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A sister’s voice from beyond.
A bond that death can’t sever.
A murder that changes everything.

Anna Carmen has been dead for six hours, but Cici Gurule still hears her name whispered in the dark. Identical twins fused by an unbreakable connection, now torn apart by violence.

As Cici confronts the unbearable truth, she races to uncover the forces behind Anna’s murder. But danger lurks in every shadow—and the answers may be more devastating than she imagined.

This prequel novella ends on a cliffhanger and sets the stage for the award-winning Reverend Cici Gurule Mystery series. Start here for a haunting, unforgettable journey into love, loss, and justice.

◆Please note: This is a companion novella that should be read prior to or after A Pilgrimage to Death as it offers further insights into Cici, Sam, and the murder of Anna Carmen. It ends on a cliffhanger.◆

Although these books are best read in order, as a series, the rest (after A Pilgrimage to Death) can be read as a standalone. The chronological order is:

Identical Death

A Pilgrimage to Death

A Heritage of Death

An Artifact of Death

A Revelation of Death

A Counsel of Death

TIMELESS PRAISE FOR J.J. Cagney
“A wholly absorbing gumshoe tale elevated by an extraordinary detective.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Vivid, alluring, and heart‑wrenching… every reason I love mystery.” —New York Times Bestseller Darynda Jones

“Written in a clear, distinct style, Padgett uses the prose to elicit tension and emotion and creates a tense, fast-paced story.” —The BookLife Prize

"An edge-of-my-seat thrill ride that kept me guessing all the way through." — USA Today Bestseller Allyson Lindt
“The prose is…sublimely concise.” —Kirkus Reviews

“I’m pretty giddy that this will be a series! It’s packed with a good mystery and the cat and mouse makes it hard to put down.” —Next Book Review

“An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series.” —Kirkus Reviews

118 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 11, 2018

523 people are currently reading
369 people want to read

About the author

J.J. Cagney

9 books58 followers
J. J. Cagney is the mystery/thriller pen name of USA Today bestselling author Alexa Padgett. Her debut mystery, A Pilgrimage of Death, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ 100 Best Books of 2018 and Goodreads Best Mysteries of the 2010s.

Cagney holds a bachelor’s in international marketing and spent part of her twenties as the marketing director for an elite sports management firm. And, yes, she did her requisite stint with a dotcom back in the early 2000s, first as a marketing coordinator and then as a content manager. She’s penned work for a variety of websites and magazines, and she worked as a literary agent for Irene Webb Literary.

She lives in northern New Mexico with her husband, children, about a million fish, and their Great Pyrenees, Ash. Kirkus Reviews called Cagney’s latest mystery, An Artifact of Death, “An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series.”

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5 stars
136 (36%)
4 stars
106 (28%)
3 stars
81 (21%)
2 stars
25 (6%)
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22 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Profile Image for Deb.
461 reviews127 followers
March 28, 2021
Mystery

The book left much to be desired. There is not much focus on finding the killer. Mainly it is a small background on the characters. I received this book free courtesy of the writer and this is my honest review.
1,383 reviews18 followers
October 10, 2020
This is the prequel to the series and while I enjoyed the short story, it doesn't add to the overall story. In this prequel we revisit the relationship between Cici and her twin Aci. We also see the events that lead up to some of the relationship challenges that add to the first book in the series. Good background but nothing new. Of course Alexa's talent as a writer made this an exciting and engaging read. I enjoyed this book.
Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,709 followers
February 24, 2021
Identical Death is the first book in, A Reverend Cici Gurule Mystery.

◆Please note: This is a companion novella that should be read prior to A Pilgrimage to Death as it offers further insights into Cici, Sam, and the murder of Anna Carmen. It ends on a cliffhanger. ◆

They weren't just twins .. they were identical. And Cici's sister was murdered.

There are no clues, no apparent motive, no witnesses, no DNA .... so Cici turns to her sister's best friend.. who also happens to be a detective.

It's mystery that starts on the first page. There are many suspects to follow, to question, to wonder who's lying and who isn't. As a character, Cici is unique in that she is a Reverend . It all ends on a huge cliffhanger ... but other books in the series are available .... and most all of them are stand alone.

Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this Mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
348 reviews
October 13, 2020
Identical Death

Awesome read. Storyline and characters are awesome. They say twins are really close, also know what each other feels and if something happens to the other one. This pretty much states that but there is so much more to it. Definite must read to find out
Profile Image for Theresa Materazzi.
246 reviews6 followers
December 29, 2021
Fotta love a cliffhanger!!

