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Simulacrum
Some bonds stretch across time and space--and defy even death.
Kelsey and Laura make an odd pair in college—bookish and cynical, Kelsey acts the shadow to sun-bright, ever-popular Laura. But when Laura is robbed of her burgeoning dancing career by stomach cancer, Kelsey flourishes in her absence. The girls eventually drift apart.
Years later, Kelsey attends Laura’s funeral. Shaken by old recollections and forgotten feelings, Kelsey nonetheless expects Laura’s memory to vanish forever—only to wake up the next morning to Laura sleeping beside her. This new Laura has no memory of the cancer, no memory of her son, and, most importantly, no memory of the schism between the two women.
Laura's reappearance might just provide Kelsey an opportunity to rewrite history. But as the new Laura begins to question her lack of memories and her increasingly threadbare sense of self, Kelsey will be forced to confront her own incredible involvement not only in the birth of Laura’s ghost, but also in the original Laura's death.
Kelsey and Laura make an odd pair in college—bookish and cynical, Kelsey acts the shadow to sun-bright, ever-popular Laura. But when Laura is robbed of her burgeoning dancing career by stomach cancer, Kelsey flourishes in her absence. The girls eventually drift apart.
Years later, Kelsey attends Laura’s funeral. Shaken by old recollections and forgotten feelings, Kelsey nonetheless expects Laura’s memory to vanish forever—only to wake up the next morning to Laura sleeping beside her. This new Laura has no memory of the cancer, no memory of her son, and, most importantly, no memory of the schism between the two women.
Laura's reappearance might just provide Kelsey an opportunity to rewrite history. But as the new Laura begins to question her lack of memories and her increasingly threadbare sense of self, Kelsey will be forced to confront her own incredible involvement not only in the birth of Laura’s ghost, but also in the original Laura's death.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2023
5 people are currently reading
928 people want to read
About the author
R.H. Gründ
4 books27 followersHorror writer | Author of the ROOM OF CLOTH series, SIMULACRUM, and INFLUENCE
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 10, 2025
Consider it a 4.5 rounded. This one is going to linger for a while, what with the excellent characterization and the exploration of memory, identity, loneliness, desire, grief, hope, and despair. One could argue that there are stretches where it spins its wheels and belabors the point, but I wasn't terribly bothered. Simulacrum is well worth it for readers in the mood for a ghost story featuring psychological chills far deeper and more unsettling than rattling chains or jump scares could ever provide.
December 29, 2023
✨4.5 ✨
What really makes a person, a person? How much of our personalities have been subconsciously stolen from others? How much of “you” is actually you? How fine is the line between admiration and obsession? At what point do we accept change, no matter how hard?
These are some of the questions that swam around my head as I read this novel. The dynamic between Kelsey and Laura (as well as Kelsey and everyone she comes in contact with) was so enthralling to read.
This novel is extremely well written. It was easy to read and follow, without having everything spelled out for you.
I think this was a fantastic mind-bending psychological thriller. I loved the pacing of the story, and how although there’s no “big twist/reveal,” the story still manages to keep you guessing.
What really makes a person, a person? How much of our personalities have been subconsciously stolen from others? How much of “you” is actually you? How fine is the line between admiration and obsession? At what point do we accept change, no matter how hard?
These are some of the questions that swam around my head as I read this novel. The dynamic between Kelsey and Laura (as well as Kelsey and everyone she comes in contact with) was so enthralling to read.
This novel is extremely well written. It was easy to read and follow, without having everything spelled out for you.
I think this was a fantastic mind-bending psychological thriller. I loved the pacing of the story, and how although there’s no “big twist/reveal,” the story still manages to keep you guessing.
November 15, 2023
Have you ever had someone in your life that is so much a part of your identity that you don't know who you are outside of them? What would you do if you found yourself living without them?
Incorporating elements of the supernatural, folklore, and philosophy, this isn't your usual ghost story.
