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Copycat
Martha tolerated Jennie, took her on holiday, helped her with the children—but all the time she was wondering how much longer she could stand living next door to her. As time went on, however, the roles seemed to reverse. As Jennie became more confident and successful, Martha's life was falling apart. At times they seemed less like friends, and more like sworn enemies. Their relationship became bitter and twisted—a relationship which only one of them could survive.
339 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
102 people are currently reading
1063 people want to read
About the author
Gillian White
20 books34 followersGillian White (b. 1945) grew up in Liverpool, England. She has written sixteen novels under her own name, which are known for suspense, Gothic thrills, and satiric views of contemporary society. She also writes historical romance under the name Georgina Fleming. She lives in Devon, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 25, 2016
This Story is told in alternate chapters by the two main characters, Jennie and Martha. Straight away we are made aware that one of these women will die, but which one and then who is the murderer. Obsessed people make for entertaining reading and these two characters are really quite bizarre which increased my enjoyment. The author was very clever with the plot although I do agree the that the last third of the book was not quite as strong but I still enjoyed it.
August 3, 2016
In the prologue, we discover that one friend has murdered another.
The story is then narrated in alternating chapters by Jennie and Martha. New neighbours, they both give birth on the same day. Uptight Jennie begins to rely on easy-going Martha for friendship and advice, but the edges soon become blurred as Martha unwittingly becomes the centre of Jennie's world. Jennie's obsession with her grows, spiralling out of control, becoming ever more twisted. Husbands, children and neighbours are all dragged into this suffocating mess, but when push come to shove, does Martha need Jennie just as much as Jennie needs Martha?
This is a delicious tale, dark and destructive. The tension builds slowly, subtly. At first it's easy to be on Martha's side as Jennie's fixation becomes increasingly desperate, but as the story progresses, sympathies shift until both women are one, neither good nor bad, right nor wrong, just caught together in a tangled web of compulsion, lies and shame.
So who is victim and who is killer?
The story is then narrated in alternating chapters by Jennie and Martha. New neighbours, they both give birth on the same day. Uptight Jennie begins to rely on easy-going Martha for friendship and advice, but the edges soon become blurred as Martha unwittingly becomes the centre of Jennie's world. Jennie's obsession with her grows, spiralling out of control, becoming ever more twisted. Husbands, children and neighbours are all dragged into this suffocating mess, but when push come to shove, does Martha need Jennie just as much as Jennie needs Martha?
This is a delicious tale, dark and destructive. The tension builds slowly, subtly. At first it's easy to be on Martha's side as Jennie's fixation becomes increasingly desperate, but as the story progresses, sympathies shift until both women are one, neither good nor bad, right nor wrong, just caught together in a tangled web of compulsion, lies and shame.
So who is victim and who is killer?
January 10, 2018
A dark, highly addicting read about secrets and obsession.
March 13, 2013
“What a tangled web we weave…”
Jennie and Martha. Martha and Jennie. Two women tied together by an obsessive infatuation…until death. We know from page one that the end result is that one murders the other, but we don’t know which is the victim, which the murderess.
This is a clever, twisted and blackly funny tale of obsession, told by a mistress of the art of the tangled web. Jennie and Martha take it in turns to tell us the story of their parallel lives. When laid-back extrovert Martha takes her uptight, friendless neighbour Jennie under her wing, she unwittingly starts a chain of events that will shape both their lives forever. Jennie’s admiration for Martha soon turns to obsession and jealousy. Martha is the centre of the social life of The Close – a small group of middle-class houses set so near to a sink estate that their house values have fallen meaning that none of them can afford to move away. In this claustrophobic atmosphere, Jennie does everything she can to try to keep Martha’s attention all for herself and as time goes on her methods become more and more extreme until she’s prepared to sacrifice anything – or anyone – to stop Martha from ending their friendship.
