After a promising start and a twisty journey, this novel sadly loses points with a conclusion that deflates like a leaky balloon, and adds a final "twist" that seems totally out of character for its protagonist.
Jessica Farris is a professional makeup artist who has left the theater world after a #MeToo-worthy encounter with a slimy director. Since this leaves her few other career options, she's living a hand-to-mouth existence doing at-home makeup gigs through a cosmetic company. So when she sees a chance to grab some easy money by participating in a research study, she grabs it -- even though it means lying about who she is in order to get in.
Ironically, the study is about ethics and morality -- what kinds of falsehoods do we tell to make our lives easier, and what should the consequences be?
Slowly but inescapably, it becomes apparent that Jessica has been singled out for a much deeper, much more personal kind of study. Even as she is drawn in by the beautiful and enigmatic Dr. Lydia Shields, Jessica starts dragging her feet, only to find that she is enmeshed in something that could be fatal.
There's a good sense here of escalating danger, even though the reader quickly realizes something is not quite kosher. (Half the fun of suspense novels is that sense of superiority -- jeeze, girl, don't go down into that cellar!) Reluctant to give up the benefits Dr. Shields is offering, Jessica allows herself and ultimately her family, to be drawn into the web. Her attempts to extricate herself form the last quarter of the book, along with the sometimes-questionable help of the man with whom Shields is obsessed. There's lots of cat-and-mouse excitement here, but the climax is less than satisfying, and the promised end-twist seems almost to be just tacked on for word count.
All in all, the novel is like a disappointing thrill ride that ends not back on the bustling carnival midway, but in an empty supermarket parking lot.
Jessica Farris is a professional makeup artist who has left the theater world after a #MeToo-worthy encounter with a slimy director. Since this leaves her few other career options, she's living a hand-to-mouth existence doing at-home makeup gigs through a cosmetic company. So when she sees a chance to grab some easy money by participating in a research study, she grabs it -- even though it means lying about who she is in order to get in.
Ironically, the study is about ethics and morality -- what kinds of falsehoods do we tell to make our lives easier, and what should the consequences be?
Slowly but inescapably, it becomes apparent that Jessica has been singled out for a much deeper, much more personal kind of study. Even as she is drawn in by the beautiful and enigmatic Dr. Lydia Shields, Jessica starts dragging her feet, only to find that she is enmeshed in something that could be fatal.
There's a good sense here of escalating danger, even though the reader quickly realizes something is not quite kosher. (Half the fun of suspense novels is that sense of superiority -- jeeze, girl, don't go down into that cellar!) Reluctant to give up the benefits Dr. Shields is offering, Jessica allows herself and ultimately her family, to be drawn into the web. Her attempts to extricate herself form the last quarter of the book, along with the sometimes-questionable help of the man with whom Shields is obsessed. There's lots of cat-and-mouse excitement here, but the climax is less than satisfying, and the promised end-twist seems almost to be just tacked on for word count.
All in all, the novel is like a disappointing thrill ride that ends not back on the bustling carnival midway, but in an empty supermarket parking lot.
I had high expectations after TWBU, but "An Anonymous Girl" fell flat for me. I kept waiting for the story build-up to go some where, but there was no twist or climax that blew me away. I also didn't feel there was any conclusions to many of the story plots (Jess' family, Noah, April's mom).
Not a BAD book, but not one that gave me the "wow" factor Greer Hendricks first book did.
Bonus 1/2 star for a character named April - it's fun to read your name in a book! :)
Not a BAD book, but not one that gave me the "wow" factor Greer Hendricks first book did.
Bonus 1/2 star for a character named April - it's fun to read your name in a book! :)
