Every Time She Wakes

by Petronella McGovern

An unputdownable thriller from the bestselling author of Six Minutes and The Last Trace.

Every Time She Wakes is a taut, time-bending thriller about family, identity and defying fate.

When careers counsellor Suze and her family are kidnapped from their home during a bushfire emergency, she thinks it's the end—until the van crashes and sends her two weeks back in time.

But only Suze remembers the terror that came before. Is it all in her own mind?

Then it happens again. And again.

With every loop, her world twists into a new version of itself. Suze must work out why this is happening and who is behind the kidnappings. But she's running out of time to save her family and wake up in a world she recognises.

'Gripping, unsettling and impossible to put down.’ Sally Hepworth, author of Mad Mabel

'A clever, propulsive thriller that plays brilliantly with time and tension.’ Christian White, author of The Long Night

'Mind-blowing, utterly compulsive!’ Dinuka McKenzie, author of She Lied First

'Original, propulsive family drama with high-octane stakes where the world is literally and figuratively burning, and nothing is quite what it seems.’ Vanessa McCausland, author of The Last Illusion of Paige White

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 30, 2026

About the author

Petronella McGovern writes psychological thrillers focusing on everyday characters and contemporary issues. She is fascinated by what makes us tick, the lies we tell, and the secrets we keep.

Her new release, Every Time She Wakes is a taut, time-bending thriller about family, identity and defying fate. She is the best-selling author of Six Minutes, The Good Teacher, The Liars and The Last Trace. Her books have been nominated in the Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards and the Australian Independent Bookseller Awards. The Liars was selected in the Top 100 Big W/Better Reading list for 2023.

Petronella grew up in a large family on a farm in New South Wales. Australian landscapes and the bush feature strongly in her stories. Among other adventures, she has worked on a summer camp in America and travelled in eastern Africa which inspired parts of her fourth novel, The Last Trace.

Follow Petronella on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PetronellaMc... or Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petronellam...

Reviews

[Janna (Bibliophile Mom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every Time She Wakes leans far more into women’s fiction than the thriller energy I expected based on the synopsis and cover, so my initial expectations weren’t fully met. Even so, I still found the story engaging in its own quiet, introspective way. The parallel universe concept is genuinely refreshing (ambitious, imaginative, and full of potential) but the execution didn’t always land for me.

The narrative structure, especially the repeating sequence, threw me off at first. It looped several times, and instead of building tension, it became confusing and a little exhausting. I understood the intention, but the rhythm felt uneven, and it took me a while to settle into the flow. What I did enjoy was the multi‑perspective exploration of the characters. Seeing their lives, choices, and emotional burdens through different lenses added depth and substance. The setting also carried a quiet charm, and the life lessons threaded through the story were thoughtful and heartfelt.

Likes:
• Parallel universe that felt fresh
• Multiple editions of the characters that added dimension
• Life lessons added naturally into the narrative

Dislikes:
• Repetitive sequences that became tiring
• Confusing structure at the start
• Execution didn’t match the premise

Breakdown:
• Setting: 4⭐️
• Characters: 3⭐️
• Writing: 3⭐️
• Message: 3⭐️
• Overall: 3⭐️

In summary, a beautifully unique story with a strong emotional core, but not quite the thriller I was hoping for. Readers who enjoy women’s fiction with speculative elements will likely appreciate this more than thriller addicts. It didn’t fully work out for me, but I can still see its charm and the heart behind it.

~JaNnA~

[Michele (michelethebookdragon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Time She Wakes is a mind bending and thought provoking story and this is why I love this author.

Suze Vitale is a wife, mother and careers counsellor living on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. When Suze and her family are kidnapped by who they thought were RFS volunteers during a bushfire, she wonders what the hell could be going on. When the van crashes and rolls it looks like the end for their family.

Then Suze wakes up in her bed and realises she is back two weeks before the abduction and crash. Was it a dream? It was so real. Why does she have a scar on her leg? Then some events repeat themselves or are slightly different to before. She wonders if she is overworked, or worse, has a brain tumour.

Then they are kidnapped again. Then she wakes up again on the same day. Is she losing her mind or is she losing herself?

What follows is a twisty mystery as the time between Suze waking and the kidnappings gets shorter. She hopes and thinks if she makes different decisions each time that it will affect the outcome. Can she outrun time?

I was in a spin reading this wondering what was happening to Suze, and if she could work it out before it was too late. With a fierce determination to save her family and find out who or what was behind this enigma, Suze discovers so much about herself and her place in the world.

And that ending!