This book explores identity, perception, relationships, obsessions, and how the later 2 can often become the same thing. The concept of identity and perception are deeply explored. Your true self is often very different than what those around you perceive. One can never truly know someone.
There are some pretty heavy themes of love, loss, grief, mental health, and addiction in this book. It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be and that's a good thing.
Incorporating elements of the supernatural, folklore, and philosophy, this isn't your usual ghost story.
This book explores identity, perception, relationships, obsessions, and how the later 2 can often become the same thing. The concept of identity and perception are deeply explored. Your true self is often very different than what those around you perceive. One can never truly know someone.
There are some pretty heavy themes of love, loss, grief, mental health, and addiction in this book. It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be and that's a good thing.
February 21, 2024
I’m a sucker for stories about grief and loss. Like anyone else, I’ve had my share of both. The pain of losing someone is relentless, but even it gets tired once in a while and lets up for minute. It sits back and lets us examine it. So we catch our breath, and size it up, and marvel at just how much it hurts. The science of it. The size and weight of the pain. It’s wondrous, in the worst way. It’s astonishing. And well-written stories on the subject can be of service to us; they help us analyze our feelings, help us remember, maybe rethink the past, maybe rehearse for losses to come.
In R.H. Grund’s Simulacrum, we follow Kelsey Hernandez as she grapples with her pain following the death of her one-time best friend Laura Brackett, who dies after a long battle with stomach cancer. But we also learn that Kelsey wields an enormous power of her own, which is equal to her grief, and possibly even more destructive, both to her and everyone else who loved Laura.
The blurb for Simulacrum tells us that not long after Laura’s death, Kelsey awakens one morning to find Laura in her apartment, alive, with no memory of her illness, or much of her life outside of her shared history with Kelsey. This is accurate, but that comes in the final third of the book. Much of this story is about the time before, showing Kelsey and Laura as they become friends, Kelsey’s fascination with the more outgoing Laura, and eventually how their friendship stalls during Laura’s illness. What follows is a long period of the two not speaking to each other, culminating in Laura’s death.
The power of this novel is in how completely it pulls you into that friendship. You’re not observing it from a safe distance. You’re in it, too. I can’t recall a novel where I was this psychically bonded to the main character, and felt everything Kelsey feels. The sting of her loss, the regret for not patching things up with Laura before she died, and her horror at realizing what has happened once the new Laura emerges.
The novel also does not limit itself to just exploring Kelsey’s inner world. At times it leaves Kelsey and focuses on other characters: the new Laura, Kelsey’s boyfriend, Laura’s mother—we get to know them as well, just as deeply. And we’re with them as they do the only thing they can after such a horrific experience: decide how they’re going to move forward.
I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I stumbled upon it, read the first few pages on Amazon, and then got it (I like taking chances on books, especially self-published books). And pretty soon I couldn’t stop reading it. I didn’t know where it was going. I didn’t care. Even as the story made me revisit similar sad experiences in my life. The characters were real to me, and it was good to share the load with them. Spread the grief as thin as possible.
Simulacrum is a stunning achievement. I hope you read it, too.
In R.H. Grund’s Simulacrum, we follow Kelsey Hernandez as she grapples with her pain following the death of her one-time best friend Laura Brackett, who dies after a long battle with stomach cancer. But we also learn that Kelsey wields an enormous power of her own, which is equal to her grief, and possibly even more destructive, both to her and everyone else who loved Laura.
The blurb for Simulacrum tells us that not long after Laura’s death, Kelsey awakens one morning to find Laura in her apartment, alive, with no memory of her illness, or much of her life outside of her shared history with Kelsey. This is accurate, but that comes in the final third of the book. Much of this story is about the time before, showing Kelsey and Laura as they become friends, Kelsey’s fascination with the more outgoing Laura, and eventually how their friendship stalls during Laura’s illness. What follows is a long period of the two not speaking to each other, culminating in Laura’s death.
