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Harmless Women
In this pacy thriller, a female con artist chooses the wrong woman as her target, and both women end up on the run for their lives.
Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and hair clippers to change their appearance so that when they wake up, they can't easily prove who they are. It gives her a head start and a new identity to get away. She's targeted Primrose Meath for her last big score, and then she'll fade away to a life of ease and luxury--something she's dreamed of since a very tough childhood.
On paper, Prim is the perfect wealthy, workaholic, and distracted by her cheating husband. But when Avalon finds Prim's husband dead, she can't get away so easily--not when she's been mistaken for Prim who's now wanted for murder. The two women, opposites, enemies, are suddenly on the run together, and must learn to get along, to depend on each other, in order to get away. And then, what starts as a cat-and-mouse run to the coast of England becomes a fight for their survival.
Avalon Dale is a masterful grifter. She researches her victims thoroughly, kidnaps and sedates them, cleans out their bank accounts, and uses injections and hair clippers to change their appearance so that when they wake up, they can't easily prove who they are. It gives her a head start and a new identity to get away. She's targeted Primrose Meath for her last big score, and then she'll fade away to a life of ease and luxury--something she's dreamed of since a very tough childhood.
On paper, Prim is the perfect wealthy, workaholic, and distracted by her cheating husband. But when Avalon finds Prim's husband dead, she can't get away so easily--not when she's been mistaken for Prim who's now wanted for murder. The two women, opposites, enemies, are suddenly on the run together, and must learn to get along, to depend on each other, in order to get away. And then, what starts as a cat-and-mouse run to the coast of England becomes a fight for their survival.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2026
38 people are currently reading
17561 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
November 22, 2025
This was bad. I actually ended up stopping about a third of the way through and just skimming. I wasn't even sure what the plot was, i couldn't connect to the characters, and my goodness, it was SLOOOOOOW. I'm shocked that some people called it fast-paced because this book was NOT fast-paced. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy.
April 10, 2026
I did not enjoy this one. 😩
November 13, 2025
Harmless Women by Rebecca Sharpe. Thanks to @minotaurbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A con woman has found the perfect target, until the target is involved in a murder and they both are on the run.
If you can suspend belief with your thrillers, give this a try. For me, I was blown away by the plot of dermal fillers being used to hide one’s identity. Girl, you’re not going to be unrecognizable after plumping your lips and getting some cheekbones. That said, I did enjoy the women’s relationship with each other; how it started and how it grew. There were some shocking moments later on, but the middle was a lot of character and relationship development. Overall a good thriller especially for those that enjoy female relationships.
“To be a hero rather than a villain, to be redeemed and celebrated rather than shunned; what a life.”
Harmless Women comes out 4/7.
A con woman has found the perfect target, until the target is involved in a murder and they both are on the run.
If you can suspend belief with your thrillers, give this a try. For me, I was blown away by the plot of dermal fillers being used to hide one’s identity. Girl, you’re not going to be unrecognizable after plumping your lips and getting some cheekbones. That said, I did enjoy the women’s relationship with each other; how it started and how it grew. There were some shocking moments later on, but the middle was a lot of character and relationship development. Overall a good thriller especially for those that enjoy female relationships.
“To be a hero rather than a villain, to be redeemed and celebrated rather than shunned; what a life.”
Harmless Women comes out 4/7.
April 21, 2026
《4.5⭐️rounded up to 5⭐️》
Avalon Dale is a professional identity thief with a chillingly precise routine: kidnap, sedate, drain accounts, alter appearances, disappear. Clean. Clinical. Final. Her last target? Primrose Meath, a wealthy and overworked woman with a messy personal life. Easy money... until Avalon walks into Prim's house and finds a dead husband. Suddenly, the con artist is now the suspect. Instead of escaping, Avalon ends up entwined with her victim. The two women, complete opposites, are forced into a desperate and uneasy alliance as they go on the run across England, trying to survive, outwit the police, and figure out what actually happened.
With Harmless Women I was expecting a fast-paced thriller but what I got was something sharper, messier, and way more addictive than I was ready for! This book is chaotic in the best way! You've got a pro identity thief who walks into her next job and finds a dead body, which is already wild, and from there it spirals into a tense and morally gray road trip where trust is non-existent. What really got me wasn't just the twists, it was the characters. These women are complicated, frustrating, sometimes unlikable, and completely fascinating! The relationships felt raw and unpredictable and I genuinely never knew who to root for. It's one of those thrillers that leans more into character and tension than constant action, but it was definitely a great read!
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Sharpe and Minotaur Books for both the eARC and physical copy!
Avalon Dale is a professional identity thief with a chillingly precise routine: kidnap, sedate, drain accounts, alter appearances, disappear. Clean. Clinical. Final. Her last target? Primrose Meath, a wealthy and overworked woman with a messy personal life. Easy money... until Avalon walks into Prim's house and finds a dead husband. Suddenly, the con artist is now the suspect. Instead of escaping, Avalon ends up entwined with her victim. The two women, complete opposites, are forced into a desperate and uneasy alliance as they go on the run across England, trying to survive, outwit the police, and figure out what actually happened.
With Harmless Women I was expecting a fast-paced thriller but what I got was something sharper, messier, and way more addictive than I was ready for! This book is chaotic in the best way! You've got a pro identity thief who walks into her next job and finds a dead body, which is already wild, and from there it spirals into a tense and morally gray road trip where trust is non-existent. What really got me wasn't just the twists, it was the characters. These women are complicated, frustrating, sometimes unlikable, and completely fascinating! The relationships felt raw and unpredictable and I genuinely never knew who to root for. It's one of those thrillers that leans more into character and tension than constant action, but it was definitely a great read!
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Sharpe and Minotaur Books for both the eARC and physical copy!
November 19, 2025
3.5 stars! Harmless Women was incredibly fast-paced. There was not a moment when nothing was happening. Rebecca Sharpe did a great job of being able to keep the reader's attention evenly throughout the whole story.
The premise of this thriller is amazing! Before even starting to read, I knew it was going to be a wild ride. I love that two women were the main characters. Having them be opposites was a great dynamic for this story.
It wasn't a completely believable story, but that's a part of the reason why it was entertaining. Twist after twist came without slowing down. You would not be able to tell what would happen next. Overall, it was a good thriller to read, but it is not an absolute favorite!
Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books, & Rebecca Sharpe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Harmless Women is released on April 7, 2026!
The premise of this thriller is amazing! Before even starting to read, I knew it was going to be a wild ride. I love that two women were the main characters. Having them be opposites was a great dynamic for this story.
It wasn't a completely believable story, but that's a part of the reason why it was entertaining. Twist after twist came without slowing down. You would not be able to tell what would happen next. Overall, it was a good thriller to read, but it is not an absolute favorite!
Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books, & Rebecca Sharpe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Harmless Women is released on April 7, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
3.75 stars rounded up
I chose this book because the cover and the synopsis just screamed Cowboy Bebop's Faye Valentine to me. After finishing, I still think so, however, this book was so close to being good and it just fell short.
I don't read thrillers often, but this is my fourth or fifth "feminine rage" story in the past year. The stories ranged from Dark Sisters to Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil but I feel like largely this type of story is not approached well. The problem I see most frequently, the same offender present in Harmless Women, is that authors want to overshoot the feminine rage to the point that every male character is an over the top villain. It is far more poignant to have the overarching societal oppression and death by a thousand cuts that women actually face in everyday life. As always, I appreciate the message being portrayed, but I want to see it done realistically.
My other big issue is the pacing of this book. The first 40% and the final 20% are very fast paced, to the point that the plot almost feels elaborately contrived. But the middle stretch of the book comes to a screeching halt in favor of some character exploration that gives you total whiplash. Add in the third POV character, Bianca, whose purpose is opaque through most of the book, and it's easy to see how there are reviews calling the book fast paced AND slow paced.
