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The Indecipherables
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Expected 19 Jan 27“Who do you think you are? Part Twilight Zone, part Mulholland Drive, Anne Hellman’s debut is a tantalizing detour into the uncanny.” —Stewart O’Nan, author of A Prayer for the Dying
A pair of identical twins reconnect on a road trip where they realize they’re being stalked—by themselves—in this unsettling, imaginative tribute to Hitchcock’s Psycho and Vertigo
Meet Ava and Brin, identical twins on a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Francisco to Joshua Tree, in honor of their late mother. This is more than a pilgrimage—it’s a reunion after a year-long rift, after Ava almost died of a mysterious illness. From their first night on the road, the sisters encounter strangers who insist they’ve met them before—a waitress who is certain she served them a few days ago, a mechanic who shows Ava and Brin a picture of themselves driving a different car from earlier that day.
Ava and Brin realize that another pair of twins, seemingly identical to them in name and appearance, are stalking them. The cat-and-mouse game between the four identical women quickly devolves into something sinister and supernatural as the lines between them begin to blur. Doppelgängers, prophetic hallucinations, an unwavering fog—what do these shadow twins want? And what are Ava and Brin hiding?
The Indecipherables is a fever dream of a debut novel, a journey into the weird and uncanny, and an exploration of what horrors arise when we keep secrets from those we love—and from ourselves.
A pair of identical twins reconnect on a road trip where they realize they’re being stalked—by themselves—in this unsettling, imaginative tribute to Hitchcock’s Psycho and Vertigo
Meet Ava and Brin, identical twins on a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Francisco to Joshua Tree, in honor of their late mother. This is more than a pilgrimage—it’s a reunion after a year-long rift, after Ava almost died of a mysterious illness. From their first night on the road, the sisters encounter strangers who insist they’ve met them before—a waitress who is certain she served them a few days ago, a mechanic who shows Ava and Brin a picture of themselves driving a different car from earlier that day.
Ava and Brin realize that another pair of twins, seemingly identical to them in name and appearance, are stalking them. The cat-and-mouse game between the four identical women quickly devolves into something sinister and supernatural as the lines between them begin to blur. Doppelgängers, prophetic hallucinations, an unwavering fog—what do these shadow twins want? And what are Ava and Brin hiding?
The Indecipherables is a fever dream of a debut novel, a journey into the weird and uncanny, and an exploration of what horrors arise when we keep secrets from those we love—and from ourselves.
272 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 19, 2027
About the author
Anne Hellman
6 books5 followersAnne Hellman is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor. She is the author most recently of Design Brooklyn: Renovation, Restoration, Innovation, Industry (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, 2013) and founder of the blog Design Brooklyn, with photographer Michel Arnaud. Anne has also co-authored LogoLounge 8 and LogoLounge 7 (Rockport Publishers) and Designers on Design: Joël Desgrippes and Marc Gobé on the Emotional Brand Experience (Rockport, 2007).
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May 7, 2026I received this book through NetGalley.
The Indecipherables had an interesting premise, but it just wasn’t for me. The twin dynamic and identity themes are clearly central to the story, and I can see how readers who are twins or who enjoy slower, introspective psychological fiction may connect with it more deeply.
For me, though, I struggled to feel pulled in. The story had an eerie, reflective quality, but the pacing and overall distance kept me from fully connecting with the characters or the reading experience.
Overall, I can respect what the book was exploring more than I can say it worked for me personally. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy literary psychological stories, identity themes, twin dynamics, and a more atmospheric, introspective pace.
The Indecipherables had an interesting premise, but it just wasn’t for me. The twin dynamic and identity themes are clearly central to the story, and I can see how readers who are twins or who enjoy slower, introspective psychological fiction may connect with it more deeply.
For me, though, I struggled to feel pulled in. The story had an eerie, reflective quality, but the pacing and overall distance kept me from fully connecting with the characters or the reading experience.
Overall, I can respect what the book was exploring more than I can say it worked for me personally. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy literary psychological stories, identity themes, twin dynamics, and a more atmospheric, introspective pace.
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May 22, 2026Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.
The premise is interesting and strong and the twin dynamic had me curious going in, but I spent most of the book confused. I had to reread pages multiple times because I genuinely could not understand what was going on.
Also some wild things would happen to the twins, and they would just pretend nothing is happening and move on. That disconnect between the events of the plot and how the characters reacted made it hard to settle into the story.
I can see what Anne Hellman was going for: the disorientation feels intentional, and this could be perfect for readers who lean into literary thriller or horror. It just didn't quite work for me personally.
The premise is interesting and strong and the twin dynamic had me curious going in, but I spent most of the book confused. I had to reread pages multiple times because I genuinely could not understand what was going on.
Also some wild things would happen to the twins, and they would just pretend nothing is happening and move on. That disconnect between the events of the plot and how the characters reacted made it hard to settle into the story.
I can see what Anne Hellman was going for: the disorientation feels intentional, and this could be perfect for readers who lean into literary thriller or horror. It just didn't quite work for me personally.
June 19, 2026
such an interesting premise but what a disappointment. the writing was so sloppy and repetitive, I kept having to reread parts because the plot was so confusing. hopefully the book will be in better shape when it’s released next year but in it’s current state it’s a mess
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ava and Brin are thirty-eight-year-old identical twins on a self-proclaimed "tranquil pilgrimage" through California in hopes of reconnecting with each other and their identities as twins after nearly two years apart, during one of which they had no contact with each other. Unexpectedly, their peaceful vacation is interrupted when people along the road keep asking if they've already been there, and the two discover another set of twins identical to themselves following the same route.
The premise of this story is very intriguing, and it has an eerie, uncanny atmosphere to match, but the execution fell flat for me. Repetition is obviously a theme here, as there are multiple sets of the same identical twins, but it was a bit overused. The same concepts and phrases are repeated over and over, and there are multiple chapters that are nearly the exact same word-for-word with only slight differences when the twins briefly move into separate rooms or have slightly different thoughts on the same thing they are seeing in front of them. The narration style is also a bit inconsistent, and the narrator throws an occasional first-person sentence or two into a primarily third-person story beginning about halfway through the novel. I think the perspective shift had the potential to be a really cool element of the story, but it is used so inconsistently that it feels more accidental than intentional, though I am sure there was a reason for it. The POV also switches regularly between the twins, with nothing to help indicate which twin's perspective you are seeing the scenes from until they mention the other. On that vein, when all four characters are together in the end, there are a lot of mentions of one doing something and "her sister" doing something else, with nothing to indicate which sister from which set this is supposed to indicate.
There are also a lot of questions that I felt needed answered that are not at the end of the story. And probably some more that I can't think of in this exact moment.
Overall, the word "indecipherable" is a great way to describe how this book feels because I spent the majority of my time reading it extremely confused about what was going on.
Thank you to Anne Hellman, her publishers, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
The premise of this story is very intriguing, and it has an eerie, uncanny atmosphere to match, but the execution fell flat for me. Repetition is obviously a theme here, as there are multiple sets of the same identical twins, but it was a bit overused. The same concepts and phrases are repeated over and over, and there are multiple chapters that are nearly the exact same word-for-word with only slight differences when the twins briefly move into separate rooms or have slightly different thoughts on the same thing they are seeing in front of them. The narration style is also a bit inconsistent, and the narrator throws an occasional first-person sentence or two into a primarily third-person story beginning about halfway through the novel. I think the perspective shift had the potential to be a really cool element of the story, but it is used so inconsistently that it feels more accidental than intentional, though I am sure there was a reason for it. The POV also switches regularly between the twins, with nothing to help indicate which twin's perspective you are seeing the scenes from until they mention the other. On that vein, when all four characters are together in the end, there are a lot of mentions of one doing something and "her sister" doing something else, with nothing to indicate which sister from which set this is supposed to indicate.
