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The Last Thing I Remember
For fans of Rubbernecker and Before I Go To Sleep, a tense thriller with a clever and original premise - and a devilish twist
Sarah is in a coma.
Her memory is gone - she doesn't know how she got there. And she doesn't know how she might get out.
But then she discovers that her injury wasn't an accident. And that the assailant hasn't been caught.
Unable to speak, see or move, Sarah must use every clue that she overhears to piece together her own past.
And work out who it is that keeps coming into her room.
A novel that grips from the very beginning and that will live long in the memory, The Last Thing I Remember is Deborah Bee's startling debut thriller.
Sarah is in a coma.
Her memory is gone - she doesn't know how she got there. And she doesn't know how she might get out.
But then she discovers that her injury wasn't an accident. And that the assailant hasn't been caught.
Unable to speak, see or move, Sarah must use every clue that she overhears to piece together her own past.
And work out who it is that keeps coming into her room.
A novel that grips from the very beginning and that will live long in the memory, The Last Thing I Remember is Deborah Bee's startling debut thriller.
272 pages, ebook
First published February 25, 2016
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1422 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
August 26, 2019
Straight up addictive reading that I gulped as fast as a chocolate milkshake on a hot Sunday afternoon. The Last Thing I Remember takes place in the contemporary U.K. and is alternatively narrated by Sarah, a woman whose in a medically induced coma, and, Kelly, Sarah's teenage neighbor.
Deborah Bee faced a tough task in having the storyline fall to a woman that only the reader could "hear" and a teenager that appears only to reveal half-truths. The fact remains, that the story is executed brilliantly as clues continuously emerge and finally culminated in a cliffhanger ending.
Truly enjoyable read.
Deborah Bee faced a tough task in having the storyline fall to a woman that only the reader could "hear" and a teenager that appears only to reveal half-truths. The fact remains, that the story is executed brilliantly as clues continuously emerge and finally culminated in a cliffhanger ending.
Truly enjoyable read.
September 5, 2023
The short review goes
Just SO good - obvs like totally ;)
The longer one is
I really did find the start of this book very intriguing. In the first chapter we have Sarah in hospital having suffered some trauma and probably unconscious. The next chapter introduces us to Kelly. Kelly is a young teenager who lives next door to Sarah and whose main attribute, other than swearing, would appear to be mangling English. The chapters alternate between Sarah & Kelly throughout the book. At this stage it was intriguing - yes, however I wasn't sure it was convincing and I found the language and writing took a little getting used to (it's a while since I was a teenager!).
It was one of those books where, at the end of every chapter, I though "I'll just read one more...". The pace was excellent and there was some great black humour. While in the main there are really only two characters in this book the other players are well caught by either Kelly or Sarah and played their parts very well. It is one of those "gradual reveal" stories as the two threads share a little of the whole as chapters go by and I found that worked extremely well for me. The writing is simple - deceptively simply. I'm amazed at how good a book can be that just has two very different voices and approaches. As time went by I found it harder and harder to put this book down. I really did find myself loving Kelly as a character and she will stick with me for sometime to come even if Sarah's story was also very good indeed. It is a very accomplished début thriller from an author I hope I will read more of. I have no doubts it will be one of the best books I'll read this year.
Note - I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
Just SO good - obvs like totally ;)
The longer one is
I really did find the start of this book very intriguing. In the first chapter we have Sarah in hospital having suffered some trauma and probably unconscious. The next chapter introduces us to Kelly. Kelly is a young teenager who lives next door to Sarah and whose main attribute, other than swearing, would appear to be mangling English. The chapters alternate between Sarah & Kelly throughout the book. At this stage it was intriguing - yes, however I wasn't sure it was convincing and I found the language and writing took a little getting used to (it's a while since I was a teenager!).
It was one of those books where, at the end of every chapter, I though "I'll just read one more...". The pace was excellent and there was some great black humour. While in the main there are really only two characters in this book the other players are well caught by either Kelly or Sarah and played their parts very well. It is one of those "gradual reveal" stories as the two threads share a little of the whole as chapters go by and I found that worked extremely well for me. The writing is simple - deceptively simply. I'm amazed at how good a book can be that just has two very different voices and approaches. As time went by I found it harder and harder to put this book down. I really did find myself loving Kelly as a character and she will stick with me for sometime to come even if Sarah's story was also very good indeed. It is a very accomplished début thriller from an author I hope I will read more of. I have no doubts it will be one of the best books I'll read this year.
