I have never trusted Facebook and social media, and this book gives you a clear warning how it can be used to destroy your life – even if you are careful. Sarah Havenant slowly watches her life, her reputation and her marriage unravel – and it all started with a fake Facebook account in her name. Next came the fake emails, purporting to come from her. Then, the Amazon deliveries from her account that she never ordered. Everything requires an intimate knowledge of Sarah’s life – which really only she has. Along with her husband and friends, you start to doubt her sanity. She is a respected, and well-liked doctor – who could possibly wish her ill? So, if Sarah is not doing these things – who is? And why? Each incident is just short of criminal activity – so the police can do nothing. But the menace keeps ratcheting up another notch. Sarah starts to suspect almost everyone – the school mate who has just arrived back in town, her mother -in-law, the lonely patient with the smelly feet … It is not clear what motive there could be, nor even which gender the stalker could be. Sarah’s terror is palpable, her husband’s confusion understandable, and both fear for their children.
“Copy Cat” is a chilling thriller that keeps you really on edge for two thirds of the book. Unfortunately, once the stalker is revealed, the book goes downhill. The stalker’s motives do not seem strong enough for the extreme and cruel behaviour that now unfolds. Yes, the stalker is insane – that goes without saying. But I find it hard to believe, that such malevolent psychopathy could remain hidden for so long.
I thought the first two parts of the book were exceptional – unfortunately, you do need the third part for closure, and the end really let it down. So, two thirds of the book gets five stars – and the last third gets two and a half stars – giving an average of four stars. Well worth a read - but not perfect.

The first two thirds of Copycat are brilliant. A duplicate Facebook account, with photos taken inside Sarah's home; the author of the fake account knows what Sarah has been doing, but who is posting this? Intriguing and innovative, I was absolutely gripped. I didn't like Sarah's husband Ben, when he doubted her. It didn't seem to take long for him to lose faith. Towards the end, the plot took a down turn, in my opinion, and became more of a run of the mill crime novel. I thought the mastermind behind it all was ultimately unconvincing and unrealistic. However, I will definitely look out for further books by Alex Lake.

This is a gripping psychological thriller which had me hooked from the beginning. Fast paced, the drama draws you in and highlights the perils of putting too much personal information on social media. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend.

This was a really tense psychological thriller. I began to believe that Sarah was losing her mind. There were some parts that were a little far-fetched eg travelling to London but, overall very enjoyable.

What a fantastic book. I had my heart in my mouth the whole time. It was tense, powerful and scary. Loved every word of it

I was originally drawn to this book by the publisher's description and was not disappointed from the outset. Alex Lake has drawn into the plot the essence of our modern world where technology plays an essential part of our life and predators can lurk behind stolen or copied profiles on social media platforms. It is this scenario that allows this thrilling story to be told and at a pace that makes the book more difficult to put down. The main characters come to life and the uncertainties of the outcome keeps the reader involved all the way through to the final pages. You will not be disappointed.

Well what's not to love about Copycat! I read this in a day on holiday as I couldn't put it down. From the very first chapter, I knew this was the kind of book for me.

Sarah has a great life, she's a successful doctor, has a loving husband and 3 adorable children. Then she receives a friend requests from her past pointing out she has two Facebook profiles in her name.

It appears Sarah has a stalker. It also appears that the stalker is herself. She's concerned as more and more things happen but her family don't seem to believe that it's not her doing these things. You can certainly feel the anguish Sarah is going through yet also sympathise with family.

This book is gritty, face paced and with a good twist. Alex Lake has a great style of writing and this turned the book into a proper page turner.

I would highly recommend this book and can give it a very worthy 5*.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the chance to review.

Well that was a rollercoaster of a ride that I was not expecting. Wow and OMG what a book, I was literally gripped from start to finish and it was shockingly good, spine-tingling good in fact. A lot of sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next.

I literally could not turn the pages fast enough. The storyline was outstanding and I'm still a bit shell shocked by the revelations that came out come the end of the book.

I could easily go and write an essay of a review discussing the plot and the characters in detail but I'm not going as I wouldn't want to risk spoilers or ruining the book for anyone. So all I will say, is that reading this book is an absolute must.

On that note, I'm very much looking forward to reading Alex's other books which are already waiting for me on my kindle.

This is the first book i have read by Alex Lake and im pretty certain it will not be my last.
I really loved the style of writing and this book just pulls you in slowly, slowly then hits you with a cracker of a twist or a turn.
This is a story about Sarah who finds herself cloned as it were, someone is starting to stalk her and she doesnt have any idea why or who it is. It leads you on a twisty turny tale of wrong guesses until the end.
Terrific read, brilliant characters and superb amount of suspense. Go read it!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and of course Alex Lake for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Was excited to read the story, but unfortunately it was a bit of let down for me. Plot-wise, there were a lot of gaps and holes in the story. The relationship between the main character and her husband was a bit dodgy, it didn't make a lot of sense (if you've been in long term committed relationships, you'll see what I mean). It was also pretty easy to predict who was the copycat - was it as obvious for everyone else? The story wasn't badly written, but it's not a book that would jump on my 'to recommend' list either. A quick summer read.

