cover image Her Perfect Twin

Her Perfect Twin

Sarah Bonner. Grand Central, $17.99 trade paper (368p) ISBN 978-1-5387-1001-2

Leah and Megan, the identical twin sisters at the center of British author Bonner’s masterfully orchestrated debut, have been estranged for five years, ever since Leah stole Megan’s idea for a book about their relationship, added some scandalous revelations they’d supposedly agreed not to disclose, and became a best-selling London celebrity author. Management consultant Megan has tamped down her anger and resentment toward Leah, making peace with her relatively pedestrian life with her husband, Chris, in the country town of Guildford. Then Megan discovers a shot of a lingerie-clad Leah on Chris’s phone and sets off to confront her. The ensuing argument turns deadly—but which twin survives? Thanks to the author’s ingeniously twisty plot—including inspired use of Britain’s Covid lockdown—and a trio of unreliable narrators (the twins plus a mysterious man in the middle), readers won’t know the answer until the surprising and karmically satisfying final pages. Also credit Bonner with creating more complex and generally convincing characters than typical for similarly plot-propelled psychological thrillers. This author is one to keep an eye on. (Sept.)