When No One Is Watching

I was drawn to this book because of its gorgeous cover and its blurb describing a thriller that focused on the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighbourhood and the nefarious issue of missing citizens thrown in for good measure. Initially I liked how the author introduced issues of oppression, marginalization of close-knit communities and the gentrification of an historical neighbourhood in Brooklyn.

But ...

these issues were overshadowed by a poorly executed plot, weak characters and pacing that is waaay off. This is not the thriller it is purported to be. Not even close. The book begins with interesting historical info about Brooklyn but that soon becomes more of an info dump. The main characters - Sydney and Theo - were hard to get behind and I didn't buy their connection after only a week of knowing each other. Then, in the last third, the tension ratchets up big time with an odd dystopian feel that felt out of place. 

This book is an interesting social commentary that will hopefully encourage readers into discussion on topics of race, gentrification, and oppression, but its exceedingly weak execution, cheesy romance and unlikable characters made this a struggle to read.

I think When No One Is Watching tried to be too many things and ended up not accomplishing those goals well. The story started with an interesting premise but quickly deteriorated (or one could say never quite got going) and was an odd mix of genres with a last minute 'suspense Hail Mary' leading to an ending that was just plain odd. 

My Rating: 2 stars

Author: Alyssa Cole

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from public library

Pages: 368

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

First Published: September 1, 2020

Opening Lines: History is fucking wild.

Book Description from GoodReads: The gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…

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?