What makes Paper Thin unique is its unflinching, intimate exploration of dissociative identity disorder (DID) through the lens of a high-stakes psychological thriller. Rather than treating DID as a gimmick or plot device, the novel dives deep into the lived experience: the constant negotiation between alters, the terror of lost time, the way trauma fragments the self into protective pieces that can become dangerous. The story unfolds in layers—starting as a seemingly straightforward tale of three best friends on a deadly revenge spree in a remote Maine cottage, then slowly revealing that the "friends" are alters within one woman, Hannah, whose mind splintered after witnessing her mother’s brutal murder as a teenager.
This isn’t just a whodunit; it’s a who-am-I thriller. The unreliable narration shifts between Sophie (the vulnerable core), Ava (the calculating strategist), Jenna (the chaotic avenger), and even Gabriel (the dark, internalized shadow of her mother’s killer), forcing readers to question every perspective until the final, devastating reveal. The coastal Maine setting—foggy pines, crashing waves, isolated cottages—mirrors the protagonist’s isolation and the thin veil between reality and delusion.
Readers often compare Paper Thin to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl for its razor-sharp unreliable narrator and twisted relationships, Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train for its fractured memory and psychological depth, or Alex Michaelides’ The Silent Patient for the mind-bending therapy-room revelations and the question of who the real "patient" is. But where those books use amnesia, lies, or silence as the hook, Paper Thin uses dissociation itself as both weapon and wound—making it a more compassionate yet chilling portrait of mental illness wrapped in pulse-pounding suspense.
What sets this apart further is the epilogue’s raw, first-person reflection from Hannah herself, owning her alters not as enemies to be cured, but as integral parts of survival. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from the darkness of trauma while offering a nuanced, hopeful (if uneasy) glimpse at integration.
How can readers help shape the draft? Your pre-orders and feedback are crucial right now. I’ve shared early chapters that capture the escalating tension and shifting voices, but the full manuscript is still in late revisions. By backing the project, reading the samples, and leaving comments or messages on Inkshares, you can influence key elements:
Every comment, share, and pre-order helps me refine the story before final edits and publication. Your voice literally helps decide if certain scenes stay, expand, or shift—making this a truly community-shaped thriller.
Thank you for considering joining me on this journey. Let’s make Paper Thin a book that lingers long after the last page—and proves that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones we carry inside.
Pre-order today to help bring this to life!