Review: The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen

Title: The Girl I Used to Be

Author: Mary Torjussen

Published: April 2018, Berkley

Format: ARC E-copy, 368 pages

Source: Netgalley

Summary:

The acclaimed author of Gone Without a Trace returns with a new novel of twisting psychological suspense in which a woman is forced to face down her blackmailer.
Someone’s
been sending Gemma compromising photos. Photos she doesn’t remember.
She can’t recall much about that night during a work conference–she’d
written off her headache the next morning as the result of too much
drinking at the hotel bar. But then increasingly disturbing photos start
appearing in her email, along with bills and other items she can’t
account for. As the blackmailer grows bolder and events start to
escalate beyond her control, Gemma fears for her already shaky marriage
and worries that the truth of what really happened that night must be
more twisted than she imagines.

Unable to go to the police for
fear that she will lose her family, Gemma resolves to hunt down the
blackmailer on her own. But not everyone in Gemma’s life is who they
seem, and as she gets closer to the truth, she discovers just how far
the shadows from her past can reach.

My thoughts: I was a big fan of Mary Torjussen’s debut psychological thriller, Gone Without a Trace, so of course, I jumped at the opportunity to read her next book, The Girl I Used to Be…and what crazy ride it turned out to be! This book is such a good, twisted suspenseful read and really kept me engaged right from the start.

This book excels in building suspense ever so slowly. It pulls you in as it sets the scene and hooks you as you become invested in what is going on with Gemma. But what really happened – this is the real question and what really drives the story. And as a result of this, Gemma is forced to keep secrets from those she loves…secrets she herself is not really even sure about. But secrets she knows might have the potential to ruin her marriage, and even more.

This is such a fast-paced read and really keeps you glued to the pages as you try to figure out just what is going on. It is definitely a good stalker mystery and when the floor drops out with a twist that I just didn’t see coming – OMG!!! It certainly shakes things up for sure…making it that much more addicting and thrilling. 

I definitely will be adding Mary Torjussen to my list of must-read authors  – she really knows how to write that chilling, psychological thriller that keeps you engaged throughout.