100 books
—
3 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “You Can't Catch Me” as Want to Read:
You Can't Catch Me
by
When the game is deception, nothing is as it seems in this novel of cunning psychological suspense by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of I’ll Never Tell.
Do you want to play a game?
Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped a cult. Thanks to the private detective who rescued her, she reintegrated into society, endured an uncomfortable notoriety, and tried to put it a ...more
Do you want to play a game?
Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped a cult. Thanks to the private detective who rescued her, she reintegrated into society, endured an uncomfortable notoriety, and tried to put it a ...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 335 pages
Published
June 9th 2020
by Lake Union Publishing
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
You Can't Catch Me,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
2020 Acquisitions & Development for TV/Film Adaptations (Part 1 - Jan. to July)
More lists with this book...
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of You Can't Catch Me

Parts of this story were excellent and some of it really dragged....a lot.
The culmination of the story was interesting and nicely buttoned things up but it was also but very far-fetched.
I was entertained by this book but didn't feel the storyline lived up to its potential.
I am, however, very grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review! ...more
The culmination of the story was interesting and nicely buttoned things up but it was also but very far-fetched.
I was entertained by this book but didn't feel the storyline lived up to its potential.
I am, however, very grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review! ...more

Aug 23, 2019
Catherine McKenzie
rated it
it was amazing
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
Readers! YOU CAN'T CATCH ME will be my 10th novel in 10 years, which is so crazy to think about I need to put that aside. Anywho! I'm so excited for you to meet Jessica Williams, and ... Jessica Williams, and Jessica, you guessed it, Williams! That's right, there's a lot of Jessicas in this book! Several years ago, a friend of mine kept getting stopped at the border. She has a common name, and there was an APB out for someone with a similar name and the same birthday. Over time, we realized that
...more

I’ve really been having a hard time with thrillers lately, and unfortunately this one was no exception.
I had trouble connecting to this read right from the start. I found myself constantly losing focus and having to continually refer back to the previous chapter just to make sure I hadn't actually missed something.
Jessica Williams. A fairly common name. What if Jessica is using that name to take advantage of other women who share her name. What if it’s time the tables turned?
I had such high expe ...more
I had trouble connecting to this read right from the start. I found myself constantly losing focus and having to continually refer back to the previous chapter just to make sure I hadn't actually missed something.
Jessica Williams. A fairly common name. What if Jessica is using that name to take advantage of other women who share her name. What if it’s time the tables turned?
I had such high expe ...more

Jun 09, 2020
Brenda - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
good-one-for-a-group-read,
behind-the-pages
Hot Diggity Dang! Catherine McKenzie sure caught me with this twisty good exciting original thrill of a read!
You Can't Catch me explores an exciting game of revenge here after Jessica is a victim of identity theft. Twelve years ago, Jessica was a victim of a cult, and now she meets a woman in a bar with the same name as hers, and the game begins. She is no ones' victim now, and she is out for revenge!
My attention was caught right from the start with this cunning well-paced read, and every chan ...more
You Can't Catch me explores an exciting game of revenge here after Jessica is a victim of identity theft. Twelve years ago, Jessica was a victim of a cult, and now she meets a woman in a bar with the same name as hers, and the game begins. She is no ones' victim now, and she is out for revenge!
My attention was caught right from the start with this cunning well-paced read, and every chan ...more

Would you Like to Play a Game?
Sitting at an airport bar, Jessica Williams is planning to get out of dodge. When she meets a lady with the same name and birthday as her’s she thinks it a bizarre coincidence.
A week later when Jessica One discovers that all of her bank accounts have been cleared out she knows exactly who to blame. Silly Jessica for trusting her “new friend” so easily!
“War Games” - this is not, albeit, Jessica One, might disagree!
Good thing Jessica learned a thing or two after h ...more
Sitting at an airport bar, Jessica Williams is planning to get out of dodge. When she meets a lady with the same name and birthday as her’s she thinks it a bizarre coincidence.
A week later when Jessica One discovers that all of her bank accounts have been cleared out she knows exactly who to blame. Silly Jessica for trusting her “new friend” so easily!
“War Games” - this is not, albeit, Jessica One, might disagree!
Good thing Jessica learned a thing or two after h ...more

