Gemma Brogan has worked hard in her life. She has built up her own real estate office. She has her own rental properties. She has a fantastic husband and an adorable son. She struggles with work-life balance, but she's really very happy.
And then one night in London, in an attempt to duck an annoying colleague, Gemma decides to go to dinner with a client. Since this was her first night out in ages, she'd allowed herself a couple of cocktails in the bar. And when her (handsome, by the way) client suggests a bottle of wine with dinner, she agrees.
After that, things get a little hazy.
But several weeks later, when she's back at work, still kicking herself for drinking too much in London and having to show up to her seminar the next morning badly hungover. It was incredibly unprofessional. She hadn't drunk like that since before she got married. And she doesn't miss it. She tries to forgive herself and let it go, but then the messages start. A photo of her kissing the client. Threats. A video. Proof she'd lied to her husband that night, telling him she was going to have an early night.
Gemma can't understand who would try to blackmail her like this, or indeed, terrorize her like this. And when she finally starts to unravel the story, she discovers that the roots of the threats cover so much more than she ever imagined.
The Girl I Used to Be is a twisty look at the far-reaching damage of one bad night. Mary Torjussen, author of Gone Without a Trace, is back with a story of bad decisions and regrets, of trying to move on, of getting pulled backwards into the past. It's about how our choices affect our future and how they can influence other people as well. The Girl I Used to Be is a strong novel with strong women dealing with difficult life challenges. It's packed with suspense and fascinating plot twists to keep you reading until the end.
Personally, I loved this novel. I could see hints of what was to come, but I was kept guessing about the whole story until the end. It's well plotted with a really satisfying resolution. I recommend The Girl I Used to Be to all my fellow fans of dark and twisty stories of psychological suspense!
Galleys for The Girl I Used to Be were provided by Berkley through Edelweiss, with many thanks.