When I Was You

by Amber Garza

Overview

“A heart-pounding thriller. When I Was You pitches two women with the same name against one another, and the rug is pulled out from under you the moment you decide to trust one of them.” —Sandie Jones, USA Today bestselling author of The Other Woman

“Amber Garza has upped the game on the classic stalker novel! . . . A fast-paced, beautifully plotted book.” —Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

You meets Fatal Attraction in this up-all-night story of suspicion, obsession and motherhood.

It all begins on an ordinary fall morning, when Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s pediatrician to confirm her upcoming “well-baby” appointment. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago, and Kelly’s never felt so alone. The receptionist quickly apologizes: there’s another mother in town named Kelly Medina, and she must have gotten their numbers switched.

For days, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name. Lives in her same town. Has a son she can still hold, and her whole life ahead of her. She can’t help looking for her: at the grocery store, at the gym, on social media. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her.

Their unlikely friendship brings Kelly a renewed sense of purpose—taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. But that friendship quickly turns to obsession, and when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778361046
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	08/25/2020
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	97,549
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Amber Garza has had a passion for the written word since she was a child making books out of notebook paper and staples. Her hobbies include reading and singing. Coffee and wine are her drinks of choice (not necessarily in that order). She writes while blaring music, and talks about her characters like they're real people. She lives with her husband and two kids in Folsom, California, which is also home to another Amber Garza.

Editorial Reviews

06/15/2020

Depressed, lonely Kelly Medina, the principal narrator of this clever psychological thriller from Garza (Play Safe), misses her son, Aaron, who’s away at college, and sees little of her emotionally distant professor husband, who prefers to stay near campus instead of their Folsom, Calif., home. One day, Kelly is surprised to receive a call from Aaron’s pediatrician about an appointment. When Kelly looks into this mistake, she discovers that the town is home to another Kelly Medina, who has an infant son. Kelly goes out of her way to meet this other Kelly, in whom she develops an unhealthy interest. Believing that the younger woman’s son looks remarkably like Aaron at the same age, she sets out to take charge of the baby’s upbringing. When the point-of-view shifts to that of the younger Kelly, the plot takes some murderous turns along the way to the unexpected ending. Through the skillful use of the second-person, Garza makes it tantalizingly unclear at times which Kelly is which. Fans of tricky tales of obsession and revenge will be well satisfied. Agent: Ellen Coughtrey, Gernert Co. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

The plot takes some murderous turns along the way to the unexpected ending. Through the skillful use of the second-person, Garza makes it tantalizingly unclear at times which Kelly is which. Fans of tricky tales of obsession and revenge will be well satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly

"A thoroughly enjoyable, heart-pounding thriller. When I Was You pitches two women with the same name against one another, and the rug is pulled out from under you the moment you decide to trust one of them. The tension builds right up to the final twist!" —Sandie Jones, USA Today bestselling author of The Other Woman


“Amber Garza has upped the game on the classic stalker novel! When I Was You is a fast-paced, beautifully plotted book that will keep you reading until the last page. You won’t want to put this one down.” —Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife


“I opened When I Was You expecting to just have a quick sneak peek . . . and couldn’t put it down all weekend. Exhilarating, page-turning, shocking, this is one of those rare psychological thrillers that really is the whole package. An electric, raw, emotional story that will leave you breathless. With a tightly woven plot, twists I never saw coming, and characters so sharply drawn, I inhaled the story rather than simply read it. When I Was You is a dark and twisty delight.” —Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of The Night Olivia Fell


“Wow, I could not stop reading! Garza delivers big with a fascinating look at motherhood, mental health, and alternate lives. Fans of domestic suspense will inhale this mesmerizing and twisty tale. I can’t wait to read more from Amber Garza.” —Mindy Mejia, author of Strike Me Down


“A compulsive read about a friendship and maternal instincts gone awry, with a twist you won’t want to miss.” —Karen Cleveland, New York Times bestselling author of Need to Know

“With an incredibly original premise and dark, complex characters, Amber Garza’s debut thriller packs a wallop of intrigue. I was completely gripped by the unpredictable twists and turns that culminate in an explosive, shocking ending. A definite must-read!” —Samantha M. Bailey, author of Woman on the Edge

From the Publisher