I am such a fan of the author’s thrillers. They grab me from the start and I always read them quickly, but this one had a little more for me. I love that Charlie is autistic and lets us into her world. I don’t always like the main characters in thrillers, but I liked her instantly when her grandmother described her as a child like that. In front of her. Then later her mom was describing things she already knew about herself that she thought no one else would notice because she was such a good pretender. I just wanted to protect her. She ends up a suspect in her boss’ murder. She is fierce, protective and loyal to her friends and courageous as she tries to work out what happened.

Such a likable character at the center of a twisty murder mystery had me not wanting to put this one down. Seriously if your a fan of thrillers, you need to pick this one up.

Charlie, an autistic 17-year-old, finders herself in the middle of a murder case in the sandwich shop she works at. Trying her hardest to focus on her plan to get out of her home town, Charlie finds herself forced to protect herself and her friends while the murderer is loose.
Great read! I connected with the main character quickly and was hooked.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for my honest review

Wendy Walker, the Author of “American Girl,” has written an intense and captivating thriller. The Genres for this novel are Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, and Fiction. The author adds a “touch of class” when vividly describing her dramatic characters. I couldn’t put this book down; the twists and turns, betrayals, and ups and downs were riveting. Charlie Hudson is a 17-year-old autistic senior in high school who works long hours to afford to leave her town and go to college. Charlie works in a luncheonette and likes the predictability of preparing sandwiches and putting everything in its place. Charlie has made a family of sorts with her co-workers and feels protective of them. Charlie’s mother has always made her feel “different, and she is ambivalent towards her stepdad. Charlie regards her Mother’s advice as rules to live by.

When Clay Cooper’s body is found, there could be many suspects. Clay Cooper was Charlie’s boss and owned many businesses in town. His conducting his business and personal life had many people angry with him. Unfortunately, Charlie is caught on camera leaving the scene of the crime. Charlie is not considered a suspect, but what does she know can put her friends, family, and herself in danger?

Charlie has the ability to remember numbers and may hold important evidence and clues to solve this case. Can she do this and protect everyone? I highly recommend this thrilling novel.

Wendy Walker has an amazing talent for taking everyday life, including serious family conditions, situations, and events and incorporating them into a thrilling, fast-paced, superbly layered mystery. Full of edge-of-your-seat suspense and populated with characters that reveal more and more shocking surprises as you get further and further into the book.

Charlie Hudson is an amazing, admirable person. She is autistic but that doesn’t define her. She’s clever, thoughtful, resourceful, sensitive and has developed coping mechanisms for her autism that allow her to function very well, thank you. You realize just how amazing she is when you learn that her mother is kind of a monster. Not what strangers see, nothing so overt, but how she treats Charlie. A single mom who seemed to be doing her best, moving them often, trying to make a good life but they never quite fit in. When Charlie was about nine years old and the autism diagnosis became certain, her mother made it clear to Charlie that she was different, that all the tricks she thought made her fit in didn’t work, and that she shouldn’t have the same expectations as other girls, shouldn’t give in to those urges and let them ruin her life – as happened to Charlie’s mother when she had Charlie. Married to a lawyer and now living the life she always felt she deserved, new family, husband to provide for her, still professes to care for Charlies but it’s apparent she doesn’t want to be embarrassed, inconvenienced, doesn’t want her now-perfect Real Housewives life upset.

Autism makes Charlie is very literal, so when she makes a promise related to the death of her boss to not tell what she saw, she is determined to keep that promise, whatever the consequences to her. What happens next is a roller-coaster ride. You can’t help but be on Charlie’s side from the moment you meet her, to root for her, to wish you could sit down with her and figure the best way out. The story moves rapidly, providing clues but keeping you guessing until the very satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing an advance copy of American Girl via NetGalley. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it and anything else this talented author writes without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

I love Wendy Walker! I had high hopes for American Girl and while I adored the main character, Charlie, and felt the book was fast paced, I was ultimately left wanting more because I guessed the twists and there wasn’t a huge shock factor like I wanted.

I’m looking forward to what comes next from Wendy Walker!

Charlie is a sweet girl but she is autistic. She has high goals and one is to escape her hometown as soon as she can. She works hard at the sandwich shop so she will have enough money to go to college. But when the owner of the sandwich shop is murdered, Charlie becomes a suspect and everything she strives for may be in jeopardy.

I love Charlie. She stole my heart from the very first! And her situation just makes you want to slap everyone in her orbit.

This is not my favorite Wendy Walker book. It is still a good read, it just did not seem to have her usual intensity. That being said, there are quite a few twists and turns I did not see coming. I can honestly say, this book had me guessing through most of it.

