“People bury the parts of history they don’t like, pave it over like African cemeteries beneath Manhattan skyscrapers. Nothing stays buried in this city, though.”

Sydney Green has come home to Brooklyn after divorcing her husband, but Gifford Place is not the same neighborhood she remembers from her childhood. What was once a tight-knit and thriving community of Black and brown folks is quickly being swapped out for wealthy white families and upscale stores. Her neighbors are harassed into selling their homes or face trumped-up charges from the police. Others just disappear. Sydney dives into researching the community’s past for a walking tour along with her unwanted recruit, Theo – one of her new white neighbors – and the two uncover eerie parallels from the past. What is happening to Gifford Place?

This is a gentrification horror story, a tale of what happens when white people decide to “revitalize” a neighborhood inhabited primarily by people of color. The concept of the book – as well as its comparisons to the chilling Get Out and my favorite Hitchcock, Rear Window – had me adding it to my TBR pile immediately. And Cole kept the tension high (too high?), even though the pacing was uneven at times.

The narration is split between Sydney and Theo as they navigate the upheaval happening around them. Sydney feels like she’s slowly falling down a rabbit hole of sleepless nights and historical terrors, while Theo is grappling with his past and a girlfriend who is blatantly cheating on him. The two team up to research and create a historical walking tour of the neighborhood, but they end up investigating the mysterious corporation moving into town and the changes rippling from its new site. Included were an unwieldy pile of subplots, some of which were unnecessary or unresolved. A few resulted in satisfying twists, but I don’t think Cole needed all of the clutter. A more streamlined plot would have kept readers’ attention focused on reaching the climax.

While I liked many elements of Cole’s book, the unrelenting tension, jumble of subplots, and uneven pacing ultimately detracted from what could have been a killer thriller. The book will likely reach a large audience given its themes and the renewed interest in racial justice in the United States, and Cole deserves the attention. I’ll be curious to see what she writes next.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC ebook of this book in exchange for an honest review. When No One Is Watching, by Alyssa Cole, is touted as a thriller, dealing with the gentrification of a New York neighborhood and that it is! It is fast-paced, suspenseful, and informative, sometimes reading like historical fiction, with bits of interesting facts about the city intermingled within the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but did find the ending to be a bit abrupt.

When I first heard this book's tagline, "Rear Window Meets Get Out" I side-eyed the comparisons. Not because I doubted this was a good book so much as I hate when black thrillers all get compared to a Jordan Peele story. Black writers deserve to be viewed as their own creators without having to be tied to another black artist's success, was my thinking.

Then I actually read this book, and it is wild! The Rear Window comparison fits with the bird's eye view of this Brooklyn neighborhood, where we are familiarized with the new and old residents of the block. The Get Out comparison speaks to the specific brand of racial horror. I enjoyed seeing this book told from two point-of-views, Sydney (Black woman, BK born and raised) and Theo (white nice guy newcomer), who on their skin histories alone could not be more different. As we spend more time in their heads and looking out through their eyes, it's great to see how their opinions change. This book has disappearances. Narrators who can't trust their own eyes. Racism, classism and gentrification. Conspiracy theories. So many tags!

As someone who has seen firsthand how quickly Brooklyn neighborhoods change, this book plays perfectly into the pushed-out-paranoia. It's the perfect, quick horror read as we head into fall. I can't wait to recommend it to people, because as with most good horror, it makes us look at the world.

Thanks to The Book Club Girls, HarperCollins and NetGalley for this much enjoyed Advanced Copy!

Smart, relevant and heart-pounding thrill ride from start to finish. This is the first book of Cole's that I've read (can't wait to check out some of her romance backlist now as well!) and I couldn't believe this was her first foray into thrillers. When No One is Watching deals with a mysterious company that moves into a Brooklyn neighborhood and some of its residents who are hoping to plan a "rejuvenation" of sorts. When No One is Watching centers on racism, class issues, opioid crisis and more while taking the reader on quite a thrilling journey in the process.

