The Copycat

by Clarise Foster

Grace thought the nightmare was over. Until the masks return.

Her stalker is behind bars. She’s married to the man who saved her. Their future is finally theirs to build.

But someone is watching. And that someone wants vengeance.

The police don’t believe her. Even her therapist thinks she’s unraveling. And when things take a dark turn, Grace realizes the past isn’t just haunting her—it’s hunting her.

But this isn’t the same monster who once wore the mask. The face behind this mask will be the last one she ever sees.

This time, it’s someone closer. Smarter. Deadlier.
A copycat who won’t stop until Grace is silenced forever.

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2025

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Grace gets out of the shower one morning to discover a ceramic mask on her bed. She's shocked as husband, Ryan had an entire collection of them and promised he'd sold them so she's confused. Later she finds her own house key in a package on the porch and a glossy photo of her at the peephole! What is going on? It's a fast-paced thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured The Copycat in one sitting and spent the rest of the night checking over my shoulder. Clarise Foster pulls you in with a voice so unsettlingly familiar that I swear I heard echoes of my own thoughts on the page. As an ARC reader, I was hooked from the first chapter—this story slithers under your skin and refuses to let go. Every twist felt sharper than the last, and by the end I wasn’t sure if I wanted to turn the lights on… or keep them off. A brilliantly chilling read that left me genuinely spooked.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Copycat: A Psychological Thriller, my sixth psychological thriller read from author Clarise Foster. A 359-page domestic thriller. “I received a complementary Kindle copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Definitely reccommend!

[Brad Audiobibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, my thanks to the author for providing me with a free Advance Reader Copy. I’m posting this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest and unbiased opinion.

The Copycat is the sequel to The Mask, and like its predecessor it delivers an intense psychological thriller. At times it’s hair‑raising and genuinely unsettling. The prologue immediately sets the stage for later events and compels the reader to keep turning pages. Twists and surprises abound, supported by vivid descriptions and a steady undercurrent of suspense.

That said, I found several elements confusing or inconsistent, which disrupted my immersion. Without giving away spoilers, here are a few examples:

- Chapter 12: A visitor leaves, the residents close the door, share a brief conversation, embrace, breathe deeply, and continue talking. When one resident finally looks out the window, the visitor is only halfway down the drive. Given that a neighbor across the street can call out without raising their voice, the drive cannot be very long—yet the timing feels implausible.

- Chapter 15: The same visitor is urgently summoned back by panicked residents, but the narrative offers no indication of whether they return, what happens if they do, or any follow‑up. Instead, the story jumps straight into a new chapter beginning the next day. It almost feels as though a chapter is missing.

- Timeline issues: Events from the previous book are described as both several years past and simultaneously recent enough that “the paperwork is still doing the rounds” and news articles are still circulating. This contradiction makes the chronology difficult to follow.

Overall, The Copycat offers a gripping story with strong atmosphere and suspense, but the inconsistencies in pacing, continuity, and timeline weakened the experience for me.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace survived. She has been able to move on and try to heal from the abuse that Ethan committed. She has a new life and a husband that she feels safe with until a mask shows up. From this moment on, in the book, Grace’s life is no longer her own. This book is the ultimate nightmare fuel. The author had a way of describing the silence that I could feel the same silence in my home. I stopped to listen and could soon understand how silence can be a weapon. Being watched is a terrifying feeling; then add into the mix after surviving a horrible ordeal; to feel as though you are losing your mind. I truly felt helpless for Grace. The new threat had her feeling as though she could not trust anyone, least of all herself. The more she searched for clues to what was happening the more intense her fear became. Once reality took hold and she was taken, the real horror was about to ensue. I found Grace to be the bravest woman. No matter the cost to her mental health, she kept going. She realized is was up to her to save herself. The perpetrator was once again someone she trusted; the time for feeling helpless was gone. She needed to survive. The woman who was once a victim now had to dig deep to become a better woman than even she thought she could be.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Copycat ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Clarise Foster has done it again! The author captures in detail every emotion of Grace and Ryan as they fight to live another day, down to the moments of despair and pain.
Her writing has this way of transporting you right there into the scene alongside the characters, leaving you feeling like a fly on the wall!