I know, not everyone does, but I do. It just makes the next book that much more enticing!

I think I found a new series to get hooked on!! Actually, I know I have !

113 reviews5 followers
November 26, 2020
I received a free copy from voracious reader. Enjoyed the book. Look forward to reading more
Profile Image for Nancy (The Avid Reader).
3,056 reviews128 followers
November 10, 2018
Identical Death is a great introduction into the world of Reverend Cici Gurule. Identical Death tells the story of one woman’s experience of her twin sister’s death.

Cici is home with her boyfriend when she passes out. She knows at that moment her twin sister Anna Carmen or Aci as she called her was dead as she could no longer feel her. She knew the instant her sister’s spirit left this world.

That is the moment that Cici’s world is turned upside down. Anna Carmen was murdered but the police have no leads so her sister’s case ends up in the cold case files. What happened to her sister? Who would want to murder such a beautiful person?

I get the feeling that this is not the last time the police in her hometown will see of Cici. No I don’t think that Cici will ever rest until her killer is brought to justice. Cici will do everything in her power to find the person who is responsible for her sister’s death and makes them pay.

Identical Death is not the first book in the Reverend Cici Gurule Mysteries that I have read. I have read the first two books, A Pilgrimage to Death #1 and A Heritage of Death #2. We are introduced to Anna Carmen in the pages of these two stories but wanted to know more. I am glad that I got the opportunity to read identical Death to get a more in-depth look into Anna Carmen’s story or how Cici learned of her death.

I would recommend Identical Death to anyone who loves a good mystery.
1 review
February 16, 2021
I received a free copy from Voracious Readers, and I was really disappointed.

As many pointed out, this is just a 70-page character introduction to the main book. Even though it's a cheap technique to lure readers in and features no mystery, I would be okay with that if the book was actually good.

It doesn't really matter if the story is a prequel, sequel, or in-between, or even if it is a massive exposition of the world. A novel is a novel and should be treated as such, but the author here decided to treat this as a teasing brochure and it was an elegant move. It seems like a novel, it reads like a novel, but it is not a novel.

Plot:
Quite literally, nothing happens throughout the entire book that would give me the sense that there's the merest hint of a plot. This is a 'slice of life' gone wrong. We spend chapter after chapter following 'Cici's' dressing choices, career choices, immense amounts of characterization and exposition, and no real sense of progress in any way.
This is a prequel, of course, but why should I read about a flat character for 70 pages? Do a prequel about Cici's forming years up to the point she has a crime to solve. Ironically enough, even though this is a prequel, her sister might appear in the main book but not this one. At least, it would be interesting to see the two sisters interacting normally.

Across the never-ending slice of life sequences, there are hints of a greater mystery violently forced upon the reader.
And all that would be okay, if it was done right in any way, but there were only a few sentences across the 70-page book that I liked.

Characters:
Somehow, the author manages to strip all characters of any logic, simply pushing the events towards the direction that will lead to the next book.

Cici's boyfriend seems like a sociopath: "Come on, Cee. You can't let your sister's death ruin your birthday" is one of his amusing quotes. But we never understand why he acts that way.

Her father (and most of the other 'side' characters) never develop and we never get a glimpse of who they are. They actually appear rarely in the book and most of the information is conveyed through dialogue, mainly between Cici and Sam, which, again, for a 70-page prequel with no mystery or plot, is bad.

The author never explores what it is like to lose someone. There are no character arcs, no growth, nothing. Cici worries too much about mundane stuff and ever so often we are told that she feels bad about her sister's death.

Sam is a paragon, a perfect man, and again we don't know why except for "he cares for Aci". He is naturally a love interest because he is the only non-evil guy in the book.

Writing:
In terms of writing itself, the book is properly edited, but I found tremendous amounts of exposition and characterization, bad proportions (their clothing choices get the most attention), and no pacing, at all. A prequel should explore these things instead of summing them up chapter after chapter. The entire content of the book could be a single chapter in the main book.

Also, each chapter begins with a Shakespeare quote. I didn't understand why and I tried really hard to see how each quote fits each chapter. Apparently, there's no connection.

I would give the book 2/5 but as the story progressed and realized that there will be no mystery, I couldn't understand the purpose of the book as I didn't get to know the characters any better than I did in the first few pages.