Note - I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
July 11, 2016
**3.5 stars**
Read this in two hours straight - the addictive quality is way up there. You just do NOT want to stop reading. That in itself says something about The Last Thing I Remember.
The book for me was made by one of our two main protagonists, Kelly, teenage girl, typical of that age SUCH an authentic voice Deborah Bee brings to her. She is hilarious and complicated with a dry wit and a potty mouth - I loved reading her portions of the story as she tells the tale of her friendship with Sarah. Sarah we also hear from in her comatose state as she begins to piece together her own life both from memories resurfacing and hearing what is going on around her. Unfortunately she cannot communicate this. She is alone.
Its a tautly plotted well written novel exploring themes of marital secrets, childhood influences and bullying - as Sarah lies trapped within her own body her only defence really is Kelly - and the two stories intertwine really well which is what keeps you turning those pages with something of an obsession.
It is a twisty tale with an ending that whilst I did see coming had no lesser of an impact for that. Anticipating getting there was just as emotive as it would have been if I'd had no idea and was hit with a surprise. The finale is also very clever and really this was a great read from start to finish.
The Last Thing I Remember is spot on Summer reading. Shame that our weather isn't living up to the quality of the novels I'm getting through. In the rain.
Recommended.
Read this in two hours straight - the addictive quality is way up there. You just do NOT want to stop reading. That in itself says something about The Last Thing I Remember.
The book for me was made by one of our two main protagonists, Kelly, teenage girl, typical of that age SUCH an authentic voice Deborah Bee brings to her. She is hilarious and complicated with a dry wit and a potty mouth - I loved reading her portions of the story as she tells the tale of her friendship with Sarah. Sarah we also hear from in her comatose state as she begins to piece together her own life both from memories resurfacing and hearing what is going on around her. Unfortunately she cannot communicate this. She is alone.
Its a tautly plotted well written novel exploring themes of marital secrets, childhood influences and bullying - as Sarah lies trapped within her own body her only defence really is Kelly - and the two stories intertwine really well which is what keeps you turning those pages with something of an obsession.
It is a twisty tale with an ending that whilst I did see coming had no lesser of an impact for that. Anticipating getting there was just as emotive as it would have been if I'd had no idea and was hit with a surprise. The finale is also very clever and really this was a great read from start to finish.
The Last Thing I Remember is spot on Summer reading. Shame that our weather isn't living up to the quality of the novels I'm getting through. In the rain.
Recommended.
October 22, 2016
OMG and just like WOW,what a brilliant book,every now and again you start reading a book that you don't want to finish,you want to know how the story is going to end but you just don't want to get there,that's how I felt about this book,its like absolutely brilliant.
Sarah is in hospital but she can't tell anyone what happened because she is in a coma.Trapped in limbo she drifts in and out of concienceness not able to feel,see or move and only occasionally being able to hear and sense what is going on around her.As she fights to wake up or do something to let her family know that she is still with them,the tension mounts as the doctors slowly give up on her ever waking up and you feel Sarah's rising despair and feelings of hopelessness as well as her raising doubts about whether she really wants to wake up.As the story unfolds and her memories return,you learn that for various reasons Sarah has not had an easy life,I felt quite a bit of sympathy for her character.
The other main character is a street wise,foul mouthed teenager called Kelly,who strangely enough is Sarah's best friend and knows a lot more about events than a lot of the other characters in the story think.Kelly may come across as tough and uncaring but deep down she is just a scared little girl who desperately wants Sarah to wake up for reasons that become apparent as the story unfolds.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Sarah and Kelly's points of view,sometimes in these types of books one of the characters chapters can be more interesting than the others but in this book both characters chapters are interesting and intriguing for different reasons.Sarah's chapters are heartstopping at times as she fights to regain consciousness and her memories slowly return plus adding to the tension is the mysterious stranger that in some of her brief moments of consciousness Sarah can sense in her room at night,what does the person want?.Kelly's chapters are quite funny at times,writing a story from the point of view of a teenager can't be easy but Kelly's character is very believable.
The story is gripping,thought provoking and for a debut book very well written,I will definitely be adding Deborah Bee to my list of authors to look out for.
Thanks so much to Bonnier publishing for a ARC of this book via netgalley
Sarah is in hospital but she can't tell anyone what happened because she is in a coma.Trapped in limbo she drifts in and out of concienceness not able to feel,see or move and only occasionally being able to hear and sense what is going on around her.As she fights to wake up or do something to let her family know that she is still with them,the tension mounts as the doctors slowly give up on her ever waking up and you feel Sarah's rising despair and feelings of hopelessness as well as her raising doubts about whether she really wants to wake up.As the story unfolds and her memories return,you learn that for various reasons Sarah has not had an easy life,I felt quite a bit of sympathy for her character.
The other main character is a street wise,foul mouthed teenager called Kelly,who strangely enough is Sarah's best friend and knows a lot more about events than a lot of the other characters in the story think.Kelly may come across as tough and uncaring but deep down she is just a scared little girl who desperately wants Sarah to wake up for reasons that become apparent as the story unfolds.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Sarah and Kelly's points of view,sometimes in these types of books one of the characters chapters can be more interesting than the others but in this book both characters chapters are interesting and intriguing for different reasons.Sarah's chapters are heartstopping at times as she fights to regain consciousness and her memories slowly return plus adding to the tension is the mysterious stranger that in some of her brief moments of consciousness Sarah can sense in her room at night,what does the person want?.Kelly's chapters are quite funny at times,writing a story from the point of view of a teenager can't be easy but Kelly's character is very believable.
The story is gripping,thought provoking and for a debut book very well written,I will definitely be adding Deborah Bee to my list of authors to look out for.
Thanks so much to Bonnier publishing for a ARC of this book via netgalley
February 7, 2017
This book promises a lot in its synopsis but sadly fails to live up to its expectations. The cover announces it as an emotional psychological thriller - and it was none of these things.
Told alternately by teenaged Kelly and assault victim Sarah, who is locked in a coma and floats in and out of consciousness as those around her try and decipher what has happened. The chapters told by Kelly were littered with swearing which added nothing to the plot and were frankly distracting from the storyline. The author almost created a teenage caricature in Kelly, which made the character become obnoxious and difficult to interpret.
The chapters told by Sarah are confusing to say the least, as she merely floats between drug induced comatose and vivid dreams, it's difficult for the reader to understand what is happening.
There are several minor threads within the plot which I struggled to understand. As the book progressed I didn't feel much had occurred, and by the end I was relieved it was over and done with.
Rating this a very generous two star, as it had some potential to be a good book if the author had approached her ideas in a different manner. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity. I doubt I will read anything by this author again.
Told alternately by teenaged Kelly and assault victim Sarah, who is locked in a coma and floats in and out of consciousness as those around her try and decipher what has happened. The chapters told by Kelly were littered with swearing which added nothing to the plot and were frankly distracting from the storyline. The author almost created a teenage caricature in Kelly, which made the character become obnoxious and difficult to interpret.
The chapters told by Sarah are confusing to say the least, as she merely floats between drug induced comatose and vivid dreams, it's difficult for the reader to understand what is happening.
There are several minor threads within the plot which I struggled to understand. As the book progressed I didn't feel much had occurred, and by the end I was relieved it was over and done with.
Rating this a very generous two star, as it had some potential to be a good book if the author had approached her ideas in a different manner. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity. I doubt I will read anything by this author again.
August 19, 2016
Meet Sarah– locked in a coma. Can hear everything that is being spoken of around her hospital bed. Nurses gossiping, chatting about ‘cheese strings’ or well g-strings. Her parents fussing around her. The doctors explaining what’s going on with Sarah medically.
Meet Kelly– a teenaged girl who befriends Sarah, the new and stunningly beautiful next door neighbor. She’s a typical and very realistic teenager who has her own troubles at school. Turns out the school is ruled by the bullying ‘housing estate’ twats.
The book alternates in between Sarah’s and Kelly’s POVs and, as is typical to a thriller, in this case a contemporary thriller, the pieces are put in place slowly, chapter at a time. What actually happened will be revealed with a nice twist, even though around halfway through I started suspecting the endgame.
The two are unlikely friends at first glance. But Sarah helps Kelly ‘disappear’, to become a ‘nobody’ so that she won’t be noticed by the Horrors that roam the school and empty everyone’s pockets. Kelly helps Sarah in a different way. Maybe come out of her shell a little, enjoy life a little.
