Real Simple “Best Books of 2020”
Oprah Magazine “Best Beach Reads of 2020”
CrimeReads “Best Books of 2020”
Marie Claire “Best Books of 2020”
Parade “Best New Fiction”
Popsugar “Best New Thrillers”
Good Housekeeping “Best Books of 2020”
HelloGiggles “Best Books of the Month”
PureWow “Best Beach Reads of 2020”
One of the most anticipated thrillers of the year, according to
Marie Claire · Newsweek · The Boston Globe · HelloGiggles · Book Riot · Popsugar · CrimeReads · Bustle · Goodreads · Dazed and Confused Magazine · Read It Forward · She Reads · Lit Hub · Betches · BookPage · StyleCaster
When an exclusive New York women’s workspace is rocked by the mysterious disappearance of its enigmatic founder, two sisters must uncover the haunting truth before they lose their friendships, their careers—maybe even their lives.
The name of the elite, women-only coworking space stretches across the wall behind the check-in desk: THE HERD, the H-E-R always in purple. In-the-know New Yorkers crawl over each other to apply for membership to this community that prides itself on mentorship and empowerment. Among the hopefuls is Katie Bradley, who’s just returned from the Midwest after a stint of book research blew up in her face. Luckily, Katie has an in, thanks to her sister Hana, an original Herder and the best friend of Eleanor Walsh, its charismatic founder.
Eleanor is a queen among the Herd’s sun-filled rooms, admired and quietly feared, even as she strives to be warm and approachable. As head of PR, Hana is working around the clock in preparation for a huge announcement from Eleanor–one that would change the trajectory of The Herd forever. Though Katie loves her sister’s crew, she secretly hopes she’s found her next book subject in Eleanor, who’s brilliant, trailblazing—and extremely private.
Then, on the night of the glitzy Herd news conference, Eleanor vanishes without a trace. Everybody has a theory about what made Eleanor run, but when the police suspect foul play, everyone is a suspect: Eleanor’s husband, other Herders, the men’s rights groups that have had it out for The Herd since its launch—even Eleanor’s closest friends. As Hana struggles to figure out what her friend was hiding and Katie chases the story of her life, the sisters must face down the secrets they’re keeping from each other—and confront just how dangerous it can be when women’s perfect veneers start to crack, crumble, and then fall away all together.
REVIEWS
“Bartz has been widely hailed as a master of the ‘feminist thriller,’ and both ‘The Herd’ and her 2019 debut novel, ‘The Lost Night,’ are deftly constructed page-turners starring flawed female protagonists whose successes are stymied by sexism — implicit, explicit and systemic.”– The Los Angeles Times
“This thriller offers a nonstop plot and layers of mystery—not to mention smart commentary on female friendships and social media.” – Real Simple
“[A] propulsive thriller…through every twist, these enterprising ladies will have you breathlessly trying to keep up with them.” – Marie Claire
“A wonderfully gossipy thriller about feminism, friendship and foul play, The Herd is a lollipop of a novel that will suck you right in.” – WSJ Magazine
“A fast, fun thriller that’s very of-the-moment.” – The Skimm
“Deliciously fun … Sharp and thoughtful with the perfect amount of darkness bubbling under the surface, this is a great one when you just want to lose a weekend to tearing through a novel and blocking out the rest of the world.” – Mashable
“Bartz packs in plenty of twists, with a deliberate pace that picks up speed at the end. Surprises and suspense married with themes on the nature of womanhood and sisterhood make this ideal for fans of Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train or Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects.”– Library Journal
“A smart, twisty thriller … Bartz is especially astute at highlighting the hypocrisy of glamorous careerist feminism. Readers won’t want to put this down.” – Publishers Weekly
“This fast-paced, irony-strewn blend of ruthless ambition, jealousy, and buried secrets is guaranteed armchair escapism.” – Booklist
“Bartz whips up a fast pace… A soapy and fun womancentric thriller.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Bartz, who wrote last year’s The Lost Night, is proving herself a master of the thriller, and impressively manages to skewer female empowerment culture within this gripping mystery.” – Elle.com
“Andrea Bartz breathes new life into the psychological thriller by setting her novels in bitingly modern settings. Her first book, The Lost Night, is set in Williamsburg’s party scene; The Herd is a biting satire of a women’s workspace like the Wing, and the darkness that may lurk behind that perfectly coiffed sitting room.” – OprahMag.com
“Her hard-hitting debut, The Lost Night, has made Andrea Bartz one to watch, and her second novel, The Herd, confirms her reputation…As someone whose building was recently taken over by a WeWork and who now has to wait 10 minutes for the elevator, I can’t endorse this book enough.” – CrimeReads
“A uniquely timely whodunit set in an exclusive, women’s only co-working space.” – The Boston Globe
“As she did in her debut The Lost Night, Andrea Bartz constructed a complex cast of female characters who will make ‘feminist thriller’ your new favorite genre. Read The Herd ASAP—but maybe not at a coworking space.”– HelloGiggles
“Pulsing with suspense, this twisty story also tackles some timely themes, including the competitive world of media, female ambition, and the cost of success.” – Book Riot
“This thriller about the founder of a women-only coworking space disappearing right before a big announcement touches on friendship, sisterhood and the way women go through extreme lengths to appear perfect. I was on the edge of my seat!” – Popsugar
“Fast-paced and vividly rendered, it’s the kind of thriller that feels totally timely but still escapist enough to distract from everything else going on in the world.” – TravelandLeisure.com
“If you’re looking for thrill-packed escapism but still want to stay on top of all the latest releases, Andrea Bartz’s book will scratch that itch.” – HarpersBazaar.com
“For those of us who can’t get into The Wing, this is a must-read … The twist at the end really pays off, but don’t take our word for it.” – GoodHousekeeping.com
“Scathing and propulsive…The mystery genre seems perfectly suited for The Wing and its ilk, and on a narrative level, Bartz makes able use of it to explore the sinister chasm between the promise of feminist companies and the actuality, the violence where only sweetness and light were supposed to be.” – Huffington Post
“Suspense mixed with smart commentary on corporate feminism was enough to fully draw my attention away from all that’s happening right now.” – Self
“A thriller so good a whole quarantine-weekend could pass in a wink.” – South Coast Today
