Summary: Clara West, a newlywed with a seemingly perfect life, lives in a curated world alongside her charming husband, James. Their idyllic marriage, showcased through a flawless social media presence, begins to unravel when Clara receives an anonymous letter asking, "Does he still smile at you?" This cryptic message sparks paranoia, leading her to question James and the life they've built. As she digs deeper, Clara uncovers a chilling truth: her identity as Clara West is a fabrication, meticulously crafted by James, who has been stalking and manipulating her for years. Haunted by fragmented memories of childhood trauma, Clara discovers she is the twin sister of Emily Wyatt, James's first wife, who died in a fire he orchestrated. Emily was his initial "perfect" wife, but her resistance led to her death, and James molded Clara into her replacement, erasing her true identity as Clara Ellis. Each revelation-hidden files, a bloodstained blouse, a locket engraved with Emily's initials-exposes James's control, revealing a pattern of surveillance, psychological manipulation, and murder. As Clara's suspicions grow, she faces gaslighting, isolation, and the disappearance of her neighbor Violet, who warned her not to trust anyone. The tension escalates when Clara finds a file labeled "Clara West - Final Identity," confirming James's years-long obsession. Confronting him, she learns he sees her as the "fixed version" of Emily, but his control tightens, trapping her in their locked house. Using his own surveillance system, Clara outsmarts him, sending a panic signal to her estranged sister, Lily, and escaping as police arrive.James is arrested, but the lack of concrete evidence-due to his meticulous planning-allows him to walk free. Determined to expose him, Clara writes a book, The Smile Between Us, detailing his crimes. But James remains a shadow, sending her a chilling package with a journal of her true past and an impossible photograph of them smiling, dated the previous day. The police can't explain it, and Clara is haunted by phantom doorbell rings, signaling James's lingering presence. In the final moment, Clara stands before a mirror, forcing a smile, not as his creation but as a defiant act of survival, vowing to fight back against the man who tried to erase her-for herself and for Emily.The novel is a gripping exploration of identity, manipulation, and resilience, with Clara's journey to reclaim her true self unfolding against a backdrop of elegant dread and unrelenting suspense.