The Girl I Used to Be

February 5, 2018
In the prologue to this engrossing psychological thriller from British author Torjussen (Gone Without a Trace), optimistic, confident 18-year-old Gemma attends an end-of-school bash that starts with drinking and laughter but ends with Gemma being raped in the bedroom of a boy who has just been accepted at Oxford. Flash forward 15 years to the present day. Gemma is now married to stay-at-home-dad Joe Brogan and owns her own real estate business in Chester, England. Gemma is overworked and acutely aware of the quality time she’s missing with her young son as a result of her long hours. When she becomes the target of an online stalker, the police, while sympathetic, offer no real assurance, since much of the threatening behavior is carried out via email and on social media. Unable to confide in Joe given their shaky marriage, Gemma must face the escalating harassment on her own. How she tracks down her tormentor, who has a link to that long-ago party, and confronts him as well as her own fears will keep readers turning the pages. Paula Hawkins fans will find a lot to like. Agent: Kate Burke, Diane Banks Associates (U.K.).

Unresolved crimes that took place during their adolescence follow Gemma and Rachel into adulthood, and we are held spellbound by narrators Katharine McEwan and Fiona Hardingham. We piece together the past and present as the two trade bits of the story in alternating chapters, building suspense as they seek retribution. McEwan's low, throaty characterization of Gemma stands apart from Hardingham's crisp vowels and upper-crust British accent for Rachel. We hang on to find out who was at that party so long ago and what the women can do about it now. This is a story for our times, told by two expert narrators who draw us into the depths of regret. M.R. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine