Propulsive thriller,
atmospheric and twisty,
fun protagonist.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I give haiku reviews but am happy to provide more feedback.

The Divide by Morgan Richter was a slow burn of a read. I was compelled by the concept of doppelgangers who are intertwined by a murderous plot. While the concept of the story pulled me in to read this, some of the executions didn't full work nor make a ton of sense. I did have a lot of fun reading this but it didn't really go the direction that I was hoping for. Overall, it was a good story but just a few plot holes that never truly got filled.

I absolutely loved the concept of The Divide. A failed actor turned pretend psychic Jenny St. John has a doppelganger, Gena Santos, who claimed to be the actor in the one film Jenny did (called The Divide), married the director of that film who apparently was unaware they were two different women, and is now missing following the director's murder. Naturally Jenny becomes a prime suspect although she does prove she is a different woman. Jenny finds herself moving through Gena's inner circle to get to the bottom of who committed this crime and why had Gena stolen her life.

This book had strong Lynchian undertones throughout the plot, not in a ripoff way, but in the sense that it had themes of the seediness and ugly side of Hollywood, mysterious doppelgangers, and questions that are never answered. The plot went along at a good pace and I was never bored at all while reading, however I did feel like there was something missing, like a major revelation or explanation that never showed up. Some books do work well with resolutions that are up to the reader to fill in the blanks, but in this instance it felt like there was a giant missing puzzle piece.

The missing piece felt like an elephant in the room because there was the straightforward mystery (the missing woman, the murdered director) and then an almost supernatural mystery (who was Gena? Why so many people Jenny knew think they were the same person? Why did Jenny have some memories of Gena's?) and every single time I felt there would be some kind of conclusion, there wasn't, and the mystery of these two women and who they were to each other was just left as it was. Some books do this well, such as In the Woods, by Tana French, but in this book it just seemed odd, like a chapter was missing.

Overall though it was a fascinating concept to think about and I enjoyed reading a mystery that was centered around a relatively strange concept. It left me wanting more of both the story and reading more of this author.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion

I requested to read and review this book for free from Alfred A. Knopf a division of Penguin Random House Publishing Company. This story line had so many twists and turns. It was great it kept you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you may know who did it a twist is introduced. This book had drama, suspense, mystery. What happens when the things you know is brought into question. Jenny and Gena have never meet each other or have they? What happens when money is involved? When the one thing you think has been the greatest accomplishment of your life is brought into question. Do you take that as the final answer or do you look for answers. Money can be a great thing and an evil thing. When we question ourselves do we make ourselves better or no? This book is for a mature reader and can be read anywhere!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

"The Divide" is a propulsive thriller about Jenny, a down and out, self-proclaimed psychic who becomes involved in solving the murder of the director of her only film and personal accomplishment 20 years ago. Shockingly, she discovers that the director's ex-wife, Gena, who is her doppelgänger, is now missing and had taken credit for the role Jenny was so proud of. Motivated by the need to understand why Gena lied, Jenny becomes deeply involved in solving the murder and finding Gena.

Overall, this was an entertaining and easy read. However, the plot point regarding Gena's identity wasn't sufficiently explained, though this might have been the author's intention.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Supposedly we all have a doppelgänger floating around somewhere. What if this person took over your life especially your only successful stint as an actor and these worlds collide?

The Divide was an Indy film starring the protagonist in the book. She has fallen on hard times making ends meet by being a psychic. Jenny’s current life collides with her past as she tries to find her “twin” as well as help solve the killing of rhe twin’s husband who was also director of the movie.

This is a good summer read. Fast paced and fairly good character development.

I thought the book was very well done! Kudos to the author and editor. I was not surprised by the “whodunnit”, but how the author arrived there was well done. The twist of the mythical element kept this from being another boring Hollywood mystery. When Jenny was on her investigative mission in LA, things got a little slow, but not to the point I could find fault. Overall a good read and I would recommend it to others.

