Wow! This was so unlike anything Alyssa Cole has written, and that is definitely not a bad thing! This was a wild ride. I could not put this down. I LOVE her romance writing, but this thriller was wonderful.

Gentrification horror. The movie Get Out meets the book Lock Every Door. Sydney was born and raised in Brooklyn but sees many changes happening in her neighborhood as locals seem to be moving out with no notice and new people are moving in. She gets help from Theo, a new neighbor from across the street to help explore the history of the neighborhood and figure out what is behind the changes. The story depicts the horrors of what can happen of what can happen when marginalized people get pushed out by big corporations. Scary!

4.5 *s.

Call me an Alyssa Cole fan now. When No One is Watching is the most unique thriller I have read. It packs history, timely topics of racism (particularly surrounding the gentrification of neighborhoods) and then adds in a thriller on top. I was completely hooked. I'm not a romance reader, but I'm ready to try Alyssa Cole's other books.

Alyssa Cole takes her first foray into thriller territory with the timely offering, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING. Cole, known for her sensual, and often thought-provoking, romance novels, makes a promising change of pace with this tense psychological thriller.

The novel’s protagonist, Sydney Green has moved back to her old neighborhood in Brooklyn where she grew up, but notices that things have changed. Condos are going up and there are numerous FOR SALE signs. People, she has known for years, have moved out. At first Sydney feels a sense of frustration and on a ‘walking tour’ of the neighborhood realizes that the real history of the community has been whitewashed.

On the planning committee for a block party, Sydney is surprised when Theo, who is white, agrees to assist her with planning her own ‘walking tour’ of the neighborhood. While doing the research, they realize that there is something sinister, and maybe deadly going on.

Both Sydney and Theo are interesting characters. Sydney is vibrant, smart and dynamic. Theo is guarded and at a low point in this life, but somehow, they seem to belong together. Both are dealing with complicated issues in their lives, but you will discover these issues and more when you read the book. I like the fact that, despite their immediate attraction to each other, the relationship is allowed to slowly mature.

There are some interesting secondary characters but Theo’s girlfriend, Kim, stands out. We only discover her role in the dilemma taking place towards the end. She is the perfect example of white privilege. To me, the book’s main weakness comes in its uneven pacing. The earlier chapters move at a somewhat leisurely pace, and abruptly changes as it moves to a conclusion, which seems a bit rushed. But this is a minor grouse. All the elements of great story telling are present here and Cole’s talent as an author still shines through. Excellent characterization, well-developed internal and external conflicts, and a vivid sense of place, makes this effort a significant one.

WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING is a promising debut in a new genre for Cole. As it deals with racism and gentrification and sends a strong message to readers, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING is too timely not to be important. I am sure that, like me, Cole’s fans will be looking forward to her next release in this genre.

Sydney Green's beloved Brooklyn neighborhood is quickly becoming gentrified. It seems like her neighboring residents have turned over in the blink of an eye, replaced with new people in new condos. Sydney and other life long residents do not appreciate the revitalization. The abandoned mental hospital a few blocks away is going to become an upscale private rehab, and not the kind that would accept any of the original neighborhood residents. Renovated homes are raising values and taxes, but most upsetting is the way the once strong community is changing and looking at the original families with suspicion and accusation.

One sultry summer day, Sydney takes a guided tour of her neighborhood, and finds the history to be both inaccurate and full of racial omissions. She decides to use her educator skills and her anger to develop her own tour, and her neighbor Theo offers his help. Theo is new in town, engaged to a wealthy woman who has relegated him to the attic of their new home, and unemployed, so he has the time. As Sydney and Theo research and create their tour, suspicious things start to happen.

This thriller takes off like an Own Voices novel with a powerful message on race, class, redlining, and gentrification, before you know it, the thriller part is creeping in and gaining strength. The characters are just angry or snobby enough to be capable of just about anything. I was absolutely gripped for the last 25% as I second guessed intentions and who to believe. I bet you will be too!

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Holy guacamole! What on earth has this thriller done to my brain?!
Alright, I kept hearing that this book is Rear Window meets Get Out and I have to agree with that comparison. I although, was not prepared for everything that happened in When No Is Watching, Alyssa Cole has rendered me speechless. But nonetheless I have had time to digest and decompress and am going to be honest here, I wouldn’t be a LitBuzz Bee if I wasn’t right?

When No One Is Watching introduces us to Sydney Green, she’s a bad ass, smart, Brooklyn native and the other half of the book’s narrative. The other point of view is told through Theo’s, her across the street (attractive) neighbor.

For some time now the neighborhood has been changing and shifting into something foreign and unfamiliar. Sydney has sat back and observed these changes and tried to not ping it to the gentrification that is so obviously taking over. At every new turn and new building purchase Sydney fights the itch to give in to the conspiracy theories floating around. “Residents being snatched up by mole people and their homes being sold.”

