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The Switch
It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina Lloyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the more impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her place as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colonel Christopher "Chief" Hart.
Although it's an enticing offer, Gillian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied with whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that day will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch could have unexpected consequences.
Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with him is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning police arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her beloved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the walls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, along with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chief to the crime.
Dissatisfied with the official police investigation, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on their own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than answers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies in wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina.
Although it's an enticing offer, Gillian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied with whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that day will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch could have unexpected consequences.
Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with him is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning police arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her beloved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the walls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, along with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chief to the crime.
Dissatisfied with the official police investigation, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on their own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than answers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies in wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina.
576 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2000
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18309 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Brown
343 books19.3k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,010 reviews
May 13, 2019
Another twisted tale from one of the great queens of romantic suspense!! The Switch is about twin sisters melina and gillian they might be identical twins but they live very different lifes and have totally different personalities,so when they decide to change places in each other's life one sister will end up murdered and the chase is on to stay one step of whomever left the crypt writing on the wall! With so many twist's and turns and awesome characters this book will have you on the edge of your seat!!! Love a Sandra Brown book it's always a fabulous read!!💖💋
September 5, 2016
The Switch by Sandra Brown is a 2013 Grand Central Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was originally published back in 2000 but was reissued by Grand Central a few years ago. I have read many of Sandra Brown’s romantic suspense novels, but this one slipped by me somehow.
The temptation identical twins have to switch places with one another usually loses its novelty by the time they reach adulthood. However, when Gillian announces to her twin sister, Melina, that she has been just been artificially inseminated, Melina offers to let her take her place on a public relations gig for the famous astronaut Col. ‘Chief’ Hart, in order to give her something fun to do, to take her mind off waiting to see if she was pregnant.
The switch should have been harmless, but when Gillian is murdered, Melina knows it should have been her that died, which makes her determined to find out who killed her sister and make them pay. Unfortunately, Chief was the last person to see Gillian alive, which lands him right in the middle of the investigation. Working together, he and Melina uncover a shocking scenario with far reaching consequences, and that discovery puts a huge bullseye on their backs.
This was one wild story, I have to tell you. Multi-layered, with lots of hairpin turns, twists, and truly diabolical bad guys, this one held my attention all the way through. Now, I have to confess, the plot was pretty far out there in terms of plausibility, but the story read like a top-notch thriller, and thrillers are not always known for their high levels of plausibility.
I did guess at a few major plot twists, but, it did not impact my enjoyment of the book. Overall, this was an interesting and unique set up, quite imaginative, taut with suspense and a steamy romance to cap things off.
This one was not exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up, but I was entertained by it and reminded of why I love to read Brown’s novels.
Overall 4 stars
This book was originally published back in 2000 but was reissued by Grand Central a few years ago. I have read many of Sandra Brown’s romantic suspense novels, but this one slipped by me somehow.
The temptation identical twins have to switch places with one another usually loses its novelty by the time they reach adulthood. However, when Gillian announces to her twin sister, Melina, that she has been just been artificially inseminated, Melina offers to let her take her place on a public relations gig for the famous astronaut Col. ‘Chief’ Hart, in order to give her something fun to do, to take her mind off waiting to see if she was pregnant.
The switch should have been harmless, but when Gillian is murdered, Melina knows it should have been her that died, which makes her determined to find out who killed her sister and make them pay. Unfortunately, Chief was the last person to see Gillian alive, which lands him right in the middle of the investigation. Working together, he and Melina uncover a shocking scenario with far reaching consequences, and that discovery puts a huge bullseye on their backs.
This was one wild story, I have to tell you. Multi-layered, with lots of hairpin turns, twists, and truly diabolical bad guys, this one held my attention all the way through. Now, I have to confess, the plot was pretty far out there in terms of plausibility, but the story read like a top-notch thriller, and thrillers are not always known for their high levels of plausibility.
I did guess at a few major plot twists, but, it did not impact my enjoyment of the book. Overall, this was an interesting and unique set up, quite imaginative, taut with suspense and a steamy romance to cap things off.
This one was not exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up, but I was entertained by it and reminded of why I love to read Brown’s novels.
Overall 4 stars
January 21, 2019
The Switch by Sandra Brown is a romantic suspense standalone novel that was originally published in Aug of 2000. Grand Central Publishing is now reissuing this title and of course since it's long been on my TBR I was happy to receive a new edition to be able to read and review.
Melina and Gillian are identical twins that have amazed everyone their entire lives at just how much alike they are. Now as adults both have their own jobs and lives but are still just as close as they had always been.
When Gillian and Melina get together in order for Gillian to share the news she has gone ahead with her plan to have a baby Melina thinks the occasion needs a celebration. Being a media escort Melina has a huge client that night that she knows Gillian would love to meet so she suggests they pull the switcharoo they used to do as kids.
