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Jan 17, 2019goddessbeth rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Although I was bummed to not be in Rob's head again (I love an unreliable narrator) or ever find out what happened to him as a child in the woods, French has crafted another atmospheric, creepy mystery with The Likeness. Cassie Maddox is somewhat more relatable, as a woman still shaken from her previous case, who discovers within herself a desire to slip away from her own messy life and into someone else's. Who hasn't felt the lure of becoming someone else, especially if that someone has a charmingly simple existence? Except, of course, that there's a good bit of smoke and mirrors going on. Most of the creep factor in this story is psychological- not whodunnit, but "what makes a personality?" If you're looking for a compelling murder mystery, you'll likely find the slow pace difficult. If you're looking for a haunting sensation, you'll enjoy the few creepy-house/creepy-woods moments, but likely not get your fix. But if you're looking for a contemplative story about identity, you'll probably like it. Stick with the slow bits- the action doesn't ever get breakneck, but the closer you get to Cassie, the more tense the situation becomes (Is she opening herself up to be burned? Is she going to give in to temptation and adopt Lexie's life entirely? Or is she just really good at undercover?)