This book had me super interested until about 50% in and then I was over it. What was the point of having the cult storyline? This makes it feel like two books put together, and neither story is fully developed. By the middle, I just really didn't care because the story seemed way too farfetched.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really liked this book. The cult aspect was super fascinating. And the con artist angle was really well done. The main character was good and all the Jessicas were very different.

I hope that Ms. McKenzie just keeps on writing thrillers, because she's got a real knack for it. This was a fabulous clincher, right from the first scene at the airport. I love a thriller filled with twists. I love to be kept guessing and proved wrong. It just make me want to read more. The premise of stolen identity was a unique one and as you see from the story, it will happen again. It seems the identity thief says, you can't catch me. Or can they?
#YouCantCatchMe #NetGalley

Every now and then we have the pleasure of reading a book that totally captivates and surprises. You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie is that book. Jessica Williams was raised in a cult and was rescued twelve years ago. She rebuilt her life and all was well until a chance encounter at the airport. She was approached by a stranger who turned out to share her name and birthday. The two enjoyed a few drinks and discussed the serendipity. Within days, it became clear that the woman had stolen her personal information and all of her money in her bank account. She eventually put a plan in place to contact other Jessicas to see if the same crime had been committed. And she was right. With their help, she set in motion a plan to set a trap for the criminal. You will need to read You Can’t Catch Me to find out how the story evolves. If you like your mysteries unpredictable, you will love this book. Highly recommended. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Can’t Catch Me was a fantastic thriller. It was a definite page turner and I couldn’t put it down. I love Catherine McKenzie’s books and I can’t wait to read what she puts out next.

It started out innocent enough two Jessica’s sitting in an airport bar, but shifted to something far more ominous when these two women realized they also shared the same last name and birthday…
Jessica Williams, the original Jessica, a former reporter is going on a trip to escape constant harassment and media coverage after it was discovered she plagiarized one of her stories. She meets another Jessica Williams, Jessica Two, at the airport bar and they play a game of “Jessica Williams Twenty Questions.” It’s during this “game” they learn not only do they share the same name, they share the same birthday as well: “She takes out her wallet and flips her driver’s license at me. There it is. My name and birthday on an Ohio license with Jessica Two’s picture.” p. 8. Is this more than just a coincidence? Jessica doesn’t have time to decide as her flight is called and she rushes off to her gate.
Jessica spends a carefree week in Mexico, with her phone turned off. Upon her return she powers on the phone and starts receiving messages, including a notification from her bank – 5 days ago all of her money had been withdrawn from her account. After a heated discussion with her bank’s branch manager she obtains two black-and-white photographs from the ATM security footage. “They’re a bit blurry, but there’s no denying that it’s Jessica Two.” p. 20.
The hunt is on as Jessica begins trying to track down the mysterious Jessica Two. Along the way she’ll encounter other Jessica Williamses who also appear to be victims of Jessica Two. Can this group of Jessica’s work together to catch one of their own before she strikes again? Find out for yourself when You Can’t Catch Me is released in Canada on August 18, 2020.
With twists and turns right up until the end, you’ll have trouble putting this book down!

I’ve really been having a hard time with thrillers lately, and unfortunately this one was no exception.
I had trouble connecting to this read right from the start. I found myself constantly losing focus and having to continually refer back to the previous chapter just to make sure I hadn't actually missed something.

Jessica Williams. A fairly common name. What if Jessica is using that name to take advantage of other women who share her name. What if it’s time the tables turned?

I had such high expectations for this book as I have enjoyed previous books by this author. Perhaps it was just the wrong timing for me.

This was a buddy read with Susanne, that once again we found ourselves at the opposite ends of the bookstore.

There are many fabulous reviews for this book so If this one is on your list I hope it works out better for you than it did for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC to read and review.

Good book. Some fun twists. I enjoyed reading it, but for some reason, it didn't completely pull me in the way I thought it would. I enjoyed the ending, though it was a bit slow at parts. Really interesting concept.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

I always enjoy Catherine McKenzie books. This is a wonderful blend of all the right elements of a psychological thriller and suspense. I love the beginning and read it through to the end in one sitting. The author has a talent for writing exciting plots with great charcters. Catherine McKenzie books are always a enjoyable exciting read.

