Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but the neighborhood she loves is being erased before her very eyes. FOR SALE signs are popping up everywhere, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To preserve the past, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour: “Displaced: A People’s History of Brooklyn,” and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block – her neighbor Theo.
But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the efforts to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.
When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other – or themselves – long enough to find out, before they too disappear – permanently?
What I thought about When No One is Watching
Okay, since this is a thriller, I'm not going to comment much on the plot since you'll want to experience every little nuance, twist and turn of this story for yourself. When No One is Watching is more than just a thriller, it's also deals with contemporary issues like gentrification and systemic racism in a way that I felt was thought-provoking.
One of the biggest pluses for this story were the two main characters, Sydney and Theo. I loved how their relationship built from the opening pages. Even though there are some trust issues to deal with, I felt like they were really friends to each other when they needed someone and I found myself wanting more from these two. They made an interesting couple and worked together well when it comes to the exciting conclusion.
I adored Sydney's sassy mouth (especially how she talks to Theo), her love for the research she was
doing, and how she treasured her heritage. I really liked everything about her, including her anxiety issues and the scars that her ex left behind with his words.
And Theo, the "strange white dude with a hero complex" -- he was just lovely in spite of his many flaws he admits to. I liked how they both had secrets they eventually spill to each other. Their interactions really carried this story and I kept reading because I wanted to know where they ended up with each other and how they would be impacted throughout the story.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the neighbors. It was heart-warming how the neighbors looked out for and truly cared for each other. I grew up in a neighborhood like that. Those tight connections and the expanded neighbor-family seem to be missing in today's world and this book reminded me of the value of those relationships.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the neighbors. It was heart-warming how the neighbors looked out for and truly cared for each other. I grew up in a neighborhood like that. Those tight connections and the expanded neighbor-family seem to be missing in today's world and this book reminded me of the value of those relationships.
I did find the pace a bit slow for the first half of the book and the break-neck speed of the last 25% had me breathless and contrasted with the slower pace of the beginning of the story. So much happens at the end, I had to read the last bit twice to make sure I caught all the details. Overall, the suspense of the story did build gradually to an exciting conclusion, so as a thriller, the pacing did work it's magic to build the tension of the story.
I liked this thriller. It was suspenseful, thought-provoking and I loved the main characters. I'll be watching for more in this genre from this author.
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This is my honest review.
About the Author
Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory
was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018. She’s
contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast,
Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books
have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal,
BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment
Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can
usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets.
She is represented by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.
She is represented by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.
Website: https://alyssacole.com/
1 comment:
I found this a bit creepy and the horrible people were horrible. I didn't get as much of the old neighborhood balance until later. I listened on audio. I felt a bit like Sydney was somewhat of an "unreliable narrator" of her story because of some of her issues. I thought the issues were quite realistic but sad. The last thrilling part was hopefully not quite as realistic.
Anne - Books of My Heart
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