*3.5 stars rounded up. This is a nice, light, entertaining thriller with a little romance thrown in. Ten years ago, Sienna Scott stumbled over the body of a young woman who had been stabbed to death while returning to the dorm at midnight in the midst of a blinding snowstorm. The police never did find the killer and at some point, Sienna began to wonder if SHE was the intended victim because the two girls were wearing the same color coats.

Because Sienna's mother suffers from persecutory delusional disorder, her family began to worry that Sienna herself was showing signs of the disorder with this kind of thinking, and she was sent to live with her paternal grandmother in London.

Now she's come back home to Wisconsin unannounced and is surprised to learn the cold murder case has been reopened after ten years. Once again Sienna wonders if she was the intended victim, especially when she begins to get anonymous phone calls telling her she was right all along...

Sienna is an interesting character. There are two aspects to the 'look-alike' of the title of this story: One, that she looks so much like the murder victim; and the other, that she looks so much like her mother. But does that mean that she will also develop the same mental disorder?

Sienna seems a little immature for her age--perhaps because she's been coddled all her life, the adored family 'princess.' Now at nearly 30, she finds she has a lot to deal with when she moves back in with her widowed mother whose attacks of paranoia seem so much worse than Sienna remembers, especially when her mother refuses to take her meds. Sienna needs to prove to herself and the rest of the town that she is not her mother's clone.

As the saying goes, you are not paranoid if someone is really out to get you. As Sienna begins to feel her life is once again in danger, she tries to sort through her memories and the clues of the old murder case to see if she can solve it herself. She needs help but whom can she trust? The handsome new neighbor across the street? Her half-brother who has been dealing with his stepmother since the death of their father? The campus cop who came to her rescue on that horrible night ten years ago? Erica Spindler throws enough red-herrings into the plot to keep the reader guessing till the exciting conclusion.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks.

I could not put this book down. I was sure I had the killer all figured out then Spindler would throw something out there and make me question myself all over again. Every time I was ready to stop for a moment I’d turn the page and Id find myself 50 more pages in the book. I was right on my initial assumption of the killer but had no clue as to why. So, if you figure it out early I promise you it is worth it to finish the book. You will be surprised as to why.

I have not read an Erica Spindler book for many years. I know my mom used to gobble them up like hot chocolate chip cookies on a snowy day. After reading The Look-Alike I have decided to get my mom’s books and read them. I will definitely be getting this one for her.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above are entirely my own.

I didn't know Erica Spindler as a writer before I requested this advance readers copy from NetGalley. She is, as it turns out, a renowned author of romantic suspense -- but there was no clue to this in the publisher's blurb. Instead, The Look-Alike was billed as a "psychological drama."

Good thing I'm not a book snob, because this book is solidly within the romance genre. Yes, there's lots of keen suspense, but there are also plenty of phrases like "exploring and savoring his every angle and plane," and "feeling as if her heart had shattered into a billion tiny pieces," and "his heart splintered into a million sharp pieces."

But you know what? This was a darn good story. There was the aforementioned suspense, and a shifting narrative that focused the spotlight of suspicion on a different potential bad guy for every few chapters -- and back again. I especially liked the sympathetic treatment of a serious mental illness and the toll it takes on families.

In fact, The Look-Alike had a stronger and clearer story line than the last book I read, which was written by one of those "masters of suspense" cited by book snobs, and which I gave only 3 stars, where this book gets 4. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC.

Sienna Scott is returning home after 10 years. Hers is not a happy reunion but a tenuous affair. Sienna has always lived her life in the shadow of her mother's delusions. Either she has been held captive to her mother's fears and overprotectiveness or she has been treated with kid gloves for fear that she will crack at a moment's notice.

When she stumbles upon a murder scene she can't help but notice that the girl is dressed similar to her. Running through her mind are her mother's warnings. Could they prove true? Does someone want her dead? Was she the intended victim? Was the other girl simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, the victim of mistaken identity? Of course these thoughts cause Sienna to believe that she shares more in common than her looks. She fears that she too may be delusional and doesn't want to expose her brand of crazy. But what if she's right?

<b>The Look Alike</b> was a quick, enjoyable read although it was somewhat predictable. <i>Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Erica Spindler for advanced access to this book.</i>

I've never read any of Erica Spindler's books but I'm on my way after writing this to the library to get some of her books!

This was an outstanding thriller that will get your blood pumping and leave you flabbergasted at every turn.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The Look-Alike is a psychological thriller that will have you guessing until the end!

Sienna returns home after being gone for 10 years to confront her past. Sienna’s mother suffers from a delusional disorder and her Dad urged her to move to London to get away from her mother. Life with her mother got complicated after Sienna stumbled upon a dead body on campus and then believed she was the one that was supposed to be attacked. Shortly after Sienna returns home, the murder investigation is reopened. Lies, betrayals and secrets… who is telling the truth? Can Sienna trust anyone, even herself?


The Look-Alike is a cleverly crafted psychological thriller. It was easy to read and a tough one to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers.

I thought I had this figured out several times but each time I was wrong! The Look Alike is a quick easy read that I didn't want to put down and had me guessing til the end.

This book has it all!! I love this Author and how she writes! If you are looking for suspense and mystery then this book is for you!

"From Erica Spindler, the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes The Look-Alike, a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago - but does anyone else believe her?

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?"

I always love a good killer made a mistake so they're back to right the wrong story!

I’ve always enjoyed Erica Spindler’s book and this one did not disappoint. The Look-Alike is a fast paced thriller with twists and turns in the plot. The plot is an unsolved murder at the college Sienna attended, where she found the body of a girl who was wearing the same coat as Sienna’s. The subplot is the paranoid delusions of Sienna’s mother. I was pretty sure from the beginning who did it, but those twists had me second guessing myself throughout the book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Be prepared for nerve tingling suspense in the newest Erica Spindler book! I thought I had it all figured out in the first several chapters but, boy, was I wrong! This is one thriller you don't want to miss! Enjoy! 📚

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

After spending ten years exiled to London, Sienna Scott has returned to her hometown. With dreams of running her own restaurant, the young chef hopes to reunite with her mother and half brother. However, Sienna finds her beloved mother more than ever consumed by dark delusions and her brother, Brad, a local real estate agent, hostile and secretive. Added to her homecoming is the local police department's re-opening of an old cold case, the death of a young woman who bore startling similarities to Sienna. As Sienna tries to begin a new life, a series of terrifying phone calls tell Sienna that the killer is still out there and he isn't finished with her yet.

I couldn't tear myself away from this suspense novel that felt a bit like a Mary Higgins Clark story. There were loads of suspects and I begin to worry that I was as delusional as Sienna. As the tension built, I was increasingly concerned that a white van might be driving around outside my apartment building.

Overall, an excellent read that has me wanting to watch out for this author.

Goodreads review published 23/01/20
Publication Date 28/01/20

It wasn't hard at all to get into this novel, it was intriguing for me right off the bat actually. I was more on a kick for mystery and suspense and The Look-Alike delivered quite nicely.

Sienna has some harsh memories of her childhood town, especially of an incident involving a dead body. She fled to her grandmother's for ten years only to come back to face her mother's mental illness and see the dark pieces from her past still waiting for her.

Spindler already hooked me pretty well with that, but then I got immersed in the things that start happening with Sienna back in town. While Sienna has always known her mother's fears for her, she thought they were just because of her mental illness...but then some things start happening. And we start to see that maybe her mom has been right, and then from there...


My goodness, y'all it was plot-twisting around to where I couldn't predict! I love predicting who did it in these kinds of books (whether that's because I still want to believe I have actual intelligence is still up for debate), but I didn't get irritated at all. The characters didn't make me want to slap them silly, in fact, I was biting my nails at some points because I was trying to figure things out.


The author's trail throughout the pages was wonderfully fast-paced and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat. The clues to who did it and what was happening to Sienna and her mother were both misleading and perfect!

This author was quite the genius!

4 stars!

While the first few chapters promised a fast paced thriller ride, what I ended up reading was a predictable, unsatisfying mystery, cheesy romance, but unfortunately light on thrills. Truthfully, I struggled to finish this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

Sienna Scott literally fell onto a dead body 10 years ago and has recently come home to stay. Jonathon Anderson recently moved to town and is flipping the house across the street from the Scott residence. Their mutual attraction leads to danger and trying to solve a 10-year-old murder. Was she the intended target or was it The Look-Alike?
Ten years ago, Sienna Scott literally stumbled over a dead body of a college acquaintance, putting her in the middle of the young woman’s murder case. A mother’s mental illness has affected her all her life and has her thinking that she was supposed to be the target of a murderer. The campus cop, who her came to her aid becomes a close friend that Sienna can talk to about her feelings about the murder. Her doctor father has always considered her fragile because she looks just like her mentally ill mother. Since, her father doesn’t like the idea of the relationship between Sienna and her new friend. Fearing for her safety and to get her away from Randall Clark. Sienna has decided its time to return home permanently. She’s intrigued by the man next door and they soon become friends. Jonathon has tried to introduce himself to her mother when he moved across the street. Sienna is excited about the chance to by a local restaurant that is up for sale. She’s also started dealing with her mentally ill mother. Her successful half brother is the one looking out for her inheritance. When she decides that she’ll go ahead with buying the restaurant. Going to the people who she believes is handling the money she finds out they’re not and goes to talk to Eric. Jonathon becomes more important to Sienna and a physical relationship starts. Sienna is angry and devastated by the fact her brother has taken most of her money. Her brother’s true feelings begin to show. A new look at the murder 10 years ago has Sienna’s memories returning more clearly than after it happened. The paranoia illness has Sienna wondering if she is like her mother. As they get threatening phones calls a trip to the Tranquility Bluffs police brings her old friend Randall Clark back into Sienna’s life. She follows a lead with the chief suspect for the past 10 years. Her mother’s so-called delusional paranoia seems to be real as the danger becomes real. A talk with Jonathon has him believing her. When her mother as an episode and is injured, then decides to get her illness under control by going into a facility. While looking for childhood memories to help her mother, Sienna finds her old gloves and jacket from 10 years ago. A trip to visit Jonathon has the cops thinking of him as a suspect. It put breaks them apart. Her brother’s reel feelings have her wondering if he was behind the murder and it was supposed to be her. Sienna knows she messed up big time with Jonathon and that they’ll not get back together. Her suspect changes when the Tranquility Bluffs police chief comes to question her mother about her coat and gloves. An intruder has Sienna deciding to keep her wits about her. Her mom comes to her rescue. Realizations after the fact has Sienna making her dreams come true with the help of the man she loves and her brother.
Erica Spindler is a master of the suspense and thriller genre. She has you wondering who the bad guy is and just how twisted they maybe. She takes the reader on a twisting danger filled ride in the story of a young woman whose life has been influenced by her mother’s mental illness and the fact that she inadvertently pulled into a murder of a college acquaintance. How the influence of the mental illness shapes Sienna Scott’s thinking that the murdered young woman just maybe The Look-Alike or is she herself The Look-Alike of her own mother. Jonathon Anderson’s life becomes complicated when he moves to Tranquility Bluffs to investigate his siter’s 10-year-old murder. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with the woman that was a part of the initial investigation. The Look-Alike takes you on a ride of who dun it full of danger and suspense. Erica Spindler keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next.

I was convinced I knew who was at fault for 60% of the story. And I was so mad because I hate figuring out who did it so early. But I was wrong. I was getting so upset because I hate the unpredictable female storyline. I also had a backup who did it but I was wrong there too. I’m so glad I was wrong because I love trying to figure out who did it. I loved the epilogue and the ending to this story. I would definitely recommend this one to fellow suspense lovers!

The Look A-Like was a well-written thriller by author Erica Spindler. I was drawn into the story within the first few pages.

Moreover, I appreciated the character development. One very interesting addition was the information about one of the character’s mental illness and how it affected her day-to-day life and those around her. . The plot was well thought out with little details about who was behind the murder of a young girl years before. While the author threw in a lot of information that appeared to lead the reader around in circles, I had a good idea of who the murderer was by the middle of the book.

What I didn’t like: I really dislike sex scenes in books unless they have a very good reason to be included. In this case, it was another of those stories where two people, who barely know each other having only met a few times, end up having sex. Why? It really did not add a thing to the story.

I'm such a fan of psychological thrillers that make you look behind you (even in the daylight), but The Look-Alike left me wanting just a little bit more. Jumping to the conclusion that you were the intended murder victim because someone looked similar to you is kind of absurd. It's written well, and I made it to the end, so that's some pretty good praise!

Sienna finds the body a woman who has been murdered at her school. She is thrown by the fact that she and the murder victim are wearing the same coat.Could Sienna have been the intended victim? because they are wearing matching coats, and nobody wears white coats right?! 

AND that's the basic premise of this book, its not great

I swear every chapter left off with a "cliff hanger" 
he wasn't watching her walk away ... dun, dun, dun
she didn't notice the white van ... dun, dun, dun

it was just a little much.

The protagonist Sienna was annoying.
On one page she is concerned that she is falling for someone she doesn't know, and questions whether or not she is being smart about it... and then a couple pages later he says he has something important to tell her, but shes like 'shhhhh, you're a good guy. '

If there are red flags about a guy you barely know ... and he says he needs to tell you something that hes been keeping from you, what kind of sane person isn't like 'ya! tell me right now'
So that was annoying.

The ending was predictable, and I wasn't a huge fan of the writing.

I received a free paperback ARC of The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. I also received a free e-book ARC from NetGalley.

When you read two thrillers at the same time, it's easy to get them confused. Especially when the other book could've actually been called The Look-Alike and this book didn't really *have* to be called The Look-Alike. I'm not coming up with any better titles, it's the permanent title, but I don't really care for it.

Sienna Scott found a recently murdered body when she was 18. Now she's 28 and coming home from 10 years in London living with her grandmother. Yes, it happens that quickly in the book. Her father has passed away and her mother has a delusional disorder in which she has fears that "bad people" are out to harm Sienna so Sienna has come home to care for her mother. Yikes. I do like the way Spindler handled Viv, Sienna's mom. I don't know much about disorders such as this but I thought Spindler explained it well.

This book reminded me a lot of Final Girls but I can't really go into why because of spoilers. I did find the reasoning behind the original murder to be weak. I rolled my eyes when it all came out. I was expecting the person but not why they did it. Meh. I will be checking out other books by Spindler at some point.