When No One Is Watching

When No One is Watching
by Alyssa Cole
William Morrow Paperback, 2020. 352 pages
Fiction

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?

As a long time fan of the thriller/mystery genre, I am often able to perfectly predict the ending to even the most perplexing plots. Cole not only surprised me but impressed me with her perfectly planned twists and turns. Though I never truly knew where I, the reader, would be twirled off to next, I found that each twist was well supported and easy to trace once I knew what to look for. This is the kind of book that you could read over and over again and catch a new detail; something you had initially written off as an inconspicuous character detail could reveal itself as clue. While the plot was impressive, I would identify the character work as the real star of this story. Each character had a distinct voice that added a unique element to the story. If you've ever finished a book and thought, "wow, I might actually miss these people" be prepared to feel that way about this book. Luckily for us, this story had high re-readability potential. Last but not least, this novel provides not only a captivating thrill but also an important perspective on systemic racism against Black people in the United States. 

If you enjoy When No One is Watching, then you may also like....

The Other Black Girl
by Zakiya Dalila Harris 
Atria Books, 2021. 357 pages. 
Fiction

Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing. Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she's thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They've only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella's desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It's hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there's a lot more at stake than just her career. A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist

Mexican Gothic 
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey, 2020. 301 pages. 
Fiction

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noem̕ Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. Noem̕ is an unlikely rescuer: She's a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she's also tough and smart, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noem̕; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family's youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noem̕, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family's past. As Noem̕ digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness, and may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

The Sun Down Motel 
by Simone St. James
Berkey, 2020. 327 pages. 
Mystery 

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden there. Upstate NY, 2017. Carly Kirk has always been fascinated by her aunt Viv who disappeared from the Sun Down before Carly was born. Using a small inheritance from when her mom dies, Carly leaves college to go to Fell to figure out what happened to her aunt thirty-five years ago. Soon, Carly is mirroring her aunt's life, working as the night clerk at the motel, which hasn't changed since 1982. The guest book is still handwritten, the rooms still have actual keys, and a haunting presence still lingers. Carly discovers that Viv had been trying to unravel mysteries of her own--including a possible serial killer working in Fell. If Carly can find the answers Viv was searching for, she might be able to solve the mystery that has haunted her family for years.

MES