I would love to see this book reworked with Bianca's POV and character completely removed, the major plot points spread out more evenly, and less time with Avalon and Prim endlessly hiking across England.
There was a lot about this book I really loved, but it just couldn't quite tip the scales far enough for me. Best wishes to Rebecca Sharpe and their future publications!
3.75 stars rounded up
I chose this book because the cover and the synopsis just screamed Cowboy Bebop's Faye Valentine to me. After finishing, I still think so, however, this book was so close to being good and it just fell short.
I don't read thrillers often, but this is my fourth or fifth "feminine rage" story in the past year. The stories ranged from Dark Sisters to Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil but I feel like largely this type of story is not approached well. The problem I see most frequently, the same offender present in Harmless Women, is that authors want to overshoot the feminine rage to the point that every male character is an over the top villain. It is far more poignant to have the overarching societal oppression and death by a thousand cuts that women actually face in everyday life. As always, I appreciate the message being portrayed, but I want to see it done realistically.
My other big issue is the pacing of this book. The first 40% and the final 20% are very fast paced, to the point that the plot almost feels elaborately contrived. But the middle stretch of the book comes to a screeching halt in favor of some character exploration that gives you total whiplash. Add in the third POV character, Bianca, whose purpose is opaque through most of the book, and it's easy to see how there are reviews calling the book fast paced AND slow paced.
I would love to see this book reworked with Bianca's POV and character completely removed, the major plot points spread out more evenly, and less time with Avalon and Prim endlessly hiking across England.
There was a lot about this book I really loved, but it just couldn't quite tip the scales far enough for me. Best wishes to Rebecca Sharpe and their future publications!
April 7, 2026
Thank you to publishers and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Avalon, a bald grifter, is stuck traversing the countryside alongside Prim, the newly-bald victim of Avalon’s failed con. Bianca, a not-bald mother, struggles to cope with the fact that her daughter vanished from her life. Harmless Women follows the criminal duo as they race for the coast as Bianca starts to hunt them down.
I love Sharpe’s prose. It’s detailed and I can feel Avalon’s determination as she leads them across grassy fields to the British coast. I’m next to Prim as she contemplates the life she had versus the possibilities of her forced future. I’m sipping tea alongside Bianca as she tries to figure out what happened to her daughter.
My biggest issue were Bianca’s chapters. I feel like they slowed down the “pacy thriller” as Bianca stayed in her cottage and monologued about her broken family while Avalon and Prim on the run to the coast. At first I did sympathize with her when she was processing her emotions about her daughter’s disappearance, but after reading about her being on the sidelines while Amos abused her children, it left a sour taste in my mouth and I didn’t care for her anymore.
I know she’s not in her right mind but when she saw Avalon and Prim’s faces on her TV and immediately called them greedy, ungrateful, and “probably promiscuous”, I had to laugh like girl go get therapy and fix your internalized misogyny. She blames her daughter leaving on the world and thinks that capturing two fugitives on the run will right her wrongs, like okay miss girl. Also stop yelling at your neighbor and wasting the food she buys for you.
With the supernatural elements like the Churel and Bianca seeing memories in her shattered window, I felt like I was reading two separate books when switching between her perspective and Avalon and Prim’s.
I did enjoy the Avalon and Prim’s friendship and I loved the development from begrudging acquaintances forced together to allies with who have their backs and genuinely care for each other. Especially when Avalon went from resenting Prim’s presence to worrying about her and wanting to help her leave the country. I cheered when they entrusted in each other secrets they haven’t told anyone else. I love that they bonded over simple delicious food like sourdough bread with cheese on top.
Yes, the ending is unrealistic but I like to be optimistic and think that there are kind people in this world who would put aside their personal beliefs and worries about the law simply to help another human being. I’m happy that Avalon and Prim were able to make it to the coast and I hope they sail safely to the Netherlands and find Mira safe and sound.
Avalon, a bald grifter, is stuck traversing the countryside alongside Prim, the newly-bald victim of Avalon’s failed con. Bianca, a not-bald mother, struggles to cope with the fact that her daughter vanished from her life. Harmless Women follows the criminal duo as they race for the coast as Bianca starts to hunt them down.
I love Sharpe’s prose. It’s detailed and I can feel Avalon’s determination as she leads them across grassy fields to the British coast. I’m next to Prim as she contemplates the life she had versus the possibilities of her forced future. I’m sipping tea alongside Bianca as she tries to figure out what happened to her daughter.
My biggest issue were Bianca’s chapters. I feel like they slowed down the “pacy thriller” as Bianca stayed in her cottage and monologued about her broken family while Avalon and Prim on the run to the coast. At first I did sympathize with her when she was processing her emotions about her daughter’s disappearance, but after reading about her being on the sidelines while Amos abused her children, it left a sour taste in my mouth and I didn’t care for her anymore.
I know she’s not in her right mind but when she saw Avalon and Prim’s faces on her TV and immediately called them greedy, ungrateful, and “probably promiscuous”, I had to laugh like girl go get therapy and fix your internalized misogyny. She blames her daughter leaving on the world and thinks that capturing two fugitives on the run will right her wrongs, like okay miss girl. Also stop yelling at your neighbor and wasting the food she buys for you.
With the supernatural elements like the Churel and Bianca seeing memories in her shattered window, I felt like I was reading two separate books when switching between her perspective and Avalon and Prim’s.
I did enjoy the Avalon and Prim’s friendship and I loved the development from begrudging acquaintances forced together to allies with who have their backs and genuinely care for each other. Especially when Avalon went from resenting Prim’s presence to worrying about her and wanting to help her leave the country. I cheered when they entrusted in each other secrets they haven’t told anyone else. I love that they bonded over simple delicious food like sourdough bread with cheese on top.
Yes, the ending is unrealistic but I like to be optimistic and think that there are kind people in this world who would put aside their personal beliefs and worries about the law simply to help another human being. I’m happy that Avalon and Prim were able to make it to the coast and I hope they sail safely to the Netherlands and find Mira safe and sound.
April 7, 2026
Harmless Women (audio) 3.5⭐️
I enjoyed listening to this book. Avalon is a unique con artist and has a very detailed plan, but her latest target, Prim, brings her own surprises into the mix. Soon both women are on the run and dependent on each other for their survival.
Then there’s Bianca. Her chapters had me constantly frustrated. 1. Because I was anxious to find out how she fit into the overall story, and 2. Because she’s such a horrible mother. She wants nothing more than to be *perceived* as the perfect wife and mother, while choosing her emotionally abusive husband over her kids and shaming her daughter until she leaves and never comes back. Ugh…but so well done and realistic to evoke all those emotions.
While main characters, Avalon and Prim are not perfect, everything was made worse by the male narratives. I found myself cheering them on and hoping for the best. Oh how different both of their lives would be if they hadn’t been physically and emotionally hurt by men in their life.
TW for sexual assault.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Apr 07 2026
I enjoyed listening to this book. Avalon is a unique con artist and has a very detailed plan, but her latest target, Prim, brings her own surprises into the mix. Soon both women are on the run and dependent on each other for their survival.
Then there’s Bianca. Her chapters had me constantly frustrated. 1. Because I was anxious to find out how she fit into the overall story, and 2. Because she’s such a horrible mother. She wants nothing more than to be *perceived* as the perfect wife and mother, while choosing her emotionally abusive husband over her kids and shaming her daughter until she leaves and never comes back. Ugh…but so well done and realistic to evoke all those emotions.
While main characters, Avalon and Prim are not perfect, everything was made worse by the male narratives. I found myself cheering them on and hoping for the best. Oh how different both of their lives would be if they hadn’t been physically and emotionally hurt by men in their life.
TW for sexual assault.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Apr 07 2026
March 22, 2026
Harmless Women by Rebecca Sharp is a feminist thriller featuring Avalon, a con artist who targets Primrose, a successful professional. When Avalon’s plan goes wrong, she and Prim team up and go on the run across England from a possible murder charge. A third woman, Bianca, decides to hunt down the two women herself.
I was intrigued by the story’s promising premise and the strong start initially kept me engaged. The pacing and the plotting became murky for me at around the halfway point. I had difficulty determining the aim of the story (a blend of female friendship, feminism, vigilantism). And the addition of Bianca’s storyline and point of view did not advance the plot. I listened to the audiobook primarily and think the production would have benefited from multiple voice actors. Unfortunately this promising novel did not resonate with me. 2.75/5⭐️
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener’s copy and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I was intrigued by the story’s promising premise and the strong start initially kept me engaged. The pacing and the plotting became murky for me at around the halfway point. I had difficulty determining the aim of the story (a blend of female friendship, feminism, vigilantism). And the addition of Bianca’s storyline and point of view did not advance the plot. I listened to the audiobook primarily and think the production would have benefited from multiple voice actors. Unfortunately this promising novel did not resonate with me. 2.75/5⭐️
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener’s copy and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 20, 2026
Gripping, edgy, and dark!
Harmless Women is a fast-paced, sinister thrill ride that plunges readers into the life of Primrose Meath, a successful businesswoman with an unfaithful husband, who after becoming the target of the skilled con artist Avalon Dale, finds herself in a volatile alliance when bad timing, fatal accidents, and unfortunate events sweep them together into a world of chaos, danger, and desperation.
The writing is intense and atmospheric. The characters are layered, damaged, and impulsive. And the plot is a compelling tale of twists, turns, deception, revelations, emotion, violence, theft, murder, survival, and unexpected female friendships.
Overall, Harmless Women is a raw, gritty, suspenseful tale by Sharpe that explores the fragility of modern life, particularly our reliance on technology, and how quickly life as we know it can quickly unravel.
Harmless Women is a fast-paced, sinister thrill ride that plunges readers into the life of Primrose Meath, a successful businesswoman with an unfaithful husband, who after becoming the target of the skilled con artist Avalon Dale, finds herself in a volatile alliance when bad timing, fatal accidents, and unfortunate events sweep them together into a world of chaos, danger, and desperation.
The writing is intense and atmospheric. The characters are layered, damaged, and impulsive. And the plot is a compelling tale of twists, turns, deception, revelations, emotion, violence, theft, murder, survival, and unexpected female friendships.
Overall, Harmless Women is a raw, gritty, suspenseful tale by Sharpe that explores the fragility of modern life, particularly our reliance on technology, and how quickly life as we know it can quickly unravel.
March 14, 2026
slightly suprised that all the reviews say fast paced… it was good but very slow
i think this has some mature themes, but the complexity of the writing failed to match that. the writing style felt very elementary
i think this has some mature themes, but the complexity of the writing failed to match that. the writing style felt very elementary
March 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
1.5 stars.
I just could not get into this one. The premise sounded so cool! But the execution was not good.
I didn’t care about any of the characters. Especially Bianca. I never enjoyed her chapters. She was so annoying, I couldn’t stand her. I really didn’t even understand the point of her character being in it. Even with the ending.
The beginning was very boring. I just did not care. By part two it got better, but I still wasn’t super engaged. The pace of the book picked up, but by then I was checked out and couldn’t get more invested.
A lot of this felt very unrealistic too. I can suspend my disbelief sometimes, but this it was too much. Especially in the way Avalon tried to make her victims unrecognizable. The ending was kind of unrealistic too. I am glad the way things played out, but it doesn’t seem like it would be possible at all.
I will say I really enjoyed Avalon and Prim’s friendship. How they grew to care about each other and Avalon realizing what it is like to have someone in your corner; it was really beautiful to see. That was the best part of the book. But I still needed more.
I received the audiobook for this as well. The beginning I listened to the audiobook, the middle I tandem read and listened to it, which made it easier to get through. Then the end I physically read it.
I really wish I enjoyed this more because the premise did sound up my alley. Maybe someone else would get more out of it than I did.
The audiobook was really good. The narrator had a good voice, and really brought life to the story. I just wish the plot was good enough to carry it!
1.5 stars.
I just could not get into this one. The premise sounded so cool! But the execution was not good.
I didn’t care about any of the characters. Especially Bianca. I never enjoyed her chapters. She was so annoying, I couldn’t stand her. I really didn’t even understand the point of her character being in it. Even with the ending.
The beginning was very boring. I just did not care. By part two it got better, but I still wasn’t super engaged. The pace of the book picked up, but by then I was checked out and couldn’t get more invested.
A lot of this felt very unrealistic too. I can suspend my disbelief sometimes, but this it was too much. Especially in the way Avalon tried to make her victims unrecognizable. The ending was kind of unrealistic too. I am glad the way things played out, but it doesn’t seem like it would be possible at all.
I will say I really enjoyed Avalon and Prim’s friendship. How they grew to care about each other and Avalon realizing what it is like to have someone in your corner; it was really beautiful to see. That was the best part of the book. But I still needed more.
I received the audiobook for this as well. The beginning I listened to the audiobook, the middle I tandem read and listened to it, which made it easier to get through. Then the end I physically read it.
I really wish I enjoyed this more because the premise did sound up my alley. Maybe someone else would get more out of it than I did.
The audiobook was really good. The narrator had a good voice, and really brought life to the story. I just wish the plot was good enough to carry it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
•ALC Review•
{𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒄𝒂 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆}
🩷 Release Date: April 7 2026 🩷
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!
★★★★☆
Harmless Women is a thriller that’s more about messy, complicated relationships than plot twists, and honestly, that’s what I loved most. Friendships, loyalty, and trust feel real, especially when everything starts falling apart. Avalon and Prim's personal struggles give the story extra weight and make it feel bigger than just the thriller plot, which I really appreciated.
The pacing is steady and never boring, allowing the story to build organically. Some moments actually had me stressing, and the world felt alive without being overwhelming. Harrie Dobby's narration just makes the characters pop even more.
Overall it’s a really solid read/listen. If you’re into thrillers with layered, messy female friendships, this one’s pretty satisfying.
{𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒄𝒂 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆}
🩷 Release Date: April 7 2026 🩷
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!
★★★★☆
Harmless Women is a thriller that’s more about messy, complicated relationships than plot twists, and honestly, that’s what I loved most. Friendships, loyalty, and trust feel real, especially when everything starts falling apart. Avalon and Prim's personal struggles give the story extra weight and make it feel bigger than just the thriller plot, which I really appreciated.
The pacing is steady and never boring, allowing the story to build organically. Some moments actually had me stressing, and the world felt alive without being overwhelming. Harrie Dobby's narration just makes the characters pop even more.
Overall it’s a really solid read/listen. If you’re into thrillers with layered, messy female friendships, this one’s pretty satisfying.
April 19, 2026
This was a struggle for me and instead of DNFing, which I probably should have, I upped the speed to get to an ending.
Avalon is a criminal mastermind(ish) and Prim is her next victim. A long con grift, which ends in a kidnapping and body modification of the victim (shaved head and fillers injected into her face) so that she’s less recognizable, this one goes awry when Avalon finds Prim’s husband murdered.
The two women unwillingly begin a trek across England trying to escape their crimes, the men who mean them harm along the way, and, for a time, each other.
There’s also a third woman in the mix who seems completely unhinged and unrelated, but who eventually fits into the plot, albeit shakily.
Was this a thriller (barely), a book about misogyny (kinda), female friendship (weirdly), or just a mess (mostly).