Every now and then we have the pleasure of reading a book that totally captivates and surprises. You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie is that book. Jessica Williams was raised in a cult and was rescued twelve years ago. She rebuilt her life and all was well until a chance encounter at the airport. She was approached by a stranger who turned out to share her name and birthday. The two enjoyed a few drinks and discussed the serendipity. Within days, it became clear that the woman had stolen he
...more

Two women named Jessica Williams walk into a bar.
Sitting beside each other is not an accident.
One was once a child, rescued from a CULT. She is not willing to be anyone’s
VICTIM again...especially not a grifter’s.
I am a huge fan of this author having read almost every one of her ten books, but I was not a fan of this book.
Perhaps this time it’s a case of “It’s me, not you” !
I don’t enjoy stories about CULTS, or GRIFTERS, so, this book probably did not stand a chance with me!
If you enjoy th ...more
Sitting beside each other is not an accident.
One was once a child, rescued from a CULT. She is not willing to be anyone’s
VICTIM again...especially not a grifter’s.
I am a huge fan of this author having read almost every one of her ten books, but I was not a fan of this book.
Perhaps this time it’s a case of “It’s me, not you” !
I don’t enjoy stories about CULTS, or GRIFTERS, so, this book probably did not stand a chance with me!
If you enjoy th ...more

Let me tell you, Jessica’s story is one nightmares are made of! She manages to escape a cult over a decade prior, and she finally starts feeling comfortable in society when she meets a woman in an airport who has the same name and birth date. An odd coincidence, right?
The following week, Jessica’s back account is empty, and her identity has been stolen. Jessica is on the hunt for this woman and finds other victims. Gathering together, they plan to catch the fraud.
I thought this was a captivating ...more
The following week, Jessica’s back account is empty, and her identity has been stolen. Jessica is on the hunt for this woman and finds other victims. Gathering together, they plan to catch the fraud.
I thought this was a captivating ...more

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Catherine McKenzie, and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
When it comes to books with twists aplenty and well-developed characters, readers need not look further than Catherine McKenzie and her latest novel. Well-paced and full of ‘aha’ moments, McKenzie shows why she is one of the great authors of her genre. After being outed at work and having her nam ...more
When it comes to books with twists aplenty and well-developed characters, readers need not look further than Catherine McKenzie and her latest novel. Well-paced and full of ‘aha’ moments, McKenzie shows why she is one of the great authors of her genre. After being outed at work and having her nam ...more

This is the tenth novel of Catherine McKenzie and this is my third waltz with her books. I enjoyed “Good Liar” but “I’ll never tell” is a 3 solid starred Switzerland read with unlikable characters and of course “Fractured” is at my long time TBR list (I wish I have 72 hours a day to trim that monster, it gets more terrifying at each day and I’m feeding it with more book lists!)
This book gave me complex feelings. The idea of putting grifter/identity theft and cult into same equation was a little ...more
This book gave me complex feelings. The idea of putting grifter/identity theft and cult into same equation was a little ...more

Twisty, absorbing, and fast-paced!
YOU CAN’T CATCH ME by CATHERINE McKENZIE is pure fun that was an extremely quick, entertaining, and brisk read. I was immediately hooked and it held my attention right to that extremely surprising and mind blowing ending.
CATHERINE McKENZIE delivers an engrossing, intriguing, and cleverly plotted story here with some pretty impressive twists and turns. I absolutely loved the short chapters and the snappy dialogue here which made me read this one quite quickly. I ...more
YOU CAN’T CATCH ME by CATHERINE McKENZIE is pure fun that was an extremely quick, entertaining, and brisk read. I was immediately hooked and it held my attention right to that extremely surprising and mind blowing ending.
CATHERINE McKENZIE delivers an engrossing, intriguing, and cleverly plotted story here with some pretty impressive twists and turns. I absolutely loved the short chapters and the snappy dialogue here which made me read this one quite quickly. I ...more

