I have deep sadness to only give Wendy Walker’s newest thriller two stars. I have been a fan for several years but this one just didn’t resonate with me. Charlie Hudson is an autistic 17year old living in a small town with her mother, stepfather and two half brothers. Her dream is to escape the confines of the0town and go to college. Charlie works for mean and crooked Clay Cooper at his restaurant and her life is thrust into extreme danger when harm has come to Clay. I appreciated the representation of an autistic character but I found it difficult to connect with Charlie or her friends and family. A dark thriller with some twists I didn’t see coming.

Book Title: American Girl
Author: Wendy Walker
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: October 17, 2023
My Rating: 4.6 rounded up!
Pages: 359

I went into this knowing nothing about it only that I like author Wendy Walker!
This is my sixth and I loved the other five books I read.
She did not disappoint. In fact, This is One of her best!!

The first thing I did was Google Tom Petty’s song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIhb-kNvL6M

Our protagonist Charlie Hudson lives in the small town of Sawyer, PA; she is seventeen on the autism spectrum, and is excited about been accepted to MIT.
(No surprise to me as a HS guidance counselor I know many autistic students are brilliant – typically lack
social skills but are very intelligent.)
Charlie has been working at “The Triple S” (The Sawyer Sandwich Shop’) since she was fourteen. She never gets an order wrong – one might hear her chant an order "lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles”.
She works as many hours as she can to save money for college. Additionally, she enjoys her job and her co-workers are like family giving her total acceptance.
However, when shop owner Clay Cooper is found dead, all the employees are possible suspects.-but Charlie seems to be a person of interest.

As this story nears the end I found myself racing through the pages as fast as my eyes could focus. I had to stop and remind myself to breathe!

SO many things I love about Charlie ~🤗
Her rules are great!
.
Here are a few that I like
Rule Zero- Trust No One
Rule #33 – People can be smart and stupid all at once.
Rule #26- If someone seems too good to be true- they are.
Rule #37 –There are no rules when it comes to love

Then there is her theory on love
``Love is like cement that fries slowly over time until you are bound by that cement in one giant block of
love.

The taping with her thumb and forefinger made me laugh plus I had to try it
~3 together- then right-left-right-left; 3 more together then – left-right-left-right.
It does take concentration to get it correct!!!
Charlie is meticulous and careful; states it makes order in a world where there seems isn’t any order.

Want to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for granted me the pleasure of reading this great eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 17, 2023

I flew through the pages of this one! Stayed up til 1:30 because I had to know how it ended. And I can say that Wendy Walker has done it again. Heart racing, unpredictable, and fast paced. I enjoyed this until the very end.
When he owner of most of the local businesses, including the Triple S cafe, where Charlie, an autistic 17 year old works, is found dead, she becomes a potential witness and being desperate to get out of the little town after the tales her mother has told her over the years, Charlie will go to any lengths to protect the people she loves. And after struggling to fit in with her stepfather and stepbrothers, her family at the sandwich shop mean the world to her. But is she actually responsible? It all slowly uncovers as we go through the story. Everyone wants Charlie to trust them and for her to tell them what she knows, but who can she really trust?
I loved Charlie as a character. It was cool to see her adapt her uniqueness into each situation and use it to her advantage. And make her own rules to live by as she learned from what people did to her. Seeing how Charlie sees the world through the eyes of someone on the spectrum, which is long and wide, was really eye opening for me.
Small town mystery from the perspective of a 17 year old with autism-a unique experience and one I’ll be recommending.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Charlie Hudson is an autistic 17 year old working very hard to gain scholarships and enough money to go to MIT and leave Sawyer, PA behind. She does not have much family support aside from her mother. But she does have a good network of friends and coping mechanisms for her autism. When the owner of the Deli where she works is killed, things start going off the rails for Charlie and her friends as she tries to figure out what happened.

I love Wendy Walker books so I was very excited to receive this ARC. However, this one missed the mark for me. I don't know if this should be more targeted to a YA audience, or if it just was not a good read for me. I would still recommend this if you are a fan of Wendy's as maybe it will hit home with you better than me.

This book I was excited to get as I enjoyed her last one. I didn’t love it, I found I never wanted to pick it up. I found the characters unlikeable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my e arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Out October 17, 2023

This book is an entertaining fast-paced novel that follows Charlie our wonderful neuro-diverse lovable narrator as she navigates a murder that she supposedly witnessed at a sandwich shop where she works. Then the book takes us on a wild journey as she figures out and slowly reveals what actually happened on the evening that her detestable supervisor was murdered. There are twists and turns that I didn't see coming. It’s pretty fun, but I craved something a little more substantial and I felt that overall it was a little too straight-forward.

