Copycat
Cressida, the notorious thirty-year-old "Girlfriend Killer," has made her peace with dying behind bars. But five years into her life sentence, desperate detectives arrive at her cell with a chilling revelation: a copycat is recreating her gruesome murders. Initially intent on playing twisted mind games with the investigators, Cressida's dark amusement turns to cold terror when she learns the identity of the latest victim—Alexandra, her ex-girlfriend and the only woman she ever genuinely loved.
- Cressida - Convicted murderer
- Alexandra - Cressida’s ex-girlfriend
- Jack - Police constable
- Andre - Police constable
- Charlie - Police constable, Andre’s daughter
- Marcus - Prison warden
- Maria - Cressida’s first girlfriend
- Beanie - Cressida’s ex-girlfriend
- Britney - Cressida’s ex-girlfriend
- Tonia - Cressida’s ex-girlfriend
- Jeffery - Cressida’s brother, Prison guard
- When Cressida was seventeen, a drunk driver hit her car and killed Maria.
- Cressida strangled her next girlfriend, Beanie, to death with a belt.
- Cressida drowned Britney but everyone thought it was suicide.
- Cressida slit Tonia’s throat and spread her body parts around town.
- When Cressida met Alexandra, she thought she could finally fall in love again after Maria but then she was arrested for Tonia’s murder.
- Alexandra promised to wait for Cressida, but Cressida didn’t want to put her through that, so she cut off all contact until Alexandra stopped trying.
- Cressida learns that Alexandra had been chopped up and her body parts left at different locations, just as Cressida did to Tonia.
- The next day Jeffery is found dead.
- Marcus tells Cressida that Alexandra used to sit in the parking lot most days hoping to see her.
- Cressida confronts Charlie about why she killed Alexandra and Jeffery, and Charlie admits she did it because all Andre ever cared about was Cressida and she wanted his attention, but Cressida doesn’t believe this is the real reason.
- Cressida strangles Charlie to death before the guards intervene.
The prison setting does a lot of the heavy lifting here, creating a gritty atmosphere that grounds the story. For such a brief read, the narrative feels surprisingly slow to build momentum, and the transitions between scenes are choppy in places. I spent a good portion of the time questioning the logic behind several character decisions, as their motivations just aren't fleshed out enough to explain their actions. On top of that, several plot points are introduced and then left completely unresolved by the end. Despite the baffling character arcs, loose threads, and uneven pacing, it is a fine read with a satisfying ending.
If you like confined prison settings, sudden plot twists, and unpredictable characters, then you will enjoy this book.
- Suicide
- Domestic violence
- Murder
- Car accident
ASIN: B0H5GCBRNV
Publication Date: July 1, 2026
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
