“‘It will be all right,’ Nellie assured her with startling confidence.
‘I’m here to make things better. You’ll see.’

Elena and Stu are barely holding it together. Their newborn screams through the night, their nerves are frayed, and their marriage is hanging by a thread.

Then comes More You: a company offering an impossible solution ― a clone. For a price, they can have another Elena. One who is fresh. Alert.

At first, it feels like salvation. The clone is calm, capable, perfect. But soon she starts to pick up Elena’s habits. Her voice. Her smile. And in the quiet hours of the night, something in the house begins to shift.

When the cracks finally split wide open, Elena is forced to confront a terrifying question: if someone takes your place, what happens to you?”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Other You by Carys Green. The Other You will be published by Harvill Books later this week on 26th March 2026 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow. I chose to read a free eARC of The Other You but that has in no way influenced my review.

New mum, Elena, is struggling. Newborn Olive demands every second of her time, day and night. The house is a mess, and her relationship with her husband is falling apart. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. And with overbearing mother-in-law, Catherine, not afraid to criticise, Elena is rapidly approaching breaking point. But then, her husband, Stu, has an idea. A company called ‘More You’ can, for a price, create a clone. A second Elena to help with the baby and do all the things Elena just doesn’t have the time or energy to do anymore. She’s reluctant at first, but when an accident nearly causes a catastrophe, Elena decides a clone may be the only option. Nellie is fresh-faced and energetic, keen to help and fully capable. Everything Elena feels she isn’t. What Nellie sees as helping out, Elena interprets as overstepping. Boundaries are crossed, tensions rise. Suddenly, a spare part in her own home, Elena begins to wonder whether she’s invited in help, or unknowingly engineered her own replacement…

I’ve been looking forward to the release of this book, having read Carys Green’s last speculative thriller, Always On My Mind, in 2025. I do find that as a regular thriller reader, it’s good sometimes to read something a little different. Something that has a slightly different edge to it, which is what Green’s books do with aplomb. In Always On My Mind, a couple have chips implanted in their brains which transmit their most private thoughts to each other (yikes!). In The Other You, a couple pay for a clone of overwhelmed, overtired mum, Elena. Already at a bit of a low in her life, Elena then has to cope with being replaced (double yikes!). I have to say, the more books I read in this genre, the more I want to read! I find the ideas, setup and delivery utterly compelling.

Elena is an interesting character. She is struggling to cope, focusing all of her attention on the baby and leaving no time for herself, her husband or their home. Perfectly understandable. When Stuart, via his wealthy mother, comes up with the idea of a clone, Elena is immediately against the idea. But when an accident nearly ends in tragedy, she has to consider all of her options. The start of a new chapter in her life, becoming a mother, only serves to remind Elena of what she, herself, has recently lost, with the death of her mother. At the time, Elena was halfway across the world, and she will never come to terms with the fact that she wasn’t there for her own mum when she needed her the most. The grief and the guilt eat away at her, ensuring she pushes her mother-in-law further and further away. Of course, Catherine doesn’t help the situation at all. She’s obnoxious, unpleasant, judgmental, and always knows best. But she’s also lonely and longing for a time when she was the centre of her son’s world (it’s a little creepy, to be fair). I thought the dynamic between these two women was fascinating to watch play out over the course of the novel.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Other You is an engaging, well-plotted speculative thriller about identity, belonging, and the pressures of motherhood. The entire concept of the book is pretty shocking and quite a big undertaking by the author. It’s delivered well though, and in a compelling manner. The characters are well-written, with Nellie almost driving me up the wall with how frustratingly perfect she is. Gah! The audacity of her. Doing things she really shouldn’t be doing. There are a number of twists throughout, with one huge twist partway through the story. The whole story pivots on this one reveal, turning into something significantly darker than it originally was (and it’s a pretty dark idea to start with!). For me, this was the twist that knocked me for six. Everything else that came afterwards was a little more predictable. All in all, I enjoyed the time I spent with The Other You. It’s an intriguing, unsettling and emotional speculative thriller. Fans of domestic suspense who are looking for something a little bit different should definitely pick this one up (along with Green’s previous book). Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Other You. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Other You by Carys Green was published in the UK by Harvill Books on 26th March 2026 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Carys Green is a thriller writer based in Shropshire where she lives with her husband, daughter and dog.

When she’s not writing she can often be found indulging two of her greatest passions; walking round the local woodland and catching up on all things Disney.

Her favourite authors are Megan Abbott, Amy Engel and Taylor Jenkins Reid.