The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett #bookreview

Thank you Flatiron Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Resemblance in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Published: November 8, 2022

Summary:

Never betray the brotherhood.

On a chilly November morning at the University of Georgia, a fraternity brother steps off a busy crosswalk and is struck dead by an oncoming car. More than a dozen witnesses all agree on two things: The driver looked identical to the victim, and he was smiling.

Detective Marlitt Kaplan is first on the scene. An Athens native and the daughter of a UGA professor, she knows all its shameful histories, from the skull discovered under the foundations of Baldwin Hall to the hushed-up murder-suicide in Waddel. But in the course of investigating this hit-and-run, she will uncover more chilling secrets as she explores the sprawling, interconnected Greek system that entertains and delights the university’s most elite and connected students.

The lines between Marlitt’s policework and her own past increasingly blur as Marlitt seeks to bring to justice an institution that took something precious from her many years ago. When threats against her escalate, and some long-buried secrets threaten to come to the surface, she can’t help but question whether the corruption in Athens has run off campus and into the force and how far these brotherhoods will go to protect their own.

My thoughts:

This was another book that as soon as I started hearing about it I knew I had to read it…and I’m happy to say it totally lived up to its expectations. Not only does that cover grab you but the story immediately pulls you in and keeps you engaged throughout.

Dark academia stories are one of my favorite tropes and this one is just so well done. Add in a police procedural and I was sold, especially given that we have a strong female lead who finds herself having to navigate her way through male-dominated power plays time and again. It is definitely a book that I found myself getting frustrated with in the best way possible, cheering Detective Marlitt Kaplan on. She is a strong character and I loved that she didn’t back down when the going got tough.

This book is so atmospheric and I loved the deep dive into Greek life that the author gave us. While this isn’t something I personally experienced as my college did not have fraternities or sororities, I had no issues reading this as all you have to do is turn on the news or read the paper to hear just how bad some of the hazing incidents can be. Yes, I realize the author gave us the bleakest, darkest side of what a fraternity can be like, but I don’t think she was all that much off the mark.

I was completely engaged in this book, from the mystery part of it to the character development to the setting to the themes that the author touched upon. There are a lot of moving pieces to this book and I think it would make for a great bookclub pick as there is a lot to unpack. Was it just a simple hit-and-run or is there something much larger at play here? I highly recommend picking this one up and I do hope this isn’t the last we have seen of Detective Marlitt Kaplan!