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The Girl with Two Shadows
Grace Rawlins has built a quiet life in a new city.
A steady job. A small apartment. A chance to leave the past behind.
But lately, something feels wrong.
There are gaps in her memory.
Strangers seem to recognize her.
And sometimes she wakes with the unsettling feeling that someone else has been living her life.
When a series of disturbing events begins to unfold, Grace is forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself.
Because some secrets don’t stay buried.
And sometimes the most dangerous truth… is the one hidden inside your own mind.
The Girl With Two Shadows is a gripping psychological thriller about memory, identity, and the terrifying possibility that you may not fully know who you are.
A steady job. A small apartment. A chance to leave the past behind.
But lately, something feels wrong.
There are gaps in her memory.
Strangers seem to recognize her.
And sometimes she wakes with the unsettling feeling that someone else has been living her life.
When a series of disturbing events begins to unfold, Grace is forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself.
Because some secrets don’t stay buried.
And sometimes the most dangerous truth… is the one hidden inside your own mind.
The Girl With Two Shadows is a gripping psychological thriller about memory, identity, and the terrifying possibility that you may not fully know who you are.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 30, 2026
I read it as an eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a story of how multiple traumas change a personality and create a dissociation disorder and identity replacement as a coping survival mechanism.
Grace is Mia. And Mia is Grace. Mia knows all about Grace; she protects her. Grace is not fully aware of Mia, and it scares her that chunks of her memories are lost.
She wakes up in her bedroom with blood on her fingernails without remembering what happened the previous night.
When the man she was seen with was found dead, she became the person in question in a police investigation.
Through glimpses into her childhood, then her early 20s, we see when and how Mia appeared as a lifeline. Was it Mia’s doing this time? And why? Who can help Grace, especially when she is hiding who she really is? Will Grace endure, or will Mia replace her completely?
This book is for people who love psychological thrillers focused on the psychological part more than on a page-turning thriller one. It’s for those who are interested in the workings of the mind and trauma coping mechanisms, for those who like to read about dissociative disorders.
If you love fast-paced thrillers with twists, turns, and mystery involved, it may not be for you because it is a character-driven story heavy on the psychological aspect of this genre.
It’s a story of how multiple traumas change a personality and create a dissociation disorder and identity replacement as a coping survival mechanism.
Grace is Mia. And Mia is Grace. Mia knows all about Grace; she protects her. Grace is not fully aware of Mia, and it scares her that chunks of her memories are lost.
She wakes up in her bedroom with blood on her fingernails without remembering what happened the previous night.
When the man she was seen with was found dead, she became the person in question in a police investigation.
Through glimpses into her childhood, then her early 20s, we see when and how Mia appeared as a lifeline. Was it Mia’s doing this time? And why? Who can help Grace, especially when she is hiding who she really is? Will Grace endure, or will Mia replace her completely?
This book is for people who love psychological thrillers focused on the psychological part more than on a page-turning thriller one. It’s for those who are interested in the workings of the mind and trauma coping mechanisms, for those who like to read about dissociative disorders.
If you love fast-paced thrillers with twists, turns, and mystery involved, it may not be for you because it is a character-driven story heavy on the psychological aspect of this genre.
May 22, 2026
ARC No spoilers in this review.
The Girl With Two Shadows is an emotional, gripping story about identity, trauma, and survival.
I felt so much for Grace while reading. I honestly just wanted to hug her for everything she’s been through. Her pain felt real, and so did her strength. The plot twist surprised me and made everything feel more intense.
Powerful, heavy, and unforgettable. Definitely one of those reads that really stays with you.
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC.
The Girl With Two Shadows is an emotional, gripping story about identity, trauma, and survival.
I felt so much for Grace while reading. I honestly just wanted to hug her for everything she’s been through. Her pain felt real, and so did her strength. The plot twist surprised me and made everything feel more intense.
Powerful, heavy, and unforgettable. Definitely one of those reads that really stays with you.
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved this book. I felt like it was a fast read, and I connected with the "main" character. I love the psychology matter that not too many people know about. D.I.D. also known as Multiple Personality Disorder. I studied this kind of mental illness in my high school, and I found it so interesting. What one event of trauma can do to the mind. I found myself knowing pretty early on that it was for sure a woman that has D.I.D. only because the brain and psychology is one of my favorite subjects to read and talk about. In the end, I felt so bad for the man character "Grace" and also felt for "Mia" as well. She finally found someone who could look all past the trauma and the multiple personalities that "Grace" was dealing with, and I loved that for her. I rated this a 4stars because the material and storyline were really written well, but I wish there was more. I wish that it was more descriptive (that might just be a personal choice). I would have loved more background and more diving in than the book went..maybe add a few triggers. All in all a SOLID storyline and so real and raw. Thank you again for the chance to read this before release. I asked on a whim on tik tok and so happy you took the chance with me! I absolutely love this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such an interesting take on dissociative identity disorder! I loved the idea of Grace’s alter, Mia, existed as a protector. I felt for Grace when she had no ‘memory’ of what Mia was doing, but it was great to get Mia & Grace’s perspective. Then also getting the story from Jack’s perspective worked really well and kept me invested in the whole story.
