I have never read a novel quite like Alyssa Cole’s, “When No One is Watching.”

Primarily marketed as a thriller, it has, for the most part, all the prerequisite tension, psychological suspense, and unexpected twists it needs to fit that bill. But alongside all that lies a fierce examination of institutional racism and gentrification in contemporary society. Not to mention a fascinating history lesson, to boot.

It sounds like a lot to try to pull together, doesn’t it? Most definitely. It takes a skilled, talented writer to effectively combine such diverse elements. Not every author could pull it off. But Cole does – and she does it without even breaking a sweat.

Sydney Green, a young Black woman in Brooklyn, watches in dismay as the neighborhood she grew up in disappears before her very eyes. New FOR SALE signs seem to be dropping out of the sky, as left and right, her beloved neighbors are forced to sell their homes. Some of her dearest friends are even silently vanishing in the middle of the night, never to be seen or heard from again.

To combat her burgeoning sense of loss, Sydney decides to funnel her frustration into the creation of a historical Brooklyn walking tour. She soon receives an offer of research assistance from her new White neighbor across the street, Theo, which she begrudgingly accepts against her better judgment.

Much to Sydney and Theo’s surprise, their straightforward exploration into the history of Brooklyn soon leads them to a frightening discovery they never saw coming. They have no choice but to work together, pushing all fear and distrust of one another aside. Otherwise, they may find themselves to be the next neighbors to disappear without a trace.

Having previously found success writing romance, “When No One is Watching” is Cole’s first foray into the land of thrillers. And what a successful venture it turns out to be. Overall, the novel is a smart, engrossing, addictive story with just the perfect amount of tension.

And Cole puts some serious writing chops on display. Her prose is excellent. It’s intelligent and direct; clear and concise. Her words flow smoothly and are effortless to read. And she doesn’t waste time by bloating the narrative with needless filler.

As is so popular these days, the novel employs the literary tool of dual narration, with the story unfolding through the eyes of both Sydney and Theo. The strategy works effectively, seeing as Cole has crafted two likable, but slightly unreliable protagonists. Sydney’s emotional and psychological stability is debatable, thanks to an ill mother and a recent divorce. And Theo is surrounded by a dark air of dishonesty, dubious motives, and hidden secrets. They are two remarkably interesting and complex characters, and their questionable behavior abundantly increases the novel’s underlying sense of disquiet.

Be forewarned, though. The majority of “When No One is Watching” is not very THRILLING. It’s more suspenseful, in nature. It isn’t until the last 25% hits that the novel becomes what I would consider to be a true thriller. There is also a romantic element to the story, which I found to be a bit unnecessary.

Still, Cole creates a perfect aura of eeriness, paranoia, and unease, all of which serves to amplify the reader’s need to understand what exactly is happening and why. The pages fly by, and it is difficult to put the novel down.

But then the ending comes.

And in a matter of a few pages, my thoughts flip flop. One minute I’m thinking I have a five-star thriller in my hands. The next, I’m wondering what in the world is happening and if any of it is even supposed to be real. Because the novel completely goes off the rails, verging on the edge of ridiculous. The ending is just too unbelievable. It’s too far-fetched.

I understand that “When No One is Watching” is supposed to be a thriller and the intention is to be shocking. But for a novel that spends so much of its time being deeply rooted in fact and history, this type of sudden, extreme, and incongruous conclusion simply does not make sense. And I think that in the end, Cole unwittingly undercuts the powerful message she works so hard to send.

Sigh. My opinion may not be a popular one. Of this, I am mindful.

Nonetheless, my hat is still tipped to Cole. “When No One is Watching” is immensely enjoyable and gripping, even with the outrageous ending. It is expertly written. And it is in the running to be my favorite thriller of the year.


My sincerest thanks to Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions included herein are my own.