What Melina never expected was to be awakened by the police notifying her of her sister's murder with clues left that point to her being the original target. The last person to see Gillian alive was Melina's celebrity client and the two end up joining forces to hunt down whoever killed Gillian.
The Switch was one of those books that easily should have been a five star as it definitely gained my interest from the opening pages and kept it throughout the story. However, as much as I am a fan of those twists and turns and shocking the reader as the last moment there was just one little detail in those final moments I don't think really added up. Having loved the rest of the story though and at over 500 pages just keeping my attention that long deserves the 4 1/2 stars from me and if you haven't already read this one I'd definitely recommend checking it out.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Melina and Gillian are identical twins that have amazed everyone their entire lives at just how much alike they are. Now as adults both have their own jobs and lives but are still just as close as they had always been.
When Gillian and Melina get together in order for Gillian to share the news she has gone ahead with her plan to have a baby Melina thinks the occasion needs a celebration. Being a media escort Melina has a huge client that night that she knows Gillian would love to meet so she suggests they pull the switcharoo they used to do as kids.
What Melina never expected was to be awakened by the police notifying her of her sister's murder with clues left that point to her being the original target. The last person to see Gillian alive was Melina's celebrity client and the two end up joining forces to hunt down whoever killed Gillian.
The Switch was one of those books that easily should have been a five star as it definitely gained my interest from the opening pages and kept it throughout the story. However, as much as I am a fan of those twists and turns and shocking the reader as the last moment there was just one little detail in those final moments I don't think really added up. Having loved the rest of the story though and at over 500 pages just keeping my attention that long deserves the 4 1/2 stars from me and if you haven't already read this one I'd definitely recommend checking it out.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
December 16, 2014
I wasn't sure if this was going to work for me. For about 90% of the book there was this one aspect of the book that was just getting to me and I knew I wouldn't be able to get past it.
But I persevered and I must say this lady can spin a yarn. For the last 10% I was totally engrossed in the story.
As with most books by Sandra Brown, you are better off not knowing too much about them, except maybe the premise.
But I persevered and I must say this lady can spin a yarn. For the last 10% I was totally engrossed in the story.
As with most books by Sandra Brown, you are better off not knowing too much about them, except maybe the premise.
It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina Lloyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the more impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her place as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colonel Christopher "Chief" Hart..
Wine, she thought. Maybe it would relax her enough to sleep ...
July 29, 2020
Usually I don't like cult-themed stories but it's Sandra Brown, so I thought, it couldn't be so bad, could it?
Apparently I was wrong. The story was far-fetched, implausible and full of inconsistencies. And it dragged and dragged and dragged.
I still finished it though. Just to see if my suspicions were correct. It turns out they were.
What the author did was pure manipulation. But not in a good way.
The hero was not SB's usual cranky hottie. He was too weak in my opinion.
Apparently I was wrong. The story was far-fetched, implausible and full of inconsistencies. And it dragged and dragged and dragged.
I still finished it though. Just to see if my suspicions were correct. It turns out they were.
What the author did was pure manipulation. But not in a good way.
The hero was not SB's usual cranky hottie. He was too weak in my opinion.
July 31, 2018
I'm never disappointed when I read a Sandra Brown's book. She has become synonymous with a one-click for me.
The Switch was an addictive story with enough suspense and romance to make me want to stop doing anything else but read,
The Setting:
A pair of twins, Melina and Gillian Lloyd are having lunch together. During it, Gillian informs Melina that she has gone through an artificial insemination that morning. Melina is happy for her sister and she knows Gillian's current boyfriend is fine with it too.
Melina advises she should do something to distract herself. She proposes switching places just like they used to do when they were little. The twins are so identical that no one can tell them apart. Gillian declines. She's not about to behave like a kid again and she heads home instead.
As a media escort, Melina's night assignment is to take Colonel Christopher "Chief" Hart to a gala. Chief is a well-known NASA astronaut whom everyone loves. Melina and "Chief" hit it off from the get-go. They are attracted to each other and by the end of the night, moving to his suite to end the night together sounded like the perfect plan.
The next morning, Melina's nightmare begins. Her twin sister is found stabbed to death. The writing on the wall implies that someone had seen Melina and Chief together and they had assumed it was Gillian.
The twin is devastated by her loss and she wants answers. Chief is stricken too. Together they will look for the truth behind the murder. What they discover is something dark and twisted.
My thoughts:
I hated to see one of the twins go. Together they were fun and so very close to each other. But, I guess it was necessary in order for the remaining twin and Chief to go looking for the killer.
I liked Chief. He was there for her to the end. Chief had his own turmoils in regards to his race and what to do with his future after NASA. He was slow to admit his true feelings but I understood his conflicting emotions.
