Thank you so much to Dreamscape for the audiobook and to Poisoned Press for the e-book!

I am floored that this was a debut and am pumped to have a new author in the thriller space!

This book was so easy to listen to and I never wanted to put it down! I loved the alternating perspectives between the two sisters and especially loved the campground setting.

There were parts that seemed a little repetitive as we learned about the twin's backstory, but overall it was a really fun and enjoyable read!

I can't wait to see what she writes next!

This will be available for purchase on May 7th!

This book follows inseparable twin sisters Cassie and Lenora who are permanent residents in Cabin 2 at an isolated camp ground in Tennessee. The girls a drawn almost haunted to figure out what happened to a recent visitor after their disappearance.
To solve this mystery they need to look and confront their past before it’s too late.

This book hand me hooked, 18% in is where I just couldn’t put it down. The twist, secrets and distrust makes you want to keep reading until you know all the answers!. This book has me distrusting characters, questioning their motives and feeling for them all at the same time. The dual POV made this story even more intriguing slowly learning what each sister knows but by bit.

I’d recommended this to any fan of the thriller genre!

If you love thrillers that feature isolation in the woods, When She Was Me will be just what you're looking for. Twin sisters - Cassie & Lenora - live in a cabin in a small campground. They suffered a horrible tragedy when they were young, and now are facing a new situation that makes them truly see each other.
A new campground owner has rented out another cabin, and soon after a teenager dies. There are so many questions surrounding the circumstances of this, and the journey throughout this book will completely blow your mind. It wasn't until the very end that it all came together, and I seriously just froze and had to digest everything.
A true thriller of devotion, family, and reality.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in return for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: 07 May 20

Took a little while to fully draw me in, but the second half had me gripped. I found the different perspectives really helped to flesh out the story and I found myself getting genuinely creeped out quite a few times.

The twist blindsided me, I thought I'd figured it out but apparently not! There were a few theories throughout the book but I missed the mark; especially liked the last few chapters and found myself needing to finish the book to see what happened.

Lost a couple of stars for the slow start and occasionally being a bit difficult to follow because of the Then chapters being anonymous, but I'd absolutely read more from Marlee Bush.

I received a gifted ARC for WHEN SHE WAS ME by Marlee Bush – thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley!

WHEN SHE WAS ME follows twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora. One night years ago forever bonded and traumatized them. In the present they stay out of the public eye, hiding from the world and their memories of what happened. They reside in a Tennessee campground where they are the only permanent residents. When a new owner takes over the campground, it shakes up their world. Added to that, the teenage girl camping nextdoor goes missing. All of this together starts uncovering past memories and big fears for the sisters.

I had a really good time with this book! I think the author did a great job at hinting at the secrets of the sisters’ past while also keeping us guessing as to the details. We can clearly see the trauma’s impact on their life, even without knowing what exactly happened to their family all of those years ago.

One of the things I enjoyed most with this book was the relationship between the sisters. On the one hand they are fully supportive of each other while on the other, they do get on each other’s nerves at times and they keep secrets from eachother. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out whether this was a good relationship or not. The way they are also a bit mixed in their own minds and identities as well complicated matters. The interactions with the campers and the new owner, plus the mystery of the missing girl, all serve to open up a lot of questions and possibilities.

This wound up surprising me a few times which I really enjoyed!

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is a highly recommended atmospheric murder mystery featuring sisterhood, obsessions, and many secrets.

After a traumatic incident in their past, twin sisters Cassie and Lenora have been inseparable. Now they live permanently in Cabin Two at an isolated Tennessee campground where they keep to themselves and Cassie films a true crime podcast. Lenora is agoraphobic and stays inside as much as possible, with the exception of careful trips to the bathhouse. After the owner of the campground dies, it is sold to a new owner who is going to allow the sisters to continue their long-term lease. Then cabin three is rented to a family with a teenage girl who later goes missing. As the search is on, the carefully cultivated life of Cassie and Lenora begins to unravel.

The twins are enmeshed in their own heads, while carefully watching others around them and each other. With a creepy, anticipatory atmospheric setting, this is a very slow paced and somewhat repetitious novel for a good portion of it, but it does make the tension rise keep rising ever so slowly until the action finally starts toward the end. The isolated camp surrounded by woods plays a major part in creating the eerie atmosphere.

The narrative is told through each sister's point of view with added "then" chapters disclosing their past. The contrast between the sisters is evident from the start and readers will want to know what happened to them in the past and how it impacted them. I can't honestly say that there are any likable or relatable characters present. There are strong themes involving the bonds between sisters and dysfunctional families.

