Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall – 331 pages

ARC from SparkPress for an honest review

Book Blurb:

A fast-paced and ripped-from-the-headlines story set in the glossy offices of Silicon Valley startups and New York City new media, Anna Bright Is Hiding Something explores our culture’s fascination with businesswomen who are breaking barriers—and sometimes behaving badly in the process. Anna Bright is committing fraud. But nobody knows it yet. Not the board of her multibillion-dollar company, BrightLife; not her investors; not the media; not the public breathlessly anticipating the imminent launch of BrightSpot.
Jamie Roman, a hardworking journalist for BusinessBerry, is, no surprise, in awe of her company’s billion-dollar valuation, her polished confidence, and her hustle. But when Jamie learns about Anna’s misconduct, she embarks on a bicoastal journey to expose the crimes in the hope of making a name for herself as a journalist. It’s not long before Anna learns what the young reporter is up to, however—and she’ll do anything to stop Jamie, especially now that BrightLife’s IPO is days away.

My Review: 4 stars

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Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall is a departure for the author as her earlier books have been gripping historical fiction. This one is in current time and reads as a cat and mouse chase between two strong, smart, and determined women.

Our title character, Anna, is highly unlikeable as well as an unreliable narrator. She is reminiscent of the infamous Elizabeth Holmes who I believe is still in jail for falsifying her research. Like Anna does throughout the book, Holmes made duplicitous claims about her company which led investors to lose incredible amounts of money. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the ease at which lies could be spewed in order to make money. Even worse was that their so called products could put the public’s health at risk.

Jamie, a dedicated journalist, aching to be the best, learns through her diligent and secret investigating that Anna’s company is not ready to go public. Jamie has tough choices ahead – either she comes out with the truth and potentially loses her job or allow this company to produce a product that could likely impair your vision.

Women in the workplace and having to prove themselves so much more than men is a thread the winds through the story. Women supporting women, women breaking the glass ceiling and understanding the two main character’s motivations would make great talking points for book clubs.