Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Alter Ego” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Alter Ego

K.A. Masson (Goodreads Author)

4.04 · Rating details · 25 ratings · 21 reviews

Pounding on the door. My seven-year-old son shaking me awake. My head fuzzy with sleeping pills. The hallway flashing with blue light. This morning my life will change forever.

Alex Kendrew is juggling single parenthood, work and dating; with a wild, impetuous streak that’s hard to keep in check, she struggles to find a balance and feels perpetually guilty for the choices s ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for $2.99

Paperback, 446 pages

Published October 17th 2020 by Bellenden Projects

More Details... Edit Details

Win a Copy of This Book

Alter Ego

K.A. Masson (Goodreads Author)

Release date: Oct 17, 2020

Enter to win one of 100 copies of Alter Ego, the début novel by KA Masson!

Pounding on the door. My seven-year-old son shaking me awake. My head fuzzy ...more

Enter Giveaway

Format: Kindle book

Giveaway ends in: a

Availability: 100 copies available, 413 people requesting

Giveaway dates: Jan 12 - Jan 24, 2021

Countries available: U.S.

View details »

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Alter Ego, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Alter Ego

Lists with This Book

Domestic Noir

264 books — 55 voters

Best "Chick Noir" A.K.A. Domestic Thriller

39 books — 21 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-43

Average rating 4.04 ·

Rating details

· 25 ratings · 21 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Alter Ego

Nov 04, 2020 ChopperCrimeBooks rated it it was amazing

“My alter ego does not look in to great a mood today” – Simon de Pury

Pounding on the door. My seven-year-old son shaking me awake. My head fuzzy with sleeping pills. The hallway flashing with blue light. This morning my life will change forever.

Alex Kendrew is juggling single parenthood, work and dating; with a wild, impetuous streak that’s hard to keep in check, she struggles to find a balance and feels perpetually guilty for the choices she makes.

In K.A. Masson’s domestic noir thriller, Alex b ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2020 janine rated it really liked it

Alter Ego by KA Masson
I give this book 4 stars
Single mum Alex Kendrew is juggling a busy life,looking after her young son Ned, working as an independent photographer and attempting online dating.After a series of disasters she rekindles a connection with someone. But then one morning, the police arrest her for his attempted murder. Someone is framing her; can she prove her innocence as the evidence mounts against her?
A brilliant debut novel that l just wanted to keep on reading.The storyline an ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 20, 2020 Becky rated it it was amazing

A fantastic read! This book is longer than what I usually read, but, wow! did it keep my attention! Alex, a single mom juggles her life as best she can. Her son, Ned. Her work, independent photographer. Her on line dating. There are alot of characters in her life, but I found them all quite interesting and fun to read about. This book is super realistic.
I was surprised to hear this is a debut novel. It is excellent! Will watch for more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary cop ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 26, 2020 Helen Bridgwood added it

Woah! Wow!
Just finished Alter Ego after a sleepless week of not being able to put it down.
I found the start a real eye opener into the life of internet dating and the life of a single parent then the twists and turns of events leading to the final nail biting moments.
Highly recommend this.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2020 Natalia rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 27, 2020 James rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Any book that name checks Matt Johnson’s The The, and in particular Uncertain Smile, has got to have a lot of things going for it, right? In fact, this book, Alter Ego, the debut thriller from English writer K.A. Masson, is peppered with plenty of musical references throughout its taut narrative, with two of the story’s main characters at one point going through their Spotify playlists and cranking out some banging tunes, with no decade being left out. But it was the The The reference that sat w Any book that name checks Matt Johnson’s The The, and in particular Uncertain Smile, has got to have a lot of things going for it, right? In fact, this book, Alter Ego, the debut thriller from English writer K.A. Masson, is peppered with plenty of musical references throughout its taut narrative, with two of the story’s main characters at one point going through their Spotify playlists and cranking out some banging tunes, with no decade being left out. But it was the The The reference that sat with me. I haven’t listened to this band for some time, and when I’m done writing this review, I will queue up Soul Mining and get all nostalgic.

(Image: heyitscarlyrae.com)
Alexandra (Alex) Kendrew is a single mother who lives with her young son Ned in suburban London. Estranged from the boy’s father Sean for some time when the novel begins, Alex trawls dating websites looking for love and someone to settle down with. She’s a freelance photographer who juggles her professional and personal life, and during the course of the story, drops balls on a regular basis. Some of her friends question her lifestyle choices and parenting skills, but Alex knows what she’s doing.

Or does she?

When Alter Ego begins, Alex is arrested for the attempted murder of her boyfriend Mal Russell, who was brutally stabbed the night before in the flat he shares with a friend. Alex has been identified by said friend as the woman who she admitted to the flat and subsequently stabbed Mal. Alex doesn’t believe what’s happened to her. There is no way she could’ve done what she’s accused of. She was at home with Ned. The detectives investigating the case don’t believe her, and lock her up in a cell while they collect enough evidence to charge her. Alex’s arrest happens in the first chapter, so there’s an immediacy to the story already. What the author does next is take us back four years and work us through Alex’s life until the time of her arrest.

Alex hooks up with a couple of men she met online, some better than others, but lands on Mal, who appears to be the man of her dreams. Things go pear-shaped quickly when Ned wanders in and catches them in an private but awkward moment. As Mal still holds a candle for a recent ex, he ghosts Alex shortly afterwards. She is distraught, but manages to pick herself up off the floor when Adrian comes into her life. Then things take a really nasty turn, with Adrian turning out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not for the first time, Alex is left with a mess to sort out, but desperate to not be alone, she jumps at the chance of salvation when Mal comes back into her life.

I’ll leave it at that for the plot, for fear of giving too much away. I would prefer to leave you in the more than capable hands of K.A. Masson to take it from here. I had to remind myself that Alter Ego is a debut novel, because it reads like Ms. Masson has had a number of novels under her belt already. She is masterful at holding the story together despite having to fill in a lot of blanks over a four year period. The tension rises with each chapter, and I confess to reading the last third of the book in one late night sitting. I had to find out what happened, and I wasn’t disappointed.

K.A. Masson
One proviso, though: Alex as a character may not appeal to those who prefer their main characters whiter than white, with nary a blemish to their name. But for me, it was important to relate to Alex as a woman troubled by her past and fearful of her future. At times she is the author of her own misfortune, making the same mistakes in dating time and again, without really learning from past behaviour. This is a completely human characteristic. We want things to go well for ourselves, and when our friends point out our failures, we can sometimes take this criticism as a personal insult rather than a learning moment. Ms Masson does well by giving us a deep insight into Alex’s thought processes with her tight first person point of view. We see what Alex sees; we feel what she does; and we want her to do better. She could — and this is something to keep in mind — be an unreliable narrator. Not everthing that happens is what it seems; the same applies to the people around her.

Alter Ego is an intelligent psychological thriller with moments of violence that will make you uncomfortable. Domestic violence is a blight on modern society, and the author brings a lot of research into her story. I seriously look forward to what she writes next.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publishers for supplying me with a copy of Alter Ego in return for an honest review. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2020 Sharon Williams rated it it was amazing

Wow I don't know where to start with this book as it was so good, but I would like to thank @author_kamasson for kindly inviting me to read her book and give an honest review.

I can honestley say I was gripped from the first page and not many books can do that. We start with Alex kendrew who is a single mother living with her 7 year old son ned trying to wake his mother from a deep sleep as the police are banging on there front door. They have come to arrest Alex for the attempted murder of her b ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 15, 2020 Kelly rated it it was amazing

I received a free copy of this book from the author to read and review.

Thrillers have become a dime a dozen, but Alter Ego stands out from the crowd! I didn't know quite what to expect when I started reading, but the book started with a bang. The story is all about Alexandra Kendrew, single mom to seven-year-old Ned, and a photographer that owns her own business. She's woken up early in the morning by a pounding on the door, and it's the police, there to arrest her on attempted murder charges. T ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2021 Mindy rated it really liked it

Thank you to Emily Keough Publicity and K.A. Masson for a gifted copy of this psychological crime drama in exchange for an honest review!

Alter Ego is a wild ride filled with sexual tension, romance, police proceedings, and a mysterious whodunit. You really can't trust any of the characters, which makes the suspense leading to the reveal of Mal's attacker that much more intense. I couldn't even thoroughly trust our own main character and narrator, Alex.