One of the things I really like about Catherine McKenzie’s novels is that each one is unique. In this one, Jessica has escaped a cult and tried to put her life back together again, earning a college degree in journalism. She writes about the cult, but parts are plagiarized. When she gets caught, she gets fired, but not before receiving a big payoff thanks to the carefully documented sexual harassment she faced by one of her colleagues.
However, when she meets another Jessica Williams with the sa ...more
However, when she meets another Jessica Williams with the sa ...more

NO SPOILERS.
The intriguing beginning was promising....
I was curious if and how goodness would prevail.
A few slow spots in the middle -(but certainly not ghastly slow)-
Overall... I got what I wanted from this book.
Great premises; I didn’t guess the ending!
a personal share....
Our daughter, Ali, ‘survived’ horrors of identity theft- so I knew pretty much first hand - how the victimization of it (10 full years for her), can be financially and emotionally costly.... and draining to the spirit!!! ...more
The intriguing beginning was promising....
I was curious if and how goodness would prevail.
A few slow spots in the middle -(but certainly not ghastly slow)-
Overall... I got what I wanted from this book.
Great premises; I didn’t guess the ending!
a personal share....
Our daughter, Ali, ‘survived’ horrors of identity theft- so I knew pretty much first hand - how the victimization of it (10 full years for her), can be financially and emotionally costly.... and draining to the spirit!!! ...more

Jessica Williams is a journalist who makes a career bombing mistake when she plagiarises an article which results in losing her job though she manages to negotiate a payoff. Whilst waiting for a flight to Mexico for a holiday she meets another Jessica Williams. What a coincidence!!?? Except it’s not. Jessica Two is a hustler and she manages to elicit sufficient information from Jessica One to steal all her settlement money. Thus starts the twistiest of twisty tales that leaves you dizzy as your
...more

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Catherine McKenzie's tenth novel, a disgraced journalist finds herself a pawn in the midst of a very elaborate con game. The police don't seem very interested, but Jessica Williams will stop at nothing to regain the upper hand. But is she really ready for the consequences?
One thing that I can always count on is that Catherine McKenzie wastes no time in getting me hooked. By the end of the first ...more
In Catherine McKenzie's tenth novel, a disgraced journalist finds herself a pawn in the midst of a very elaborate con game. The police don't seem very interested, but Jessica Williams will stop at nothing to regain the upper hand. But is she really ready for the consequences?
One thing that I can always count on is that Catherine McKenzie wastes no time in getting me hooked. By the end of the first ...more

Some books start slow and you have to be patient, often waiting a hundred pages or more for the book to grab you. And then there are books like You Can't Catch Me that grabs you from page 1 and doesn't let go!
Jessica Williams comes to a hefty sum of money but before she has a chance to start spending it, she is conned by someone with the same name. The money's gone and so is Jessica II. Unfortunately police is of no help so Jessica decides to track her money down herself and starts by looking fo ...more
Jessica Williams comes to a hefty sum of money but before she has a chance to start spending it, she is conned by someone with the same name. The money's gone and so is Jessica II. Unfortunately police is of no help so Jessica decides to track her money down herself and starts by looking fo ...more

Mar 03, 2020
Marialyce
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
books-of-2020
2.5 stars
Alas!!! another book for the "wish I had liked it more" file. While I so enjoyed this author's The Good Liar, this one just didn't give me the thrills I was hoping to find.
It has lots going on and perhaps it was that issue that kept me from enjoying this story as much as I hoped I would. The story line, that of a woman named Jessica Williams, who has had her fair share of troubles in the past, being an unwilling member of a cult. being caught plagiarizing and losing her job, and then be ...more
Alas!!! another book for the "wish I had liked it more" file. While I so enjoyed this author's The Good Liar, this one just didn't give me the thrills I was hoping to find.
It has lots going on and perhaps it was that issue that kept me from enjoying this story as much as I hoped I would. The story line, that of a woman named Jessica Williams, who has had her fair share of troubles in the past, being an unwilling member of a cult. being caught plagiarizing and losing her job, and then be ...more