Overall, a great book. The plot was different than most, and I truly enjoyed the uniqueness. Lots of mystery, drama, and of course a bit of psychic . This was a quick read, and worth your time.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Divide by Morgan Richter is a gripping thriller that navigates the murky waters of fame, identity, and deception in contemporary Los Angeles. Jenny St. John, a former indie film star turned struggling psychic life coach, finds herself thrust into a chilling mystery when her director from a failed film, Serge Grumet, is murdered. Mistaken for Serge's missing ex-wife Gena Santos due to their uncanny resemblance, Jenny delves into Gena's complex world of wealthy and eccentric friends, using her dubious psychic skills to unravel the truth. As Jenny peels back layers of secrets, both about Gena and her own past, Richter spins a tale that is as darkly captivating as it is unpredictable. With its deftly crafted plot and vivid characters, The Divide keeps readers on edge until its shocking conclusion, making it a must-read for fans of psychological suspense.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

The Divide was a very interesting mystery. I really enjoyed the authors writing and I thought it was a good novel. I have never read anything from this author previously but now I look forward to reading more from her.

Imagine trying to find someone who has disappeared but has stolen part of your identity before they did. And imagine that during that investigation you find out a secret about your own life that upends everything you thought you knew about your past. Really interesting story that points out you don't always know everything about yourself and your history.

The Divide is centered around Jenny St. John, a former actress turned fake psychic, who gets pulled into the murder of her one and only director and the disappearance of his ex-wife when it turns out that said ex-wife, Genevieve Santos, aka Gena, is a Jenny doppelgänger that was taking credit for Jenny's one movie role. Gena's friends are surprisingly willing to let Jenny enter their lives after one of Gena's acquaintances Boots, hires her to investigate who killed Serge and whether or not Gena is alive. While Jenny isn't really psychic, she is very perceptive, which allows her to meet Gena's friends and come to some pretty solid conclusions about who is or isn't capable of the crimes. The movie she was in, The Divide, was about the idea of the multiverse, and how each moment in our lives branches out with alternative possibilities, and the book explores this with the existence of Gena and Jenny. It doesn't really feel like the book provides closure on this. It's interesting, but in some ways it also detracts from what is a pretty interesting mystery. With no place to call home and a job that's barely putting money in the bank, Jenny increasingly relies on a group of people she's investigating, one of which has to be the murderer to help float her along. The ultimate conclusion isn't mind-blowingly impressive, but it is one that tracks with the storyline that Richter has laid out across the course of the book. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Actress turned fake psychic Jenny St. John becomes wrapped up in a murder mystery as she finds out Serge, the filmmaker on her last failed movie, turns up dead. As the police are hunting for clues, they end up on Jenny’s doorstep as she is a doppelgänger for the dead man’s wife, Gena, who is reportedly missing.

As she is sucked into Serge and Gena’s world, she uses her fake psychic abilities and her appearance to gain the trust of their innermost circle. Digging deeper, she begins to discover things from her past that may put her in the direct path of the killer.

This was an interesting take on your run-of-the-mill murder mystery. While I would have liked more background on Jenny, her character lent an elusive quality that worked well with the plot.

Overall, this was a quick read with fun psychological twists throughout.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Jenny St. John's acting career never took off, so now's she's working as a psychic and living in her office. When Serge Grumet, the director of her one and only film, is murdered, Jenny learns that his ex-wife is Jenny's doppelganger and, enragingly, has been taking credit for Jenny's film role. This sends Jenny off on a mission to find out what happened to the missing ex-wife and who murdered Serge.

I loved the character of Jenny! She was very relatable--not a perfect person but a good person. And I liked following the case along from her perspective--she didn't always know what she was doing, but somehow managed to make it work. I hope this isn't the last we see of her!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Jenny St. John wanted to live out her dream as an actress and believed she had finally gotten her big break when she was cast in the leading role of the movie, "The Divide." However, the movie was canceled before release, and ever since then, Jenny's future as a movie star faded and she's made a living as a psychic life coach since. When her former director, Serge, is found murdered, Jenny is dragged back into the world of Hollywood. To top things off, Serge's wife, who is now missing as well, claimed that she was the one who starred in the film and not Jenny.