I highly recommend this gripping psychological thriller which kept me fully vested til the end!
Publish date: Oct. 17, 2023

Charlie, a 17 year old girl, who happens to be autistic, set her goals high and got a job at the “Triple S” sandwich shop in Sawyer Pennsylvania when she was just 14 years old. Despite Charlie’s autism, she’s good with numbers, sandwich orders and the rituals she’s in charge of at the sandwich shop.
Stemming from a rough upbringing, she knew she needed to make ends meet early if she ever wanted to go to college (accepted to MIT) and “get out” of Sawyer. Little did she know that the day she found her boss, Clay Cooper dead, it might throw a wrench into her plans! “ lettuce, tomato , pickles and onion is the mantra she chanted whenever she needed focus and direction. Everyone who worked at the “Triple S” is a suspect, even Charlie.

Investigators dig in to solve the mystery of “Coop’s” death. Charlie is questioned and found at the heart of the investigation. She has a close bond and relationship with her co~workers and is destined to protect them at all costs.
Twists and turns keep you guessing .

I enjoyed the characters, and especially Charlie’s rules! Very entertaining! Highly recommend for a Bookclub read!

Thanks to @Wendywalker @netgalley @blackstonepublishing for this eArc for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for American Girl by Wendy Walker! I like main characters who are a little bit different. Charlie is autistic and is caught witnessing her boss’ murder in a small town. The middle may have dragged a bit, but I really enjoyed the ending. I thought I had some of it figured out, but it wasn’t what I had thought.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

I’ve read a handful of Wendy Walker novels and enjoyed them all, but this one takes the cake. It’s her best yet.

Charlie, an autistic 17-year-old girl, made for an enlightening and impressive narrator. You might even call her an anti-hero, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the nuance it added to the storyline.

The way all the pieces of this whodunnit thriller came together was brilliant, and the ending was thoroughly satisfying and darkly hopeful.

A solid five-star read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my third book by Wendy Walker and she is an auto buy author for me! This book was a face paced and pulse pounding thriller. I read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down. Great character development and I loved how it all came together at the end.

Charlie’s life has always been complicated so she follows rules she’s created over the years to help her live. She’s working at the Triple S sandwich place to earn money for her first year at MIT and she’s determined to get out of her hometown, Sawyer, before it permanently drags her down. Her mother has told her all about how that can happen.
Coop the owner of the shop has been murdered and almost everyone is glad, but the police and others think Charlie knows more than she’s telling. What a wonderfully unique character Walker has created with an interesting murder as well. I loved this book. If you liked The Maid or the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time this book is for you.

American Girl is a pulse-pounding thriller that skillfully weaves a web of mystery and suspense around the small-town setting of Sawyer, PA. At its heart, the novel revolves around Charlie Hudson, an autistic seventeen-year-old with aspirations to leave her economically depressed hometown once she graduates from high school.

Her life takes a dark turn when the owner of The Triple S, a local sandwich shop where she works tirelessly to save money for college, is found dead. Clay Cooper, the enigmatic and powerful owner of the establishment, was both respected and feared in the tight-knit community of Sawyer. His death shatters the town's tranquillity and sets off a chain of events that thrust every member of his staff into the spotlight as a potential suspect.

The novel's strength lies in its complex characters and their hidden motives. Wendy Walker masterfully crafts a narrative where each character becomes a puzzle piece in a perplexing case. As Charlie finds herself entangled in this mystery, she becomes not just a witness but a determined protector of herself and her friends. The tension escalates as she races against time to uncover the dangerous secrets lurking within her community.

The storytelling is both gripping and immersive as she paints a vivid portrait of a struggling town and its inhabitants, drawing readers into the heart of the mystery. It explores themes of deception, the consequences of secrets, and the lengths people will go to protect their interests. The novel skillfully balances its suspenseful plot with insightful character development, particularly in the portrayal of Charlie, who is both a compelling protagonist and a representation of resilience in the face of adversity.

It is a compelling thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Wendy Walker's ability to craft a gripping narrative while delving into complex characters and their motives shines in this novel. It's a must-read for fans of psychological suspense and small-town mysteries, offering a thrilling and thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the final page is turned.