This book really makes you think about just how easy it is for someone to set up a bogus account on Facebook and the damage and heartache it can cause.
When an old friend of Sarah Havenant gets in touch with her, she's shocked to find there are two profiles on Facebook with not only the same name but the same photo's that she has on her account. Not being too sure what's going on, Sarah sets about trying to find out who's behind it. Little does she know at the beginning that this other person has a twisted score to settle with her. Her friends and family think Sarah is suffering from some sort of mental breakdown as nothing makes sense.
If only they had believed her.
This is a great thriller and I for one was quite shocked at who was behind it and why.
It gets a full five stars from me.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review

I did enjoy Copy Cat although I had to suspend belief in several places. The twists weren't really twists as I could see them a mile off. Enjoyable but not really suspenseful until the last few chapters. I did think the Sheriff was pretty thick not putting two and two together.

An interesting read which I am sure will be a bestseller.

Copycat by Alex Lake is a chilling contemporary psychological thriller. It messes with the minds of both the characters and the reader. As I read, I was unsure - what was reality? What was imagined? What was really going on?
Copycat was marvellously written. It had an incredible plotline. The reader heard a voice from ten years earlier, witnessed the story being told in the third person and heard the menacing first person voice. As I read, I searched for clues - who was the menacing one? Male? Female? Real? Imagined? More questions than answers.
The reader is drawn into the world of the main character. We 'see' and 'experience' life through their eyes, all the while questioning their sanity? Are we witnessing a slow decline? Is the person really who they say they are?
The novel jumps from Maine to London and back again. As an English woman, it was great to be able to recognise the London locations.
Copycat is about love - a sacrificial love, caring only for the well being of the family.
The novel is also about friendships. Friendships that will support through thick and thin.
Copycat is menacing. It plays with your mind and has you questioning from the start. The psychological torture is mirrored with the threat of physical torture. This book will have you checking behind the doors of your mind. Do not read it alone.
A marvellous read, definitely to be devoured with the light on!
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book. When read the burb and it says an unputdownable thriller than this is for me.
When Sarah Havenant old school friend contacts her on Facebook and asks her which of the two profiles on there is the genuine profile. She has to take a look at the other profile and she is horrified to see the pictures of her life with her family and inside her home. But, it someone else’s account. She is even more worried when she gets a friend request from herself. The owner of the profile has been waiting 6 months for Sarah to find the account. What is going on? Her life suddenly changes.
The Facebook profile was just the start of it. People start getting texts and emails she never wrote and packages start arriving from Amazon that she never ordered. But when she looks into her account the order is there. Her husband thinks that she is depressed and she can’t remember what she is doing. Even getting advice from a shrink and old friend Rachel Little. But, this is not her but, the stalker taking over her life and eventually wants to end it.
This is well written, creepy addictive thriller, that you will not want to put down. This is a real page turner. This is one of them books that you want to close yourself away, and switch your phone off and read in one sitting. The only disappointment, when we find out who the stalker is. I thought the author went a bit over the top, with the reasons why they were doing all this and it was a bit rushed.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.

When I seen Alex Lake had brought out a new book, I couldn't wait to read it. Loved his last books very much.

This one started off so well. Sarah is happily married gp with 3 children. Perfect life, nice friends shes had since childhood. But then an old friend Rachel from school gets in touch and things seem to start going downhill. 1st a fake facebook page made in her name. Pictures she never took, whats going on? The plot thickens as it goes on. The book is told in 3 parts. The 1st 2 parts were great, but come to the 3rd it started to get rather dull. Which is why I marked it down. Did pick up towards the end but not enough to give 5 stars.

COPYCAT follows Sarah Havenant, mother of three and loving wife to Ben, whose happy life takes a chilling turn when she discovers two Facebook profiles in her name. One profile she recognises as her own but the other she has never seen before, yet everything in it is accurate, even photos of her new kitchen taken from inside her house. Who has set it up and why?

Soon, the creepy annoyance quickly turns into something far more sinister as the ‘copycat’ starts to take over Sarah’s life, imitating her handwriting, accessing her Amazon account and texting her friends. With increasing anxiety and mounting disbelief, Sarah's grip on reality gradually starts to unravel, leaving her to question not only her family and friends but also her own sanity.

Strange, sinister and deeply disturbing, COPYCAT is psychological thriller for the digital age. If you own any kind of social media account, the synopsis alone is enough to send a shiver down your spine. The book has all
the elements of a great psychological thriller - an intriguing synopsis, relatable characters and plenty of twists and turns. The complex tale is well written with short, snappy chapters heightening the tension and suspense. The fast paced plot also sees sections of the narrative written from the point of view of Sarah, interspersed with sections written from the viewpoint of the copycat, which adds further to the suspense and intrigue.

