Review: “A Perfect Likeness”
I chose this book from an ARC program because it sounded interesting, and I was looking for a “whodunnit” type of novel.
The Premise
After a long absence, Isobel returns home to the small coastal town Cape Cross where she grew up. Out for a run one day, she stumbles upon a dead body on the beach, and is startled to notice a passing resemblance to herself — not to mention the bizarre fact she soon learns: she shares a birthday with the dead woman, Veronica. Isobel soon finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation that seems to be targeting all the people in her life — many of whom intersect with Veronica’s life as well. Meanwhile Maya is grieving the loss of her close friend Veronica, and at the same time is reconnecting with her old friend Isobel. As Maya’s recollection of events unfolds, so too does Veronica’s present nightmare: why does she share so many similarities to a dead woman she never met, why was this woman also looking for her, and what secrets are everyone hiding from her?
The Pros
This was a fast-paced thriller with short, choppy chapters that kept me reading on to see what would happen next. I liked the way the story developed, the way characters were introduced, and the interweaving of the plot as possible suspects were interrogated. When the truth was eventually revealed at its climax, I realised there was foreshadowing to the murder early on in the novel and I really appreciated that the writer did that so well that I hadn’t noticed it at the time. Overall a nice thrill of a read.
The Cons
This was a good book and I enjoyed it, but I really wanted to like it more. For one thing, it wasn’t a “perfect” likeness at all, just a passing resemblance — and, along with the shared birthdate, this made it fairly easy to guess from the very beginning how this similarity happened. The story is told from the viewpoints of Maya and Isobel, and at times I wasn’t sure who was the narrator as their voices were not distinct, so I found myself flipping back to double-check. Also, with at least part of the plot so obvious, I felt frustrated that Isobel took so long to figure it out. I also wished for more of an emotional connection to Maya, who I felt for as she struggled in a loveless marriage, but I wanted more of this. I liked the mystery and the writing style was excellent at delivering this, but I wasn’t in love with either protagonist to feel the emotionally overwhelming tale that I had anticipated.
Conclusion
Though marketed in the blurb as a “psychological thriller”, I didn’t get this; I classified it as more of a mystery. “Psychological thrillers” usually blow your mind; here, I was interested to keep reading, but it left me wanting a bit more extra “oomph”. I know I am a picky reader and had really high expectations for this one given the synopsis, so that might have contributed to my overall feeling when I was finished with the book. Nevertheless this was a fast-paced read that held my interest, and I would recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries. I would also be interested in reading another book by this author.
