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“An addictive thriller that will keep readers burning through pages . . . sneakily hypnotic.”—Los Angeles Times
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Public Library, PopSugar
“You be me, and I’ll be you,” I whispered.
As children, Sam and Elli were two halves of a perfect whole: gorgeous identical twins whose parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breath at night, holding hands in the dark. And once Hollywood discovered them, they became B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role.
But as adults, their lives have splintered. After leaving acting, Elli reinvented herself as the perfect homemaker: married to a real estate lawyer, living in a house just blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years.
Sam hasn't spoken to her sister since her destructive behavior finally drove a wedge between them. So when her father calls out of the blue, Sam is shocked to learn that Elli’s life has been in turmoil: her husband moved out, and Elli just adopted a two-year-old girl. Now she’s stopped answering her phone and checked in to a mysterious spa in Ojai. Is her sister just decompressing, or is she in trouble? Could she have possibly joined a cult? As Sam works to connect the dots left by Elli’s baffling disappearance, she realizes that the bond between her and her sister is more complicated than she ever knew.
I’ll Be You shows Janelle Brown at the top of her game: a story packed with surprising revelations and sharp insights about the choices that define our families and our lives—and could just as easily destroy them.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
April 26, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593557440
- File size: 336534 KB
- Duration: 11:41:06
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from February 14, 2022
Bestseller Brown (Pretty Things) infuses this twist-packed mystery with an intense story of creating one’s identity, rife with deep family trauma and a low-key, creepy depiction of the dark side of twin intimacy. Samantha Logan’s dream-worthy stint as a child TV star depended highly on her identical twin Elli’s initially grudging participation, which eventually created deep bonds between them. In adulthood, Sam’s alcohol addiction and Elli’s traditional lifestyle in Santa Barbara, Calif., has left the two women estranged. So when Elli disappears after going to a mysterious spa in Ojai, with her husband having left her and their parents calling Sam in to help with the toddler Elli has recently adopted without informing her family, Sam feels sure that something is profoundly wrong in her sister’s life. Brown seamlessly uses Sam’s retrospection into the twins’ childhood experiences impersonating and protecting each other both as character development and plot device, letting the latter flow naturally while never feeling cheesy. The perfectly paced emotional reveals of the twins’ shared history pull the reader toward fierce investment in Elli’s safety and the sisters’ reconnection. Brown has upped her game with this one. -
September 1, 2022
As child stars, identical twins Sam and Elli learned that they could seamlessly assume each other's identity to circumvent strenuous filming schedules and daunting social situations. As adults, however, their respective modes of self-destruction could not be more different; Sam succumbs repeatedly to addiction, while Elli cannot overcome her desperate need to please others. Their conflicting desires--fame versus family--create a rift between the once-inseparable pair, but their paths are thrust back together when Sam learns that Elli has disappeared into the folds of what may be a dangerous cult. Narrators Julia Whelan and Kate Rudd both have steady, silvery voices, which are similar enough to suggest the sororal connection, yet different enough to distinguish Sam's edgy, outgoing nature from Elli's quiet compassion. By splitting the narrative between both sisters, author Brown (Pretty Things) creates cliffhangers that will leave listeners breathless, compelled forward to reach the next thrilling twist. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate plot that is both moving and menacing, a fast-paced roller coaster of suspense and surprises. Recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell, Holly Seddon, and Bev Thomas.--Lauren Hackert
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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