So given that Jennie is clearly a fruitcake, it’s obvious who did the murder…isn’t it? Except that there’s another side to this story. Martha, the confident and out-going one, has problems of her own and they’re growing. And perhaps, though she doesn’t know it, she needs Jennie as much as Jennie needs her. Perhaps the obsession isn’t such a one-way street after all…
This is only the second book of Gillian White’s that I’ve read, the other being Unhallowed Ground. In that one, I admired her story-telling skills, her characterisation and the tension that she managed to build, though I thought the ending let it down a little. This later one, first published in 2002, shows those same skills in abundance; but now she’s added some deliciously sly humour into the mix and I found the ending completely satisfying. It’s almost like a traditional mystery in reverse – the answer seems obvious from the beginning but becomes progressively less so as the story is revealed. As I reached the last couple of chapters, I still had no idea who was going to do the wicked deed and felt that White had achieved the near perfection of either answer being entirely consistent with what had gone before. Highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Open Road, via Netgalley in advance of publication of a Kindle edition on 19th March 2013.
Jennie and Martha. Martha and Jennie. Two women tied together by an obsessive infatuation…until death. We know from page one that the end result is that one murders the other, but we don’t know which is the victim, which the murderess.
This is a clever, twisted and blackly funny tale of obsession, told by a mistress of the art of the tangled web. Jennie and Martha take it in turns to tell us the story of their parallel lives. When laid-back extrovert Martha takes her uptight, friendless neighbour Jennie under her wing, she unwittingly starts a chain of events that will shape both their lives forever. Jennie’s admiration for Martha soon turns to obsession and jealousy. Martha is the centre of the social life of The Close – a small group of middle-class houses set so near to a sink estate that their house values have fallen meaning that none of them can afford to move away. In this claustrophobic atmosphere, Jennie does everything she can to try to keep Martha’s attention all for herself and as time goes on her methods become more and more extreme until she’s prepared to sacrifice anything – or anyone – to stop Martha from ending their friendship.
So given that Jennie is clearly a fruitcake, it’s obvious who did the murder…isn’t it? Except that there’s another side to this story. Martha, the confident and out-going one, has problems of her own and they’re growing. And perhaps, though she doesn’t know it, she needs Jennie as much as Jennie needs her. Perhaps the obsession isn’t such a one-way street after all…
This is only the second book of Gillian White’s that I’ve read, the other being Unhallowed Ground. In that one, I admired her story-telling skills, her characterisation and the tension that she managed to build, though I thought the ending let it down a little. This later one, first published in 2002, shows those same skills in abundance; but now she’s added some deliciously sly humour into the mix and I found the ending completely satisfying. It’s almost like a traditional mystery in reverse – the answer seems obvious from the beginning but becomes progressively less so as the story is revealed. As I reached the last couple of chapters, I still had no idea who was going to do the wicked deed and felt that White had achieved the near perfection of either answer being entirely consistent with what had gone before. Highly recommended.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Open Road, via Netgalley in advance of publication of a Kindle edition on 19th March 2013.
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August 7, 2025Dnf
January 26, 2020
"Already, a level of consciousness warned me that I must be careful with this sensitive friend, who was flattened by crudely gesturing drivers, floored by brusque checkout girls, felled by rude ticket collectors and fatally wounded by frosty doctors. She rolled all these tiny insults up and threw them into the air and they fell back around her in clusters and stuck like she was a figure, trapped, in a glass-ball snowstorm."
Jennie and Martha are next door neighbors in a small England town. Coincidentally, they both go into labor on the same day for their first pregnancies, and get to know each other better on the maternity ward. Martha is a bohemian earth mother. She loves to paint, wears drapey dresses, cleans her house just enough to avoid all-out disaster, has a passionate love for her husband, and approaches motherhood in a pragmatic manner. Jennie, on the other hand, was raised by a strict single mother. She seems to still be rooted in the 1950's wife role. She cleans her house in a manner that borders on obsessive-compulsive, dotes on baby in an anxious, hypochondriac manner, has an appointment for "relations" with her husband every Friday night, and can't imagine working outside the home.
White gives us a psychological study of two women whose lives become entwined and dependent on each other to the point of pathology. Jennie clearly has a mental disorder. She turns Martha into a god of sorts. Martha isn't perfect either though, and it's interesting to see how she handles her relationship with Jennie. Both mothers pass their subconscious emotions on to their daughters. The level of dysfunction becomes even more clear when voiced by 10 year old's. White uses first person POV, and alternates a chapter from Jennie with a chapter from Martha. The technique works well here, and allows us to see inside each woman's head. The prologue, however, is nameless--we begin the book knowing one of the women killed the other one, and is in prison for murder. Who killed who? Why? Read to find out :)
Bottom line: Copycat , while not memorable literature, is a great book to check out if you are looking for a lighter psychological thriller. White's writing won't leave you scratching your head, but didn't totally WOW me either. Given 2.5 stars or a rating of "above average".
Jennie and Martha are next door neighbors in a small England town. Coincidentally, they both go into labor on the same day for their first pregnancies, and get to know each other better on the maternity ward. Martha is a bohemian earth mother. She loves to paint, wears drapey dresses, cleans her house just enough to avoid all-out disaster, has a passionate love for her husband, and approaches motherhood in a pragmatic manner. Jennie, on the other hand, was raised by a strict single mother. She seems to still be rooted in the 1950's wife role. She cleans her house in a manner that borders on obsessive-compulsive, dotes on baby in an anxious, hypochondriac manner, has an appointment for "relations" with her husband every Friday night, and can't imagine working outside the home.
White gives us a psychological study of two women whose lives become entwined and dependent on each other to the point of pathology. Jennie clearly has a mental disorder. She turns Martha into a god of sorts. Martha isn't perfect either though, and it's interesting to see how she handles her relationship with Jennie. Both mothers pass their subconscious emotions on to their daughters. The level of dysfunction becomes even more clear when voiced by 10 year old's. White uses first person POV, and alternates a chapter from Jennie with a chapter from Martha. The technique works well here, and allows us to see inside each woman's head. The prologue, however, is nameless--we begin the book knowing one of the women killed the other one, and is in prison for murder. Who killed who? Why? Read to find out :)
Bottom line: Copycat , while not memorable literature, is a great book to check out if you are looking for a lighter psychological thriller. White's writing won't leave you scratching your head, but didn't totally WOW me either. Given 2.5 stars or a rating of "above average".
January 9, 2012
Umm, what the hell! this book was bullshit. I have no idea who killed who. Does anyone know?
February 10, 2015
I've been debating the identity of the killer with my coworkers for days...
November 7, 2011
This is the first time I have read any of Gillian White’s books but I have to say she has a wonderful writing style and a thrilling knack for suspense.
This book is told in the eyes of two friends outgoing Martha and introvert Jennie.
Each chapter alternates between the two women in a way that you get grips and grabs of the story.
Jennie seems to be obsessed with Martha and her perfect life, needing her support, love and acceptance. When Martha doesn’t respond in the way Jennie needs, Jennie finds ways to make Martha notice her like faking a miscarriage.
As the storyline develops, you as the reader find it hard to figure out which women you relate to or feel for.
Gillian has a wonderful way of adding in twists and plots that you didn’t see coming.
I will definitely be looking for more of Gillian White’s books.
This book is told in the eyes of two friends outgoing Martha and introvert Jennie.
Each chapter alternates between the two women in a way that you get grips and grabs of the story.
Jennie seems to be obsessed with Martha and her perfect life, needing her support, love and acceptance. When Martha doesn’t respond in the way Jennie needs, Jennie finds ways to make Martha notice her like faking a miscarriage.
As the storyline develops, you as the reader find it hard to figure out which women you relate to or feel for.
Gillian has a wonderful way of adding in twists and plots that you didn’t see coming.
