VBT# Now You See Me - Leah Cupps

Review: Now You See Me - Leah Cupps - 2025

As someone who devours psychological thrillers like they're popcorn at a midnight movie marathon, I approached Leah Cupps' "Now You See Me" with the kind of anticipation usually reserved for finding the last chocolate chip cookie in the jar. Having thoroughly enjoyed her previous works, I settled in expecting another mind-bending ride through the twisted corridors of human psychology.

The premise certainly hooks you from page one: young Whitley and her brother witness a brutal murder, only to have their world completely shattered when their parents are killed shortly after. The siblings are thrust into the foster care system and cruelly separated, with Whitley's desperate attempts to maintain contact with her brother meeting dead ends at every turn. It's like he simply evaporated into the ether—a phantom himself.

Fast-forward eleven years, and Whitley has painstakingly rebuilt her life. She's found love, inched closer to her Yale dreams, and for a brief, shining moment, it seems like she might actually get her happily ever after. But as we thriller enthusiasts know all too well, the past is like that unwanted houseguest who shows up unannounced and refuses to leave. When the FBI comes knocking with questions about an investigation, Whitley's carefully constructed new identity begins to crumble like a house of cards in a windstorm.

Leah Cupps excels at crafting that suffocating atmosphere where nowhere feels safe—not even the places that should offer sanctuary. The concept of being perpetually hunted, of having to constantly look over your shoulder, is viscerally portrayed. There's something deeply unsettling about the idea that simply staying still makes you a target, that movement becomes your only defense against invisible predators.

However, where "Now You See Me" stumbles is in its execution of what should have been shocking revelations. The sibling reunion, while emotionally charged, follows a trajectory that seasoned thriller readers will spot from miles away. The witness protection angle, though well-researched, doesn't bring the fresh perspective I was hoping for. Instead of subverting genre expectations, the plot seems content to color within familiar lines.

That said, Leah Cupps demonstrates her strength in character development, particularly in Whitley's evolution from traumatized child to determined survivor. The psychological toll of living with such devastating secrets is palpably rendered, and the way past trauma bleeds into present-day relationships feels authentic and heartbreaking.

The pacing maintains steady momentum throughout, never quite letting you settle into comfort—much like Whitley herself can never truly rest. For readers who enjoy reunion stories wrapped in psychological suspense with a healthy dose of witness protection drama, this book delivers exactly what it promises on the tin.

While "Now You See Me" may not revolutionize the psychological thriller landscape, it's a solid entry that will satisfy genre fans looking for familiar comforts rather than groundbreaking surprises. Sometimes, predictability isn't necessarily a flaw—sometimes it's exactly what we need.

Storygraph Link : https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d15c90c6-de19-4aaa-b7ef-d4e953248edd