The Herd by Andrea Bartz

The name of the elite women-only coworking space stretches across the wall behind the check-in desk: THE HERD, the H-E-R always purple. In-the-know New Yorkers crawl over one another to apply for membership to this community that prides itself on mentorship and empowerment. Among the hopefuls is Katie Bradley, who’s just returned from the Midwest after a stint of book research blew up in her face. Luckily, Katie has an in, thanks to her sister, Hana, an original Herder and the best friend of Eleanor Walsh, the Herd’s charismatic founder. Eleanor is a queen among the Herd’s sun-filled rooms, admired and quietly feared even as she strives to be warm and approachable. As head of PR, Hana is working around the clock to prepare for a huge announcement from Eleanor—one that will change the trajectory of the Herd forever. Though Katie loves her sister’s crew, she secretly hopes that she’s found her next book subject in Eleanor, who’s brilliant, trailblazing—and extremely private.
Then, on the night of the glitzy Herd news conference, Eleanor vanishes without a trace. Everybody has a theory about what made Eleanor run, but when the police suggest foul play, everyone is a suspect: Eleanor’s husband, other Herders, the men’s rights groups that have had it out for the Herd since its launch—even Eleanor’s closest friends. As Hana struggles to figure out what her friend was hiding and Katie chases the story of her life, the sisters must face the secrets they’ve been keeping from each other—and confront just how dangerous it can be when women’s perfect veneers start to crack, crumble, and then fall away altogether.

This was yet another book that takes you under the surface of the glamorous life of socialites. Except this time, they’re hardworking, smart, talented women that have set out to change the world. They’re sweet, inclusive women who help each other up. But, there’s still a but.
The Herd is sneaky because it shows you that nothing is perfect. No one is perfect, and it’s foolish to assume so. Everyone around Eleanor idolizes her, but she’s far from the saint they all think she is. Far from the mystery of Eleanor, though, are the layers of intrigue surrounding Katie and Hana. Both are jealous of each other, but both are hiding secrets. The dual POV does wonders here, letting us into their individual investigations. Both cut corners to find out what happened to Eleanor, but they’re afraid of being judged by their sister. The story takes us deep into their relationship, and all the things that have passed unsaid between them. Hana is the older sister, fighting battles that her friends never have to, trying to protect her little sister. Meanwhile, Katie is the youngest of them all, fighting hard to prove herself even as she struggles to keep her head above water. Bartz is particularly attuned to the journalistic tendencies of Katie, and builds her up perfectly. The other characters are painted in by the sisters, rarely matching. Their mismatching memories and experiences add an extra thrill to this mind bender.
The Herd takes you on a twisty ride, from one conclusion to another, jumping from one suspect to another. The story starts off slow, then ramps up, ending with a culprit that I absolutely did not see coming.I personally loved the twist at the end, and the way that Bartz sunk her teeth into the vicious competition between talented and determined women. She skillfully shows that no matter how hard they try, the world conspires against them.