I had Tom Petty’s song, American Girl, playing in my head the whole time I read this! Very fast paced and fun to read! Charlie is neurodivergent and works in a sandwich shop, the Triple S. She is trying to earn money to attend MIT and escape the little town where she lives. When her shady boss, Coop, turns up murdered, Charlie finds herself in the middle of a complicated investigation. This was a great thriller with a main character who is endearing and so literal. I loved all her little phrases of truths and wisdom to help her understand her world. Thank you Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on October 17,2023

Well, Charlie Hudson was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn't help thinkin' that there was a little more to life
somewhere else
After all it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
Yeah, and if she had to die tryin'
She had one little promise
She was gonna keep

American Girl by Wendy Walker draws inspiration from Tom Petty's iconic song, American Girl, delivering a unique and gripping small-town suspense narrative. After a traumatic encounter with a crime, Charlie finds her goal of leaving her hometown in jeopardy. She grapples with a crucial decision: protect her envisioned future or stand by her friends.

The story is told through Charlie's perspective, adding a unique and compelling twist. She keeps secrets from us and the authorities, creating suspense that keeps the plot moving. I found myself eagerly flipping pages searching for answers, and when they finally came, it was satisfying.

I read American Girl, but I understand it was originally an audiobook, with the print version coming out October 17, 2023. I have heard the audiobook is highly recommended

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! It caught my eye on Netgalley so I went in mostly blind, unsure what to expect and ended up being well and truly hooked.

Our protagonist Charlie Hudson is an autistic teenager working at a sandwich shop with her much-loved colleagues, just trying to save enough money so she can leave her small town to head for college and never look back. Charlie is a wonderful character who I adored. My brother is autistic so whenever I read a book that has neurodivergent representation, I’m often fondly reminded of him and that was the case in American Girl. Charlie lives her life strictly by her own set of rules that she has curated after paying very close attention to the people around her and she does not deviate from those rules.

This isn’t your typical fast-paced thriller chock full of twists, it’s a carefully constructed and deeply psychological offering with an extremely likeable character at the forefront, forced to unwittingly navigate her way through the murder of the town’s most well-known and well-hated man. It’s a plot that just keeps on giving and I was transfixed from start to finish. My first read by Wendy Walker but definitely not my last 👏

Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy Walker has written a RARE gem — the mystery/thriller that is character driven. I loved the main character — Charlie Hudson, an autistic 17 year-old who is carefully plotting her escape from her small time and to MIT. She is carefully spreadsheeting and saving money to fund her education by working at a local sandwich shop. Her mom’s husband has made clear that he isn’t going to help her with college, so she only has herself to count on. Then, the shady owner of the sandwich shops and other local businesses is murdered — and the security camera shows that Charlie was on the premises that night. What does she know? What is she hiding? Walker did the portrayal of an autistic individually very well and it is clear that she did research in order to write this voice. I’m glad this book was published as it was first an audible original and I don’t do audiobooks.

Wendy Walker continues to be one of my favorite thriller writers. This book was gripping and entertaining throughout. If you’re looking a fast read and great plot twists, be sure to give this one a try.

In this psychological suspense, Wendy Walker takes the reader on a who-done-it quest told through the eyes of an unforgettable protagonist.

Charlie Hudson is an autistic seventeen-year-old girl who dreams of escaping small-town Sawyer to head off to college. To make enough money for MIT, Charlie works at The Triple S sandwich shop with her friends who have become her chosen family. When Clay Cooper, the owner of Triple S (and several other companies in town) is discovered brutally murdered, there are swirling questions of who did it. Charlie is questioned as she is on the video surveillance cameras at the Triple S at the time of the murder, but she doesn't know who killed Clay. She knows many people who may want him dead though....

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The printed version of this book will be available 10.17.23. There is an audio version available now!

Wendy Walker's books are hit or miss for me, I'm always intrigued by her premises so always willing to try a new one, but have sampled enough of them by now to understand that there are always even odds that it will turn out to be a book I just don't connect with. Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I just could not connect to the characters or find my way into the underlying mystery. The writing felt flat and overly declarative and in a murder mystery, that sort of slow unfolding without much emotion doesn't offer a lot to grab onto.... This one just wasn't a good fit for me, but I'll still be back for her next title, because I'm due a hit now!

I’ve seen this novel described as The Maid meets Riverdale which is an apt description. Walker has given us a protagonist who beats the odds and makes it through a terrifying and stressful event to emerge a stronger and more confident version of herself. More importantly, Walker has given us a protagonist diagnosed as autistic and writes her with such empathy and clarity that this reader came away with a deeper understanding of what the diagnosis means. Charlie is as complex a character as I’ve run across recently, and I throughly enjoyed watching her handle the murder situation.

American Girl and Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger are two mystery/thrillers I am recommending among the Fall releases. Both will keep you reading and biting your nails!