Girl in Reverse

by Lore Dresden

Two sisters. One killer. A devastating secret.

On a lazy and warm summer evening in 2001 young Sadie and Madison Hunter and their parents are brutally assaulted. The case has been cold for eighteen years, and it's a shock for the Snohomish County Police Department to find a man dead in Sadie's niche bookstore, It’s a Mystery, with the same MO that killed her parents: four stab wounds in a perfect square.

What could tie the death of her parents to this strange man killed in Sadie’s store almost two decades later? 

The sisters vow to catch the killer who destroyed their lives and they must do it before newly-minted homicide detective Michael Kwon does—or risk exposing their biggest secret of all.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Amazon

386 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2017

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ebook of this novel directly from the author via Lee Strauss and La Plume Press. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book, and the gifting in no way determines my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.

As you can probably guess Lore Dresden is the new pen name of Lee Strauss, created for her foray into psychological thrillers - and what a suspenseful thriller it was! I wasn't quite sure what to expect as generally the books published under Lee Strauss don't sit right with me for some reason, but I was totally floored by the change in writing style for this novel and I'll admit the blurb and cover had me intrigued.
You were immediately immersed in the tale through the prologue, which told the story of a family attacked while camping, with the two young daughters severely traumatised by witnessing their parents deaths at the hands of a sadistic killer. Forward some 18 years later and we find one of the survivors, Sadie, owning and managing a book store selling murder mysteries, while sharing an apartment with her Private Investigator sister Madison. The two sisters are as different as chalk and cheese and are basically "ships passing in the night" with each other due to their dramatically opposite jobs.
Sadie is given a mystery of her own when she finds the dead body of a man in the back of her store and becomes embroiled along with her sister in finding out who the man was and who killed him. She slowly becomes involved with the lead Detective Kwon who is unaware of the secrets being kept by the sisters.
This is one twisty, turny tale and nobody is who they seem to be - it looks like the girls are not the only one's with secrets! Flavouring the whole story is the psychological problems both girls have - shy Sadie is juggling more than a few mental health issues, while Madison is marinating in her anger and need for vengeance. There are quite a few subplots woven in seamlessly but it is the final shocking reveal that will leave you floored.
I must admit I knocked off half a star from this review as I'd pretty much gleaned part of the mystery half way through and I felt a bit cheated. Still, an exceptionally compelling novel that was really a remarkably quick read. I can't wait to see what Lore Dresden has in store for her readers next!

(I was plodding through a slump during this book which is why it took me a little longer to finish)

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what can I say about this book. From the first page to the last page it kept me going. It also has a surprise ending....it's a story about Sadie and Madison Hunter who lost their parents to an assault when they were young. Fast forward to the present, Sadie owns a book store where a murder takes place - an assault just like what was done to her parents.

Can this be the same murderer the sisters have been chasing? They vow to get the killer - will they? or will they also lose in the end? And what an ending it is!

This is a Kindle Unlimited book that I really, really enjoyed.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/19/2017)! 💝

[Marie Beveridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Every now and then I read a book and think to myself "This would make a good movie." It has happened with a number of books e.g.. Gone girl. The girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and a fair few others. I feel the same way about this book. I will not go into detail, but read it and enjoy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling - couldn't put it down

Well thought out and executed. Truly a puzzle unfolding until suddenly the key piece clicks into place. The clues were all there but I didn't put it together until right before it became obvious. Loved it!

[Aparna J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

Wow! And a double wow! Author Lora Dresden has come up with a spine chilling psychological thriller. I couldn't take my eyes off reading for a moment. This is probably one of the best books I have read in 2022.

Twins Sadie and Madison Hunter have a horrific past. A gruesome murderer killed their parents: four stab wounds in a perfect square while they were camping in Black Creek Campground .Years later, Sadie frequently visits, Dr Sunjit Brun, a psychiatrist for her medications. Though identical twins, Sadie and Madison are completely different. Sadie is a neatness freak while Madison is messy. Sadie owns a mystery book shop called " It's a mystery. " One day, a strange man visits her book shop and is found dead, exactly in the same way, as her parents died. The case had been cold for 17 years. Officer Mike Kwon, now turned Detective along with Detective Barnes is in charge of the investigation.

