Review: When No One Is Watching
I know, I know. I’m NOT a thriller reader. But this year I have read more thrillers than I have in my life (a grand total of 3 LOL) but if there is one thriller you pick up this year, I cannot recommend When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole enough! It is smart, just the right amount of scary, and best of all, uses the genre to shed light on a very important issue.
Synopsis: “Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour 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 push 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?” —From the publisher
What I Liked:
The Story—I LOVED this story. I have a lot of thoughts over gentrification after living in New York City and I really thought Cole’s take on it was honest, raw, and necessary.
The Characters—Sydney is one of my new favorites for sure. I loved how she was unapologetically herself and motivated by her community.
The Thrills—I thought this was just scary enough. Seriously, it gave me that heart pounding, not sure what will come next feeling but didn’t keep me up at night. The perfect balance.
What Didn’t Work:
Honestly…nothing. I didn’t think it was too slow or not scary enough. I loved it.
TW/CW: Racism, Microaggressions, police threats, blood, violence
Character Authenticity: 4.5/5 Steam Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 4.75/5