From the summary, this sounded like a book I'd really enjoy, as it's one of my favorite genres to read. However, I had a difficult time getting into the story and staying engaged. Some parts were predictable, and others were quite repetitive (for instance, the frequent reminders about Sienna's mother's condition). The romantic angle was weak and felt thrown in just to say it had one. The characters weren't as developed as I'd expected, and the pacing was uneven.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler is quick-moving suspense that fans of the author will devour!

What I love about expertly written books like this is how you, the reader, are kept guessing what is going to happen next. You try to figure it all out but its nearly impossible. I love anything that involves a mother/daughter dynamic, there is so much room for potential dysfunction!

Take a look:

Sienna Scott grew up in the dark shadow of her mother’s paranoid delusions. Now, she’s returned home to confront her past and the unsolved murder that altered the course of her life.

In her mother’s shuttered house, an old fear that has haunted Sienna for years rears its ugly head—that it was she who had been the killer’s target that night. And now, with it, a new fear—that the killer not only intended to remedy his past mistake—he’s already begun. But are these fears any different from the ones that torment her mother?

As the walls close in, the line between truth and lie, reality and delusion disintegrate. Has Sienna’s worst nightmare come true? Or will she unmask a killer and finally prove she may be her mother’s look-alike, but she’s not her clone?

This book was excellent, the characters were developed enough that they seemed real, the story was captivating and I liked the writing style. I can’t wait to read more from Erica Spindler!

Coming out on January 28, 2020!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because, for whatever reason, I am suddenly more into thrillers than I am my typical contemporary fiction or romance and I was in the mood for a little suspense. I wasn't disappointed with this book at all. In the beginning, we learn the premise of the book. Sienna Scott came across the dead body of a girl wearing a white jacket just like hers. A campus security guard shows up shortly thereafter and puts her in the back of the car so she can get out of the cold while they wait for the police to show up. Something inside Sienna believes that she was meant to be the girl who got killed as she was wearing the exact same coat and taking Sienna's normal late night walk home. She doesn't want to believe this because it might mean she is more like her mother than she wants to be. Her mother has a mental illness revolving around paranoia...Years later, we hear what happened to Sienna since the murder. She was sent away by her Dad to keep her safe and away from her "crazy" mother.

The current storyline really keep you hooked. Sometimes there are slow points as she meets and starts to fall in love with a neighbor but, for the most part, you are literally guessing the whole rest of the book as to who could be the murderer...as phone calls start occurring and weird things start happening again. The past is brought back and now she fully believes that she was meant to be the victim. At one point, you start to expect just about everyone, even her own family. Until the very last minute, you aren't 100% sure who it is. Of course, it DOES turn out to be someone you had thought it might be at one point (and stopped believing it at another). Very good book, all in all. And, oddly enough, my first Erica Spindler. It won't be my last.

Sienna Scott has lived trapped under the suffocating cloud of her mother’s paranoid delusions. Worse yet, as her look-alike, everyone including Sienna herself, waits for the day that she starts to display those same tendencies. For that reason, she stayed away from her hometown, childhood home, and mother for a decade. But now she has returned to confront her past and search for answers in the unsolved murder that changed her life forever.

In her mother’s closed-up house, fears that Sienna tried to ignore for years resurface. Maybe she had been the killer’s intended target, and with her return, maybe he plans on fixing his error. However, no one shares her concerns, leaving Sienna to wonder whether her suspicions hold truth or represent the first step of her descent into the same mental illness that plagues her mother.

The Look-Alike offers a taut, psychological struggle between a woman’s fear for her life and her sanity. Erica Spindler makes Sienna’s concerns palpable and understandable while at the same time making it believable that those around her would be reticent to share her suspicions. It served to heighten Sienna’s — and consequently the reader’s — isolation and fear.

The author does a good job at establishing a tense dynamic between a daughter and her mentally-ill mother, creating that pull between love, resentment, and dread. The family ties and struggles experienced between Sienna, her mother, father, and brother proved to be the novel’s strongest component.

Spindler maintains a good pace that keeps the suspense up and pages turning. However, in the mystery department…well, it lacked one altogether. I knew the culprit’s identity the very first time s/he walked onto the page, which took away any questions in that area and made it hard to believe the crime went unsolved for so long. The red-herrings were painfully obvious as just that, which again means the reader never really suspects them.

