The Truth About Gretchen

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Pub Date 18 Jun 2019 | Archive Date 15 Jul 2021

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Description

Gretchen Holloway, in her final year of graduate school, is in the throes of auditioning actors for her thesis film, inspired by a murdered young football star who has haunted her dreams for two years. Gretchen believes making the movie will be cathartic. But instead of freeing her, embarking upon the film production unleashes a sequence of events that lead Gretchen to conclude that she’s the reincarnation of the young man.

Regina Wilson has always wanted to be an actress. When her agent gets her an audition for a role in Gretchen’s film, which eerily mirrors one of the worst events of her life—the unsolved murder of her older brother, Robert—she’s hard-pressed to go through with it. Upon fleeing, she leaves behind a keepsake that features Robert’s photo. Gretchen sees the picture and recognizes Robert from her dreams. She tracks down Regina, and after being rebuffed and called crazy, Gretchen’s unexplainable knowledge of events in Robert’s life eventually convinces Regina that Gretchen is Robert reincarnated.

The two decide to have his case reopened, but their significant others are dead set against it, and the police, who believe that Robert’s death was gang-related, are less than cooperative. However, Gretchen is desperate to get justice for her former self, and Regina wants justice for her brother. The women piece together the final week of Robert’s life. And the deeper they delve into his past; one shocking revelation follows another, leaving them wondering who they can trust and if they’ll live long enough to find Robert’s killer and bring him to justice.

Gretchen Holloway, in her final year of graduate school, is in the throes of auditioning actors for her thesis film, inspired by a murdered young football star who has haunted her dreams for two...


Advance Praise

The story is wrought with intrigue and mystery, but it is the emotion that makes it a page-turner, which is, in my humble opinion, what makes Thomas a standout author. The secondary characters are well-written as well, and you’ll find yourself hoping your inner circle is as supportive as these people are. As always, I can’t wait for Thomas’ next book. Well done, Alretha Thomas! Very well done!  Vickie - The Reading Cafe

I really loved how this story flowed. The buildup was amazing, you didn't know where it was going to go. This story was action-packed and suspenseful. I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more. The author really knows how to draw the reader in, and keep us glued to the story.  Moxxley -  Platypire Reviews

Amazing read! This is an intriguing mystery and totally different from anything I have ever read. I loved this book so much and can see it being made into a movie. This story has a powerful, unique, and gripping plot which is intertwined together intricately. With many clues that all come together like a beautiful suspenseful puzzle, this author drew me further into the storyline and brought me closer to characters at each turn of the page. This extraordinary book has depth, an original storyline, compelling characters, and a surprising finale. I totally recommend this book to all mystery and suspense readers.  Elle Alouette

The story is wrought with intrigue and mystery, but it is the emotion that makes it a page-turner, which is, in my humble opinion, what makes Thomas a standout author. The secondary characters are...


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ISBN 9780578511627
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Average rating from 41 members


Featured Reviews

Holy WOW! This book was impossible to put down, I read it at a blistering pace. It’s not possible to not, the author did such a phenomenal job of making it the perfectly readable and thrilling story that it is! I’m blown away by her prowess; I’ll definitely be looking up more of her work. Regina and Gretchen were perfection, and I couldn’t have loved the supporting characters more! It was a fast, twisty read until the very last page. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc in exchange for my honest opinion! It was magnificent!

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This is a Suspense book. I have to say this is a super unique book, and I cannot say I have read anything like this book. There is weird parts, but those weird parts is what makes this book so unique. I loved the characters. This book was told in the point of view of Gretchen and Regina because the chapters switches off from Gretchen and Regina point of view. The suspense in this book was super good, and I really loved the ending. This is an emotional storyline that really shows what happens when bad people buys out what should be good people. There is so much put into this book, but it is so well-written. Great book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Diverse Art Collective) or author (Alretha Thomas) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

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The Truth about Gretchen is a book about a 20 year old cold murder case with a supernatural twist.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I really enjoyed reading it. It has all the elements of a good mystery with some supernatural experiences to round out the story. If you like mysteries and are looking for something different then this is a book for you. I would recommend readers to give it a try. You might just be surprised.

Thank you to #netgalleyand @AlrethaThomas for the copy of this book.
#thetruthaboutGretchen

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Boasting an intriguing premise that pulled me in right from the start, “The Truth About Gretchen” is a suspense story with a very unique twist. The concept of reincarnation and past lives therapy has always held a certain fascination for me, so it is little wonder that I found this storyline so appealing. Certain secondary characters, however, I found less appealing, so that did detract some from my overall enjoyment of this book. Still, the author spun a pretty decent tale, and if you are willing to suspend belief, sit back and enjoy the ride, you’ll find yourself getting lost is this intriguing, easy-to-read story that will keep you guessing along the way.

