review, and to Libro.fm and Macmillan Audio for a free ALC.