Wednesday, September 26, 2018

An Anonymous Girl (Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen)

Authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekannen already had a blockbuster to their names with the bestselling The Wife Between Us. They're sure to have another one with the upcoming An Anonymous Girl.

Let's face it -- psychological thrillers (especially those that build on lies) are a dime a dozen nowadays, and you can pretty much be guaranteed a hit by just putting the words "girl" or "woman" in the title. But Hendricks and Pekannen manage to create a world that's entirely different in An Anonymous Girl, and the results are deeply unsettling (in a good way).

Jessica Farris signs up for a psychological study with the mysterious Dr. Shields. The questions start off innocently enough, and Jessica can't believe she's being paid so much just for her answers. But when the questions become more intrusive and she is asked to do things she is uncomfortable with, Jessica wants out. But will Dr. Shields let her go?

I have to be honest -- as I was writing that last paragraph, An Anonymous Girl didn't sound all that scary. But it is. I think what's most effective is that Jessica and Dr. Shields alternate narration. Dr. Shields narrates in second person and passive voice, which creates a sense of even more invasion into Jessica's life. Hendricks and Pekannen have finally created something different in the psychological suspense category; I highly recommend it!

MY RATING - 4