The Likeness

 

The Likeness by Tana French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the more unlikely set ups: the murder victim is a dead ringer for a detective who used to be undercover. So she is persuaded to go undercover and resume the victim's life to suss out the guilty party. The detective in question is Cassie, the partner of Rob Ryan from the first book (Ryan doesn't make a personal appearance). Like the first book of this series, what goes on in the protagonist's mind is at least as interesting as the mystery. What was refreshing was that Cassie had her own voice (as opposed to a female version of Ryan). Instead of being thoroughly detailed like Ryan, Cassie is a woman of action. She doesn't stew in introspection, but acts with plenty of justification but not too much stewing. She's desperate to prove herself and to regain a sense of self after the last case but becoming someone else makes her question where she begins and the character of Lexie ends. Once again French focuses on the special relationships that can develop in your youth--and its ultimate demise.

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