"The Resemblance" by Lauren Nossett is not your typical crime thriller that neatly ties up loose ends. Once you delve into the story and the murder is unveiled, you're drawn in like a detective solving a case. Initially judging the book by its cover, I hesitated to read it, but once I started, I finished it in just a week.
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.
While female detectives are not yet a common sight, they have been gradually making their mark in recent years, bringing a fresh perspective to crime fiction. The narrative follows Marlitt, the main character, as she investigates a hit-and-run incident at a university campus where the driver eerily resembled the victim.
As Marlitt delves deeper into the case and uncovers the victim's fraternity connections, her personal experiences with fraternities and seeking justice for past tragedies intensify her resolve. Despite facing challenges from male counterparts and the threatening behavior of fraternity members, including her house being set on fire as a warning, Marlitt remains undeterred in her pursuit of the truth.
Marlitt's strong yet flawed character shines through as she becomes consumed by the case, prioritizing it above all else and endangering those close to her. The story doesn't conclude with a fairy-tale ending, but rather a realistic and bittersweet resolution, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. The latter part of the book is riveting and keeps you turning the pages, underscoring the complexity of the characters and the storyline.
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