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Imagine dreaming about your own death, but you are a different person. Gretchen appears to be sharing a body with the soul of a murdered football star. Trying to figure out if she is crazy, Who can she trust? With help from her "sister", a friend and a waitress, she searches out a killer. Every time I think I had everything figured out, my theory changed. I stayed up until 4A.M. It was that good. Thank you Netgalley!

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Wow, what a unique story! I read a lot and I've never read anything worth a plot even close to being similar. This is such a well written thriller that I couldn't put it down. I actually read it in a single day, because I HAD to know what happened next. I hope Alretha Thomas writes many more books and that they are all as good as this one.

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I really enjoyed this book. I was a little scared it might be a gruesome, but it was not. I enjoyed the parallels of Gretchen's and Robert's lives. I know that a lot of people probably get turned off by the idea or reincarnation, but I really enjoyed that part of this book. I can only imagine how crazy Gretchen's family was by her insistence that is what was going on. I loved Regina. She was a strong, capable, black woman. She held her own with her husband, mother, step-father, step-daughter and Gretchen. I really enjoyed the bond that developed between Regina and Gretchen. I can't imagine how hard it would be to lose a sibling and have some young girl of a difference race claim to be that reincarnated sibling.

I liked how this book ended. The only thing I have a hard time accepting is that the family rejoiced. I have seen a lot of Dateline and Dateline type shows and the family even after getting answers still feel a void or a loss. They are never happy with the verdict even when it is in their favor.

Thank you to Diverse Arts Collection and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

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The premise behind The Truth about Gretchen is unusual and intriguing. Once I started reading, I could not stop. Gretchen is making a film for her student thesis, Regina goes to audition for the film. They are connected through Regina's long dead brother, although they don't know it. It takes awhile before they actually meet.
Thoroughly enjoyable book!

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Written in first-person The Truth about Gretchen is a challenging voice, but Alretha Thomas knocks it out the ballpark. A captivating story of two women a screen writer; Gretchen and Robert’s sister; Regina brought together by a tragedy. The strong female characters have such determination in what their steps will be and their support of one another. As you are reading you will assume you know who killed Robert and your heart will begin to ache but the other relationship that will pull at your heart strings is between Gretchen and Regina.
It’s a fast-paced story with several twist I didn’t see coming. If you enjoy mystery and a heart pulsing story of suspense this is the book for you.

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Interesting concept about reincarnation.

Well written, plenty of twists, interesting plot. Overall a good story. I would recommend this book but I kind of think it would be a very specific audience. 4 stars

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Don't Start The Truth About Gretchen Late at Night....

Since you won't be able to put this book down, don't start it late at night! Gretchen believes she is the reincarnation of a murdered young man who has been haunting her dreams. When she meets the man's grieving sister, they set out to find his murderer so they can both move on with their lives.

While the premise may seem fantastic, the author does a very good job of making the paranormal element believable in this suspenseful and exciting thriller.

I will look forward to reading other books by Alretha Thomas.

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This is my first novel by Alretha Thomas. I read it in a couple of days, and I've already ordered another!

It's not like anything I've read before -- a story about reincarnation, involving a young white woman and a young black man, film student and football star -- and how they work together to solve the young man's murder. The murder mystery/chase aspect of the story really picks up in the second half, and I truly enjoyed the ride.

When I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book and its characters. That's the mark of a good story for me. Rated 4/5 stars, will recommend!

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Gretchen Holloway is producing a film based on a recurring dream she started having at the age of 24. Her dream is about a young man who was shot and killed at the age of 24. The young man was a football player.

Regina Wilson is an actress who plans to read for a part in Gretchen's film, but the subject matter is very hard for her, as it brings back memories of her brother, Robert, who was shot and killed on his 24th birthday. Regina feels like the film is based on his life. Regina leaves the audition in a rush because she can't handle reading for the part. She leaves behind the last gift her brother gave her, which is a water bottle with his picture on it,

Gretchen is cleaning up after the auditions and she comes across the water bottle....all of a sudden the worsl starts to fade away....

Let me just say that this is not the type of story I usually read, but I'm glad I read this one. It is a very interesting subject, and t was well written.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

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The Truth About Gretchen is captivating. It flows very well between all the different views you are reading. This book will grip at your heart with all the emotions it has within in. This book is about the death of a young athlete who was murdered. Dealing with death of someone you know is hard but can you imagine dealing with the death of someone from your dreams. To wake and find out... It also has a gripping story line to find out what happen to Robert and who murdered him. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and to the author, Alretha Thomas.

