37 pages • 1 hour read
When No One Is Watching
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Book Brief
352
Novel • Fiction
Brooklyn, New York • Contemporary
2020
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In Alyssa Cole's psychological thriller When No One Is Watching, Sydney Green returns to her Brooklyn neighborhood, only to find it dramatically altered by gentrification and increasingly hostile white neighbors. As she starts a tour focusing on Black residents' history, alarming disappearances and tensions arise. Sydney's collaboration with Theo, a troubled new neighbor, uncovers deeper, sinister forces at play amid escalating racial and socio-economic strife. The novel includes themes of structural racism, pharmaceutical abuse, and psychological struggle.
Suspenseful
Mysterious
Unnerving
Dark
Gritty
Reviews & Readership
108,562 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole masterfully blends psychological thriller and social commentary, creating a suspenseful narrative with strong, relatable characters. The pacing is often praised, though some felt it lagged in the middle. Overall, it effectively raises important themes of gentrification and systemic racism, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.
Who Should Read When No One Is Watching?
A reader captivated by suspenseful, socially conscious thrillers like The Girl on the Train and Get Out will enjoy When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole. With themes of gentrification, racial tension, and mystery, it appeals to those who love gripping narratives with a strong underlying social commentary.
108,562 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
352
Novel • Fiction
Brooklyn, New York • Contemporary
2020
Adult
18+ years
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