*This review has been posted on Bantering Books (my blog), Goodreads, Facebook (my own personal page, Between Friends Book Club, and William Morrow Scene of the Crime), Edelweiss, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

It’s taken me quite some time to process this book. I love Alyssa Cole’s romance novels and was super impressed with how smoothly her style transitioned to a completely different genre. This was incredibly disturbing, particularly considering the realities of gentrification and police violence against people of color. I’ve heard this compared to Get Out, which I haven’t seen, but it definitely had a very creepy and suspenseful vibe. One of the best fictional representations of gaslighting that I have ever read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it very much! I was not sure where the story was going about a quarter in, but I was intrigued to find out. I kept reading and I am glad I did. I ended up having trouble sleeping and started reading at about 80% in and had to force myself to stop to go to bed. But from then on I just had to find out where the story was going and was able to finish it the following day! If you want to read something where you may have to think a little (not too hard though) then give this one a read!!!! Thank you again to NetGalley!

1.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you Net Galley and Book Club Girl for the early read copy for my honest opinion.

It always concerns me when a new book receives a lot of- and almost over the top - hype. So many times I've been disappointed, and this book received A LOT of hype. I always question the motives behind the push -- is it really that good? Do I have to read this RIGHT NOW or else??? When this title released, I couldn't hop on a social media site without it popping up.

Unfortunately, I was seriously on the struggle bus trying to finish reading this book and I really wanted to finish this comp copy before the release date - so I could share my review in a timely manner. Didn't happen. I seriously contemplated dumping it into my 'Maybe Someday' folder, but realistically, I'd never finish it.

I might just be naïve about this author and/or ignorant on the subject matter of this book all together, but to sum it up this book 'just wasn't my thing'. By reading this book I was educated on gentrification and the history surrounding it. It's a very sad subject, and I'm sure it is still happening as we speak, but books are an escape for me from the every day worldly events, and I felt like I couldn't escape this book. I'm not going to delve into a synopsis of the book in this review, as I had enough fun trying to get through the message the author was trying to portray. All I can say is this book certainly fits a specific audience, and I'm not that audience. I'd rather live in my little happy bubble and stick with the beach reads...

I recommend this book for anyone interested in reading a book that correlates with current demographical and social issues.

Quote from the book: "This is what Gifford Place has always been to me- someone helping you without a second thought and keeping it moving. This is what the people this rejuvenation are trying to destroy."

I really liked this book and will be including it in my roundup of recent releases next month for Mashable.com

The book was moving along at nice pace reflecting on the sudden gentrification of predominately diverse.... neighbor hood.....when suddenly Alyssa Cole stomps on the gas pedal and readers are taken on one hell of a ride! This one is for readers of many genres, especially if someone is looking for some topical elements sprinkled in with their fiction.

Take two unreliable narrators, add in a mess of racism, a touch of white privilege and white fragility along with a history of displacement caused by gentrification and you'll get some idea of what's taking place in When No one is Watching. A Brooklyn neighborhood is rapidly losing its sense of racial identity or at least the racial identity it had when Sydney Green grew up in the neighborhood. And many of her long-term neighbors are being displaced, some willingly and others not-so-willingly if rumors are to be believed. Adding insult to injury, the "community" bulletin board seems to have a hidden chat function indicating that not all is what it seems to be in the rapidly changing neighborhood. This story is presented in the alternating voices of both Sydney and Theo, so the reader gets to see things from both sides of the table (so to speak). Sydney is a divorced woman that has returned home from the West Coast after dealing with some intense issues, now has to deal with her mother's declining health (actually, her mother may or may not be deceased...unreliable narrator folks!), a best friend/roommate that may or may not be "working" for the "enemy", and above all preserving her childhood home. Theo thought his new girlfriend might be the "one" and was delighted to buy a home with her. The only problem is he is now relegated to living in basically the attic and his "girlfriend" doesn't really want anything to do with him. Fortunately, Theo is enamored with the current history of his new neighborhood and is willing to work with Sydney to uncover what might be going on behind closed doors. Can Sydney rely upon Theo and his insights even if he seems to be one of the enemies? Just because Sydney, and even Theo, are paranoid does it mean that there aren't people out to get them...or are there?

