An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Last year I read The Wife Between Us, also by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and loved it! When I saw they were writing another book together, I was over the moon! I did not want to get my hopes up because co-authoring a book is difficult and it could have easily been a one hit wonder. Nonetheless, I was excited and they did not disappoint with An Anonymous Girl! Like their other book, I got this as part of my Book of the Month club.

(Source: Kelsey Darling)

Jessica Farris works as a beautician who goes to your house and makes you look special for whatever event; she is in the middle of an appoint when her client mentions blowing off a psychology study in the morning, despite it being easy income. Jessica knows that she should not go, but she could use the money; if only she knew what she was getting in to. One study turns into two, which turns into actual appointments with the illusive and confusing Dr. Shields; but Jessica is getting paid for all of it, so she can hardly complain. Shields tells Jessica she can back out whenever she wants, but in the beginning, the tasks, while odd, are easy. Suddenly though, Jessica finds herself in a weird triangle between Dr. Shields and her husband, Thomas, and every time Jessica tries to walk away, she finds a new aspect of her life messed with and she does not know which one is doing it. Not everyone will make it out of this complete, or even alive.

"I need to stick as close to the truth as possible when I see Dr. Shields. 

Not just because I'm not aware of how much she knows. I also don't know what she's capable of.

I barely slept last night; every time the building's old floorboards creaked, or someone climbed the stairs and walked past my apartment, I froze, listening for the scrape of a key in my lock.

It isn't possible that Dr. Shields or Thomas could have obtained a key to my place, I tried to reassure myself. Still, at around two A.M., I dragged my nightsand  over to block the door and took my can of Mace out of my purse and tucked it under my pillow, within easy reach." (p. 248)

Just as in their previous book, Hendricks and Pekkanen do a good job of wrapping up stories within stories, and lies within truth so that you are left wondering about the motive and whodunit. As in The Wife Between Us, one of the characters is a psychopath (with the book still being so new, I will not disclose who). But as with most psychopaths, you do not know this until you are in too deep, as Jessica learns. By the time she figures out that she has put herself in a compromising position, it is too late. Every move to walk away finds her in a more entangled in a web, and the reader is left wondering how much damage will be done.

(Source: Giphy)

What is truly scary about the book, as with their other one, is that it is completely plausible. We all pick up odd jobs when we are short on cash; people sign up for studies every day. People can help you out because they actually want to help you; or they can have ulterior motives. And some people are just that good at lying. I would not be surprised by the number of people who felt manipulated by someone else, or by someone who had experienced gaslighting. Hendricks and Pekkanen are amazing writers and storytellers, but their ability to tell a story that could happen to you pushes their level of writing to that of the greats.

Rating: 9/10

Authors: Greer Henricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Dates Read: February 21-22, 2019