May 08, 2020
Mandy White (mandylovestoread)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
z-read-in-2020,
net-galley
As always with Catherine McKenzie books, I read this quickly. She writes such clever, twisty and surprising stories that hook you in from the first few pages. You Can't Catch Me takes you on a wild ride where nothing is as it seems. It was fun but dark at the same time if that makes sense. Really enjoyable read. Out on June 9th, make sure you grab a copy
Have you ever met somebody that shares both your name and birthday? Highly unlikely right? Well Jessica Williams learns this the hard way. She m ...more
Have you ever met somebody that shares both your name and birthday? Highly unlikely right? Well Jessica Williams learns this the hard way. She m ...more

**Now available!
3 coincidence or not stars
How far would you go to get revenge? This tale digs into just that thought as one woman chases another who coincidentally shares the same name. How common is that?
After a chance meeting at a bar, Jessica discovers that her bank account has been drained and there’s not much the police can do to help her. So the chase is on to catch the "other" Jessica and get her money back!
This was my first read by Catherine McKenzie although I have several of her earli ...more
3 coincidence or not stars
How far would you go to get revenge? This tale digs into just that thought as one woman chases another who coincidentally shares the same name. How common is that?
After a chance meeting at a bar, Jessica discovers that her bank account has been drained and there’s not much the police can do to help her. So the chase is on to catch the "other" Jessica and get her money back!
This was my first read by Catherine McKenzie although I have several of her earli ...more

3.5★
Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped from a cult she was involved in. All she wanted to do was leave that portion of her life behind her, but that was easier said than done. The day Jessica crosses paths with a woman at an airport bar of the exact name and birth date as hers is the day her life will alter forever.
You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie was a book with many twists and turns that kept the reader turning the pages. I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it because I felt ...more
Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped from a cult she was involved in. All she wanted to do was leave that portion of her life behind her, but that was easier said than done. The day Jessica crosses paths with a woman at an airport bar of the exact name and birth date as hers is the day her life will alter forever.
You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie was a book with many twists and turns that kept the reader turning the pages. I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it because I felt ...more

Feb 29, 2020
Erin Clemence
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle,
first-reads
Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected pub date: June 9, 2020
I am so excited to be chosen as one of McKenzie’s early readers, once again. I have read most of McKenzie’s later works, and was impressed by her creativity and skill, so taking the plunge into “You Can’t Catch Me” had me overcome with all the feels.
Jessica Williams has spent the last twelve years trying to rebuild h ...more
Expected pub date: June 9, 2020
I am so excited to be chosen as one of McKenzie’s early readers, once again. I have read most of McKenzie’s later works, and was impressed by her creativity and skill, so taking the plunge into “You Can’t Catch Me” had me overcome with all the feels.
Jessica Williams has spent the last twelve years trying to rebuild h ...more

You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie is a mind-blowing novel. The central theme of the plot is identity theft, wherein our protagonist finds out that she has been duped for all her savings by someone with the same name and date of birth as hers. She then embarks on a journey to seek the perpetrator in hope of getting back her money. In the process, she discovers other victims, and the plot takes unexpected turns. The protagonist's childhood spent in a cult runs as a side track in the plot.
Th ...more
Th ...more

Jun 09, 2020
Susan (The Book Bag)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2020,
2020-reviews
This story grabbed me from the start, with everyone's worst nightmare happening to Jessica. Her identity is stolen and all of her money is gone. And all from an innocent encounter in an airport bar. But is it really just a happenstance meeting?
As Jessica tries to get her life and her money back, she sets out an elaborate plan to bring the guilty party to justice. As her plan moves forward and more people become involved, the plan and the story take some unexpected twists and turns. Those twists ...more
As Jessica tries to get her life and her money back, she sets out an elaborate plan to bring the guilty party to justice. As her plan moves forward and more people become involved, the plan and the story take some unexpected twists and turns. Those twists ...more

Admittedly, I did not read her last release, I’ll Never Tell, but I saw that it legit was everywhere on bookstagram last year, so I promise to give this book a shot.
You Can't Catch Me
centers around a woman named Jessica, who luckily escapes a cult to then only get her identity stolen. Jessica plots her revenge by gathering information on this perp, but will the shadows of her past come to haunt her while she plays vigilante?
This book is straight up popcorn thriller in the best way. It's e ...more
This book is straight up popcorn thriller in the best way. It's e ...more

