Tuesday 27 June 2017

The Other Twin by Lucy V Hay

The Other Twin
By Lucy V Hay
Published by Orenda Books (3 July 2017)



Publisher's description
When India falls to her death from a bridge over a railway, her sister Poppy returns home to Brighton for the first time in years. Unconvinced by official explanations, Poppy begins her own investigation into India's death. But the deeper she digs, the closer she comes to uncovering deeply buried secrets. Could Matthew Temple, the boyfriend she abandoned, be involved? And what of his powerful and wealthy parents, and his twin sister, Ana? Enter the mysterious and ethereal Jenny: the girl Poppy discovers after hacking into India's laptop. What is exactly is she hiding, and what did India find out about her?

My verdict
The Other Twin is a modern psychological thriller delving into the Brighton party scene and the hazards of social media.

Poppy returns to Brighton after her sister falls to her death off a railway bridge. She doesn't believe official reports, and decides to delve into her sister's life. Hacking into India's laptop and blog, Poppy uncovers secrets, lies and toxic friendships.

The Other Twin is filled with highly descriptive prose, an amazing sense of place and authentic dialogue. The characters are strong, believable, diverse and suitably flawed, as I would expect from a screenwriter. The multi-layered plot kept me engrossed all the way through. Each layer was gradually peeled away to reveal yet another surprise (I admit I did guess some but not all).

It was very hard to put this book down, and I devoured most of it in one sitting. The book continues at a cracking pace and could easily be transferred to the big (or small) screen. This is certainly a novel in keeping with the times, particularly in terms of subject matter. I don't want to give anything away, but it was exactly what I expected from the author, having followed her screenwriting blog for some time - diversity being the key.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher and have reviewed the book for Lovereading.

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