I would have also liked more depth when it came to Sienna and Jonathan’s relationship. While she repeatedly mentioned falling in love with him, it came across as a classic case of falling in lust. She didn’t know anything about him, and despite her apprehension of everyone else, lets him in her life easily although Siena has no reason to trust him. Had she not been attracted to him, she would have acted very differently. This made her come across as reckless at best, stupid at worst. Sienna acted much the same years earlier with another character when she stumbled across the dead body. In that case, it could be attributed to her being naïve due to her young age. But years later, I wanted to see maturity in Sienna and not the repetition of college-aged patterns.

Nonetheless, The Look-Alike provides an enjoyable story so long as one reads it as a how-will-they-catch-the-culprit versus a who-dun-it. I would recommend it to fans of psychological suspense. Mature themes and brief bedroom scenes (that can easily be skipped) do not make this advisable for young readers.

3.5 Stars

This book started off with a bang! Sienna Scott stumbles upon a brutal murder on her way home from a college study group, and her life is turned upside down as a result. But was she really the intended target?

Years later Sienna comes home to confront her past and help take care of her mother who suffers from paranoid delusions. To her surprise, she finds that the murder case has been reopened, and suddenly she is flooded with more questions as new information comes to light. Will she finally get the answers she’s been searching for after all these years and prove she was the killer’s true target, or is she suffering from the same delusions that ail her mother?

This really was a quite a page turner, and I enjoyed piecing together the clues to what really happened that fateful night. What I didn’t like was the romantic aspect of the story. Jonathon, the new neighbor across the street from Sienna’s mother, seemed like an all too convenient distraction for Sienna and from the main focus of the story. I see how the author tied him into the story to make him appear necessary to the progression of the plot, but most of the time it felt forced and more like filler. It didn’t feel like a genuine relationship to me. Other than that, I thought it was a great book and enjoyed reading it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3074328340

Title: The Look-Alike
Author: Erica Spindler
Publisher: St Martins's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"A Like-Alike" by Erica Spindler

My Rationalization:

What will happen as this read 'The Look-Alike' definitely illustrates what the impact of mental illness will be on an entire family as it weaves its way into an action-packed, suspenseful, psychological drama, mystery-thriller in this 'who done it?' Well, to get it all, you will have to pick up this ride to see how this action-packed story with clues that will be left to find out.

The Plot:
The reader is given well thought out plot...time between the past and the present that progresses reasonably well at a good pace in this story that will keep one captivated from page one.

Setting: Tranquility Bluffs, Wisconsin [a snowy scenery]where we find Sienna Scott is returning from London after ten years [living with her grandma] after she stumbles upon the body Madison Robie who was murdered. Now, upon Sienna's return, she learns that the cold case into the killer has been re-opened. Now, why would this case be reopened? Why did Sienna begin to believe that Madison's death was really meant for her? Why did she feel that someone was after her? Was this a product of her family's illness, and none of it is real? What will happen when Sienna begins her own investigating? OK, who is the murderer? To find out the answers to the above questions, you will have to pick up this read to find out.

Main Characters:
Sienna: the heroine of this story; a protagonist, fragile at times, filled with self-doubt, however she fights against growing up with what her mother has. One crucial question: With Sienna bearing an uncanny physical likeness to her mother, did she also inherit her mother's mental illness?

Sienna's mother [Vivienne Scott]: who had a mental illness, paranoid with delusions, always feeling that someone was out to get her, delusional disorder.

Brad: [bro, big brother] Sienna's half brother that had bitter feelings. Why was that?

Chief Thompson: Police

Randy: Detective

Jonathan: Neighbor across the street

Overall: Lots of twists and turns, with a roller- coaster of suspense, secrets that will come out, and in the end, we find out who this suspect was that was there from the beginning in this mystery and deceitful read. Bye, the time one gets to the end of this story, the reader will be guessing about just who is this killer. This author works the reader in just learning who this person was and leaving me shocked even though I had thought maybe it could have been this person much earlier in the read, however, there were many possibilities as to who the murderer was.

If you are looking for an excellent, well-written read with many thriller elements, intriguing, suspenseful with some likable and unlikeable characters, then you have come to the right place. Also, there is little romance and taking you on an unpredictable wild ride; however, in the end, I was kept guessing. I would recommend 'The Look-Alike' to you like a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This genre is rapidly growing old for me. The book was very good, but I am overwhelmed with this type. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

2.75 stars

On a dark winter's night, Sienna Scott comes across a young woman who was just murdered. She soon begins to believe that she was the intended victim as that was the path, she always took home after the study group. Plus, the dead woman was wearing a coat that looked just like hers. Sienna's mother who suffers from Mental Illness, also believes her daughter to have been the intended target.