ARC requested through Netgalley, and kindly provided by Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
This latest novel, from one of my favs - Catherine McKenzie, was a bit of a mixed bag for me. You Can't Catch Me followed two timelines in Jessica Williams’ life - in the past we delved into her life growing up in a cult and in the present, Jessica dealt with an identity thief who stole most of her savings. I found myself super engaged in the former, but the later was a bit problematic ...more
This latest novel, from one of my favs - Catherine McKenzie, was a bit of a mixed bag for me. You Can't Catch Me followed two timelines in Jessica Williams’ life - in the past we delved into her life growing up in a cult and in the present, Jessica dealt with an identity thief who stole most of her savings. I found myself super engaged in the former, but the later was a bit problematic ...more

Just finished and wow! what a superb psychological suspense novel!
There are some great twists that I didn't see coming, and I loved how everything wrapped up in the end. Even though I have nothing in common with Jessica (the OG) I could really relate to her feelings and how they manifested in her adult life. Her upbringing in a cult was fascinating and I liked the way the author wove together her experiences during and after the cult with the events occurring in the present day.
I love a good r ...more
There are some great twists that I didn't see coming, and I loved how everything wrapped up in the end. Even though I have nothing in common with Jessica (the OG) I could really relate to her feelings and how they manifested in her adult life. Her upbringing in a cult was fascinating and I liked the way the author wove together her experiences during and after the cult with the events occurring in the present day.
I love a good r ...more

Apr 06, 2020
Christina McDonald
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
domestic
A fun, twisty story about a former cult member who falls victim to identity theft after making a career-ending mistake. Dazzling, intriguing, and just good old-fashioned fun! This wildly entertaining thriller is chock full of impressive twists and a plot you'll get utterly caught up in.
Jessica Williams high tails it to Mexico but meets another Jessica Williams at the airport before her flight leaves. The second Jessica is a hustler who extracts vital information from her and swindles her out of ...more
Jessica Williams high tails it to Mexico but meets another Jessica Williams at the airport before her flight leaves. The second Jessica is a hustler who extracts vital information from her and swindles her out of ...more

Catherine McKenzie gets better and better with every book. This one is a gem of a story, a suspenseful tale of a former cult member at the receiving end of identity theft. A fresh breath of sneaky, twisty air I couldn't put down.
...more

Jul 07, 2020
Barbara
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-fiiction-psychological-thrill,
us
The concept of this book about identity theft specific to financial scams (not the ongoing destruction of an individual's credit and future life) had potential, but I found the execution lacking. There is an an added element in that some of the principal characters had been involved with a cult.
The biggest problem for me was inconsistent pacing. Descriptions of some events were dragged out far longer than necessary since they added nothing to the story line or the tension necessary in a psychol ...more
The biggest problem for me was inconsistent pacing. Descriptions of some events were dragged out far longer than necessary since they added nothing to the story line or the tension necessary in a psychol ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mystery/Thriller ...: * Group Read - You Can't Catch Me general no spoilers | 17 | 30 | Aug 23, 2020 09:27AM | |
Mystery/Thriller ...: Group Read - You Can't Catch Me ch 32 to end Spoilers Welcome | 19 | 31 | Jul 27, 2020 07:01PM | |
Mystery/Thriller ...: Group Read - You Can't Catch Me ch 10-19 Spoilers Welcome | 10 | 20 | Jul 08, 2020 05:57PM | |
Mystery/Thriller ...: Group Read - You Can't Catch Me ch 1-9 Spoilers Welcome | 15 | 19 | Jul 08, 2020 01:59AM |
Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practiced law in Montreal for twenty years before retiring to write full time. An avid runner and skier, she's the author of numerous bestsellers including HIDDEN, FRACTURED, THE GOOD LIAR and I'LL NEVER TELL. Her works have been translated into multiple languages.
In 2019, I'LL NEVER TELL ...more
In 2019, I'LL NEVER TELL ...more
Articles featuring this book
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day.
To create our...
35 likes · 15 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Apple store, all white, glossy surfaces and molded plastic.”
—
0 likes
More quotes…