The big baddie was truly an ugly human if you can call him that. Talk about Narcissistic personality. He checked all the boxes with his grandiose ideas. Sadly, I'm sure there's a crazy guy out there just like him.
The Switch had two good twists or maybe just one. I guess I can say, I saw it coming but I still enjoyed the reactions it provoked.
As a side note, I thought The Switch's audio was well done.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
October 24, 2010
I'm going to be really honest here: my reading time is pretty much limited to how long I can be in the bathroom by myself. Since that is (usually) an extremely small portion of my day, I try to be very selective in my reading choices. I'd rather spend my precious reading time on something I really enjoy.
"The Switch" was not bathroom worthy.
My summary can best be summed up by this discussion:
Husband: "What's that book about?"
Me: "It's about an astronaut who has a one night stand with a twin and then the twin gets murdered and the astronaut and the other twin (you know, the live one) team up to find the killer who turns out to be controlled by some cult nut who tries to kills them while they fall passionately in lust with each other - the astronaut and the live twin, that is. All in 1 day."
Husband:
As a side note, this book seemed more like a vehicle for the author to write repressed sexual fantasies from 9th grade versus a real story.
"The Switch" was not bathroom worthy.
My summary can best be summed up by this discussion:
Husband: "What's that book about?"
Me: "It's about an astronaut who has a one night stand with a twin and then the twin gets murdered and the astronaut and the other twin (you know, the live one) team up to find the killer who turns out to be controlled by some cult nut who tries to kills them while they fall passionately in lust with each other - the astronaut and the live twin, that is. All in 1 day."
Husband:
As a side note, this book seemed more like a vehicle for the author to write repressed sexual fantasies from 9th grade versus a real story.
August 7, 2025
Generous helpings of credible romance, compelling suspense and timely themes topped off with a satisfying ending twist bound to make any suspense thriller fan’s reading day better!
Gillian and Melina Lloyd are identical twins and, in every way, their conduct, their thought processes dot the i’s and cross the t’s of every twin trope imaginable. Their unspoken communication, for example, verges on spooky telepathy. THE SWITCH is a convincing suspense thriller that looks at Gillian’s decision to travel down the twisted road of becoming a parent via artificial insemination when that road is cluttered with road blocks of television evangelism, eugenics, genetic engineering, psychopathic religious cults, FBI investigation into serial murder conspiracies, and more!
Recently, I reviewed Sandra Brown’s SEEING RED as “too” - too long, too slow, too complex, too ugly and too angry without a single character in the entire novel (including the obvious lead male and female who are endlessly entwined in Sandra Brown’s inevitable sweaty underlying romance) that would evoke even a modest amount of understanding, sympathy, or mental support.
But I’m thrilled to report that THE SWITCH is everything that SEEING RED wasn’t and ensures that Sandra Brown remains firmly entrenched on my list of go-to suspense thriller authors.
Definitely recommended
Paul Weiss
Gillian and Melina Lloyd are identical twins and, in every way, their conduct, their thought processes dot the i’s and cross the t’s of every twin trope imaginable. Their unspoken communication, for example, verges on spooky telepathy. THE SWITCH is a convincing suspense thriller that looks at Gillian’s decision to travel down the twisted road of becoming a parent via artificial insemination when that road is cluttered with road blocks of television evangelism, eugenics, genetic engineering, psychopathic religious cults, FBI investigation into serial murder conspiracies, and more!
Recently, I reviewed Sandra Brown’s SEEING RED as “too” - too long, too slow, too complex, too ugly and too angry without a single character in the entire novel (including the obvious lead male and female who are endlessly entwined in Sandra Brown’s inevitable sweaty underlying romance) that would evoke even a modest amount of understanding, sympathy, or mental support.
But I’m thrilled to report that THE SWITCH is everything that SEEING RED wasn’t and ensures that Sandra Brown remains firmly entrenched on my list of go-to suspense thriller authors.
Definitely recommended
Paul Weiss
June 30, 2018
2.5 stars rounded down.
There's an underlying premise that the astronaut called Chief (the H of the story) slept with one sister and then spends the rest of the story lusting after the other twin. This had an ick factor for me even while I tried to wait for the ick to go away. Took way too long to get there. And even though you know SB will show how it's OK, I didn't buy that either. I simply don't buy that they didn't stay at the house after the twin chat. There was a guest bedroom, you wouldn't drive back to a house that wasn't yours.
Half the problems were caused simply because the H/h wouldn't communicate with the Feds. But then the whole story of them on the run would just go away. This felt stupid and contrived.
So two of the primary premises failed for me and it's hard to buy into the plot which had so much potential.
There's an underlying premise that the astronaut called Chief (the H of the story) slept with one sister and then spends the rest of the story lusting after the other twin. This had an ick factor for me even while I tried to wait for the ick to go away. Took way too long to get there. And even though you know SB will show how it's OK, I didn't buy that either. I simply don't buy that they didn't stay at the house after the twin chat. There was a guest bedroom, you wouldn't drive back to a house that wasn't yours.
Half the problems were caused simply because the H/h wouldn't communicate with the Feds. But then the whole story of them on the run would just go away. This felt stupid and contrived.
So two of the primary premises failed for me and it's hard to buy into the plot which had so much potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2017
Yes, 5 stars for me! I can never go wrong with SB. This book had me hooked from the start. I binge read it til 2am. It was near the last chapter when I sorta figured it out. I was right on my who but not my what.....makes no sense to others I know :) I would recommend this book to all SB fans who have not read it yet and any other fans of romantic/suspense. The plot was awesome!
July 18, 2018
Too far-fetched and the romance was meh.
March 16, 2018
O livro anterior que li da autora foi um pouco decepcionante mas este compensou em tudo. Muito bem estruturado e uma narrativa inteligente. Adorei de início ao fim.
January 14, 2021
This book really creeped me out at first, but I stuck with it and by the end it wasn't really so bad. The basic premise was having identical twins in a sex triangle. Which one did the guy sleep with? Which one is he with now? That didn't turn me on at all. It just struck me as creepy and pathetic.
Then there was the hero, "Chief" Hart. He's a half-Comanche astronaut. And Sandra Brown uses up every Native American stereotype you can possibly imagine. He's agile, fearless, silent but deadly, honest yet stealthy, has no use for money and fame. And you know, it's funny. One of my all time favorite books is The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence Ritter. It's about baseball players from the 1900-1920 era. Back then, if a Native American played in the Major Leagues, they called him "Chief" as a joke. Like, Chief Bender of the Philadelphia Athletics. Isn't it weird that a modern romance author who thinks she's being positive would use the same stereotypical nickname as the ignorant jocks of 100 years ago? I mean, think about it.
Then there was the villain, Brother Gabriel. He's like a phony television evangelist. The problem is, he's so blatantly phony, and so silly, that it's impossible to believe he has millions of followers all over the world. He's one of those villains who cracks the reader up instead of being scary. He's lustful, cowardly, boastful, and cruel . . . and those are the good things about him. And he's so busy bragging about all the naked women who serve him that he sounds more like a fourteen year old boy's *fantasy* of what an evil cult leader would be like than what the real thing would really be.
So I hated this book, going in, but as the suspense kicked up it got better and better. The heroine, whichever twin she was, turned out to be a lot tougher and smarter than a lot of early Sandra Brown heroines. She's not afraid to stand up to anyone, even Chief! And the Chief shows a lot of vulnerability about being ashamed of his tribal roots, and also unable to reconcile with his white father (who basically dumped his mother because she was a Reservation Indian.) And there's a cute secondary romance between an FBI agent who's like a sexy Denzel Washington type, and his awkward, shy, white-girl secretary who really comes across like Molly Ringwald in SIXTEEN CANDLES.
So by the end I gave it three stars -- but what I really wanted was to see Brother Gabriel steal the Chief's rocket ship and blast off into space with about a dozen naked teenage girls! And then the rocket explodes and at NASA everyone's holding candles and singing "Rocket Man" real slow.
Then there was the hero, "Chief" Hart. He's a half-Comanche astronaut. And Sandra Brown uses up every Native American stereotype you can possibly imagine. He's agile, fearless, silent but deadly, honest yet stealthy, has no use for money and fame. And you know, it's funny. One of my all time favorite books is The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence Ritter. It's about baseball players from the 1900-1920 era. Back then, if a Native American played in the Major Leagues, they called him "Chief" as a joke. Like, Chief Bender of the Philadelphia Athletics. Isn't it weird that a modern romance author who thinks she's being positive would use the same stereotypical nickname as the ignorant jocks of 100 years ago? I mean, think about it.
Then there was the villain, Brother Gabriel. He's like a phony television evangelist. The problem is, he's so blatantly phony, and so silly, that it's impossible to believe he has millions of followers all over the world. He's one of those villains who cracks the reader up instead of being scary. He's lustful, cowardly, boastful, and cruel . . . and those are the good things about him. And he's so busy bragging about all the naked women who serve him that he sounds more like a fourteen year old boy's *fantasy* of what an evil cult leader would be like than what the real thing would really be.
So I hated this book, going in, but as the suspense kicked up it got better and better. The heroine, whichever twin she was, turned out to be a lot tougher and smarter than a lot of early Sandra Brown heroines. She's not afraid to stand up to anyone, even Chief! And the Chief shows a lot of vulnerability about being ashamed of his tribal roots, and also unable to reconcile with his white father (who basically dumped his mother because she was a Reservation Indian.) And there's a cute secondary romance between an FBI agent who's like a sexy Denzel Washington type, and his awkward, shy, white-girl secretary who really comes across like Molly Ringwald in SIXTEEN CANDLES.