Suspenseful chapters with an edge of your seat thrill. This was a win for me!

🖤 Thank you to the author for selecting me again as an ARC Reader!

[Sheri Corriero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great psychological thriller. The Mask was the previous book where we met Grace, Ethan and Ryan. Grace goes through a traumatic time with her masked stalker. In The Mask. Now she has moved on from that and it may be starting again. Another mask. I was holding my breath at this point. Ryan says he didn’t put it out. Ethan is in jail – she checked. Now the Copycat brings the intense fear back. It was so exciting.

[Katherine Cannone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Copycat revolves around a murderer who’s duplicating crimes from a past case that was messy, controversial, and never fully resolved. Each new murder reveals something the original detectives overlooked, pulling the team into a maze of old secrets and new dangers. It’s fast, layered, and builds toward a payoff that feels earned.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harriet Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What???? This book was absolutely mind blowing!! It kept me on the edge of my seat, my hair standing up on the back of my neck and had me shaking!! I read THE MASK, the prequel to this book. I loved it as well but this one????? I had to make sure my blinds were drawn, the doors were locked and the sounds in my house was just the house settling. This book was so well written!! The characters came alive!! (Except the ones that died)…. Truly an amazing, sit on the edge of your seat read!!

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

COPYCAT

I read the 1st book and it was good, kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
But starting the second book, I just couldn't take the mc's demeanor anymore. You would think she'd come out a little stronger after the last book but no she's even more paranoid and scared than before.

[Nicole Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book I am so glad she continued Grace story I recommend reading the first one first then this one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very suspenseful novel that keeps you guessing. Grace was tormented by a man wearing a mask, but he is in prison. She keeps finding masks at home and in her car. Texts and notes left for her keep her on edge. A number of twists to keep your interest.

[karin whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stalker is taunting Grace, with an obsession to even the score, his way. Fast paced, terrifying, well-developed storyline. The twists just keep coming. Wait until the end for the biggest twist awaits!
A received the novel as an ARC. This is my review.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me some time to get into the flow of the story, and I found myself wondering what was truly happening with Grace—was it real or just in her mind? An intriguing read. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Divya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting psychological thriller that follows Grace and Ryan as they work on keeping their marriage strong. However, when masks start appearing in their homes, Grace gets suspicious of everyone. The story moves at a good pace and had me guessing the perpetrator till the end.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Clarise has done it again. This is a sequel to The Mask and oh boy you are in for a ride that didn’t disappoint. This book keeps you guessing and at times it’s hard to put down


I received an ARC of the Kindle ebook in exchange for an honest review

[Miss_curly_tots · Rating 5 out of 5]

The masks are starting again! Grace and ryan cant catch a break just goes to show dont trust everyone

[Sammye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This suspensful story kept me guessing all the way to the end. It’s a page turner full of twists and turns. A great mystery.

[Michelle Justice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I found it boring and slow. I received this an ARC and I wished I enjoyed it

[Lauren Houseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a book to recommend

To repetitive and drawn out. Predictable ending. I would just love a book with a conclusion and not a lead in to another book.

[Mary Ellen Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of the Kindle ebook in exchange for an honest review. This book is the sequel to The Mask, and I wish I had read it first so I would be up to speed with Grace and her husband Ryan, and what happened to them before this book. Grace had a friend who turned out to be her stalker and a serial killer in the first book and is now in prison. She gets out of the shower one morning and finds a mask in her bedroom similar to one her stalker had worn. Her husband Ryan, who is home at the time, had a mask collection but swears that he got rid of them all to avoid traumatizing Grace any further. After this occurs, more strange things happen, and Grace finds herself being stalked by a copycat. She suspects almost everyone, and just like Grace, I began to suspect almost everyone she encountered too. I liked the book, but there was one chapter that started out repeating a good bit of the end of the last chapter, which was a little redundant and confusing, almost like the author lost their place or train of thought. This book will keep you guessing who the copycat really is.