Harmless Women

by Rebecca Sharpe

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.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Adult

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Natalie K · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Madeline Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Courtney (why did I request all these!?) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Stacy40pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Addison Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and am so glad I did!

[Melissa P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

👗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!🏕

[Jaime Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Hope Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harmless Women is one of those thrillers that starts with a bang and then proceeds to sprint wildly down the road, occasionally tripping over its own shoelaces. The premise is great. A con artist picks the wrong target, a dead body appears, and suddenly two very different women are forced into an unwilling road-trip-from-hell while being chased for murder. I was in immediately.

The pacing is fast and chaotic in a mostly fun way. There’s a lot of running, hiding, mistrusting each other, and making questionable choices under pressure. If you enjoy thrillers where everything keeps escalating and no one ever stops to take a deep breath, this definitely delivers.

That said, the characters never fully won me over. I liked the idea of them more than I liked them as people, and some of the twists felt like they were showing up right on schedule rather than surprising me. I also found myself occasionally thinking, “Sure, why not?” when the plot made a sharp turn that required a generous suspension of disbelief.

Still, I didn’t regret reading it. It’s entertaining, easy to fly through, and works well if you’re in the mood for something dramatic and a little over the top. Harmless Women may not be groundbreaking, but it’s a fun ride as long as you don’t ask too many questions along the way. Three stars for a thriller that knows how to keep moving, even if it sometimes runs past logic waving cheerfully behind it.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore con artist stories, so the premise of this debut thriller really appealed to me. I was happy to find the book to be lots of fun and quite well-written for a popcorn thriller. I am excited to have experienced this great new book and will be looking forward to reading more from this author!

Avalon is a con artist, and she has been working on her latest job for many months. The plan is underway, but an unforeseen complication throws her off course and threatens to make her escape nearly impossible. Her indomitable tenacity keeps her moving forward, and the ride proves to be very enjoyable.

The narrative flows quickly with short chapters and three different points of view, with some portions of the story being flashbacks. The third perspective begins as a separate story and eventually weaves its way into the main plotline. The book is full of twists and interesting character development, making it certain to appeal to fans of suspenseful thrillers of the con artist variety.

A little added bonus that particularly tickled me is that Avalon is a fervent fan of fermented food, which is a passion of mine that I rarely see mentioned in the books I read!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Brooke Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. I was expecting Avalon to steal from tons of people and change how they look and be on this crazy spree..... and it happened to one person. When I first started this book, I read a few chapters at a time, but it was pretty slow and boring, and I read other books. I'd go back to this one and read a chapter here or there. I finally told myself to just finish it. For me, this book didn't really get interesting until over 50% into it and it wasn't until part 3 that it really made me want to keep reading.

There is so much walking and riding through fields and randomly running into people walking their dogs and I have no idea if they were on paths or if everyone just walks through fields. Bianca's story drove me through the wall, and I feel like that story wasn't even complete. And the author made just about every man in this book a creep.

I was actually telling a coworker about this book, and talking about it out loud to someone makes it sound like one crazy book. I honestly don't know if I should recommend it because of how wacky it is, or that be the reason why i don't.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC.

[Mal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced reader copy.

Avalon lives in the shadows, stealing from the wealthy to fund her own nest egg. When she makes Prim her next mark, things go awry in a way that Avalon isn't prepared for and the two women end up on the run together. Along the way they must depend on one another in a way neither has had to do and just might find the friendship each has also been looking for.

The premise of this book immediately hooked me--a fresh take on the thief trope in thriller books. But the pieces of the book--Avalon's story, Prim's story, and the eventually connected story of Bianca--didn't come together in a cohesive way. I found myself skimming a lot to get to what I hoped would be a satisfying ending; while there was an interesting twist in the second half of the book, concerning something Avalon and Prim are forced to do, the wrap up felt anemic and unsatisfying. I'm rushing to cram in one more book before the new year, so that this isn't my last reading experience of 2025.

Harmless Women is out April 7, 2026.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harmless Women is one of those thrillers you can tear through in a couple of sittings. The setup is a bit unbelievable. Avalon Dale is a con woman who kidnaps and sedates her victims, alters their appearance, and drains their bank accounts. Primrose Meath is supposed to be her final job. But when Prim’s husband turns up dead, both women are suddenly on the run, stuck in a tense, mistrustful partnership as they try to stay ahead of the law.

