Strangely Familiar: Psychological Lesbian Thriller(Paperback)
Strangely Familiar: Psychological Lesbian Thriller(Paperback)
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Velvet Storm delivers the sapphic thrillers readers can’t stop raving about.
BOOK TWO IN THE VELVET STORM PSYCHOLOGICAL LESBIAN THRILLER SERIES.
A psychological lesbian thriller with a supernatural edge, featuring identity, obsession, and a love that may not be what it seems.
“My wife became perfect overnight. Turns out, she was not my wife at all.”
Homicide detective Ashley Tate is already chasing the impossible. But when the woman she knows as Coco Matino begins to change, something feels wrong.
Too perfect. Too controlled. Too different.
Because someone else is wearing her face.
Jude Abrahams was taken, experimented on, and left with an ability that should not exist: she can become anyone. Now she uses it to deliver justice the system cannot, slipping into the lives of untouchable predators and dismantling them from within.
When she takes Coco’s place to bring down an empire, she does not plan on falling for Mariana, the woman who has been living in the shadow of it all.
But some roles become real.
As bodies fall and alibis blur, Ashley is drawn deeper into a case that defies logic and leads straight to Jude. Forced into an uneasy alliance, detective and shapeshifter are pulled into a dangerous triangle where desire, loyalty, and truth are constantly shifting.
And the past is not finished with them.
The organisation that created Jude is back, determined to reclaim what they made. The clock is ticking, and every choice carries consequences.
Because in a world where anyone can be anyone, trusting the wrong person could cost everything.
Tropes and themes
- psychological lesbian thriller
- paranormal lesbian thriller
- shapeshifter lesbian romance
- identity twist thriller
- morally grey lesbian characters
- slow burn sapphic tension
- high stakes lesbian romance
This book is for you if you love:
- twist-heavy thrillers with supernatural elements
- morally grey heroines who break the rules
- tension-filled relationships where identity is uncertain
- character-driven lesbian thrillers with emotional intensity
If you are searching for a psychological lesbian thriller with supernatural twists, high stakes, and a relationship that keeps you questioning everything, Strangely Familiar delivers a gripping, addictive story where nothing is ever what it seems.
Continue the Velvet Storm series
If you love psychological lesbian thrillers with high stakes, dangerous attraction, and shocking twists, start with:
Each book explores deception, desire, and the thin line between love and danger.
More lesbian romance by Ruby Scott
If you enjoy slow burn lesbian romance and emotionally intense relationships, you may also love:
- The Turning – a high-stakes spy lesbian romance filled with tension, secrets, and dangerous attraction
- Wild Hearts – a slow burn emotional lesbian romance set in the mountains
- Darkness of Desire – an erotic lesbian romance with dominant women, power dynamics, and a darker edge
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Ruby Scott delivers a mind-bending thriller where nothing is what it seems—a supernatural lesbian romance that kept me turning pages well past midnight."
Tell Me More
Tell Me More
What if the person sharing your bed wasn't who they claimed to be? When three women's lives collide in a dangerous game of deception, they'll discover how far they're willing to go for justice, revenge, and a second chance at love. "Strangely Familiar" delivers a pulse-pounding supernatural thriller where identities blur, passion ignites, and no one can be trusted.
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Book Specifications
Book Specifications
Pages : 294
ISBN : 9614622000150
Weight : 285g
Dimensions : 127 x 16 x 203 mm
Full Description
Full Description
In this gripping supernatural thriller, three women's lives become dangerously entangled when homicide detective Ashley Tate discovers her crime boss lover has been replaced by someone with an impossible ability.
After being abducted and experimented on by a shadowy organization, journalist Jude Abrahams awakes with the extraordinary power to assume anyone's identity. Using her supernatural shapeshifting abilities, she embarks on a vigilante mission to eliminate the criminals the justice system can't touch. When she takes on the identity of notorious crime boss Coco Matino, she expects to bring down a criminal empire—not develop feelings for Coco's neglected wife, Mariana.
As bodies continue to drop across the city, Ashley's investigation leads her to a shocking revelation about the serial killer she's hunting. Forming an uneasy alliance with Jude, the two women must confront the thin line between justice and revenge while navigating their complicated feelings for each other and for Mariana.
When the mysterious scientists who created Jude resurface with deadly intentions and Mariana becomes their next target, all three women must decide what they're willing to sacrifice for truth, redemption, and a second chance at love.
"Strangely Familiar" delivers heart-racing suspense, forbidden romance, and supernatural thrills in a page-turning narrative that will keep you guessing until the final shocking twist. Perfect for fans of paranormal mysteries and LGBTQ+ crime fiction who enjoy complex female protagonists, morally grey characters, and stories where nothing is as it seems.
Themes and Tropes
Themes and Tropes
- Supernatural Abilities
- Love Triangle
- Redemption Arc
- Secret Identity
- Vigilante Justice
- Enemies to Allies
- Evil Scientists/Conspiracy
- Forbidden Love
Chapter One Look Inside
Chapter One Look Inside
My gun. Where's my gun?
My right hand falls to my thigh, sliding across the denim towards my holster, looking for my pistol. As it moves, I don't take my eyes off whoever—whatever—is in front of me... The woman—the thing... Who now looks exactly like Coco.
My heart is in my throat. I swear I can feel it thudding against my windpipe and choking me. My head is spinning, and I want to throw up.
What the hell am I seeing?
I want to believe it's just a trick of the light, illumination from the diner and streetlights bouncing off her skin and warping her features a little—well, a lot. Logically, that's the only explanation that makes sense. The only explanation I might be able to believe.
But does it? Does it make sense?
I draw my gun from its holster and plant one foot out on the street, hanging halfway inside the car. The woman in front of me—Jude or Coco, I'm not sure who at this point—gasps as I raise the gun, and point it directly at her, right between her eyes.
"Ashley," she whispers. Her voice sounds like Coco's. How is that possible when I watched Jude get into this car? "Put the gun down and don't do something stupid."
My hand trembles visibly as I push it against her forehead. My breath is coming out in short, almost panicked gasps. I don't know what I'm looking at, but whatever it is, I know it doesn't make any sense. It's impossible.
"Who the hell are you?" I whisper. "What happened to Jude?" I want it to sound like a demand for information, but it doesn't. My voice trembles and comes out a good octave higher than normal, betraying just how utterly horrified I am by what I'm seeing.
"I'm..." The woman who is now Coco (but isn't) lets out a heavy sigh and frowns at me. "I'm Jude, Ashley."
"Bullshit."
"It's not bullshit," she says softly, raising her hands a little. "I'm just going to turn on the overhead, all right? I'm not reaching for anything."
The end of my weapon is only an inch away from her. A sheen of sweat on her olive skin glistens in the orange glow from the sodium streetlight at the end of the road. Her eyes dart between my face and the cold steel barrel I have leveled between her eyes. My hand betrays me, just as my voice had, with a tremble.
Reaching up, she flicks on the overhead light.
There's no mistaking it now... Bathed in the harsh, almost blue light of the car's interior LEDs, I can see for certain that I'm looking at Coco. Or at least... I'm looking at Coco's features.
Although now that I can see her face clearly, there's something about her...something that doesn't seem quite right. A weird prickling sensation rises up my neck again, just like the last time we met and she began ranting at me. It's an innate knowledge somewhere deep in my gut that what I'm looking at just isn't right.
Uncanny valley.
All the features of Coco's face are where they should be. She's got the correct dark eyes, the right sharp, almost fox like features I've always found so enticing. Everything is technically right.
But at the same time, there's something about her that's so incredibly wrong. It's something about the softness of her expression, the fear in her eyes. The gentle lilt of her voice as she almost whispers to me in the car. None of that is Coco.
But how can it be Jude?
"Don't freak out, okay?" the woman in front of me says quietly, lowering her hands to her lap. "I get that this is going to be weird for you, but just...don't freak out, all right?"
"Don't freak out about what?"
"About what I'm about to do." She purses her lips into a thin, mirthless smile, but nothing happens. I stare, desperate to get away but rooted to the spot by a morbid fascination. Still nothing happens.
Wait...
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Oh, Ms. Scott! You better be working on a sequel, because I can't go on without knowing more, seeing more, witnessing more. Wow, this was a different kind of ride, that's for sure. It's still all kinds of (good) fvcked up and I'm all for it. Pretty please?Like in book #1, I don't think there was a lot of angst here. Which for me is quite unexpected, for a mystery that's almost a must, innit? But no, there's a lot of mystery and intrigue and so much more, but not A LOT of anxiety inducing moments. And I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who occasionally brave the angst world but rather run from it like people used to run from the plague.All the characters are interesting and full of flaws and now the plot so interesting and different from what I've read the last few years, and even better it thickens now and I seriously can't let it go. hahahahha
Thank you so much for this wonderful review.
I have to confess, reviews that essentially amount to 'I need more immediately' make me ridiculously happy.
One of the things I enjoyed most about writing Strangely Familiar was being able to deepen the mystery rather than simply solve it. Every answer seemed to open the door to three more questions, and I loved watching the world become larger, stranger, and far more complicated than it first appeared.
I'm also delighted you mentioned the balance between intrigue and angst. While the story explores some dark and complicated themes, I never wanted it to become emotionally exhausting. For me, the heart of the book has always been curiosity, hope, and the determination of these characters to keep moving forward, even when the truth becomes increasingly difficult to grasp.
And yes, these characters are gloriously flawed. They make mistakes, they hide things, they second-guess themselves, and occasionally make me question my own sanity while writing them. But they feel very real to me because of those imperfections.
The fact that you're still thinking about them and still wanting more after reaching the final page means the world to me.
Thank you for reading, for your support, and for taking the time to leave such a lovely review.
Ruby x
Whoa!! What a wild ride! This beauty was on my TBR shelves! Detective Ashley Tate is put in the middle of strange circumstances. First because of her relationship with Coco, a criminal mastermind, but also her friend Judes'new power.Jude can shape shift into other people, in doing so, she gets to know Mariana (Coco's wife). This is a fantastic syfy story because I icould see it happen in the future .There is a love story with in this and it is HOT! 5 stars!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review.