So by the end I gave it three stars -- but what I really wanted was to see Brother Gabriel steal the Chief's rocket ship and blast off into space with about a dozen naked teenage girls! And then the rocket explodes and at NASA everyone's holding candles and singing "Rocket Man" real slow.
April 19, 2012
WOW! É uma palavra (sigla? expressão?) que define na perfeição este livro. Nunca tinha lido nada da autora mas comecei extremamente bem! É daquele livros de dar a volta ao cérebro. Desde a primeira página até à última o enredo tem o dom de prender o leitor. A acção é constante, é activa e tem dinâmica. As personagens estão muito bem construídas e dão um certo mistério a toda a história, que só é descoberto no final. E até ao final não sabemos ainda como aquilo vai terminar. Em todos os capítulos há uma reviravolta e fica-se completamente obcecado por ler o resto, só para tirarmos as dúvidas! De tirar o fôlego!
August 25, 2011
I am so addicted to Sandra Brown's Romance Thrillers!!!!!! What an author she is, keeps ya guessing till the end and this book had a very big surprise ending!!
Sisters, twins, identical in every way, Melina push's her twin Gillian to take her place in entertaining a celeb, for this is her business. The celeb is an astronaut Col. "Chief" Hart, but she turns her down, but changes her mind the last minute. The following day, Melina receives terrible news that her twin has been murdered brutally and the Col is the prime suspect. This book is a fast pacer, turn pager.......so will Melina wind up with Chief, will he be cleared, will the megalomaniac be caught, who has been ruining so many people's lives with murders, etc.....read it!
Sisters, twins, identical in every way, Melina push's her twin Gillian to take her place in entertaining a celeb, for this is her business. The celeb is an astronaut Col. "Chief" Hart, but she turns her down, but changes her mind the last minute. The following day, Melina receives terrible news that her twin has been murdered brutally and the Col is the prime suspect. This book is a fast pacer, turn pager.......so will Melina wind up with Chief, will he be cleared, will the megalomaniac be caught, who has been ruining so many people's lives with murders, etc.....read it!
February 1, 2023
The Switch is the Llyod twins’ story, and when one of them is murdered, a NASA astronaut, Christopher Hart, is mired in the homicide.
Trigger Warning: self-harm, murder, stalker, cult activities
Synopsis:
Gillian and Melina Lloyd are thirty-six-year-old identical twins. Melina works as a media escort and Gillian is a real estate agent. On the verge of making a huge life decision, Gillian grudgingly agrees to Melina's idea of switching places to help take her mind off of her life for a few hours. But shortly after her night out, she's found brutally murdered in her bed.
Colonel Christopher Hart is a NASA astronaut (the first native American to ever be) who just returned from an important outer space mission and has to be escorted to an event felicitating him. That's where Melina comes in. Chief, as he is known to everyone, never thought he would be so enamoured with a woman as he is with Melina.
Being implicated in a murder is not good for Chief's career or retirement plans, but he just couldn't let it go, especially after he feels there's a link between him and the murdered woman he thought he was falling in love with.
Review:
I got The Switch and Mirror Image by Sandra Brown after a friend recommended Sandra Brown's works a few years back. And I'm finally reading The Switch!
The story takes place in Dallas and has been narrated in the third person. I love books with twins and the switcheroo plot and this one had identical twins that no one could ever really tell apart. The Switch starts with a description of the daily lives and the bonding that the Lloyd twins share.
But the story kicks off with a bang a few chapters in when Gillian is murdered and Colonel Hart is the prime suspect, at first. Then starts the police investigation, with another male in tow (Gillian's boyfriend, Jem Hennings), and things start to look interesting.
Sandra Brown is a master storyteller who deftly navigates a multilayered plot, never once losing the thread, and ties it up into a neat package at the end with the biggest revelation of all. Throughout the story, this romantic thriller kept me on my toes, with clues and hints and revelations peppered throughout. The FBI agent pretty much summed up the story in his quote above.
The blurb as well as the events described in the first few chapters of the book are somewhat confusing, or maybe ingenious depending on how you look at it. The Switch that the book talks about is not really there but then it's all out there, and kudos to the author for the play with the text.
Chief Hart's reputation is up in flames as he's connected so closely with a homicide but he points the police toward who might as well have been the real culprit, which seems a tad too easy at first. But of course, it will be, otherwise, how will Melina and Chief's real journey to find the actual murderer begin.
While the story may have started in Dallas, it ends up in New Mexico, with a few stops along the way as Melina and Chief set out to find out what actually happened to Gillian. What I liked more was that the author kept the reader well-informed about the goings-on at the back. It helped connect the dots throughout the story, with the villain's angles being revealed almost simultaneously with the protagonists’.
