Note: I was given a free proof copy of this book in exchange for this review.
The Other You is a fascinating and captivating psychological thriller. Told through three points of view, the story centres on Kate, a 'super-recogniser' - that is, a person with the extraordinary ability to remember faces. She worked for the police, helping identify criminals, until an accident caused her brain damage. While in hospital, she met her partner - Rob, a tech entrepreneur - who helped nurse her back to health.
However, tensions quickly crack through the surface. Rob confides in Kate his fear of meeting his doppelganger, whom he has apparently met once before. This doppelganger threatened to steal Rob's life.Kate starts to fear that Rob has been replaced by his doppelganger. Soon, she worries that she has a condition caused by her accident, Capgras, which convinces her that Rob has been replaced.
Meanwhile, there are other elements to the story. The policeman for whom Kate used to work, and Kate's ex Jake, find out that her accident may not have been an accident after all. Meanwhile, super recognisers are disappearing all over Europe, sparking worries that this links to a much larger conspiracy.
The Other You is exceptionally well-planned and plotted, with many twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. Action and new knowledge emerges on every page - I was up until very late for a couple of days while reading this book. Once you read lots of psychological thrillers they start to feel quite samey, but the premise of this story with the super recognisers makes it feel fresh and original.
My favourite character was the no-nonsense Bex, Kate's friend, but my only wish was that she had been given a bit more to do rather than be there to serve Kate's character. Jake and the policeman, on the other hand, had their own far-reaching character arcs that complemented the main thread of the story.
Overall, this was a hugely entertaining read that I will most definitely read again to pick up on all the clues I missed the first time around.
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