Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - When No One Is Watching

I really enjoyed this thriller.
The main character was really likeable although she was really going through it. Like I really wanted things to turn out for her.
I've seen people say that this book would've worked just as well without the white guy and I agree. Like the only important plot point he matters for is when

for a moment she thought he had played her and was working with his gf to get rid of her

.
Things I did see coming

the mom dying

Things I didn't see coming

the friend being dead. I thought she was just also kidnapped. I am confused about how that happened. Like how was she murdered and left in the crawl hole or just stuck there and died without anything happening to the MC?
Also I did not see it coming that the neighbors were the ones that moved the body. I loved that.
I did not see all that bloodshed coming!

I did like the pacing as well going through the stages: the creepy part, the person falling apart with all the tension rising, and the bloody conclusion. I loved her use of real concepts into thriller form.

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ohyeahshebomb's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.5

Definitely recommend. This thriller tackles some very prominent hurdles for the Black community (check trigger warnings if you think this may be too much for you). There was a perfect mix of suspense and character descriptors (not really development, but more so peeling back their layers).

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arthur_ant18's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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

3.5

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jackie_reads_314's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I did have to put this book down for a little because it felt like I was being gaslit, just like Sydney. This felt like more of a horror book than a thriller; it almost felt like there would be supernatural elements at some points. The social commentary was exquisite, the characters relatable and believable, and the settings real. I would say that the first 3/4 of the book was an intense slow burn, and the last 1/4 was a racing and impactful end. I am very excited to read Alyssa Cole's next thriller in 2024!

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yourbookishbff's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

When the reality of gentrification is a horror story, it makes a compelling premise for a thriller. Cole weaves together a story that should feel impossibly evil and calculated, but every time the reader is tempted to think so, she points again to history - it happened here, and here, and here. I enjoyed the dual POV, and Cole's use of Theo's narrative helps to highlight the advantages white people - even in abject poverty - have over Black people and other people of color. Sydney's narrative, meanwhile, is the haunting reminder that the abuse of - and gaslighting of - Black women is far from fiction. My only challenge in this was the pacing in the first half - I struggled to stay invested - and some dialogue that felt flat toward the end and lessened the emotional impact.

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