From the bestselling author of 14 Days to Die and As Sick as Our Secrets comes a twisted tale of family secrets and the darker side of human nature that will leave you wanting to research your family history. Vicky Collins has a seemingly enviable life. She is a successful agent for the FBI and lives with her social media star and real estate entrepreneur boyfriend in an upscale neighborhood of … in an upscale neighborhood of San Diego.
But appearances can be deceiving.
When Vicky is recruited to an elite unit at the FBI to investigate a serial killer piggybacking on the murders of other serial killers, her life begins to spiral out of control.
To complicate things further for the young special agent, a routine background check at the FBI reveals a sibling DNA match — a brother she didn’t know existed. Determined to unravel the mysteries of her past and to find her long lost brother, Vicky retraces the boy’s footsteps through the foster care system, uncovering the abuse and neglect he suffered growing up. The secrets she unveils are more monstrous and terrifying than she ever imagined, and a new truth about her childhood threatens to consume her.
Then the Piggyback Serial Killer strikes again, but this time, Agent Collins has multiple suspects—including members of her own family.
If I Had Two Lives delves into dark subject matter — murder, sexual violence, and childhood abuse. It is not for the faint-hearted. This book was inspired by a young woman in a vegetative state who was sexually assaulted and impregnated by an employee of the care facility. If the story touches you as deeply as it touched me, I’d love to hear your opinion.
If I Had Two Lives is an emotionally-charged and thought-provoking psychological thriller about the ripple effects of childhood experiences and our obsession in seeking the truth, for fans of Sharp Objects, The Silent Patient, and The Girl on the Train.
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If I had Two Lives by A.B. Whelan
**May contain spoilers.**What a quick, psychological read! A young girl in a vegetative state is raped and becomes pregnant, flash forward decades and you have Vicky an up and coming FBI Special Agent on the trail of a “piggyback serial killer”, she just found out that she has a brother whom she has never met before, never even heard of before. ….prepare for a wild and twisty ride while she hunts for not only a killer but her twin brother all while dealing with a personal relationship that looks like trouble ahead. I received a free copy and am leaving my review and opinion voluntarily. Definitively worth picking up and reading!
A.B. Has not failed us again, this book starts out with you wondering what’s going on, then makes you sad & madder than hell. After reading further on you begin to wonder about what’s happening with Vicky’s mindset, about her life, her family & her boyfriend, after finding out something life changing, you’ll wonder how she survives.
All A.B’s books are heartfelt & still keep you in suspense & I’ve read all her books.
Great read!! Lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing til the end!!
Vicky Collins is living the life. She has a great job with the FBI and a handsome, successful boyfriend. While she is investigating a serial killer, a series of personal revelations cause her to doubt everything she has thought to be true. Vicky’s life begins to intersect with the investigation, leading to the inevitable end that will change her life forever. This is an absorbing, easy read that you will like if you enjoy stories that end with an unexpected twist. I received this book from For Voracious Readers Only.
I am a big fan of AB. This book is no exception to me. It is a mix of a real-life story and a fictitious FBI agent who is living her own life in an abusive relationship and then finds she has a brother she didn’t know about. There is also a serial killer she is tracking. THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! I can not stress that enough. There are many things that happen that could trigger someone’s problems. I found it to be a very good story. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Book Siren.
Starts off in a nursing home 34 years earlier than present time. It was a bit confusing (to me) but it all came together nicely. There were a few twists and turns. Kind of like this review (lol). Ok, let me start with Vickie, a police detective working cyber crime who is recruited by the FBI to become a Special Agent. She has a significant other named Doug who has a large following on one of the internet social media sites on real estate. The case Vickie gets involved with is seeking a serial rapist/killer all the while finding out that her own life is not what she believes she has been living. During the FBI’s intensive background check of Vickie it reveals she has a brother with a criminal background. Withholding this information is cause to dismissal with the service. Vickie sets out to find who this brother whom she was not aware of is and how this all came to be. Add in the search for the serial killer/rapist and you have a real page turner. I came to read and review this book as a member of an ARC team and will be looking forward to reading more of A.B.Whelan’s books
Thank you to Book Sirens for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Wow, finally a Psychological Thriller that keeps its word! I enjoyed every moment of this book, along with all the twists, turns and secrets. Love a book that has me guessing until the very end. Well done A.B. Whelan! Looks like I will have to check out more her books.
This was my first time reading this author, and I recieved an ARC copy to review. I loved the writing style, and fell in love with Vicky from early on. The twists and turns of the story were abundant, but easy to follow and not get confused by what was going on. I never suspected the ending, fans of who is it books will fall in love with the story.
Vicky Collins, an FBI Agent specializing in cyber crimes has been placed with a new team who are searching for a serial killer. This killer is unique … he piggybacks his crimes on the killings of other serial killers.
Everything goes well until DNA from a previous crime is entered into their system… with amazing results. The sample reveals there is a match …. a sibling match … to Vicky. It shows it comes from her brother.
The problem is … Vicky doesn’t have a brother… does she?
What follows is a harrowing journey Vicky undertakes to find a brother she never knew existed through his life as a foster child and beyond. The secrets she unveils are more monstrous and terrifying than she ever imagined, and a new truth about her childhood threatens to consume her.
She finds herself facing depressing problems with her boyfriend, chasing a copy cat serial killer, family complications … and she feels as though her life is in shambles.
