Double Take

by Judy Mercer

It's midnight, and Ariel Gold has just arrived on Kiawah Island, a few miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. She's come to her grandfather's home for a break from L.A. - from gridlock and drive-by shootings and tremors - and from a problem that is uniquely her own: she is struggling to recover from a total and devastating memory loss. But the weekend will not be the restful hiatus she imagined. Late at night on a deserted stretch of beach, a chance meeting opens a door to the past she seeks. The stranger appears from nowhere, and is stunned to encounter Ariel; he's mistaken her for her sister, whom he's known since childhood - and who he knows is dead. He tells Ariel of their special friendship and, in the telling, reveals himself to be a troubled man, haunted by demons at which Ariel can only guess. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, he vanishes into the night. She couldn't know their brief exchange would pull her into a spiral of tainted old Southern money and family scandal with all the force of a coastal hurricane. For Ariel, following in her sister's shadow is both eerie and compelling, as she digs into the stranger's past in the hope she might learn more about her own. But the deeper she delves into a chilling legacy of high drama, low jealousies and bad blood, Ariel finds the truth can be twisted - and memories can be murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I like this series. It was a impulse purchase and I'm glad I made it. This will be kept and reread.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I liked Double Take. It was an interesting series. However, it didn’t instill fear into me. It wasn’t making me want to turn the next page because i’m simultaneously afraid and excited to know the killer. It was just dragged on. By the end I honestly didn’t care who the killer was I just wanted to finish it. Would have liked to see more of Henry 100%.

[Muff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good a the first one, but Ariel is an interesting character. Need more Henry and less South Carolina.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donated to Friends of the Library 2019

[DAB-E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book keeps you guessing until the very surprizing end. Two investigations gives twice the suspense.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the continuance of the Ariel Gold story that started with Fast Forward. This one was a little better then the first book. I, however, found the story confusing at times, often not knowing who was supposed to be talking. I feel there was much left undone. While not a bad read, just not on the level of what I'm used to reading. There were the usual twists and turns, while the story progresses to find the actual murderer in both story lines. The one that took me by surprise was when Ariel was in Charleston, SC and a person from her past that apparently had been following her to see what she did or didn't remember because he had no knowledge of her having amnesia. At first, I thought maybe it was her dead husband, who might not have been dead, but maybe in hiding and was coming after her for whatever reason. Was surprised to learn who it really was. But, there wasn't no suspense, thrill, leading up to this person stalking her. An occasional mention of a person by her car, perhaps someone admiring it. Nothing like, leaving a note, trying to scare her so she wouldn't talk to anyone, and the night she was on a dark road heading back to her grandfathers and she had gotten out of her car to check on an animal in the road because she didn't know what it was and a car came along, sped up and went around her. Again, no suspense there, to scare her more then it did. And also again when she went home and no lights were on, and she drops her keys trying to unlock the door, I would've liked to have read more of a build up to what laid inside the house when she got in there. I have other books by Ms Mercer that I plan to read but honestly hope the story lines are improved and more suspenseful.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Starts of boring as hell and doesn't get any better. I gave it 108 pages and quit. The characters aren't personable and I just couldn't get into it. The only reason I got to 108 was that I was at work and this was the only book I had and nothing else to do. However, I just couldn't force myself to read anymore.

[Patricia McElroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. It took a while to work through how the two storylines, a death in California and another in South Carolina, tied together. Still not completely convinced that worked, but I got hooked. I have to admit, I never saw the plot twist at the end coming!

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining.

[Rattiegirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first book in this series was ok, but there were so many characters and so many stories and I could not keep them straight in my mind. I gave up partway through. Waste of time!!

[Deidre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of 4, wish there were more