A fast paced and compelling read! A true head scratcher that will leave you guessing until the very end. The Look-Alike hooked me from the beginning but it got a bit messy and lagged in the middle. The main character made such questionable decisions I wanted to shake her. But the ending redeemed the book for me and left me saying “woah”. 3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review

This was an enjoyable thriller that was hard to put down! As Sienna Scott returns home from a decade abroad, she is forced to face some of the issues that led her to be sent away in the first place. She must face the murder of a college girl who she discovered dead on a winter night and the fact that that case has never been solved. Sienna has a niggling feeling she was the intended target. But is that feeling because she is starting to show signs of the mental illness that has plagued her mother's life or is she right? As Sienna tries to find the answers to these questions, she discovers more than she really wants to. The author used the element of time (moving forward and backwards between the time of the murder and the current time) very effectively. This was a great book!

It was only at the 10% mark before I thought to myself "This book sucks."

It's been awhile since I read dialogue this cheesy and repetitive. There is no way that I can endure this for another 300 pages. I'm out!

A solid thriller. I really appreciate how this author used mental illness as a major plot point, but did so truthfully and respectfully, and did not vilify that character. This book kept me invested throughout and kept me guessing until the end. I did guess "who did it" early on, but there were enough plot twists to make me doubt my suspicions. Fun read

THE LOOK--ALIKE
BY ERICA SPINDLER

Sienna was her father's favorite child and daughter of his second wife who suffers from some sort of delusion disorder. I have never heard of that diagnosis before but it sounds a lot like schizophrenia. Her mother suffers from paranoid delusions that Sienna's father's first wife wants to hurt Sienna who goes to the local community college. One night just after midnight after Sienna leaves her study group she trips over a dead girl laying in the snow with crimson red blood with an identical jacket like Sienna's. The campus security officer who arrives on the scene puts a frozen and shocked Sienna in the front seat of his patrol car with the heat blasting. Before the police arrive he tells Sienna that the murder was personal. You don't stab someone eighteen times unless it is a crime of passion. Sienna is rushed off to London to live with her grandmother for ten years by her father to protect her. The dead girl's name is Madison and the murder was unsolved.

It is ten years later and Sienna is back home to take care of her mother and Sienna's father has died. Sienna is home to care for her mother since her brother's wife has divorced him. Sienna wants to buy a local restaurant in the quaint small town and has had training to become a chef. I have had the good luck lately to have been on a roll reading some excellent psychological thrillers and this one was no exception. The descriptive writing in this one has made the snow an atmospheric character with its freezing cold temperatures. Sienna's mother and her look exactly alike and Sienna's mother has the reputation of being a bit crazy and Sienna sometimes thinks people think she is just like her mother. Her mother lies to Sienna about taking her medication when she really hasn't. One night Sienna comes home to find her mother rambling and she has a gun.

Sienna asks her mother very calmly to give her the gun and her mother refuses. The two of them get in a tussle and the gun accidentally goes off hitting Sienna's mother. She is taken to the hospital by ambulance and her mother is taken in for immediate surgery. Luckily no major organs or arteries were hit but her mother is finally seen by a psychiatrist and after she is stabilized physically she is taken to a mental health care facility. Before the incident with the gun both her mother and Sienna were getting phone calls on their landline where there is breathing. One time though Sienna picks up the phone and it is a man with a voice altered device and he says it should have been you. Her mother also said that the unknown driver of a white van keeps driving by.

Sienna meets her neighbor across the street named Jonathan who is remodeling his house. Before to long they are in a whirlwind romance. Sienna finds out that her older brother has 'borrowed" from her two million dollar inheritance left to her by her father. Sienna was going to use the money to buy a restaurant called The Wagon Wheel to start her own business. Randall who is now on the police force tells Sienna that her older brother is having financial difficulties. Sienna confronted her brother who she adores and he he hurts her feelings saying that Sienna was left two million dollars and he was only left two hundred and fifty thousand dollars which he only has fifty thousand dollars of Sienna's money left. She has to tell the owners of The Wagon Wheel that she no longer can afford to buy their restaurant.

While Sienna is at Jonathan's house she accidentally knocks over a folder containing articles about the murder and information about Sienna's whole family. She thinks that Jonathan is the murderer and goes running to the police with her suspicion and it ruins their relationship. He doesn't want anything more to do with Sienna and she is heartbroken. Meanwhile her mother is due to come home and she has never looked so healthy and vibrant before. The psychiatrist tells Sienna to bring some memorable items to the mental health hospital and what Sienna finds in her mother's closet in a bin marked Sienna is both shocking and disturbing.

What does Sienna find at the bottom of the bin? Who is the murderer? Is it Jonathan? Is it her brother who borrowed and lost most of her inheritance? Was it her mother? Was it her father? Sienna and the doctor are both scared that if her mother is questioned by the police it could trigger another episode. She doesn't want to lose this same and loving version of her mother that she has no fond memories of before. There is still a killer loose but Sienna doesn't think that it is any of them..