It turns out that the murder victim was a Former cop, Quinn Olsteen who bungled The Black Creek Campground murders, seventeen years ago. Is the killer back? Who killed Quinn and why?
There's been another series of murder: The Foothills Killer who leaves his victims at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains until their corpses turn into skeletons or the past 15 years. Are the two series of murders interlinked? Who is the perp? Sadie receives a threatening book with the reminder of her past. Will Sadie and Madison escape from the killer ? There are so many unexpected twists and turns that it's a perfect script for a Hollywood movie.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

July 17, 2018

A review by Anthony T. Riggio of the book Girl in Reverse: a compelling psychological thriller with twists and turns that keep you guessing written by Lore Dresden

I purchased this book in Kindle format several months ago for when I wanted some light reading and preferably a mystery I downloaded it about two weeks ago and was not disappointed. It is a serial killer novel and one which filled my appetite at the time I read it.

It is a story about a young woman, named Sadie who owns a “mystery” oriented book store who has a twin sister named Madison. Sadie is an obsessive controlled person who is seeking psychiatric help. Madison is the complete opposite of Sadie even though they are identical twins.

You learn early that they are both victims of a horrible crime and when a murder occurs in Sadie's book store, both sisters embark on trying to solve the murder. Sadie who is introverted finds a romantic connection with the homicide detective assigned to the murder investigation. Madison is not impressed with Detective Kwon and also conducts a parallel investigation. Both girls complicate the official police investigation and results in predictable confusion.

The central mystery was unraveled by me early on and I am sure others will enjoy the “twists” promised by the author.

I gave this book four stars and would recommend it to someone wanting a bit of “escape” in a good mystery story.

[Dominus~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I did have fun. I read books. Watched TV. I liked being alone. What was so awful about that?

This theme has been very popular lately and only a few can pull it off. Girl In Reverse did a very great job with it. I suspected 55% in the book but actually changed my mind 70% in it.

This is seriously my motto in life:

"...pulled up, eyes straight ahead. I hardened my gaze with a don’t-mess-with-me glare. The weak didn’t survive the streets. Looking vulnerable was not an option."

That little scene when Madison and Sadie was a kid and was dropped off at their Aunt's house was so precious. Sadie is a little baby (cute little girl) and Madison is the big sister (which is really awesome). Its so good that they have each other going through all this times.

The ending was so sad- I feel the same way as what Kwon feels when he was in the interrogation room with Sadie.

The fact that Brad was still alive will enduce another episode from Sadie. She will be in a psych ward and that will be the end of it. Until she will need her sister's help again- that's what's Maddie's role, to protect her little sister.

The only thing I want to dig on is how unpolished the other characters was. It seems Maddie, Sadie, Kwon and Brad were the only characters with a definite role.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very suspenseful

Right from the beginning it’s clear that Sadie has some serious psychological problems. For instance, she is a total germaphobe. The story starts out as a mystery, but it does turn into a riveting thriller.

Sadie and Madison are very different. Sadie is very fearful and vulnerable. She owns her own bookstore specializing in mysteries. Madison is a PI. She is flirty and freer than her slightly younger sister. She’s the strong one, looking out for Sadie.

It was a shame that I was right about a couple of important things, almost from the start. That left me a little bit disappointed. So, because the element of surprise was missing for me, I didn’t feel I could give the full 5 stars. Luckily, I wasn’t right about everything. And it was still suspenseful and riveting, and quite unputdownable! I did enjoy it! And I did want to cry because of the sadness of it all, so it did move me. All in all, a good book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily posted an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t remember how I came across this book, but I’m glad it ended up in my to read list. It was suspenseful, thrilling and kept me interested all the way through.

I can appreciate a story told from multiple view points, and this was a good example of how to do it. Changes in characters were well highlighted and the viewpoints shown were sufficiently different to keep my interest while progressing the story.

Reading this brought to mind some of Audrey Niffenegger’s work, and I mean that as a compliment because I love her books.

There was a twist to the story, which I managed to work out before it was revealed so the ending wasn’t really a surprise to me. I can however still appreciate the book. The story was tight and engrossing, the editing was well done and I truly enjoyed the reading experience. I could imagine this book being a great movie.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had been looking forward to reading this book for a bit, and, while it wasn't a bad book, it kind of left me cold. The problem is, it was too easy to put down. I would be reading along at a good pace, something would come up, and there would be no internal struggle to get to a good stopping point. I just wasn't that invested. The story isn't poorly written, but the characters aren't that relatable. Other reviewers talk about the big twist at the end, but I'm not sure what it is. There was one thing that took me by surprise, but it wasn't relayed in a way that denoted a twist. Maybe it was the other thing that was the twist, but to me it really wasn't. I don't know. I read the book all the way through and I didn't feel like throwing it across the room when I was done, so I give it three stars.

