How I’d Describe This Book to a Friend
Let me introduce you to Jess Farris. She’s like a lot of us – a struggling twenty-something, trying to make ends meet in her crappy studio apartment with her dog, perpetually single, and working as a freelance makeup artist for a company called Beauty Buzz. She’s bored, and she’s poor. So when a college student she’s giving a makeover to bemoans having to go to campus early the next morning for a paid study and ultimately decides against attending, Jess makes a life-altering judgement call: she picks up the girl’s phone and gets the information for the study. She shows up the next day, claims that the girl in question was unable to make it so she was sent in her place. Seems normal.
Jess is situated in a large lecture hall, alone with just a computer. She’s given questions – morality questions, honesty questions. When she’s called back for a second survey, she’s thrilled to bring in the extra cash. But suddenly, the researcher asks her to come to her office for further study – and further pay. And that’s where things get a bit … hairy.
I’d also like to introduce you to Dr. Lydia Shields. Lydia is a no nonsense woman who keeps her home immaculate, her clothing on trend, and her brows on fleek. (probably). She has been running this morality study for a while now, but she’s taken a shining to participant #52, a certain young woman named Jessica … she might be just what the doctor ordered (pun not intended but I’m leaving it here).
You see, Dr. Shields thinks her husband is cheating on her. And Jess? Jess is the perfect pawn to put into play on the chessboard to see if this theory holds any water. But what’s the harm in asking her to do these innocuous tasks for good money, right? What’s the worst that could happen?
The Bottom Line
I was sucked into An Anonymous Girl just as quickly as I was into The Wife Between Us. They both feature people who are absolutely despicable, and twist and turn you more than Primeval Whirl at Disney World.
If you enjoy a good domestic thriller that keeps you on your toes, and also makes you really ponder your own morality (I spent a lot of time wondering what I’d do in these situations – it’s never as cut and dry as it seems when you’re not the one in them), I can’t recommend this book enough. Unfortunately any more information than what I’ve already said will start to wander into spoiler territory, and you need to go into this as untainted as possible. Trust me when I say this: it’s worth the ride. As long as that ride is not Primeval Whirl.
“Everyone has a price. Yours has yet to be determined. You are staring at the therapist. The carefully constructed facade is working. It is all you see. It’s all you will ever see.”
Let me introduce you to Jess Farris. She’s like a lot of us – a struggling twenty-something, trying to make ends meet in her crappy studio apartment with her dog, perpetually single, and working as a freelance makeup artist for a company called Beauty Buzz. She’s bored, and she’s poor. So when a college student she’s giving a makeover to bemoans having to go to campus early the next morning for a paid study and ultimately decides against attending, Jess makes a life-altering judgement call: she picks up the girl’s phone and gets the information for the study. She shows up the next day, claims that the girl in question was unable to make it so she was sent in her place. Seems normal.
Jess is situated in a large lecture hall, alone with just a computer. She’s given questions – morality questions, honesty questions. When she’s called back for a second survey, she’s thrilled to bring in the extra cash. But suddenly, the researcher asks her to come to her office for further study – and further pay. And that’s where things get a bit … hairy.
I’d also like to introduce you to Dr. Lydia Shields. Lydia is a no nonsense woman who keeps her home immaculate, her clothing on trend, and her brows on fleek. (probably). She has been running this morality study for a while now, but she’s taken a shining to participant #52, a certain young woman named Jessica … she might be just what the doctor ordered (pun not intended but I’m leaving it here).
You see, Dr. Shields thinks her husband is cheating on her. And Jess? Jess is the perfect pawn to put into play on the chessboard to see if this theory holds any water. But what’s the harm in asking her to do these innocuous tasks for good money, right? What’s the worst that could happen?
The Bottom Line
I was sucked into An Anonymous Girl just as quickly as I was into The Wife Between Us. They both feature people who are absolutely despicable, and twist and turn you more than Primeval Whirl at Disney World.
If you enjoy a good domestic thriller that keeps you on your toes, and also makes you really ponder your own morality (I spent a lot of time wondering what I’d do in these situations – it’s never as cut and dry as it seems when you’re not the one in them), I can’t recommend this book enough. Unfortunately any more information than what I’ve already said will start to wander into spoiler territory, and you need to go into this as untainted as possible. Trust me when I say this: it’s worth the ride. As long as that ride is not Primeval Whirl.
“Everyone has a price. Yours has yet to be determined. You are staring at the therapist. The carefully constructed facade is working. It is all you see. It’s all you will ever see.”