Meanwhile, during these huge shifts of the setting, the rest of the native residents are trying to plan out a Community Festival. This Festival will bring all the neighbors out of their homes and come together to eat and have fellowship. Sydney’s role in the festival is to prepare a true to the history of the neighborhood tour. (Kind of like those engagement tours you can do on Air BnB.) Sydney has been gathering information on the history of the buildings, streets, and stories about the people and landmarks. During her prep work and research for the tour her neighbor Theo volunteers to help out with the legwork. They clash heads at first but it plays an excellent role in the evolution of both of their mindsets.

Theo and Sydney’s research leads to scary and disturbing realizations of the current strange happenings. All the answers to every disappearance becomes disturbingly clear, but not until the very end, until then When No One Is Watching will have you biting your nails!

So back to my honest take, I thought it was a tad bit slow. It wasn’t until 60% that the real actual action began. BUT when all the puzzle pieces came together I realized that EVERY SINGLE detail in this book is part of the grand scheme of things. When all of that hit me I sat back and gave Alyssa Cole a slow impressed clap.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole gets 4.5 stars from me. I am once again thoroughly impressed by her cadence, prose, the historical accuracy, the complex characters, and contemporary flare that only she can muster in her books. I highly recommend to all, its a quick read filled with so much educational information on historically black neighborhoods and gentrification. In other words she has filled a fiction book with a bunch of facts. I hear you Ms. Cole, I learned with this book, and I thank you.

Also side note, I am so down for this to become a movie. If a petition has been made please tag me in it.

Here is the link to purchase your own copy of When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole.

4.5🌟

Although a bit of a rushed ending, this is a fantastic take on rear windowesque unease. Many topics are touched on, from slavery, police brutality, gentrification to racism. Our main character is attempting to start a Black history tour of her Brooklyn neighborhood, since most of the brownstonebtours she listens to skip over those details, at the same time she begins noticing Black neighbors disappearing. It made for quite a suspenseful read.

I had forgotten this was a thriller until about halfway into the book. That sounds like a bad review of a thriller, but I don't intend it to be. I was so enrapt by the characters and the neighborhood that when the suspense hit, I was completely taken aback. I had already grown to care about the characters, so the mystery hit that much harder. It's also worth mentioning that the intersection of race and class conflict is atypical for a thrillers that I've noticed, so it will provide a much-needed different viewpoint at our library's book club. For an author who is new to the genre, as far as I could tell, this was an impressive book. Highly recommended to a mystery or thriller fan.

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks @harpercollins @netgalley @librofm @harperaudio for the ARC and ALC of When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole!

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Synopsis from the publisher: Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo. But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised. When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

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This book was INTENSE. I highly recommend the audiobook narration because it was absolutely amazing giving a voice to the characters that made up this Brooklyn neighborhood. The slow build of fear and tension boiled to an ending I didn’t quite see coming, and was made even more terrifying by the fact that I could totally imagine this nightmare being a reality. This book hits on so many current problems in our country dealing with racism. This book may be a work of fiction, but it masterfully weaves together a story that shows how a million micro aggressions, slights,and downright racist acts can amount to an evil that can’t be put into words.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved this book. I was glued to my kindle from the very beginning! I highly recommend this This was my first book from Alyssa Cole so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was sold on the description and wow Alyssa did not let me down. This book was sick!!!! (In a good way lol) I was glued to my kindle and seriously could not put it down until the very last word. Even then I was like what just happened! Amazing book go one click it now!!​

Alyssa Cole delivers a science fiction story like none other than I have ever read. Cole's writing was so on point. This is a story of gentrification gone horribly wrong with deadly consequences. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Get Out. If you have seen it you know why I say this.

Syndey moves home to help her ill mother and notices that her Brooklyn neighborhood is slowly being replaced by new buildings and turning more white. Sydney goes on a tour of her neighborhood and is angered that the tour guide is not telling the complete history of the neighborhood. While on the tour she encounters her white neighbor Theo. The two of them develop a weird sort of attraction to each other and during the course of the week, many tragic events bind them together.

This book was a mystery, slight romance and science fiction story all rolled into one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When No One is Watching is labeled as a thriller with a Get Out vibe. I definitely agree with the Get Out vibe, but it wasn't quite as 'thrillery' as I would have thought, more of slow burn suspense with a big punch of an ending.

There was a lot of (warranted) paranoia throughout the first half of this book. It made me question all of the characters. Who was the 'crazy' one(s) and why were they behaving in the way they were.

The book really opened my eyes to gentrification - something I knew zilch about before this year.

The ending was very intense and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. This book would be fantastic on screen as a movie. It would be very timely.

I switched from the print book to the audio as time allowed and the audio is done very well! I think I actually preferred the audio for this one.

3/5⭐️

I don't even know where to begin with this book, I loved it so much!! I started listening to the audio of this while I was in my car driving for work but had to know how it ended so picked up my physical copy. We follow Sydney who lives in Brooklyn and notices some weird things going on her neighborhood. Her friends and neighbors who have been there her entire life are suddenly leaving with no goodbye and a new type of person is moving in. With the help of a new friend the two dig more deeply into what is happening. This was a great thrill ride from beginning to end and I highly recommend picking this one up! Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book.

When I saw this book profiled as a mix of Get Out and Rear Window, I was in. I love Alyssa Cole, and.I was excited to see how she'd tackle a thriller. When No One Is Watching is a slow burn novel that will make you think, make you laugh, and will make you question your life choices - especially if you can be considered a gentrifier. It's a book made for 2020, and the ending blew my mind.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Following a divorce and dealing with an ailing mother from afar, Sydney returns to her mother's home in Brooklyn. The neighborhood seems to be changing quickly, with many of her neighbors, in a close knit community - seemingly disappearing without notice.

It's hard not to notice how quickly their vacated homes become occupied by privileged people. There's also a noticeable shift in the neighborhood stores. Sydney starts doing historical research, accompanied by a new neighbor Theo, but soon becomes consumed with the odd changes all around.

How far will people go to claim what isn't there?

This is a thriller that resonates all too well these days with injustice being made more public. Well worth your time to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to HarperCollins for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting and inventive novel that deals with a lot of issues that plague our society right now. It felt like a timely exploration and offered a unique perspective. I loved the clever plot line and the way in which the mystery is slowly revealed. I liked a lot of the characters including Sydney, Theo and the friendly neighbors. For me, the main weakness of the novel is the ending. The pacing changes and it rushes to a conclusion that is unsatisfying and leaves some parts unexplained or written off too quickly. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed the movie Get Out, I think you would appreciate the story in this book.

Sydney Green has moved back to her Brooklyn neighborhood, Gifford Place, where she grew up and where she has always felt safe and loved. But, her neighborhood has changed. Homes are being sold, neighbors are disappearing without even saying goodbye, and businesses have vanished. Nevertheless, with a block part only a week away, Sydney has decided to organize a walking tour of the neighborhood. As she researches its history for the tour, she acquires an assistant, Theo, who is simultaneously irritating and interesting.

As Sydney and Theo become more immersed in their research, they begin to fear that something much deadlier and more dangerous is happening to the neighborhood than just revitalization and progress.

Alyssa Cole has written a mesmerizing novel that covers so much ground. It is a psychological thriller that creates suspense, anxiety, and chills. But it is so much more. Cole has deftly written about the evils of racism and the behaviors that accompany gentrification. When No One is Watching is part horror story, part social commentary, part romance, and part mystery. Through it all there is that sense of community and neighborhood loyalty that binds everyone together.

It goes without saying that the characters in this book are complex, interesting, and incomparable. The writing is crisp, the story itself is so original, and the ending is like a bolt of lightning. This is a timely book that might make some people uncomfortable, but it also gives us many things to contemplate.

What a book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I don’t generally read thrillers, but I knew I had to read this one because it’s Alyssa Cole. It may very well be the last thriller I read because clearly I do not have the temperament to handle them. When I tell you I was anxiety-ridden and riled up for almost the ENTIRETY of the book it is not an exaggeration. I don’t enjoy feeling anxious, especially when (as in this situation) it’s based on the actions of fictitious people in fictitious situations that are not far enough a leap from reality to be preposterous. This book is not for the faint of heart. I wish that I could express myself better but I am still very much shooketh in the aftermath of reading the book. Perhaps I’ll return to this review once I’ve had time to process.

This timely thriller won't just have you scared for the characters, but for our society, as well.

Sydney Green has returned to live with her mother in their historically Black neighborhood in Brooklyn. However, the neighborhood is undergoing rapid gentrification, and several of their life-long friends and neighbors have suddenly disappeared and wealthy white people are taking their places. Sydney is asking a lot of questions and draws dangerous attention to herself as she struggles to hold on to her mother's home. She is befriended by one of those people -- Theo -- who is living with his now wealthy ex-girlfriend, who has his own secrets and demons.

This book is absolutely suspenseful. It's hard to know whether or not we can trust Sydney's interpretation of events, given some mental health background that is alluded to throughout the book. Theo's character is a bit strange and maybe the least believable part of the book (outside of parts of the ending,) but the straighter talk about race between Sydney and Theo is refreshing. Yes, the ending is really fast, but it was building to that finish the whole time, so it didn't seem completely out of place.

But this book is so much more than just another hard-to-put-down psychological thriller. It's also an incredibly strong social commentary on the United States, racism, and this country's continied economic prosperity relying on the history of slavery. Saying too much on this gives away a lot of the plot points for the thriller, but I learned a lot about some of the history of this country. And while some of it sounds like a big conspiracy theory, the timeliness of this book in relation to the current protests against police racism and brutality makes a good case for much of the information that is included. This book is worth reading just to give you a different perspective on your world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. It did not influence my opinion.

Loving the books with a POC viewpoint! There seems to be more of a focus of bringing out books with diversity within the publishing world.

The writing is on point here. I really loved the way Cole brought the story together. It hits all the points of gentrification happening now. The character of Sydney is a fully realized character who I really enjoyed getting to know. I feel it is a book of our time that I will be recommending to my library's patrons.