This book left you just wanting to know more, I couldn’t stop reading until I knew exactly what was happening and by the end it’s nothing that you ever imagined. It was also so informative, historically and gave relevance to today’s society.

M

The title of WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING promises more than the book delivers. It contains too much foul language and bitterness and way too much whining. I resented the time I spent on it.

When No One Is Watching, Alyssa Cole, author; Susan Dalian, Jay Aaseng, narrators
The book is billed as a thriller, but most of the book spends time leading up to that part that one would call a thriller. For about 3/4ths of the book, the topic really revolves around corruption, racism and romantic involvements, in a Brooklyn neighborhood that is in the throes of gentrification. The novel is filled with stereotypical characters and a dialogue that tries to address the reality of blacks who are being targeted in their own neighborhoods by police, realtors, and elitists looking to take advantage of those that are disadvantaged, those who live in a prime neighborhood, but who are struggling. They do it simply because they can. The elitists view the residents as unworthy, and indeed, take advantage of them using silver tongued salespeople. Although many of the elitists fear their neighbors, their fears are exaggerated and are often unwarranted. However, on the other side of the coin, the neighborhood is drawn as nirvana, with no real consideration of the crime and real poverty, that is rampant in so many of these depressed areas. It also seems, that black residents both fear and distrust all white people, in general, which is just as much of an exaggeration.
For most of the book, the reader will wonder where the thriller part is, as the residents are preoccupied with day-to-day events, survival, planning, sparring and spatting with each other. As residents seem to disappear, as property changes hands, often unfairly, the atmosphere in the neighborhood begins to grow tense. The residents are powerless against the forces that are blossoming around them, changing their world, they cannot get answers to their questions which are dismissed as not credible or worthy of answers. Sometimes the answers, when provided, are insulting. The fears and questions the residents have raised are dismissed as conspiracy theories, as they have been, for years. How the residents are taken advantage of, mocked and injured, in the effort to remove them from their homes, and in the broader world, as well, is the main thrust of the book. As the characters face their racial differences, the reader witnesses the formation of new bonds, even as others are broken. A commonality is sometimes discovered which finally offers some hopefulness.
Often, the two main characters spar with each other. Theo tries ineffectively to please Sydney, who is black, and Sydney who is conditioned to resent and fear Theo because he is white, constantly taunts him. Sydney, is a responsible citizen, however, a teacher who struggles, but tries to do the right thing. Theo on the other hand, has a GED, is out of work, and has no compunction about committing crimes to satisfy his needs. On the surface, he seems genuine, but he has spent his life taking advantage of others, in contrast with Sydney who lives in a neighborhood where people help each other. Both Theo and Sydney like their neighborhood, however, although Theo’s girlfriend Kim wants to change it so that her elitist friends and business associates can take over and then force out those who have been residents for years. Where do they expect them to go? Theo and Sidney first meet when they go on the same walking tour of their black neighborhood. Sydney insists on asking several disruptive questions, causing the very rude tour guide to suggest that she start her own tour business. Encouraged by her mom, Sydney attempts to do just that. Soon, as Kim and Theo move into their new house, and they become neighbors of Sydney, resentment grows between the two women.
Soon Theo and Kim's relationship withers. They both have different world views. Will that be the catalyst for a new relationship to form, because both Sydney and Theo are dumped by their significant others? Will they cross the color line?When there is a meeting of the neighborhood residents to plan for their annual Gifford Place event, Theo attends, but Kim does not. He becomes better acquainted with Sydney who really treats him rudely and mocks him. When he offers to help her with her research for her neighborhood tour business, she agrees, but she insists she won’t pay him, but he should consider his help, as reparations.
As the forces at work seem to influence some of the homeowners in the neighborhood to sell their places, they seem to leave without saying goodbye. No one hears from them again. Where are they going? Is this real estate market on the up and up? Is it the elitists forcing out the poorer homeowners so they can live in luxury without any regard for those they displace? At the same time, as property is changing hands, there is also a medical research lab being built in an old hospital facility nearby. Is something nefarious going on there too?
Eventually, after many trials and tribulations, after Sydney jumps to false conclusions and Theo reveals more about himself, they become good friends, helping each other, trusting each other, regardless of racial issues. As they both notice odd things going on in the neighborhood and their curiosity and fear are piqued, the action develops. In the end, will they be able to stop the forces of evil at work? In the end, will they bring about positive change? Is their retribution or resolution of the many issues raised? Not all questions will be answered.
The dialogue is often crude and too sexual, creating a negative stereotype, unnecessarily, and making the book a difficult read. On the positive side, the narrators do a very good job creating their characters.