Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - When No One Is Watching

(listened to audio book from library)

i am not a thriller girlie but i happened to see Stephen King’s tweet recommending this book and i said, “romantic thriller? okay, let’s do this.”

and OH MY GOD was it worth it.

this book is REAR WINDOW meets GET OUT, Hitchcock meets Peele. it carries all of the best parts of the classic thriller genre, but was driven by a timely subject: gentrification.

i was immediately obsessed with both narrators and how unreliable they both were, even when they tried to be truthful. Sydney and her many secrets and insecurities was lovable from the get, and Theo—poor Theo—was simultaneously hilarious and romantic in all his goofy, well-meaning but off-putting gestures. somehow the combination of the two, one extremely distrusting and suspicious woman and one extremely maleable and dishonest man, was perfect. i was rooting for them the entire time.

the plot twists were very well timed. twist after twist, i audibly gasped. at one point i had to pause to soak in the information i’d just read.

overall, a true thrill that made me glad i genre-hopped. thanks Stephen King for the rec.

Content Warnings

leebeeloves's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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alindeman's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is an absolutely chilling read. Incredible storytelling, harrowing subject matter, with incredible relevance to todays world and society at large. Without giving too much away, this book explores the depths and malevolence of systemic racism, the people perpetuating it, the people victimized by it, and those watching it all unfurl from a distance. It very much feels like a Jordan Peele movie. The first half or maybe even 2/3 of the book you don’t really know what’s going on and nothing *majorly* scary has happened yet. It’s a series of unsettling events that could be coincidences… or are they? This book does an INCREDIBLE job at leaving you feeling unsettled, without exactly knowing why, and an insatiable desire to continue reading. I cannot overstate the skill of the writing and storytelling- I felt gaslit right alongside the characters: “did that really happen?” “Was that a coincidence?” “Am I going crazy?!” Which no doubt was exactly the effect the author was going for, and succeeded at. I must say despite the thriller aspect holy shit is this depressing. I think it’s so depressing because it reflects the real life horrors white supremacy has inflicted upon black people for centuries (and continues to). The most terrifying part of this book is it is not far-fetched fiction at all. Honestly I would love an authors note speaking to the historical phenomena referenced in the book, or I suppose recommendations for further reading since there is so much to unpack. This book really makes me want to learn more about the historical practice of gentrification, redlining, and the connection btwn slave owners and banks, though I’ll admit I’m afraid of what I will learn. I think this is an incredible, beautifully written book that everyone should read. I think it’s especially impactful for white people to read as it gives insight into what it’s like to be black in America and the dangers they have faced and continue to face.

PS- I also really enjoyed the romance (side plot) and the growth of the white character, Theo.

Content Warnings

pj_steph's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I overall enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the writing of this book. My favorite parts of the story were discussing the history of gentrification and going in depth on the horrors of the people who live in the neighborhoods. I will say the pacing was a little off. The beginning was a bit slow, but the ending felt REALLY rushed. I thought the middle had the best pacing. The mystery started to pick up and pieces were starting to come together, but then it kind of snowballed at the end. I'm definitely adding more Alyssa Cole to my TBR!

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rorikae's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

'When No One Is Watching' by Alyssa Cole is a frightening thriller about gentrification where the dread and fear creep slowly through the book. Cole does an excellent job of replicating the way that gentrification moves slowly and then all at once in the plot of this novel. Sydney notices that things are wrong but the full extent of what is happening isn't apparent until the latter half of the story. Truly terrifying, this book has so many scenes and situations that are a mix of horrifying and frustrating but in a truly effective way. I hope that Cole will write more thrillers in the future because she has a real talent for creating a sense of creeping dread.

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maregred's review

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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