The only way this stunt could work would be if the prologue was proper and intriguing. But it forced me away from the series rather than drawing me into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Savsandy.
715 reviews9 followers
September 9, 2021
The connection between twins is commonly accepted as a valid phenomenon so we can believe that Cici Gurule actually "hears" her sister Aci's (Anna Carmen's) last words uttered from across the country right at the moment of her violent death. But what Cici doesn't know is WHO killed her sister in the middle of a busy street, jam-packed with hundreds of people on a pilgrimage or WHY she was killed. In "Identical Death" author Alexa Padgett introduces Reverend Cici (Cecelia) Gurule as she struggles to adapt to life without her twin sister. This prologue is a novella, the purpose of which is to set the stage for the first book in the series "A Pilgrimage to Death". "Identical Death" is a brief read of a mere 90 pages which introduces the twins and their friends, co-workers and close acquaintances but we are not given any real background on Cici and Aci. So I will dispense with any further critique of "Identical Death" and get started on Book One. As for this novella with no plot, here's hoping for better things to come. Three stars.
Profile Image for Ashlyn.
332 reviews2 followers
March 2, 2021
I received a copy of this eBook in return for my honest opinion via Voracious Readers Only. This was such a great book. I was very surprised by the outcomes of the events in this book.
So, Identical Death deals with a set of female twins who live in seperate states. This is a prequel to A pilgrimage to death by J. J. cagnev.
"Not even death can break some bonds". I absolutely loved this quote from the book, I felt this the entire time throughout this book. Cici and Anna or " Aci" lived very seperate lives despite being twins. But, Cici learned after Anna's demise they weren't as close as she thought because Anna hid a secret from her twin, in regards to a man named Miguel Sanchez.
---Whose this Miguel and what does he have to come forward about? Rape? Secret relationship? Hmmm.

Anna was stabbed?!?!

You're gonna have to read to find out more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michele.
1,852 reviews62 followers
June 14, 2021
This is a novella which generally means it is short and easily read. This one will give you the background of the series to come so the author suggests you read this one first then keep going with the next-which I am definitely planning on doing! All the rest can be read as stand alone.

Reverend Cici Gurule has an identical twin sister. They are and always have been connected in their minds. The second her sister dies-Cici knows it. Her boyfriend who she is supposed to be going to Peru for a project is less then sympathetic. Cici rushes to where her sister was and finds that her sister's fiance is angry--The only one who truly cares is an old friend who happens to be a detective.

They team up to find out what happened and to figure out who murdered the sister--

Not too long after this comes the cliffhanger-------I wanna know more!!
Profile Image for Grace.
507 reviews11 followers
January 28, 2021
This was a bit of a weird book. It was written as a prequel to the first book in the series (A Pilgrimage To Death) but didn't do anything except introduce you to characters that will presumably feature in that book where the story continues. I've never come across anything like this before because the way it ends and believe it doesn't really get started leaves you having to purchase the next book to continue the story.
I originally received the 3rd book in the series A Heritage of Death as a free ebook from the website THE FUSSY LIBRARIAN. Unfortunately, I'm pedantic and like to read books in chronological order. I therefore purchased the first two books to achieve this. I really do hope that I haven’t wasted my money.
63 reviews4 followers
November 21, 2020
Firstly I must say that I received this book as a free copy from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review. When I read the blurb for this book it intrigued me. The only problem was that I had not fully realised that it wasn’t really a complete story, it was in fact a prequel. An incredibly short prequel. I literally read it in one very short sitting and I certainly felt rather left hanging at the end. That said it was pretty well written and the characters were totally believable and certainly easy to empathise with. It is the beginnings of what should be an excellent storyline and I will be taking a look for further instalments.
5 reviews
April 24, 2021