I will definitely be looking for more of Gillian White’s books.
June 22, 2015
Very creepy Very original
This is a book you can't put down and when you've finished, you can't stop thinking about . The characters though sometimes bizarre, are so realistic you'd swear they were real people. A must read.
This is a book you can't put down and when you've finished, you can't stop thinking about . The characters though sometimes bizarre, are so realistic you'd swear they were real people. A must read.
July 7, 2020
This was so awful I forced myself to read 40% of it and couldn’t endure anymore.
March 8, 2015
Oh--those of you who a) love getting into a character's head no matter how disturbing the thoughts and b) love not necessarily knowing the ending, and c) don't mind getting a little frustrated by the weird machinations of how a mentally ill person thinks, this book is for you. I actually don't mean to scare you off. I am giving this book 3 and 3/4s stars. I loved and hated this book for the reasons listed above. I get very frustrated with people who make continuously bad decisions and then blame these decisions on others (that is the book in a nutshell), but the writing is fantastic, and the situations are incredibly believeable (except for one instance that kind of bugged me). This is psychological suspense to the nth degree. I read this long book really fast because I was so curious (very good use of the prologue here) but also, I really needed to get this book out of my head. It was that disturbing and it was making me cranky.
September 20, 2015
This book is reminiscent of Girl on the Train set twenty five years ago...with a different sort of slant. Jennie is obsessed with her neighbor Martha. They're both bogged down with kids, life, unfinished emotional struggles and struggling to find their identities. Martha is the more together of the two and Jennie clings to the friendship pathologically. The chapters alternate with first person accounts of Jennie and Martha. The drama of a close friendship is well written here...if anybody has had a friend that is almost too close and loved to bear...this story will haunt you. It drags on a bit towards the middle and, frankly, the patience of Martha for Jennie's hysteria is almost comical. But then things get weird. And weirder. You already know Martha is dead from page one. But the story is nonetheless compelling as you almost can't be the conclusion will actually happen.
April 16, 2017
Crazy, fun, and sorta-sick, Copycat is great British chick-lit!
I was completely hooked reading Copycat and when I had to put it down, I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. Now that it's over, I even find myself questioning the end, as the author intended, I'm sure.
Jennie is so good at telling lies you don't really know what's true, even up to the very end. Martha is so laid back and carefree, she easily gets sucked in to Jennie's twisted tales — and life. But in the end, who is the crazy one?
I was completely hooked reading Copycat and when I had to put it down, I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. Now that it's over, I even find myself questioning the end, as the author intended, I'm sure.
Jennie is so good at telling lies you don't really know what's true, even up to the very end. Martha is so laid back and carefree, she easily gets sucked in to Jennie's twisted tales — and life. But in the end, who is the crazy one?
May 10, 2016
2.5 stars.
It's a problem if you want to sleep as soon as you read the first paragraph of the day. It's even worse if you have to keep re-reading paragraphs. From there, it just went downhill.
The writing for me was too much. Too wordy for my liking but the plot was good; too bad that the plot wasn't completely original though.
Spoiler alert. These women are nuts and they have such balls to do what they do for attention and money and it doesn't matter how low they go.
It's a problem if you want to sleep as soon as you read the first paragraph of the day. It's even worse if you have to keep re-reading paragraphs. From there, it just went downhill.
The writing for me was too much. Too wordy for my liking but the plot was good; too bad that the plot wasn't completely original though.
Spoiler alert. These women are nuts and they have such balls to do what they do for attention and money and it doesn't matter how low they go.
October 8, 2016
The author's writing style and subject matter had me thoroughly engrossed from page 1 through the last page. I have already started reading one of her other books (Refuge) and find it as thoughtful and interesting as this one.
I love when an author can capture the readers attention on the first page. I just know it's going to be a fun ride.
Copycat is a book I won't soon forget.
I love when an author can capture the readers attention on the first page. I just know it's going to be a fun ride.
Copycat is a book I won't soon forget.
March 5, 2017
This novel wasn't what I thought it was going to be, that being said, it is well written and engaging.
I do feel as though I didn't really get anything from this book, and for me it wasn't the thriller that I thought it might be.
Nevertheless, a good read.
I do feel as though I didn't really get anything from this book, and for me it wasn't the thriller that I thought it might be.
Nevertheless, a good read.
May 22, 2015
Best subtle but complex psychological profile of a character I've read yet.
June 10, 2016
I really struggled with this book, it started out great but then lacked all suspense half way through and I got bored and it also left me with a lot of unanswered questions :(
July 9, 2020
Mesmerizing
I read this book in 2 days. The story had me hooked from beginning to end. Not one chapter wasted, the story flowed seamlessly.
I read this book in 2 days. The story had me hooked from beginning to end. Not one chapter wasted, the story flowed seamlessly.
July 16, 2025
an absorbing exploration of obsession, resentment, and the quietly sinister unraveling of a lifelong friendship. Narrated in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Jennie and Martha, the book cleverly juxtaposes their shared experiences while exposing the vast gulf in how each woman views her life, her past, and each other. The symmetry in language between chapters, where the same words carry vastly different emotional weight, offers a compelling glimpse into the psychology behind their fractured bond.
While neither character is overtly likeable, both are undeniably engaging. Their flaws, insecurities, and unreliable narration kept me invested, even when their choices made me cringe. White’s writing is sharp and well-constructed, creating a slow-burning tension that builds steadily throughout the novel.
That said, it is a slow read. The story unfolds gradually, asking the reader to be patient as the characters’ inner worlds are laid bare. Despite the pace, I found the story interesting, until the ending, which felt cryptic and unsatisfying. It left me wanting more clarity and resolution after such a psychologically rich journey.
A solid story overall, delivered with nuance and skill. Not a favorite, but certainly thought-provoking.
While neither character is overtly likeable, both are undeniably engaging. Their flaws, insecurities, and unreliable narration kept me invested, even when their choices made me cringe. White’s writing is sharp and well-constructed, creating a slow-burning tension that builds steadily throughout the novel.
That said, it is a slow read. The story unfolds gradually, asking the reader to be patient as the characters’ inner worlds are laid bare. Despite the pace, I found the story interesting, until the ending, which felt cryptic and unsatisfying. It left me wanting more clarity and resolution after such a psychologically rich journey.
A solid story overall, delivered with nuance and skill. Not a favorite, but certainly thought-provoking.
October 22, 2019
This writer is from the Zoe Heller school of acute observational skills and the ability to deftly write characters so believable you feel as if you've known them , or known of them or archetypes. I won't go off on a tangent about archetypes, I just won't.
The Close is situated near a sink estate in the UK. Property values have plummeted due to sink estate proximity so all neighbours are bound together by a NIMBYish kind of Blitz spirit. Martha is the extravert who knows what is going on almost before it happens. She takes uptight Jennie under her wing but regrets her largesse because Jennie is Hard Work: super sensitive, neurotic, easily offended etc etc.
Rather than have a good old chat and agree the friendship doesn't work, one of them must die. The story is told in alternating narrator chapters, with narrators being Jennie and Martha. We know someone dies from the beginning but not who or why. Is it the ultimate act of passive-aggressiveness? Could be, it is set in the UK.
Great read.
The Close is situated near a sink estate in the UK. Property values have plummeted due to sink estate proximity so all neighbours are bound together by a NIMBYish kind of Blitz spirit. Martha is the extravert who knows what is going on almost before it happens. She takes uptight Jennie under her wing but regrets her largesse because Jennie is Hard Work: super sensitive, neurotic, easily offended etc etc.
Rather than have a good old chat and agree the friendship doesn't work, one of them must die. The story is told in alternating narrator chapters, with narrators being Jennie and Martha. We know someone dies from the beginning but not who or why. Is it the ultimate act of passive-aggressiveness? Could be, it is set in the UK.
