Cover Image: Original Twin

Original Twin

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Member Reviews

May & June are twins, but they have always been about as opposite as they could possibly be, but that never stopped them from loving each other and having a bond that only twins can have. So now that it’s been a year since June disappeared, May finally discovers something that could help her figure out what’s happened to her sister, and it comes with a huge family secret - their mother went missing for a period of time when she was 19 years too, on the same date that June disappeared on.

May discovers that June was in the midst of trying to solve the mystery of who took their mom so many years before, and luckily June left some clues behind for May to dive deeper and get to the bottom of this generations-old mystery.

The Pulse got their hands on another wild one! Bonus points that I was able to snag an advance listening copy so that I could squeeze it into my overbooked (pun intended) calendar.

If you love a complex family story full of twists and secrets that you nor the characters ever saw coming, then this is a great book for you. It is multi-POV and fast-paced, you’ll want to carve out time to make this your priority book so that you can give it your full attention and keep everything straight. The ending was shocking, I did not see it coming.

I love when we get to know a character so well who isn’t actually acting out their story on the page - we learn about June’s investigation through past letters written to her & May’s mother that May discovers. And seriously, for being more or less an off-page character, she was one of the most enigmatic characters I’ve read in quite some time. Her energy and personality radiated from those letters.

I cannot believe that this was a debut, the tangled storyline that was unwoven so well feels like it came from a much more tenured author than a DEBUT. I know some people shy away from debuts, especially thrillers, but if you give one debut author or debut thriller a chance this year, make it Paula Gleeson and Original Twin.

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Family secrets. Unexpected twists. Unreliable characters. This book had me hooked from the start!

The story follows fraternal twins May and June who are different in every sense of the word. One day June goes missing and a year later May finds an old newspaper clipping about her mother disappearance on the same day as June’s but when she was 19 years old.

May is convinced that her sister is still alive and leaving her clues as to her whereabouts. So she goes into investigator mode and sets off to find some answers. But the more she digs, the more questions she has. When the clues stop, May reaches out to the detective who was in charge of her mom’s case and this is where things get crazy.

The narrators did a great job at portraying the differences between the twins and bringing the story to life. I like that the story is told from different point of views. I also liked the letters that June wrote to her dead mom. The ending had a lot of twist and turns but I wouldn’t exactly call this a thriller. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story and was engaged the entire time.

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I really enjoyed listening to this book! It kept me entertained and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. I really liked the way the story was told from multiple viewpoints. I felt like it added much more depth to the story. The only reason it wasn’t 5 stars for me was because I felt like there were still a few loose ends at the end that didn’t get tied up or have enough resolution. Overall though, I really liked this one and would definitely recommend!

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It’s been a year since May’s twin sister June went missing. After finding some clues left by June, May sets off to find her.

If you’re looking for a twisty thriller mixed with family drama and an unreliable narrator, then this book is for you. I was surprised to learn that this book was a debut. The way that Gleeson crafted this plot was really impressive. I loved the notes and clues that May had to follow in her search for June. The flashbacks to their mother’s story gave this book a sense of suspense that I really enjoyed.

The dual narrators and timelines worked really well for this story. I listened to the audiobook and liked that there were multiple narrators, Anthea Greco and Leeanna Walsman. It worked great and both narrators brought their own unique voice to this book. I highly recommend listening to this one.

There were so many twists and turns and for the most part I didn’t figure them out. I was shocked by the big reveal at the end and loved that Gleeson threw that in. I thought some parts were a little far fetched, but overall I really enjoyed this book. There’s no wonder that everyone at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse are raving about this one. You’ll definitely want to grab it when it releases on June 1st.

Thank you NetGalley snd Brilliance Publishing for an advanced listeners copy in exchange for my honest review..

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Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse for the #gifted copy.

I listened to this one on audio and it was sooo good. Debut book for this author! I am already ready to read her next one.

May and June are twins and June disappeared. May desperately wants to find her and knows hers disappearance has something to do with family secrets. May is determined to figure it all out. Will she find her sister?

I enjoyed the family drama and the fast paced of this book! I can’t wait to read more from this author. Solid debut.

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This was my first book by the Aussie author Paula Gleeson and believe me, it was a wild ride!

Thank you #Netgalley and #amazonpublishing for my ALC!

I can’t help but notice how many thrillers have been about twins lately but as the title suggests this was a particularly original approach to the subject!

May is struggling to come to terms with the disappearance of her fraternal twin sister June a year ago. But in her usual style, June has left May clues that will eventually lead her to the truth about her disappearance. In her search for the truth, May discovers that something similar happened to her late mother in her early twenties. But her mother returned several weeks later and didn't explain what had happened to her.

I really liked the scavenger hunt left behind and how it all ties in with what happened to her mum 18 years ago. Many shocking secrets are discovered that clarify a few aspects of her mother's life choices.

The narrator did a great job separating the two personalities of May and June.
I thought the letters June wrote to her late mother were a great way to introduce the reader to June's impetuous character.

The last part of the book had my head spinning with confusion with all the revelations and out of character behavior of one of the characters. I also needed a few questions answered. But all in all a great new author to look out for.

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This is one twisty and suspenseful thriller! Everyone on the @thrillerbookloversthepulse team has been buzzing about it and it’s obvious why! It’s told in multiple POVs from May and June, fraternal twins, and from their mom in dual timelines.

Before the twins were born, their mom disappeared and June wanted to know the details. While June was investigating, she also went missing on the same date as her mom! Left behind were hints for May to follow in order to find her sister and discover the truth.

What May uncovers is startling and something I never would have predicted! At one point, I got tripped up in the narrative and had to reread a section because the emerging secrets were shocking! Original Twin is a gripping debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

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There were plenty of twists throughout 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻 but it wasn’t as dramatic as I would have liked. For a debut novel, I think it was really good and the narrator for the audiobook did a great job. I liked the end twist a lot and will definitely read more from this author. Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Brilliance Audio for my advanced copy! 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻 will publish 6/1.

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👯‍♀️𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝚃𝚆𝙸𝙽 👯‍♀️
𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛/𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟷, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
𝙼𝚢 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝟺.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...May & June couldn’t be any more different. May makes a shocking discovery that their mother also went missing at a younger age on the exact same date as June did one year ago….

👯‍♀️🩷👯‍♀️🩵👯‍♀️💜👯‍♀️🩷👯‍♀️🩵👯‍♀️💜👯‍♀️🩷

💭𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜... Okay, Okay…now I know why everyone has been talking about this one @thrillerbookloversthepulse ! I mean wow! The suspense😳..the multiple POVs👯‍♀️, the twists 🌀& the speed 🏃‍♀️of this one is absolutely fab! 👌Highly addictive & so hard to put down. I listened to this one on audio🎧 & the narrators were perfection👏You could capture the different personalities in the twins so well from their voices. I can’t even believe this is a debut! Bravo, @paulagleesonauthor 🎤

Just a few more weeks til this one hits shelves so mark those calendars! June 1st!🗓️ Def rounding up for Goodreads, Netgalley & Amazon!

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Wow! What a debut. It's a Twisty Twin Thriller. TTT. T cubed. 😂

The story telling was top notch, past and present, multi POVs with letters thrown in. I couldn't put it down.

The twists are non-stop and so very creative. Such an impressive debut.

I both read and listened to this one and thought the audio production was so well done.

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Thank you Brilliance Audio/Netgalley, #partner for the ALC of Original Twin in exchange for my honest review.

I am in awe that this is a debut…it was so twisted and addicting! When I say I flew this one, I’m not kidding. I couldn’t put it down once I started it – having a desperate need to know how it was all going to play out. ⁣

I loved the multiple perspectives and multiple timelines used to tell this story. While it took some getting used to at first because it isn’t necessarily told in a linear manner, it all works to build up the suspense of what is going on, especially as the drama starts to unfold. Family secrets abound and I particularly loved the little treasure hunt we go on with May that June left her. ⁣

A wild, twisty ride, this is definitely what I would call a binge-worthy read!⁣


Audio thoughts: This is exactly the type of book I love to listen to–a thriller I don’t want to put down. The two narrators, Anthea Greco and Leeanna Walsman, who are both new to me, did a great job bringing this story to life.

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OMG, WOWZA! This is one of the best debuts I have ever read! I flew through this book at warp speed because I was obsessed with this book! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! With all of the bread crumbs that was laid out, I thought I knew where this book was going, but NOPE, I was way wrong and I LOVED every minute of it. I felt like I had sisterly connect with May and enjoyed her search for answers! The ending left my head spinning with so many twists and turns!

In my opinion, this is THE DEBUT THRILLER OF THE YEAR! You definitely do not want to miss this book so add it to your TBR!

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I loved this one! As soon as I turned the audiobook on, I was hooked! It gave me Alice Feeney or Sally Hepworth vibes the more I read! I had no idea where the story was headed and loved every twist and turn. Also this is @paulagleesonauthor debut book - I can’t wait to see what she write next!

