Title: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 372 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us
Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.
When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.
Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?
But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.
Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?
As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.
Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?
From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.
Review:
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological mystery that is fast-paced and engrossing.
Twenty-eight year old make-up artist Jessica “Jess” Farris joins an ethics and morality study under false pretenses. (hmm, what does that say about her ethics???). Dr. Shields is running the study and Jessica stands out in every way as she answers the survey questions. Jess is surprised when the doctor offers her a tidy sum of money to work outside the study. Although the deal is too lucrative for her to pass up, she soon begins to harbor doubts about Dr. Shields’s motive for the tasks she assigns to Jess. She quickly finds herself in way over her head but will Dr. Shields allow her to walk away from her?
Jess has been financially struggling for quite some time so she does not have to think long before she agrees to Dr. Shields’s terms. She is fascinated by the doctor who is always calm, cool and keenly observant. Flattered by Dr. Shields’s attention, Jess is initially not troubled by her assignments. She also does not give too much thought about the tasks she is asked to perform. However, after a stunning discovery, Jessica realizes Dr. Shields’s motivation for what she is asking her to do goes beyond research. Will Jessica find a way to outsmart the shrewd and unflappable Dr. Shields?
Narrated by both Jess and Dr. Shields, the chapters alternate between the two points of view. Jessica’s chapters are a normal litany of her inner thoughts and daily life.Dr. Shields’ chapters are detached and somewhat clinical with descriptions of the doctor’s thoughts and reactions to Jessica’s assignments and their outcome. The stark contrast between the two narrators adds interest to the storyline and keeps the story moving at a brisk pace.
An Anonymous Girl is a suspenseful psychological mystery that is well-written and quite clever. Jess is an interesting protagonist who immediately falls under the spell of the charismatic Dr. Shields. This powerful hold is difficult to shake even as Jess realizes she might be in grave danger. Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen keep readers on the edge of their seats as the novel hurtles to a tension-filled, stunning conclusion. An absolutely outstanding mystery that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