I was initially worried Jack would be one of those frustrating characters who got in the way of his brother supporting Grace, but he won me over by the end by being so helpful. Josh was an absolute sweetheart and easily my favourite character with how supportive he was with Grace.
The twists were fantastic! There were definitely a few I didn’t see coming! And as for Jax… he deserved it. That is all.
My only minor criticism is that I found parts of Josh and Jack’s family background a little confusing, particularly what happened with their mother, as it felt like that was glossed over.
Overall, it was definitely a unique, emotional read with great characters and plenty of surprises. Highly recommend! And a big thankyou to Sushma for having me as an ARC reader for this book 📖👥🌚
I was initially worried Jack would be one of those frustrating characters who got in the way of his brother supporting Grace, but he won me over by the end by being so helpful. Josh was an absolute sweetheart and easily my favourite character with how supportive he was with Grace.
The twists were fantastic! There were definitely a few I didn’t see coming! And as for Jax… he deserved it. That is all.
My only minor criticism is that I found parts of Josh and Jack’s family background a little confusing, particularly what happened with their mother, as it felt like that was glossed over.
Overall, it was definitely a unique, emotional read with great characters and plenty of surprises. Highly recommend! And a big thankyou to Sushma for having me as an ARC reader for this book 📖👥🌚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely flew through this book.
The combination of psychological trauma, missing memories, and the murder mystery had me hooked from the very beginning. Every time I thought I was starting to understand what was happening, another piece of the puzzle appeared and made me question everything again.
Grace was a character I genuinely felt for. Her past was heartbreaking, and while some scenes were difficult to read, they added so much depth to her story. I found myself rooting for her and wanting answers just as much as she did.
The story touches on some very heavy topics, so definitely check trigger warnings before reading. That said, if you enjoy psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, dark secrets, and plenty of twists, this one is worth picking up.
Thank you to the author for the ARC copy. ❤️
The combination of psychological trauma, missing memories, and the murder mystery had me hooked from the very beginning. Every time I thought I was starting to understand what was happening, another piece of the puzzle appeared and made me question everything again.
Grace was a character I genuinely felt for. Her past was heartbreaking, and while some scenes were difficult to read, they added so much depth to her story. I found myself rooting for her and wanting answers just as much as she did.
The story touches on some very heavy topics, so definitely check trigger warnings before reading. That said, if you enjoy psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, dark secrets, and plenty of twists, this one is worth picking up.
Thank you to the author for the ARC copy. ❤️
June 13, 2026
I was very kindly sent an ARC copy of this book.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It kept me entertained throughout, although it felt slightly rushed in places. I alsocappreciated the representation of mental health in this book.
It was a good thriller that was easy to read!
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It kept me entertained throughout, although it felt slightly rushed in places. I alsocappreciated the representation of mental health in this book.
It was a good thriller that was easy to read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC copy from Author
The Girl With Two Shadows was a 4.75 ⭐️ read for me! This book is unlike anything ive ever read before, I found myself unable to put it down. Its a story told of trauma and survival, I really felt for grace as a survivor myself, her trauma felt real and was really impactful. This book was so unlike any other thrillers ive read, I had no idea where it was going (in the best way) and the plot twist only added to that.
Thank you so much to the author Sushma Magwin for writing such a gripping book and letting me read it 😊🩷
The Girl With Two Shadows was a 4.75 ⭐️ read for me! This book is unlike anything ive ever read before, I found myself unable to put it down. Its a story told of trauma and survival, I really felt for grace as a survivor myself, her trauma felt real and was really impactful. This book was so unlike any other thrillers ive read, I had no idea where it was going (in the best way) and the plot twist only added to that.
Thank you so much to the author Sushma Magwin for writing such a gripping book and letting me read it 😊🩷
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book definitely kept me on my toes as the plot kept twisting but in a good way! From start to finish I was hooked and needed to know more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Girl with Two Shadows was an impressive debut from indie author Sushma Magwin. This book dives deep into the lasting effects of lifelong trauma and carries a strong emotional weight throughout the story. While I wouldn’t necessarily call it a typical thriller, the mystery elements and unexpected twist genuinely caught me off guard.
What stood out most to me was the pacing and character development. The story unfolds steadily, giving the characters room to feel layered and believable, which made the emotional moments hit even harder. Overall, this was a thoughtful, emotionally driven read with a twist I didn’t see coming, and I’m excited to see what this author writes next.
Thank you so much to Sushma Magwin for the Arc . All thoughts are my own .
The paperback officially releases June 9
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews