Woah. That was a lot! No wonder I was a bit lost at the beginning. 

This is not a straightforward crime novel. Our protagonist Vicky, an ambitious law officer who has just been transferred to the FBI, is tasked with investigating a serial killer. But there are multiple sub-plots that scatter the reader's attention here, there and everywhere. 

To be honest, it was too much for me. Too much to happen to one person in a short space of time (some of it pretty disturbing) and too many convenient links to her circle of family and friends to feel completely credible. What begins as the hunt for a murderer morphs into a trail of shocking discovery after shocking discovery about her birth family, her past and her real identity. The blows just keep coming for poor Vicky and none of the characters are particularly likeable. For those reasons, I didn't buy in and couldn't wait to finish it. Not because I wanted to know how it ended, but because I wanted to move on to my next read. This was one of those books for me. Not awful. Not amazing. 🤷‍♀️

Going into the riveting mystery thriller "If I Had Two Lives" by A.B. Whelan, I found myself on a rollercoaster of suspense, family secrets, and unexpected twists. While the narrative kept me on the edge of my seat, a few elements hold this gripping tale at a four-star rating.

The story opens with a chilling murder, setting the stage for a journey through the twisted corridors of family history and the haunting echoes of trauma. Vicky Collins, a tenacious FBI agent, becomes entangled in a complex web of her own past when a routine DNA test reveals a familial match to a criminal she has no recollection of. The premise promises a suspenseful exploration of dark secrets and the far-reaching consequences of childhood trauma.

A.B. Whelan masterfully constructs a plot that weaves intricate layers of deception, keeping readers guessing until the final pages. The pacing is skillfully orchestrated, with revelations strategically placed to maintain an atmosphere of tension and anticipation. The narrative is a well-crafted puzzle, enticing readers to connect the dots alongside the protagonist.

Kristin James' narration adds an extra layer of immersion, capturing the emotional nuances of the characters with finesse. Her dynamic performance contributes to the overall atmospheric quality of the audiobook, enhancing the listener's engagement with the unfolding events.

The characters, particularly Vicky Collins, are crafted with depth and complexity, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles and uncertainties. Vicky's journey to unravel the mysteries of her past is fraught with tension and emotional turmoil, adding a poignant layer to the overarching mystery.

However, the book falls short of the full five-star rating due to a resolution that, while satisfying, felt somewhat hurried. Certain plot twists and revelations, which had been meticulously built up throughout the narrative, were concluded in a manner that left me yearning for a bit more exploration and contemplation.

Furthermore, the psychological depth of the narrative could have been more fully realized. The exploration of the impact of childhood trauma and the intricacies of family dynamics, while present, could have been delved into with a bit more depth, providing readers with an even richer and more thought-provoking experience.

Nonetheless, "If I Had Two Lives" is a captivating mystery thriller that skillfully plays with the complexities of family ties and the shadows of the past. Kristin James' narration enhances the storytelling, making it an engaging audiobook experience. The four-star rating reflects the minor reservations about the pacing of the resolution and the depth of psychological exploration.

📖My Thoughts📖

Holy twists Batman! This book takes you on a wild ride, right from the very start! Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist gets thrown into the mix. I loved every single minute of this twisted roller-coaster! It did take a bit to figure out how some of it tied together, as it did jump from one scenario to another, but once you get to a certain point, it all just comes together. This has got to be one of the most twisted enthralling psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I really had a hard time putting this one down when I had to, but I still managed to burn though it in one day. I was granted the audiobook version of this book. The narrator was full of energy, and seemed to be really engaged in the reading of this book. This is a must read, whether you listen to it or physically read it. I highly recommend this one to anyone in the mood for a good gripping psychological thriller. It will leave you guessing all the way to the end! Thank you Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and A.B. Whelan for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Enjoyed listening to If I Had Two Lives.
Vicki is a FBI agent new to the bureau and is on her first real case only to be removed because of something in a random background check she could of never seen coming.
Now Vickie is determined to find out about her past on her own and what she finds out sets your life on a course she could of never seen coming.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
If I had Two Lives is a rollercoaster of a read. I've read the physical copy a few years ago and jumped at the chance to listen to it on audio. I absolutely loved this listen!
The story follows Special Agent Vicky Collins who has been assigned to the Cybercrime unit of the FBI. Vicky I'd paired up with Anaya Reid, a British agent based in Las Vegas. Their case catches the attention of The Piggyback serial killer - a killer who replicates past crimes. I loved Vickys character - stressed and in a long term dead end relationship with her partner Doug. As Vickys story unravels,w we meet her family and watch this strong female handle whatever life throws her way. The narrator was a fantastic fit for this book and I couldn't stop listening!

Vicky Collins has the perfect life she has worked for. Three months ago she was transferred to the FBI which has been her career goal. She is in a long-term relationship with a man she loves and has a wonderful family and friends. But all of that changes the day her supervisor calls her into his office.
During a routine DNA check in a case, Vicky was identified as a sibling of the person being investigated. It appears that he is a brother that she never knew she had. But the FBI sees it as her falsifying her job application and puts her on leave.

Vicky goes to her parents' house immediately but her mother denies that they had another child that they put out for adoption. Are her parents lying to her? Have they always been? Things continue to get worse when it appears that this supposed sibling may be tied to the serial killer investigation Vicky and her partner had been working on. Can she get the truth?

A. B. Whelan has written a fast paced thriller that will engage the reader. There are lots of twists and turns in the book, some foreseen and some that are a total surprise. Vicky learns what is important to her when it all is about to be taken away. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I had high hopes for the story, but it felt disjointed and rambling. I felt no connection to Vicky and was surprised she made it into the FBI, as she comes across as very disorganized in both thought and manner. The audiobook narration was not enjoyable either and the story may have been better for me reading it on my Kindle instead.

Really enjoyed this book. Was the first time I have read this author. Her characters were awesome and so was the story line. Will definitely be looking into reading more of her books.

This book was great! I highly recommend it. It was a non stop page turner! For sure will read more by this author!

Offensive, judgemental religious propaganda dressed up as a suspense novel. While the writing is a little clanky, the compelling storyline drives the action along quite nicely for the first couple of chapters, until weird little comments start sneaking in and you realise you're reading evangelical Christian lit. Please make this clearer in future.

I listened to an audio of this novel and the narrator was pretty good.
Novel is quite short, therefore some of the things are happening in a really short time and you need to pay attention.

This is a thriller indeed, the main character Vicky Collins is an FBI agent searching for the serial killer, since several woman have been missing in the area. At the point of time she joins FBI, she is confronted by her supervisor that her DNA has a match in database with one convict. This is where it gets interesting. And where all the small pieces of puzzle start to fall into place. Maybe a little bit too much and some things that happened in this book are extremely improbable that the investigation gets solved this easy.

I liked the main character Vicky, she was determined and strong woman, not doubting herself. Her boyfriend was a totally annoying ass and I would kick him right away (but Ok that's just my opinion). Since this book had less than 300 pages it is worth to read/listen. Quite an interesting story and something new, even though I read many criminal/detective/thriller stories.

I received this as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) as a book seller, in audiobook format (which was not an available option to choose).

The story follows a woman who meets a man, and about a year later moves in with him to a new home in a gated community, "The Circle", in London. She throws a house warming party inviting the members of the circle. During this party she gets to know the other community members, including one who gives her quite the cold shoulder. Later she finds out someone crashed the party and misrepresented themselves, which has her quite shook as she is in a gated community!

Later this person shows up to her door, and advises her they are a Private Detective investigating the murder of the former owner - something she was unaware of. Having not been told by the house seller (a friend of a friend), nor her boyfriend, she feels betrayed, and is unsure who she can trust. The Private Detective asks her to share anything she learns from her fellow circle members, as he is trying to clear the name of the husband who was accused of the crime.

The book follows her as she navigates her paranoia and betrayal, and becomes obsessed with trying to find out who killed Nina (the former home owner).

Aside from the fact that, to add to the obsession, they throw in a story line about how her sisters name was Nina, and she died in a car accident, so whenever she meets someone, or learns about someone called Nina she becomes obsessed, I enjoyed every aspect of the book. I just felt like this tidbit was unnecessary. I know the purpose was to validate her obsession, but it just did not need to be included.

The audio book has a great narrator - whos name I cannot remember at the moment. I have listened to a few she has done, and I enjoy her. The cadence of the book and the narration was great. You are absolutely pulled in, and need to know who did it. With lots of paranoia and may potential suspects and red herrings along the way. Though I guess who the murder was about a 3rd of the way into the book - sadly not uncommon for me, maybe I read too much (HAHA) - there was a twist I never saw coming.

Definitely a book worth reading. I look forward to more from AB Whelan.

Enjoyed this one, kept me on my toes and wanting to find out what happens next. Psychological thrillers are one of my favourite genres and this did not disappoint! Definitely recommend.

I feel this book had potential but I had problems with a few plot holes and character logic. But it was moderately entertaining enough for me to complete the story.

Right at the beginning a new FBI agent Vicky learns of a long lost brother through her new hire background DNA test. But as this is suppose to be the FBI I would expect they would have done a little more investigating before questioning her and could easily see that this brother has a different last name and had been in and out of foster care.

I felt the chapters from the male perspective did not bring too much to the story as it never explained why he was doing all he was doing. Not even in the end where he was ranting about women and his horrible childhood.

Also Vicky was a huge hypocrite when it comes to her relationship and it made it hard to root for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

I enjoyed listening to this book! I would rate it 3.5 stars. There were many twists and turns.. The story jumped around a bit, but I'm glad I stayed with it. because it was worth it! Once I understood why the story turned, I got into it and couldn't wait to see what happened! I felt satisfied with how all the twists and turns tied together at the end and would recommend to others!

What a WILD RIDE! The DRAMA in this one! I was holding my breath until the last minute. The ins and outs of the relationships between the characters was amazing, and it had a twist I wasn’t expecting!

Wow!! 4 powerful stars! Loved the sorry line characters and the intriguing plot…. Loved that the story was filled with secrets, twists and draw dropping moments!! This is a must read!

Sending a sincere thank you to NetGalley for an early audio edition of this book for my honest review.

I received this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion. I would describe it as fictional mystery with a little bit of thriller at the very end and I rated this book 3 stars. It was a good book, it just wasn't a great book. I felt I had whiplash at times for all the story turns the book took but it all wrapped up nicely at the end. I did guess the end (somehow, I'm not really sure!) but I do think most would find it surprising. I listened to the audiobook version and think the narrator did a great job with emotion and different characters. I enjoyed the writing style and would read another from this author.

I’m a huge thriller fan. And this one was not short of thrilling. I listened to the audiobook and it only added to the emotion and thrill. The voice gave more insight into how the characters were feeling. Making it spooky at some points even.

This was a great listen and a really wild story! Dark psychological thriller that you just can't put down.