An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen centers on makeup artist Jessica. She receives word about a well-paid study on ethics and morality and enters the study. Approached a few sessions in about the study moving to a real-world setting, Jessica agrees to participate. She trusts Dr. Shields but soon finds herself in some uncomfortable scenarios.
The book made me sensitive to personal ethics and morality. Becoming so focused on this made me a bit emotional. At one point, Jessica had a moment of realization that brought me to tears.
Subtle nuances would adjust whose point of view I trusted. Just when I figured things out, the reveal of more deceit changed my perception. I spent a good deal of the book trying to anticipate how Jessica would come out of the book unscathed. I never did figure it out beforehand.
When the plot progresses, and Jessica understands the threats surrounding her, it was so tense I never could quite relax while reading. I consider any book that can draw those responses from me well above average.
A strong theme here is how secrets can condemn in the end. By the book's climax, every character pays in some way for the truths they did not share. Although, ironically, a lie helps one of them in the end.
There is a logic behind the character's reactions. However, the worst offender of them didn't receive the right type of justice. A part of me feels sorry for the way things turned out. The manipulation perpetrated by one individual wasn't well punished in my eyes.
An Anonymous Girl is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. Not only does it immerse you in an intense web of manipulation, but it also makes you evaluate on a personal level. St. Martin's Press, through NetGalley, gave me a copy of this book for my honest opinion. I suggest all readers come to their own conclusions.
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