Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected pub date: June 9, 2020

I am so excited to be chosen as one of McKenzie’s early readers, once again. I have read most of McKenzie’s later works, and was impressed by her creativity and skill, so taking the plunge into “You Can’t Catch Me” had me overcome with all the feels.

Jessica Williams has spent the last twelve years trying to rebuild her life, after escaping from a cult. Now, as she starts a new job and a new relationship with the private investigator who helped free her, she is finally making some gains. When she meets another woman named “Jessica Williams” in an airport bar, things soon go from good to very, very bad. Jessica Two has used her identity and stolen the majority of the settlement money Jessica won in a lawsuit against her old cult leader. In order to regain her money, Jessica teams up with others who have also been a target of Jessica Two, and they band together with a plan to take Jessica Two down.

“You Can’t Catch Me” has a unique Charlie’s Angel’s feel, with bad-ass lead female characters banding together to take down another (just plain bad) female who has managed to use her smarts and charm to swindle them out of money. All of the “good” Jessica’s in this novel are easy to root for, and they aren’t portrayed as naïve somehow, as the swindler Jessica has very strong game, making it believable that she could abscond with someone’s money.

I thoroughly enjoyed the cult segment of this novel and wanted more of it. At first, it didn’t seem to tie into the plot (outside of being the protagonists’ Jessica’s back story) , but in true McKenzie fashion, it plays a very important part toward the end of the novel. The twist was impressive, although a lot of convenient coincidences were at play in order to make it work.

Cleverly told, I am a fan of McKenzie’s new novel. After ten novels, McKenzie shows no signs of slowing down, and I will gladly devour any story she wishes to put to paper.

I love this author! She always provides a twisty tale that surprises me in the end. Great writing as usual.

Be sure to catch up with You Can't Catch Me when it's released this summer!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica Williams is a recently-disgraced journalist fired for plagiarism and a subsequent staff scandal. She is also a surviving member of a cult childhood upbringing.
After a chance airport meeting she becomes the victim of fraud and theft, by another woman named Jessica Williams.
These story threads are interesting within themselves but it takes some investment to find out how they're intertwined. Readable writing style with some smart plotting and wit make this a fun read. And wait for it - some fantastic slow-burn reveals in here!
This is the first book I've read of Catherine McKenzie's and I'll definitely be checking out others. Recommended!
For release on Aug. 18, 2020.

Wow! You Can’t Catch Me is an amazing work! Character development was amazing! I was hooked on the main character, Jessica right from the first chapter. I even read some parts out loud to my boyfriend. I was itching for more and more and just couldn’t put it down! Jessica was scammed by someone pretending to have the same name and birthday as her. As she fights to find answers and justice, we discover there may be more to the truth after all!
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller!

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

4.5 stars - Wow what a story! I read this book in 2 days. I love the writing style and the character's personality. There were a few unrealistic coincidences but easily looked past for the sake of a good story. I loved how the story tied up at the end!

I also loved how it was kind of 2-stories-in-1, how the main character is chasing down the person who stole her money, but also the main character's whole backstory of how she grew up (loved it, fascinating!)

I can't wait to read more from this author!

If you were caught up in a con game and lost all of your money, how far would you go to get revenge on the person who did this to you?

Investigative journalist, Jessica Williams, becomes an unwitting victim of identity theft after being caught in a grifter’s game. Her instinct kicks in and she soon discovers there are other victims with the identical names and birthday that also have fallen into the scammer’s paws. In number, it is time for gather strength and fight. The crusade begins….

I have mixed feeling about this story although original in parts it is so farfetched and unrealistic that it was hard to be invested in such a plotline. Yes, there’s a lot of Jessica (2,3,4) all of them with the same twisted story. While we follow them in their quest, we have the hunt being intercepted with Jessica‘s reliving her life as a cult member in the Land of Todd. The portrayal of the cult life, although sobering is the most interesting part in this novel. Back and forth we go from memory to plotting revenge and the drama flows this way till the two threads come together and we reach the climax. A plus for this story: I really didn’t see the ending coming…

The characters are definitely not likeable but they are well portrayed in their roles. As the pacing drags a lot, it was easy for my mind to wander but thank goodness for the dramatic scenes in Jackson, Wyoming and the description of the beautiful landscape of Grand Teton that added another dimension to what could have been a bummer read. This story has great parts but in some way too stretched out to have made it a terrific read.

Good but I read better stories from Ms. McKenzie

Jessica Williams has just been fired from her journalism job - for plagiarism. While waiting to board a flight to Mexico (in hopes of escaping the media frenzy it caused) she encounters another woman with her name and birthday who she dubs as Jessica Two. After enjoying a few drinks together and swapping stories, they go their separate ways. Or so Jessica thinks.

A week later, Jessica returns home to discover that all her money has been withdrawn for her bank account. Convinced that Jessica Two is behind it all, she sets a plan in motion to catch the thief, encountering a string of identically named victims along the way. That is, until the threatening messages start arriving.

You Can’t Catch Me is a tantalizing, character-driven exploration of how far people will go to get revenge.
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WOW. This book! After being in a massive book slump in February, I wanted to make sure to start off March with a 5 star read - and I wasn't disappointment! I was sucked into this story from the first chapter and finished it in one sitting. I totally thought 100% thought I had figured out 1/4 of the way through, only to realize how WRONG I was when the real twists and turns were revealed! I also enjoyed the flashbacks to Jessica's cult upbringing, as this really helped flesh our her character and motivations for me. What a wild ride!.

This was my first book by Catherine McKenzie, but it won't be my last! Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC!

Imagine you go on vacation for a few days, enjoy yourself, untethered from the world by your cellphone and the usual bump and grind of daily work life, to come home and find your banks accounts have been cleared. How would you feel? That’s what happened to Jessica Williams.

A very captivating story of a woman who gets all her financial safety stolen away from her in a simple interaction. And no one will help her get it back, stating that she did it herself. First of all, how frustrating?! Second of all, what do you do about it?!

I loved this novel and got take on a ride I didn’t even know I was on. What I believed through the whole novel came flying back in my face, turned around and completely different.

I think that’s what led to my 5-star rating, simply because I was so surprised by the ending. Maybe I’m gullible and others will see the story line coming at you from the very beginning, but that’s my opinion.

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher of this novel for allowing me to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Will the real Jessica Williams please stand up? (for those who remember To TellThe Truth)

Fast paced, convoluted story about a bizarre identity theft. Actually, multiple identity thefts of women named Jessica Williams.

A few have said that the story is a little far fetched. It may well be but the entertainment factor makes up for that in my mind. I read to be entertained. This book is definitely entertaining.

Interesting back story about a cult and how one of the Jessica's escaped from it. And, it actually all comes together.

I truly admire someone who can dream up such a twisted plot and keep it all logical in their mind. This book is definitely plot driven.

Easy, fast and enjoyable!

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Shuster for the ARC in exchange for a review.