Grace awakes in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury and no memory. I've read 3 novels, I think, since January in which women with amnesia after a traumatic event must struggle to regain their memories. They are all in danger, of course, and don't know who to trust.
Not only has Grace suffered serious injuries in a car accident, but Grace's boyfriend has been murdered, and she is a suspect. When she is released from the hospital, her sister takes her home to the house where they lived growing up. Grace must build her memories from those who knew her, but some of what she learns makes her very uncomfortable. There are questions about her parents and her childhood that feel dark and threatening.
Twist at the end that you may or may not expect. A lot of dysfunction going around. I had trouble buying into both the characters and the storyline.
Nice cover, though.
Read in July. Blog review scheduled for Aug. 13.
NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer
Mystery/Suspense. Aug. 25, 2015. Print version: 320 pages.
I saw this one recently too. I think maybe the whole 'woman in trouble - amnesia' thing might be getting a bit overused. Along with a few other storylines. I love a twist at the end, but...maybe I'm just needing to focus more on police procedurals and the like for a while. Give psychological crime novels a bit of a rest. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, the amnesia thing gets old when you have too many books using it as a basic plot device. Oh, and Kay, Val McDermid's new one is on NetGalley now! I just downloaded it, but am going to put off reading it for a while because it isn't due out until Dec. 1.
DeleteThat's funny about the whole amnesia thing. I, too, recently read a book where the woman had amnesia and couldn't remember her life and didn't know who to trust... who knew it was such a popular plot-line? :)
ReplyDeleteLike covers, sometimes plot-lines follow trends. :) Too many similar ones, too close together!
DeleteI agree with you about the plot lines follow trends. Just like books that compare with Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train; I understand they will catch readers' attention but they get old as the time goes, at least to me anyway. ;-p
ReplyDeleteThat said, this sounds like an intense read. I may want to check it out at some point.
I really didn't care for this one, although it did have some interesting aspects.
DeleteTrends and tropes and plot devices--they become more noticeable when several books in short order use too many similar plots, settings, and/or physical descriptions. One description that annoys me is the emphasis on green eyes. Too many characters have green eyes as the main emphasis of the description with repeated references--lest you forget that he or she has green eyes. And plots, there are only so many basic plots, but when 5 novels use the same plot (with the same essential setting and characters) after the success of one novel, it does become conspicuous.
I like the amnesia theme occasionally, but it does seem to be making the rounds lately all too often. It's too bad this one wasn't better for you. I agree about the cover.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed a couple of the recent novels with an amnesia element, but it is easy to over-do that device. This novel, however, failed (for me) not so much for the amnesia element, but for other reasons...like being unable to connect with the characters or the rest of the plot.
DeleteEnjoyed your review! I do like a good psychological mystery and especially if I am surprised by the ending. Tough about not connecting with the characters though. That's a big thing for me too.
ReplyDelete