One of my favorite genres is mystery and action novels and I was confident this would be a good one. This was my first book by this author, recommended by Anne Bogel on her podcast What Should I Read Next (episode 176). But in a house where you drink, hunt for treasure, sand some floors, go to school…

Some parts moved quickly, and some, like when Cassie in Lexie at Whitethorn, moved slowly, creating this hazy, languid narrative – kind of like when you see movies or commercials where someone in running in a field slowly, running their hands through wheat or flowers, with the sun shining brightly behind them and obscuring part of them, soft slow music playing. Plain and simple, this was a really good story. Each of French’s characters are richly drawn, flawed and beautiful, and each makes perfect sense. I became invested in the house, and in the friends. I lived at Whitethorn with Abby, Rafe, Daniel and Justin. In The Likeness, I was literally lulled into becoming Cassie / Lexie. If you like Tana French this is not a difficult decision, she always delivers more than a thriller, deeper than just a message book or a formula this is real writing for our times.What a strange read – but in a lovely way!! I have just finished it and I have so many questions, and so many feelings.įrench’s first person narrative is incredibly seductive – I read a lot of first person narrative fiction but rarely do I lose myself completely in the character. The pace is perfect and the psychological pressure on Detective Cassie Maddox is presented with realism and feeling for her and her likeness. One of the things that impressed me most was that it felt like it all was happening suspended from shared time in its own universe, without losing credibility. Beautifully written with great characters that jump off the page and a small town that is like every small town, full of secret, full of perceived history and real history.

It is a better book than The Secret History by Donna Tartt and that was a good book, they share some of the setting, mood and some of the social concerns, but the Likeness comes on top because it is less laden with angst and more dynamic. I rate this as one of Tana French’s best books, it can stand on its own because of mood and setup. I sewed us together at the edges with my own hands

The Likeness by Tana French