Great read.
December 25, 2017
Where is the line between love and obsession?
Jennie and Martha met in the hospital, while each was giving birth to her first child. They found they lived next door to each other, and a friendship blossomed. Martha was confident, beautiful and casual: everything Jennie longed to be. Soon, Jennie's feelings for Martha hurtle out of control, and she will do or say anything to stay in her favor. The end result is disastrous to both families. Copycat is a cautionary tale of the dark side of friendship that will leave readers breathless
Jennie and Martha met in the hospital, while each was giving birth to her first child. They found they lived next door to each other, and a friendship blossomed. Martha was confident, beautiful and casual: everything Jennie longed to be. Soon, Jennie's feelings for Martha hurtle out of control, and she will do or say anything to stay in her favor. The end result is disastrous to both families. Copycat is a cautionary tale of the dark side of friendship that will leave readers breathless
December 2, 2016
"OBSESSION"
I loved the fact that the story was written in a two part dialogue. Those of you who immersion. read or audible, the voices are so appripo. The clinginess of the one woman wants to drive you insane. The story is pretty much what you would expect. There really aren't any surprises except that if you want to sit through the book and listen to this woman whine about what a mess her life is , go ahead. I can go to work and listen to it!
I loved the fact that the story was written in a two part dialogue. Those of you who immersion. read or audible, the voices are so appripo. The clinginess of the one woman wants to drive you insane. The story is pretty much what you would expect. There really aren't any surprises except that if you want to sit through the book and listen to this woman whine about what a mess her life is , go ahead. I can go to work and listen to it!
June 12, 2018
This book is actually 458pages not 339 as described in this paperback edition.
458 pages of total inarticulate, continual use of slang and idioms. I didn't know what many words or phrases meant half the time. I thought at times that Dickens was a lighter read or Henry James was easier to follow than this. The narrative is just too confusing.
I forced myself to finish it. It was crazy and sickening.
Every character is nearly detestable.
458 pages of total inarticulate, continual use of slang and idioms. I didn't know what many words or phrases meant half the time. I thought at times that Dickens was a lighter read or Henry James was easier to follow than this. The narrative is just too confusing.
I forced myself to finish it. It was crazy and sickening.
Every character is nearly detestable.
March 19, 2019
I enjoyed this book a great deal. The characters were interesting and easy for me to relate to. But different enough to keep things interesting. The plot is straightforward and moves quickly. The story of the relationship between the two female protagonists is absorbing and the descriptions of the surroundings were good. Basically it’s just a terrific read that very much kept me interested and turning pages.
January 22, 2021
When I first started reading it, I really didn’t love it. It seemed all over the place and a little hard to follow. It wasn’t a thriller at all, it was laughable how the two women were. I literally laughed out loud. Both the main characters you don’t love, you actually kind of hate. But it got good around half way through the book. I wouldn’t consider this a thriller as there wasn’t anything thrilling about it. But it is a good read. I would more give it 3.5/5.
November 4, 2022
A fascinating story of the entwined lives of two very different women who happen to meet at the births of their daughters and coincidentally live next door two each other. Sometimes I wanted to throw the book down in annoyance at their behaviors but it was an interesting premise all in all. The infatuation of one for the other is quite well depicted but neither has much of a backbone to stand up for themselves until those final extraordinary minutes of the book.
January 24, 2018
Copycat
The book was not Gone Girl. I had a hard time going from St Louis to London. The plot was intriguing since I had never encountered it before. A very enjoyable read. I totally recommend this book.
The book was not Gone Girl. I had a hard time going from St Louis to London. The plot was intriguing since I had never encountered it before. A very enjoyable read. I totally recommend this book.
July 15, 2018
I really like the way this is written from both Jennie & Martha's side of the story.. the only thing I found frustrating is how Martha kept Jennie in her (and her children's) lives when she was such an obvious nut job.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews