This book takes place in a small town where Sienna Scott has decided to come back to. She feels the need to help take care of her mother and to ease her guilt of just leaving years ago. ⁣
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What she doesn’t realize is that coming back brings up a lot more than just memories. ⁣
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Trying to escape the murder of Madison Robbie from years ago, she falls for the guy next door. He helps her in more ways than one. But with his probing eyes and how he always seems to be there for her when she needs it, is he someone who should be trusted? ⁣
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This book gave me all the creepy vibes.⁣
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There is a mention of mental illness, so if that’s something that bothers you, I wouldn’t recommend this book. ⁣
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However, this book kept my attention the entire time and I finished it in a few hours. I was constantly questioning everyone that came in to play. ⁣
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I think the author did an excellent job of creating the characters and keeping that air of suspense while reading. She also did a great job of switching between the past and present! ⁣
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Would definitely recommend.

Name a more perfect book to read during the first snow storm of the year, I'll wait...

BOOK REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The Look-Alike was hard for me to rate because I was so captured by the first three-quarters of the book, but wasn't too thrilled with the ending.

The book follows the story of a young female, Sienna, who found a dead body on her college campus 10 years ago. Sienna's father sent her to live with her grandmother in London shortly after the incident. Ten years later, Sienna returns to her hometown of Tranquility Bluffs to be with her mother, who suffers from delusions. At the same time, the police reopen the unsolved murder case. .

I was sucked into this book from the very beginning. The family dynamic and backstory of the murder was super interesting and Erica Spindler gave her characters a lot of depth. I really enjoyed all of the detail around Sienna's relationship with her mother and the insight to how her mother's illness has impacted the entire family. I also liked how Sienna's character had her own ambitions of opening a restaurant in her hometown in addition to being involved with the murder investigation. It made her character a lot more enjoyable and relatable!

Towards the end, I thought the book became a little predictable, hence the 4 stars. Overall, the book reminded me of Final Girls!

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the review copy. The Look-Alike comes out on January 28th!

The Look-Alike is the latest  thriller from Erica Spindler. This is an easy read because of the likable main character. Some romance, but it is mostly about the "who done it" and family dynamics. I want to thank Net Galley and St Martin's Press for an early copy to review.

I always enjoy this author's books. This one did not disappoint This stand alone book was very suspenseful and I will recommend it to the patrons at the library. I think many will enjoy this book..

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sienna witnessed a murder 10 years ago and escaped to England to live with her grandmother. Her mother suffers a delusion disorder and is overprotective of Sienna, which becomes even more smothering after the murder. Especially when Sienna confessed her belief that she was the intended victim. When her small town reopens the case, Sienna returns home hoping to finally put these fears to rest. But as the investigation goes on, more and more clues convince Sienna that she was right...or is she more like her paranoid mother than she wants to believe.
I like that this book highlights the issue of mental illness without it bringing the story down. Her mother's delusions make Sienna question her own sanity, but ultimately help her solve the case. I don't know why Jonathan was so secretive about his identity, and then so offended when she doubted him. The killer was on my short list of suspects, but the story kept me guessing almost to the end. Great story to snuggle up and read on a snowy day!

Sienna grew up with a mentally ill Mother. Because Sienna looks just like her Mother some people assume she will end up just like her Mother, paranoid. Now she is back and has to address the issue of her Mothers illness and a murder from years ago. Sienna thinks the victim may have been mistaken for her, but part of her wonders if she isn’t just like her Mother after all.

This is a great psychological thriller. It also addresses the issue of mental illness and its impact on loved ones. There are a lot of twists in this book. I guessed most of them but still enjoyed reading this book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I was thrilled to read another book by America Spindler as I’ve read, and loved, all of her books. This one was excellent and I never saw the end coming at all!
Sienna Scott is 18 when she finds a murder victim on her college campus. The victim bears a resemblance to her and they are wearing very similar coats. She cannot help but shake the feeling that perhaps she was the intended victim. Her mother suffers from paranoia and has always believe her husband’s first wife and her family are out to get Sienna and ultimately Sienna is sent to London to live with her grandmother.
Fast forward ten years and Sienna is back in town. She learns the murder case, still unsolved, has been reopened and the suspect list seems endless. She uncovers many secrets along the way and ultimately must face the killer.
I couldn’t put this book down and I highly recommend this amazing thriller! Thanks again to NetGalley!

Sienna Scott returns home from London after her mother takes a bad fall. Her mom suffers from a mental illness that Sienna thinks she, too, may suffer from; nevertheless, she returns to her hometown and all of the ghosts of the past. Sienna’s father has died, her brother is less than honest and her neighbor Jonathan, a real love interest in her life, has turned away from her. Long ago, when she was in her teens, Sienna stumbled across a murder scene and her life has never been the same. Madi was wearing the same coat that Sienna had on and Sienna has always wondered if she was the one who was supposed to die. With this kind of complex plot, the author does a masterful job of drawing the reader into the web of mystery and deceit. I was trapped from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyed tussling with this spider web. The real bad guy was a total surprise; Sienna’s mother had a mental illness that was believable but somewhat exaggerated at times; and, finally, Sienna was a totally likable and sympathetic character. I enjoyed the entire, fast-paced ride and loved that the author left multiple subtle clues along the way. Fans of mystery and suspense with a touch of thriller will enjoy this book for sure!

The Look-Alike by Erica Splinder....

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?

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for my honest review!

I am an Erica Splinder fan.....when I read the above blurb I couldn’t wait to read it! The first few chapters were intriguing and I thought...ok this is going to be good. It went down hill from there. Sienna was annoying , the mother was extremely annoying and dialog was just corny to me. I had the killer pegged early on. This definitely was not a thriller for me and I skimmed through several chapters hoping that I was wrong about who done it! Very disappointed in this one as I have really enjoyed other books by this author .

🌟🌟/5 stars because I couldn’t wait for this book to be done.

I was fasinated by Erica Spindler's new book The Look-Alike. Once I started reeading the book I did not want to stop until the very end.. There are so many twists and turns within the major plot as she develops her main characters and they form relationships with each other. Basicallly the story revolves around solving an old murder . Sienna, the major character in the novel, returns home after 10 years. SHe left almost imediately after the murder and always felt that she was the target. SHe returns to live with her mother who has intense pschoogical problesm. Relationships are difficullt for all the major characters and the reader is kept guessing about who the killer really is. The ending is shocking.

The Look Alike by Erica Spindler
What a story! You've got murder, her mothers mental issues and a hot mysterious neighbor ingredients for hours of solid reading. This was an excellent psychological thriller that grabs you and carries you through to the very end. Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my honest opinion.

The Look Alike kept me guessing till the end. Sierra comes home after 10 years that changed her life forever. Her mother has a mental illness and she’s just waiting to inherit it. Years before Sierra stumbles upon a dead woman who was wearing the same jacket she was and can’t help but think the killer mistook her instead of Sierra. Her mother’s fears and delusions only make things worse. Was the killer really after Sierra? Could her family be behind this?

Such a good story. I loved the plot. Sienna has such an interesting back story and seeing where the story lead was awesome

Sienna moves back home to her mother with mental illness, a brother who has always protected her, and just in time for the anniversary of the murder she walked upon years ago. Her brother is currently taking care of their mother, and she moves in with her mother to help alleviate some of the burden. Then, the phone calls start, and Sienna isn’t sure who she can trust.

The story moves along at a decent pace, with a realistic glimpse of someone living with another person experiencing mental illness. Overall, 4 stars for me. Just wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing itself.

Special thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review. All opinions are my own.

Erica Spindler does not disappoint in The Look-Alike. Sienna was the first to encounter a victim of a brutal murder and she suspects that she may have been the intended target. Fearful, she leaves home for 10 years to escape her mom's increasing paranoid delusions and her own growing fears. When she finally returns home, old fears are renewed and she begins to wonder if what she is experiencing is real or just her own delusions.

This was a fun book to read and I highly enjoyed it. It kept me guessing and I loved the relationship building between Sienna and her potential male suitors while I was wondering if one of them was guilty at the same time!

What a creepy read! This one really had me hooked from the first line. I'm not a fan of back and forth and flashbacks and mixed timelines, but this author handled it all so well. I was very impressed. The atmosphere of this book is why I would recommend it to others--it is cold and creepy and the perfect read under the bed covers in winter.

Sienna Scott nearly tripped over the body......this is the first line of the book and with it I was completely drawn into the story. Sienna has grown up under the shadow of her mother's paranoia. After she stumbles across the body on the college campus, her life is altered. She is sent away and has finally returned home to help with he mother as well as confront her past. If you like psychological thrillers, and mother daughter relationships, this is the book for you! I thought I had it all figured out but the author threw me several times. I plan to read more of this author and recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

THE LOOK-ALIKE is a solid thriller/suspense that travels back and forth between the present and ten years ago in a logical manner. Sienna had found the body of a girl about her age, Madison, who was wearing the same coat during a snowstorm in the middle of the night. It was a path she was known to walk and a little uncommon because it was a bit of a spooky short-cut.

She questioned at the time whether she might have been the intended victim. Considering her mother has persecutory delusions that her husband's ex-wife and her family are out to get back at her through Sienna, she and her father feared that Sienna might be showing early signs of the same illness. Her father decided to send her away to London to live with her grandmother. Sienna enjoyed 10 years there, training as a chef, but now she is ready to come home and wants to start her own business.

Coincidentally, she learns that when she returns to town, the police have reopened the case of Madison's murder and are trying to solve it. Sienna can't help exploring the potential that she might have been the intended victim. As things get more complicated, time is running out to figure out who had killed Madison and whether they really had Sienna in their sights.

This book was a great page-turner. However, I felt like the outcome was a little more obvious than I would have liked. I had figured it out pretty early in the story, so I wasn't as surprised. On the flip side, all the evidence was there, so it was fun to trace through the process and figure it out on your first read. The addition of her mother's mental illness was interesting, and I felt that this was portrayed well and understood by her and others in a way that does not blame the victim or any of the other pitfalls it could have had. It also adds some complexity to the way that Sienna approaches any thoughts/ideas.

There is also a romance in the plot line that I had a hard time getting into, as it moved a little fast and was pretty secondary in terms of the build. However, it propels the plot in other ways that makes it more necessary. The best part was the support that it gives to help Sienna from being isolated.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this intense thriller/suspense and would highly recommend for anyone who likes complex characters, heavy suspense, and figuring out whodunnit. Please note that I received an ARC through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Look-Alike is a creepy read. After discovering a body on campus, Sienna is whisked away to London. Ten years later she returns to find her mother's mental disorder worse, her brother bitter, and an unctuous cop who seems to interested in her life. I immediately pinpointed who the muderer was after the first few chapters. The story was a decent read, although the momentum dragged a bit in the middle. I spent many of the chapters wondering when the action was going to pick up.

The Look-Alike was an enjoyable psychological thriller. And adding in the family history of mental illness, It gave the story that much more complexity. I wasn’t a huge fan of Sienna and some of the choices she made but really enjoyed her mother Vivienne Scott.