When I was offered a complimentary copy of J. J. Cagney's book, IDENTICAL DEATH (via Voracious Readers Only), I just knew that I had to read it.  As I suspected, it's a murder mystery dealing with identical twins.  As an identical twin who lost my sister three years ago, I assumed I would be caught up in the story; but this book is really a terrific whodunit that anyone will enjoy.  The author's great skill at describing, not only the characters, but the emotions, relationships, and the settings of every scene will hook readers right from the start.  I highly recommend this book!
--P. M. Owen
Profile Image for Denise.
4,119 reviews12 followers
February 18, 2021
Since I have read several from this series when I seen this one I had to get in to read it. I read the ones after this one so it was a good time to catch up. I get to see how this started which had me rubbing my hands together. CiCi and her sister pull you in with the pages start turning and you stay awhile. When she knows the time exactly of death you rub your arms. The paths we go on after that will be ones we go with her as she learns to deal with it an a unsolved murder. This goes fast for me since I read the ones after this already so this was a delight for me to fill in some pieces.
8 reviews
April 12, 2021
Cici's character was well written. Her emotions at times were relatable. This is a very quick read, and ends in cliffhanger. I did not realize that this was a novella and not a complete novel, so that's someting to consider. I wish it Was a complete novel so I could've enjoyed a deeper dive into each character, and more in depth descriptions. But its exactly what I would.have expected from a novella. Well written and thought out. I received a free copy of this book with the agreement that I would write an honest review.
Profile Image for Sitalique.
2 reviews
August 27, 2021
Was disappointed in the fact that this prequel could have fit nicely as a prologue in the first book instead.

This was the first book of the series I read and was not expecting there to be basically no progress on the case (I do understand that it is a major plot of the next book, so wasn't expecting it to be wrapped up) and no story in itself.

Not likely to read the next book as I felt more frustrated by the end and lost interest in why the sister was killed in the first place.
Profile Image for Donna Smith.
2 reviews
December 12, 2020
Disappointed

I chose the rating I did because I am indeed disappointed.I was given to understand that I was receiving a free book. What I actually got was the first few chapters of a book and then I was told that if I wanted to finish the book I would have to buy the rest of the story. This feels like a cheat. I won't follow this author because of this.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
368 reviews10 followers
February 17, 2022
When Ana Carmena is murdered on a pilgrimage, her twin, Cici, knows immediately. This novella introduces characters and sets the stage with a deep secret kept and then smothered by a retiring policeman. With feelings of grief still raw, the work comes to finding out the secret and solve this senseless murder. Welcome to the Reverend Cici Gurule mysteries!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
655 reviews3 followers
December 29, 2018
What do you do when your identical twins sister is killed? Lay down and forget it, No! You look for clues, ask around, talk to the boyfriend, ask police.Good prequel to get your nose into the series of books. Great writing!
Profile Image for Eirlys.
1,763 reviews16 followers
November 8, 2020
Interesting story

I liked the identical twins story line, and how when one dies the other feels it. Cici has lost her sister and it changes her life. I would have given it an extra star, but it was short and ended too sharply.
67 reviews2 followers
April 28, 2021
Disturbing

I guess the author wants to leave you hanging so you will buy the next book. It is working. It was a wonderful descriptive book full of the smells, feel and ambience of Santa Dr. .
6 reviews
June 5, 2021
Rip-off



I hate this new trend of a half book then abrupt nonsense ending to get us to buy what should be the rest of this book. If it is a short story, list it as such . Even if the story is good,I won’t be following this author.
Profile Image for Beckie Hines.
395 reviews1 follower
June 7, 2021
Ok

I had it in my library list for quite awhile and then I kept seeing the book in an ad on Facebook. I figured I should read it now. It started ok but it barely kept my interest. I managed to finish the book so that's a plus.
251 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2021
A nice start to what seems to be a series. However it does leave a bit of a cliffhanger that will make you need to read the next in series to find out more. I liked it and will be looking for the next in the series.
217 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2021
Identical

Good use of characters to get the story lined out and keep the reader involved in an attempt to solve the crime.

Personalizing everyone involved brought the reader into the thought processes
395 reviews4 followers
August 13, 2021
Headline (required)

A very good start to investigating a murder and not having a clue where to start. Finished Book 1, Identical Death and now getting ready for the next in this series to get some much needed answers.
Profile Image for Cindy.
770 reviews1 follower
November 16, 2021
Hate cliffhangers!

I didn't realize this was a cliffhanger until I got to the end of the book. Then I discovered that the next book is $7.99, which I am not about to pay for a book that probably still won't finish since this is a series.
132 reviews
December 17, 2021
A good book!

I sometimes pick books with authors and characters that are new to me. This was a good book and a very fast read. I look forward to continuing to read the rest of the series in the future.
Profile Image for Nati.
2,932 reviews16 followers
May 28, 2019
An inside in the twins connection. Cici Gurule just felt a sudden void inside her. She is sure something terrible has happened to her twin sister Aci. A deep journey into Cici and Aci’s souls.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews

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