The ending was way too neat and unsatisfying and, well, no thank you.
Avalon is a criminal mastermind(ish) and Prim is her next victim. A long con grift, which ends in a kidnapping and body modification of the victim (shaved head and fillers injected into her face) so that she’s less recognizable, this one goes awry when Avalon finds Prim’s husband murdered.
The two women unwillingly begin a trek across England trying to escape their crimes, the men who mean them harm along the way, and, for a time, each other.
There’s also a third woman in the mix who seems completely unhinged and unrelated, but who eventually fits into the plot, albeit shakily.
Was this a thriller (barely), a book about misogyny (kinda), female friendship (weirdly), or just a mess (mostly).
The ending was way too neat and unsatisfying and, well, no thank you.
March 6, 2026
I struggled quite a bit with this one, so I’m going to keep my thoughts fairly brief.
Unfortunately, I found myself feeling lost through much of the story as the prose didn’t flow very smoothly for me. At times it felt a bit like an early draft that could have benefited from additional editing. Because of that, I had difficulty connecting with the characters and staying fully engaged in the narrative.
In fact, writing this review a few days after finishing it, I realized I needed to revisit the plot description to refresh my memory, as the story didn’t leave a particularly strong impression on me.
On the bright side, Harrie Dobby did a wonderful job with the audiobook narration. Her voice is warm and comforting, and her performance added a level of polish that helped carry me through the listening experience. Without her narration, I’m not sure I would have finished it.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Unfortunately, I found myself feeling lost through much of the story as the prose didn’t flow very smoothly for me. At times it felt a bit like an early draft that could have benefited from additional editing. Because of that, I had difficulty connecting with the characters and staying fully engaged in the narrative.
In fact, writing this review a few days after finishing it, I realized I needed to revisit the plot description to refresh my memory, as the story didn’t leave a particularly strong impression on me.
On the bright side, Harrie Dobby did a wonderful job with the audiobook narration. Her voice is warm and comforting, and her performance added a level of polish that helped carry me through the listening experience. Without her narration, I’m not sure I would have finished it.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
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March 25, 2026Harmless Women had good potential with the blurb alone. I love a morally grey FMC, but this one had me suspending all sorts of stuff. Between Avalon, Prim and a dose of Bianca, I wasn't impressed with the characters, although I did like the relationship that formed between the women. It was the content and the pacing of the story. It just seemed to drag on and on.
Now, the narration of the audiobook by Harrie Dobby was good and kept me somewhat pulled in with her performance, but that's where it ended. I found myself not caring and skimming the book.
Overall, a good premise, but the thriller itself just fell flat.
Now, the narration of the audiobook by Harrie Dobby was good and kept me somewhat pulled in with her performance, but that's where it ended. I found myself not caring and skimming the book.
Overall, a good premise, but the thriller itself just fell flat.
March 27, 2026
A con gone wrong!
Avalon Dale is a successful grifter and has chosen wealthy and privileged Primrose Meath as her last score. But when Avalon finds Prim’s husband dead and she is mistaken for Prim herself, the two women find themselves on the run together dependent on each other for their survival.
The audio narration was fantastic performed by Harrie Dobby
Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on April 7, 2026
Avalon Dale is a successful grifter and has chosen wealthy and privileged Primrose Meath as her last score. But when Avalon finds Prim’s husband dead and she is mistaken for Prim herself, the two women find themselves on the run together dependent on each other for their survival.
The audio narration was fantastic performed by Harrie Dobby
Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on April 7, 2026
Did Not Finish
March 17, 2026unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. the premise sounded cool and totally up my alley, but I couldn’t get into it. I told myself I would listen until 50% before dnf’ing, so that’s where I ended up stopping.
the audiobook itself was well done, and I did like avalon and prim’s growing friendship. other than that, the story was just very slow-paced and I struggled to stay interested.
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
the audiobook itself was well done, and I did like avalon and prim’s growing friendship. other than that, the story was just very slow-paced and I struggled to stay interested.
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
November 15, 2025
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and am so glad I did!
December 9, 2025
👗Won in a giveaway 🏋🏻♀️
This was a fun read. Two women on the run for different reasons are thrown together. The story of survival and friendship kept me fully interested. The chapters are labeled with the two main characters' names. There was a third woman's name for the chapters and at first I couldn't figure out what she had to do with the story. Then you find out she has a role to play. This is very well written. There are some intense situations. I definitely recommend this one. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Sharpe, Minotaur Books and Goodreads for my advance reader's edition. Happy reading!🏕
This was a fun read. Two women on the run for different reasons are thrown together. The story of survival and friendship kept me fully interested. The chapters are labeled with the two main characters' names. There was a third woman's name for the chapters and at first I couldn't figure out what she had to do with the story. Then you find out she has a role to play. This is very well written. There are some intense situations. I definitely recommend this one. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Sharpe, Minotaur Books and Goodreads for my advance reader's edition. Happy reading!🏕
November 18, 2025
This story intrigued me from the start and I couldn’t wait to dive in. Let me say, it did not disappoint. It was paced well and kept me on my toes and really paying attention to what was going on. This author took thriller to another level. Would recommend to others who love this type of read.
November 24, 2025
This is one of those weirdly wonderful books that had me guessing until the end! Avalon and Primm are on a "journey" even though they just met as both are on the run--one from a murder and one who's a survivor and grifter. As they travel across country, they are wary of strangers but stick together as they seem to need each other even as each isn't quite sure about the other. And although the novel isn't for the faint of heart, it is a testament to the meaning of true friendship as these women fight for each other when they can't fight for themselves!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A con artist and a hothouse flower/office worker on the lam -- of course I was interested! This novel will likely prompt strong reactions in a book club discussion, as it should. Although the story and characters are completely different, for some reason I thought about Dutch filmmaker Marleen Gorris’ A Question of Silence after finishing this novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this audiobook ARC; I wished that I’d read it with a book club in order to have lively, probably loud discussion afterwards.
The slow-to-moderate pacing of the novel worked for me (I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent). Each character feels her own desperation and need to survive in a situation in which neither has much control. Evading police, after a botched attempted murder and crime for hire, both must alter their appearances and travel to the coast through a series of small, rural English towns, sometimes on wheels, sometimes on foot. The hunt for both women, which is also told in tabloid newspaper coverage, is paralleled by the growing delusion and anger of a woman convinced that her missing daughter is connected to Avalon and Prim. Her insistent thoughts about the proper behavior for women eventually leads to both figurative and literal decay and destruction.
The author’s style is engrossing, providing a strong sense of the forest environment. Avalon has lived under false identities for years and has practical survival and camping skills; Prim doesn’t, but she learns quickly. Both women soon learn how to think creatively to survive using few possessions, and I liked the detail in the scenes where both women have to call upon what they’ve already learned and what they know in the moment to solve problems.
Avalon and Prim grow from self-interested people to more observant, somewhat more empathetic survivors. Would I watch a limited series of their future, imperfect, criminal adventures? Yes -- they’re interesting because it takes them so long to trust each other and we can see them realizing when and why they should trust the strangers that decide to help them. Neither woman begins this journey with much social awareness or demonstrated interest in doing anything to improve their communities -- initially, each seems to lack connection to more than a few people, instead absorbed with their own problems. When people show them kindness or demonstrate solidarity, they are surprised; we see them learning. Most of us have had experiences in public places in which we went out of our way to help another person. Perhaps we stopped an act of bullying, or asked a woman being harassed to join our group until she could catch a ride home. The protagonists of this novel survive because of an interesting paradox: at the same time they are disguised and trying to hide in plain sight, they receive help from other people that don’t have to help them, but make decisions to do so. Will they learn to do the same for others? This story doesn’t seem structured for a sequel but I’m interested in reading future stories by Rebecca Sharpe to find out if she returns to this theme.