This was a totally addictive thriller that was impossible to put down. The characters were all so finely developed in this chilling atmospheric novel. The true culprit kept changing and all of the characters were likable but there were many red herrings that made each one of them look guilty on the surface for a time. I loved this novel that wasn't too graphic as far as violence but it had me suspecting everyone. I did have a hint of who the murderer was so I wasn't surprised in the final reveal in the end. I want to read more by this author who has written six other novels. I was sorry for it to end. I think that I may have one more psychological thriller left and then it is on to literary fiction.

Thank you to Net Galley, Erica Spindler, and St. Martin's Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own..

Publication date January 23, 2020

#thelookalike #ericaspindler #stmartinspublishing #netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced ebook copy in return for an honest review.

Sienna Scott leaves her hometown to escape an unsolved murder she came across and her mother's mental illness. She has been in London for 10 years when she decides to come back, and the case happened to be reopened. Sienna looks exactly like her mother, and she is worried that she is becoming paranoid like her as well. She keeps thinking that she was the one that was supposed to be killed that night in the blizzard - she did have the exact same coat as the girl who was murdered.

The Look-Alike is a psychological drama instead of a thriller, but it kept me guessing the entire time. I kept changing my mind on who the killer was throughout the book, and I ended up being wrong. I really enjoyed the First Wife by Erica Spindler, and I will continue to read her books! I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a lighter thriller.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler follows Sienna Scott, a young woman who grew up in the dark shadow of her mother's paranoid delusions. Now, she's returned home to confront her past and the unsolved murder that altered the course of her life. As the walls close in, the line between truth and lie, reality, and delusion disintegrate. Has Sienna’s worst nightmare come true? Or will she unmask a killer and finally prove she may be her mother’s look-alike, but she’s not her clone?

I really enjoyed The Look-Alike, because it is such a unique twist on the thriller genre. It focuses on the typical mystery tropes, while also showcasing popular topics, like mental health and its effects on a family.

The writing is truly captivating, making this one unputdownable read. When I began reading, I felt the title, synopsis, and, especially, the author's note (positioned at the beginning of the book) were giving away too much information. Admittedly, I was going into this book a bit miffed. I thought I had most of the plot worked out in my head before I read the first sentence. Thankfully, the author worked in enough twists to keep me guessing until the very end. With that being said, I did predict certain things correctly, but the writing still made this an enjoyable read for me.

My favorite part about this book was all the unreliable narrators. Every character seemed to have motive, making it particularly hard to trust their words and actions. That makes for a stellar read, because I was constantly wondering what would happen next.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Sienna Scott is coming home from her stay in London where she was living with her grandmother. Tranquility Bluffs, the scene of a murder that she literally stumbled on years ago, has a restaurant for sale and that might be just what she needs. Restaurant or not, she believes it’s time to help care for her mother, who has paranoid delusions. It’s also time to return and face her own demons.

The girl that she found dead 10 years ago had been walking the same path at the same time Sienna usually walked it. And to make matters worse, they were wearing the same type of white coat with a hood.

Couldn’t the murderer have been hoping to kill her? After all, it happened during a snow storm. It would have been hard to see clearly.

Though Sienna has matured during the 10 years she’s been away, she is still very concerned about her mom’s protective nature toward her. But the neighbor who is renovating and flipping the house across the street catches her eye and heart, so that helps distract her. But does she know anything about him? Is it safe to fall in love with him?

There might be a lot at stake since 10 years ago the killer of the girl Sienna stumbled upon was never caught.

My thanks to St. Martin’s and #NetGalley for an ARC and the ability to freely express my thoughts.

What Concerned Me
Compared to Spindler’s other books that I’ve read, this felt a little bogged down with some repetition and took more time to gather speed.

What I Liked Best
The writing is good and there are enough red herrings along the way that for most, they won’t guess the ending. Although a few might think they know who the bad-guy/lady is, I imagine most will still waver between this person and that until the very last.

Recommended for
those who like a touch of romance with their psychological mystery.

Another masterfully written book by Erica Spindler ! A college student stumbles upon the body of a dead girl wearing the same coat as her . WOW !
This book will keep you hooked from the first thrilling page ! Mesmerizing thriller with many twists and turns and great characters ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book ! #Netgalley #St.Martin'sPress #TheLook-Alike

*** 4 Stars ***
Expected Publication: Jan 28th 2020

I'm going to be honest, when I was approved to read this ARC and reread the premise, I eye rolled hard and thought "Why would I choose this?" I mean let's be real, a girl comes across a girl's body who had just been murdered on her college campus and she thinks the killer meant to kill her because they had the same coat.. whatever mistaken identity... weak. I also thought I had it all figured out by 15% in....BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT I was so so wrong. I loved this book. Way more than mistaken identity. There's so many elements to this and I the main character Sienna is so likable! My advice, don't read the premise, just read this and go in blind. There is family drama, love/relationship drama, mental illness, and career paths/dreams. I thought this was really well written; fast-paced, and great flow that kept me guessing until the end.

Special Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First novel by ERICA SPLINDLER , it was pretty good but a little predictable I figured out the killer but still enjoyable. Thank you Netgalley.

Whoa! I devoured this book in two sittings! It grabs you from the start. Sienna is a college student who is leaving study group when she stumbles upon the body of a dead girl. A girl wearing the exact same coat as her. She immediately thinks “Was it supposed to be me that was killed?” A kind cop quickly comes to her aid and they form an unlikely friendship. When Sienna tells her family her suspicions they are alarmed because Sienna’s mother suffers from paranoid delusions that someone is out to get her and her family. They immediately worry Sienna will be just like her mother and send her to live with her grandmother in London. Ten years later, Sienna comes back home intending to visit although the murder is still unsolved, which frightens her. And those same thoughts begin to resurface as well as secrets from those around her. I literally kept changing my mind with every chapter about what really happened that night and who did what and that is EXACTLY what I love in a book, unpredictability. This book was fast paced, intense, and at times very creepy! Would definitely recommend!!

This was a great book. I was hooked from beginning to end. There are so many layers to uncover and twists and turns through out. The author does use the trope of mental illness to progress the story but the author mentions in the front acknowledgements that she had assistance by a medical doctor to help her "deepen (her) understanding of the persecutory delusional disorder. I am not sure how well she was able to accurately portray this condition but I really liked the way she treated this condition in her writing,

Having a mother that thinks everyone is out to get you makes the main character's life hard but after a campus murder that could have been her it throws her for a whirl and she had to escape. Fast forward and now she has come back and the past is starting to come back to light and things start happening when people start looking into the past,

The character development was well done, the writing style kept it all very interesting. Even the dual timelines were easy to follow. Each character has a very distinct characteristic which made it a breeze to keep track of all the different charters. The atmosphere of the book made it feel so real. I could easily visualize everything like a movie in my head.

This would make a great movie.

I've read one of her other books and i really liked it. This one thought... it was alright but not amazing. Other book was much better.

I found this one to be highly predictable and i guess that is was ruined it for me. I had a hard time getting into it but once i did it went by fast.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

#thelookalike #ericaspindler #netgalleyreview #Netgalley #arc murder. Mystery. Mayhem. When you literally run in to a dead body. And the coincidence of you both wearing the same coat. Add to that a mother with a mental illness. And Bam folks we have a book. This one took us on twists and turns. I must say once the villan was revealed I was shocked. I didn't expect it. I was looking at EVERYONE. There's nice twists and turns in here that'll make anyone to keep reading ...

The Look-Alike is the perfect, twisty, shocking, fast-paced thriller! From the first page on, I could barely stop reading! There were so many possibilities and scenarios, I was guessing until the very end!

"The Look-Alike" is one of those strange books that I really enjoyed and often disliked at the same time. I can see why it would have a lot of high-starred reviews- the story is engaging and for many people, it is just the right amount of suspense and story development.
There were a few things that I had a difficult time with:
1. The ending. Minor spoiler: <spoiler> It is important for an author to wrap up loose ends in a story, but forced happy endings come across as too fake. </spoiler>
2. I did not like the relationship between two of the main characters. I guess most my issue is that I don't really enjoy 'love at first sight' stories, especially if the characters 'click' because they are the only two that possibly could in the story.
3. Sienna, the main character, is just not that interesting.
4. I can't quite put my finger on it, which is why I haven't written a review even though I finished the book a few days ago, but there is something in the writing style that is stilted.
.... and yet, even with a list of 'complaints,' I genuinely enjoyed it. "The Look-Alike" is a fast read that is fun and different. It is like a B action movie- great in the moment, but maybe not as memorable in the long run. I would recommend "The Look-Alike" to people who enjoy suspense thrillers, as well as for people looking for a quick "summer" read.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book as an advance reader's copy and enjoyed it. The Look-Alike in this context is a student, Madison Robie, who was murdered in a college campus. Another student, Sierra Scott, tripped over her body in a blizzard, The girl was wearing the same coat as Sierra.

Ten years later, Sierra returns to her hometown after being away due to circumstances surrounding that murder years before. Her mother has some mental issues and Sierra intends to assist her half-brother, Bradley, with her care. At the same time, the police reopen the murder case since they were never able to solve it..

There were some twists and turns in the book which kept me reading. The main character, Sierra, was a little annoying at times and it seemed that she might also have some mental issues. All in all though, I did enjoy the book.

I do not read Thrillers and Mysteries, but I will read Erica Spindler's every book!
Her books are full of twists and turns. Her books are well researched. Her books keep you guessing till the end.
Read her FORBIDDEN FRUIT book and you will read every one of them..... Including this one too!

Spindler delivers a great who-dunnit that may have you thinking you know who did it...that is, until the next viable suspect comes along, and the next one, and the next. The book definitely keeps the reader hooked. There are ups and downs and twists and turns, but the ending ties everything up in a bow and the reader can satisfy any burning curiosity.