People take note, this book is definitely a must read. It has a bit of everything packed in: lots of emotion, some romance, mystery and crime. I was intrigued from page one and that continued all the way through although some parts I almost dreaded reading in fear of what was coming.
Jane Ryan escapes from her psychopathic abusive cop boyfriend after he arranges and demands she have an abortion when she finds out she is pregnant. She moves to a different state, settling in the beautiful town of Mirror Lake. She changes her name and finds out she is carrying twins. She wants to raise both girls but as a single mom with no support she knows she can't afford to keep both babies and she faces the excruciating decision of having to separate the twins and give one up for adoption. She keeps her past a secret, living in fear that her daughter could inherit some of her father's violent personality and that Frank could find them. She raises Harper on her own and while Harper is a rather difficult child (and not very likeable, I didn't care too much for her ) life is pretty much normal. At least it is until the other twin and her adoptive mother move into town, then things get really interesting and Jane is forced to face her past that she has kept a secret from everyone, including her boyfriend.
The age old question of nurture vs nature rears its head here. Frank was a policeman, but a crazy and violent psychopath, following the footsteps of his father and other relatives. How much of what's in your genes predicts your personality? If someone like Frank has a child but is raised without him and in a loving home with caring parent(s) that raise the child lovingly and properly, is that enough to escape the sins of the father? What are the chances that the child could be like Frank, and do you sit around waiting for the ticking time bomb to explode?
I had figured out early on how things were but it didn't spoil the story for me at all. A little like a car crash, I didn't want to face what was coming, but I couldn't stop reading.
I had some issues with the characters. Besides not liking Harper, I had a problem with how cold Jane was with Isabel. I get it was a closed adoption and Isabel appearing would make things really awkward making her face and reveal facts from her past. She seemed unable to bond or be close to Isabel, didn't seem to care that this was her child. She didn't give up Isabel because she hated her, quite the opposite but I didn't see any of that in her actions, she didn't seem to care about having any kind of relationship with her. And Luke? No reaction to what Jane's been hiding? Not even a teensy bit mad?Even Isabel, I would expect her to act differently as the child who was given away.
As I got further in, the pages couldn't turn fast enough. I had a pretty late night, just one more chapter ended up being many more. And I must say, that epilogue gave me the creeps.
I have read a number of Rosalind Noonan's books and she quickly became a favourite of mine. I don't understand why many people don't know about her. All the books of hers that I have read have been fantastic and after some searching I was able to find the ones I hadn't yet read. I think this one may be my favourite. ( )

I liked this book but thought it could have been stronger. It was almost there on the edge of being edgy. I did not really feel or get the connection between the good and evil twin. I kept waiting and waiting wondering when the suspense between the twins was going to happen. It did not happen until the last third of the story. It was brief and a bit of a letdown. The only thing that really kept me reading this book was the storyline involving Jane herself. She had issues that dealt with other things than her rebellious daughter. Which by the way I found Harper to be a brat who needed a spanking on the butt. The ending was fine. It was like the author did try to be dark with it but as I said it was "fine. Also a little too late. If you know what I mean. Although I did like this book enough that I will probably check out other books by this author. ( )

Take Another Look by Rosalind Noonan is a book of suspense. Jane Ryan is pregnant and running. She was living with police officer, Frank Dixon. At first he was charming and kind but after Jane moved in with him, he became controlling, demanding, and abusive. Jane ran to her friend, Marnie who lives in Seattle with her husband. Jane knows that she will not be able to afford to keep both children. She finds a nice family, the Zaretsky’s, to adopt one of the girls. Jane has now given birth and has to decide which twin to keep. Louisa is a calm and quiet little baby. Harper has not stopped crying. Jane wants to make sure that her adopted family will love her and want to keep her, so Jane gives up sweet Louisa.

