Secret Shopper Assignment Summarized

For this assignment, I went to one of my local libraries where I am not familiar with the librarians.  Normally, I would feel uncomfortable approaching someone I don’t know and asking for help, but I worked the adult reference desk for about two years and my favorite part of my job was when people would ask me for book recommendations.  Having this experience made this a more comfortable assignment.

I approached the reference desk where a woman a bit older than myself was working. I told her that I had just finished reading the book In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware and was looking for something else.  She started by asking me if there was a specific book I had in mind or if I was looking for a specific genre.  I told her that I had nothing in mind, but I normally read fast-paced thrillers with strong female leads. She then asked me if I wanted to stick with this style, or if I wanted  something different. I told her I was open to anything, but suggested maybe keeping a little suspense or mystery in the plot. She consulted her computer for a few minutes, and then told me she found three titles that I might be interested in.  She read off three books that were definitely interesting to me, but it was the final book she named that I was most excited about.  The final book she chose was a new one called An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I immediately told her I had read The Wife Between Us by these authors and loved it.  I didn’t know they had a new book out! 

My readers advisory transaction was a successful one, because I was excited by the recommendations I was given.  I’m definitely going to read An Anonymous Girl, and I added the three other options she gave me to my Goodreads “to read” list.