Summary:
A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.
Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.
Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.
My take: 2 looksÂ
Basically, Emily has been dead 10 years, and suddenly reappears. Since her body was never found, this could be the real Emily. Except she hasn’t aged.
Compelling, right? I was all in for the first half of the book. It was moving at a good pace, was believable, and I had sympathy for the main character, David, who was Emily’s husband. David keeps visiting the serial killer that everyone thinks killed Emily, in hopes of a clue as to where her body may be. That relationship, too, seemed viable.
Then the weirdness started. I am not going to spoil more, but suffice it to say that I had to close the book for a bit because I could see where this was going, and I wasn’t really down for it. I did pick it back up and finish it, and am glad I did. However, all of my sympathy was transferred to Anna. She is the one I most understood when it came to her issues, desires, and motivations. Anna.
There were so many unanswered questions revolving around the characters, the relationships, and the situations that just stayed suspended at the end of book. I don’t really like that. I know, I know, that’s real life. But, if you read this one, you’ll see that this is NOT real. In any way. So, I wanted some closure.
Anyway, there are a ton of better books out there, so this one is not recommended.
Not recommended.
