Not Who She Was: A Psychological Thriller of Doubt and Deception

by Lynn M. Kristopher

From the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize shortlisted author of Fixed Point comes the return of Rachel Quinn.

Rachel was supposed to be taking a break in Florida after the strange events of Fixed Point. But when her niece calls for help at a veterinary conference, Rachel is pulled into an investigation involving a series of deadly poisonings.

When a powerful hurricane strikes—leaving the attendees trapped inside—the investigation quickly escalates into cartel violence, corporate conspiracy, and something far more unsettling.

As the storm worsens, survival may depend on understanding a threat that defies the laws of the world she knows. And Rachel must navigate shifting truths where nothing—and no one—is quite what it seems.

Not Who She Was is a dark, psychological thriller with a speculative twist and high-concept elements for fans of Lauren Beukes and Blake Crouch. If you love thrillers that blend conspiracy, isolation, and unraveling realities, this one will keep you turning pages late into the night.

Genres: Mystery

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2026

About the author

Lynn M. Kristopher writes genre-bending psychological thrillers that explore obsession, identity, and the eerie space between what is and what might be. Her debut novel, Fixed Point, blends psychological suspense with speculative twists and was recognized in the 2026 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, earning the Grand Prize Short List, First Horizon Debut Author Award Finalist, and Honorable Mention in eBook Fiction.

In her Rachel Quinn Thrillers, Kristopher combines layered characters, mounting tension, and psychological suspense with speculative fiction to create stories that linger long after the final page. Her writing is shaped by the psychological depth of Thomas Harris, the eerie atmosphere of Shirley Jackson, the sharp existential humor of Kurt Vonnegut, and the dystopian insight of George Orwell.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually chasing strange questions or rewatching The X-Files in the shadowy corners of central Florida—far from the beachgoers and sunshine.

Reviews

[Stefanie Verhelst]

This is the 2nd book in the Rachel Quinn thrillers and I believe it’s both very unsettling as addictive and awesome!!!

The character is strong, reliable and easy to comment with. But on the way, some events will be disturbing and challenging.

I liked the pace and character growth through the story! I hope there will be more Rachel Quinn’s in the future! I’ve got the taste of it! 😊☺️.

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

[Tiffany]

This was a fun read. We revisit Rachel Quinn in this second installment following the events in the book Fixed Point. It was a bit different for a thriller, with sci-fi elements but kept me engaged for the whole book. I just wanted to know what was going on the whole time, and I didn’t see most of the twists coming.

[Kristin Yeager]

“Hurricane of twists”
Not Who She Was by Lynn M. Kristopher is half who-dunnit, half sci-fi, and half post-concussion fuzziness. (Yep…three halves. This book has a lot going on!) We catch up with FMC Rachel, from Fixed Point, in Miami, on psych/medical leave from the FBI, visiting retired partner Ted Mitchell. A desperate call from niece Nicki pulls Rachel to Orlando, minutes before a hurricane hits. Stuck in the Orlando Convention Center, Rachel & Mitchell end up in the middle of a multi-victim poisoning. And, then the fun really starts. Between a roomful of convention goers accusing each other, a police staff worn thin because of the hurricane, and Rachel questioning her sanity, the mystery of who poisoned the victims is just the beginning. With time twisting and possible doppelgängers, maybe Rachel’s sanity is questionable. And, Mitchell is keeping secrets, too. Forced to work trapped by the weather, the case becomes a pressure cooker just waiting to blow. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this story when I started it but Kristopher does a good job keeping you guessing, as you try to figure out who had a motive or in this case, who didn’t, and keeping you wondering if anything happening is even real. Definitely a mind twist! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gisela Marengo]

I received this book as an ARC by the author and BookFunnel here is my voluntarily review.
3.5 ⭐️ This is book 📕 2 and I really enjoyed it is a psychological thriller filled with secrets, deception, and the unsettling feeling that no one is exactly who they appear to be. Just when I thought I had a handle on where the story was going, another layer was peeled back, forcing me to question everything I thought I knew. The twist and the tension was so good trust no one and nobody is who they say . Will read more from this Author for sure .

[Michelle Webb]

I was looking forward to this book after reading the first one in the Rachel Quinn series. Make sure you go back and read in order to full enjoy. Rachel gets called to a veterinary conference by her niece after a series of poisonings. Things escalate quickly when a huge hurricane is approaching and everyone is trapped and possibly with a murderer.

[Jessika]

Such an addictive read and a twist I never saw coming. I got this book as an ARC on booksirens and I’m glad I did. Will keep an eye out for more books by this author. If you enjoy thrillers I’d suggest giving this one a try.

[Sam]

This was a really interesting read! A really well written story, that had my attention from the first page. I did find the main character as little agressive & headstrong, but this is what pushes her through this terrifying story. I really liked the style of writing & will for sure look for more by this writer.

[Dani]

The events of the first instalment left their mark on Rachel, and she isn't sure herself if she is ready to get back to work. What happened was not your typical workday scenario, and was it even real? The doubts and uncertainty she has came across very well. Then we have her retired partner, who worked undercover and always expects it to come back to him one day.

When Rachel gets a call from her niece, who is at a convention where things suddenly go wrong, both get to the location to find out what happened Upon arriving at the convention, Rachel has visions / sees something that no one else does. While investigating what happened, events from the past come back, and things suddenly become very weird. Who / What can you actually trust?

I enjoyed the second book in the series. It slowly introduced the reality before gradually adding bits and pieces that made me doubt what I thought was actually going on. It felt very fast-paced, which added to the urgency, and once everything unravels, what was real was no longer the greatest threat.
If you are expecting your typical murder mystery thriller, you will not get that here. This is more of a sci-fi mystery blend that comes with some thriller elements. Will it be for everyone? No, but it will be for readers who appreciate a blend of genres and are open to something different. With it being the second book in a series, I had an idea of what to expect based on the first one. If you stumble upon this first, you can read it on its own, but you might miss some of the context offered previously.

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

[Jazisunray Skillern]

Not Who She Was is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go. After the events of Fixed Point, Rachel’s much-needed break in Florida is swiftly derailed when her niece’s urgent call plunges her into the heart of a deadly investigation at a veterinary conference. The plot thickens as a violent hurricane traps everyone inside, and what begins as a mystery about poisonings spirals into a web of cartel intrigue, corporate secrets, and chilling phenomena that challenge the boundaries of reality itself.

The novel expertly weaves together relentless suspense, claustrophobic tension, and high-concept speculative elements. The storm outside mirrors the chaos within, forcing Rachel—and the reader—to question every motive and every truth. The writing is sharp, immersive, and atmospheric, with a pace that accelerates as the danger mounts.

Not Who She Was is both a pulse-pounding thriller and a thought-provoking exploration of identity and perception. Clear your schedule before you start: this book will keep you up late, desperate to see how Rachel will survive when nothing is as it seems.

Thank you, Lynn M. Kristopher, NetGalley, and Feline Orchid Publications for this ARC.

[Mark Menard]

The story is incredibly well written and flows seamlessly from beginning to end. I enjoy Rachel immensely. She is smart, determined, strong, and a little bit impulsive. A perfect protagonist. To say the story is exciting, thrilling, and captivating is an understatement. You have an FBI agent on leave, a retired FBI agent, a hurricane, the staff from a dysfunctional veterinary clinic, a convicted killer who is now out of jail and looking for revenge, a niece who may not be a niece, six deaths in a room where the doors are locked, a creepy company trying to take over the veterinary clinic, and things that aren't what they seem. This makes for one great thriller that keeps you enthralled the entire book. I absolutely loved this book and is a perfect continuation of Fixed Point. I highly recommend this book and the series. I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Barbara Harrison]

Allow a full day for this fast-paced, action-packed, dark, twisted, complicated, contemporary, science-fiction, adult, psychological, interdimensional, drug-trafficking, murder mystery procedural thriller, in an Orlando, Florida, convention site during a category three hurricane, featuring abduction, betrayal, children off-site, families, cartels, portals, rescue, spies, twins, violence, a multi-stranded braid, doubt, deception, a parallel universe, unraveling realities, Hurricane Elizabeth, conspiracy, trust, gratitude, rumors, traps, a strongly suggested significant medical leave of absence, a Boston bomber, a tail, Stockholm syndrome, a dark sedan, a stone wall with roses, strange uniforms, ER pauses, Euthasol, power outages, Trappist Red, and money rules.

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

[Christina]

This book was given as a arc. It was easy to follow everyone in here seems to be someone else. Have to read the whole book to find out who done what and how are they connected. 3/5. This book has to deal with a big conference with a bunch of vets there all at a dinner and there is a hurricane outside. One of the vets has a aunt on a team that is needed to be called as there are people dying. The aunt comes off duty to come and help. People are still dying and they need to get to the bott9m of this. Butt one of the people helping had helped put the mob in jail years ago and think this might be that comming back to bite them in the butt. But it seems to be the people involved are not who they actually are pretending not even the niece.

[Miche Delport]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Not Who She Was is a solid slow burn psychological thriller with a lot of paranoia, deception, and that constant feeling that something is off. It leans more into psychological tension and mistrust than big shocking twists, which I actually liked because it kept the whole book feeling uneasy in a good way. If you like thrillers where you don’t fully trust anyone and the vibe is more dark and suspicious than action packed, this is definitely worth picking up.

[Dianna M]

I received this as an ARC from the Author. I have to be honest I don’t like Sci Fi books and if I had known that this was one I wouldn’t have agreed to read it. With that being said. The book was pretty good. I had a hard time following the story line however I think it was me and not the book. My guess is that if you like Sci Fi you will really like this book. I still can’t figure out what was real and what wasn’t so my three star rating had more to do with me than the book

[Emmy McCabe]

Rachel Quin is on medical leave from FBI. She is currently in Florida visiting her ex-partner Ted Mitchell, who is now retired. Rachel gets an alarming phone call from her niece Nikki who is currently in Orlando at a convention, which leads Rachel to jump in her car, with Mitchell, in a hurricane, to go to Nikki's rescue. What happens when they arrive is not at all what they expected to see. A great book with lots of twist and turns and people being what they don't seem.

[Beverley Ammeter]

This is definitely the most exciting book I have read in a very long time. If you love phycological thrillers, you must read this one. I read it during a summer storm with tornado warnings going off every ten minutes. It’s truly a wild ride. YOU MUST GET IT NOW!
I received this book as an ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.

[Laurie Robertson]

Another engaging read in the series. A cross between a police investigation and a paranormal experience. The characters are solid as is the plot, in the twists of investigation not all is as it seems. The setting enhances the tensions of all the participants. Well recommended.

[Gloria]

It was intense. It was intriguing. It had me questioning my own sanity. It was thrilling and fast paced. I was anxious to see how the book ended. I really enjoyed reading it and I can't wait for the next one.

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

[Amberly Depue]

I love the Rachel Quinn books!! I can’t wait until book 3!! This book was so quite brain breaking as the last book, but the storyline was amazing!!.

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