The power of this novel is in how completely it pulls you into that friendship. You’re not observing it from a safe distance. You’re in it, too. I can’t recall a novel where I was this psychically bonded to the main character, and felt everything Kelsey feels. The sting of her loss, the regret for not patching things up with Laura before she died, and her horror at realizing what has happened once the new Laura emerges.
The novel also does not limit itself to just exploring Kelsey’s inner world. At times it leaves Kelsey and focuses on other characters: the new Laura, Kelsey’s boyfriend, Laura’s mother—we get to know them as well, just as deeply. And we’re with them as they do the only thing they can after such a horrific experience: decide how they’re going to move forward.
I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I stumbled upon it, read the first few pages on Amazon, and then got it (I like taking chances on books, especially self-published books). And pretty soon I couldn’t stop reading it. I didn’t know where it was going. I didn’t care. Even as the story made me revisit similar sad experiences in my life. The characters were real to me, and it was good to share the load with them. Spread the grief as thin as possible.
Simulacrum is a stunning achievement. I hope you read it, too.
January 3, 2024
“Pull a thread, and the whole thing would collapse. Should collapse, maybe. Perhaps the whole Frankenstein-esque creation deserved to be burnt to ash, its mockery of all those women ended for good.”
Unlike anything else I’ve read. I was deeply into the story, not sure where it would go, and I enjoyed the journey most of all; a very psychological trip into identity, perception, relationships, repression, depression and grief. It’s funny, I liked the book from the start but was reading it very slowly (I get distracted easily). Yet, I got to a point I just couldn’t put it down and looked forward to getting back to it when I was in the midst of holiday festivities haha
I’m so grateful this piqued my interest & I won a copy through GoodReads! Very much recommend & I def wouldn’t have known about it otherwise! #goodreadsgiveaway #goodreadsgiveaways
Unlike anything else I’ve read. I was deeply into the story, not sure where it would go, and I enjoyed the journey most of all; a very psychological trip into identity, perception, relationships, repression, depression and grief. It’s funny, I liked the book from the start but was reading it very slowly (I get distracted easily). Yet, I got to a point I just couldn’t put it down and looked forward to getting back to it when I was in the midst of holiday festivities haha
I’m so grateful this piqued my interest & I won a copy through GoodReads! Very much recommend & I def wouldn’t have known about it otherwise! #goodreadsgiveaway #goodreadsgiveaways
March 23, 2025
This was a dark, yet highly emotional novel about two school friends who grow apart after one, Laura, is diagnosed with cancer, cutting short her hopes of being a dancer. Kelsey, a somewhat reserved friend, content in living in the shadow of Laura's personality, begins to flourish with Laura laid up.
The two friends grow apart.
When Laura eventually passes away years later, Kelsey attends the funeral, and the memories flood back. Then Kelsey wakes one morning to find Laura laying beside her in bed.
Alive.
But Laura doesn't remember what happened to her, doesn't remember her sickness, doesn't remember what caused the rift between the two friends.
And more and more, she begins to question their past.
Now, Kelsey has to own up to the life she made, and the decisions she made along the way to achieve it.
The book, at first, was a little slow in places, but not so much that the reader loses interest. The writing is top shelf, characters are strongly developed, and the pacing picks up nicely in the second half.
All in all, a very solid psychological thriller from this author.
The two friends grow apart.
When Laura eventually passes away years later, Kelsey attends the funeral, and the memories flood back. Then Kelsey wakes one morning to find Laura laying beside her in bed.
Alive.
But Laura doesn't remember what happened to her, doesn't remember her sickness, doesn't remember what caused the rift between the two friends.
And more and more, she begins to question their past.
Now, Kelsey has to own up to the life she made, and the decisions she made along the way to achieve it.
The book, at first, was a little slow in places, but not so much that the reader loses interest. The writing is top shelf, characters are strongly developed, and the pacing picks up nicely in the second half.
All in all, a very solid psychological thriller from this author.