[Narelle Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine three movies - Sliding Doors, Groundhog Day and Basic Instinct got together and created a child - you might be close to the feel of Petronella McGovern's new book.
Every Time She Wakes introduces us very quickly to careers counsellor, Suze Vitale and her family as they appear to being evacuated from their home when it is threatened by a bush fire. However, nothing is quite as it seems, and soon Suze is waking up to find she has gone back in time repeating her life. Yet even that isn't right as each time she loops back into her life changes have happened and important pieces of her existence have disappeared. What is going on and why is this happening? Questions that make you hold your breath and keep turning the pages rapidly to try to help Suze figure it all out.
I really loved this thriller - it absolutely drew me and absorbed every minute of my day - I had to read in one sitting as I couldn't bear to put it down. I almost felt like at times I was watching a very bad train wreck as Suze's life continues to implode in a variety of ways, but there was no way I was looking away. It was one of the most frustrating but engaging books I have ever read. I really didn't know where it was going to all end up. The whole cast of characters are well written, but I have to admit I really wasn't fond of Suze's husband - I'm a bit meh about him. I wanted to give him a good punch in the arm and tell him to step up a bit more, however that could be just me as a reader.
Petronella McGovern is a such a great thriller writer - she gets right into the heart of her characters and expects you to absolutely follow along the journey. A must read thriller this winter for those who like a strong plot and a empathetic character.
Thanks to NetGalley as well as Allen & Unwin for the chance to read this arc. Thoroughly enjoyed losing a day of my life - it was worth it.

[sam carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot to like about this book but also a bit I found difficult to get through.

Let’s start with the positive. I love the concept of the story itself, the alternate timelines and butterfly effect of the decisions our FMC makes is really interesting to me. I enjoyed the pacing of each alternate timeline and was rooting for our FMC to back herself and get her life back on track. I also enjoyed the ending!

For the not so positive… There was a bit too much repetition in our FMCs internal monologue and with some of the conversations we were seeing take place throughout each alternate timeline which got a little annoying for me. I also struggled with the conclusion of the Rowdy storyline.

This is still a book I recommend to anyone who has an interest in a more woman’s lit based thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Allen & Unwin for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[John Purcell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent an advanced reading copy of this rollercoaster of a read a few weeks back. Judging by the cover, I was expecting a fairly straightforward domestic thriller. I got that wrong. What I read instead was a high octane Groundhog Day/Sliding Doors cross with a bit of multiverse mayhem thrown in for good measure. And it works. McGovern taps into that reasonable On the Calculation of Volume vibe, where it's made clear the impossible is happening, and we will just have to deal with it. Like following a Liane Moriarty middle class family into a black hole. This sensible centre gives weight and cohesion to a story that reinvents itself over and over, ratcheting up the suspense and increasing the stakes with every restart. I am so glad I strapped myself in and went along for the ride, reading the fat wad of bound pages in a day. Highly recommended. Great fun.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book. The idea of someone reliving the same time frame over and over sounded like it could get monotonous, but this book was absolutely not dull. It had a fairly straight forward start, with a family having to evacuate their home because of bushfires, but each iteration built on the story, with the mother of the family finding her life becoming increasingly distorted.
The book had an interesting cast of characters, some more likeable than others, but each an important part of the story. It was not a thriller in the conventional sense, but it still made me think, and had a back story that became clearer each time Suze woke to her new reality. It built the tension well and is well worth a read. Another great story from Petronella McGovern.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Jackie McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)
I really don't like time-loop books, but here I am saying Petronella McGovern grabbed me right away with this one. It's mostly not repetitive either, as the loops are more alternative timelines. The best bit was the traps that the trusting protagonist, Suze, fell into each time which ultimately led to her flying through the air toward the next wake-up. Where the book fell down for me was in the wrap up. What caused the timeline to split? If it's just an exercise in walking out the consequences of each decision you could make, it's a bit naff really. I think I wanted to discover a reason rather than a poorly integrated psychological writing experiment. I'm giving it 3.5 stars because it hooked me regardless of the outcome.

With thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy to read.

[Jay Dwight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. My favourite book of the year so far.

Petronella's books usually have a crime / thriller element to them, but this does not. It's a sliding doors / parallel universe type of scenario. Careers counsellor Suze finds herself in a time loop, re-living a similar period, but with different earlier life choices delivering different impacts on her life. Is she going crazy? Can she get back to her preferred reality?

It's such an addictive tale, I tore through it quickly. And it gave me plenty to think about, regarding how life choices along the way delivered me the best parts of my life.... I found it therapeutic, making me thankful of the choices made that delivered me that wonderful outcome.