'Whoa!! What a wild ride!' may be one of my favourite ways anyone has ever described this book.
I absolutely loved writing Strangely Familiar because it allowed me to explore questions that sit right on the edge of possibility. Science fiction is always at its most fascinating when it makes us wonder whether something impossible today might become possible tomorrow, and I had great fun blurring that line throughout the story.
I'm delighted you connected with Ashley, Coco, Jude, and Mariana. Each of them is carrying secrets, loyalties, and questions of their own, and watching their lives become increasingly intertwined was one of my favourite parts of writing the novel.
And yes, Jude's abilities certainly create some unexpected complications along the way.
What makes me happiest, though, is that you enjoyed both the science fiction and the romance. I've always loved stories where the emotional journey is just as important as the larger mystery or speculative elements unfolding around it.
Thank you for reading, for your kind words, and for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. Five stars from a reader is always a wonderful gift.
Ruby x
I loved book 1 better though this one has deeper emotions and even more intriguing content. But that ending points to a deeper plot given that Ashley's boss appeared and if that's gonna be left for the fan's imagination, wellm that's a little sad. But this is a very interesting and amazing plot.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review.
I'm delighted you enjoyed the book and found the story even more intriguing as it unfolded.
One of the things I wanted to do with this series was gradually deepen both the emotional stakes and the mystery. The first book introduces readers to the world and the characters, but the second allows us to explore the consequences, the complexities, and some of the bigger questions hiding beneath the surface.
I completely understand your feelings about the ending. Sometimes the most frustrating endings are also the most effective because they leave readers wanting more answers, more revelations, and more time with the characters they've become invested in. As a writer, I always smile when readers reach the final page and immediately start asking questions.
What makes me happiest is hearing that you found the plot interesting and engaging. This series gave me the opportunity to explore some unusual ideas, and it's incredibly rewarding to know those twists, mysteries, and emotional threads resonated with you.
Thank you for reading, for your thoughtful comments, and for taking the time to leave a review.
Ruby x
Better than the first book which usually is the one that grabs your attention. The first book bored me until we met Mariana, Coco’s wife. This installment picks up where the first book left off. We get to engage even more with Mariana and Ashley whom is the start of the first book. I always thought the books were about Ashley, since she was the first introduction. But it was really about Jude the whole time.This book did not bore me at all. I wound up feeling badly for Ashely. I kept waiting for her and Jude to get together. But the love story was not about them. I was so surprised and happy about that. I’m still torn on how I feel about Ashley, but I am not with how I feel about Jude and her escapades. But all in all, I came to the realization that maybe Jude was right about Ashley all along.When Jude goes after Mariana, I was not sure how that would play out. Mariana was introduced as this vapid and vacuous self serving woman that was married to Coco. We find out a lot more about Mariana and she is not how others have described her. Jude and Mariana are able to get to the truth of things.I am glad that those deserving of a HEA would get one. But we’re also left with another cliffhanger. Oh gawd…
This is such a thoughtful one — thank you.
I really love how closely you’ve followed the shift in focus across the books, and especially that moment of realising who the story is *really* centring on. That kind of reader discovery is something I always hope will happen naturally as things unfold.
I’m glad this instalment kept you engaged in a way the first one didn’t straight away. Second books are tricky like that — they’re often where everything deepens and complicates, so hearing it felt stronger for you is really rewarding.
And I completely get your mixed feelings about Ashley and Jude. That tension between perception, judgement, and then slowly realising there might be more going on underneath was very much part of what I wanted to explore. Nothing (and no one) stays simple for long in that world.
I also smiled at your reaction to Mariana. She’s one of those characters who tends to surprise people once you get past first impressions, so I’m glad she shifted for you as the story went on.
And yes… that ending. I know. I did that on purpose. Sorry not sorry.
Thank you for such a great review — I really appreciate you taking the time to sit with the characters and unpack it all like this.
Wow, I picked this book up immediately after finishing book one on a cliffhanger. Honestly Ruby Scott, sometimes you are so wickedly cruel, I love it. I really had no idea where this journey was heading after how book one ended but I was shocked, stunned and delighted. Can there be any higher praise for an author than for their reader to be both fulfilled and equally hungry for even more? I’m not sure but personally, I enjoyed both books in this series so much and can’t wait to find out what else Ruby writes in this genre.
Thank you so much — this genuinely made me smile.
I’m absolutely taking “wickedly cruel” as a compliment 😄 I do love leaving readers on a bit of a knife-edge, especially when I know I can bring them back in and take them somewhere unexpected.
And I’m really glad that mix of shocked, stunned and delighted came through for you. That’s exactly the emotional space I want these stories to live in — where you’re not quite sure what’s coming next, but you trust the journey enough to keep going.
It means a lot that you enjoyed both books so much and are still excited for what I do in this genre next. That kind of reader trust honestly means everything.
Really appreciate you taking the time to leave this.
Ruby x
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