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Wow. This book gave me a heartache for Vanessa, as well as Regina. I did NOT see it coming! It was an overall great read.

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This book was so unique. I have never read a suspense story that wasn’t predictable but this one is far from it. The characters are so realistic. The descriptions are so vivid I could picture everything. This is a must read for everyone.

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This was such an amazing, emotional and different kind of suspense book. I thought it was going to be predictable, it was far from that. I loved the dual point of views between Gretchen and Regina. This book had so many different elements, it was hard to categorize it as just suspense, supernatural/fantasy or young adult; it was all that and more! The story itself? Very unique from start to finish. As a reader, you will experience every detail Gretchen is going through.

I am so glad I found this book!!! Why I did not stumble on this before makes m e feel stupid, but better late than never. Everyone needs to read this is they want a different kind of suspense book. This book has all the elements. If I could this a million stars, I would! It was that good.

Thanks to Netgalley, Alretha Thomas and Diverse Arts Collective for an after publishing copy in exchange for an honest review. I will be telling EVERYONE about this book!

I hope to read more in the future by this author!

Already Available: 6/18/19

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Reincarnation, would you believe that your family member was. Half of another person? Would you think they were crazy or trust them to know what was happening within there own mind?
Gretchen Holloway was doing a film on a murdered football player. Here to come find out there was a young football murdered exactly like in her dreams.
Regina Wilson, the murdered young football sister becomes an actress and comes across the auditions Gretchen is holding.
The women get together and try and figure out who and why Robert was killed. This journey is fraught with danger and suffering for them and their families and close friends. This book could be taken right out of the newspaper headlines today!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

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This book was very unique and not like any other story I can think of. While it was necessary to suspend belief, I really enjoyed the story. The book was very well written and keeps you in suspense. I recommend this book.

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I received this book free from Netgalley. . What a story! This book kept me on the edge of my seat!!! I finished this book in 1 day!!! A must read!

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though its subject isn't one I would normally choose. The story is strange but very well written and the characters are great. I would certainly recommend this to my friends as a good read. I will be looking out for more books by Alretha Thomas

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The story is a page-turner and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns are amazing. One of the best thrillers I've read in a long time.

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I read this book in less than 24 hours - it was that interesting. I set everything else aside and just read this book. I don't know how I feel about reincarnation or the spirit world but it certainly sounded logical the way it all played out in this story. I would definitely recommend this book.

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Interesting concept on reincarnation. A really gripping read. The story is so well written and the characters really came to life for me. I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

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Gretches’s life is been dowhill since the nightmares started two years ago, a black man dead in a pool of blood. Now she is going to make a short film about them as a graduate project. But as the project progress she realise that the nightmares might be from something horrible happened more than twenty years ago And trying to find the truth is going to be dangerous. Great thriller

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The Truth About Gretchen, by Alretha Thomas, was one of those books that while I wasn't actually reading it I was thinking about the story. I believe in reincarnation (which is a major part of the plot) and wish there were more of these kinds of stories to read. Ms Thomas does an excellent job of describing the events and scenes, making the reader feel they are where the action is taking place. I want to thank NetGalley and Diverse Arts Collective, Inc. for a copy to review.

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Loved everything about this read, beginning with the cover and then all the way through to the ending. The premise of the book is clearly shown in the cover art…fascinating to me. On her 24th birthday Gretchen begins having nightmares involving a murder. She is inspired to make a movie for graduate film school about the murder. Regina, an actress, goes to an audition for a role in Gretchen’s film and leaves behind a water bottle with her brother’s photo on it. Thus begins this suspenseful and intriguing mystery about the murder.
The tale is told from both Gretchen’s and Regina’s points of view. Little clues are divulged which keep you engaged in trying to solve the mystery right along with them Alretha Thomas has a knack for keeping the reader engaged and kept me reading well past midnight.
This was a totally engaging and intriguing read, quite different than anything I have read before. Many many thanks to Alretha Thomas, Diverse Art Collective, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading this unique story.

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This is the kind of book that you will stay up all night reading, because its just that good. This was so well written, and such a unique book. I highly recommend it!

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Step into the world of Gretchen and you might wonder how you got here. Stepping in her mind is quite fascinating to see what it is like to have her world change upside down and try to come out on top of all of it. You always need to be true to your self and never let anyone tell you are something that you are not.

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I enjoyed this original story filled with suspense and intrigue. It really drew me in and kept me hooked throughout.

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