April 25, 2025
The plot was unique from others I’ve read in this genre. It kept me engaged and intrigued for much of the book. Each character had traits that I liked and disliked and kept me oscillating between the two. While the first 2/3 of the book flowed along at a good pace there were some chapters toward the end that I felt went on a bit long which was frustrating. The ending was somewhat disappointing as it felt as though there were still some loose ends, however, there are some supernatural elements to it which would make tying it up in a neat bow difficult. Overall, I did enjoy it and believe others that read this genre might enjoy the book as well.
September 30, 2025
I went outside of my usual genre for this book (I don't often read paranormal books) but the blurb really grabbed me. I'm very glad I did as this was an excellent book.
I loved the strong themes of friendship and identity that ran through the story. Also the grief and how everyone deals differently with the loss of someone close to them.
There were several strong but often unhealthy relationships; I felt alot of different feelings towards the main character Kelsey.
The author really pulls you into this story and it will definitely stay with me for a while.
I loved the strong themes of friendship and identity that ran through the story. Also the grief and how everyone deals differently with the loss of someone close to them.
There were several strong but often unhealthy relationships; I felt alot of different feelings towards the main character Kelsey.
The author really pulls you into this story and it will definitely stay with me for a while.
February 9, 2025
Dark, intense, and utterly captivating, Simulacrum explores friendship, jealousy, obsession, and betrayal with unsettling depth. R.H. Grund weaves a psychological thriller that keeps you questioning reality and trust at every turn. The tension is palpable, the characters deeply flawed, and the twists keep you hooked. I found it intriguing and thoroughly enjoyed the haunting, thought-provoking journey. A must-read for those who love dark, psychological dramas.
March 26, 2025
This book took a little bit for me to get into it, but once it did it was a wild ride. Laura and Kailey are roommates in college and become inseparable. They do everything together and Laura pulls Kailey out of her shyness. When Laura becomes ill with cancer, it is almost more than Jailey can take. This book is dark, supernatural and emotional. I really enjoyed it!
January 17, 2025
What happens when you lose your favorite person forever? And imagine.....what if they came back?! This book explores this scenario in such an engaging way, and is an excellent fresh take on typical ghost stories. I enjoyed it!
February 5, 2025
This was enough emotional and gripping novel. The author begins by settling you into the roots and details of the characters and their relationships, and throws in the complex, darker twists once you are emotionally involved. Simulacrum kept me interested from beginning to end.
July 21, 2025
This was the “tale of two books” for me. The first half was slow and I couldn’t get a feel for where we were heading. But, once the twist hit, I was totally enthralled with the story. First half 3 stars, second half 5 stars.
September 4, 2025
4 stars
Received this to review from the author. In the beginning it was very slow for me and I couldn't get into it. Later on with the twists it was completely mesmerizing and I couldn't put it down. The author did an amazing job!
Received this to review from the author. In the beginning it was very slow for me and I couldn't get into it. Later on with the twists it was completely mesmerizing and I couldn't put it down. The author did an amazing job!
July 21, 2025
Interesting storyline but thoroughly enjoyed. Love the Characters and was not sure what to expect but did great job.
October 21, 2025
Haunting and Thought-Provoking
Simulacrum is a gripping psychological thriller that explores memory, identity, and guilt. When Kelsey’s friend Laura, long thought dead, mysteriously returns with no memory of her past, the story delves into a tense, unsettling mystery. Gründ’s writing is atmospheric and thought-provoking, keeping readers on edge as reality and illusion blur. A compelling read for fans of psychological horror
I received an ARC copy and this is my honest review.
Simulacrum is a gripping psychological thriller that explores memory, identity, and guilt. When Kelsey’s friend Laura, long thought dead, mysteriously returns with no memory of her past, the story delves into a tense, unsettling mystery. Gründ’s writing is atmospheric and thought-provoking, keeping readers on edge as reality and illusion blur. A compelling read for fans of psychological horror
I received an ARC copy and this is my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews