Identical twins, Lenora and Cassie, have been living in Cabin Two at an isolated campground in an effort to escape their past and “that night.” When the grounds come under new management, and the teenage daughter of a visiting family goes missing, Cassie and Lenora both start reliving the past and begin to question who they can trust.

WHEN SHE WAS ME by Marlee Bush is a really strong debut suspense novel!

The sisters were both intriguing characters with very interesting careers and the isolated campground setting was so so good!

The alternating past timeline kept the suspense up and also had me questioning everything I thought to be true.

This one is on the lengthier side, which I didn’t feel was completely necessary, but it still managed to be a quick read regardless.

I’m definitely curious to see where Marlee goes from here!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: May 7

When She was Me is a debut author and you wouldn't notice. I was enthralled in this story that by the time I hit the ending I was SHOOK/shocked. Twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora have that "twin thing", you know that bond people sometimes talk about. Their past was a rocky one, so they chose the secluded life in the woods. All was okay until a teenager in the cabin next door went missing.

This story is a page turning that you just want to keep reading so you can find out if the evidence presented is the truth or a false reality.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a good blood pumping murder mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Cassie and Lenora are living in a cabin, mostly off the grid, except for two other cabins nearby. When their landlord dies, a new person moves in to take over. Before they know it, the teenage daughter staying in the third cabin with her parents, is missing, and later found dead. But how? Nothing makes sense, and with Cassie and Lenora's secretive past, who knows what secrets lurk in the darkness?

I felt like this book was trying too hard to be mysterious. Like it was overselling it without it feeling genuine. I didn't hate it, but I also felt like it was dragging and I didn't feel compelled to read it - just desperate for it to be over. It was still interesting enough, but it was a miss for me.

CW: violence, blood, murder, death, grief, trauma, mental illness, fire

**I got this book for free from Poisoned Press. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.**

This debut novel from Marlee Bush was amazing. This book is told in 3 POV’s, Cassie, Lenora and “Then”. This is about twin sisters that live in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. Cassie and Lenora are hiding away from something. What happened to their dad when they were younger? Where did Tilly go? Did Lenora do that? Why are the twins lying to each other? This was a fantastic book.

Cassie and Lenora are identical twins who went through a traumatic event together and now live in a campground in Tennessee. Lenora is able to work as a ghostwriter, but barely steps outside their small cabin. Cassie does a true crime podcast, putting herself in the shoes of the victims whose deaths she covers. Cassie is always there to protect Lenora from others and from herself. Things begin to change for the twins when a teenage girl arrives with her parents for a short camping trip and goes missing. What happened to Tilly and what secrets are Cassie and Lenora keeping from each other?

This book is told from both Cassie and Lenora's present point-of-view as well as an unidentified person in the past. The story is intriguing, but at times confusing. Both sisters keep referring to an incident in their past, but the reader isn't given details on what it was. The "past" narration is also kept purposely vague to keep up the suspense, but for me the repetition sometimes slowed the pace of the story. I was able to figure out some of the plot twists before they were revealed. After some slow chapters in the middle, the ending picks up and I was surprised when all of the secrets finally came out. Better pacing would have made the book more suspenseful for me, but it's still an entertaining read. 3.5 stars

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Review:
"When She Was Me" by Marlee Bush took me on a journey into the tangled lives of twin sisters Cassie and Lenora, set against the backdrop of an isolated Tennessee campground. From the very beginning, the alternating perspectives between past and present provided a unique insight into their shared history and the secrets they harbor.

What intrigued me most about this book were the different points of view and the way the story unfolded, weaving together the past and the present. However, while the last 25 pages delivered some jaw-dropping twists, I found the overall pacing to be slow and struggled to fully immerse myself in the story, particularly in the first half. The complexity of the narrative made it difficult to connect with the characters and understand their motivations, leading to a disjointed reading experience.

Ultimately, "When She Was Me" fell short of my expectations. Despite its promising premise, the slow pacing and lack of intensity left me feeling unsatisfied. I found myself considering abandoning the book altogether, which is a rarity for me. As a result, I would hesitate to recommend it or revisit it in the future.

