The Memory Foundation: A Novel

by Amanda West

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 26, 2026

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairly original and surprising twist is insufficient to save an otherwise uncoordinated story. West assembles the building blocks of a great techno-thriller, but populates it with unlikeable characters who speak in unconvincing, exclamation point ridden run-on sentences. The story is buttressed by the premise of the remote research facility turned retreat and the history-making secret it protects, but the actual science is fuzzy. The project itself becomes cloudier rather than more concrete as the details are revealed, but the overall mad scientist vibe is transparent from the first page. The author is clearly familiar with the ingredients for a good thriller, so a future effort may get the recipe right.

Watch the swinging pendulum, you're getting sleepy--you'll be glad to forget The Memory Foundation. Try a Taylor Adams or Will Dean if you're looking for thrills.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

[Tayler Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an interesting idea and an eerie, isolated setting carried this one for me! The ideas around memory and control were so good, but the story never quite dug as deep as I hoped. Some twists felt predictable too. A solid, atmospheric read — just not unforgettable. ✨

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda West, and Crooked Lane Books for an opportunity to read this ARC!

*** ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***