Brother Gabriel is a televangelist who lives in The Temple in New Mexico. He has a world of followers and it's evident that he is a cult leader. But how and why he may be involved with a murder is what the story is about.
The Switch has a plethora of characters but they are linked every which way and take the story forward perfectly. There are FBI agents in the scene, Hank Tobias and Lucy Myrick (how I would love them to have their own story), who closely follow the case for their own reasons.
The ending is completely unexpected and having a NASA astronaut as one of the main protagonists means there's quite a bit of an adventure there. The story touches upon a host of topics, including the rights and issues of Native Americans, artificial insemination, and a few other things.
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
Trigger Warning: self-harm, murder, stalker, cult activities
Synopsis:
Gillian and Melina Lloyd are thirty-six-year-old identical twins. Melina works as a media escort and Gillian is a real estate agent. On the verge of making a huge life decision, Gillian grudgingly agrees to Melina's idea of switching places to help take her mind off of her life for a few hours. But shortly after her night out, she's found brutally murdered in her bed.
Colonel Christopher Hart is a NASA astronaut (the first native American to ever be) who just returned from an important outer space mission and has to be escorted to an event felicitating him. That's where Melina comes in. Chief, as he is known to everyone, never thought he would be so enamoured with a woman as he is with Melina.
Being implicated in a murder is not good for Chief's career or retirement plans, but he just couldn't let it go, especially after he feels there's a link between him and the murdered woman he thought he was falling in love with.
Review:
I got The Switch and Mirror Image by Sandra Brown after a friend recommended Sandra Brown's works a few years back. And I'm finally reading The Switch!
The story takes place in Dallas and has been narrated in the third person. I love books with twins and the switcheroo plot and this one had identical twins that no one could ever really tell apart. The Switch starts with a description of the daily lives and the bonding that the Lloyd twins share.
But the story kicks off with a bang a few chapters in when Gillian is murdered and Colonel Hart is the prime suspect, at first. Then starts the police investigation, with another male in tow (Gillian's boyfriend, Jem Hennings), and things start to look interesting.
This case was so damn multilayered.
Sandra Brown is a master storyteller who deftly navigates a multilayered plot, never once losing the thread, and ties it up into a neat package at the end with the biggest revelation of all. Throughout the story, this romantic thriller kept me on my toes, with clues and hints and revelations peppered throughout. The FBI agent pretty much summed up the story in his quote above.
The blurb as well as the events described in the first few chapters of the book are somewhat confusing, or maybe ingenious depending on how you look at it. The Switch that the book talks about is not really there but then it's all out there, and kudos to the author for the play with the text.
He was a member of a minority, and, as all minority youths learn early on, he'd had to work longer, strive harder, be tougher. ... He was watched more closely, the implication being that at some point he would probably screw up.
Chief Hart's reputation is up in flames as he's connected so closely with a homicide but he points the police toward who might as well have been the real culprit, which seems a tad too easy at first. But of course, it will be, otherwise, how will Melina and Chief's real journey to find the actual murderer begin.
While the story may have started in Dallas, it ends up in New Mexico, with a few stops along the way as Melina and Chief set out to find out what actually happened to Gillian. What I liked more was that the author kept the reader well-informed about the goings-on at the back. It helped connect the dots throughout the story, with the villain's angles being revealed almost simultaneously with the protagonists’.
I doubt they're held in chains. But mind control can be an even stronger shackle.
Brother Gabriel is a televangelist who lives in The Temple in New Mexico. He has a world of followers and it's evident that he is a cult leader. But how and why he may be involved with a murder is what the story is about.
The Switch has a plethora of characters but they are linked every which way and take the story forward perfectly. There are FBI agents in the scene, Hank Tobias and Lucy Myrick (how I would love them to have their own story), who closely follow the case for their own reasons.
The ending is completely unexpected and having a NASA astronaut as one of the main protagonists means there's quite a bit of an adventure there. The story touches upon a host of topics, including the rights and issues of Native Americans, artificial insemination, and a few other things.
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
March 29, 2017
Mais um livro fantástico da autora vou ler mais livros dela certamente!
March 18, 2022
A full-on romp of a mystery / thriller featuring twins! A short and entertaining read. Really liked it :)
April 6, 2015
3 1/2 stars.
Gillian and Melina are identical twins.
They switched identities regularly as children, but now approaching 40, they decide to do it one more time - with tragic results.
But Melina feels deep inside her that there is more to Gillian's murder than the sheriff, who has quickly wrapped up the case, realises - and she continues to investigate.
This is a good story line with two twists at the end (one I saw coming and one I didn't).
I became quickly absorbed in the plot and would have given it 4 stars had the writing (particularly the conversations) not been quite so stilted in places.
Gillian and Melina are identical twins.
They switched identities regularly as children, but now approaching 40, they decide to do it one more time - with tragic results.