The characters are really, truly, quite realistic. It was a bit like watching reality TV. You know one of those ‘999, emergency’ shows, or ’24 hours in A&E’ except the novel’s timeline is 10 days with glances into past and a possible murder investigation.
On the whole the book, for me, was:
Frustrating- because I wanted to know quicker. Suspense can be frustrating. Squirmy.
Sad- because.. there was some really shitty events. I can’t really say much because I don’t want to give anything away. But I was slightly heartbroken for Sarah.
Making me angry. That bitch of a mother of Sarah’s. What a cow!
For lightweights I’d put out a warning for elements of:
bullying
abuse
feeling locked-in just like Sarah. Quite suffocating.
profanity. See word count comments below.
I would also say this book is quite provocative. In a sense that it doesn’t filter out what may or may not hurt someone’s feelings about certain subjects.
Word count for ‘fuck’- it goes to infinity and beyond. Kelly has quite the sailor’s mouth.
Word count for ‘like’- takes second place behind ‘fuck’.
My rating- 3***. I liked it. It was very realistic. I did find Kelly’s chapters a bit of a work to read through in the second half of the book.
I won an uncorrected proof copy of this book on a Twitter giveaway. Thanks to Amanda from Chocolate pages, author Deborah Bee and twenty7 Books. Apologies for taking my sweet bloody time to finally read and review.
Meet Kelly– a teenaged girl who befriends Sarah, the new and stunningly beautiful next door neighbor. She’s a typical and very realistic teenager who has her own troubles at school. Turns out the school is ruled by the bullying ‘housing estate’ twats.
The book alternates in between Sarah’s and Kelly’s POVs and, as is typical to a thriller, in this case a contemporary thriller, the pieces are put in place slowly, chapter at a time. What actually happened will be revealed with a nice twist, even though around halfway through I started suspecting the endgame.
The two are unlikely friends at first glance. But Sarah helps Kelly ‘disappear’, to become a ‘nobody’ so that she won’t be noticed by the Horrors that roam the school and empty everyone’s pockets. Kelly helps Sarah in a different way. Maybe come out of her shell a little, enjoy life a little.
The characters are really, truly, quite realistic. It was a bit like watching reality TV. You know one of those ‘999, emergency’ shows, or ’24 hours in A&E’ except the novel’s timeline is 10 days with glances into past and a possible murder investigation.
On the whole the book, for me, was:
Frustrating- because I wanted to know quicker. Suspense can be frustrating. Squirmy.
Sad- because.. there was some really shitty events. I can’t really say much because I don’t want to give anything away. But I was slightly heartbroken for Sarah.
Making me angry. That bitch of a mother of Sarah’s. What a cow!
For lightweights I’d put out a warning for elements of:
bullying
abuse
feeling locked-in just like Sarah. Quite suffocating.
profanity. See word count comments below.
I would also say this book is quite provocative. In a sense that it doesn’t filter out what may or may not hurt someone’s feelings about certain subjects.
Word count for ‘fuck’- it goes to infinity and beyond. Kelly has quite the sailor’s mouth.
Word count for ‘like’- takes second place behind ‘fuck’.
My rating- 3***. I liked it. It was very realistic. I did find Kelly’s chapters a bit of a work to read through in the second half of the book.
I won an uncorrected proof copy of this book on a Twitter giveaway. Thanks to Amanda from Chocolate pages, author Deborah Bee and twenty7 Books. Apologies for taking my sweet bloody time to finally read and review.
March 15, 2018
Sarah Beresford liegt im Koma. Die 28-Jährige hat ihr Gedächtnis verloren. Sie erinnert sich an nichts. Sie kann nicht sehen, nicht sprechen und sich nicht bewegen. Sie weiß nicht, wie sie aus diesem Zustand herauskommt. Aber sie bekommt in ihrem Bett in einem Londoner Krankenhaus mit, was um sie herum gesprochen wird. Sie findet heraus, dass ihre schweren Verletzungen kein Unfall waren. Und dass die Polizei nach ihrem Angreifer sucht. Ihr Mann Adam wurde tot gefunden. Was ist bloß passiert? Was hat ihre 14-jährige Nachbarin und Freundin Kelly McCarthy mit all dem zu tun? Und wird sie dieser unheimliche Mann umbringen, der mehrfach in ihr Krankenzimmer geschlichen kommt? Sarah versucht, ihren eigenen Fall zu lösen.
„Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ ist der Debütroman von Deborah Bee.
Meine Meinung:
Das Buch beinhaltet 47 relativ kurze Kapitel. Erzählt wird jeweils aus der Ich-Perspektive – abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Sarah und der von Kelly. Die Handlung erstreckt sich über zwölf Tage. Der Aufbau der Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
Der Schreibstil differenziert zwischen den altersmäßig sehr unterschiedlichen Hauptprotagonistinnen. Während die Kapitel zu Sarah authentisch die Verwirrung und Angst der verletzten Frau widerspiegeln und einige tolle Metaphern enthalten, sind die Kapitel zu Kelly in Jugendsprache verfasst und erzählerisch etwas chaotisch. Mir fiel es leicht, mich in die Gedanken- und Gefühlswelt der beiden einzufinden und in die Geschichte einzutauchen.
Die beiden Hauptcharaktere, Sarah und Kelly, passen auf den ersten Blick überhaupt nicht zusammen. Die hübsche und gebildete Sarah wirkt in dem Londoner Problemviertel South Tottenham, wo auch Kelly mit ihrer Mutter Brenda und dem kleinen Bruder Billy wohnt, total deplatziert. Doch schnell war meine Neugier daran geweckt, was die beiden verbindet. Die Kombination der zwei Charaktere empfinde ich als reizvoll. Auch die übrigen Figuren werden glaubwürdig dargestellt.
Die Grundidee des Romans ist äußerst originell und hat sofort meine Aufmerksamkeit erregt. Aus der Sicht einer Person mit dem „Locked-In-Syndrom“ erzählen zu lassen und das mit einem Kriminalfall zu verknüpfen, das ist nach meiner Ansicht ein tolles Konzept. Das macht „Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ zu einem besonderen Buch, wie ich es noch nie gelesen habe.
Die Geschichte ist absolut schlüssig und realitätsnah. Es wird eine Vielzahl an Fragen aufgeworfen und es gibt mehrere Wendungen, so dass mich das Buch fesseln konnte. Ich habe mich beim Lesen zu keiner Zeit gelangweilt. Die Probleme, die im weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte ans Licht kommen, konnten mich bewegen und regen zum Nachdenken an. Die psychologische Tiefe ist ein weiteres Plus des Romans.
Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist die Verkaufsstrategie des Buches, das als „Thriller“ vermarktet wird. Dadurch bin ich mit anderen Erwartungen herangegangen. Tatsächlich handelt es sich um einen gut gemachten Roman mit viel subtiler Spannung, nicht aber um einen klassischen Thriller. Zudem ist der deutsche Titel absolut irreführend und längst nicht so treffend wie das englische Original („The Last Thing I Remember“). Das ist etwas schade, denn es handelt sich um einen wirklich ungewöhnlichen und lesenswerten Roman, der einen solchen Etikettenschwindel gar nicht nötig hat. Einen vollen Stern möchte ich jedoch dafür nicht abziehen.
Mein Fazit:
„Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ von Deborah Bee ist ein Spannungsroman, der ganz anders als vermutet ist. Dennoch konnte mich die Geschichte überzeugen und überraschen. Wer es mit dem Label „Thriller“ nicht so genau nimmt, den erwartet eine außergewöhnliche, empfehlenswerte Lektüre, die noch eine Weile nachhallen wird.
„Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ ist der Debütroman von Deborah Bee.
Meine Meinung:
Das Buch beinhaltet 47 relativ kurze Kapitel. Erzählt wird jeweils aus der Ich-Perspektive – abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Sarah und der von Kelly. Die Handlung erstreckt sich über zwölf Tage. Der Aufbau der Geschichte hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
Der Schreibstil differenziert zwischen den altersmäßig sehr unterschiedlichen Hauptprotagonistinnen. Während die Kapitel zu Sarah authentisch die Verwirrung und Angst der verletzten Frau widerspiegeln und einige tolle Metaphern enthalten, sind die Kapitel zu Kelly in Jugendsprache verfasst und erzählerisch etwas chaotisch. Mir fiel es leicht, mich in die Gedanken- und Gefühlswelt der beiden einzufinden und in die Geschichte einzutauchen.