I found some of the sexual scenes to be a bi ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2020 Sharon rated it really liked it

I thoroughly enjoyed this domestic thriller, it begins with the lead character, Alex, a single mum, being awoken by the police pounding on her door and subsequently arresting her (in front of her young son) for the attempted murder of her lover.
What follows is an exciting, at times sexually explicit, story of internet dating as a single mum who is also a freelance photographer and who is fighting to prove her innocence.

The story goes back a few years and this adds to the suspense as well as enab ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 16, 2020 Jay Williams rated it liked it

The style of writing is smooth and the language devoid of British idioms. The story starts with a bang, then dissolves into a series of graphic sex descriptions. By the end it revealed a murder mystery and an attempt to frame the main character. the sexual activities continued to provide details that were not germane to the story, but provided lots of filler material. The characters were were interesting, but drawn from a different side of life. I couldn't find any likeable character other than ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 26, 2020 Chocoviv V. rated it really liked it

At first, I found the long, descriptive and seemingly mundane relationships a bit overwhelming. I was looking forward to the crime solving part of the story. So, when her relationships turned south, I got hooked.
Actually, many of the clues were hidden in her relationships that were connected to the real murderer. I couldn't guess who it was, so I had to keep reading!
 Note: Sexual assault and verbal abuse was in parts of the story.   ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 10, 2020 Carly-Rae London rated it really liked it

This novel is a debut and definitely worth a read. Author K. A. Masson did an amazing job crafting this plotline as I have not been able to put it down, and when I do, I sneak a peek back it! 😊 Authors always want to know if their books keep you up because you can’t stop reading. Well, Author K.A. Masson, I stayed up and lost sleep just to read one more chapter!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 14, 2020 Jessica Stone rated it really liked it

Single motherhood, London, dating, music...all topics near and dear to my heart.

K.A. Masson dissects--with unapologetic honesty--the inner turmoil of wanting to be a good mother while also yearning to be true to herself as a woman. She writes with such emotional precision, that you're able to step inside Alex's world and experience it from all its varied contours, and against the backdrop of a vibrant London few people truly get to see. And did I mention it's really sexy? ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2021 Booksandcoffeepleasemx rated it really liked it

This story was fascinating and brilliant, I was engaged since chapter one and couldn’t stop reading.
A great debut from this author and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you Emily Keough Publicity and KA Masson for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoff... ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2021 Richard Mander rated it really liked it

An entertaining read. I did guess the outcome but that didn’t detract from it.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2020 Emily rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult-lit, thriller

This book hooks you in by starting at the end and then bringing you back through the events that led up to the action, with a definite twist at the end!

Alex learns that her boyfriend Mal has been attacked when she is arrested for his attempted murder. After her arrest, we follow her back through the relationships and events that brought Alex and Mal to this point--and it is a long, winding road, full of abusive boyfriends, harassment, and even (!) faked deaths. This book is not for the faint of ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2020 Mel Pretorius rated it really liked it

A satisfactory thriller. "Alter Ego" by KA Masson starts of with an arrest for attempted murder and then back tracks until we end up at that place and then what unfolds after the arrest.

Masson provides an insight into the dating scene (not particularly pleasant), so really happy when the main character meets someone "normal".

It took a while to work out who the culprit was and then it was a race to the end. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2021 Aimee Dars added it

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers, netgalley

Alter Ego has some of my favorite elements in a thriller—a London setting and a falsely accused protagonist.

Alex Kendrew, a single mother and photographer, is roused from a pill-induced sleep by her young son, Ned. Police lights and sirens pierce her consciousness, and she’s arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of an old flame. As she protests, we are taken back four years in time to see how Alex has arrived at this point.

Though she loves Ned, Alex seeks fulfillment with a romantic partner, Alter Ego has some of my favorite elements in a thriller—a London setting and a falsely accused protagonist.

Alex Kendrew, a single mother and photographer, is roused from a pill-induced sleep by her young son, Ned. Police lights and sirens pierce her consciousness, and she’s arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of an old flame. As she protests, we are taken back four years in time to see how Alex has arrived at this point.

Though she loves Ned, Alex seeks fulfillment with a romantic partner, especially after Ned’s father, Sean, proved himself unable to handle the responsibility of a relationship or fatherhood. She turns to online dating, meeting a series of men, and having several steamy sexual encounters.

Mal, a financial manager, rises above the rest when Alex has an immediate attraction that develops into a deeper connection. Yet, when their intimate evening is awkwardly interrupted, Mal hurriedly leaves, and Alex is devastated when he doesn’t contact her again.