It's hard to explain this without a spoiler, but I actually laughed aloud at a wryly funny moment 3/4 into the novel that comments sharply on the ways tabloid newspapers and public opinion divide women into good girl/bad girl roles. Would have liked even more of the author's humorous takes on such stereotypes in the final edit of this novel, as she's obviously very good at it.
Content warnings: misogyny, attempted sexual assault, some physical violence.
The slow-to-moderate pacing of the novel worked for me (I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent). Each character feels her own desperation and need to survive in a situation in which neither has much control. Evading police, after a botched attempted murder and crime for hire, both must alter their appearances and travel to the coast through a series of small, rural English towns, sometimes on wheels, sometimes on foot. The hunt for both women, which is also told in tabloid newspaper coverage, is paralleled by the growing delusion and anger of a woman convinced that her missing daughter is connected to Avalon and Prim. Her insistent thoughts about the proper behavior for women eventually leads to both figurative and literal decay and destruction.
The author’s style is engrossing, providing a strong sense of the forest environment. Avalon has lived under false identities for years and has practical survival and camping skills; Prim doesn’t, but she learns quickly. Both women soon learn how to think creatively to survive using few possessions, and I liked the detail in the scenes where both women have to call upon what they’ve already learned and what they know in the moment to solve problems.
Avalon and Prim grow from self-interested people to more observant, somewhat more empathetic survivors. Would I watch a limited series of their future, imperfect, criminal adventures? Yes -- they’re interesting because it takes them so long to trust each other and we can see them realizing when and why they should trust the strangers that decide to help them. Neither woman begins this journey with much social awareness or demonstrated interest in doing anything to improve their communities -- initially, each seems to lack connection to more than a few people, instead absorbed with their own problems. When people show them kindness or demonstrate solidarity, they are surprised; we see them learning. Most of us have had experiences in public places in which we went out of our way to help another person. Perhaps we stopped an act of bullying, or asked a woman being harassed to join our group until she could catch a ride home. The protagonists of this novel survive because of an interesting paradox: at the same time they are disguised and trying to hide in plain sight, they receive help from other people that don’t have to help them, but make decisions to do so. Will they learn to do the same for others? This story doesn’t seem structured for a sequel but I’m interested in reading future stories by Rebecca Sharpe to find out if she returns to this theme.
It's hard to explain this without a spoiler, but I actually laughed aloud at a wryly funny moment 3/4 into the novel that comments sharply on the ways tabloid newspapers and public opinion divide women into good girl/bad girl roles. Would have liked even more of the author's humorous takes on such stereotypes in the final edit of this novel, as she's obviously very good at it.
Content warnings: misogyny, attempted sexual assault, some physical violence.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Five stars. I lost sleep and procrastinated my to-do list. That’s my gold-standard rating system, and Harmless Women earned it.
This fast-paced thriller follows three women: Avalon, Prim, and Bianca. Avalon is a con artist who drugs Prim, steals her money, gives her a Botox “makeover,” shaves her head to make identification difficult, and leaves her sedated in a remote cabin. Prim, meanwhile, believes she’s headed for a relaxing spa getaway, away from her demanding job and her self-absorbed, cheating husband. Bianca is searching for her missing daughter and slowly losing her grip on reality.
I was hooked from the very first chapter, when Avalon is making preparations for Prim’s “makeover.” The tension only builds from there.
I loved the moral ambiguity in this book. At first, I trusted Prim and hated Avalon. Then I started trusting Avalon and wondering about Prim. Eventually, I found myself rooting for both of them even when there may have been a couple of murders along the way. That kind of character complexity kept me turning pages long past my bedtime.
I also really appreciated the moments when strangers chose to help Avalon and Prim, even though they were on the run and wanted for murder. These characters could have easily turned them in, but instead offered help, adding another layer of humanity to a very dark story and reinforcing how compelling these women became as they fought to survive.
The title Harmless Women is beautifully ironic. Throughout the story, the women are pressured, by men and even by Bianca’s distorted worldview, to be subservient, obedient, and controllable. Instead, these women are strong-willed, intelligent, and determined to survive. This theme of underestimated women stood out to me and made the story even more compelling.
The pacing is fast and the writing style is straightforward, which made this a quick, intense read. The shifting points of view built tension effectively, particularly as Bianca’s storyline became increasingly unsettling. Her descent into instability with flies, filth, and rambling thoughts added a creepy psychological layer that kept me guessing.
I also appreciated the unexpected emotional bond that developed between Avalon and Prim. Both women had suffered immense trauma, and watching them form a connection and become stronger together was one of my favorite parts of the book.
That said, I did have a few minor critiques. Bianca’s role felt somewhat confusing at times, and I wasn’t always sure how her storyline would ultimately connect to Avalon and Prim. I also would have appreciated translations for the French phrases used in a few places in the book. And while I enjoyed the ending, I found myself wishing for an epilogue. These women worked hard for their survival, and I would have loved a glimpse of their happily-ever-after.
Content warnings include violence against women and child abuse.
Overall, this is a dark, fast-paced thriller with morally gray characters, unexpected twists, and a strong theme of underestimated women finding their strength. I would highly recommend this to fans of dark thrillers, psychological suspense, and anyone who doesn’t mind losing sleep to finish “just one more chapter.”
Because this is what happens when independent, intelligent women stop playing nice. I loved every minute of it.
A special thank you to St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This fast-paced thriller follows three women: Avalon, Prim, and Bianca. Avalon is a con artist who drugs Prim, steals her money, gives her a Botox “makeover,” shaves her head to make identification difficult, and leaves her sedated in a remote cabin. Prim, meanwhile, believes she’s headed for a relaxing spa getaway, away from her demanding job and her self-absorbed, cheating husband. Bianca is searching for her missing daughter and slowly losing her grip on reality.
I was hooked from the very first chapter, when Avalon is making preparations for Prim’s “makeover.” The tension only builds from there.
I loved the moral ambiguity in this book. At first, I trusted Prim and hated Avalon. Then I started trusting Avalon and wondering about Prim. Eventually, I found myself rooting for both of them even when there may have been a couple of murders along the way. That kind of character complexity kept me turning pages long past my bedtime.
I also really appreciated the moments when strangers chose to help Avalon and Prim, even though they were on the run and wanted for murder. These characters could have easily turned them in, but instead offered help, adding another layer of humanity to a very dark story and reinforcing how compelling these women became as they fought to survive.
The title Harmless Women is beautifully ironic. Throughout the story, the women are pressured, by men and even by Bianca’s distorted worldview, to be subservient, obedient, and controllable. Instead, these women are strong-willed, intelligent, and determined to survive. This theme of underestimated women stood out to me and made the story even more compelling.
The pacing is fast and the writing style is straightforward, which made this a quick, intense read. The shifting points of view built tension effectively, particularly as Bianca’s storyline became increasingly unsettling. Her descent into instability with flies, filth, and rambling thoughts added a creepy psychological layer that kept me guessing.
I also appreciated the unexpected emotional bond that developed between Avalon and Prim. Both women had suffered immense trauma, and watching them form a connection and become stronger together was one of my favorite parts of the book.
That said, I did have a few minor critiques. Bianca’s role felt somewhat confusing at times, and I wasn’t always sure how her storyline would ultimately connect to Avalon and Prim. I also would have appreciated translations for the French phrases used in a few places in the book. And while I enjoyed the ending, I found myself wishing for an epilogue. These women worked hard for their survival, and I would have loved a glimpse of their happily-ever-after.
Content warnings include violence against women and child abuse.