In terms of characterisation, the main protagonist, Sarah, is likeable, real and plausible and her relationship with her British husband Ben is immaculately portrayed. The only real disappointment is the abrupt ending, which feels rather rushed and unfinished. The reader is so caught up in the mystery that when the plot twist finally does reveals itself, it feels almost hurried and far-fetched in parts.

That said, COPYCAT is certainly an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end.

Sarah finds a facebook profile, that doesn't belong to her but is her and is worryingly accurate, it seems strange but these things happen...... or do they? When more bizarre material emerges relating to Sarah it begins to get very creepy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a modern day stalking story. I liked the way it addressed the social media issue of how easy it can be to steal your identity, and the doubt this can potentially bring into all relationships. It also shows that you never really know what goes on behind closed doors, no matter how well you think you know someone.

I found this book extremely gripping from the beginning and it was one of those books I just couldn't put down. The writing style is excellent keeping you wanting to know more throughout It does become a bit far-fetched at the end but I still really enjoyed the whole story.

Original Post can be found here: foxtrevert.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/copycat/

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Creepy, dark and unnerving. This book will have you gripped.

About this book:

An old friend of Sarah Havenant tries to add Sarah on Facebook when she decides to move back to Barrow, Maine. However, there are two Sarah Havenant’s on Facebook; exactly the same as the other. When Sarah finds out, she is unnerved. This profile has private photos of her kids, her husband, and even the inside of her house, not only this but photos have been uploaded regularly for six months. Sarah believes it is some sick practical joke at first but letters begin to arrive in her handwriting and deep secrets are revealed. Soon, Sarah realises that something much more sinister is going on.

What a roller-coaster! I do not read many psychological thrillers but the description of this book had me very interested. People have far too much information out there on the internet and you hear some awful horror stories so I was interested in reading a fictional novel of what could happen with all of your information out there.

Alex Lake is a great thriller writer. She will have you gripped from the first page. The book is 416 pages long but Lake writes at such a fast-pace that you feel as though you read the book in an hour. I could not put the book down. I even learned to read whilst the TV is on or the family are talking so I could keep reading. The book is told in the third-person but the reader can identify with the character of Sarah and truly feel her terror every time a letter or e-mail arrives. If you want a great ‘guess-who’ novel then I would definitely recommend this. You will be guessing right until the end.

The book is separated into three parts and each part begins with a ‘ten years earlier’ excerpt, which will confuse you until pieces are put together closer to the end and you have that ‘ahhh’ moment. I must admit the first two parts are much better than the third. The third part is used to discuss the outcome of the ‘big reveal’ but I found it incredibly rushed and to be honest, some of the reveals were far-fetched and I was disappointed. I thought the reveal was incredible but then you learn more and it is wrecked. There is also a point in the book where you get to 96% and things have not been tied up. That is a cause for worry as it usually means a rushed ending. However, as I said, the first two parts are incredible.

The first two parts follow all of the stalking incidents and Sarah’s attempts to prove she is not insane and that someone really is messing with her life. You learn about her life and family without it being too long winded and you get just enough character development to understand the characters and identify with them. I was not entirely in love with Sarah but if you read the book, you will understand why. She is not perfect and neither is anyone else in the book which I suppose makes it much more real. I just like to feel sorry for protagonists and at some points, I was also calling her crazy or stupid. I suppose that is part of the story though! The reader must guess along with Sarah and wonder whose side to be on.

All in all, the book is a good, fast-paced novel that will make you feel shock, terror, and worry. I believe it would be a good winter read (when the electric goes out) or a holiday read! Just be warned, some of the plot points are a bit unbelievable but as long as you know that, you can get through it.

I gave the book 4 stars because I really enjoyed it but there were a few too many problems that I could not get past!

Sarah has everything; job, husband, children, home and friends. Everything seems perfect until she learns that someone is impersonating her - two facebook accounts, two e-mail accounts.
Sarah's perfect life is ripped apart when her identity is taken over by another Sarah Havenant.
I thought that this was a very clever idea, every time I thought I knew what was happening the rules changed and I was directed away to another scenario.
Worth a read.

The tag line for this book really drew me in and after reading the blurb I knew that it was definitely a book I wanted to read!!  The book is skilfully written to keep you engaged and guessing throughout and you do get an adrenaline rush at times especially when you think things like this do happen in real life with identity theft - could happen to you?!?

The author throws in a few red herrings but I did ultimately guess what was happening before it was revealed but it still kept me gripped right up to the last page!  Definitely a five star read for me, it is an excellent psychological thriller - does make you wonder who you can really trust!!