For a debut, this was a strong start. It had a lot of great qualities, such as the pacing, dual POVs, and the emphasis on the strong bond between identical twins Lenora and Cassie—as a twin, I always search for and appreciate books containing twins! However, I felt like the book lost steam toward the end and the past events somewhat confused me. However, this was incredibly well written and I think Marlee Bush is an author to watch!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Are you a twin? Or did you want to be one when you were a child?

Meet Lenora and Cassie Lowe, identical twins, who have been living in Cabin Two, at the top of a campground site. The action moves quickly after a new family arrives at the camp and then a teenage girl goes missing. The twisting and turning of the plot tightens. Could something terrible that occurred fifteen years ago be tied to what is going on at this camp site now? I’m going to be honest. It's creepy…real creepy. Who’s sneaking around outside with the trees swaying and the shadows moving? Did you hear something? And I couldn’t stop reading.

The story is told in dual POV by both Lenora and Cassie, along with chapters from fifteen years ago by an anonymous narrator. We have a small group of suspects but so many questions. What are the twins hiding? Why are their mom and dad always so angry? Why does Lenora count in her head? “Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three.” Is there something a little off about the new campground owner, Sarah Hill? I kept switching sides with the twins, as Cassie and Lenora, struggled with scary inner thoughts and emotions.

This is author Marlee Bush’s debut novel. She has degrees in Criminology and English, which means that she writes well, and she also knows all about deviant behavior and crime. Her favorite stories to tell are the ones that make you go back and double check the locks on your door at night. Oh, I hope she’s writing another one.

A slow-burn thriller that gripped me from the beginning!

This book is filled with all the good parts of a story:
•  Dual P.O.V's of twin sisters
• Strong bonds
• Eeerie feelings

The setting of the story made it a little spookier and the twist of an ending made it sheer perfect in written words!

Marlee Bush's When She Was Me is a strong debut, and I'm already excited to see what she writes next. Among the things I love are books about twins and slow-burn thrillers, and so this one checked all the boxes for me, but what ultimately sealed it for me was the ending. I never saw it coming, and it is epic!

When She Was Me is a book that will grab your attention the first page and never let go! Mystery ✔️, Suspense ✔️, Thriller ✔️. This book checks all the boxes. With dual timelines, multiple murders, identical twins with a haunted past, and a setting deep within the woods this book will have your heart racing and your mind on overdrive working to figure it all out!! Check out author Marlee Bush’s debut novel When She Was Me!!!

Thank you Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of When She Was Me by Marlee Bush for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a heck of a debut! I loved the twin trope and it was so well done in this book. There was a lot going on and you really aren’t sure who to believe. There was dual POV of the sisters that was so well done, a completely unhinged story, and this book was atmospheric. You could cut the tension with a knife. Loved it!

I was so surprised to find that this was a debut. The suspense in this kept me nonstop turning pages. I loved the atmosphere of this book, what a wild story! And I flew through this book! The dual POV between sisters was so well done. There was such a distinct voice to each of them. I have read several thrillers lately were I have guessed the ending, but this one I did not see coming! So well done!

It was a slow-burn psychological thriller that kept me guess till the end. Such a great read!

Told from multiple POVs, all the narrators were unreliable. The POV kept switching between the twin sisters- Cassie and Lenora in the present and one of the sisters (unnamed) in the past. It made so hard to decide who to believe.

3 secluded cabins, unreliable characters, family secrets, murder and missing time. The book was creepy, unique and sinister. The characters were intriguing. The atmosphere was creepy and isolating. I loved it! The ending had me shook!

This is Marlee’s debut book and I absolutely enjoyed it. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

I would recommend this book if you enjoy a creepy, unputdownable slow-burn thrillers.

Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Marlee Bush for this ARC copy!

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this book on @netgalley and wow 😍 it did not disappoint. I tried to guess the ending every chapter and no matter how many tries you could have given me I would have never guessed how it ended.

It’s the first book I’ve read in a while that kept me up way past my usual bedtime because I just had to finish it.

If you’re thinking about reading #whenshewasme you should definitely pick it up! Thank you @poisonedpenpress for this copy.

Swipe for summary!