Die beiden Hauptcharaktere, Sarah und Kelly, passen auf den ersten Blick überhaupt nicht zusammen. Die hübsche und gebildete Sarah wirkt in dem Londoner Problemviertel South Tottenham, wo auch Kelly mit ihrer Mutter Brenda und dem kleinen Bruder Billy wohnt, total deplatziert. Doch schnell war meine Neugier daran geweckt, was die beiden verbindet. Die Kombination der zwei Charaktere empfinde ich als reizvoll. Auch die übrigen Figuren werden glaubwürdig dargestellt.
Die Grundidee des Romans ist äußerst originell und hat sofort meine Aufmerksamkeit erregt. Aus der Sicht einer Person mit dem „Locked-In-Syndrom“ erzählen zu lassen und das mit einem Kriminalfall zu verknüpfen, das ist nach meiner Ansicht ein tolles Konzept. Das macht „Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ zu einem besonderen Buch, wie ich es noch nie gelesen habe.
Die Geschichte ist absolut schlüssig und realitätsnah. Es wird eine Vielzahl an Fragen aufgeworfen und es gibt mehrere Wendungen, so dass mich das Buch fesseln konnte. Ich habe mich beim Lesen zu keiner Zeit gelangweilt. Die Probleme, die im weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte ans Licht kommen, konnten mich bewegen und regen zum Nachdenken an. Die psychologische Tiefe ist ein weiteres Plus des Romans.
Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist die Verkaufsstrategie des Buches, das als „Thriller“ vermarktet wird. Dadurch bin ich mit anderen Erwartungen herangegangen. Tatsächlich handelt es sich um einen gut gemachten Roman mit viel subtiler Spannung, nicht aber um einen klassischen Thriller. Zudem ist der deutsche Titel absolut irreführend und längst nicht so treffend wie das englische Original („The Last Thing I Remember“). Das ist etwas schade, denn es handelt sich um einen wirklich ungewöhnlichen und lesenswerten Roman, der einen solchen Etikettenschwindel gar nicht nötig hat. Einen vollen Stern möchte ich jedoch dafür nicht abziehen.
Mein Fazit:
„Nachts, wenn mein Mörder kommt“ von Deborah Bee ist ein Spannungsroman, der ganz anders als vermutet ist. Dennoch konnte mich die Geschichte überzeugen und überraschen. Wer es mit dem Label „Thriller“ nicht so genau nimmt, den erwartet eine außergewöhnliche, empfehlenswerte Lektüre, die noch eine Weile nachhallen wird.
March 18, 2016
When I read the description of The Last Thing I Remember my immediate reaction was that I HAD to read this story. Narrative from a character who cannot interact with any other characters, who cannot remember what has happened to her and who is scared that someone may be out to cause her more harm? I couldn’t even begin to think how that story may play out…but I wanted to see how Deborah Bee could make it work. Brilliantly as it turns out!
This was a very cleverly constructed book. Much of what we learn from Sarah (as she lies in a coma in hospital) is prompted by the interactions of the people around her. Her family chat while they visit, the doctors and nurses in the hospital share gossip while at her bedside, the police are investigating what happened to Sarah and then there is Kelly – she is Sarah’s neighbour and something of a mystery character.
Narrative switches between Sarah (recollecting events which led to her hospitalization) and Kelly who offers an alternative window into how Sarah’s life may have been prior to THE INCIDENT. The unpicking of memories takes time as Sarah slowly pieces together how her life may have been before the hospital.
The nature of the reveals through the story make it hard for me to dwell too much on what we learn about Sarah. I should make it clear that I loved this book. It is cleverly written, it is engaging and from very early in the story you are willing Sarah to recover and have the danger she faces taken away. No spoilers is the rule here but there are some nasty shocks ahead for Sarah.
This is definitely a book that I will be urging people to read, it is memorably different and wonderfully written.
This was a very cleverly constructed book. Much of what we learn from Sarah (as she lies in a coma in hospital) is prompted by the interactions of the people around her. Her family chat while they visit, the doctors and nurses in the hospital share gossip while at her bedside, the police are investigating what happened to Sarah and then there is Kelly – she is Sarah’s neighbour and something of a mystery character.
Narrative switches between Sarah (recollecting events which led to her hospitalization) and Kelly who offers an alternative window into how Sarah’s life may have been prior to THE INCIDENT. The unpicking of memories takes time as Sarah slowly pieces together how her life may have been before the hospital.