[Levent Mollamustafaoglu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting crime story about Sadie, who has lost her parents in a brutal assault when she was a young child. She runs a bookstore and lives with her sister Madison, who is working as a private investigator. Her calm, almost boring life changes when someone is murdered in her bookstore and the murder style is the same as when her parents were killed 20 years ago. Sadie seems to fall for the police investigator, handsome Detective Kwon, but she can not help but follow clues to find out why the murder was done and who is behind it. Madison is also investigating clues and following people who could have something to do with the murder, but as more clues emerge, the sisters discover that they could be in danger as well.

The author has woven an intricate story around this mystery, but unfortunately the solution is quite predictable If this was not the case, the book could have been a fine example of crime fiction. Still recommendable as a good read.

[Helen Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy of this book in exchange for a review. I found the story very compelling and the characters were intriguing and well developed. This book was easy to read with a twist ending.

I was reading this book while on a trip to Orlando and did most of my reading on planes and hotel rooms. The chapters are fairly short which is great for this type of reading. I loved reading this book despite the dark nature of it. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to read a mystery that doesn’t follow a formula as many mysteries often do.

[Joe Vitucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I should have guessed what was going on by the name of the place where most of the story takes place. The advertising for the book mentioned ..."twists and turns of this thriller will keep you in suspense." Well not so much, however I may have been expecting too much. Without giving the story away, think bookstore owner, germophobic (my word?), red ponytail, Batwoman, afraid of your own shadow, slinky sexy night stalker, obsessed, attracted to police detective, flashbacks to her childhood days, and mix them all up into one. Throw in various and sundry other characters.
Give it a try, you might really like it.

[Susan Stokell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's attention to detail allows you to easily picture the characters. The story is about Madison and Sadie whose parents were brutally murdered when they were children. Sadie is the quiet one who owns the bookstore "Its a Mystery" while Madison is the more extroverted PI.
All appears to be going well until there is a murder in the bookstore.
Each chapter is told in the first person from different character's perspective. There are clues throughout the story.
I found it a very compelling story that I did not want to put down until I had finished.

[Amy Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. My heart goes out to Sadie. This book lulled a bit in the middle for me but was still intriguing enough to keep me reading. I will say that things picked up about two thirds of the way through. I did figure out Sadie’s secret prior to it being revealed, but the killer was a bit of a surprise when it came to light. Overall, I feel like this was well written and did a good job of keeping the reader on their toes. I think it’s a definite worthwhile read.

[Mary Cadahia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Two questions for the author. 1. When are you writing another book in this series and 2. How soon can I pre order it. the sisters were quirky enough to be believable and they had a odd couple kind of relationship, though it was a nice twist adding an obsession to Sadie made her more real. Write more please

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful psychological thriller that explores how violence and grief can spiral into the need for revenge. How psychological trauma can take someone to the brink of madness. And finally can the exacting of revenge be the panacea that allows for cure tone accomplished.

Well written and tightly plotted this is a stand alone book that shouldn’t be missed.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story line very much. Maybe I have read too many mysteries, I figured it out early on in the book. The characters are what kept me reading it. They are pretty good at keeping my interest. I kept thinking maybe I would be wrong along the way, but nope. It's a pretty good story all in all.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spell bound

Sadie and Madison are identical twins who were conjoined at at birth. This book will capture you from the very first page and keep you guessing throughout its entirety. This is a wild and winding thriller! I highly recommend this book! The author will keep you captivated but also throws a wicked twist!!!

[Cher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns. Twin sisters identical in looks but so, so different in personalities. The girls experienced trauma at a very early age changing them forever. One is driven to compulsion and they other; well you better read it to figure it out

[Vickie Raynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was stumped until the end. And what an ending it was! Riveting and unexpected is to put it mildly. This book seriously needs to be a movie!! First time reading this author and I was pleasantly awarded with a thriller that had me gasping. A must read.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Sadie and her family are brutally murdered. It turns out that Sadie has psychological problems and we take it from there. Kept me gripped until the end and surprised by the ending. First time read by this author under this name and hopefully there will be more books.

[Lavenia Otts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you guessing

This is a story of identical twin girls and their mom and dad and what happened to them one horrible night. It is also the story of twin girls who are grow and wishing to make things right.

[lorinda starnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner

I didn't see the end coming.....lots of clues along the way but it was so well written I didn't see it until after I finished the book. Would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.

[Sandy Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn on this one.

Part of the mystery was obvious to me which is why only 3 stars. While there was sympathy for Sadie, the character was just not one I could really relate to.....on any level. It is a well written story that just felt lacking.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little while longer to get into it than I would have hoped, but once I had, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Probably closer to 3.5 stars than a full 4 stars, but an enjoyable story none the less.

- Rachel

[Kandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is engrossing. It has you guessing. Great characters and storyline. I loved it.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie, Madison were 8 years old and went camping with their great parents. A guy came and attacked the family. Who is the killer?

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good