There are also a lot of questions that I felt needed answered that are not at the end of the story. And probably some more that I can't think of in this exact moment.
Overall, the word "indecipherable" is a great way to describe how this book feels because I spent the majority of my time reading it extremely confused about what was going on.
Thank you to Anne Hellman, her publishers, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was one of those books where the premise immediately grabbed me. Identical twins Ava and Brin set out on a road trip along the California coast hoping to reconnect after a difficult period in their lives. Along the way, strangers keep insisting they've already met them, served them, or seen them somewhere else. Before long, the sisters find themselves confronted with another set of twins who look exactly like them. The concept is incredibly intriguing, and honestly, it was the reason I kept reading. The story creates an eerie atmosphere filled with paranoia, questions about identity, and a growing sense that something is very wrong. The coastal setting added to that unsettling feeling, and there were moments when I genuinely wanted answers.
Unfortunately, the execution didn't work for me as well as the premise did. The book starts strong, but around the middle it became increasingly difficult for me to follow what was happening. The story leans heavily into surreal and mind-bending territory, which I normally enjoy, but here it often felt more confusing than suspenseful. I found myself rereading sections, trying to figure out what was real, who we were following, and how certain events connected together. There were also times when the pacing slowed considerably. While the themes surrounding sibling relationships, identity, and personal trauma were interesting, the story felt repetitive in places and seemed to circle the same ideas without providing enough clarity or forward momentum.
By the time I reached the ending, I was hoping for answers that would bring everything together. Instead, I was left with more questions than resolution. Some readers may enjoy interpreting the ambiguity for themselves, but for me, it felt like the story never fully explained the mystery it spent so much time building. That said, I do think this book will find its audience. Readers who enjoy experimental psychological thrillers, speculative fiction, and stories that intentionally blur the line between reality and perception may appreciate it much more than I did. Overall, this was a fantastic concept with plenty of atmosphere and originality, but the execution left me feeling frustrated more often than intrigued.
This was one of those books where the premise immediately grabbed me. Identical twins Ava and Brin set out on a road trip along the California coast hoping to reconnect after a difficult period in their lives. Along the way, strangers keep insisting they've already met them, served them, or seen them somewhere else. Before long, the sisters find themselves confronted with another set of twins who look exactly like them. The concept is incredibly intriguing, and honestly, it was the reason I kept reading. The story creates an eerie atmosphere filled with paranoia, questions about identity, and a growing sense that something is very wrong. The coastal setting added to that unsettling feeling, and there were moments when I genuinely wanted answers.
Unfortunately, the execution didn't work for me as well as the premise did. The book starts strong, but around the middle it became increasingly difficult for me to follow what was happening. The story leans heavily into surreal and mind-bending territory, which I normally enjoy, but here it often felt more confusing than suspenseful. I found myself rereading sections, trying to figure out what was real, who we were following, and how certain events connected together. There were also times when the pacing slowed considerably. While the themes surrounding sibling relationships, identity, and personal trauma were interesting, the story felt repetitive in places and seemed to circle the same ideas without providing enough clarity or forward momentum.
By the time I reached the ending, I was hoping for answers that would bring everything together. Instead, I was left with more questions than resolution. Some readers may enjoy interpreting the ambiguity for themselves, but for me, it felt like the story never fully explained the mystery it spent so much time building. That said, I do think this book will find its audience. Readers who enjoy experimental psychological thrillers, speculative fiction, and stories that intentionally blur the line between reality and perception may appreciate it much more than I did. Overall, this was a fantastic concept with plenty of atmosphere and originality, but the execution left me feeling frustrated more often than intrigued.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 stars rounded down for goodreads/netgalley.
I have many thoughts.
This book had the chance to be really, really good. It could have been on my favorite-reads-of-all-time list. The premise is intriguing, and some of the plot points are downright fascinating, but unfortunately, the execution was not that great.
There were places where the POV switched suddenly with no warning, leaving me a bit clueless as to what was happening. As the twists began to unfold, the story started to make less sense than more, which is always a bad sign.
Some portions of this book were repeated almost verbatim to the point I thought one chapter of the ARC had accidentally been duplicated. There are also repeated words, themes, dialogue, and internal monologues that were just the same thing over…and over…and over…until the very last page. I get one twin has a dent in her forehead and one has a scar!! I understand!! It has been mentioned 800 times!! The word indecipherable has been used too many times for me to count!!
And lastly, the last 10% of this book completely befuddled me. I still have so many questions, and not in a good way.
Is it possible I’m just not smart enough to get this book? Yes, that is absolutely a possibility. However, I’m an avid reader and don’t consider myself to be stupid, so I think the confusing nature of the prose is worth flagging.
All of this being said, I finished the book. No DNF from me. Why? Because the story itself is captivating, and despite its faults, the plot itself is so incredibly enticing, interesting, and again, full of so much potential. I was waiting to be proven wrong at the end and hoping for an ending that tied everything together where everything suddenly made sense, and that just…did not happen.
I really hope that given the pub date isn’t until January 2027, some edits are made to a book that has such an incredible premise. The potential of the book shines brightly through the cracks at times, which made it even more frustrating when it went back to its “normal.” I would recommend this book if some significant revisions were made. I’m hoping this was an early, early ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this e-ARC!
I have many thoughts.
This book had the chance to be really, really good. It could have been on my favorite-reads-of-all-time list. The premise is intriguing, and some of the plot points are downright fascinating, but unfortunately, the execution was not that great.
There were places where the POV switched suddenly with no warning, leaving me a bit clueless as to what was happening. As the twists began to unfold, the story started to make less sense than more, which is always a bad sign.
Some portions of this book were repeated almost verbatim to the point I thought one chapter of the ARC had accidentally been duplicated. There are also repeated words, themes, dialogue, and internal monologues that were just the same thing over…and over…and over…until the very last page. I get one twin has a dent in her forehead and one has a scar!! I understand!! It has been mentioned 800 times!! The word indecipherable has been used too many times for me to count!!
And lastly, the last 10% of this book completely befuddled me. I still have so many questions, and not in a good way.
Is it possible I’m just not smart enough to get this book? Yes, that is absolutely a possibility. However, I’m an avid reader and don’t consider myself to be stupid, so I think the confusing nature of the prose is worth flagging.
All of this being said, I finished the book. No DNF from me. Why? Because the story itself is captivating, and despite its faults, the plot itself is so incredibly enticing, interesting, and again, full of so much potential. I was waiting to be proven wrong at the end and hoping for an ending that tied everything together where everything suddenly made sense, and that just…did not happen.
I really hope that given the pub date isn’t until January 2027, some edits are made to a book that has such an incredible premise. The potential of the book shines brightly through the cracks at times, which made it even more frustrating when it went back to its “normal.” I would recommend this book if some significant revisions were made. I’m hoping this was an early, early ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this e-ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DISCLAIMER: I received an advanced reader copy of this novel through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Wait, what?
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman is an interesting psychological thriller title to take on with themes of twinship, girlhood, and self-actualization underlining a deeply uncanny story of what it means to be an individual; to be human.
The first half of this book had me in a complete chokehold. I couldn't put it down. The deep un-canniness of this book and the tug of war between Ava's insistence in her individuality and Brin's desperate desire for the wholeness of the pair kept me in a headlock. This book taped back my eyelids and forced me to watch Brin's descent into depravity as she dragged her sister kicking and screaming into the fray with her.
The climax is where it lost me. The twisted reality of the book crumbled completely into techno-paranormal madness. Am I to believe that Ava died in the hospital? Was all of this conflict in Brin's mind as she made her road trip? Were the indecipherable twins Brin's magnum opus turned sinister- her own personal Rocco's Basilisk? I don't know. Maybe I'm not supposed to. I don't even know if Brin exists anymore. Maybe she's an android too, or a spirit watching the lives of twins unfold for eternity in a personal hell as punishment for her sins.