But Melina feels deep inside her that there is more to Gillian's murder than the sheriff, who has quickly wrapped up the case, realises - and she continues to investigate.
This is a good story line with two twists at the end (one I saw coming and one I didn't).
I became quickly absorbed in the plot and would have given it 4 stars had the writing (particularly the conversations) not been quite so stilted in places.
May 17, 2016
An unbelievable premise can sometimes turn into an entertaining book. Mirror Image (1990) and Play Dirty (2007) are two of Sandra Brown’s books I can recall. Unfortunately, the protagonists in The Switch don’t have characteristics that I find attractive. The romance and storyline seem contrived despite the ambitious plot point like a villain with a delusional god complex and nefarious enterprise. Not my favorite.
March 21, 2011
Já acabei então o Vidas Trocadas e posso afirmar que foi outra leitura fantástica. Estou completamente rendida às intrigas e mistérios que a autora cria.
E à sua escrita também.
Tem um estilo que me agrada muito.
Sobre o livro, tenho alguma coisas a dizer. A primeira é que eu descobri a revelação, aquele pormenor que é revelado a umas escassas páginas do fim.
Sempre estive muito reticente em acreditar nas palavras dela e eu cá tinha as minhas suspeitas.
Quando o Chefe está na cela e está a pensar para ele, só serviu para confirmar aquilo que eu estava tão convencida. Portanto, gostei mesmo do livro.
O romance entre o Christopher e a gémea até está bonito. Gostei de saber que ele é um homem de carácter - digo isto por causa da razão que o levou a ficar em Dallas.
Outro ponto muito importante são os temas que estão aqui em destaque: a inseminação artificial e a religião - ou a não religião já que estou a ser criteriosa.
Isto para dizer que para já, estes são dois temas que me interessam e que nem sempre são falados de maneira interessante com sucesso. A autora conseguiu isso. Mesmo que tudo o que ela tenha falado sobre a inseminação artificial tenha sido apenas uma camada, conseguiu fazê-lo de uma maneira a que o leitor percebesse.
Até fui pesquisar mais sobre o assunto, porque aquilo que ela falou e referiu deixou-me curiosa sobre este método alternativo de concepção.
A religião, é um tema algo recorrente mas acho que a autora a abordou de um prisma curioso.
Ainda mais importante, foi a forma de conectar as duas temáticas, que me surpreendeu. Quando à partida pensamos nestes dois temas, a ligação que nos vem à cabeça não será esta, garanto.
Que ideia macabra. Pus-me realmente a pensar como seria se alguém instituísse uma coisa dessas por esse mundo fora? A dimensão da "organização" surpreendeu-me, com aquelas ramificações todas.
Fiquei com pena da autora não ter dado uma hipótese mais tangível (ou seja, além das flores) ao casal Lucy e Tobias. Gostava que eles tivessem ficado juntos.
Concluindo, outro livro muito bom.
E à sua escrita também.
Tem um estilo que me agrada muito.
Sobre o livro, tenho alguma coisas a dizer. A primeira é que eu descobri a revelação, aquele pormenor que é revelado a umas escassas páginas do fim.
Sempre estive muito reticente em acreditar nas palavras dela e eu cá tinha as minhas suspeitas.
Quando o Chefe está na cela e está a pensar para ele, só serviu para confirmar aquilo que eu estava tão convencida. Portanto, gostei mesmo do livro.
O romance entre o Christopher e a gémea até está bonito. Gostei de saber que ele é um homem de carácter - digo isto por causa da razão que o levou a ficar em Dallas.
Outro ponto muito importante são os temas que estão aqui em destaque: a inseminação artificial e a religião - ou a não religião já que estou a ser criteriosa.
Isto para dizer que para já, estes são dois temas que me interessam e que nem sempre são falados de maneira interessante com sucesso. A autora conseguiu isso. Mesmo que tudo o que ela tenha falado sobre a inseminação artificial tenha sido apenas uma camada, conseguiu fazê-lo de uma maneira a que o leitor percebesse.
Até fui pesquisar mais sobre o assunto, porque aquilo que ela falou e referiu deixou-me curiosa sobre este método alternativo de concepção.
A religião, é um tema algo recorrente mas acho que a autora a abordou de um prisma curioso.
Ainda mais importante, foi a forma de conectar as duas temáticas, que me surpreendeu. Quando à partida pensamos nestes dois temas, a ligação que nos vem à cabeça não será esta, garanto.
Que ideia macabra. Pus-me realmente a pensar como seria se alguém instituísse uma coisa dessas por esse mundo fora? A dimensão da "organização" surpreendeu-me, com aquelas ramificações todas.
Fiquei com pena da autora não ter dado uma hipótese mais tangível (ou seja, além das flores) ao casal Lucy e Tobias. Gostava que eles tivessem ficado juntos.
Concluindo, outro livro muito bom.
