Marti Green

I listened to the Audible edition and read along with the kindle edition.

I enjoyed the story. I like the idea of a series about innocent people who were convicted. The number of people who live this scenario, in real life, is disheartening. I am all for bringing attention to this. There are some scenes that you read and you think, “not close to reality”. I happen to be fine with this because the author did not claim it was a factual story. The story was interesting to me. A father convicted of killing his child yet insisting his child was still alive. A horrifying scenario.
The story drew me in. There were side stories going on in the background. I thought they contributed to the story. I listened to it in one sitting. I liked the reader. I thought she did well trying to convey feelings and thoughts. It is not an easy task.

It was an entertaining read for me. I would say if you are unsure about it try the sample or seek it at the library. I’m planning to continue reading the series.… (mehr)

Oh, I so dislike being in this position. I didn't like this book. The short explanation: The story is implausible and the characters' behavior is ridiculous.

Now I will do my best to elaborate without spoilers.

The story starts out well. We meet Mallory, "the good twin", whose part is written in first person. Initially, I found her character compelling and mostly likable. The pace is steady and the plot shrouded in mystery. We have elements of jealousy, greed, loss, and deception that could have made for a powerful story.

Then we meet Ben, Charly's husband, whose part is in third person. He is immediately and wholly unlikable. Mallory connects with Ben and, despite the fact that he oozes narcissism and deceit, decides to trust him implicitly without the slightest hesitation, much less the merest hint of disbelief.

Next we meet Charly, the other twin, whose part is in first person. Here we begin rehashing all the previous events from her perspective, which slows the pace quite a bit. Despite all the rehashing, I didn't feel her part was as developed. I didn't understand her on the same level as I did with Mallory and Ben.

I'd really like to know what Charly and Mallory saw in Ben that made him even remotely appealing. Honestly, he's a whiny, greedy, selfish, arrogant, narcissistic womanizer. Yet Charly delves right into his sociopathic world without first doing the sane thing of fact-checking, and Mallory is married to the jerk.

And then events happen that had me shaking my head, sputtering words like, "Seriously?" I mean, I know this is fiction, but it's not fantasy. I have to believe it could happen.

All that being said, this is a fast read. The writing itself is good. So, if you can suspend belief and go where this story leads the same way Mallory did, without hesitation, then you might enjoy it.

*I received an advance ebook copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*… (mehr)

THE GOOD TWIN is a psychological thriller full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. Once you get past the first question -- could someone really try to kill their sister - the rest of the book is great to read.

Mallory grew up in poverty with just her and her mom in Scranton PA. She couldn't afford to go to college but after her mom died, she moved to NYC to take art classes that she paid for by waiting tables. She lived in a run down rooming house and lived a very frugal life. One day at the restaurant, someone called her by another name because they looked alike. When she investigated, she found out that she had a twin sister that she didn't know existed. Charly had been adopted by a rich couple and lived a very lavish life style. Was this difference in their lives enough to make her concoct a scheme with Charly's husband to have her killed so that Mallory would get Charly's inheritance? I can't say much more about the plot without giving away spoilers. What I will tell you is that there was a shock near the end that I didn't see coming that made this an even better book.

I highly recommend this book and plan to look at Marti Green's back list to read some of her earlier books.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.… (mehr)