Once the tension begins to increase, readers who have made it that far will be much more invested in the outcome. There is a twist at the end which is surprising. When She Was Me is a well written, excellent debut novel by Marlee Bush. Thanks to Poison Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one--everytime I stared to get invested in the plot a flashback chapter would happen and confuse me.
DNF at 23%

DNF @ 20%. the sentence structure in this one was driving me wild. I won't say too much in terms of reviewing because i don't want to be unfair, but the writing style in this one is just too hard to get past for me

I didn’t know what to expect picking this book up as I had not read from Marlee Bush before but I was blown away! This is an incredible thriller and recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

This is a very solid debut novel from Marlee Bush! There were many elements that I really enjoyed in this: unreliable narrators, dual timelines and POVs, suspense, isolated setting, and it was super atmospheric.

I really loved the strong bond between twin sisters Cassie and Lenora. The exploration into their bond and the idea of “the twin thing” was well done. The addition of the dark past timeline was fun, because it wasn’t ever specified whose perspective we are reading. This kept me interested and constantly guessing whose perspective I was reading. Much of the middle of this novel kind of lulled for me in terms of twists and action, but there were little sprinklings of mysterious figures appearing and ominous dreams and flashbacks. The last bit of the story does pick up and ends pretty strong with a twist I didn’t see coming. It moves quick, but I found it to be pretty effective. Overall, this was a very fast read, and I really enjoyed this debut! I am so excited to see what else we’ll be getting from Marlee Bush!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

For a debut novel, Marlee sure didn't hold back! This thriller is perfect in everyway! Missing person(s)? ☑️
Strong sibling relationship?☑️
Dual timeline? ☑️
Thrills, chills, spooky, and creepy? ☑️

When She Was Me follows twin sisters Cassie & Lenora, who live in a secluded cabin. Lenora is afraid to leave, even to go outside. Cassie is a true crime YouTuber.

A new crime happens in the area. Tilly, a 15 year staying in another cabin with her parents for the weekend, is missing. The only person who was outside that night was Lenora, but she sleepwalks and can't remember a thing.

This event brings back vivid memories from their past. Forcing Cassie and Lenora to face some hard truths, sometimes even questioning each other.

While this is definitely a slower burn, it's really easy to get sucked in because it takes us on a deep dive of the different personalities between Lenora & Cassie, who at times question each other and certain events, but are deeply and faithfully loyal to each other. They're all they have.

This was just a really great debut novel, and definitely one to add to your list if you're a thriller fan. The ending really through me for a loop, and it was SO good. You think you'll have it figured out, but I promise you, you don't. 👀 👏🏻🫣

A strong debut, this thriller follows twins Cassie and Lenora as they unravel the aftermath of a murdered teen staying at one of the two other cabins next door, with the supporting character of Sarah - the new owner of the cabins.

The plot was solid, the characters were unique and well developed, and I will definitely read another book by Bush because this had a lot of good qualities.


I had a hard time getting into this one. I would start to get invested and then a flashback 'THEN' chapter would pop up with a different timeline and no indication of who the narrator was. I struggled to be present with the plot and the pacing felt off because of it. At the end of the book I could see why the author wrote it in that way for a big reveal, but it didn't work for me. I liked it, didn't love it.

I have been reading so many books about twins and sibling relationships and I am NOT complaining. This book was amazing and constantly second guessing myself on what I thought would happen. Such a great, quick read of a thriller

This book definitely falls into the "love it or hate it" category, and I'm proud to say that I’m firmly in the "love it” team. The slow, eerie buildup had me hooked from the start, and every time I picked it up, I was drawn deeper into the story. Sure, there were moments where things felt a bit slow, but the final chapters really delivered. 📚🔍

I truly enjoyed this book. The twin element added such a fun and creepy twist, keeping me engaged throughout. And while some might find the repeated secrets tiresome, I found it added to the suspense. The twist completely blindsided me, and that's exactly what I look for in a thriller. Even during the slower parts, I was still invested in uncovering the truth. Overall, I couldn't put it down, and I can't wait to recommend it to fellow readers who love a good mystery. 🕵️‍♀️🔒

Thank you netgalley for the eARC. 🥰

When She Was Me was an addictive, creepy and sinister read. It was definitely a slow burn in the beginning but once everything started picking up and piecing together it was unputdownable. I am loving these twin thrillers recently. This is a debut but I found the writing to be stellar.

The multiple POV's made for an engaging read, the narrators were very unreliable. I had no idea who to trust. I didn't know what was real, what wasn't. The past and the present timelines were also great, once they all came together it was even better.

The ending shocked me and took me by surprise. It was nothing I could've imagined, I was sitting there with my mouth open at that final plot twist. Honestly very well done !

🎧 The narration by Imani Jade Powers was very good. She was able to play both twins so distinctively that you knew who was talking. I felt the emotions through her voice, the fear of the characters. Stellar performance.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, @poisonedpenpress & @marleebush for my gifted ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie and Lenora are identical twin sisters living in Maryville, Tennessee. From the very beginning Marlee Bush teases us with a dark past event and unstable internal dialogue. It's a slow plodding beginning that honestly took me forever to get through because I kept losing interest but by the end this author won me over. I liked it a lot. Overall a good debut.

