ARC Book Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks; Sarah Pekkanen

Release Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Format: ebook
Pages: 372 pages
Genre:  Suspense / Mystery
Buy: Kindle | Hardcover | Audio

Synopsis: 

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?

Review:

This book started off strong for me then slowly crept into Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn territory which I immensely disliked.  I liked this book better than Gone Girl and there were plot twists that I didn't fully anticipate.  Its very noir - where the heroine is very naive in the beginning and then slowly circumstances change her.  I would have liked a different ending but at least I didn't throw this book across the room like I did with Gone Girl.

This book is written from two different points of view. That of Dr. Shields and that of Jess. Not quite alternating chapters but you get the idea of who is speaking as soon as you read the first few sentences.  Dr. Shields is pretentious and ominous.

I will admit that this is a well crafted book and if you like Gone Girl you will definitely love this book, it just wasn't my favorite.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

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