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When She Was Me by Marlee Bush
4.25
dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Ever since a tragic night fifteen years ago, Cassie and Lenora have been inseparable. As twins they have always felt a connection, but now as they hide from their past in a remote cabin in rural Tennessee they lean on each other more than ever. 

This novel starts slowly with alternating chapters told by Cassie and Lenora. Cassie has a true crime YouTube channel and Lenora is a ghost writer that never leaves their cabin. When a new landlord shows up, the twins are thrown out of their usual routines. Then something terrible happens to a family that comes to vacation in the third cabin. Cassie is full of questions and doubt as she tries to figure out, did Lenora finally leave the cabin? 

Both isolated and claustrophobic, this book plays to many familiar thriller tropes. And you probably think you have the big twist guessed based on the title; I certainly thought so. However, this book took me for a ride after the halfway mark and actually surprised me. That's no small feat for an avid reader of mostly thrillers and mysteries. 

I loved how the author weaved in past and present timelines and created depth in the characters while still shrouding them in mystery until the very end. I don't want to give much away, because I think with the slow start having less information will help you get hooked into the story sooner. My only quibble is that I didn't really feel wrapped up in this story until past thirty percent, but I can't say I was disinterested either. I think this is going to be a popular thriller and if you've liked isolated settings or sibling stories in the past, it's well worth trying!