Jessica Williams escaped a cult 12 years ago at 18 years old. She had a mentor to help her and learned to re enter society. After a bad decision that left her life splattered across the internet she decides to escape to Mexico to stay and live a quiet life while she decides what to do next . At the airport she meets a women with the same name as her and they become friendly. Little does Jessica know she was a target and this women is a criminal. Soon her bank accounts are cleared out and she decides some revenge is in store. She gathers information on possible other victims and sets up a trap .

I loved the way Jessica did not stand for being just a victim. She took control and was courageous in the face of unimaginable difficulty. She rose to the occasion to do what needed to be done to regain her life back. This is a testament to all of us to never trust anyone and especially those that befriend us . A wonderful read that I highly recommend. Review cross posted.

Well, I didn't see that coming! This book starts with a bang and ends with a twist. When Jessica Williams meets another Jessica Williams, the pair instantly bond over drinks in an airport bar. But that proves to be the beginning of a nightmare. An engaging fast-paced read with a sassy heroine.

This was the perfect balance of not too ridiculous so I can stay focused and care, and not too realistic where it’s dark and not fun. Which is why I always pick up McKenzie’s books; I’m always guaranteed a hook I can’t look away from, and then a fun ride. Basically, exactly what I was looking to read right now. It also managed to hit upon so many things that I am just naturally drawn to, starting with a cult.

Which is Jessica Williams’ past, having escaped a doomsday cult she was born into. That was 12 years ago, when she was eighteen and escaped with the help of a man who became a mentor, and a crush in the process. Now, she’s the woman known all over the internet for having copy/pasted someone else’s story as her own. So she’s been fired and publicly dragged. She decides to go to Mexico and disconnect from the world for a while, which only makes things worse because she very naively plays a game in the airport with a woman who has her same name. That game was a setup for that other “Jessica Williams” to steal her identity and empty out her bank accounts.

It’s only a matter of time before it occurs to Jessica Williams 1 to find out if this little game had been played before and if there were other victims, then leading her to those women who, all together, devise a trap… You get the current plot line as the Jessica Williamses team up to catch the fake one and get justice–or at least their money back; the past life of Jessica Williams 1 growing up in the cult, her support group with other cult members, and her relationship with the man who saved her.

(TW child predator, past not graphic/ suicide past, detail, note/ child abuse/ alludes to past rape, no detail)

A twisty, exciting read! I really enjoyed this - it was never what I thought it was going to be. I got vibes of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Gone Girl and the Ripley novels, in equal measure.

Recommend, it's a bit different to what I thought it was going to be, and the writing kept me into it.

I was hoping to like this book more than I did. I found it a bit too descriptive at times making me want to skim some parts because I was bored, and then the end wrapped up a bit quickly.

"...anger. It has a way of focusing you that forgiveness can't."

Jessica Williams is angry. While running off to Mexico to escape ridicule and harassment over a plagiarized story she submitted to FeedNews as an investigative reporter, Jessica meets a woman in the airport bar. The funniest thing -- you can't make this up -- the woman's name is also Jessica Williams AND she happens to have the same birth date. What a coincidence? Their happy little exchange of 20 questions is almost forgotten by the time Jessica returns to New York. That's when she finds that her identity has been stolen and her bank account drained. Unable to get satisfaction from reporting the theft to the police and the bank, Jessica decides that she needs to find this other Jessica and get back what she took. Along the way, she discovers that she's not the only Jessica Williams who has been fleeced. A cat and mouse game, a clever set-up, and a spectacular plan go awry. NO SPOILERS.

This was a fun book that I read over the course of a couple of hours. Hard to put down, the characters jumped off the page and I was quite engaged in the story -- especially about Jessica having escaped from a cult when she was nearly 18. I liked the writing style and particularly the way the plot unfolded. Just when you think you have it all figured out, making guesses along the way as to what is going to happen, BAM! I'll definitely look for more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

This book was a quick read, with a few points leaving me skimming to get through it a little faster as the pace slowed. And then there was a part towards the end where I was wondering how I still had 20% of the book to go when they basically solved the mystery. And they gave me more, for sure, but then it turned on its head. I would have given it 4 stars except there were parts of this ending that seemed almost like an afterthought.

But I have to say that it was clever in the journey of Jessica Williams and how mistaken identity could happen easily. Back story is very important here and you will not be given much info to help you until you get further along. So if you are that kind of person you probably will get slightly frustrated with the ending. But if you are the kind of person that wants to follow the path wherever it takes you, this is it!

Honestly, I could not put this story down, even with a few slow parts and a few story flaws.


You can see my video review here:
https://youtu.be/AGSLJptgado

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my free copy of You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie in exchange for an honest review.

Holy smokes! I loved this book so much! I couldn’t put it down, and kept reading at every chance I could. I loved the premise of this book initially, about someone after they escaped from a cult. Then the following story arc was so creative, clever and unique! I had to keep going!

I loved that the chapters were short, it felt like I was always able to just read one more. And another. And another! Needless to say, if you’re interested in thrillers, add this to your bookshelf!

TW: Cussing, violence/death, flashbacks to cult life.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie.

Jessica Williams has an interesting past. When she was young she was rescued from a cult and now has a very strained relationship with her parents, despite the cult leader having passed. But determined to still succeed, she worked hard to become a journalist, and was thriving, until being disgraced for plaigerism.

Feeling defeated and sitting in an airport, Jessica is waiting for her food and discovers that another Jessica Williams is sitting right next to her. After an awkward conversation they go their separate ways. But in a few days Jessica finds that her banks accounts have been drained and she has lost everything.

This is a story of a game of cat and mouse, revenge, and who is actually hunting who. I was very impressed with the intricacy of the story and the constant twists and turns. Nothing actually blew my mind, but it didn't feel super formulaic, and I did like the bumpy and unfamiliar road it took me down. Lots of fun, great for the summer.

I enjoyed this book. The story was engaging and I really liked the characters. It held my attention and I would recommend it.

Catherine McKenzie's latest novel, You Can't Catch Me, is dedicated to a friend with whom she has traveled extensively. "Because my friend has a very common name, we kept getting stopped at the U.S. border," McKenzie explains. "Someone with a similar name and the same birthday was wanted by the police." At a book signing, she was asked her middle name. It turned out that the woman asking and McKenzie had identical names, spelled exactly the same way. "We even looked somewhat alike," McKenzie recalls. "It occurred to me that someone could steal a person’s money because they were not stealing someone’s identity. They were the same person on paper. That was the starting point for the book.”

As the story opens, Jessica Williams has suffered public humiliation and the loss of her career. But she received a severance package so she decided to vacation in Puerto Vallarta -- and announced her destination on social media. Awaiting her flight in the airport bar, the server attempts to deliver a drink to "Jessica." Both Jessica and the woman sitting next to her claim it. They begin chatting and the woman tells Jessica, "I have this thing I do whenever I meet another Jessica Williams," claiming that because she travels a lot it happens "often enough." She says, "I call it Jessica Williams Twenty Questions. . . . It's a way of seeing how similar we are." Jessica agrees to play and the two women exchange details about their lives, including their birthplaces, where they lived growing up, mother's maiden names, best friends, and schools attended. As they part company, the woman suggests that they exchange contact information by tapping their phones together. "Jessica Williams has been added to your contacts," the message on her telephone announces. Jessica continues on to Mexico where she keeps her telephone turned off for a week while she relaxes, reads, and contemplates the next chapter of her life. It isn't until she returns to her Greenwich Village apartment and turns her telephone back on that she realizes there is a problem. Numerous notifications from her bank advise her that she has withdrawn money and her spending has been much higher than is typical. Except Jessica didn't make the withdrawals. Her bank confirms that $240,000 was wired out of her account, but can provide no details about the transaction. The bank does, however, obtain surveillance photos of the personal who withdrew cash using the ATM. It is immediately evident that Jessica Two, as Jessica has dubbed the woman from the airport, is the culprit. The police offer little hope because the crime is a low priority and it is unlikely that their resources will be devoted to apprehending Jessica Two.

Jessica reaches out to Liam, a charming forty-two-year-old private detective with a side hustle as a fixer for prominent New York families, for help. Jessica grew up in a cult -- the Land of Todd -- in upstate New York. Liam rescued her when she was a teenager and guided her through the process of reintegrating into society. "One way or another, he's taught me most of the things I know," Jessica observes in the first-person narrative McKenzie employs.

McKenzie has "always been fascinated by cults. I have done deep dives into Scientology and watched many documentaries on cults. I even know two people who were brought up in cults. They left when they became adults." In the Land of Todd, parents abdicated their role, relinquishing their children to be raised communally in accordance with Todd's teachings and punishments. "A common thread is that cult parents probably start out with good intentions," McKenzie observes. "They don’t join a group thinking they will turn into puppets. What does happen is that they eventually give over their autonomy to the leader. This leader becomes the parent over the adults and children. Part of what happens is the seduction of the parent. The leader is also usually the abuser." That's precisely the story McKenzie devises for Jessica, who harbors anger and resentment toward the parents she feels abandoned her, who remain members of the cult. As Jessica neared her eighteenth birthday, she was ordered to build a new cabin in which she was to reside alone. Most of the other girls in the cult lived together once they reached the age of adulthood. Jessica remains convinced that Todd had a particular plan for her, and her parents -- especially her mother -- were complicit. That was the point at which she took the chance to escape with Liam's assistance, but she could not convince her best friend, Kiki, to go with her. She has always felt guilty about leaving without her.

Jessica enlists Liam to assist her by ascertaining Jessica Two's real identity, tracking her down, and demanding that she return Jessica's money. She devises a clever scheme to find other women named Jessica Williams with the same birthday, reasoning that Jessica Two may have scammed others. If so, she convinces Liam that those other victims will want to partner in her quest to bring Jessica Two to justice. Indeed, they locate other victims and Jessica sets in motion an elaborate plan to lure Jessica Two to the Grand Tetons where they will mete out justice. But Jessica Two is not easily intimidated, and her threatening messages are unnerving, as are the stories Jessica hears from the other women whose lives she has ruined.

McKenzie's plot is inventive, engrossing, and Jessica's narrative moves at a relentless pace. McKenzie's continued growth as an author is evident as her deftly-constructed cat-and-mouse game proceeds in a credible, entertaining manner. <em>You Can't Catch Me</em> also features well-developed characters. Jessica still bears the scars of a childhood spent believing that her parents did not love her because they abandoned her to Todd's whims and failed to fight to keep her safe and secure, even allowing her to endure punishment like being banished to the forest for a week at a time with no food or shelter. She has always had feelings for Liam, who would not act on them when she was a mere eighteen years old to his thirty. But now the twelve-year age difference is no longer insurmountable. Among McKenzie's intriguing supporting characters are the elusive Liam, the other Jessicas, Jessica's parents, and the fellow escapees from the cult with whom she maintains friendships. They are a cohesive group with a shared history who provide supporting and compassion to each other.

McKenzie says she wants to read and tries to craft books that readers "don't want to put down." With You Can't Catch Me, she has succeeded yet again. You Can't Catch Me is full of shocking plot twists, surprising developments and revelations, and an ending few readers will see coming. At its core, the story is a compelling exploration of revenge fueled, in part, by erroneous assumptions. And an obsession with retribution designed to avenge a tragedy. McKenzie wisely leaves readers to draw their own conclusions about her characters and their motivations after all is revealed in this smartly-plotted. fast-paced, and highly entertaining mystery.

A fun and engaging guilty pleasure type thriller. I finished this in one night, I was just so intrigued to find out what happened to Jessica!