The pacing is quick, and there are definitely some twists that keep things moving. Not all of them feel fully believable or fleshed out, though, and I found myself working harder than I wanted to in order to understand certain character motivations. I found both women unlikable and hard to root for, unfortunately. That said, this is a very bingeable thriller with good tension at the heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Amanda W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book expecting something completely different. I wish we had learned more about Avalon's life and why and how she was doing what she was doing before jumping straight into her interactions with Primrose. Like, maybe we see the aftermath of what she has done before? I found the stakes confusing: why would Avalon be pushed on the reader as this tough, fearless woman, yet she immediately works with Primrose because she is scared? I just couldn’t get into it.

While Avalon and Primrose's story is interesting to follow, albeit predictable, Bianca's story is very, very slow-paced and hard to get interested in. The way the two storylines converge was just a little too tightly wrapped up for me, and I was left kind of underwhelmed and/or confused by the whole thing.

Should you read this book? Eh, if you enjoy thriller-type books that do not require you to think too much, sure.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way it started, I got excited about this ARC! I loved the quick chapters and storyline.

But then it slowed and got confusing. I thought one character was written in by mistake. Honestly, their part in this story could have been omitted. I dropped the book for days at a time, after a hopeful start.

I felt that either these women were INCREDIBLY fortunate, or the investigators had very little interest in them.

It came together nicely more than 3/4 of the way through. Then it sped up, and I couldn't stop reading through the end.

Thank you Rebecca Sharpe, Minotaur Books and Goodreads for my advance reader's copy.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Krystin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm unsure if I'm underwhelmed or just...whelmed. This book started out slow for me; I wasn't really into it until nearly 40% of the way through. It kept my attention from there, but after finishing it, I'm left wondering what it was all for. It felt a bit anticlimactic and left too many threads unresolved, in my opinion.

(I received a free advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[ReneeReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books with unhinged women and I was looking forward to reading this one because the main character is a con artist. While I loved the synopsis and the idea of a female grifter, this one fell short for me. From the start I was intrigued and it seemed like something I was going to love but as I read more, I became less interested. The story didn't flow for me, a few of the plot points were unbelievable and the end was a bit underwhelming.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this extra extra time. A dual POV between Bianca and Avalon. Both characters are crazy. Avalon is a thief who travels to steal and Bianca incessantly speaks of her daughter while not making the story clear at all. At what point do the dreams and visions become a small portion? Never I honestly hate say that it’s not worth it, but that’s me

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Harmless Women” is billed as a suspense thriller but much of the story is lacking in thrill and for much of the book, the only real suspense is how the strange side story with Bianca will connect to Avalon and Prim. The interactions between and experiences of Avalon and Prim were decent. The story would have been much better without the Bianca angle.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat. What started off as a con then turned into a Thelma and Louise storyline. I’m still not sure about the additional storyline in the book. It didn’t connect. The pacing dragged in places which made it hard to be engaged.

Thanks NetGalley for the Arc. 2,5 rounding to 3.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got into the story almost immediately after starting it. I am a big fan of mysteries and thrillers so this was right up my alley. It’s a fairly even paced story, and it kept me intrigued, despite the fact that I never truly warmed to any of the characters. However, it’s a good thriller and held my interest until the end. I recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm such a fan of these characters. I love rooting for the morally ambiguous but extremely clever person, all the more so when they have the opportunity to demonstrate that they weren't ambiguous at all, not really.

[Stephanie Gauzens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca has found a new angle on a the thriller genre. The story is fast paced and has some twists that readers are sure to enjoy!

Thank you to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

[Mandy Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this! Lots of twists!

[Cecily Bonney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that, in my opinion, the synopsis was 100% better than the actual book.

I went into this read with very high expectations, and unfortunately, I was let down. The story moved painfully slow for me and just wasn’t very believable.

I rated it 2.5 stars because it wasn’t horrible and I did finish it—but I found myself slowly losing interest in the characters along the way.

[Meaghan Dumesnil · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I tend to read books on the romance spectrum, I do love a mystery/thriller every now and then. The premise of this book sound sounded so good. I think the book started off strong with Avalon's POV and I loved exploring how she cons people. Once Avalon discovered Prim had killed her husband I thought, this is going to be so good. However everything with them being on the run was just fine. I felt it dragged on a little and was a tad bored.

For me Bianca's POV was useless and honestly I would prefer it to not be in the book at all. I was so thrown with the ghost/demon/spirit thing she had going on that I could not see where she fit in to the story. I at first thought her missing daughter was going to be either Prim or Avalon. The scene where the ghost/demon/spirit thing "kills" Bianca was too much. Everything with Bianca made the last 25% of the book just so hard to follow for me.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC of this one!