Almost fifteen years later, Jane and Harper are living in Mirror Lake, Oregon. Harper is always moving. She loves sports. Jane teaches freshman English at Mirror Lake High School where Harper will be a sophomore. Jane is dating science teacher, Luke Bandini, but they have kept their relationship quiet.

One day a man is seen around the school asking for Jane. She is scared. Jane thinks that Frank has finally found her. Someone shows up at her house later that night pounding on the door. Turns out to be a detective with information about Frank. Frank has finally been arrested. He attacked the wrong woman (her father was a bigwig). Turns out Frank Dixon is a sociopath. He comes from a family of murderers. Now Jane is worried about Harper. How big a role do genetics play? Nature versus Nurture?

Harper has never been the easiest child but she is starting to act out. Jane is keeping a close eye on her. Harper is on the school’s softball league and her position is taken away from her by Olivia. Olivia’s father has a lot of influence in the community and the poor coach was not given a choice. Harper states she hates Olivia and wishes she was dead. The day of the school picnic dawns bright, but something sinister happens to Olivia. Olivia is found unconscious and floating in the lake. Harper, of course, is the first suspect. Olivia, when she awakens, has no memory of the accident and is unable to play softball for quite a while. Turns out Olivia was hit with a softball bat! Want to guess whose bat was missing from her bag?

Harper claims innocence in the incident with Olivia. The police do not have any witnesses and the crime goes unsolved. Soon Harper mentions a new girl at school who everyone says looks just like her. The other girl turns out to be Isabel Louisa, the daughter Jane gave up for adoption. Christy Zaretsky is now a widow and has moved to Mirror Lake because she is ill and wants to make sure Isabel will be taken care of if something happens to her. Isabel knows she was adopted and immediately takes to Jane. Once Harper finds out the truth the two are bosom buddies.

Unfortunately, Christy Zaretsky takes a turn for the worse and has to be hospitalized. Isabel comes to live with Jane and Harper. Isabel is very kind, helpful and sweet. Harper starts resenting her. As the weeks go by Harper wants Isabel gone from the house. Things go missing or broken and Harper gets blamed. Then, when they are watching the science classes guinea pigs, one ends up dead. Christy gets moved to a hospital back in Seattle (her sister moved her). Now Jane cannot get Christy to return her calls. What is going on? Who is really at fault?

I had a good time reading Take Another Look. I had an idea how it would turn out, but I just had to keep reading. I give Take Another Look 4.5 out of 5 stars. I love books that draw you in to the story and you just cannot put the book down. I have tried to give you an idea of what the story is about without giving away too much. I hope you will read Take Another Look and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley (and Kensington Books) in exchange for an honest review. ( )

A special thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK by Rosalind Noonan is an emotional, chilling, and suspenseful mystery thriller; an exploration of highly charged contemporary topics— complexities of motherhood, family, genetics, bullying, sibling rivalry, domestic abuse, psychological conflicts, and evil.

In Seattle, Jane Ryan has to stick to the plan, as she envisions herself and her life beyond the hospital. Some choices could be easily fixed, but not this. She has given birth to twins; however, she can only keep one. Which baby? The one crying all the time or the pleasant one? One would be a challenge, but two? She would love to keep both, so two sisters could grow up together.

She had wanted to name the babies after literary icons, Harper Lee and Louisa May Alcott, thinking possibly it would raise their IQ. With no choice, she chose to give away one for adoption, and move south to Portland, Oregon and hopefully the girls would never cross paths. The adoptive mother would not be given Jane’s information as a closed adoption. Jane had moved over the years to different states and changed her name. At the beginning of the novel readers are unaware why she is running.

The book flashes forward to fourteen years later. Harper, the daughter is in high school at Mirror Lake and Jane a teacher at the same school. All goes well until her worst nightmare catches up with her (actually several). She had pretended that she was in the witness protection program and tried to make a new start. Frank, the father of her twins.

Frank was a cop. Above the law. He was persuasive and charming. After all, he wanted her to have an abortion. The trauma of Frank Dixon had nearly destroyed her. If Frank was hunting her down, she had to keep running. When he had told her he came from a family of crazies, she had thought he was joking, but since she has learned different.

For a decade she had focused on making a life for herself and her daughter, and most people believed Harper’s father was dead. Frank is locked up after all, so he is no longer a threat. Seven years for sexual assault. He used his authority as a cop and raped women. After she escaped he repeated his behavior over and over again. He will be out soon.

Now after all these years, the police want her to testify against him in order to keep him in prison. They need to prove his entire family is associated with heinous crimes. She has spent half of her life, trying to run from him, and she wants him locked up for good. He had been a model boyfriend until moved into together and he had seized control gradually. After a year, she found out she was pregnant. After he had made the appointment for the abortion, she left. Now she begins to wonder if genetics play a part in antisocial behavior. Is psychopathy inherited? A result of nature or nurture?

When Harper winds up in trouble she begins asking about her father, she starts liking boys, Jane is worried as Harper is pushing the limits, bullying and has a temper. She finds herself watching Harper for signs of her father’s meanness. This makes her begin to think about Louisa. She rarely allows herself to dwell on the child she gave away—Was Louisa more like Jane – academic, serious-minded, and obedient, perhaps?

To further complicate matters, there is a new girl, Isabel at their school and she looks like Harper. Harper dislikes her saying she escaped from Malibu Barbies beach house all frilly and pink. However, the girl Harper hates is Olivia – her rival, her nemesis.

Are some children born with a propensity for evil? Jane just hoped her environment has an impact over genetics. However, each day she is seeing Harper’s sense of entitlement and greed. She had seen those demons many times in Frank’s eyes. Had she raised Harper all these years without instilling important concepts like honest and integrity? Now there is a new girl at school and she looks like Harper? Could this be Harper’s twin?

So many secrets, and what if this is her daughter and it comes out? She could lose her job, her boyfriend, and possibly her other daughter—it would be a scandal.

Now Isabel's adoptive dad has died and her mom is sick, so through a PI, they track Jane down. Isabel (Louise) is the good one, an editor- in- chief of the school newspaper, the good student with a 4.0 grade point average. Jane is distraught, this cannot be happening! When it all comes out, the girls make friends for a short time, and then one starts scrambling for more attention, with more evil.

However, when Jane has to take care of Isabel (Louise) while her mother Chrissy, is very sick, some other evidence comes to light, proposing the question— which is really the evil twin? Louise Isabel, Harper Lee, or both?

Perhaps Frank’s evil genes had been passed down, to not one daughter but two. Which one can she trust? Manipulating like Frank. How can she ever forgive herself? Before it ends there are two dead and three on the hit list. The epilogue is chilling, so hope there will be a second book . . .

Boy, oh boy . . surprises around every corner with twists and turns. It has taken me a while to write my review, as did not want to say too much; however, sometimes you have to “give a little more” in order to match the correct reader. Listen guys and gals, this is not a simple family drama and women’s fiction – the author really has written a suspense mystery and psycho-thriller with some excellent insights into behaviors. An intense read and a good storyteller; quite impressed since this was my first book by the author. I liked the novel better after reading the book, versus what I had envisioned after reading the initial summary.

In addition, there is the domestic violence, as mentioned in the book, one third of the women killed in the US are murdered by a domestic partner. My only comment - the author could have turned it up a notch and probably be classified as a psycho-thriller, as a good set up- maybe a sequel with backstory of Jane/Frank, more evil, and bring back Frank.

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK, in the theme of, a cross-over between T. Greenwood, Jodi Picoult, Jane Green, Chevy Stevens, Lisa Unger, and Heather Gudenkauf. Those readers enjoying young adult, evil, mystery, suspense and light psycho-thrillers will be glued to the pages. Loved the front cover with the evil look. Look forward to reading more! ( )