The book jumps jarringly from a second-person narrative to first-person at times, using "we", "us", and "ours" to refer to the women and the thoughts of the narrator. This perspective shift could work in very specific use cases, but I didn't find it pleasant in this novel and found it only served to confuse me. Had those details been either omitted or embraced from the beginning of the story, The Indecipherables would've been a much more enjoyable read. All in all, that is the extent of my criticism.
The Indecipherables is a mind-bending story. Even with it's flaws, I found it absolutely intriguing and I'm excited to see what else Anne Hellman has in store for her readers.
Wait, what?
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman is an interesting psychological thriller title to take on with themes of twinship, girlhood, and self-actualization underlining a deeply uncanny story of what it means to be an individual; to be human.
The first half of this book had me in a complete chokehold. I couldn't put it down. The deep un-canniness of this book and the tug of war between Ava's insistence in her individuality and Brin's desperate desire for the wholeness of the pair kept me in a headlock. This book taped back my eyelids and forced me to watch Brin's descent into depravity as she dragged her sister kicking and screaming into the fray with her.
The climax is where it lost me. The twisted reality of the book crumbled completely into techno-paranormal madness. Am I to believe that Ava died in the hospital? Was all of this conflict in Brin's mind as she made her road trip? Were the indecipherable twins Brin's magnum opus turned sinister- her own personal Rocco's Basilisk? I don't know. Maybe I'm not supposed to. I don't even know if Brin exists anymore. Maybe she's an android too, or a spirit watching the lives of twins unfold for eternity in a personal hell as punishment for her sins.
The book jumps jarringly from a second-person narrative to first-person at times, using "we", "us", and "ours" to refer to the women and the thoughts of the narrator. This perspective shift could work in very specific use cases, but I didn't find it pleasant in this novel and found it only served to confuse me. Had those details been either omitted or embraced from the beginning of the story, The Indecipherables would've been a much more enjoyable read. All in all, that is the extent of my criticism.
The Indecipherables is a mind-bending story. Even with it's flaws, I found it absolutely intriguing and I'm excited to see what else Anne Hellman has in store for her readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is something deeply unnerving about a road trip novel where the landscape itself feels like it is watching you, and The Indecipherables absolutely nails that creeping dread. The Pacific Coast Highway has never felt so haunted. Fog curls around every page, memories distort, faces repeat themselves, and by the time the story fully slips into the uncanny, I felt like I was trapped in the backseat with Ava and Brin wondering if reality had quietly changed shape while nobody was looking.
This scratched a very specific itch for me. It has that hypnotic identity horror of Mulholland Drive mixed with the paranoid doubling and psychological spirals of Vertigo and Psycho, but it still feels entirely its own. The doppelgänger element is terrifying not because it is loud, but because it is disorienting. Every interaction feels slightly off-center, like the world is reflecting back a version of the twins that maybe should not exist.
I loved how grief and secrecy sit underneath all the strange horror. Ava and Brin’s relationship carries the entire novel. Their tension feels raw and lived in, and the emotional distance between them becomes just as unsettling as the supernatural pieces. The book constantly asks whether we can ever truly know the people closest to us, or even ourselves, and it does it through eerie roadside encounters, fractured memories, and mounting existential dread.
Anne Hellman writes like she is casting a spell. The prose feels dreamy and slippery without losing momentum, and there were moments where I genuinely felt untethered in the best way. The deeper the novel goes, the more it becomes less about solving a mystery and more about surrendering to the feeling of being lost inside it.
If you love strange literary horror, identity crises, uncanny doubles, lonely highways, and stories that feel like they are dissolving at the edges while you read them, this one is going to get under your skin.
This scratched a very specific itch for me. It has that hypnotic identity horror of Mulholland Drive mixed with the paranoid doubling and psychological spirals of Vertigo and Psycho, but it still feels entirely its own. The doppelgänger element is terrifying not because it is loud, but because it is disorienting. Every interaction feels slightly off-center, like the world is reflecting back a version of the twins that maybe should not exist.
I loved how grief and secrecy sit underneath all the strange horror. Ava and Brin’s relationship carries the entire novel. Their tension feels raw and lived in, and the emotional distance between them becomes just as unsettling as the supernatural pieces. The book constantly asks whether we can ever truly know the people closest to us, or even ourselves, and it does it through eerie roadside encounters, fractured memories, and mounting existential dread.
Anne Hellman writes like she is casting a spell. The prose feels dreamy and slippery without losing momentum, and there were moments where I genuinely felt untethered in the best way. The deeper the novel goes, the more it becomes less about solving a mystery and more about surrendering to the feeling of being lost inside it.
If you love strange literary horror, identity crises, uncanny doubles, lonely highways, and stories that feel like they are dissolving at the edges while you read them, this one is going to get under your skin.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book really got under my skin in the best way. It's not in your face scary and more of that slow, creeping feeling that something’s wrong, even when nothing “big” is happening yet. By the time things escalate, you’re already on edge.
The story follows twins who take a road trip hoping it’ll help them reconnect after a strange stretch of time apart. That plan falls apart pretty quickly when they start to suspect they’re being followed. And not by a random stranger, but by versions of themselves. From there, every stop on the trip feels tense. The chase element is scary on its own, but what really works is how it pushes the twins to deal with everything they’ve been avoiding with each other. As things get more intense, it turns into this disorienting, psychological kind of horror where you’re never fully sure what’s real and what’s coming from inside their heads.
What I kept thinking about was how much the book is really about identity and the stories we tell ourselves. If there’s a version of you out there that looks the same and knows the same history, what actually makes you, YOU? The twin relationship makes that question hit harder, because they already know each other so well. Watching them run from their doubles while also circling around old resentments and unspoken pain felt painfully believable. The horror lands because it’s not just about being chased; it’s about being confronted with parts of yourself you’d rather not look at, especially by someone who can see right through you.
I really appreciated how original this book felt. I also loved how much of the tension comes from the twins themselves; their history, their closeness, and the ways they hurt each other. I would absolutely love to see this adapted into a film (specifically by A24)
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book really got under my skin in the best way. It's not in your face scary and more of that slow, creeping feeling that something’s wrong, even when nothing “big” is happening yet. By the time things escalate, you’re already on edge.
The story follows twins who take a road trip hoping it’ll help them reconnect after a strange stretch of time apart. That plan falls apart pretty quickly when they start to suspect they’re being followed. And not by a random stranger, but by versions of themselves. From there, every stop on the trip feels tense. The chase element is scary on its own, but what really works is how it pushes the twins to deal with everything they’ve been avoiding with each other. As things get more intense, it turns into this disorienting, psychological kind of horror where you’re never fully sure what’s real and what’s coming from inside their heads.
What I kept thinking about was how much the book is really about identity and the stories we tell ourselves. If there’s a version of you out there that looks the same and knows the same history, what actually makes you, YOU? The twin relationship makes that question hit harder, because they already know each other so well. Watching them run from their doubles while also circling around old resentments and unspoken pain felt painfully believable. The horror lands because it’s not just about being chased; it’s about being confronted with parts of yourself you’d rather not look at, especially by someone who can see right through you.
I really appreciated how original this book felt. I also loved how much of the tension comes from the twins themselves; their history, their closeness, and the ways they hurt each other. I would absolutely love to see this adapted into a film (specifically by A24)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is definitely reminiscent of a certain 'Sequence' by another author. Still good, but it can be hard to not compare the two.
The book straddles the line between complex and confusing. Part of the confusion stems from narrative voice. At times, the narrator seems more of an omniscient voice, but it does also give us POVs from other characters with little to no warning. There are also entire scenes that are repeated from a different POV with no warning. In addition, because of the plot, the personalities of our characters tend to get intermingled. The book is very much about identity and what defines a person's authentic nature. (I'd like to point out the fact that the author is a twin so a lot of the portions of the book dealing with identity stem from real life.)
Unlike the aforementioned 'Sequence', I knew which of our characters were our indecipherables. The author gives us clear identifiers. This does kind of subtract from the tension. It becomes less about *who* each character really is and more about how our characters will resolve this.
I liked that we had a reason behind everything. It wasn't at all murky. We are told what and why.
I think what disconcerted me the most is that I started wondering if our author was playing with us. There's a definite anti-AI thread in the book and I started wondering if there was going to be a gotcha in the end and if the author was going to tell us it was an AI book all along. I don't think it is - I think the author wrote this - but there are certain passages that were reminiscent of the AI slop that's out there and I think it was purposely done.
Overall, I think I appreciated what the author tried to do here. It was an interesting experience, though maybe a little bit of a challenging read.
The book straddles the line between complex and confusing. Part of the confusion stems from narrative voice. At times, the narrator seems more of an omniscient voice, but it does also give us POVs from other characters with little to no warning. There are also entire scenes that are repeated from a different POV with no warning. In addition, because of the plot, the personalities of our characters tend to get intermingled. The book is very much about identity and what defines a person's authentic nature. (I'd like to point out the fact that the author is a twin so a lot of the portions of the book dealing with identity stem from real life.)
Unlike the aforementioned 'Sequence', I knew which of our characters were our indecipherables. The author gives us clear identifiers. This does kind of subtract from the tension. It becomes less about *who* each character really is and more about how our characters will resolve this.
I liked that we had a reason behind everything. It wasn't at all murky. We are told what and why.
I think what disconcerted me the most is that I started wondering if our author was playing with us. There's a definite anti-AI thread in the book and I started wondering if there was going to be a gotcha in the end and if the author was going to tell us it was an AI book all along. I don't think it is - I think the author wrote this - but there are certain passages that were reminiscent of the AI slop that's out there and I think it was purposely done.
Overall, I think I appreciated what the author tried to do here. It was an interesting experience, though maybe a little bit of a challenging read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The book has an amazing Twilight Zone episode-type atmosphere to it. Genuinely felt like a spooky fever dream at times. The theme of identity is explored well and very thoroughly through the main set of twins, Ava and Brin, as they take off on a week-long road trip along PCH. There were several moments in the book that really creeped me out.
Unfortunately, where the dream-like quality of the novel is one of its strengths, it’s also the biggest weakness. I understand that the story is meant to be disorienting on purpose, but I truly feel that some parts could have benefited from more narrative clarity. Specifically, the parts about R.I. and Brin’s involvement with AI. I have some thoughts, and I thought I figured some things out, but then the ending confused me all over again. It might just be me, though, who knows.
I didn’t mind the use of repetition between chapters; I found it to be an effective device to highlight the “twin” aspect of the book. It really emphasizes just how many thoughts Brin and Ava do share, even if they have different outlooks on life in general. I didn’t like how often we were told certain things about the twins, though, for example, about the hairline dent and the left cheek scar, or the playground vision of kids examining twins.
Overall, the writing felt like it leaned heavily into an eerie cinematic atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror movies and TV. While the vibes of this book are amazing, the plot is hard to identify and understand at times, especially in the last third of the book. I did read a very early ARC, so some things may change by the time of publication.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Unfortunately, where the dream-like quality of the novel is one of its strengths, it’s also the biggest weakness. I understand that the story is meant to be disorienting on purpose, but I truly feel that some parts could have benefited from more narrative clarity. Specifically, the parts about R.I. and Brin’s involvement with AI. I have some thoughts, and I thought I figured some things out, but then the ending confused me all over again. It might just be me, though, who knows.
I didn’t mind the use of repetition between chapters; I found it to be an effective device to highlight the “twin” aspect of the book. It really emphasizes just how many thoughts Brin and Ava do share, even if they have different outlooks on life in general. I didn’t like how often we were told certain things about the twins, though, for example, about the hairline dent and the left cheek scar, or the playground vision of kids examining twins.
Overall, the writing felt like it leaned heavily into an eerie cinematic atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror movies and TV. While the vibes of this book are amazing, the plot is hard to identify and understand at times, especially in the last third of the book. I did read a very early ARC, so some things may change by the time of publication.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the chance to read and review The Indecipherables.
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman tells a simple story of identical twin sisters, Ava and Brin, on a road trip, reunited together after some time apart. Despite their joy at being together and excitement for a trip they've been planning for over a year troubling incidents interrupt their time together. Strangers swear they've met the sisters before, odd but familiar faces hover in the background. The twins themselves are struggling throughout their trip; Ava is still recovering from her mystery illness from a year ago that nearly killed her and Brin is preoccupied with secretive messages from her job.
Soon enough they realize they are being stalked by another set of twins, twins that just so happen to look exactly like Ava and Brin. Tensions build, tempers flare and Ava and Brin have to work together to find out who (or what) these twins are, and what they really want.
The Indecipherables was an intriguing, unique story; I don't think I've read anything quite like it. The narrative speaks almost as if told to you by Ai (note: I don't feel as if this was written by AI, I feel like it was deliberately written to mimic AI) which gave almost a clinical, impassive voice to the story which made the horror elements that much more horrifying. However, this voice of the narrator kept me from connecting to Ava and Brin and I honestly did not care what happened to them.
While the writing was interesting and kept me coming back just to see what happened, it left more questions than answers, I don't mind ambiguity, sometimes it works, but with this book, sadly it did not. Interesting story, but not my favorite, 2.5 stars rounded to three..
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman tells a simple story of identical twin sisters, Ava and Brin, on a road trip, reunited together after some time apart. Despite their joy at being together and excitement for a trip they've been planning for over a year troubling incidents interrupt their time together. Strangers swear they've met the sisters before, odd but familiar faces hover in the background. The twins themselves are struggling throughout their trip; Ava is still recovering from her mystery illness from a year ago that nearly killed her and Brin is preoccupied with secretive messages from her job.
Soon enough they realize they are being stalked by another set of twins, twins that just so happen to look exactly like Ava and Brin. Tensions build, tempers flare and Ava and Brin have to work together to find out who (or what) these twins are, and what they really want.
The Indecipherables was an intriguing, unique story; I don't think I've read anything quite like it. The narrative speaks almost as if told to you by Ai (note: I don't feel as if this was written by AI, I feel like it was deliberately written to mimic AI) which gave almost a clinical, impassive voice to the story which made the horror elements that much more horrifying. However, this voice of the narrator kept me from connecting to Ava and Brin and I honestly did not care what happened to them.
While the writing was interesting and kept me coming back just to see what happened, it left more questions than answers, I don't mind ambiguity, sometimes it works, but with this book, sadly it did not. Interesting story, but not my favorite, 2.5 stars rounded to three..
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This “eye catching” cover (pun intended) had me taking a peek at the synopsis and I realized that it sounded quite similar to a “sequence” of novellas that I have recently read-which made me curious…
Ava and Brin, are 38 year old identical twins who are taking a long awaited road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Francisco to Joshua Tree, in honor of their late mother. They had planned to go the year prior but Ava almost died of a mysterious illness.
From their first night on the road, the sisters are asked by people who they meet if they’ve met them before—it’s all a bit uncanny.
Apparently, another pair of identical twins, who are also identical to them, are on the same road trip-but soon the FOUR will meet….
The story is told by an omnipresent narrator who knows all, which ISN’T a writing style that I personally enjoy reading. I also felt like this was a “write what you know” book, as there was a lot of repetition, as the sisters traveled from place to place, along the Pacific Coast Highway, drinking wine and reconnecting. Sure enough, the author is indeed an identical twin who grew up in the area she wrote about, which explains her knowledge of the area and of twins.
We did get answers about how these doppelgängers came into existence, and I expected to suspend disbelief, but overall, I preferred “the other” book that I read with this premise, as once the four met, things became a bit too convoluted and hard to follow.
No book is for every reader, but this could be for you, so do read other reviews and give it a try if you’re intrigued.