I also really enjoyed the audio - it is two Australian narrators performing a dual style narration. I thought the pacing was great and the voices fit well for the characters. I normally try to stay away from English or Australian narrators, as I tend to lose focus easier as I work, but this book really held my attention.

💙Mystery Thriller
💙Multiple POV / Dual Timeline
💙Unexpected Twists
💙Unreliable Characters
💙Family Secrets

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Twin sisters May and June are as different as can be, like day and night or spring and summer. May is the quiet one, ordinary, introverted, and conscientious. June is the exact opposite: loud, pretty, outgoing, and wild. A year has passed since June vanished without a trace when May makes the startling discovery that their mother also went missing as a young woman – on the exact same date that June disappeared. Now May must follow the cryptic scavenger hunt clues that June left for her if she has any hope of finding out what happened to her twin.

Whew, this is one twisty ride! It’s no wonder everyone at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse is buzzing about this one! This multiple POV gives us not only May’s perspective, but also lets us get to know June through letters she’s written to their mother Diana, and we get Diana’s point of view in the past too. The past and the present are tangled together and the suspense as they are slowly unraveled kept me hooked the entire time. Some crazy twists and turns that I did not see coming at all! What a great debut from Paula Gleeson, I can’t wait to read more from this clever new author in the future!

Audiobook narrators Anthea Greco and Leeanna Walsman did a bang-up job of bringing this thriller to life! I love their accents and the way their voices highlight the vast personality differences between May and June. A great listen!

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I loved the two narrators on this one! The Australian accents added perfectly to the characters and the dialogue. Audiobooks are not my normal go-to but this one had me hooked and I loved all the twists along the way!!

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The story swept me off my feet right from the start with its gripping mystery and excitement. I was hooked, eagerly anticipating where it would lead. However, as the plot unraveled, I began to notice inconsistencies that left me scratching my head. It felt like pieces of the puzzle were missing, and I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story.

Emotionally, I yearned for a deeper connection with the characters. I wanted to feel their joys, their pains, their struggles – but it seemed like their emotions fell flat. Despite the promising beginning, the story failed to tug at my heartstrings the way I had hoped.

While it had its moments of brilliance, the story left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. It had all the ingredients for success, but it didn't quite come together as seamlessly as I had anticipated. Overall, I wanted more depth and coherence to fully satisfy my expectations.

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May and June are fraternal twins and looks aren’t their only difference. May is the rule follower, while June is the wild child.

When June goes missing on the exact day their mother disappeared for three weeks years before, could it just be a coincidence?

A year has passed since June went missing. May believes June is alive and is determined to find her. She’s finding clues apparently left by June. These clues lead her to uncover a lot of family secrets (and I do mean A LOT!)

Don’t want to give too much away, so I’m stopping there. But there were so many twists and turns, along with clues and red herrings. I loved this fabulously twisty debut!

I had this on audio, which was amazing!

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Thank you so much to Brilliance Publishing, Paula Gleeson, and NetGalley for this audio ARC! At The Pulse I’m seeing loads of other great reviews for this one! #pulsepoint

Twins May and June are complete opposites. While May is quiet, subdued, and intentional, June is magnetic, beautiful, and magnetic. It has been a year since June went missing and after her memorial service, May begins to find notes- clues left for her by June. June would regularly do this throughout their childhood, leave messages for May and lead her on a scavenger hunt. May is convinced that June must still be out there and alive, and turns these clues on a treasure hunt. On her journey for the truth and finding her sister, May uncovers long hidden secrets she never could have imagined.

This book publishes on June 1st, which is fitting because it’s the birthday of one of our main character. May and June are twins, each with different birthdays and also different birthday months, one being born in the late hours of May 31st and the other being born early on June 1st. I thought this was such a cool idea and loved how their mother, Diana, named them after their birth months!

This book was super twisty and kept me interested and guessing the whole time. The ending had me shocked and googling whether certain things were scientifically possible 👀 This book was great on audio, it went really quick and was easy to follow. I really enjoyed the duel narrators and how they brought the characters to life.

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This would be a wonderful selection for fans of Gillian Flynn and Mary Kubica, Multiple POVs, Puzzle Games, Unreliable Family Relationships, and a twist in every chapter! The ending seemed a bit underwhelming, but the journey to the shocking twist is really nice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC.

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This was quite the wild ride! When May's twin June goes missing on the exact same date that their mother was abducted many years ago it's only the beginning of May's journey of self discovery. But will May be happy with what she finds out?? Loved the narration of this audiobook.

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