Book Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Title: An Anonymous Girl

Author: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Psychological thriller

Nominations: Goodreads Choice Awards Best Mystery & Thriller

Synopsis:

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. 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. 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.

Review:

This book has been on my to read list for at least a year, after reading Believe Me by JP Delaney I was looking forward to reading similar books. Similar to Believe Me this novel is a psychological thriller focused on a young woman’s life. The main character Jessica was a struggling makeup artist living in New York City. 

The chapters alternate between Jess’s first-person narration and Dr. Shield’s second-person telling—a clever strategy that mirrors the (supposed) dynamic of the doctor-patient relationship while also revealing myriad ethical and moral transgressions on both characters’ parts. While Jess proves to be a surprisingly adept adversary, the cunning Dr. Shield consistently manages to stay one step ahead. Consequently, the psychological warfare reaches breathtaking proportions as the Dr Shield’s husband is introduced to the mix.

This novel is a must read for anyone that is looking into reading pyschogical novels or thrillers, the authors keep you on your toes and the plot thickens and the story unfolds itself. You will not be disappointed.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Book Review: THE PERFECT MOTHER

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Title: The Perfect Mother

Author: Aimee Molly

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Synopsis:

An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.When the group’s members agree to meet for drinks at a hip local bar, they have in mind a casual evening of fun, a brief break from their daily routine. But on this sultry Fourth of July night during the hottest summer in Brooklyn’s history, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is abducted from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but the May Mothers insisted that everything would be fine. Now Midas is missing, the police are asking disturbing questions, and Winnie’s very private life has become fodder for a ravenous media.

Review:

I first found this book under the psychological thriller section on Goodreads, it had great reviews and came recommended. As you can see from previous reviews I read a lot of psychological thrillers, and thought why not add this one in.

I found the writing and the narration challenging to understand. The manner in which the author Aimee Molly formulates the chapters was a bit confusing. She goes back and forth between the narration of different characters without always saying who’s point of view it is in. So you have to use contact clues to figure it out.

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline of the novel. It was a great mystery that did not have that cheesy ending that majority of mysteries tend to have. At a couple points I felt the tempo was slow causing the storyline to drag on. So, if you are looking for a twisted mystery with lots of plot turns and complicated characters I recommend this one.