When an unknown past starts to hunt you down

Synopsis

When art law attorney Abigail Clarke is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed, will she be able to outwit a man determined to kill every member of her treacherous family.

Thirty years ago, during a thunderstorm, on an isolated street in South Boston, an unidentified two-year-old girl was discovered, abandoned, shot, barely clinging to life. After a thorough investigation, the case was eventually designated to the cold case files until Abigail Clarke, now an astraphobic art law attorney, is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed.

What the FBI Art Crime Division cannot determine is if Abigail is an innocent bystander or a co-conspirator in her sister’s art fraud crimes. 

Compelled to uncover all her family’s secrets, nothing prepares Abigail for the disastrous meeting with her murderous brother and crime boss father. Her life isirreversibly changed the more she becomes mired in her family’s treachery. She soon finds herself drawn into a game of cat and mouse by the vengeful killer who methodically plans to execute every member of her family, holding each one of them ultimately responsible for the murder of his own family thirty years ago.

My review

Abigail Clarke is an art law attorney, who never knew who her family was. But one day, a woman is found dead, and is the spitting image of Abby. Suddenly she finds herself the family she never knew about and a twin sister closer to her home than imagined
But her sister has been murdered, and now Abby finds herself being a target for a killer, looking for revenge and determined to kill every member of the family.
While discovering more about her family, Abby is also trying to escape the murderer while with the help of new acquaintances, solving the mystery of disappeared famous paintings.

Each time I start reading a book from this author, I know I may never just assume things and that there will be a lot of events complicating things even further more.
And she delivered again!

The prologue already starts in full action, and like a good prologue should do, it made me eager to know what the consequences would be for the main characters in the present.

While reading, I certainly understood Abby and her wish to know her family and what happened to her as a baby.
But no matter her unknown past, she has made something of her life. She is a rather successful art law attorney, receives all the required love from her Grandma Stasha and her friend Maura.

The whole disturbing story starts when her twin sister has been found, and a new client needs Abby’s help in purchasing some paintings.
While the two events seem not related, as I know the twists and turns this author manages to write, I knew that we should never just assume things.

Together with Abby we start a new, dangerous adventure, looking for her family. But what when the family you looked for so long is not what you expected? I think that if I were in Abby’s shoes, the discovery of my family and their tale, would devastate me, because their world and hers are so different.
But I admired Abby and her resolution to uncover everything, not afraid to take charge and confront the scariest of criminals.

Like I already said, nothing is what is seems, and what at first sight seems to be a random murder, goes so much further, and so many different people are involved and all is related to that one prologue.
Even if in this story, I had a clear idea of who the culprit was, I had no clue of how twisted everything was, and how even a few of who should be on the right side, were not to be trusted. 
But luckily for Abby, she has a good companion by her side, helping her every step.

This was again a thriller that made me turn page after page. Reading about how someone can hold a grudge (maybe a bit over the top for me) and how there are connections all over the world, makes me shiver. The author manages again to show us how ugly people can be, but also how good people can be. When towards the end, Abby makes an important decision, she restored a little bit my faith in people, and her Grandma Stasha, well let me just say I don’t want to fight against her!