A new Catherine McKenzie book? Yes please!

I am a big fan of Ms. McKenzie's work! I had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of years ago and found her to be lovely and engaging. I absolutely adore when my favorite authors are also genuinely nice people in real world interactions.

This book held up to my high expectations with this author. A unique concept, fast paced writing, and complex characters, made for an entertaining and engaging read.

The premise of the book is interesting, a former victim of a cult meets a person with her name, only to have that person steal her identity and empty her bank account. The protagonist decides to take matters into her own hands and and gathers together other victims to pursue the perpetrator. What follows is a thrilling pursuit that kept the pages turning as the perpetrator taunts the group and they stop at nothing to try to find her.

If you have read any of Ms. McKenzie's other books, it will be no surprise to you that this is a great read. If you haven't read any of Ms. McKenzie's other books, go and get them now!!! This is a fantastic author that I can rely on for an interesting and thrilling story every time.

There is nothing better than a good book to have during the waning summer months, and this fits the bill. If you enjoy books by authors such as Megan Miranda, Michelle Campbell, and Sandra Brown- I think this is an author you should look into.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend, and I encourage everyone to enjoy Ms. McKenzie's backlist as well. Simply put, a great author that is an auto-read for me every time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my advanced review copy.

Holy macaroni! This was a fast read!! It had some good twists and turns and was suspensful and not very predictable :)

i really enjoyed this book - it was easy to read, and to follow along with the story. Catherine is a very good writer and i can always expect to enjoy what she has written!
You Can't Catch Me captured my attention right from the get-go.
it had thrills, a mystery, suspense, an interesting back story, varied characters, and a surprise ending.
i found sometimes i got mixed up with which Jessica was which though.

If you know me, you know I can’t resist anything related to cults and combine that with a thriller and I’m in heaven. ⁣
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I absolutely loved You Can’t Catch Me. It takes the typical con artist story and turns it in its head, while giving you developed characters, a little romance oh and did I mention a cult ?⁣
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At an airport bar, Jessica meets another “Jessica Williams,” with the same birth date as her. She thinks this is just a fun coincidence until her bank account is drained. She goes on a quest to find other potential victims and makes a plan to trap the con artist at her own game. All while dealing with the aftermath of growing-up in a cult, reintegration into society, and an infatuation with the private detective that helped save her. ⁣
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I flew through this book, loving everything from the writing style and plot and character development to the twists and turns and an ending that I truly didn’t except, yet made perfect sense as soon as I read it. ⁣
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It’s fun, so readable and I highly recommend you add it to your list!⁣
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Thank you to @simonschusterca and @netgalley for an arc of this book. All thoughts are my own. This awesome book is out now! ⁣
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Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Williams' is sitting at an airport bar waiting to board her flight to an all-inclusive resort after getting caught up in a plagiarism scandal and losing her job. It is here she will meet another woman with the exact same name. When Jessica returns from her trip, she finds her bank account empty. The bank and the police are unhelpful, and so she sets out on her own to figure out what really happened. What ensues is a game of cat and mouse.

I was drawn to You Can't Catch Me because the premise sounded interesting, and I love supporting Canadian literature. I'll admit, I was hooked after only a couple chapters, and the fast-paced plot kept me coming back for more. However, once I got to the last third of the book, it completely lost me! It was far too unbelievable, and the ending felt rushed and unfinished. I was able to figure out one of the major plot twists early on, and so it definitely dampened some of the thrill for me. The portion I enjoyed the most was the portrayal of cult life, but I was left wishing there had been more emphasis put on it. Although in the end it plays a huge role, I would have liked the plot to have veered a different direction entirely in relation to Jessica's past

I will be honest in saying I have been struggling with thrillers lately, and this was no exception. While I definitely want to give this one more love, I can't bring myself to do so. With that said, I can definitely see where the appeal is for so many, and if you love suspense and thrill, you'll likely enjoy this book. So if you're looking for a quick, summer read packed with twists and turns definitely pick this one up. And you can never go wrong supporting Canadian writers, so I do encourage you to read it and check out Catherine McKenzie's other work. .
Content Warnings: fraud, cult life, suicide, loss of a loved one, death

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in return for an honest review. This psychological thriller has an intriguing and original premise, but I failed to become engaged in the story and wasn’t feeling any emotions or suspense.