Obviously I had to take a gander at Alyssa Cole's first thriller, and When No One Is Watching is...a ride.

Cole's research of anti-Blackness and white supremacy in Brooklyn and also New York City at large was excellent. Those mentions alone have caused me to go down a rabbit hole of googling and searching for other books on those topics. (As if I need more books in my TBR...) Plus a gentrification-centered Get Out-esque thriller is an interesting—and incredibly relevant—concept.

I think my issues with this book boil down to two execution errors. First, the pacing was a bit wacky; absolutely nothing happened for the first 25-30% of When No One Is Watching, then things got going at uneven intervals, and we didn't get the brunt of all the action until the last 20% or so of the novel. And then everything ended super abruptly. I just never got a handle on the book's rhythm.

Second, because of the pacing problems, the bulk of the reveals took place in such a short span of time, and they seemed increasingly ridiculous and even a bit absurd because there was no time to really digest and absorb all of the new information and have that guide Sydney and Theo through their next obstacle.

Some genre readers are going to potentially take issue with the fact that there's a heavy romantic plot essentially dropped into the middle of this thriller, but I personally expected that given that Cole is first and foremost a romance author.

While When No One Is Watching wasn't my favorite, Cole's concepts and ideas were really good, and I'm interested to see what she does next with thrillers. I'll read whatever she writes—regardless of genre.

A modern day twist on Rear Window, with a Get Out twist. I knew almost nothing about this book before I read it, but the synopsis sold me on it. I enjoyed this book, but the story didn't really start to get suspenseful until at least halfway through. The ending also felt a little too rushed and too neatly tied up. I'd still recommend this book because it was well-written, but it isn't as exciting as I thought it was going to be based on the synopsis.

This novel was insane in the best possible way! It’s a very slow burning thriller that is all the more terrifying for how plausible the scenario is. Given the history presented through the narrative and human nature as we’ve all seen I kept thinking “oh my god is this really happening?!”. The ending was especially bonkers and I couldn’t stop reading. The ending was also, while I can’t say satisfying, perfect given the story and the theme. Really thought provoking and entertaining read!

I was expecting a “thriller” but got so much more, including a better understanding of how gentrification takes place, white privilege and police brutality. The suspense built very slowly as the people in the neighborhood struggled to hold on to what was theirs, then took a 90 degree turn into the disturbing response of Sydney and Theo. A timely and eye-opening read!

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole is a timely, frightening thriller! I loved the character of Sydney. She was tough and fierce. The setting of the neighborhood was so well described that I felt like I was actually there. Part of what makes the story so scary is that it could actually happen. Don’t miss this spooky, urban tale! Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a very compelling and relevant thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.

Sydney has move back to Brooklyn after her divorce. The neighborhood she knows though quickly seems to be disappearing, with old shops and neighbors being quickly replaced. With the help of new neighbor Theo, Sydney starts to research the area for an upcoming tour, only to discover there might be something very devious going on.

This book painted a very vivid picture of both all the characters and the neighborhood that they lived in. Readers will be rooting for Sydney and Theo through their whole journey, It is a great study, especially for Sydney. It also does a great job of highlighting racial and social justice issues that are all too common today. The book is also a real page turner, with tense action weaving throughout the story. Highly recommended for anyone who is looking for a social justice thriller.

For the first 80% or so of this book, I was so interested. It had a history and two compelling characters as well as some fun secondary characters. But towards the end, it seemed to take on a whole different genre of book. It morphed into a shoot em up book with bulletts flying everywhere and then a rescue by a group of old people, that earlier had been tottering around. Although the ending was satisfying, the way the author got there was unbelieveable to me.

This timely, unique thriller just flew to the top of my “Best in 2020” list. When No One Is Watching tackles quite a few “real” societal issues and would be a great book club pick! My suggestion is to go in blind with this one...try not to form too much of an opinion before you start reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When No One is Watching may be my favorite Alyssa Cole novel since the conclusion of the Loyal League…perhaps even edging that out slightly. While this is somewhat new territory for her, with a suspense-centric story that puts the romance secondary, she still absolutely shines.