To say that When No One is Watching is a change of pace for Alyssa Cole is a major understatement. Not only does she change genres, but she does so in a huge way. I've been trying to figure out an apt way to describe this book and even after ruminating for a few weeks, I can't come up with anything succinct. When I first began this book, I thought it was going to be an "us against them" read, and it is and it isn't. This book does touch on a host of issues, including racial pride, identity, racism, white privilege, the effects of gentrification, the opioid epidemic, and more. Ms. Cole isn't just looking at things as a Black vs. White world, but also the myriad shades of gray in between and how so many people get lost or forgotten when "others" are only interested in the bottom line. When No One is Watching deals with the battle of big business and its impact on communities, large and small, in the quest for more money and power. In many ways, Sydney and Theo are battling as David against Goliath in their attempts to help the old neighborhood and their older neighbors. There's a lot going on in this story and I can't really do justice to this book by attempting to describe it all. What I can do is say if you enjoy reading stories about realistic battles of good vs. evil, the little guy fighting against the big guy, then you'll definitely want to read When No One is Watching. This story has a perfect blend of paranoia and dysfunction to be realistic without going overboard. There are plenty of twists as well as bad people and worse people. I've enjoyed reading everything that Ms. Cole has written in the past, but this book had me on the edge of my seat until the final page. Seriously, if you enjoy psychological thriller reads, then you'll definitely want to grab a copy of When No One is Watching. For those of you that have enjoyed reading Ms. Cole's romance books, step outside of your comfort zone and grab a copy of this book. Although I received a digital review copy of this book, I've already purchased an ebook version for my digital library. I'll be buying a print copy of When No One is Watching to give to my 84-y.o. mother as she has enjoyed reading Ms. Cole's historical fiction. (Okay, I'll probably buy two print copies so I can have one as well.) I can't want to see what Ms. Cole will write next!

Happy Reading, y'all!

So the first 3/4ths of this book is STELLAR. It's creepy and chillingly realistic, and filled with great (and horrible) historical asides, the characters are wonderfully written, and the measured pacing left me feeling tense and eager to read more and more. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, that solid sense of pacing is almost entirely dropped in the last fourth of the book.

There is so much crammed into the last few chapters of this book that hardly any one element fully gets the chance to breathe or be considered with the depth it deserved. And a few things - such as one frequently hinted at element of Sydney's experience with her ex-husband - barely get touched at all. I think more space was needed at the end to really delve into all the reveals here because I was definitely left feeling like more things in the book needed to be said or explained.

Overall though, I really did enjoy this book. It was such a ride that it was basically unputdownable at points. I would definitely recommend it; just reel in your expectations for the ending.

This was incredible. I've only read a few of Cole's romance books, and this took it to the next level. I have recommended this to many Tailored Book Recommendations customers already at mytbr.co

Well, this book effectively scared the crap out of me. It was scary like "Lovecraft Country" with a mix of Get Out and Us. By the end of the book, I kept thinking I felt scared for every Black person out there.

I kept asking myself if this was really a book of fiction? Some of these issues are being played out in different parts of the country right now. Gentrification is talked about in the news, but the history behind it and the evil involved is just unreal.

This book touches on so many different themes and topics. It's a slow start, but the ending just leaves you in shock. There are so many issues happening out there right now in America, so to see people rioting and protesting the way that they are has me worried that what Cole describes as the reason why rioting/protests happen is to help the white community take over and get rid of the Black populace...I'm telling you that scared me to death. It almost makes me want to scream...JUST STOP!!!

I highly recommend reading this book. It really scared me, because I feared for Blacks. I just read "Lovecraft Country" last month and I was more scared for the Blacks in America in the 1960s than I was with whatever Lovecraft monster was out there. With this book, I keep looking at what Cole says and then looking at the news going...is she right? Is this happening and they don't know it? It makes me so scared.

I read parts of the egalley and then listened to the audiobook. The audiobook features two speakers (both male and female) and they did an excellent job telling this story.

Alyssa Cole did an excellent job with this book.

This book is marketed as a thriller but it's actually horror, in the style of "Get Out" - and in my opinion just as well done. The slow revelation of the deadly racism at the core of the plot is as horrifying as it gets - and feels realistic right up until it goes off the rails (in a good way, again much like "Get Out"). Alyssa Cole's romance is pretty great, but here's hoping she keeps dividing her time between genres.