There are two main storylines; identity and money theft and growing up in a secretive cult. I found the switching back and forth jumbled the pacing. The plotting was clever with some appealing twists, but I thought it was lacking a moral centre and was dependent on coincidences which lacked credibility.

Jessica’s behaviour and life choices were certainly influenced by growing up in a cult, and later her striving for independence. Unfortunately, I did not like her role as protagonist and disliked other members of the cast. Because I did not connect with the characters, I was unable to care how the plot turned out, and it became tedious and far fetched for me. The romance story did not appeal to me. I regret this book just wasn’t for me. From the positive reviews I have seen, I think it will appeal to many readers.

This was a fun one to read with a totally unpredictable ending.
Jessica Williams escaped a cult at eighteen with the help of an investigator, went to journalism school and had a promising career until she was outed for plagiarism. Sitting at an airport bar on her way to Mexico a woman strikes up a conversation with her and it just so happens this woman has the same name and birthdate as she does. Upon returning from her trip she finds her bank accounts empty and she knows who's to blame. This begins the twisted game of seek and revenge. Enlisting the help of her savior/investigator/love interest she seeks out other Jessica's with the same birthdate to find of they're victims of 'Jessica two' as well. After getting a couple of other Jessica's on board they set out to trap the perpetrator and get their money back.
I found this to be an easy, fast paced novel with just enough twists and turns to keep me interested and surprised. I thought the character development and history of 'Jessica one' to be fascinating and the other Jessica's to be intriguing enough to want to know how the story would resolve itself. I enjoyed the mix of identity theft and grifting and think the author does a great job with the plot while differentiating all the Jessica's.
I recommend this one to those of you who might like going on joy rides with a few Jessica's and then be surprised when you reach your final destination.
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Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for the ARC to read, review and enjoy

YOU CAN’T CATCH ME by Catherine McKenzie was such a wild ride! I loved all the action in this novel and there were a few surprising twists that kept it interesting. The main character Jessica’s backstory of growing up in a cult was unique but I didn’t fully believe the chemistry with her romantic interest. I really enjoyed the fast pace as I read the majority of this book in one sitting. I’m super curious to read her other books now!

This story was 👌. Minus one star because I was a bit confused at the end. The ending was done well, don't get me wrong but I guess I just don't know how to feel about it so I can't give it a full five stars. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author though!

I love this author’s books and this was no exception. This is a fast paced thriller that I raced through in one evening. Jessica grew up in a cult but was able to escape when she was a teenager. Now Jessica is a journalist and is embroiled in a plagiarism scandal involving an article she wrote. To get away from the controversy she decides to take a vacation and surprisingly meets up with a woman in the airport with the same name and birthdate as her. What are the odds? When Jessica returns home she finds out the new Jessica has stolen all her money from her bank accounts. Now the story really picks up as Jessica is determined to get her money back. The more she digs into who Jessica Two is the more Jessica’s she finds in the same predicament as her. They decide to work together to find the culprit. This is where the twists and turns really start and you can’t stop reading. There are also a lot of interesting tidbits throughout describing the cult Jessica’s family is in. I thought the suspense in this book was great and there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced thriller.
Thank you to the author and Simon and Schuster Canada for my free review copy.

You can't catch me by Catherine McKenzie is a fabulous suspense novel with a twist you wont see coming!