June 15, 2015
Esta é a minha estreia com a autora e foi uma bela estreia! Este é um policial menos sangrento que alguns mas não deixa de cativar o leitor fazendo-o perder umas belas horas de sono!
Sandra Brown tem aquele toque de ligar o romance ao policial que ela bem sabe e por isso torna o enredo deveras apelativo.
Nesta obra temos duas irmãs gémeas: Melina e Gillian e estas são quase indistinguíveis. Depois de uma ser brutalmente assassinada, a outra irmã sente-se bastante culpada pois houve uma troca de identidades.
Depois de Melina ser alvo de acontecimentos para lá de estranhos pensa que a polícia se precipitou a resolver o caso e portanto tenta investigar por conta própria.
A escrita é fluida e leve e as personagens são carismáticas e são brindadas com bastante humor.
Vou ler mais obras desta senhora!
Sandra Brown tem aquele toque de ligar o romance ao policial que ela bem sabe e por isso torna o enredo deveras apelativo.
Nesta obra temos duas irmãs gémeas: Melina e Gillian e estas são quase indistinguíveis. Depois de uma ser brutalmente assassinada, a outra irmã sente-se bastante culpada pois houve uma troca de identidades.
Depois de Melina ser alvo de acontecimentos para lá de estranhos pensa que a polícia se precipitou a resolver o caso e portanto tenta investigar por conta própria.
A escrita é fluida e leve e as personagens são carismáticas e são brindadas com bastante humor.
Vou ler mais obras desta senhora!
December 2, 2008
I love Sandra but this story was stupid.
August 4, 2018
3.5 stars
March 25, 2017
#29 for 2017 RC
Genre : Suspense
Genre : Suspense
August 11, 2017
This is another book that I've had forever but put it back every time I started to read it. I think the plot of this story was very good but the romance portion was very disturbing to me even after the plot twist that should've saved it. I really can't say more without giving spoilers but if the book had been without the romance it probably would've been a four star read. Brown is a fantastic writer and I loved the plot though the number of plot twists at the end was ott and made my head hurt. Strange that the romance ruined the book of a romance author but the premise of it was so skeezy I actually skipped most of those scenes and the plot twist turned it from creepy to...cruel I guess is the word I used. It was a huge deception that should've been unforgivable. I enjoyed the book romance aside but the ickiness of the romance will prevent it from being a reread
September 20, 2016
A classificação correcta seria um 3,5*. Principalmente se comparar com o "Uma Voz na Noite".
Gostei da estória, mas tive pena de ter adivinhado o desfecho logo a meio do livro, o que tirou o "encanto". Além de que só a meio do livro este se tornou de leitura compulsiva, para descobrir se as minhas suposições estariam correctas.
No entanto não deixa de ser um bom policial, com o toque certo de romance-
Uma autora a seguir.
Gostei da estória, mas tive pena de ter adivinhado o desfecho logo a meio do livro, o que tirou o "encanto". Além de que só a meio do livro este se tornou de leitura compulsiva, para descobrir se as minhas suposições estariam correctas.
No entanto não deixa de ser um bom policial, com o toque certo de romance-
Uma autora a seguir.
March 1, 2017
Sandra Brown não desilude! Muito bom mas cansativo, já estava doida com estas gêmeas e sempre atenta a perceber as trocas que fizeram ou não fizeram... vi logo como ia ser possível saber quem era quem mas claro só no final é que se desvendou
July 25, 2020
Another great thriller from Ms. Brown! Intriguing with plenty of twists, although I had my suspicions about a few things. Definitely had me turning the pages.
August 4, 2010
I quite enjoyed this book, but with some caveats. First off, the pacing was awesome - it was PAINFUL to go to bed with the book unfinished. I sat in the bathroom on the floor for almost an hour, reading, convincing myself that it wouldn't hurt to read for "just" five more minutes. I finally made myself go to bed.
However, when I got to the end of the book and realized what Sandra Brown had done, I started to think back on the book, and I wasn't so in love with it. I don't want to give anything away, but if it really happened the way that Sandra was saying that it did, then the inner narration on the part of the surviving twin doesn't make any sense. She thought things that she wouldn't have, because she'd have already known the truth. In other words, she was confused by things that she shouldn't have been confused by.
However, if you want a fast read that enjoyable, then go for it. But Sandra should have had better editing on this one than she did.
However, when I got to the end of the book and realized what Sandra Brown had done, I started to think back on the book, and I wasn't so in love with it. I don't want to give anything away, but if it really happened the way that Sandra was saying that it did, then the inner narration on the part of the surviving twin doesn't make any sense. She thought things that she wouldn't have, because she'd have already known the truth. In other words, she was confused by things that she shouldn't have been confused by.
However, if you want a fast read that enjoyable, then go for it. But Sandra should have had better editing on this one than she did.
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