Expected publication date: January 19, 2027
Thank You to Ballantine for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
Ava and Brin, are 38 year old identical twins who are taking a long awaited road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Francisco to Joshua Tree, in honor of their late mother. They had planned to go the year prior but Ava almost died of a mysterious illness.
From their first night on the road, the sisters are asked by people who they meet if they’ve met them before—it’s all a bit uncanny.
Apparently, another pair of identical twins, who are also identical to them, are on the same road trip-but soon the FOUR will meet….
The story is told by an omnipresent narrator who knows all, which ISN’T a writing style that I personally enjoy reading. I also felt like this was a “write what you know” book, as there was a lot of repetition, as the sisters traveled from place to place, along the Pacific Coast Highway, drinking wine and reconnecting. Sure enough, the author is indeed an identical twin who grew up in the area she wrote about, which explains her knowledge of the area and of twins.
We did get answers about how these doppelgängers came into existence, and I expected to suspend disbelief, but overall, I preferred “the other” book that I read with this premise, as once the four met, things became a bit too convoluted and hard to follow.
No book is for every reader, but this could be for you, so do read other reviews and give it a try if you’re intrigued.
Expected publication date: January 19, 2027
Thank You to Ballantine for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
July 5, 2026
*Thank you Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
Identical twins, Brin and Ava, are on a road trip down the Pacific Coast to honor their mother's passing - a reunion after a year-long rift after Ava became sick. After a few odd instances of strangers insisting they've seen the twins before, Ava and Brin realize they are being stalked. What do they want? Why Brin and Ava?
This book feels like shoegaze music made a book. And I'm not sure if that is a compliment. I loved the premise, but the execution was rough to follow for me. I found myself going back and re-reading a lot. There was a lot of slipping between perspectives without warning or structure, and I couldn't quite understand everything at first glance.
But maybe that is the point? To make you feel a little crazy when you read it?
I'm not sure - I felt more frustrated by the confusion than it sparking curiosity. It felt convoluted.
The main characters didn't interest me very much. I had a note that said "I am so confused by their lack of anything-ness" and I thought maybe it would improve but I continued to be confused and bored by them.
There was a point in the book where an entire chapter is repeated, and I thought I was having a stroke. Maybe there were small differences I didn't pick up on. A handful of the chapters (on a Kindle anyway) were only a page or two that made me wonder why they were separate chapters at all. I think with some edits to the structure and formatting, this could be a really cool book, but unfortunately for now, I will have to give it two stars.
Identical twins, Brin and Ava, are on a road trip down the Pacific Coast to honor their mother's passing - a reunion after a year-long rift after Ava became sick. After a few odd instances of strangers insisting they've seen the twins before, Ava and Brin realize they are being stalked. What do they want? Why Brin and Ava?
This book feels like shoegaze music made a book. And I'm not sure if that is a compliment. I loved the premise, but the execution was rough to follow for me. I found myself going back and re-reading a lot. There was a lot of slipping between perspectives without warning or structure, and I couldn't quite understand everything at first glance.
But maybe that is the point? To make you feel a little crazy when you read it?
I'm not sure - I felt more frustrated by the confusion than it sparking curiosity. It felt convoluted.
The main characters didn't interest me very much. I had a note that said "I am so confused by their lack of anything-ness" and I thought maybe it would improve but I continued to be confused and bored by them.
There was a point in the book where an entire chapter is repeated, and I thought I was having a stroke. Maybe there were small differences I didn't pick up on. A handful of the chapters (on a Kindle anyway) were only a page or two that made me wonder why they were separate chapters at all. I think with some edits to the structure and formatting, this could be a really cool book, but unfortunately for now, I will have to give it two stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book!!
I'm always in for a creepy book, and creativity in fiction, and I feel like The Indecipherable really delivered on both fronts! The atmosphere is unsettling; there was a constant sense of tension simmering beneath the surface, and I had goosebumps while reading it.
This ultimately felt like a novel driven less by plot and more by emotion and atmosphere. What stayed with me wasn’t necessarily what happened, but how the book made me feel. I also appreciated how original it was. Anne Hellman takes some creative risks, and I found myself drawn into the novel’s introspective exploration of identity, selfhood, and the unique bond between twins. Although I’m not a twin myself, many of the emotions and questions surrounding identity still felt relatable.
I will say, I got a little bit confused with the book and couldn't fully see where it was going at times. I understand it's meant to be a bit confusing /ambiguous but there were moments when I felt a little too lost. Because I wasn’t always sure where the narrative was heading, I occasionally found it difficult to stay fully invested, which slowed the pacing for me.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this eerie and thought-provoking novel. Also I usually don't have a strong desire for books to become movies, but I actually would be really interested to see this playing out on the screen. I feel like there's a lot of possibilities here and I would be super interested in the direction it would go.
I'm always in for a creepy book, and creativity in fiction, and I feel like The Indecipherable really delivered on both fronts! The atmosphere is unsettling; there was a constant sense of tension simmering beneath the surface, and I had goosebumps while reading it.
This ultimately felt like a novel driven less by plot and more by emotion and atmosphere. What stayed with me wasn’t necessarily what happened, but how the book made me feel. I also appreciated how original it was. Anne Hellman takes some creative risks, and I found myself drawn into the novel’s introspective exploration of identity, selfhood, and the unique bond between twins. Although I’m not a twin myself, many of the emotions and questions surrounding identity still felt relatable.
I will say, I got a little bit confused with the book and couldn't fully see where it was going at times. I understand it's meant to be a bit confusing /ambiguous but there were moments when I felt a little too lost. Because I wasn’t always sure where the narrative was heading, I occasionally found it difficult to stay fully invested, which slowed the pacing for me.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this eerie and thought-provoking novel. Also I usually don't have a strong desire for books to become movies, but I actually would be really interested to see this playing out on the screen. I feel like there's a lot of possibilities here and I would be super interested in the direction it would go.
May 8, 2026
Two names swirl in my mind as I read this. And I don’t utter them lightly, they are Shirley Jackson and Joan didion. Two seemingly different writers who, at the same time, had a surgical way of cutting through all the B.S. of American culture down to the nerve of oddness that runs through our strange country.
There’s a timeless quality to this novel that I deeply enjoyed. But that’s not to say that it’s old-fashioned, seriously iPhones, AI, and AirBnB run rampant through the story. But somewhere inside its pages there are whispers of wood nymphs , fairies, maybe even a fetch.
When you get down to the heart of the novel, it’s truly about identity. How well can we possibly know ourselves, and can you ever truly know another person? I find it fascinating that the subjects of the story are identical twins, who incidentally are being stalked by another set of identical twins. Its opening quote is from vertigo, and I do think that that is a very good starting image for this particular story.
I was enchanted by the way this writer is able to turn something as mundane as a scarf into an object of fear, persecution, perhaps even of guilt.
I cannot wait to see what she has next upper sleeve.
"I tell myself stories all day long, and I have managed to weave a fairy tale of infinite complexity around the inanimate objects in my house…"
-Shirley Jackson
"I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be..."
-Joan Didion
There’s a timeless quality to this novel that I deeply enjoyed. But that’s not to say that it’s old-fashioned, seriously iPhones, AI, and AirBnB run rampant through the story. But somewhere inside its pages there are whispers of wood nymphs , fairies, maybe even a fetch.
When you get down to the heart of the novel, it’s truly about identity. How well can we possibly know ourselves, and can you ever truly know another person? I find it fascinating that the subjects of the story are identical twins, who incidentally are being stalked by another set of identical twins. Its opening quote is from vertigo, and I do think that that is a very good starting image for this particular story.
I was enchanted by the way this writer is able to turn something as mundane as a scarf into an object of fear, persecution, perhaps even of guilt.
I cannot wait to see what she has next upper sleeve.