4/5 ⭐️

Marlee Bush’s debut novel When She Was Me is about twin sisters and the secrets they keep. Lenora and Cassie are living in a remote cabin hiding from their past. As the story unfolds, bits and pieces of their story are revealed but it leaves you questioning what really happened to them.
Each time I thought I had a handle on them something would happen to completely throw me off. I felt like I was in the dark, trying to survive with them in the cabin. If you liked The Good Sister I would definitely check this one out!
Thank you @marleebushwriter, @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this copy!
When She Was Me is out now!

The story started out a little slow and I would have enjoyed a quicker pace. However the story was intriguing for me to continue and I gasped at the plot twist (no spoilers)! 3.5 ⭐️!!

Woah! This book confused the hell out of me for about half of it hahah. The switching viewpoints from present day Cassie and Lenora, and the past “un named sister” threw me for a loop. I did guess the major plot twist before it was revealed… but still thought it was portrayed in such a rad way. Upon realizing the twist I just stared at a wall for a few minutes thinking “damn…. That’s fucking genius” Don’t worry there were a couple twists in there that I did not see coming! The author did a beautiful job of rounding out the story with these and tying up a lot of loose ends.

This is the ultimate “what would you do for the person you love most in this world” scenario. I thought it was unique and creepy. The author wrote some scenes that literally made me fill up with dread wondering what was or wasn’t going on, and had me questioning the two sisters sanity for most of the book. Not quiteeee a 5 star read just because it took a bit for me to get invested in the story, but I’m really pleased with the way it ended up and thought it was a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this bad boi before it was released!

This is a slow burn thriller about twins that are running from the horrible past. Secrets slowly start to come out as things go wrong in the place they thought they were safe. I enjoyed the sister dynamic and the bond they share through tragedy.
The part I struggled with was the past events. I was just kind of confused by the end. I liked the twist, but I think some it kind of went over my head.
2.5

Thank you to Poison Pen Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in excahnge for my honest opinion! Like most of the reviewers for this novel, I can't believe it's a debut read! If this is how Marlee Bush is beginning, I can't wait to see how far she goes! The story was intriguing, the characters were well fleshed out, and the writing style is just *chef's kiss*! I also loved to see the bond between the sisters and how it evolved over the course of the book. Bravo to Marlee Bush!

Trapped, isolating, creepy. The atmosphere was so tense and unsettling, that it added so much to the book. I really enjoyed the twin aspect and loved how the book resolved.

When She was Me is a slow-burn mystery, with alternating POV's and timelines. A bit confusing and repetitive, this story is set in the remote, eerie woods of Tennessee. Twin sisters escaped home for "what" we don't learn until much later in the book, to live a desolate life removed from everyone. A new owner takes over the cabins they call home, bringing vacationeers to rent the others. .

Tragedy strikes, and the sisters unravel the mystery of the young girl who has been murdered in the woods. If you can let go of your disbelief this novel takes a wild turn at the end.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

When She Was Me is absolutely one of the most intense, claustrophobic and twisting thrillers that I've read this year.

Admittedly this one starts off as a bit of a slow burn, and I did find a few parts a bit repetitive in nature - but the flipping character POV's and the timeline shifts from present day, to the sister's past and their defining trauma that led them to living in this isolated and remote cabin suck you in chapter after chapter. I love a good murder mystery and all the elements here (red herrings, missing time, unreliable narrators and suspects galore) kept me guessing right through the end. I love being surprised and this book, without question, surprised me.

No spoilers, but I will say that this makes for perfect, easy summer reading. Not to be missed!

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t get into it. It was just too slow for me. I tried reading it a few times and had to take a couple breaks because it wasn’t pulling me in, I just felt bored. Dual POVS are always interesting but I had a hard time knowing which twin was talking during each POV. I love thrillers and there was definitely a little suspense but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Marlee and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

A creepy murder mystery featuring identical twins with a past, what more could you want? I can't believe this was a debut with such great writing!
For me, it started off slow with a lot of questions but the writing really set the scene in the deep woods of Tennessee. The isolation of the campgrounds was eerie and everything you want in a mystery book. The POVs from both sisters was expertly written and gave such insight into the twins past and their mistrust of others as well as themselves.
The ending left me shocked and with a hole in my chest.
What a great read!
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this debut title.

Gripping thriller that will keep your interest throughout. I really enjoyed the twin aspects of knowing everything about each other. There are so many lies and deceptions that you have to uncover to find the truth. The audiobook was really good. I enjoyed the narrator. I know that the alternative timeline you need to figure out who is narrating, but I would have loved a different narrator. Overall, a good thriller!!

*Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*