Thank you Marlee Bush, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for te opportunity to read this advanced copy

What a wild ride! Lenora and Cassie are identical twins, on the run from a traumatic event in their childhood. At the campground where they live, a young girl is murdered, dredging up memories from the past and making the sisters suspicious of each other’s part in the tragedy. Alternating between chapters narrated by Lenora and Cassie, the story unfolds parallel to another story told by an unnamed narrator. The plot is a two-headed serpent twisting around itself until all the secrets are laid bare. This debut novel is surely the start of a long, successful literary career. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

3/5 stars

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reading copy!

SYNOPSIS -- Cassie and Lenora have been inseparable since the womb -- literally. As twins, they know each other better than anyone. Ever since that night years ago, they have been on their own, by choice. In an isolated campground in Tennessee, they manage to live their lives in relative peace, and stay away from anyone who wishes them harm -- emotional or physical. However, when a teenage girl goes missing from the campground, their trauma resurfaces, leaving them both questioning reality for very different reasons. While trying to solve the present crime, they're forced to face the truth of what happened all those years ago...

Ugh, I wanted to love this one so bad and it just fell flat for me. The premise and overall plot were great. The TN campground was an awesome setting for an atmospheric, creepy and intense story. Cassie and Lenora started out as great characters to me, but I soon became frustrated with their respective quirks. I was super into this book for about half of it, but I lost interest after that and only finished it to see what happened. I'm glad I did, because the twists towards the end had me totally shocked, and definitely redeemed this book as a whole for me. Overall, though, it was a bit of a letdown. Longer than necessary and I feel like the wrong things were given too much attention. Not terrible, just not great.

I really liked the dual timeline/pov situation we got to go through with each character. Each character being an identical TWIN! Yes - this is a thriller with twins, Cassie and Lenora, who are hiding out on a rural campground…both suspecting that the other one knows more than she’s letting on.

This was a nice read for a thriller but wish the pacing was slightly different. I’d recommend this to anyone seeking a riveting psychological thriller 🔥

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Two sisters hiding from their dark past only to have to confront it when a girl goes missing. Epic. However, I thought the middle kind of dragged and was a bit repetitive.

The ending however was a fun one! Definitely didn’t guess the ending.. partly because it was so outrageous haha but I truly didn’t mind that! 3.25 stars

This one will have you on edge from the beginning until the twist that comes out of nowhere! How far would you go to protect your twin sister?

DNF at 59%

This is a book about troubled identical twins, Cassie and Leonora, told in alternating timelines along with flashbacks simply labelled "Then" so we don't know who the story is from. While it had its intrigue and I was interested in finding out about their past and what happened, I found the book to be too repetitive.

Something happened when they were young, something bad. They both tend to think about it in vague terms how it affects them right now and how much they love their sister. Even the past is vague and largely seems unrelated to whatever is happening in the present so I couldn't bring myself to skim the book to the end.

But if you like stories with twins or slow-burn suspense novels, this could be a good pick for you. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-copy!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow, this was creepy. I literally got the chills from reading this book. And that ending was shocking. This book kept me questioning till the end. I just had to find out what the truth was.

I feel like my mind is swirling down an endless drain. Not knowing what just happened or who is who. The story slightly blurred, making for an intensely dark read that will leave you racing up the basement stairs. Knowing someone is watching, every hair on your body at attention. The need to close your eyes and feel safe mounting with every step.

Cassie and Lenora have been tucked away in Cabin 2, at a campground in Tennessee. Hiding out and trying to recover from their traumatic childhood. Which is being feed to you piece by piece. The puzzle coming slightly into focus, but just out of reach. Lenora does not leave the cabin, only venturing to the bathhouse. She watches everything from the safety of their cabin windows. Cassie feels the draw outside. The crisp, icy air fills her lungs, her bare feet numb as she walks around the deserted campground. When Wayne, the eccentric owner passes away. His son is eager to make a quick sale. Making the future shaky for Cassie and Lenora. When a young teenager disappears from one of the three cabins, a search begins. Ending in tragedy with everyone questioning who did it.

