Another great thriller from Lisa Jackson. The suspense was on point and the mystery kept me guessing. I enjoyed the bit of romance in the story as well.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Cassie Kramer and her younger sister, Allie, learned the hazards of fame long ago. Together, they’d survived the horror of a crazed fan who nearly killed their mother, former Hollywood actress Jenna Hughes. Still, Cassie moved to L.A., urging Allie to follow. As a team, they’d take the town by storm. But Allie, finally free of small-town Oregon, and just that little bit more beautiful, also proved to be more talented—and driven. Where Cassie got bit parts, Allie rose to stardom. But now her body double has been shot on the set of her latest movie—and Allie is missing.
Police discover that the last call to Allie’s phone came from Cassie, though she has no recollection of making it. Instead of looking like a concerned relative, Cassie is starting to look like a suspect—the jealous sister who finally grew sick of playing a supporting role. As the tabloids go into a frenzy, Cassie ends up on a Portland psych ward. Is she just imagining the sinister figure who comes to her bedside, whispering about Allie—a visitor of whom there is no record? Is someone trying to help—or drive her mad?
Convinced she’s the only one who can find Allie, Cassie checks herself out of the hospital. But a sudden slew of macabre murders— each victim masked with a likeness of a member of Cassie’s family—makes Cassie fear for her safety and her sanity. The only way to end the nightmare is to find out what really happened to Allie. And with each discovery, Cassie realizes that no one can be trusted to keep her safe—least of all herself…

I guess there comes a time in our reading lives where we just have to say "Enough already!" I really did enjoy Lisa Jackson's books for a long time but I think I am now at a point where I have read so many REALLY good crime novels that these sort of fare will be very rarely on the menu...

The main issues I had with this book were the pacing and the characters. The plot itself was fine and serviceable - certainly not a new idea, though - and did enough to make me finish it at least.

The story was so slow to do anything. It was loaded down with a lot of irrelevant information that did nothing for the story except drag it back. Just when you thought you were steering clear of the jumble, back it came in a hurry.

As for Cassie - well, she was just one of those characters you see them make fun of on TV: "Look behind you, LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!" Or, worse still, the type of character that does the most ridiculous things all the time and makes you scream at the book "What is wrong with you????" - but somehow, it all works out in the end...and that just isn't what I want from a lead character.

Overall, a decent enough idea but just filled with so much stuff that annoys me...


Paul
ARH