In Her Skin by Kim Savage

Sixteen-year-old con artist Jo Chastain is about to take on the biggest scam of her life: impersonating a missing girl. Life on the streets of Boston these past few years hasn’t been easy, and Jo is hoping to cash in on a little safety, a little security. She finds her opportunity in the Lovecrafts, a wealthy family with ties to the unsolved disappearance of Vivienne Weir, who vanished when she was nine.

When Jo takes on Vivi's identity and stages the girl’s miraculous return, the Lovecrafts welcome her back with open arms. They give her everything she could want: love, money, and proximity to their intoxicating and unpredictable daughter, Temple. But nothing is as it seems in the Lovecraft household—and some secrets refuse to stay buried. As hidden crimes come to the surface, and lines of deception begin to blur, Jo must choose to either hold onto an illusion of safety, or escape the danger around her before it’s too late.

A psychological thriller filled with mystery and intrigue, In Her Skin will leave you on the edge of your seat.

This is Savage's third book to date and possibly her best one. I've purposely read all of Savage's books through the years because there is something about her writing that leaves you questioning everything. In Her Skin went beyond anything she's done before. She brings to life Jolene's twisted past to converge with a new one that is darker than I would have ever expected.

"I am Vivienne Weir. I am Vivienne Weir. I am Vivienne. Three times make it so."

Jolene Chastain has been conning others most of her life. Thanks in part to the wisdom of her now deceased mother, Jolene has the skill to become another person. Her unique observational skills allow her to analyze what makes a person tick. When she decides to become Vivienne, a girl who went missing at age nine, she becomes eclipsed in the world of the Lovecrafts who provide a safe home and a family she desperately needs. But not is all right in the world of the Lovecrafts. After all, when a rich family welcomes you into their world so willingly... so quickly, there is bound to be secrets they have kept hidden from the world. And if Jolene stumbles on to them, who knows what dangers she could get herself into?

Jolene's background story really shows off why she is willing to con her way in the Lovecrafts lives. She's lived her life with a drug addict mom who doesn't choose the best boyfriends. She later finds herself living in the city streets being protected by a boy named Wolf with his own troubles. She leaves that world behind and dives into the role of Vivi, observing her new family to become the Vivi they remember. With a magnetic personality, Temple Lovecraft becomes someone that Jolene wants to know. Temple's air of mystery and rebellious attitude leaves Jolene with so many questions and willing to tag along on her adventures.

You know a book is good when you are giving the rundown to a loved one, detailing the story every time you take a breather. That's what I was doing with my dad. I could tell by the end of it, he became invested in the story like I was. Maybe not to my crazy extreme, but it's hard to match my love for this story.

All my emotions flooded out of me when the story was over. I couldn't believe it. It was just too good. And that particular ending made me happy because it was a lot clearer than I think Savage's other books have been. I've always had that wtf moment at the end of her books but there was also a confusion. Now a mystery thriller not being a hundred percent clear can make things fun because it always leads you questioning what was real and what's not. But I feel like In Her Skin's case, the ending was presented in the best possible way.

In Her Skin had multiple avenues it could have played out and two storylines that could have been explored more like with Wolf for instance. He had a tragic backstory and I couldn't wait to get to know him but it never came. It is Jolene's story but I was still hoping that I would get to know him. The other storyline that could have been explored was something from Jolene's past which could have been really interesting as well.

The parts that I enjoyed the most were the characters and constant guessing. There was obviously some very shady things going on within the family. Things kept building up and building up. All that buildup left me gasping and later on screaming at the "reveal." Truly one of the most heart pounding moments I've read in a book in a long time.

Jolene herself is a desperate creature. She has such a messed up past that has shaped her into being simultaneously helpless in certain situations and calculated in others. Her thoughts are so freaky. She constantly talks about being in "your" skin. I became empathetic with her situation and wanted her to succeed but with a tale like this, could she? I'll admit her motives at times didn't sit right with me. However, I think that's the whole point of the story.

In Her Skin is a story that stays with you. A heart pounding psychological thriller, In Her Skin is a story you don't want to miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with In Her Skin in exchange for an honest review!

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What was the last thriller you read that kept you on the edge of your seat?