This book delves into the long history of racial injustice in America, depicting its contemporary legacy in the exploration of gentrification in Brooklyn. The contradiction in the perceived fears of white people and the real fears of Black people due to microaggressions and racial violence is shocking and poignant, further putting things into perspective.

I enjoyed the perspectives of both Sydney and Theo, as it adds an “insider/outsider” contrast to the situation, with Sydney being aware of the issues from the beginning, and Theo coming in as her assistant. And Theo is also dealing with his own personal issues from a past relationship. And while it does use dual first person present tense, the style choice is both appropriate and effective, adding to the creep factor.

This is an incredibly important book that everyone should read, standing out amidst many thrillers centering white characters. It’s also entertaining and layered, and one I definitely want to go back to sometime in the future to further peel back the layers of this complex story.

I didn't think it was possible to still enjoy a book featuring an unreliable narrator but luckily I was wrong! I learned a lot while being creeped out which made for a very interesting read.

The book moved way to slow. I had to stop reading it because I got lost in too many details. It would help if there would have been some action to keep you going but the build up was too long.

This is not a happy read. It's a story that you will empathize with, be made uncomfortable by, and rush to finish. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about how the systemic oppression of black people and minorities in the US actually affects people, but I'd also recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging story. Well written, well edited, thought provoking.

A haunting portrayal of gentrification, exposing the undertow of redlining, underhanded deals, and unfair taxes that reveal an ugly reality for hardworking homeowners. Covered by a glossy veneer of revitalizing a deteriorating community, gentrification in reality uproots lives by displacing poorer, often Black and minority, inhabitants with whiter, middle-class residents. <i>When No One Is Watching</i> is a slow-burn thriller set in Brooklyn that builds around this premise, a string of new move-ins triggering a gaslighting descent into psychological madness for Sydney Green and her close-knit neighbors of Gifford Place.

Cole captures the cyclical nature of oppression in its many forms, establishing how easy it is to erase identities of marginalized people and community. Particularly when people aren’t paying close scrutiny, and even easier when deep pockets are involved. Although a bit heavy-handed at times, Cole does an excellent job of incorporating informative tidbits about the gentrification history of Brooklyn, touching as far back as American colonists claiming the land from Native Americans.

Dogged realtors are trying to push the mostly Black residents to sell their houses for bad prices, and VerenTech Pharmaceuticals is ignoring opposition towards establishing their headquarters at Gifford’s shuttered Medical Center. Casting an ominous threat that only grows stronger each day, these disturbing developments are narrated in alternating perspectives: Sydney, a thirty-one year old divorcee who has moved back into her childhood home, and Theo, a white man who has moved in with his fiance into the opposite house on the street.

While Sydney is a strong woman with no fear of uncomfortable conversations that unabashedly confront stereotypes and racism, Theo never becomes much more than a mouthpiece for Cole to play out and critique proper dialogue between a White man and Black people. The valuable conversations ultimately didn’t impart much of a distinctive personality, and his characterization suffered as a result. Both characters have a trove of haunting secrets that manufacture suspense, but too much withholding of their backstories and deliberate vagueness caused frustration to overwhelm the intrigue. An often unnecessary romance sidelined real development of the story, further dragging down the story’s momentum. The villains are obvious, and hints are so heavily dropped that I was literally flipping pages for the reveals to finally happen.

As much as Cole kicks it up a notch with a chilling atmosphere, melding the nastier underbelly of historical fact with manifest villains and psychedelic overtures, the crazy morphs into sheer implausibility by the last few chapters. As if I was reading an entirely new story, the absurdity of the ending left me scratching my head. This is ultimately endemic to the rest of the book, which was plagued with uneven pacing for most of the story. Rather than striking a balance between heavy exposition and thriller, each ended up clamoring for space and sending the flow off-kilter. Unfortunately, a salient topic and illuminating themes are not quite enough to make this a solid execution.

Many thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(NOTE: The following review will appear on CriminalElement.com the week of the title's publication.)


When I was a teenager, Mommy and Drea and I would picnic on the roof every Fourth of July. Brooklyn sprawling around us as fireworks burst in the distance. When I’d clambered up there as an adult, alone, I’d been struck by how claustrophobic the view looked, with new buildings filling the neighborhoods around where there had once been open air. Cranes loomed ominously over the surrounding blocks like invaders from an alien movie, mantis-like shadows with red eyes blinking against the night, the American flags attached to them flapping darkly in the wind, signaling that they came in peace when really they were here to destroy.
To remake.


Sydney Green has spent nearly all of her life in Gifford Place, a brownstone-lined block in Brooklyn. Frustrated by a historical tour that whitewashed the neighborhood, she decides to put together her own to showcase the true history—and shine a light on the notable people who still call the Place home.

When newcomer Theo volunteers to help her with research, she’s hesitant. Coming off of a divorce and her mother’s long illness, the last thing she needs is an eager, attractive white boy who’s living with another woman.

But Theo is really the least of her concerns. Things are happening to her neighborhood. Lifelong residents are disappearing and hostile yuppies are moving in. Small businesses are being squeezed out, good kids are getting arrested, and more and more cops are patrolling the street.


The three-block walk to the beauty supply to pick up my hair feels like I’m moving under water. It strikes me when I’m walking that several of the stores on just this short stretch are new. The West Indian fruit and veggie store is still here, as are the patty shop and the nail salon, but the pet store where I got my first goldfish is gone. The barbershop where older men used to congregate and play jazz records is now a home goods boutique. And the halal market is a thrift shop that has price tags more expensive than neighboring stores that sell brand-new items.
I start walking faster, pushing through the fatigue as a single terrifying thought possesses me: What if the beauty supply is gone? I passed it two days ago, but…


None of it feels like typical gentrification. It’s all happening too quickly, and Sydney starts to wonder, amidst dozens of harassing phone calls from realtors desperate to sell her house, if something more is happening. Something insidious.

And while Sydney faces harrowing Uber rides, demanding lawyers, and grasping bill collectors, Theo sees strange activity through his neighbors’ windows. His nominal girlfriend, Kim, keeps leaving the house at odd hours and becomes the Karen from hell:


“What are you trying to say?” Kim’s eyes are wide and her lips are pressed together and oh hell, that expression never precedes anything good.
“I’m saying that even if you didn’t see me, when you realize you’ve made a mistake, you don’t ignore me and continue making your purchase. You move away and let me make mine. Like a civilized person.”
Kim’s face is pink now. “You need to stop attacking me.”
The woman tilts her head in confusion. “Attacking?”
“You’re making me feel unsafe and if you don’t stop, I’ll—I’ll call the police.” There’s a malicious glee on her face as she says it… An expression that says, I’m fucking with you just because I can.


As Sydney and Theo begin to trust one another, they realize they can’t trust anything, or anyone, else around them. Are their suspicions well-founded? Is there truly a far-reaching conspiracy playing out beneath the surface, one hidden by societal gaslighting at a massive scale? Or is their paranoia the result of personal upheaval and financial strain?

Alyssa Cole is best known for her wildly popular and award-winning romances—quick pause to strenuously recommend her Reluctant Royals series—but When No One is Watching proves she’s a master at crafting spine-chilling thrillers, too.

When I review books, I try to maintain a detached and impartial tone. But, good Lord, that is impossible with this one. Few stories have felt so real, so visceral, or so disturbing. At one point, Sydney mentions feeling like she’s “neck deep in wet cement,” and that’s a fitting description: this is a painfully timely thriller that pulls you under a claustrophobic wave of paranoia and unease, rarely letting you surface for air. With each page, you’ll find your heart rate spiking significantly.

Some are describing this as “Rear Window meets Get Out”, and that’s certainly apt: this feels like a Jordan Peele movie you hold in your hands. Right out of the gate, Cole submerses us in historical, factual horror. The dark underbelly of America—beginning with the slaughter of indigenous people by white colonizers—permeates everything. From there, Cole steadily layers in all-too-plausible psychological terror, from micro-aggressions to vicious attacks.