After spending ten years living away from home, Sienna has returned to learn that the murder investigation has been re-opened and soon begins receiving phone calls telling her she <i>was</i> the intended victim. So, was she the intended victim? Is she being paranoid? Is someone toying with her? Will she ever learn the truth?

This one fell a little flat for me. I figured out the killer right away but not the motive. I appreciated how the author tried to point the reader in other directions, but I just knew whodunit. Even when the motive was revealed, I just didn't care. This is not one I will think about or remember in months to come. I enjoy when books shock, surprise or trick me, this one did none of those things. I'm in the minority here, but this one just didn't live up to my high hopes for me. It won't keep me from reading this Author in the future, this one just wasn't for me.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Look-Alike was a fantastic mystery. The author had me guessing at who the killer was until the end of the book. Until the killer was revealed, I did think it was someone else. I was stunned at who it was.

There were a couple of things that I didn't like about the book. Sienna hooking up with her across the street neighbor was one. It was too fast, way too fast. Also, the fact that people were so quick to lump her into the category as her mother and not take her seriously. That made me go WTF. Other than that, I enjoyed reading The Look-Alike.

The Look-Alike is currently available for pre-order. Its expected publication date is January 28th, 2020.

Sienna returning home is like the return of the prodigal daughter. She was her parent’s golden girl, in the time before her childhood fell apart. Her father was successful, but not the warmest to his children, and her mother descended into insanity when she was still a young girl.
Of course, the cherry on top of her childhood was that as a young woman in college, she discovered a dead girl wearing the same winter coat as her, on a secluded path across campus that she took every Tuesday at midnight. Coincidence?
Sienna has been gone for the last 10 years, living with an aunt in London. Her father sent her away because he was worried that the killer was after her and wouldn’t stop until she had met the same fate as the girl on the path. Besides the same coat, it’s unclear why the family was so paranoid when there were no real suspects.
The story is an intriguing one, but the details didn’t quite all come together as well as I’d like. I had a hard time envisioning Sienna’s childhood, a harder time picturing her life in London where she had lived for the past 10 years, and I just wasn’t feeling the characters.
Still, it’s a fast-paced thriller and Spindler does a good enough job slowly revealing answers to the mystery with twists and turns along the way. And honestly, it looks like a lot of the other reviewers loved this one. Books are like pizza, everybody has different favorites.
Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This one releases January 28, 2020.

Wow! I just read a really great mystery/suspense book titled The Look-Alike by author Erica Spindler. This was the first book I’ve read of hers and it just blew me away! It grabbed my attention right from the first page and I just couldn’t stop reading. I stayed up until 1:00a.m. because I had to know who did it. It’s one of those books where you think you’ve got it all figured out, who the killer is, and then a few pages later you change your mind. If you’re into books that keep you guessing and anxiously anticipating who to watch out for, then I recommend you read this. I loved it and want to read all of her books now that I’ve read this. I’d like to thank Jordan Hanley, Marketing Manager from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for inviting me to read and review an advance readers copy. All opinions stated are my own.

The Look-Alike is an excellent psychological thriller. It is an intricate drama with an extremely clever and highly entertaining plot. I found this a really gripping book, particularly towards the end. It is well written and is a fascinating read that I absolutely loved and highly recommend. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Things start to spiral out of control for Sienna Scott after finding the body of a girl late one night on her college campus. A girl that had on the same coat as Sienna. Was Sienna the intended victim? Does Sienna have the same mental illness as her mother suffers from. Fearful, her father packs her off to England for a stay with her grandmother, a place where she stays for the next ten years, but it’s time to head home, time to figure out what really happened that night. Though I figured it out early, this book was filled with red herrings and will have many guessing until the end. With a paranoid delusional mother to take care of in the midst of her investigation, Sienna once again wonders if she, too, is spiraling out of control. A fast paced whodunit that is fun to read!

Sienna Scott grew up in the shadow of her mother’s mental illness. She looks just like her mother and struggles with whether or not they have more in common than just their appearance. While in college Sienna literally stumbles over the body of another college student. The young woman was wearing the same color jacket as Sienna and she begins to wonder if she was the intended victim. She becomes obsessed with the murder and why there has been no arrest. Eventually she is sent to live with her grandmother in London to get her away from the murder investigation. Ten years later she’s back home and the investigation into the murder has been reopened. Sienna is once again faced with the question of whether she was supposed to be the one who died.