Then the Piggyback Serial Killer strikes again, but this time, Agent Collins has multiple suspects—including members of her own family.
(FROM THE AUTHOR) This book was inspired by a young woman in a vegetative state who was sexually assaulted and impregnated by an employee of the care facility and delves into dark subject matter — murder, sexual violence, and childhood abuse. It is not for the faint of heart.
This is a well-written psychological thriller with twists and turns as a family disintegrates under the weight of many years of lies and secrets. The story premise is a good one, even though credibility was stretched a bit as FBI Agents are not usually free to hunt for serial killers on their own .. especially if they are related. The ending was totally surprising and unpredictable.
This is not the first of this author I have read … nor will it be the last.
Many thanks to the author / Weapenry Co-Op – In Motion Capital / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
4.5 stars
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster, and I LOVED every single minute of it. Whelan just KNOWS how to write a story that penetrates into the deepest recesses of your heart and permeates into your very soul. The aura of suspense increasingly bumped up my anxiety, notch by excruciatingly-taut notch. The palpable tension held me in thrall. The twists made me audibly gasp in shock. And, the fast pace of the wildly-captivating plot kept me swiping the pages feverishly. I’m a fan!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
A.B. Whelan does it again! This book has lots of twists in the plot. It’s really fun to read books that reference the areas you live in. Can’t wait until the next book!!!
Thank you Hidden Gems for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed this book … it was fast paced and had a really interesting storyline, something different which was a nice change.
The ending was also totally unexpected, awesome twist.
If you enjoy a good suspenseful thriller, that will keep you turning the pages… then this is definitely well worth the read.
Highly recommended!
OMG! I binged this one in audio and don’t tell anyone I had it running while working today and had a hard time working because I had to keep going back to make sure I didn’t miss something! Vicki joins the FBI and her DNA profile comes back showing she has a brother who is a criminal who she didn’t disclose. WHAT! She is floored. She didn’t know about this brother. At the same time she is working on a copy cat serial killer case then temporarily suspended the brought back on and all at the same time trying to find out what her family is hiding. So many twists and turns ups and downs and roller coaster whiplash. Definitely a recommendation from me!
There are books that get you in from the first page and books that make you want to give it up in a blink. But if you’re like me and rarely DNF a book, this one is definitely for you. I was so lost at the beginning of this story that I had no idea where are we going with everything but after the half part, bits of the puzzle started to be put out together and the overall plot made much more sense for me.
There are so many unbelievable/unrealistic twists and scenes but , like in real life, anything can happen at any time of the day so you have to take them as they came and deal with it.
The main characters are flowed and just perfect with all their imperfections as the author develops them. I really hope we’ll get to read more about this and maybe a series is coming up.
If you want to try something new, a bit unexpected, then give this one a try.
A.B. Whelan certainly knows how to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their chair or huddling under covers as the twists and turns of the story play out with an ending that definitely surprised this reader. I’m not sure how much more a character’s world could implode than Vicky Collins’ did as she finds out years-old secrets about her life and the people in it. To complicate matters Vicky the FBI agent and other law enforcement personnel are attempting to stop a serial killer who is using other kills to try and mask his own and may or may not include members of her own family. I will definitely be adding more books from this author to my TBR file. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books.
I loved this psychological thriller! The plot just kept folding over on itself. FBI agent Vicki, is on the case. Plugging away, fighting wrongs, living life as best she can. Then, boom, her life is turned every which way. What a ride! Whew!
I really enjoyed this one.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
If I Had Two Lives is a dark and twisted physiological thriller that is heartbreaking.
Who knows what monsters lurk inside a person even in our own family. Is it caused by society? Childhood tragedies? DNA?
FBI Agent Vicky discovers that her entire life has been a lie her world starts spiraling downwards. A tragic incident that will leave you in tears.
While investigating a piggyback serial killer Vicky learns that the killer might possibly be her long lost brother. Now she is torn to do what is right.
A fabulous yet heartbreaking story as the author weaves a web of mystery, suspense, lies, betrayals, rape, cheating, twists and turns that keep you intrigued til the very end!
I definitely would recommend this story.
Thank you Hidden Gems and the author or a fabulous complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
2.5stars
The blurb for If I Had Two Lives promises a psychological thriller, and the description certainly sounds like one. However, the proof is in the pudding, and I can’t say that I found very much about this story to be even remotely thriller-like. It started off well enough, but it didn’t take long to connect the dots on who Vicky is or her connection to the case. For me, it kind of felt like this one started going off the rails right about the time that Vicky is made aware of a sibling she didn’t know about. From there, it’s like this woman can’t catch a break. It’s one thing after another, and it all started to be a bit much. As I said, this one didn’t feel like a thriller to me. Drama, definitely, this story has loads of drama, and parts of the story are jarring, but there was just something missing for me. Part of that may be the two-dimensional characters that made it hard to connect, plus there weren’t many that were particularly likable. And then there were the numerous twists in the story. Twists are all well and good, and I quite enjoy them, but this felt a bit like the author was throwing everything at us to see what would stick. There is a good twist at the end, and I’ll admit that I had no idea, but by that time, it was more a determination to see the book through than a real interest in the answer to that question. There were a couple of things left unresolved, and to be honest, I was more interested in finding out what happened with those things. This book did have potential, and I had high hopes in the beginning, but it left me disappointed.