Watching is definitely not for the faint of heart. Triggers abound as Cole pulls no punches, incorporating many of the daily, systemic oppressions BIPOC face: hateful language, false police reports, the War on Drugs, profiling, and Othering.


“You keep saying ‘them’ and ‘those people’ when you mean our neighbors who were just now nefariously choosing time slots for who was going to oversee the bouncy castle,” I say slowly. “So, yes. It is ridiculous.”
Terry smirks at me, a mean and familiar curve of his mouth upward, and I realize he doesn’t mean “our neighbors.” He’s thinking something much worse.


Readers of color will find themselves nodding in agreement and wincing in empathy for Sydney. Performative allyship is ruthlessly skewered as the rotten heart of racism is revealed behind smiling white faces, and Cole makes an especial point to shine a light on white women’s contributions to the deadly status quo; hanging a portrait of Michelle Obama in your living room or marrying a Black man does not give you a free pass.

Sydney feels like a real, breathing person. A woman whose righteous anger is unapologetic and vital to the story. She’s smart, prickly, fiercely independent and protective of her community. Cole makes it clear that she’s strong as hell, but also allows her to be vulnerable and show weakness. Seeing a Black woman fight back as she does is sure to be cathartic for readers who have lived so many of her experiences. Theo, her co-narrator, is also refreshingly complex. He’s not an anti-racist paragon or a perfect white knight; he makes mistakes along the way and has suffered his own trauma. But he puts the work in to be a worthy partner to our heroine, and Cole uses him to illustrate that poor whites have more in common with BIPOC than the white elites—both groups are equally exploited and oppressed.

Of all the thrillers to hit stands this fall, When No One is Watching deserves to be at the top of the pile. It’s one of the most relevant modern horror stories I’ve encountered, with killer prose, vibrant characters, razor sharp societal commentary, and a knockout of a finale. Absolutely guaranteed to keep you up all night—and make you look at the daily news reports with narrowed eyes.

Gentrification has never been so terrifying as in Alyssa Cole's thriller When No One Is Watching. Told through the eyes of two main characters - Sydney, a young Black woman who is dealing with a recent traumatic divorce and her mother's sudden and serious illness, has come back to the neighborhood she grew up in feeling like an outsider. So many of the people on the block are not only now white and nouveau-rich, but also look at her as if she should have been taken out with the trash. One of the newbies though, Theo, seems earnest and has a genuine interest in helping her out with her latest project - a tour highlighting the history of the black families who shaped this neighborhood. However, the more they dig, the creepier and creepier things get - and Sydney starts to notice that her neighbors are disappearing at a rate not even great interest rates and sky-rocketing values can account for. Can she trust Theo, and figure out what is happening before it is too late?

This book is brilliantly done. Sydney is a wonderful protagonist and Cole does an amazing job of trying to communicate to a mixed audience the frustrations and helplessness of dealing with micro-aggressions on a daily basis. Theo's kindness and earnestness echo the sometimes awkward and narrow path of trying to be a vocal ally without making it weird. Cole has done her research and tries to use fiction to illustrate how structural racism in the legal and banking systems has made life much more difficult for people of color than it should be. The dread I felt while reading this book - I had to put it down every few pages sometimes! But then had to pick it up again quickly to find out what happened. This is a book that will build empathy and that celebrates community while also being absolutely nail-bitingly terrifying. You will not be disappointed.

This was a wild ride. In the beginning, I felt somewhat alienated, being a white person ( “them”) and feeling that I was clearly not the intended audience for this book. However, after the mystery quickened and the battle lines were more clearly delineated, I became more invested. While part of me thinks the idea of a secret underground laboratory is far-fetched, unfortunately, history has shown that horrific human experiments HAVE happened, so I understand how the author came up with the plot twist she did. I wasn’t as enthralled with this book as the many people who have talked about it seem to be, but it’s definitely original and will have appeal for readers who like a socially conscious thriller.