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Sense Memory
If our memory is the thing that shapes and defines us, that informs who we are at our very core, then God help us all…for memory, is a wicked and deceitful wretch.
Thrust into a search for his own sister’s killer, Benjamin Cady flees Colorado and the only world he understands to scour the streets of Los Angeles, plagued by headaches and memories of murder. He quickly discovers that L.A. is not unknown to him, and as his memories of his sister’s death become clearer, so does the possibility that Ben himself may be the murderer.
Lieutenant Jim Banquer has plenty of bodies, but every witness seems to be suffering from a mysterious form of amnesia. Investigating these deaths means he must piece together the scattered shards of a deadly power scheme that goes well beyond murder, and Ben is the key.
Sense Memory is a psychological thriller that weaves an intricate web of doubt and intrigue as it goes, leaving no thread unstrung. A sure page-burner, this story will stay with you long after the smoke clears.
Thrust into a search for his own sister’s killer, Benjamin Cady flees Colorado and the only world he understands to scour the streets of Los Angeles, plagued by headaches and memories of murder. He quickly discovers that L.A. is not unknown to him, and as his memories of his sister’s death become clearer, so does the possibility that Ben himself may be the murderer.
Lieutenant Jim Banquer has plenty of bodies, but every witness seems to be suffering from a mysterious form of amnesia. Investigating these deaths means he must piece together the scattered shards of a deadly power scheme that goes well beyond murder, and Ben is the key.
Sense Memory is a psychological thriller that weaves an intricate web of doubt and intrigue as it goes, leaving no thread unstrung. A sure page-burner, this story will stay with you long after the smoke clears.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2013
5 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Brion J. Humphrey
1 book6 followersBrion is a writer, director, actor, and dreamer, whose actual career involves teaching high school Theatre and Creative Writing. Brion is also the co-host of The Roundtable Podcast which was a finalist for the 2012 Parsec Awards. Brion's debut novel, Sense Memory, is the first in a new series and is available in free serialized audio at Podiobooks.com, and can be purchased in eBook format on Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 30, 2020
I didn't really know where this book was heading but i was hooked from the very beginning. This, if i'm not wrong, was my first mysterious supernatural thriller and it left me wanting more no only from the author but from books of similar genre.
Everything about this book was on point. The writing made it easy to fly through it. The characters, despite the fact that the were dealing with life threatening matters they gave me a good laugh. I like how when were introduced to Ben, he was undesirable, moody and kind of an asshole but you could still see right through the acts with the little things he did. To me, he felt like two people in one and with time they morphed into one and he erased his true self (All this before he figured out what was going on). I didn't think about the other characters as much although there's a lot going on with Jack than we know. Lieutenant Banquer read like the normal somewhat cliché hero from any detective novel except he wasn't as quick witted as the rest of them. I wouldn't mind following his story, any of the characters for that fact.
Any time i wasn't listening to this book i was thinking about it and questioning everything. I can't even summarize the premise of the book because i don't think i'll give it justice. Some things that happened and the epilogue gave way to Book 2 and possibly a series. I really hope Brion turns it into a series because i wouldn't hesitate to throw myself back into this world.
Everything about this book was on point. The writing made it easy to fly through it. The characters, despite the fact that the were dealing with life threatening matters they gave me a good laugh. I like how when were introduced to Ben, he was undesirable, moody and kind of an asshole but you could still see right through the acts with the little things he did. To me, he felt like two people in one and with time they morphed into one and he erased his true self (All this before he figured out what was going on). I didn't think about the other characters as much although there's a lot going on with Jack than we know. Lieutenant Banquer read like the normal somewhat cliché hero from any detective novel except he wasn't as quick witted as the rest of them. I wouldn't mind following his story, any of the characters for that fact.
Any time i wasn't listening to this book i was thinking about it and questioning everything. I can't even summarize the premise of the book because i don't think i'll give it justice. Some things that happened and the epilogue gave way to Book 2 and possibly a series. I really hope Brion turns it into a series because i wouldn't hesitate to throw myself back into this world.
December 21, 2013
The first chapter of this strange and quirky novel is the weirdest first chapter I’ve ever read. I almost put the book down out of frustration, as it was pretty incomprehensible. I’m so glad I didn’t.
