(3.5, rounded up to 4)

Set against the backdrop of a secluded wilderness cabin, Marlee Bush’s debut novel, “When She Was Me,” crackles with tension and intrigue, ready to surprise readers at every turn.

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora share a bond forged in trauma. Their past shadows their present, leading them to retreat to Cabin Two, an isolated refuge from the world deep in the woods of Tennessee. Bush deftly explores the twins' intimacy, alternating between their perspectives. Cassie, the outgoing sister, befriends Tilly, a teenage outsider occupying Cabin Three. Lenora, the more reclusive one, observes from a distance. But when Tilly disappears, suspicion falls on the sisters. That is when their long-held secrets threaten to unravel.

Bush’s prose is wonderfully suspenseful. She weaves cryptic narratives, hinting at buried truths. Lenora’s therapy sessions add layers of complexity and further prompt readers to wonder what happened between Cassie and Lenora. The novel’s pacing keeps readers guessing, and the twins’ unreliable perspectives heighten the intrigue. Bush’s narrative subverts genre tropes, leaving readers questioning reality.

The cabin’s isolated setting, with its rustling leaves and oppressive silence, becomes palpable. As Cassie and Lenora grapple with their past, readers feel the weight of secrets. Bush’s portrayal of the twins as both protectors and suspects adds depth to the story.

“When She Was Me” is a lightning bolt of a thriller, electrifying and unputdownable, with plenty of twists and revelations.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Twin sisters are bound by trauma and live their lives sequestered from the world in a cabin. One day a 15 year old and her family rent a cabin nearby, which throws the twins for a loop and their routine is completely upended.
Alternating POVs kept the story moving forward and kept me turning the pages. I wasn’t sure where it was going to end, which always makes for a fun read, trying to guess the whodunit.
This would make a great summer read as you can blow through it pretty quickly. Pretty captivating debut!

This book had me by the throat from the beginning. I love nothing more than a book that makes me question reality. Can't wait to read more from this author!

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is a riveting psychological thriller that truly captivated me from start to finish. The story revolves around twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, who share identical looks but couldn't be more different in personality. Cassie is fascinated with true crime and spends her time documenting the stories of killers, while Lenora struggles with severe anxiety, often retreating into her own world.

The plot thickens when their peaceful, isolated life in a Tennessee campground is disrupted by new neighbors. The disappearance of Tilly, the fifteen-year-old daughter of the new family, plunges the twins into a web of mystery and suspicion. Lenora, who may have witnessed something during one of her sleepwalking episodes, is the central figure in uncovering the truth.

I found the character development in this book to be exceptional. Bush does a fantastic job of portraying the twins' complex relationship, their shared history, and the individual traumas that shape their actions. The alternating perspectives between Cassie and Lenora add depth to the narrative, making it a rich, immersive experience.

The slow-burn nature of the story kept me on edge, and the gradual unfolding of secrets made for a compelling read. While the pacing might be a bit slow for those who prefer fast-paced thrillers, I appreciated the detailed exploration of the characters' psyches and the atmospheric tension that built up throughout the book.

Overall, When She Was Me is a masterful blend of psychological drama and mystery. It’s a story that delves deep into the intricacies of twin dynamics, the impact of past traumas, and the blurry line between reality and delusion. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with well-developed characters and a haunting, slow-burn plot, this book is definitely one to add to your reading list.

Definitely a slow burn atmospheric read. It kept me on my toes not knowing who to trust and if all of it was real or in part imagined. I had so many theories and none of them panned out.

While identical twins were front and center, they couldn't have been more different. One didn't leave home while the other was a true crime blogger that went everywhere without shoes in the cold. I had a hard time connecting with the twins and I'm not sure if it was the characters or the repetitiveness of the story, but that detracted from the book when the story is so heavily character driven.

Imani Jade Powers does a good job narrating this one. She nails the atmosphere and tension and while the main characters are identical twins, this one could have benefitted from a second narrator. At times I went back to make sure I knew who was narrating that chapter.

If you are a fan of slow burn mysteries with dual timelines, you should check this one out.

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora live as close to off the grid as they can get without *actually* being off the grid. Cassie runs a successful true crime YouTube channel and Lenora is a ghost writer...and agoraphobic. Both women appreciate living on a remote and isolated campground that is far from prying eyes, especially after the trauma and turmoil of their childhood. When a family comes to stay at the campground for a quick woodsy getaway, their teenage daughter goes missing which brings swarms of police and search parties to the campground. Both Cassie and Lenora do what they can to help the search efforts, and when the girl’s body is found, each sister must navigate their own trauma, explore their own suspicions, and stay fiercely loyal to one another.

This debut thriller took me by surprise. It’s gripping, fast-paced, and perfect for a summer read. The interwoven storylines of past and present, as well as the alternating POVs between Cassie and Lenora make it easy to jump to conclusions and make your own assumptions about what really happened to the young girl and what exactly happened in Cassie and Lenora’s past, but the big reveal will probably prove all your assumptions wrong.

I enjoyed this bike and the twists. Two sisters isolate themselves most of the time and the reader finds out why as they read the book. I liked the story and guessing who you could trust.

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush begins at the cover - it's gorgeous and atmospheric, definitely one you will want to pick up. This one hits all the bells in psychological thriller land - twins, isolation, cabins, unreliable memories. Great debut with a satisfying pay off.

Two sisters rent a cabin in the woods to escape from something unknown. The sisters are twins and inseparable. Something happened in their past that they are hiding from.

When a camper goes missing Cassie and Lenora want to investigate and piece together what happened.

This book is good for people that like a slow burn mystery about sisters and true crime podcasts.

I wasn’t a fan because i thought the plot moved to slow but a lot of people will probably enjoy it.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this arc.

Twins scares the shit out of me, and When She Was Me is only another reason why that is. This was creepy!

When She Was Me" by Marlee Bush is a riveting thriller that will enthrall readers seeking a suspenseful and intricately woven narrative about twin sisters entangled in a web of dark secrets. Perfect for fans of atmospheric and suspenseful storytelling with dual timelines, this novel delves deep into family dynamics and explores the shadows of human nature. This 3.5-star book review captures the essence of the story, offering a balanced assessment with a tone that reflects its compelling nature.

This debut was psychological thriller was absolutely amazing, and I could not put it down the way. The characters are depicted in this book really had me captivated and enthralled the whole time. I was reading if you were looking for something that’s different and out of the box a little bit than what you normally read for a psychological thriller, I would definitely highly recommend this book

When She Was Me
Marlee Bush
4⭐️

Pub Date: 5/7/2024

This book just gripped me from the beginning. There were so many things going on, so many questions and mysteries that it was compelling to read. I did think that it started out real slow. The author dragged out the mystery and I wish it was faster. It does pick up so be patient. There's two timelines, the present and "then". What's interesting about this is that I assumed and expected one thing from the "then" timeline but nothing was ever divulged clearly. No names, hard to tell who's doing what. It added to my curiosity. I was in a completely different mindset and then it turned a quick 180 at the end. This one is a suspense/Thriller but there's also a somewhat horror feel to it which heightens the experience. The sisters' relationships were toxic, from each other and with other people. The ending tied up well with a bow.

I'd say I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good debut novel! It made me go back and re-read things as there were plenty of "what the heck" and "what's going on" ans "who did what" in this book, in a really good way.

This is a great debut novel by Marlee Bush and I look forward to her next endeavor. I enjoyed the remote campground setting in Tennessee. This psychological thriller kept me thoroughly engaged with its odd twin sister characters. The twisted ending was a total shock! Themes of trauma, dysfunctional family, and obsession.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one. I’m an avid thriller reader and found myself getting wary of the writing and didn’t find myself invested in the story. I acknowledge that this may just not be a book for me, and that’s okay!

I absolutely loved this twisted thriller. It's a slow burn with multiple POVs and then/now timelines that tell such a suspenseful story. I really enjoyed how I would think I knew what was about to happen, but then something happens that makes you question everything. I literally gasped at one point in the end, surprised by how things wrapped up in such a twisted way. Such a fantastic read!!

Very twisty and crazy. Though repetitive at times, the end did not disappoint. Kudos to the author for such debut.

This personally just wasn’t it for me. I prefer fast-paced psychological thrillers and while I thought there were intriguing characteristics within the characters I found myself struggling to continue to finish.

After going back and forth after a couple of months I’ve decided to move on!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
In addition to reading this I also listened to the audiobook as well.
This was a great thriller. I loved the sisters and the mystery surrounding them. The atmosphere of living in the cabin in the woods of a campground is as perfect. Then we have the weird new owner and the disappearances.
Great book. Held my interest the entire time.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕊𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕄𝕖
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗵
Psychological Thriller
400 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Twin sisters live in an isolated campground. Something odd is happening with these women, and the past holds the secrets that explain it all.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
When She Was Me is told from multiple points of view, coming from the twins and an unknown voice. That unknown voice teased me throughout the whole story as snippets of the past are unglued. It kept me on edge as I tried to figure out who it was.

The setting has a mysterious vibe as the twins dwell in this remote camp in the forest, rarely leaving.

Cassie and Lenora, the twins, are such interesting characters. Both seem a bit strange, one more than the other. Their living situation is odd at best. The way they go about life is hermit-like. They are hard to describe. The story is definitely character-driven.

The story moves a bit slowly at times, but the ending makes everything worthwhile. This is a well-written and original story coming from a debut author.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.