I thought the book was good and it held my interest for the most part. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if Sienna had been a stronger person. She was quite passive in my opinion and was too dependent on others to take care of her.

Would I recommend the book? Sure. Even with the issues I personally had, it was a book that keeps you turning pages.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
I enjoyed reading this psychological thriller. Sienna Scott returns home to fictional Tranquillity Bluffs, Wisconsin. She has been living in London, England, for 10 years. Her father sent her there after she was traumatized by the discovery of a murdered college classmate. Sienna is haunted by the possibility that she was the intended victim. Her father is dead and her mother suffers from persecution delusions.
While dealing with the unsolved murder and her mother, she starts a romance with a mysterious neighbor. There are enough false clues that I wasn't sure who the killer was until near the end.
The story was a little slow at times. Since there were only 2 deaths and no graphic violence, it would be ok for cozy mystery fans.
One quote: "You're right, Mom. I don't see what you see. And I don't want to. I love you, but I can't live my life in fear."
" For a long moment, her mother was quiet. When she finally spoke, the words broke Sienna 's heart. 'You can't live in fear. And I can't seem to live without it. "
Thanks to Erica Spindler and St.Martin's Press for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

This was a great thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. Sienna has been living with her grandmom for years because of something that happened in her past and her mother's mental illness. When she comes home 10 years later, old fears rear their ugly head. Is her mind playing tricks on her or has the past caught up with her? This was a book that kept me reading as I needed to know what was going on. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, for an honest review.

Normally I enjoy a stand alone book by an author, this one just wasn't one of my favorite books to read. I realized who the killer was very early on in the book, which caused the book to get a bit boring and predictable for me, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish it.

This book won't stop me from waiting on the next book by Erica Spindler, as I truly enjoy reading her books.

I'm a huge fan of Erica Spindler and was so excited to read this book. In her typical fashion, the book held many twists and turns. The beginning I felt was a little slow. It took a little bit to capture my interest but once it did I didn't want to put it down! They story kept you guessing which is what I lived most about this book. Just when you thought one thing something else happened to make you change your mind. Well written and just an overall great read!

This was such a great read. It had some of the usual thriller/suspense tactics that you would expect, but it also dove down into the world of mental illness that made it more interesting! I loved that my predictions were never right, it was definitely not what you expected. Definitely recommend!

“Being around your mother, it’s like she infects you or something.”

One night, one horrific night on campus has followed Sienna Scott for ten years, the night she nearly tripped over the fresh corpse of a murdered young woman. This act of violence, the strange fact that they had both been wearing the same coat plants the seed that maybe it was she the killer was truly after! In the aftermath of the crime, her father believes she is making connections that aren’t there, that Sienna is fragile, like her mother who suffers from a delusional disorder. That her mother has passed on more than her looks to her daughter, that one particular cop (Randall “Randy” Clark) has been getting too close to Sienna and fueling her mad theory that she was the intended victim while trying to catch the killer. The only way to save her from a mental decline is to send her away to London, far away from her mother and the stink of the crime.

Ten years later, her father has been dead for five years, her half-brother left behind to watch over Sienna’s mother feeling resentment and fear that she is falling under her mother’s influence again, adamant still she was the intended victim. His life is crumbling too with his own relationship woes. Sienna longs to move on, to open a restaurant but her plans are being thwarted at every turn and everyone seems to have their own miserable secrets. It isn’t family trouble alone that is reviving the past, the murder case has been re-opened. Officer Randy is once again on the scene, the reason she was sent away to begin with! The cop her family feared was playing with her mind to benefit the investigation all those years ago but he was her friend, he made her feel safer. Her mother is far more frail than Sienna could have imagined, worse than when she left. Afraid of the police, armed with a gun, suspicious even of Sienna’s half-brother Brad and Sienna being home seems to be triggering her mother’s mental decline.

Across the street is the new neighbor Jonathan, renovating the place, a ‘house flipper’. Despite not knowing much about him, there is instant chemistry and desire but with the past haunting her, how does she know who she can trust? Being in his arms is the most exhilarated she has ever felt, maybe it is time to let him in, to finally open up about the torment her life has been since the murder, and to admit that it wasn’t so charmed before growing up with her mother’s illness. She’s had enough playing it safe, if she is meant to fall it may as well be in his arms.

Something is lurking though, and maybe her mother’s paranoia has some basis in reality, maybe Sienna isn’t slipping into a delusional state. But just who would want to kill her, and why?

This novel is just the right blend of mystery, thriller and romance for your winter reading.

Publication Date: January 28, 2019

St. Martin’s Press