Sydney Green grew up in Brooklyn and now she's back in her mom's home after a failed relationship. But her Gifford Place neighborhood seems to be changing daily--houses selling, new neighbors moving in, familiar stores closing. To try to help deal with the change, Sydney begins researching a walking tour: one that will truly showcase the real history of her neighborhood. In doing so, she winds up with an unlikely assistant, her bumbling new neighbor Theo. But the more Sydney and Theo delve into the neighborhood's past, the more horrifying things they uncover. And the push for gentrification around them seems to have even more sinister undertones than anyone could have expected.

"The landscape of my life is unrecognizable; Gifford Place doesn't feel like home."

Wow, an insane and wild ride happens when you pick up this book! Told in alternating perspectives from Sydney and Theo, peppered with posts from Gifford Place's "Our Hood" app, this is a tense and utterly spellbinding thriller unlike anything I've ever read before.

This is an incredibly timely book--covering racism in a straightforward and upfront format. Some of the characters are downright despicable, and Cole does not shy away from showing how utterly racist and hateful people can be. Yes, today, in America. The book is, honestly, eye-opening, no matter how informed you think you may be. It delves into the history of Brooklyn and how black property owners were pushed out, and I found it to be very informative (and heart breaking). Just as bleak is how it clearly shows the institutional racism in place today. Slavery may be gone in its original form, but its legacy still exists, and there are still so many ways to keep black people down, to hold them back.

While illustrating this, Cole gives us a completely terrifying thriller that borders on horror. It's suspenseful and horrifying, filled with paranoia and conspiracy theories. I was completely caught up in Sydney and Theo's world--and honestly the entire neighborhood of Gifford Place. This book takes a wild turn near the end and the crazy plot is, well, crazy, but at this point, with everything we've learned and realized, you begin to think that it's almost entirely plausible things could go down the way they do.

No matter what, the result is a truly spellbinding and illuminating read. It's not often a book teaches and yet terrifies, educates and still captivates. I definitely recommend this one. 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and HarperCollins/William Morrow in return for an unbiased review.

Recommend for readers who liked The Silent Patient. It's a good story but a predictable one. I'd like to read more from this author though.

I received this ARC in return for a fair review. This book was dreadfully slow and not engaging at all. I didn't find any suspense and I struggled to finish it just to hold up my end of the deal. The characters were not memorable and unfortunately this is not a book I am going to recommend to anyone.

This was an interesting read about the history of Brooklyn and the negative effect of gentrification on exising black communities which has occurred repeatedly over different centuries. The character development was disappointing with the majority of characters being al good or al evil.

WHOA. This book packs a PUNCH. A little over the top towards the end, and the "Get Out" comparisons make it a little too obvious what's coming, but I loved the dark humor.

I have heard rumblings that this was more social commentary than thriller, and I totally agree....until the end! It was easy to get angry at the book, but angry in a good eye opening way. Very relevant to today's world.

I recommend this book not only because it is has a great storyline, but because it helps to step into the life of a young woman caught in a situation in which she has little to no control. When No One is Watching is a book to awaken those who will have an open mind to begin to understand that "privilege isn't about what you've gone through; it's about what you haven't had to go through" (Janaya Khan, Vogue, "Janaya Future Khan's Guide to Understanding White Privilege", June 3, 2020). This is an extremely relevant novel based on current events in our country, but also because racial issues need to be discussed and not ignored just because it is a difficult and uncomfortable topic.

This book had amazing potential but the final story was not developed well. It didn't evolve in an engaging way and the ending was jarring in a very disjointed way.

When I first started reading this, I wasn't sure how it was going to be a thriller. The first half or so isn't very "thriller-y," but, importantly, gives the reader a feel for the characters as well as the culture of the Brooklyn neighborhood facing gentrification. Despite this, the whole story flows quite nicely and once I hit the second half, I couldn't put it down.

I really liked how the story was set up, and the twists were so good! Alyssa Cole did a great job of creating an increasingly creepy atmosphere. My only complaint is that a few of the "weird things" that happen to the characters are never explained and don't tie into the larger plotline. I personally like my thrillers pretty tidy, and this one left a few (very minor) loose ends.

This book reminded me of Get Out and a little of Such a Fun Age as well. Definitely worth a read! I love Alyssa Cole's writing style and character development, and this book is a great example of both.