And the audiobook comes with a disclaimer…with strong language, violence, etc…to me…that is unnecessary. But people take offense to so much these days. Being the avid reader I am, I did not have ANY trouble with anything in this book. It is a fiction thriller, read it or not…(you will miss out if you don’t!) It’s free on audible! Run grab it!

Need a perplexing tale with a great character…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Have you seen that meme that says the first half of the book was longer than the second half - or something like that anyway - well that is definitely true for this book for me . American Girl starts off very slow - it’s a stream of thoughts in the head of Charlie, an autistic teenage girl who has witnessed her boss’ murder . In the second half, the story starts to come together and the story moves much faster as the mystery surrounding Clay’s death - as well as a few others - are revealed .

Wendy Walker is definitely on my list of must-read thriller authors

Charlie Hudson, an autistic seventeen-year-old, is determined to leave Sawyer, PA, as soon as she graduates high school. She has even been accepted at MIT. Now, she just needs the funds to go..... so she is working as many hours as she can at a sandwich shop called The Triple S to save up. When her employer, Clay Cooper—a man both respected and feared in their small economically depressed town—is found dead, each member of his staff becomes a suspect. Charlie must protect herself and her friends by uncovering the danger that is still lurking in their tightknit community.

This book was so good. I didn't want to put it down. Every chapter seemed to rachet up the suspense level, until it was at the breaking point. I really enjoyed seeing everything through the lens of someone with autism. She had such a unique perspective on things, and I loved all of the "rules" that she had made up to help her navigate the world. The book kept me guessing up until the end as to who killed Clay Cooper, but also, you weren't sure which newcomers on the scene were who they said they were (like FBI agents, attorneys,, etc.). This book was definitely a nail biter, and if you are a fan of thrillers, then you are going to love this!

I have yet to read a Wendy Walker book that I didn’t like. This one is definitely one of my favorites of hers. I loved Charlie’s character; getting the inner workings of her brain. The creepiness factor was spot on for me. Walker really did an amazing job shedding light on what it is to be a woman in the workplace and having to navigate around being young and having a male boss.

As always, I was instantly sucked in from the very beginning and I loved the twists and expected turns that Walker throws in throughout.

What do you think of when you hear the term American Girl?

Walker shows the gritty side of an American girl’s life in this thriller with the main character coming from a broken home. The protagonist, Charlie Hudson, is a high- functioning autistic 17-year old determined to make a better life for herself than her mother. That means getting out of Sawyer, PA with an acceptance to MIT. In order to make that happen she needs money for school. This puts her and her best friend ,also from a broken home, at the mercy of Clay Cooper, a predatory businessowner in the economically depressed town. He is fouo dead and much of his staff have a motive for murder. Charlie must protect herself and her friends by uncovering the danger that is still lurking in their tightknit community.


My thoughts:

This is a brilliantly written mystery/thriller that shines a light on the predatory environment that many young females face when they enter the workforce. I could relate to this because I experienced that first hand at one of my first jobs and so did my youngest daughter whose beauty has always put her at risk. Walker writes with such imagery and figurative language that I found myself highlighting so many parts. This is also a side effect of being a language arts teacher. I also really liked the fierceness in which Charalie’s mother protected her and seeing the world through someone who is autistic is also really eye-opening.

Charlie takes care of her pack in this book, her two best friends and the people she works with at the sandwich shop.

I definitely think this is one of my favorites from Walker so far and you don’t want to miss out on this one!

What lengths will Charlie have to go to in order to leave her hometown?

You know this type of town: a small one, with few employment opportunities & not that many chances to leave, with many families living paycheck to paycheck. Charlie is an autistic teenager determined to leave Sawyer, PA in the dust after high school graduation, & she’s been working like crazy to keep her grades up & earn a partial scholarship & save the money from her part-time job at the Triple S sandwich shop to pay for the tuition at MIT. She’s heeded her mother’s warning about not letting a boy get in the way of her future, & she’s also following her own numbered rules for how to conduct herself in a world of confusing social cues. But then the owner of many small businesses in town, the Triple S included, is murdered - & all of Charlie’s careful planning couldn’t have anticipated something like this…

I love Charlie’s work ethic, & the found family she’s formed with her coworkers is a beautiful dynamic. The commentary on the way young women can be sucked into never leaving these poverty-stricken places was thought-provoking, & the way the author had history trickle down from the older generation of citizens & influence the lives of teenagers in town was artfully crafted.

Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy Walker has once again proven her talent for crafting mystery and suspense in her latest book, making it my favorite among her works. Originally released as an Audible exclusive, it is now set to be available in print, a move that delights those like me who prefer traditional reading.