The premise of this book was what captured my attention. Jenny is a very compelling main character. It's hard not to root for the underdogs and sympathize with her when you see she's barely making ends meet. Meanwhile, Genevieve, who claimed the role in The Divide for herself, seems to be living the life Jenny always wanted.

I enjoyed the first third of this book where we see Jenny brought into this world of superstars. However, things slow down quite a bit towards the middle of the book, and unfortunately, it gets boring. Some of the questions in the story weren't answered and that made things a bit frustrating as well. Overall, The Divide is an entertaining thriller with an interesting premise. While things slow down a bit in the middle of the book, the plot does pick up a bit towards the end too. Not my favorite thriller I've read, but it's a solid read.

I knew little about this book when I received the Advanced Review Copy from Knopf. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed The Divide by Morgan Richter.

Jenny St John is a washed up actress barely surviving in Los Angeles as an “intuitive counselor” when she is visited by the police. They inform her that a woman claiming to be Jenny St John and bearing a striking resemblance to her as disappeared from the scene of a murder. From there, Jenny and the readers, are drawn into a tense mystery involving Jenny, her doppelgänger Gena and a cast of artists and actors in LA. The mystery was very entertaining and kept me guessing until the last page. Although I wish some of the mystery had been more neatly wrapped up, I enjoyed this story and would recommend to mystery/thriller readers! Thank you again to Knopf for the electronic ARC!

For the most part, Morgan Richter's "The Divide" is an engaging psychological thriller that blends Hollywood glamour with intrigue. The story follows Jenny St. John, a failed actress turned fake psychic, as she investigates the disappearance of her doppelgänger amid a web of murder and corruption.

Set in Los Angeles, the novel offers a glimpse into the entertainment industry's darker side. Richter populates her story with interesting characters, including a former K-pop star and a wellness-peddling actress, each adding depth to the narrative.

The author's writing style is effective, creating a vivid portrayal of Los Angeles that enhances the story. While the plot stretches credibility at time, especially at the end, Richter's storytelling keeps the narrative engaging. The exploration of themes such as identity and ambition adds layers to what could have been a straightforward thriller.

"The Divide" seeks to be a solid entry in the psychological thriller genre, offering an interesting take on familiar tropes. Sadly though, the Texas-sized plot hole remaining unexplained at the end left me feeling dissatisfied and disappointed.

Thank you to Knopf Publishing Group / Pantheon for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hollywood, psychics, artists, doppelgängers, murders and mystery! Oh my!

This was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. I only wish there had been more insight on the Gena/Jenny relationship.

I would like to thank Knopf, Morgan Richter, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great mystery that could have gone a couple of different ways come the ending. You've got a murder with a clear suspect; however, the suspect is a missing person. The main character could be the missing person or could be mistaken for her. And all this is happening on the edge of Hollywood's movie scene, where no one is their real self! Jenny is a great main character - she is a starlet wannabe or has-been transformed into a mystic or charlatan. She resonates with the average person because she tries so hard to elevate her position without stepping on others around her. She decides to investigate the case in order to clear her name and actually does a great job of intuiting the motivations of others. I like Jenny as a main character, and I was completely engrossed in the way she stumbled onto clues and put the pieces together. The author did a great job of leaving so many questions popping in my mind until the end! The twists and turns kept me from putting the book down - I read it practically in one sitting.

This was a great story Involving characters learning about themselves, questioning themselves and bothers, and trying to figure out who to trust. Theres murder, mystery, twists and turns, and keeps a steady pace. I enjoyed how each chapter is from the point of view of specific characters. It adds to to the story but also has you questioning if you really have the mystery sorted out. With so many characters from different backgrounds, careers, financial status, and upbringings, and how this all intertwines in wrapping up the story it makes a great discussion book.