description The Likeness Overview
"The Likeness" is a 2008 mystery novel by Tana French and the second installment in her Dublin Murder Squad series. The narrative follows detective Cassie Maddox as she investigates the murder of a woman who is her exact physical double and is using one of Maddox's former undercover aliases. The detective assumes the victim's identity to infiltrate the insular group of university students she lived with, creating a psychological thriller set around Trinity College Dublin.
help The Likeness FAQ
Do I need to read In the Woods before reading The Likeness?
While The Likeness is the second book in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series, it functions largely as a standalone story. However, reading In the Woods first provides helpful background on the protagonist Cassie Maddox.
How does Cassie Maddox go undercover in The Likeness?
Cassie goes undercover by impersonating a murdered woman who happens to look exactly like her. She moves into a secluded manor house with the victim's tight-knit group of graduate student friends to figure out who stabbed her.
Is The Likeness plausible?
The central premise relies on a detective successfully impersonating a dead woman who looks just like her, which is a significant suspension of disbelief. Tana French leans heavily into psychological tension and atmospheric writing to sell the mystery.
Who killed Lexie in The Likeness?
The killer turns out to be Daniel March, who accidentally stabbed Lexie during a struggle when he tried to force her to leave their shared house. He does not realize it is Cassie undercover until the truth comes out in the climax.
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