To cope, she throws herself back into online dating and finally finds a man who can compete with Mal’s memory.

The choices she makes, and the guilt that derives from the struggle to balance motherhood, career, and love, propel her inextricably forward to a confrontation with the police and a battle to prove her innocence despite overwhelming evidence. As she enlists her public defender and goes over every memory of the last four years, the stakes become higher, and a prison sentence may be the least of her worries.

I hadn’t thought much about the domestic noir genre until seeing it on the cover of this book, and I learned that in 2013, Julia Crouch was the first who described it: “In a nutshell, Domestic Noir takes place primarily in homes and workplaces, concerns itself largely (but not exclusively) with the female experience, is based around relationships and takes as its base a broadly feminist view that the domestic sphere is a challenging and sometimes dangerous prospect for its inhabitants.”

As such, Alter Ego spends a great deal of time developing Alex’s relationships and laying the groundwork for her arrest. The narrative really picks up when the story catches up to the prologue, as Alex puzzles out who would want to kill her old boyfriend. I realized fairly early who the antagonist was, but it was interesting to see it play out, and in the final chapters, the tension was nail-biting!

Thanks to @emily_keough_publicity and @author_kamasson for the gifted book.
...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 16, 2020 Katy rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending wasn’t what I thought it was going to be and took me for a curve. I just want to say thank you to the author for donating a copy of this book to my little library so that others in my neighborhood can enjoy this book as much as I did!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 06, 2020 Diane Plant rated it did not like it

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

That is a book is not worth reading, I did not finish it..

flag Like · see review

Ankita rated it it was amazing
Dec 26, 2020

Joanne L. Jones rated it it was amazing
Dec 04, 2020

Jennifer Anton rated it really liked it
Oct 31, 2020

rose desimone rated it really liked it
Dec 22, 2020

Grace rated it really liked it
Jan 03, 2021

lisa rated it it was ok
Dec 12, 2020

Linda marked it as to-read
Oct 16, 2020

Oct 19, 2020 K.A. Masson is currently reading it · (Review from the author)

Mary Lawrence marked it as to-read
Oct 20, 2020

Tracey Pearce marked it as to-read
Oct 22, 2020

Sandra Thierer marked it as to-read
Oct 23, 2020

Liz marked it as to-read
Oct 23, 2020

Gillian Harpur marked it as to-read
Oct 25, 2020

Jamie Saunders marked it as to-read
Oct 25, 2020

Lara marked it as to-read
Oct 26, 2020

Bob marked it as to-read
Oct 30, 2020

Tatiana Hargrove marked it as to-read
Nov 12, 2020

Jenene marked it as to-read
Nov 13, 2020

Celine Godfrey marked it as to-read
Nov 15, 2020

Chris is currently reading it
Nov 15, 2020

Yvonne (Fiction Books) marked it as to-read
Nov 16, 2020

Neer marked it as to-read
Nov 24, 2020

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Videos About This Book

Ben from Chopper Crime Books interviews KA Masson

Add a comment

KA Masson discusses dating, relationships and sex with South Social Film Festival's Paola Melli

Add a comment

Genres

Thriller

2 users

Fiction

2 users

See top shelves…

About K.A. Masson

K.A. Masson

20 followers

Thank you for your interest in my book.

I live in London with my teenage son and our black cat Slinky, and have worked in design for over 20 years, bringing to life the words of others. I began writing Alter Ego almost by accident. I emailed Faber Academy on a day when someone had just pulled out of their ‘Start Your Novel In A Week’ course. Without that stroke of luck, I may never have got further ...more

Goodreads Editors (and CEO) Share Their Mystery Picks

Die-hard mystery fans are always on the hunt for their next supremely satisfying whodunit. To help you stock that Want to Read shelf, we asked...

Trivia About Alter Ego

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

See a Problem?

Preview — Alter Ego by K.A. Masson

Alter Ego

Get A Copy

Win a Copy of This Book

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Videos About This Book

Genres

About K.A. Masson

Related Articles

Trivia About Alter Ego

See a Problem?

Preview — Alter Ego by K.A. Masson

Alter Ego

Get A Copy

Win a Copy of This Book

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Videos About This Book

Genres

About K.A. Masson

Related Articles

Trivia About Alter Ego

new topic
Discuss This Book