"I tell myself stories all day long, and I have managed to weave a fairy tale of infinite complexity around the inanimate objects in my house…"
-Shirley Jackson
"I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be..."
-Joan Didion
May 17, 2026
I love twin stuff. My mom was a twin. My husband is a twin. I was supposed to be a twin (boring story there that I like to make much more interesting to explain why I’m like this). Twin dynamics are just fascinating. So a horror book that hinges on twin dynamics, yeah. I’m in.
The pacing in this is a little rough sometimes. At times it really grabs you and at times it’s a little bit of a struggle bus to get through. Again, I love the twin thing. But we get it. They are twins. The hammer over the head about it isn’t really needed.
Finding out about “mindspeak” almost halfway through the book is a long way to add that detail. Taking the same amount of time to start explaining what is going on is a long journey, too. The book is disjointed and uncomfortable in a way that sometimes feels intentional in that horror way, and sometimes is just way too slow. I don’t mind a slow burn but several times it feels like this ember has just plain gone out. It feels like 1/4 of it could be edited out and it would be of great benefit.
Still we push on because I really hate AI, I like creepy stories,the whole twin thing, and, well, I still want to know what happens.
The book does get into it and does get interesting, I promise. I’m glad, ultimately, that I stuck with it and if you, like me, have that little bit of interest that just keeps going here, you will be too. It just takes quiiiiite a while to get there.
The pacing in this is a little rough sometimes. At times it really grabs you and at times it’s a little bit of a struggle bus to get through. Again, I love the twin thing. But we get it. They are twins. The hammer over the head about it isn’t really needed.
Finding out about “mindspeak” almost halfway through the book is a long way to add that detail. Taking the same amount of time to start explaining what is going on is a long journey, too. The book is disjointed and uncomfortable in a way that sometimes feels intentional in that horror way, and sometimes is just way too slow. I don’t mind a slow burn but several times it feels like this ember has just plain gone out. It feels like 1/4 of it could be edited out and it would be of great benefit.
Still we push on because I really hate AI, I like creepy stories,the whole twin thing, and, well, I still want to know what happens.
The book does get into it and does get interesting, I promise. I’m glad, ultimately, that I stuck with it and if you, like me, have that little bit of interest that just keeps going here, you will be too. It just takes quiiiiite a while to get there.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to thank NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for honest feedback.
The premise of this book drew me in, a story about identical twins that are being followed by people that look like mirror copies of themselves-
What should have been a story about the journey of estranged twins, and the effects of being stifled as not having your own identity while being stalked by something that has no real explanations - the story ended up being a bit muddled and confusing, and poorly written.
I commend the author for trying to be mind bending, and creating this eerie atmosphere, and cause intentional confusion in the readers, but I felt the execution was lacking. There was too much repetition, and not just repetition but literal copy and paste. It felt like the POV kept switching at very weird spots.
I had to reread a lot of stuff multiple times, because it was hard to follow along, especially when one second the main characters are dealing with something crazy and then the next paragraph, or chapter they are back to living normally as if there isn't pending danger ahead. It did not make sense to me.
It got to the point where I stopped caring what was happening, because I was too far taken out of the book -by the time we got the ending I was too confused, and unfortunately I don't believe the author intended the book to be so confusing for the reader by the end - or maybe she did and I am too dumb.
The premise of this book drew me in, a story about identical twins that are being followed by people that look like mirror copies of themselves-
What should have been a story about the journey of estranged twins, and the effects of being stifled as not having your own identity while being stalked by something that has no real explanations - the story ended up being a bit muddled and confusing, and poorly written.
I commend the author for trying to be mind bending, and creating this eerie atmosphere, and cause intentional confusion in the readers, but I felt the execution was lacking. There was too much repetition, and not just repetition but literal copy and paste. It felt like the POV kept switching at very weird spots.
I had to reread a lot of stuff multiple times, because it was hard to follow along, especially when one second the main characters are dealing with something crazy and then the next paragraph, or chapter they are back to living normally as if there isn't pending danger ahead. It did not make sense to me.
It got to the point where I stopped caring what was happening, because I was too far taken out of the book -by the time we got the ending I was too confused, and unfortunately I don't believe the author intended the book to be so confusing for the reader by the end - or maybe she did and I am too dumb.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Let's pretend for a moment that Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling are still alive. Let's further pretend that they are good friends. Serling proposes an idea and Hitch fleshes it out scene by scene as is his style. They then give this completed script to David Lynch to film. If all this were possible we would arrive at Anne Hellman's astonishing novel, The Indecipherables, a fever dream set in (where else?) the northern California coast. Identical twins Ava and Brin are on a pilgrimage up the coast from LA they've longed to take. They have been estranged for a year but now they are back together. Also together are a mysterious and ominous set of identical twins driving along the same route. That's all the plot you're going to get from me. This book which, by the way, could only have been written by an identical twin, launches itself down a singular rabbit hole dealing with identity, aloneness, togetherness, losing one's "self" in "twinness," and identity theft in the most visceral and terrifying sense. A unique novel on any level you care to name, For The Indecipherables all these cliches are true: it's a heart-in-the-mouth page turner, a read-all-night wonder that once read does not leave your mind. I'm thrilled to have been given an early read on this book. Highest recommendation.
July 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the chance to read this ARC!
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman had immediately caught my attention when I opened up NetGalley. The cover is beautiful, very eye-catching (ha). The synopsis, a set of twins encountering a paranormal set of body doubles was instantly intriguing.
What I will say about this book, is that it does amazing with leading you astray. Things in here ARE indecipherable. There were moments here that I loved, where you could see some of the influences the author talks about in her acknowledgments. Lots of David Lynch type beats going on in here.
My favorite part of this came from the moments that acknowledged the readers directly, as outside viewers to what Ava and Brin were going through. I only wished that had been played with more, that there had been more kept away from us.
I feel like this book was weaker when it began to show its cards, reveals fell flat to me. Immediately, when our twins came across the other twins, I found myself losing interest. Maybe that’s a me problem. I love a mystery, though, and unexplained paranormal especially tickles me.
Overall, I feel I enjoyed this. I managed to read it in two days and not lose much steam. I hope to see more from this author in the future as she writes more!
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman had immediately caught my attention when I opened up NetGalley. The cover is beautiful, very eye-catching (ha). The synopsis, a set of twins encountering a paranormal set of body doubles was instantly intriguing.
What I will say about this book, is that it does amazing with leading you astray. Things in here ARE indecipherable. There were moments here that I loved, where you could see some of the influences the author talks about in her acknowledgments. Lots of David Lynch type beats going on in here.
My favorite part of this came from the moments that acknowledged the readers directly, as outside viewers to what Ava and Brin were going through. I only wished that had been played with more, that there had been more kept away from us.
I feel like this book was weaker when it began to show its cards, reveals fell flat to me. Immediately, when our twins came across the other twins, I found myself losing interest. Maybe that’s a me problem. I love a mystery, though, and unexplained paranormal especially tickles me.
Overall, I feel I enjoyed this. I managed to read it in two days and not lose much steam. I hope to see more from this author in the future as she writes more!
May 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley my advanced digital copy.
Ava and Brin are identical twins, and two years ago, they were inseparable. A fight drove them apart, and then sickness. Now, on the California coastal highway, the two embark on a “pilgrimage” to mend what they had and find both their separate selves and their twin selves again. But Ava and Brin soon discover that the tension between each other is the least of their worries—they’re being stalked, by twins, who look exactly like them.
This novel promised strange and certainly delivered. Unfortunately, it just felt too empty to really have any impact for me, or perhaps I was just confused. It took time to decipher the original twins, with the narrative jumping back and forth between their POVs, seemingly within the span of a couple of sentences. By the time I got the hang of it, the other twins became much more involved, and the plot seemed to have spiraled. I’m not sure there were many answers to what this novel was trying to get at in regards to identity, or in regards to the plot as a whole. I’m glad to have experienced it, at least, since it was different from my usual reads. It just feels as though it may have gone better either with a higher page count, or maybe less.
Ava and Brin are identical twins, and two years ago, they were inseparable. A fight drove them apart, and then sickness. Now, on the California coastal highway, the two embark on a “pilgrimage” to mend what they had and find both their separate selves and their twin selves again. But Ava and Brin soon discover that the tension between each other is the least of their worries—they’re being stalked, by twins, who look exactly like them.
This novel promised strange and certainly delivered. Unfortunately, it just felt too empty to really have any impact for me, or perhaps I was just confused. It took time to decipher the original twins, with the narrative jumping back and forth between their POVs, seemingly within the span of a couple of sentences. By the time I got the hang of it, the other twins became much more involved, and the plot seemed to have spiraled. I’m not sure there were many answers to what this novel was trying to get at in regards to identity, or in regards to the plot as a whole. I’m glad to have experienced it, at least, since it was different from my usual reads. It just feels as though it may have gone better either with a higher page count, or maybe less.
May 31, 2026
4/5
This was a really cool concept, the idea of twins being stalked by another pair of twins that are exactly like them is such a great premise.
It was a lot slower paced than expected and more introspective, but it was also really interesting where it blended the POVs of the twins together where sometimes you transition between them as if they truly were the same person. The repetition of their perception of events with the subtle differences also was an interesting idea, though with a bit too much repetition at times. But nonetheless it was effective if trying to tie them together into one.
The overall story had a dreamy and surreal vibe to it. It was confusing and strange, but in what felt was purposefully done. Though there were still a lot of unanswered questions that I wish were a bit more well defined. The themes were definitely well explored, how it’s hard to define yourself as a person when you have an exact duplicate. As well as how to balance the relationship of that special bond compared to everyone else.
Overall I enjoyed it despite the confusion and repetition at times. I think it could use a bit more refinement but it made for a really creepy and atmospheric psychological horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book.
This was a really cool concept, the idea of twins being stalked by another pair of twins that are exactly like them is such a great premise.
It was a lot slower paced than expected and more introspective, but it was also really interesting where it blended the POVs of the twins together where sometimes you transition between them as if they truly were the same person. The repetition of their perception of events with the subtle differences also was an interesting idea, though with a bit too much repetition at times. But nonetheless it was effective if trying to tie them together into one.
The overall story had a dreamy and surreal vibe to it. It was confusing and strange, but in what felt was purposefully done. Though there were still a lot of unanswered questions that I wish were a bit more well defined. The themes were definitely well explored, how it’s hard to define yourself as a person when you have an exact duplicate. As well as how to balance the relationship of that special bond compared to everyone else.
Overall I enjoyed it despite the confusion and repetition at times. I think it could use a bit more refinement but it made for a really creepy and atmospheric psychological horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC of The Indecipherables in exchange for honest feedback.
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman has an interesting concept which studies personality, secrecy, and the complicated relations between siblings (and the even stronger connection of twins in this book, MCs, Ava & Brinn). The repeated use of the images of doppelgangers and the conflict between the twins and their shadow selves is a reflection of the dark sides of their personalities and secrets they have been keeping.
During a trip of a lifetime in coastal California, the meetings of the twins with their doubles reflect the inner struggle of the twins and the fear of losing their identity. The book reveals all subtleties of the relationship between the sisters and demonstrates how their past traumas and secrets break them apart. The supernatural atmosphere creates a feeling of suspense, setting the stage for the psychological disintegration of the MCs.
There are obvious signs of Hitchcock’s Pyscho & Vertigo in the story. The book was slow in some parts. It kept me in suspense, although, at times confused and made me wonder what will happen next?!? I wish there was a more detailed ending. I wanted more. Overall, I liked The Indecipherables.
The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman has an interesting concept which studies personality, secrecy, and the complicated relations between siblings (and the even stronger connection of twins in this book, MCs, Ava & Brinn). The repeated use of the images of doppelgangers and the conflict between the twins and their shadow selves is a reflection of the dark sides of their personalities and secrets they have been keeping.
During a trip of a lifetime in coastal California, the meetings of the twins with their doubles reflect the inner struggle of the twins and the fear of losing their identity. The book reveals all subtleties of the relationship between the sisters and demonstrates how their past traumas and secrets break them apart. The supernatural atmosphere creates a feeling of suspense, setting the stage for the psychological disintegration of the MCs.
There are obvious signs of Hitchcock’s Pyscho & Vertigo in the story. The book was slow in some parts. It kept me in suspense, although, at times confused and made me wonder what will happen next?!? I wish there was a more detailed ending. I wanted more. Overall, I liked The Indecipherables.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received this book through NetGalley*
I wanted to love this book. I went into it so excited and intrigued, but that quickly faded due to the elementary writing style and redundancy from page to page. I get it. We get it. They're twins. They read each other's minds. WE GET IT. We don't need it beat into our minds every third sentence. It took me out of the storytelling every single time it was brought up. It was so frequent and disruptive that I just couldn't finish it. The story is interesting and has SO much potential, but it gets lost along the way.
When the plot is moving along, it's good, but then just as soon as any traction is built, the sisters are out for dinner, splitting a meal and a drink (because they're just SOOO similar they even eat the exact same food). Rinse and repeat.
The characters didn't draw me in. They felt flat and dull. The twin aspect was so heavy handed that neither sister felt like they had any sense of individuality or "self" and frequently forgot which was which.
I will likely *eventually* finish this book, because at the end of the day, the plot has merit. I just don't feel compelled to pick it up and push on anytime soon.
I wanted to love this book. I went into it so excited and intrigued, but that quickly faded due to the elementary writing style and redundancy from page to page. I get it. We get it. They're twins. They read each other's minds. WE GET IT. We don't need it beat into our minds every third sentence. It took me out of the storytelling every single time it was brought up. It was so frequent and disruptive that I just couldn't finish it. The story is interesting and has SO much potential, but it gets lost along the way.
When the plot is moving along, it's good, but then just as soon as any traction is built, the sisters are out for dinner, splitting a meal and a drink (because they're just SOOO similar they even eat the exact same food). Rinse and repeat.
The characters didn't draw me in. They felt flat and dull. The twin aspect was so heavy handed that neither sister felt like they had any sense of individuality or "self" and frequently forgot which was which.
I will likely *eventually* finish this book, because at the end of the day, the plot has merit. I just don't feel compelled to pick it up and push on anytime soon.
June 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s get this /pilgrimage/ started. The premise reminds me of Vertigo, but lacks dimension. Most of the story is parallels and perpendiculars of the twins. They try so hard to be alike and not at the same time. Which. Is frustrating. Yes, they’re identical, yes they grew up in the same environment, but every person is going to be their own person, regardless of the situation. They go the whole time talking about how they’re alike but not. The author goes as nauseam about how they have the same thoughts and like the same words and can finish each others sentences, BUT they wear opposite clothes and have different identifying features like a scar and a dent.
The book falls flat, which is disappointing because it could have been done so well. Their mother and the whole trip is an afterthought, the other twins are poorly fleshed out (hah) until the close end. Most of the book is filler. It could have been condensed down dramatically, but with the finale pickle scenes stretched to make it more comprehensible. Overall disappointed in the book, and I had such high hopes for it.
Let’s get this /pilgrimage/ started. The premise reminds me of Vertigo, but lacks dimension. Most of the story is parallels and perpendiculars of the twins. They try so hard to be alike and not at the same time. Which. Is frustrating. Yes, they’re identical, yes they grew up in the same environment, but every person is going to be their own person, regardless of the situation. They go the whole time talking about how they’re alike but not. The author goes as nauseam about how they have the same thoughts and like the same words and can finish each others sentences, BUT they wear opposite clothes and have different identifying features like a scar and a dent.
The book falls flat, which is disappointing because it could have been done so well. Their mother and the whole trip is an afterthought, the other twins are poorly fleshed out (hah) until the close end. Most of the book is filler. It could have been condensed down dramatically, but with the finale pickle scenes stretched to make it more comprehensible. Overall disappointed in the book, and I had such high hopes for it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Publishing for an early copy!
This story follows a set of twins, Ava and Brin, through their experiences of twin-hood with the outside world and with each other. On their long-awaited road trip, they see another set of identical twins (basically clones) of themselves following them along their journey.
I was SO into this the first 40%. The premise is so alluring and just awesome. I NEEDED to know what the heck was going on with these fake copies of Ava and Brin (who, what, when, where, why, and how). After the 40% mark, this became a fever dream. Brin's collaboration (?) with some AI center..? Ava's illness? Why was any of it happening? What was the purpose? I finished the book feeling very disappointed, but maybe my expectations just did not match the purpose of this book. I would not say it is easy to follow, as most of this book is not founded in reliable narration. I did enjoy some of the passages discussing Ava and Brin's experiences as twins and how they see themselves in the world of mostly non-twinned people. I could not tell you what actually happened, but hey, maybe that's the point!
This story follows a set of twins, Ava and Brin, through their experiences of twin-hood with the outside world and with each other. On their long-awaited road trip, they see another set of identical twins (basically clones) of themselves following them along their journey.
I was SO into this the first 40%. The premise is so alluring and just awesome. I NEEDED to know what the heck was going on with these fake copies of Ava and Brin (who, what, when, where, why, and how). After the 40% mark, this became a fever dream. Brin's collaboration (?) with some AI center..? Ava's illness? Why was any of it happening? What was the purpose? I finished the book feeling very disappointed, but maybe my expectations just did not match the purpose of this book. I would not say it is easy to follow, as most of this book is not founded in reliable narration. I did enjoy some of the passages discussing Ava and Brin's experiences as twins and how they see themselves in the world of mostly non-twinned people. I could not tell you what actually happened, but hey, maybe that's the point!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to be honest in my opinion on this title and hope to give some actionable and kind feedback.
The actual writing made this hard for me continue. May I stand corrected if this is not true, but it read as though it did not go through editors which I think would have elevated this tremendously. The concept is rather interesting and includes elements from things I really enjoy, but the execution missed the mark for me.
It was also a bit wordy in places where I think less would have been more. Some of the metaphors didn't make much sense and slowed down my rhythm. It wasn't that it was difficult to grasp, but rather that it didn't connect with anything in the current scene/paragraph. I found myself re-reading sentences several times as I thought I had misinterpreted something.
The cover art is beautiful; a major reason I clicked on and requested the title. I think I wouldn't be able to pass this up at a bookstore if I saw it. Unfortunately art alone is not a strong enough reason to continue and I DNF'd the title.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing this ARC for my honest feedback.
The actual writing made this hard for me continue. May I stand corrected if this is not true, but it read as though it did not go through editors which I think would have elevated this tremendously. The concept is rather interesting and includes elements from things I really enjoy, but the execution missed the mark for me.
It was also a bit wordy in places where I think less would have been more. Some of the metaphors didn't make much sense and slowed down my rhythm. It wasn't that it was difficult to grasp, but rather that it didn't connect with anything in the current scene/paragraph. I found myself re-reading sentences several times as I thought I had misinterpreted something.
The cover art is beautiful; a major reason I clicked on and requested the title. I think I wouldn't be able to pass this up at a bookstore if I saw it. Unfortunately art alone is not a strong enough reason to continue and I DNF'd the title.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing this ARC for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
he Indecipherables had a compelling premise, but overall, I just could not get into this book.
The premise: A pair of identical twins reconnect after an estrangement and set out on a road trip across California. As they travel, Ava and Brin, the twins, start to notice strange interactions with the people they meet along the way, discovering they're being stalked by other versions of themselves.
While the author did a fantastic job of creating an uncanny atmosphere, the atmosphere did not make up for the lack of depth. I really wanted to like this book, but it took me fooorever to read. I had to force myself to get through it so I could honor my commitment to Net Galley. If I weren't writing for an ARC copy, this would have been a DNF for me. I know what the author was trying to do, but it feels like she got caught up in trying to be avant-garde and ended up just confusing the heck out of her audience.
I kept thinking to myself, if this had been a film, it might have been more interesting. Maybe.
Anyway, this was a 2/5 stars for me and that's being generous.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.
The premise: A pair of identical twins reconnect after an estrangement and set out on a road trip across California. As they travel, Ava and Brin, the twins, start to notice strange interactions with the people they meet along the way, discovering they're being stalked by other versions of themselves.
While the author did a fantastic job of creating an uncanny atmosphere, the atmosphere did not make up for the lack of depth. I really wanted to like this book, but it took me fooorever to read. I had to force myself to get through it so I could honor my commitment to Net Galley. If I weren't writing for an ARC copy, this would have been a DNF for me. I know what the author was trying to do, but it feels like she got caught up in trying to be avant-garde and ended up just confusing the heck out of her audience.
I kept thinking to myself, if this had been a film, it might have been more interesting. Maybe.
Anyway, this was a 2/5 stars for me and that's being generous.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for this book. All opinions are my own.
I love a book with a fascinating premise, and the discovery of a world that could allow that to occur. This book had a fascinating premise, but it kind of ended there. It devolved into a frustration of not understanding what was going on, why things were occurring and left me with mostly loose threads that never got tied up or acknowledged.
The book starts out with a pair of identical twins on a road trip, and when they get to their stops, they find out that there was another set of twins that looked just like them who were just there! I mean, that's a cool mystery, how could you not want to keep reading.
The story is told in third person, but somewhere in the last third of the book, the narrator will switch to first person plural, including you as a reader, which is a little jarring.
I'm left still scratching my head. I am not quite sure why things happened the way they did, and though the ending did leave me a little closure with the characters, I never really understood the world that they inhabited.
I love a book with a fascinating premise, and the discovery of a world that could allow that to occur. This book had a fascinating premise, but it kind of ended there. It devolved into a frustration of not understanding what was going on, why things were occurring and left me with mostly loose threads that never got tied up or acknowledged.
The book starts out with a pair of identical twins on a road trip, and when they get to their stops, they find out that there was another set of twins that looked just like them who were just there! I mean, that's a cool mystery, how could you not want to keep reading.
The story is told in third person, but somewhere in the last third of the book, the narrator will switch to first person plural, including you as a reader, which is a little jarring.
I'm left still scratching my head. I am not quite sure why things happened the way they did, and though the ending did leave me a little closure with the characters, I never really understood the world that they inhabited.
May 25, 2026
I really wanted to connect with The Indecipherables by Anne Hellman, especially because the themes of identity and selfhood are usually right up my alley. Unfortunately, the double-twin aspect made the story feel more confusing than compelling for me. I understand that some of the disorientation was likely intentional, but there were too many moments where I struggled to keep up with what was happening or who was who.
What disappointed me most was that the reading experience started to feel like work instead of something immersive. There were several ideas and plot points that I found genuinely interesting, but I kept waiting for more depth or explanation that never really came.
I also think the structure worked against the story a bit. It either could have benefited from being trimmed down into a tighter novella, or expanded further into a fuller mid-length novel with more room to develop its concepts and characters. As it stands, it felt caught somewhere in between.
While I can appreciate the ambition behind it, this one ultimately just didn’t work for me personally.
What disappointed me most was that the reading experience started to feel like work instead of something immersive. There were several ideas and plot points that I found genuinely interesting, but I kept waiting for more depth or explanation that never really came.
I also think the structure worked against the story a bit. It either could have benefited from being trimmed down into a tighter novella, or expanded further into a fuller mid-length novel with more room to develop its concepts and characters. As it stands, it felt caught somewhere in between.
While I can appreciate the ambition behind it, this one ultimately just didn’t work for me personally.
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