Overall, this is a dark, fast-paced thriller with morally gray characters, unexpected twists, and a strong theme of underestimated women finding their strength. I would highly recommend this to fans of dark thrillers, psychological suspense, and anyone who doesn’t mind losing sleep to finish “just one more chapter.”
Because this is what happens when independent, intelligent women stop playing nice. I loved every minute of it.
A special thank you to St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Harmless Women has the bones of a really juicy con-lady-meets-murder-wrong-place-wrong-face thriller. It wants to be Thelma & Louise if Louise had access to a medical-grade syringe and a Pinterest board titled Facial Reconstruction for Dummies. But somewhere along the way, this thing took a left turn into ghost town and forgot to bring snacks.
So we meet Avalon, our high-functioning chaos demon slash identity thief who’s out here drugging rich women and giving them unsolicited makeovers with a vengeance. Honestly, for the first 20%, I was IN. I was vibing. Avalon is a stone-cold grifter with a tragic backstory and a hyper-organized spreadsheet of revenge. I was rooting for her the way you root for a raccoon trying to rob a vending machine: she shouldn’t be doing this, but damn if I’m not impressed.
Enter Primrose, the blandest possible name for a woman who absolutely snaps and turns a cheating-husband scenario into a full-blown murder-mistaken-identity manhunt. Avalon tries to grift her, finds the husband face-down and inconveniently dead, and suddenly the two of them are fugitives traipsing through rural England like it's a trust-fund-sponsored yoga retreat. You’d think this is where things would get juicy. It almost does. But then they just... walk. And argue. And walk some more. You could make a drinking game out of how many times they threaten to split up and don’t.
And then... Bianca.
Y’all. I need to talk about Bianca because I have no idea what genre she thinks she’s in, but it is not the same one as everyone else. We’re talking spooky dreams, lost daughters, and a maybe-demonic entity that full-on murders her in a fever dream that somehow is supposed to connect back to the main plot but feels more like she wandered in from a Haunting of Hill House spinoff. Her chapters were like someone kept switching the TV channel every 20 minutes and I was just too polite to ask for the remote.
There’s definitely something here about women pushed to extremes, about vengeance and trauma and the lengths you’ll go to survive when no one’s looking out for you. And when Avalon and Prim actually start to trust each other, there are a few emotionally grounded moments that hit. I don’t know if it’s friendship or trauma-bonding or just the human equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome in waterproof hiking boots, but it gave the book a heartbeat. Finally.
But my god, the pacing. It’s like someone slammed the gas pedal and then took a nap at the wheel. Fast start, glacial middle, chaotic end with a twist that somehow managed to be both too much and not enough. I felt like I was chasing after a story that kept slipping out of its own plot like a badly fitted wig.
Final vibe? This is the kind of book that would make an excellent limited series if someone edited the script with a machete. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. I kind of want to talk about it in a bar bathroom with a stranger, then never think about it again. Three stars.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect the Entire British Countryside, a Ghost Mom, and Bad Fillers
Big thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I feel like I got invited to a messy girls’ trip I wasn’t prepared for, but I packed snacks and survived anyway.
So we meet Avalon, our high-functioning chaos demon slash identity thief who’s out here drugging rich women and giving them unsolicited makeovers with a vengeance. Honestly, for the first 20%, I was IN. I was vibing. Avalon is a stone-cold grifter with a tragic backstory and a hyper-organized spreadsheet of revenge. I was rooting for her the way you root for a raccoon trying to rob a vending machine: she shouldn’t be doing this, but damn if I’m not impressed.
Enter Primrose, the blandest possible name for a woman who absolutely snaps and turns a cheating-husband scenario into a full-blown murder-mistaken-identity manhunt. Avalon tries to grift her, finds the husband face-down and inconveniently dead, and suddenly the two of them are fugitives traipsing through rural England like it's a trust-fund-sponsored yoga retreat. You’d think this is where things would get juicy. It almost does. But then they just... walk. And argue. And walk some more. You could make a drinking game out of how many times they threaten to split up and don’t.
And then... Bianca.
Y’all. I need to talk about Bianca because I have no idea what genre she thinks she’s in, but it is not the same one as everyone else. We’re talking spooky dreams, lost daughters, and a maybe-demonic entity that full-on murders her in a fever dream that somehow is supposed to connect back to the main plot but feels more like she wandered in from a Haunting of Hill House spinoff. Her chapters were like someone kept switching the TV channel every 20 minutes and I was just too polite to ask for the remote.
There’s definitely something here about women pushed to extremes, about vengeance and trauma and the lengths you’ll go to survive when no one’s looking out for you. And when Avalon and Prim actually start to trust each other, there are a few emotionally grounded moments that hit. I don’t know if it’s friendship or trauma-bonding or just the human equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome in waterproof hiking boots, but it gave the book a heartbeat. Finally.
But my god, the pacing. It’s like someone slammed the gas pedal and then took a nap at the wheel. Fast start, glacial middle, chaotic end with a twist that somehow managed to be both too much and not enough. I felt like I was chasing after a story that kept slipping out of its own plot like a badly fitted wig.
Final vibe? This is the kind of book that would make an excellent limited series if someone edited the script with a machete. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. I kind of want to talk about it in a bar bathroom with a stranger, then never think about it again. Three stars.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect the Entire British Countryside, a Ghost Mom, and Bad Fillers
Big thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I feel like I got invited to a messy girls’ trip I wasn’t prepared for, but I packed snacks and survived anyway.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook.
📝 Short Summary
Harmless Women follows Avalon, a skilled con artist who targets wealthy women and steals their identities, until one job goes completely off the rails. What starts as her final big score turns into a chaotic run for survival when she gets tangled up in a murder and is forced into an uneasy alliance with the very woman she tried to con. It becomes a fast moving, twist heavy chase story where nothing really goes as planned.
Review
Okay this one is hard for me to explain because I really wanted to love it. The idea behind this book is so good. A female grifter stealing identities, choosing the wrong target, and then being forced to work together with her victim while on the run? That setup had me all in immediately. It had everything I usually enjoy in a thriller.
The audiobook itself is honestly what kept me fully engaged. Harrie Dobby did such a great job with the narration. Her voice is very soothing and easy to listen to, and she brought a calmness to the story even when things were chaotic. I found myself really settling into the audio because of her storytelling style. She made it an enjoyable listening experience even when I was struggling with parts of the story.
The story itself is where I had a harder time. There were a lot of twists and a lot going on, almost to the point where it felt like too much was being packed into one book. It was fast paced for most of it, but then it would suddenly slow down in a way that made me feel like nothing was really happening. That back and forth between a lot happening and then not much happening kind of pulled me out of the flow.
I also had a hard time fully connecting with the story because it felt very unrealistic at times. I can usually go with the flow in thrillers, but here it just felt like things kept stacking in a way that made it harder for me to stay immersed. I think the book was trying to do a lot with the twists, the action, and the character dynamics, and for me it just did not fully come together.
That said, I do want to say this was not a bad experience overall, it just was not the right fit for me. The concept is strong, and I can definitely see why other readers would enjoy it more. And again, the audiobook narration really elevated it for me. If I had read this physically, I do not think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did through audio.
Overall, this is one of those books where the idea is really solid, the narration is great, but the execution just did not fully land for me. I am glad I listened to it, but it is not one that I personally connected with as much as I hoped to.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
If you enjoy twist heavy thrillers with fast pacing and don’t mind a bit of unrealistic chaos, this might work really well for you, especially in audiobook format. The narration is definitely the highlight here.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook.
📝 Short Summary
Harmless Women follows Avalon, a skilled con artist who targets wealthy women and steals their identities, until one job goes completely off the rails. What starts as her final big score turns into a chaotic run for survival when she gets tangled up in a murder and is forced into an uneasy alliance with the very woman she tried to con. It becomes a fast moving, twist heavy chase story where nothing really goes as planned.
Review
Okay this one is hard for me to explain because I really wanted to love it. The idea behind this book is so good. A female grifter stealing identities, choosing the wrong target, and then being forced to work together with her victim while on the run? That setup had me all in immediately. It had everything I usually enjoy in a thriller.
The audiobook itself is honestly what kept me fully engaged. Harrie Dobby did such a great job with the narration. Her voice is very soothing and easy to listen to, and she brought a calmness to the story even when things were chaotic. I found myself really settling into the audio because of her storytelling style. She made it an enjoyable listening experience even when I was struggling with parts of the story.
The story itself is where I had a harder time. There were a lot of twists and a lot going on, almost to the point where it felt like too much was being packed into one book. It was fast paced for most of it, but then it would suddenly slow down in a way that made me feel like nothing was really happening. That back and forth between a lot happening and then not much happening kind of pulled me out of the flow.
I also had a hard time fully connecting with the story because it felt very unrealistic at times. I can usually go with the flow in thrillers, but here it just felt like things kept stacking in a way that made it harder for me to stay immersed. I think the book was trying to do a lot with the twists, the action, and the character dynamics, and for me it just did not fully come together.
That said, I do want to say this was not a bad experience overall, it just was not the right fit for me. The concept is strong, and I can definitely see why other readers would enjoy it more. And again, the audiobook narration really elevated it for me. If I had read this physically, I do not think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did through audio.
Overall, this is one of those books where the idea is really solid, the narration is great, but the execution just did not fully land for me. I am glad I listened to it, but it is not one that I personally connected with as much as I hoped to.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
If you enjoy twist heavy thrillers with fast pacing and don’t mind a bit of unrealistic chaos, this might work really well for you, especially in audiobook format. The narration is definitely the highlight here.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Publishing for the ARC of "Harmless Women" in exchange for an honest review.
By the time I finished this book, I felt like taking the same deep breaths as the two women lead characters. What a long long, exhausting, treacherous, perilous odyssey these girls embark on.......with the book re-inventing itself into some new unexpected genres right along with its characters.
I can't say all of it was swift or fast paced, but by the halfway mark, I became engrossed and utterly enthralled with Avalon and Prim's frantic adventures, especially their suspense crammed finale that dabbles with elements of tragic horror.
The opening promises sort of a nasty, smooth criminal thriller. Avalon, master of disguises, cons and thievery has just left her latest victim Primrose drugged, physically made over and with her considerable bank account cleaned out. What Avalon didn't count on - Prim's husband already dead on the floor and Prim ending up on the run with Avalon, both fugitives from justice together.
Sociopathic loner Avalon and sympathetic emotional Prim actively despise each other as they go on an endless hike through the English countryside, in hopes of reaching the coast....and boats. But disturbing, heart wrenching reversals-of-fortune along the way forever change the two women in ways both they (and we readers) could never imagine.
Avalon and Prim's points-of=view are at times interrupted by the seemingly unrelated story of Bianca. She's a tragic, middle aged widow, her mind coming undone by haunted memories of an abusive husband and a beloved adult daughter who fled the house, not to be seen again. Even when these stories inevitably collide, I'd credit author Rebecca Sharpe with still managing to make it all fresh, startling.......and compulsively page turning.
It took patience for me to stay with this book as it would slowly execute its plot lurches and character arcs from one trope to the next. But eventually it drew me fully into Prim and Avalon's tortuous trek, their small triumphs, their physical and emotional agonies and unnerving encounters with people who cross their path......where everyone's a potential threat.
Since,, "Harmless Women" did finally capture me in full "I gotta know what happens next" fury, I'd decided to round up my 3.5 rating to a full 4 stars. A long but ultimately rewarding and entertaining read....perfect material for one of those 10 episode streaming series.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
By the time I finished this book, I felt like taking the same deep breaths as the two women lead characters. What a long long, exhausting, treacherous, perilous odyssey these girls embark on.......with the book re-inventing itself into some new unexpected genres right along with its characters.
I can't say all of it was swift or fast paced, but by the halfway mark, I became engrossed and utterly enthralled with Avalon and Prim's frantic adventures, especially their suspense crammed finale that dabbles with elements of tragic horror.
The opening promises sort of a nasty, smooth criminal thriller. Avalon, master of disguises, cons and thievery has just left her latest victim Primrose drugged, physically made over and with her considerable bank account cleaned out. What Avalon didn't count on - Prim's husband already dead on the floor and Prim ending up on the run with Avalon, both fugitives from justice together.
Sociopathic loner Avalon and sympathetic emotional Prim actively despise each other as they go on an endless hike through the English countryside, in hopes of reaching the coast....and boats. But disturbing, heart wrenching reversals-of-fortune along the way forever change the two women in ways both they (and we readers) could never imagine.
Avalon and Prim's points-of=view are at times interrupted by the seemingly unrelated story of Bianca. She's a tragic, middle aged widow, her mind coming undone by haunted memories of an abusive husband and a beloved adult daughter who fled the house, not to be seen again. Even when these stories inevitably collide, I'd credit author Rebecca Sharpe with still managing to make it all fresh, startling.......and compulsively page turning.
It took patience for me to stay with this book as it would slowly execute its plot lurches and character arcs from one trope to the next. But eventually it drew me fully into Prim and Avalon's tortuous trek, their small triumphs, their physical and emotional agonies and unnerving encounters with people who cross their path......where everyone's a potential threat.
Since,, "Harmless Women" did finally capture me in full "I gotta know what happens next" fury, I'd decided to round up my 3.5 rating to a full 4 stars. A long but ultimately rewarding and entertaining read....perfect material for one of those 10 episode streaming series.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
April 24, 2026
Avalon Dale is about to be set for life! One more grift and she's living on easy street... and the target is so perfect! Primrose Meath is a wealthy workaholic with a cheating loser of a husband. After nearly making a clean getaway with Prim's entire fortune, Avalon's escape is hindered by one detail: Prim killed her husband. Now both women are on the run. Avalon's never been able to rely on anyone... but Prim can't survive without Avalon.
This was a hard book to rate. I looked forward to reading this book for a long time! I requested it on November 26 of last year. Since I read my ARCs in publication order, it's turn was further away than I wanted. The premise immediately intrigued me! This cat and mouse, con woman and victim turned road-trip buddies idea was a great one. The book was told from 3 POVs: Avalon's, Prim's, and a seemingly unrelated housewife named Bianca's. I enjoyed all 3, but felt like Bianca's story needed either it's own book or its own part. I was fully present when I was reading about Avalon and Prim's cross-country trek. I was interested in Bianca's story but I don't feel like it fit. Perhaps if the book was reorganized to be Prim and Avalon's story (part 1), Bianca's story (part 2), and have an alternating final part, it would've worked better.
I'm going to talk about myself for just a second. I read this book while struggling with my mental health. I wasn't motivated to read; in fact, it took me over 2 weeks to finish. I was reading in 30ish page spurts. I don't know whether my lack of motivation was due to my mental health struggles or this not being a book for me. I've talked before about how I believe every book has an audience and I always want to help a book find it's audience. I don't believe that, in my current headspace, I can properly judge this book, so I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm giving the book a conditional rating of 3-stars. I am going to re-read this book next April and reassess my rating. Right now, this book is a Reader's Choice. If you're the kind of reader who can just go with it (I'll be honest, some of the plot points require a massive suspension of disbelief) and doesn't mind not having all the answers, give this one a shot. I'm glad I stuck this one out to the end. Honestly, I never DNF (and sometimes will hate-read a book) but right now, I would not force myself to finish a book I didn't like. That alone tells me this conditional 3-star rating will increase when I re-read.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
This was a hard book to rate. I looked forward to reading this book for a long time! I requested it on November 26 of last year. Since I read my ARCs in publication order, it's turn was further away than I wanted. The premise immediately intrigued me! This cat and mouse, con woman and victim turned road-trip buddies idea was a great one. The book was told from 3 POVs: Avalon's, Prim's, and a seemingly unrelated housewife named Bianca's. I enjoyed all 3, but felt like Bianca's story needed either it's own book or its own part. I was fully present when I was reading about Avalon and Prim's cross-country trek. I was interested in Bianca's story but I don't feel like it fit. Perhaps if the book was reorganized to be Prim and Avalon's story (part 1), Bianca's story (part 2), and have an alternating final part, it would've worked better.
I'm going to talk about myself for just a second. I read this book while struggling with my mental health. I wasn't motivated to read; in fact, it took me over 2 weeks to finish. I was reading in 30ish page spurts. I don't know whether my lack of motivation was due to my mental health struggles or this not being a book for me. I've talked before about how I believe every book has an audience and I always want to help a book find it's audience. I don't believe that, in my current headspace, I can properly judge this book, so I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm giving the book a conditional rating of 3-stars. I am going to re-read this book next April and reassess my rating. Right now, this book is a Reader's Choice. If you're the kind of reader who can just go with it (I'll be honest, some of the plot points require a massive suspension of disbelief) and doesn't mind not having all the answers, give this one a shot. I'm glad I stuck this one out to the end. Honestly, I never DNF (and sometimes will hate-read a book) but right now, I would not force myself to finish a book I didn't like. That alone tells me this conditional 3-star rating will increase when I re-read.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I can say with confidence that I am the target audience for this book, as a staunch supporter of women’s rights and even more so, their wrongs.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The intrigue is immediate, the chapters are short and propulsive, and the story wastes no time pulling you in. Told through multiple POVs—including two central women and a third perspective that slowly reveals its significance in a way I won’t spoil—the structure keeps you constantly engaged and guessing.
At its core, this is a sharp, unflinching look at the ways patriarchal systems shape—and often damage—women’s lives. It explores the double standards women are held to, the language used to diminish and vilify them, and how quickly society can turn when a woman steps outside the lines. What makes it especially compelling is its nuance: while it doesn’t shy away from portraying truly awful and manipulative men, it also leaves room for men who support and uplift, avoiding a one-note narrative.
Just as powerfully, the story highlights the ways women can both uphold and challenge these systems. There’s something deeply resonant in how it examines internalized misogyny alongside fierce female solidarity. At the heart of it all are two women who have been profoundly shaped by their experiences and are simply trying to survive—and maybe, in the process, feel a little less alone. I found myself rooting for both of them almost immediately.
It’s also worth noting that this book balances its heavier themes with moments of humor and a relentless sense of momentum. By the time I hit the halfway mark, I knew I’d be finishing the rest in one sitting. It’s gripping, emotionally charged, and reads like a modern, feminist thriller in the vein of Thelma & Louise—tense, cathartic, and impossible to put down.
The audiobook experience only elevated it further. Harrie Dobby delivers a fantastic (solo narration) performance, bringing clarity, empathy, and depth to each perspective and fully immersing you in the story.
A bold, thought-provoking, and utterly compelling listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The intrigue is immediate, the chapters are short and propulsive, and the story wastes no time pulling you in. Told through multiple POVs—including two central women and a third perspective that slowly reveals its significance in a way I won’t spoil—the structure keeps you constantly engaged and guessing.
At its core, this is a sharp, unflinching look at the ways patriarchal systems shape—and often damage—women’s lives. It explores the double standards women are held to, the language used to diminish and vilify them, and how quickly society can turn when a woman steps outside the lines. What makes it especially compelling is its nuance: while it doesn’t shy away from portraying truly awful and manipulative men, it also leaves room for men who support and uplift, avoiding a one-note narrative.
Just as powerfully, the story highlights the ways women can both uphold and challenge these systems. There’s something deeply resonant in how it examines internalized misogyny alongside fierce female solidarity. At the heart of it all are two women who have been profoundly shaped by their experiences and are simply trying to survive—and maybe, in the process, feel a little less alone. I found myself rooting for both of them almost immediately.
It’s also worth noting that this book balances its heavier themes with moments of humor and a relentless sense of momentum. By the time I hit the halfway mark, I knew I’d be finishing the rest in one sitting. It’s gripping, emotionally charged, and reads like a modern, feminist thriller in the vein of Thelma & Louise—tense, cathartic, and impossible to put down.
The audiobook experience only elevated it further. Harrie Dobby delivers a fantastic (solo narration) performance, bringing clarity, empathy, and depth to each perspective and fully immersing you in the story.
A bold, thought-provoking, and utterly compelling listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Harmless Women is a Thelma and Louise-ish thriller I received from NetGalley about a con artist who steals from a wealthy woman, only to end up on the run with her victim after the victim kills her husband. The official publisher synopsis for the book says that the con artist was mistaken for her victim, which is confusing because that was not exactly what happened in the book. Honestly, I found that plot point a little fuzzy because it did seem like the con artist could has escaped on her own without anyone knowing who she was or connecting her to the murder.
It must be the week for being entertained by and enjoying mysteries with fuzzy premises, since I likewise thought the show How To Get To Heaven From Belfast had a shaky foundation for its catalyst, but would also still rate that four out of five stars. Harmless Women pulled me in immediately because it launched straight into the action without wasting any time. For as much as I read, I often get a bit sluggish getting through the first chapter or so of a new book as it sets up the narrative, and I did not have that issue here.
One of the things I really appreciated was the very reluctant alliance between the two women. I think a less skilled author would have had them get to an enthusiastic friendship too quickly, but Rebecca Sharpe really took her time to lay out the foundation in their pasts that made it plausible they would end up getting along, and then also very slowly start to earn that relationship bit by bit. Even at the 60% mark they were not fully willing to be traveling together.
I do think that this book requires being willing to suspend your disbelief a bit to enjoy an adventure. I'm a speculative fiction fan and don't mind a bit of the fantastic, but a lot of the scenarios and turns that the plot takes would probably annoy someone who wants their fiction to be more grounded in reality. Most of the plot takes place while the main characters are traveling by foot and by bike, and it did veer close to overstaying its welcome in the descriptions of them setting up their tent at night and all the bodily aches and injuries they acquired. For me, the developing friendship between the characters overrode anything that I felt less favorable about.
It must be the week for being entertained by and enjoying mysteries with fuzzy premises, since I likewise thought the show How To Get To Heaven From Belfast had a shaky foundation for its catalyst, but would also still rate that four out of five stars. Harmless Women pulled me in immediately because it launched straight into the action without wasting any time. For as much as I read, I often get a bit sluggish getting through the first chapter or so of a new book as it sets up the narrative, and I did not have that issue here.
One of the things I really appreciated was the very reluctant alliance between the two women. I think a less skilled author would have had them get to an enthusiastic friendship too quickly, but Rebecca Sharpe really took her time to lay out the foundation in their pasts that made it plausible they would end up getting along, and then also very slowly start to earn that relationship bit by bit. Even at the 60% mark they were not fully willing to be traveling together.
I do think that this book requires being willing to suspend your disbelief a bit to enjoy an adventure. I'm a speculative fiction fan and don't mind a bit of the fantastic, but a lot of the scenarios and turns that the plot takes would probably annoy someone who wants their fiction to be more grounded in reality. Most of the plot takes place while the main characters are traveling by foot and by bike, and it did veer close to overstaying its welcome in the descriptions of them setting up their tent at night and all the bodily aches and injuries they acquired. For me, the developing friendship between the characters overrode anything that I felt less favorable about.
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