This book follows two twin sisters with a troubled past. Throughout the book the reader is trying to put together a puzzle of why the twins behave the way they do, and what led them to isolation.
The story itself was bone chilling, I found myself constantly checking to see if my closet door was closed. It leaves you with that eerie feeling that only good thrillers gives their readers. However the story itself was a little difficult to follow. After finishing the book I understood that the reason for that was due to the plot twist. However I feel like maybe their is a way to make the time jumps more understandable to the reader. I felt like the confusion really took from the story.
Overall the twist was amazing, the mental health aspect of the book was delievered flawlessly. I really enjoyed reading this thriller.

When She Was Me hadme totally confused by the last 50 pages. Not a bad confused though a good one, I had no idea what was coming unil BAM it hit me.

Cassie and Lenora have been living at a campground for years now. As far as the world knows they are running from their mother, trying to stay safe from her. Lenora refuses to even leave the cabin that they live in. She goes out to the bathhouse and then back to the cabin counting her steps along the way. She is petrified of the thought of leaving, the thought of Cassie leaving her as well.
Cassie stays to protect her identical twin Lenora and also a little out of guilt. When they were in utero Cassie was the stronger of the two girls and she took nutrients from her sister causing Lenore to be smaller and have a harder time. The least Cassie can do is take care of Lenore no matter what.
The campground they live in is secluded which is perfect for them until the owner passes away and his brother sells the campground to someone else. Thats when all the trouble starts. A family with a teenage girl comes to stay and not long after the girl, Tilly disappears.
Lenore is scared, she was sleep walking again and the night that Tilly disappeared she woke in her bed covered in dirt with only vague recollections of what happened the night before.
Cassie isn't sure what to do, she isn't sure if Lenore is being completely honest with her about that night and about another night a long time ago when Lenore made a choice that changed their lives forever.
Now it seems as though everyhing is unraveling and the sisters are helpless to stop it.


I want to thank #Netgalley and #poisonedpenpress for the chance to read #WhenSheWasMe by #MarleeBush in return for a fair and honest review

"She was me. I was her. We were the same."

Identical twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, live permanently in a cabin at a almost deserted campground. Lenora never leaves the cabin due to a past trauma leaving her agoraphobic. Cassie will do anything for her sister. Love, protect, cherish....always.

After the death of their landlord a new owner takes over and she rents out the third cabin to a family. Mother and father along with their teenage daughter. It's not often Cassie and Lenora see many people so they do what they do best. Observe.

Then the teenage daughter goes missing leaving Cassie and Lenora terrified and paranoid. The safety net they so carefully built around their lives slowly begins to shatter revealing hard truths they have spent their lives running from.

"They don't warn you about this in school. They warn you about men in vans offering you treats to get inside. They warn you of drug use and STD's. But no one ever warned me about the dangers of my own thoughts. No one ever told me that there could come a time when trusting myself would be difficult and hating myself would be easy.

What to do when the monster is you."

An odd story, even odder characters, and oddly compelling. These sisters were absolutely fascinating and I just had to know what happened to them to make them how they were. How their relationship became so strange and co-dependent.

This book does something I normally don't like and that's rehashing the same thoughts time and time again but for some reason it did not bother me here. I was so wrapped up in the lives of these sisters that I simply didn't care. If anything, it made me more curious, wondering and waiting, for that AHA moment.

And when that AHA moment came I assure it's a doozy. I had in no way predicted this and it turned this story inside out and upside down. I freaking love when an author does that.

This book probably won't be for everyone due to the slow burn and circling thoughts but it entertained me thoroughly and I was 100% invested in the outcome. This is a very promising debut from an author that I'll be eager to check out again in the future. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press from my complimentary copy.

Twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, live in a secluded woodsy area and are in Cabin Two. They have a deep dark past and Lenora seems to suffer most from the past that she never leaves the cabin and she seeks help from an online therapist. The only time she leaves her cabin is when she goes to the washing area outside of the cabin and when she sleepwalks. Cassie does her best to protect her twin sister as much as possible.

Sadly, one of the neighbors in another cabin passes away and a new family comes in. A new owner takes over as well, but allows Cassie and Lorena stay. One night, Cassie meets her young neighbor, Tilly, who is smoking outside when she isn't supposed to. They strike up a conversation, but shortly after their acquaintance, Tilly is murdered. Tilly's mom is the prime suspect and she is taken to jail.

This definitely eases Cassie and Lorena's nerves down, but what's going on in this area? They were safe and quiet all of these years and now there's too much going on in this secret place.

What is going on? Who killed Tilly? What happened to Cassie and Lorena's past?

I enjoyed this book and I didn't. I loved the overall storyline, but I did feel like the book was confusing when I was reading about the past. It was very unclear with who was the main character in the past stories. The ending had a pretty interesting twist, which I have mixed feelings about.

I also like it when the title makes total sense with the story, but I feel like this one didn't really. I felt like it was trying to have so many twists and turns to keep the reader curious, but it just didn't work for me.