I don’t have a clue how to categorize this book: mystery, suspense, police procedural, supernatural nightmare, psychological thriller, all of the above? But honestly, who cares? It’s a great read, so I decided not to get hung up on what pigeon hole to put it in.
Benjamin Cady is a seemingly regular guy who experiences dreamlike states in which he sees vivid violent horrifying visions of murder and mayhem. Is he reliving a past too horrible to confront, or is he simply delusional? Things go from bad to worse as one terrifying event after another happens to or is perpetrated by the characters. Nothing is the least bit predictable, which makes for great suspense.
Ben’s life intersects with that of a gritty LAPD homicide detective named Jim Banquer, who reopens a cold murder case, after which more murders occur. Who is Ben really? Is Ben tied to the murder(s)? Why is Banquer so obsessed with these murders? What’s with Lieutenant Michaels and Detective Mendez? What is the importance of Ben’s Grandmother and the world’s best peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
These questions will all be on the final exam. Meantime, you’re in for a nail-biting, heart-palpitating, unable-to-put-it-down mystery thrill ride (I finished the book at 4 a.m.). Do take that ride.
Warning: the body count and blood spill are huge, even more than your typical noir detective novel. If you are queasy about such things, beware.
There are so many fascinating and memorable characters, and there are so many facets of the plot left unresolved, that I suspect a sequel will be coming. I do hope so.
I don’t have a clue how to categorize this book: mystery, suspense, police procedural, supernatural nightmare, psychological thriller, all of the above? But honestly, who cares? It’s a great read, so I decided not to get hung up on what pigeon hole to put it in.
Benjamin Cady is a seemingly regular guy who experiences dreamlike states in which he sees vivid violent horrifying visions of murder and mayhem. Is he reliving a past too horrible to confront, or is he simply delusional? Things go from bad to worse as one terrifying event after another happens to or is perpetrated by the characters. Nothing is the least bit predictable, which makes for great suspense.
Ben’s life intersects with that of a gritty LAPD homicide detective named Jim Banquer, who reopens a cold murder case, after which more murders occur. Who is Ben really? Is Ben tied to the murder(s)? Why is Banquer so obsessed with these murders? What’s with Lieutenant Michaels and Detective Mendez? What is the importance of Ben’s Grandmother and the world’s best peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
These questions will all be on the final exam. Meantime, you’re in for a nail-biting, heart-palpitating, unable-to-put-it-down mystery thrill ride (I finished the book at 4 a.m.). Do take that ride.
Warning: the body count and blood spill are huge, even more than your typical noir detective novel. If you are queasy about such things, beware.
There are so many fascinating and memorable characters, and there are so many facets of the plot left unresolved, that I suspect a sequel will be coming. I do hope so.
July 17, 2013
This is the first novel that Brion has put out there for us to savor. It’s a good first outing. The first couple of chapter are setting up the characters. For some people that may make the pace seem a little slow. The last few chapters make up for that apparent slowness.
The characters are fairly well done. In a few cases they threaten to slip into caricatures/archetypes. In one or two cases they fall right into the thick if them. I’m fond of Ben, the protagonist, but the character I would have loved to see more of was Sonia.
I have a couple of gripes with the story. The first and largest is the supernatural/paranormal aspect. I won’t go into detail, but the “power” displayed and how the people who wield it do so are a bit uneven. How they got the power and how they’re connected is also pretty vague. I don’t mind a bit of ambiguity in my story, but if you’re going to do something new in this realm at least a little explanation of what’s going on is appreciated.
My second gripe revolves around point of view. There’s some degree of head hopping going on. That makes some degree of sense given the subject matter. For me it’s a matter of personal preference, but if you’re going to tell a story in third person limited, then save the POV changes for chapter breaks. Don’t do it within the chapter. I would have loved this story strictly from Ben’s point of view.
So, how’s the writing? In a story that’s called “Sense Memory” you can imagine that the role of senses is important. Brion does a bang up job describing things, almost to a fault. This leads to some repetition and that can slow down the pace. That’s something that you don’t want in a thriller. The sensuousness lent it an almost lurid, pulpy feel. I liked that where it wasn’t excessive.
The characters are fairly well done. In a few cases they threaten to slip into caricatures/archetypes. In one or two cases they fall right into the thick if them. I’m fond of Ben, the protagonist, but the character I would have loved to see more of was Sonia.
I have a couple of gripes with the story. The first and largest is the supernatural/paranormal aspect. I won’t go into detail, but the “power” displayed and how the people who wield it do so are a bit uneven. How they got the power and how they’re connected is also pretty vague. I don’t mind a bit of ambiguity in my story, but if you’re going to do something new in this realm at least a little explanation of what’s going on is appreciated.
My second gripe revolves around point of view. There’s some degree of head hopping going on. That makes some degree of sense given the subject matter. For me it’s a matter of personal preference, but if you’re going to tell a story in third person limited, then save the POV changes for chapter breaks. Don’t do it within the chapter. I would have loved this story strictly from Ben’s point of view.
So, how’s the writing? In a story that’s called “Sense Memory” you can imagine that the role of senses is important. Brion does a bang up job describing things, almost to a fault. This leads to some repetition and that can slow down the pace. That’s something that you don’t want in a thriller. The sensuousness lent it an almost lurid, pulpy feel. I liked that where it wasn’t excessive.
April 24, 2013
This book dragged me into its world and then slowly unraveled it's weird mysteries, pulling me along all the while with little character quirks and jokes that cracked me up. It is dark, funny, twisty and mysterious. I could never tell what was going to happen next in the story, and always wanted to know was going to happen next. This is a tale spun from Brion's deep wells of creativity, offering up something unlike anything you've read before. The creative ideas in this book are inspiring. It was a little "The Door To December" by Dean Koontz, a little, "I Am Not A Serial Killer" by Dan Wells, and yet very much something all its own and unlike anything I've ever read before. It is very much in the awesome and unique voice of Brion Humphrey. For a first novel, this is one heck of a horse to come out of the gates with. I can't wait to read his next one, because he's only going to get better and he's already a gifted writer and storyteller. If you're looking for something a little different sprinkled with many of the things you love from other genre fiction books, you should grab a copy of this book. It's a fun read that keeps you turning the pages with it's interesting characters, shocking action, and gripping modern story world wrapped in layers of strange treasures to unveil.
abandoned
April 17, 2013I picked this book at the recommendation of Nathan Lowell, an author whose work I enjoy and whose prior recommendations have generally been successful -- even though I don't generally care much for "psychological suspense". But I just couldn't get into it. I tried several times, but each time I would be distracted and wasn't interested enough to get back to it quickly. Then I would try again having to re-read to get even a basic idea of what was going on. But I just wasn't that interested in the characters or the little bit of plot that I could figure out. One of the things that did keep me trying is that the author uses some interesting imagery and phrasing. But it wasn't enough. Sorry.
December 4, 2014
An entertaining supernatural thriller that felt like the start of a series - leaving some threads open and some potentially interesting characters under-developed, but reaching an exciting conclusion. I found some problems with the flow in some places, especially the first chapter, which almost lost me until the last paragraph got its hook in, as though the book needed a final edit before publication.
The premise of the story is an interesting one and, although sometimes it is not entirely clear whose head we are in, there are hints of other directions that future stories could take, so I hope the author brings some of these characters back for a return visit or two.
The premise of the story is an interesting one and, although sometimes it is not entirely clear whose head we are in, there are hints of other directions that future stories could take, so I hope the author brings some of these characters back for a return visit or two.
May 7, 2013
I read this book because of Nathan Lowell's recommendation, and as usual it was a good one. For the first half I found myself reading it with a disturbed feeling. I get the same sensation from Chuck Palahniuk novels, where I'm enjoying the book but disturbed at the subject matter at the same time. As things become clearer toward the end that feeling lessened and I could really enjoy the book.
May 9, 2013
I loved it, beginning to end.
June 28, 2013
I really enjoyed the story. There were several technical errors that I really found grating. Outside of that, very interesting and I'm really looking forward to the sequel.
June 16, 2018
Liked it a lot.
Absorbing story with charming kick-ass characters. Totally fun read...cover to cover. Looking forward to the next book in (hopefully) a series.
Absorbing story with charming kick-ass characters. Totally fun read...cover to cover. Looking forward to the next book in (hopefully) a series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews