THINK TWICE
Is evil born in us—or is it bred? That is the question at the heart of this penetrating novel from blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline.
Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connelly, but the darkness in Alice’s soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that’s what Bennie believes—until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin. Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie’s life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she has made of her own life.
Is evil born in us—or is it bred? That is the question at the heart of this penetrating novel from blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline.
Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connelly, but the darkness in Alice’s soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that’s what Bennie believes—until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin. Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie’s life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she has made of her own life. But Alice underestimates Bennie and the evil she has unleashed in her twin’s psyche. Soon Bennie, in her determination to stay alive long enough to exact revenge, must face the twisted truth that she is more like Alice than she could have ever imagined . . . and by the novel’s shocking conclusion, Bennie finds herself engaged in a war she cannot win—with herself.
With its blistering speed, vivid characters, and perplexing moral questions, Think Twice is a riveting emotional thriller that will keep readers breathless until the very last page.
- St. Martin's Press
- Paperback
- March 2011
- 416 Pages
- 9780312380762
Buy the Book
$14.99
About Lisa Scottoline
Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of seventeen novels. She has also written two collections of humorous essays (Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog and My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space), many of which originated in her popular Chick Wit column in The Philadelphia Inquirer. She teaches a course she developed called Justice & Fiction at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her alma mater. There are 25 million copies of her books in print, and she has been published in twenty-five countries. She lives in Pennsylvania with an array of disobedient pets.
Praise
“So engaging [you] can’t help but read it in one sitting.”
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“A pulse-pounding thriller.”—Booklist
Discussion Questions
On the first page, we are told that Bennie and Alice, despite identical DNA, are polar opposites—but are they? Aside from appearance, in what ways are these women “twins”? What traits do they share?
Alice was given up for adoption and Bennie was raised by their mother. Who do you think had a better life? Why? What impact do you think this had on the person Alice has become? Do you think Alice uses this as justification for her horrible acts? Does Bennie owe Alice anything? Why or why not?
Think Twice asks the question: Is evil born or bred? How does the book explore the question, and how would you answer that question? Do you think there can be evil in a good person, and good in an evil person? Explain. When pushed to the limit, do you think we are all capable of evil? Talk about what might make you do something you would otherwise never do.
Both Alice and Bennie have a chance to kill one another, yet neither goes through with it. Why do you think that is?
What is the significance of Alice’s decision to bury Bennie alive? Is it cruel torture, a flash of compassion, or simply an error in judgment? In what ways have they both “buried” each other over the years? Is this act metaphoric of something else?
If Valentina had not intervened, do you think Bennie would have shot and killed Alice? Would she have been justified? Would you have forgiven her? Is that the same question? In what way would killing Alice have led to Bennie’s own destruction?
Why is it unsettling to imagine one has a doppelganger, a double, a second self walking the earth? If you found out that you had a twin you had never met, would you feel excited to embrace your long lost sibling, or would you feel threatened by this other you? What impact do you think it would have on your life and close relationships?
Mary DiNunzio has worked closely with Bennie for years, yet she was easily fooled by Alice. Why? Why was Mary so inclined to believe Alice’s impersonation? Was she just distracted by her recent troubles with Anthony, or was she blinded by Bennie’s new found admiration for her?
Speaking of her relationship trouble, what did you think about Mary’s decision about the house? Did you agree or disagree? Why? Is Anthony old fashioned to want to be the main breadwinner in their relationship, or is that urge to provide in a man’s nature? How are disparate salaries playing a role in today’s relationships?
Is Valentina a real witch or a charlatan? Does she have superpowers or just a good gut instinct? Do you trust your instincts? Have you ever had an experience that led you to believe you might have a sixth sense?