This is a highly intense family drama. That plays out before your eyes with a dual timeline. Bringing you back to that horrifying day that led the twins to living in this desolate campground. The lies people bury deep, the lines family cross, and the truth finally setting everyone free. Thank you to Marlee Bush and Poisoned Pen Press for this heart pounding read.

I was hooked from the beginning until the very end. I loved the writing style, the different POVs (even the “then” chapters that are not labeled who the POV is). I really thought I had the story figured out but the twist proved me wrong.

This book was OK for me. I feel that there was a lot of repetition. There were some twists In the book that had me surprised but not until the end. Up to that point I thought it was kind of slow.

The premise of this story deeply intrigued me, but unfortunately the slow pace did not hold my attention and I just couldn't keep going. I am only leaving feedback per Netgalley requirement.

⭐⭐⭐ 3. 5 Slow Burning Thrilling Stars !!

Wow, just wow when I read the back story about the author and learned at the end this is a debut novel , I was truly shocked !! When She Was Me did not read like a debut novel and kind of gave me Alice Feeney vibes with that sense of eeriness not sure where the author is taking you.

"When I sit in front of the camera, I like to wear their skin. The victims. Slip them on like an evening coat and pretend their lives and mine are the same. I'm not just me anymore."

"I want to pluck your brain out and put it under a microscope. Roll it around my fingers and feel your thoughts."

Read this if you like:
* Slow Burn Thrillers
* Multiple POV's
* Alternating Time Lines
* Stories set in the woods
* Books that make you feel unsettled
* Creepy Atmospheric reads

With out giving to much away as I try to keep my page as spoiler free as possible , When She Was Me is a slow burn thriller that will have you jumping through many scenario's trying to solve the mystery!

Twin sisters Cassie and Leonora share a cabin together after escaping their dark past where they live and enjoy the solitude in the middle of nowhere . When a family decides to have a weekend getaway across from them in another cabin disrupting the twins daily routine , the two become a little too interested in what the family is doing , and then suddenly the family's daughter Tilly goes missing !!

The author takes on us on a long dark , creepy twisty ride . I was having difficulties at times trying to navigate what was going one ? Now we have a dead body , and your left to wonder , who killed Tilly ? Was it one of the twins , is there a serial killer lurking in the woods ? Is it some sort of paranormal activity ? Are the cabins haunted ? WTH is actually going on ??

The first 10 % of the book was so gripping and dark and then the next 70% I felt was quit repetitive, the build up just kept building and it's like your waiting for that punch line , but never happens and then suddenly at about 87% its like boom here you go !!

If creepy, dark, slow burn thrillers set in the woods is your jam , then When She Was me is the next read for you !!

I think fans of Alice Feeney, Stacy Willingham and Riley Sager will devour this book !!

Thank you Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Marlee Bush for this digital ARC.
Respectfully Another Read by Angie

3.5/5 (rounded up)

I nearly dnf. I just couldn’t seem to get fully invested in the story. There were a few things that surprised me, but a lot I guessed correctly.

Does a truly creepy thriller HAVE to take place in the woods? Honestly, yes, and you can’t convince me otherwise. When She Was Me by Marlee Bush adds in even more creepiness with twin sisters, a sordid and messy past, and a missing teenager. And the creepiest part is the secrets we learn as we switch between each sister’s point of view.
From the first chapter, Bush’s description of the woods and small campground the sisters stay adds to the creepy atmosphere. The isolation that each sister feels seemed to reach out the pages and pull me in instantly. Adding in the missing teenager immediately increased the tension that was already there, and fully grabbed my attention.
This is the kind of thriller that oscillates between psychological and physical. It’s hard to distinguish what’s real and what isn’t, and even harder to determine which sister to trust. There are so many different ways the story could’ve gone, which made it ALMOST impossible to see the twists before they popped. Overall, I think the balance of insane twists and believable outcomes was handled well, but could’ve easily tipped into being absolutely ridiculous.
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!