The story revolves around Charlie Hudson, a seventeen-year-old on the cusp of completing high school and holding a coveted acceptance to MIT, her ticket out of Sawyer, PA. Charlie's life unfolds within the confines of her job at the local sandwich shop, The Triple S, where she diligently saves money for her college expenses. There's a unique aspect to Charlie; she's autistic. The people she works with at the shop have become her family, and she would go to great lengths to protect them. When they all become suspects in the death of Clay Cooper, the unlikeable owner of The Triple S, Charlie's loyalty to her friends is put to the test. She was present the night of the murder but refuses to speak about it. What measures will she take to ensure the safety of the ones she loves? Charlie is a character who I wholeheartedly loved. Her narrative perspective is truly engaging, and I found her experiences and challenges both heart-wrenching and compelling. The hardships she confronts from her past, combined with her presence at the scene of the crime, add depth to her character and make the story truly absorbing.

The twists in the plot are both shocking and brilliant, leading to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. I'd eagerly welcome another book featuring Charlie as the main character. Wendy Walker's storytelling prowess shines in this book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's an outstanding read, filled with suspense and mystery, and definitely deserves five stars.

Although this feels different from her other books, American Girl is another win for Wendy Walker. I loved having a neurodivergent main character, and I loved how loyal she was to her people. There were so many great characters, and I loved the way that Walker wrote about the relationship dynamics among different characters. The tension was well built, and I enjoyed the twists and turns throughout. I will admit I did not get the point of the title (it wasn't referenced until the very end) until I read an email by Walker this morning that explained it......it didn't really seem to fit the book to me, but I do get why it was chosen now. Walker is definitely a go to author for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Wendy Walker & Blackstone Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE Wendy Walker's books! She has quickly become one of my favorite thriller authors. The twists and turns this book took kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I absolutely loved this book and. cannot wait for Wendy Walker's next one!

4 star read for me!

Clay Cooper, a prominent business owner, is found dead outside his home. The last person to see Clay alive and hear his final breaths was Charlie, an autistic high school girl, that didn’t necessarily like her skeevy boss. Clay hit on all the underage girls that worked at his businesses, promising them more hours and happier schedules if they accepted dates with him. If they denied his dates, he would make their life a living a living hell.

The list of suspects responsible for Clay’s murder is long, everyone that worked for him hated his guts, but could their hatred be strong enough to kill him? The names on that list are all close to Charlie, and she’ll do anything to protect them.

This book had a good storyline, likable characters, suspense, and multiple mysteries to solve but it just felt bland and far fetched for me. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but I’m looking forward to reading her others.

This author is auto read for me. She can do no wrong. It’s psychological thriller at its best. I def recommend this book.

This is a good one . This author is good at weaving a spider web of plots that keep you guessing while making you emotionally invested in the characters.
Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my third book by Wendy Walker and I do enjoy the way she weaves her thrillers out, like a perfectly spun spider web. And the plot of this story was one I haven’t really seen done before, which made it interesting.

Charlie is 17, and autistic and has just witnessed a murder at her work.
She works at the local sandwich shop owned by the town hero Coop, who is now dead. Charlie loves and adores her coworkers from the L & S Sandwich shop, and would do anything to protect them. And after Coops body is found, the police come around to question Charlie who was seen on security footage at the sandwich shop, after closing.
The police, Charlie’s mother, her lawyer, her friends from the sandwich shop, and even an FBI agent are all working to get Charlie to tell them about what she witnessed that night, but Charlie’s brain isn’t working and she can’t figure out who to trust, and who is lying to her.

The twists of this one just kept coming at rapid fire, near the ending, so that was a surprise. I also enjoyed how all the possible unanswered questions you might have were all answered by the end. A quick and fast paced thriller, that I would recommend!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishing for the ARC #AmericanGirl by #WendyWalker. Even though there is plenty of murder and drama in this book, there is also a lot feel good too. This is just another great book for Wendy Walker.

Charlie Hudson is on the autism spectrum, and much like Molly Gray in “The Maid”, her awkwardness makes her seem suspicious when there is a murder. It also makes her trust the people she shouldn’t, and distrust those she should.

Charlie works at a sandwich shop called ‘The Triple S’ to save money for college. She’s quite gifted at math, and has just been accepted to MIT. Like Molly, she lives by a set of rules her mother taught her (the rules remind me a lot of “Zombieland” - I loved them!) and tries her hardest to keep going in a neurotypical world.

Charlie’s boss, Clay Cooper, had a very…creative…way of handling his business affairs, and the FBI and IRS are now investigating not just his death, but his business practices. A very incriminating video is found that shows Charlie inside the restaurant the night Coop was killed in the kitchen. Was this 17-year-old girl a witness…or worse?

I adored this character; she really made the book, which otherwise was your typical murder mystery. The entire book was enjoyable, but the ending was excellent! Everything came together well with some twists I didn’t see coming, and it tied everything together very neatly. This was a really fun read with a great protagonist - four stars.

(Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Wendy Walker and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)