Identity: A Novel

Nora Roberts

May 2023 · Sold by St. Martin's Press

About this eBook

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author's terrifying next thriller about one man's ice-cold malice, and one woman's fight to reclaim her life.

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't forgotten the one who got away.

Ratings and reviews

What a ride! Oh, my heart went out to Morgan! She was charmed by the wrong man and her entire life was upended as a result. I was thoroughly captivated by this intense, intriguing story. I loved that she was able to find support with her mother and grandmother, and I especially appreciated the gentle, slow romance she had with Miles. This book is a real eye-opener about how little personal privacy we have in the internet age. The author did a fantastic job of showing just how precarious a person's identity is and how easy it would be for a nefarious person to completely ruin someone's life. Still, the road leads to a solid, satisfying HEA for Morgan and Miles, and I loved the way Nina was included in the final scenes. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves romantic suspense. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I love the book in general, but her research leave something to be desired. Long ago she said in a book that the heroine drove from the "Klamath mountains" she drove "Route 5", pumped her own gas, & went to a NYC style hot dance club in Portland. Not called Klamath mountains, it's I-5, we were one of the few states that could not pump our own gas, & Portland isn't that chic. But that was in the distant past. My research issue in this book is the section where Rowell is hiding out in Oregon & the FBI is discussing his trail. They point out that he could have flown into/out of the "major airport" in Salem. Salem has ONE very minor commercial airline that offers cheap flights in small planes. The only two "big airports" in Oregon are Portland & Eugene. A quick search should have told her that. I know it's just a story but to quote Deadpool, That's just lazy writing " But the book is still very good & keeps your interest going.

Identity has a little bit of everything- mystery, suspense, romance and is a bit of a thriller. What's interesting to me is that things some other reviewers took issue with were exactly the things I found so fascinating with this one. Identity got a little dark in some places, but that was perfectly balanced with some of the lighthearted sections. I really enjoyed the love interest and the way he interacted at times with Morgan. Really happy to be back in a Nora Roberts.

About the author

NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 230 novels, including Nightwork, Legacy, Hideaway, The Chronicles of The One trilogy, and many more. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.