After being fired from her journalism job for plagiarism, Jessica Williams tries to take a holiday and is at the airport where she meets a woman with the exact same name, who she dubs Jessica Two. They play a game of 20 questions...and a week later, Jessica returns home and discover that large cash withdrawals have been made from her bank account. The police, are no help... the crime is a low priority. Convinced that this isn’t the first time this scam has been run, Jessica is determined to catch the imposter, and sets a plan in motion to catch the thief, encountering a string of identically named victims along the way. The book was a hit for me because of the character development. I liked Jessica; no matter what, she still had a sense of who she was and what was right and wrong; the chemistry between her and Liam was there too. This book also brings a valid point about playing those silly fb games to get information out of you...dont play them!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Do not hesitate to grab this book now or on its’ release day. I love Catherine McKenzie’s books and this was perfection. I found it amazing how quickly I can read a book when I am enjoying it and absorbed in the story.

I am not sure if i even knew the plot of this and I recommend that you go into without knowing too much.

Oooh, this one had some TWISTS!

Jessica Williams meets Jessica Williams at an airport bar. No, it’s not a clever joke.. Jessica Williams was scammed! After losing her job and deciding to go on a vacation, Jessica One returns to empty bank accounts and is forced to track down her scammer along with the help of a couple new friends and an old one!

This book had me hooked from the first page and I read it in two sittings. I really enjoyed the backstory being intertwined about Jessica’s cult past. There was a cult, action, drama, a little romance, and much more in this novel.

I especially appreciated that this book knocked me down a couple of pegs. I am usually pretty good at guessing what the twists will be but this one left me humbled! I did not see the ending coming!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie.

Jessica Williams was rescued from a cult as a young child. This led to her having a very strained relationship with her parents. But she was determined to be successful as a journalist. She accomplished this fete until she was disgraced for plagiarism.

Sitting in an airport, Jessica meets another person with the same name as hers. To pass the time they play a simple question and answer game and then part ways. Days later Jessica finds that her bank accounts have been drained.

This is a story of revenge and cat and mouse games. It has a lot of twist and turns that will keep you guessing. A good read for the summer. I would recommend this book if you like good thriller.

I had high hopes for this book. The blurb drew me in and the first couple chapters hooked me. I felt horrible for Jessica- her childhood, career implosion and having her money stolen. I was excited to read how she went after the criminal Jessica. How she moved on from the mess and came out on top..The book lost me at the end. It was way too far fetched and the story veered for me. I ended up pissed at Jessica and wondering what the heck happened.

Do you know how common the name Jessica is, particularly for women born in the 1990s? How about the surname Williams? In You Can't Catch Me, Catherine McKenzie poses the question: what if a con artist takes advantage of the commonness of these names?

The novel begins with Jessica Williams at an airport bar. A journalist caught at plagiarism, Jessica is on her way to a week-long vacation to escape the mess her life has become. A waiter calling out her name leads to the discovery of a second Jessica Williams in the same bar. Jessica Two, as journalist Jessica calls her, is fascinated by the coincidence of both of them being at the bar at the same time. She invites journalist Jessica to a game of Twenty Questions, to discover what else, apart from their names, they could have in common. (For one thing, they both share the exact same birthday.) Fast forward a week, and journalist Jessica realizes that Jessica Two has stolen all her money, using the information from their Twenty Question game (what's your mother's maiden name? who was your best friend in elementary school?) to impersonate her.

It turns out that journalist Jessica grew up in a cult, and the man who got her out, Liam, has major investigative skills. With Liam's help, Jessica tracks down two other victims of Jessica Two: Jessie (Jessica Three), a quiet schoolteacher who lost her lottery winnings, and JJ (Jessica Four), a retired soldier turned celebrity YouTuber. Both new Jessicas have the same name and the same birthday as the first two. Together, the three Jessicas continue the investigation into Jessica Two, and plan how to take her down.

The premise of You Can't Catch Me is, admittedly, a bit silly. As someone on Goodreads asks, why can't a con artist just use fake names and fake birthdays on their intended victims instead of targeting women all with the same name and the same birthday? There's also a lot of focus on Jessica One's history with the cult, and apart from being an interesting bit of character history, why on earth is it relevant to the story of the Jessica Williamses? I did wonder about both questions at the start, then eventually just made the decision to sit back and enjoy the ride. And enjoy it I did. The good news is that both questions are indeed answered by the end of the book; the even better news is that it's a fun and entertaining ride throughout.

You Can't Catch Me is, plain and simple, a fun thriller. It's twisty and captivating, and basically the book equivalent of a summer blockbuster. My favourite part has to be shortly after Jessica One and Jessie the school teacher set off on a road trip to meet up with JJ. Jessica One teaches Jessie the art of grifting (at a basic card game scam, and at a bar with a married man), which Jessica One learned from her years at the cult. The threat of Jessica Two still looms large of course, but somewhat overshadowing it is the thrill of the chase. Even though Jessica One, Jessie, and later JJ, are the victims of a crime, the narration is light and breezy, highlighting the exciting challenge of outwitting a master con artist.

The last 25% of the book is just dizzyingly full of twists and revelations, and suddenly, all the seemingly disparate pieces fit together. It's a satisfying finale to an entertaining thriller.

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Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

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This post will go live on my blog (URL below) on Wed, August 5, 2020, at 8 am ET.

You Can’t Catch Me is exactly as it sounds, a fast paced cat and mouse type of thriller with plenty of action and suspense.
While waiting to board her flight to Mexico, Jessica meets a woman with the same name and date of birth as her. After comparing other similarities and exchanging numbers, the women part ways. Once back from her trip, Jessica discovers that her bank account has been drained by the Jessica from the airport. Getting little help from the police, she decides to track down Jessica and get her money back. In the process, she finds other Jessica’s who have been swindled as well.
I seriously flew through this book! I love Catherine McKenzie’s writing and books and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. Everything just worked for me, the characters, and how the whole story came together in the end. There were some really good twists and an ending I did not see coming! There was also a touch of romance in this one, which as you know I’m not a huge fan of, but I loved it in this book. I actually would like a sequel. Would definitely recommend. 4.5 ⭐️

Thanks to author Catherine McKenzie and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

You Can't Catch Me is exactly what I eagerly anticipate from author Catherine McKenzie: an intelligent, twisty suspense novel with a sympathetic female protagonist. I'm not going to give a synopsis here because a perfect description is provided above this review. This novel has it all: a Caribbean vacation, cult survivors, grifters, five distinct Jessica Williamses, a dark and mysterious love interest, and hiking in various gorgeous locales.
I enjoyed the pacing, the dry humor and the twists galore. I felt discomfort when the characters made poor and unethical choices, yet I was caught up in the story, suspending my disbelief right until the final reveal. While this novel did not end as I hoped, my ultimate issue with the conclusion is that it feels less like an ending and more like a beginning to another story.

You can't catch me is an engrossing and intelligent plotted story by Catherine Mackenzie. Its a fast paced, quick and entertaining read. I was totally hooked and it caught my attention from the very first chapter.
Though in the midway it felt like the story is getting off track. But it was so well connected that all the events started making sense towards the end. The book has some interesting twists and turns with an extremely surprising and mind blowing ending. I fully enjoyed this book. If you are looking to read a brisk, gripping thriller, this is the one! Highly recommended.
You can't catch me will be out on shelves in Canada on Aug 18th 2020.
Thank you @simonschusterca for sending me an advanced reader copy of this fantastic book!

Well, I must say this book had my attention from Page 1, and I flew through it, always trying to anticipate what the twist was going to be. Reading a mystery/thriller you know there’s always going to be a twist or two, but sometimes I find that these types of books are very formulaic and you can pretty much predict what is going to happen. Not with this one though! I didn’t see it coming at all which was very refreshing. Some parts seemed like a bit of a stretch to me at times, but then when everything is finally revealed at the end, it all becomes much more plausible. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it!