The nature of the reveals through the story make it hard for me to dwell too much on what we learn about Sarah. I should make it clear that I loved this book. It is cleverly written, it is engaging and from very early in the story you are willing Sarah to recover and have the danger she faces taken away. No spoilers is the rule here but there are some nasty shocks ahead for Sarah.
This is definitely a book that I will be urging people to read, it is memorably different and wonderfully written.
February 18, 2016
Another psychological thriller which I love but this one with a twist.
Trapped in a comatose state following an accident, unable to blink, move, speak or even open her eyes, Sarah tells us her story through her thoughts and in responses to family, friends and hospital staff conversations while she is laying in her hospital bed trying desperately to give them a sign that she is not brain dead. Told in alternate chapters with Kelly her next door neighbours daughter, we piece together what happened to Sarah the night of the accident (or mugging as the police believe it to be) and her helplessness of not being able to communicate with anyone.
It must be so difficult to convey a complete sense of helplessness that coma victims must experience but I felt the way in which this was written by Deborah Bee must come close. The overwhelming feeling of desperation and fear that comes through when Sarah is 'conscious' and realises that if she can't communicate that she's not brain dead they may switch of her life support is frighteningly real.
Over the 11 or so days that Sarah is in a coma she reveals her life in snatches and flashbacks as she slowly regains her memory. We also learn about the relationship she has forged with Kelly the teenager who lives next door when Kelly narrates alternate chapters and how their lives collide.
While nurses, doctors and family openly speak about her, the accident, and reveal their feelings, Sarah is able to piece together what has happened to her. Learning her husband has died in the accident she slowly remembers her life before even revealing horrors of her childhood and eventually it all becomes clear what happened that fateful night.
I never give out spoilers so won't reveal anything as it would spoil the enjoyment of reading this and although I did guess what had happened it does not happen in the way I thought and therefore has an unexpected twist to the ending. A good paced novel with interesting twists and turns along the way; this is one you should read - a well deserved 4 stars and highly recommended.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
Trapped in a comatose state following an accident, unable to blink, move, speak or even open her eyes, Sarah tells us her story through her thoughts and in responses to family, friends and hospital staff conversations while she is laying in her hospital bed trying desperately to give them a sign that she is not brain dead. Told in alternate chapters with Kelly her next door neighbours daughter, we piece together what happened to Sarah the night of the accident (or mugging as the police believe it to be) and her helplessness of not being able to communicate with anyone.
It must be so difficult to convey a complete sense of helplessness that coma victims must experience but I felt the way in which this was written by Deborah Bee must come close. The overwhelming feeling of desperation and fear that comes through when Sarah is 'conscious' and realises that if she can't communicate that she's not brain dead they may switch of her life support is frighteningly real.
Over the 11 or so days that Sarah is in a coma she reveals her life in snatches and flashbacks as she slowly regains her memory. We also learn about the relationship she has forged with Kelly the teenager who lives next door when Kelly narrates alternate chapters and how their lives collide.
While nurses, doctors and family openly speak about her, the accident, and reveal their feelings, Sarah is able to piece together what has happened to her. Learning her husband has died in the accident she slowly remembers her life before even revealing horrors of her childhood and eventually it all becomes clear what happened that fateful night.
I never give out spoilers so won't reveal anything as it would spoil the enjoyment of reading this and although I did guess what had happened it does not happen in the way I thought and therefore has an unexpected twist to the ending. A good paced novel with interesting twists and turns along the way; this is one you should read - a well deserved 4 stars and highly recommended.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2016
What a bloody fantastic book! Very clever, really readable, with the voice of a teenage girl captured perfectly, imho. Another cracker from those geniuses at Twenty7 and their authors. From what I've read, they can do no wrong.
Catch me on the blog tour on Monday at http://crimeworm.wordpress.com/ - or you could buy it now and you'll have it read by then.
Catch me on the blog tour on Monday at http://crimeworm.wordpress.com/ - or you could buy it now and you'll have it read by then.
February 7, 2017
I made it to 50%... I must be missing something, really can't understand all of the brilliant reviews... I gave it a chance until I realised I had no interest in knowing what was happening or delighting in any possible twist that may or may not happen!
November 14, 2016
Listened to the audiobook. Great narration, lots of swearing with Kelly's character but that was an important part of the character.
January 2, 2021
2 1/2 Stars
I seem to be in the minority. Very unique and interesting premise, but didn't quite work for me. Because of the uniqueness of the story, I would be interested in reading books to come.
I seem to be in the minority. Very unique and interesting premise, but didn't quite work for me. Because of the uniqueness of the story, I would be interested in reading books to come.
February 10, 2017
Trying to maintain a readers interest in a story where one of the main characters is in a coma could fail, but not here. Sarah's chapters are tense and at times claustrophobic, as she fails to make doctors and her family aware she can hear them.
Teenager, Kelly's chapters alternate with Sarah's and give extra insight into their relationship and Kelly's school life. Some other readers have said that Kelly swears too much. There is quite a lot of swearing but I don't think it's over the top, and considering her personality, seems quite natural.
Sarah's mum has to be one of the most annoying characters I've read. She's the opposite of what a mother should be and is more concerned about how everything effects her.
I really enjoyed this book. The best thing was the range of characters and not having any idea how things would turn out - it came as a surprise. A highly recommended thriller.
Teenager, Kelly's chapters alternate with Sarah's and give extra insight into their relationship and Kelly's school life. Some other readers have said that Kelly swears too much. There is quite a lot of swearing but I don't think it's over the top, and considering her personality, seems quite natural.
Sarah's mum has to be one of the most annoying characters I've read. She's the opposite of what a mother should be and is more concerned about how everything effects her.
I really enjoyed this book. The best thing was the range of characters and not having any idea how things would turn out - it came as a surprise. A highly recommended thriller.
March 28, 2016
The Last Thing I Remember has given me one of my favourite fictional characters in a very long time, in the form of schoolgirl, Kelly. She jumps off the page with her tumbling, brash, in-your-face dialogue. Both of Deborah Bee’s protagonists in this dual narrative thriller are utterly believable, and Sarah’s coma-confined chapters are as tense and engaging as Kelly’s are explosive and entertaining. This is such as assured debut novel, expertly and deftly unraveled. As soon as I finished, I felt compelled to turn to the start and begin reading the book all over again. I’ve no doubt there will be more to come from the talented Ms Bee.
August 12, 2018
Truly a book I couldn't put down, so in the end I didn't bother & I just read on into the wee hours!
The story is told by Sarah & Kelly, two very different characters but both very credible & the format works extremely well. Sarah is in a coma yet her "voice" is convincing at portraying the horror of "locked in syndrome". To be trapped in your own body, unable to speak, see or feel is a living nightmare indeed *shudder*. The nurses chatter, the descriptions of the waiting room, the actions of worried relatives (I particularly liked the way Sarah's sister took charge) was all so realistic.
At first Sarah has no recollection of who she is never mind the series of events leading up to her accident, but gradually fragments of memories come back to her & these reflections show how these incidents shaped her into the person she is today.
Then there is Kelly. It's so hard not to like Kelly, she's a brash, foulmouthed teen but is it all a show? I've looked at other reviews & there are a few comments on her bad language. Yes, it is a bit excessive at times but for me it helped conjure the image of a young girl who's trying to hold her own in an environment full of bullies & thugs. The pair forge an unlikely friendship. To help combat the bullies Sarah helps Kelly to become less noticeable, something she has learnt to do herself stemming from events in her past. Without wanting to give anything away about Sarah's past, all I will say is what a cow her mother was! However, something that really struck a chord with me was this passage, Sarah is talking about her mother:
"I remember coming home from school with a painting & holding it up for her to see & she said how nice it was, but she hadn't actually looked. She hadn't actually lifted her eyes from the meal she was cooking."
Now be honest, how many of us mums have done the same at some point? I can't get the feeling of guilt out of my mind now!
With Sarah's recollections & Kelly's side of the story it's not hard to work how Sarah ended up in a coma, the clues are certainly there but it still didn't conclude as I might have expected. Did justice prevail? I think that's for the individual reader to decide :o)
The story is told by Sarah & Kelly, two very different characters but both very credible & the format works extremely well. Sarah is in a coma yet her "voice" is convincing at portraying the horror of "locked in syndrome". To be trapped in your own body, unable to speak, see or feel is a living nightmare indeed *shudder*. The nurses chatter, the descriptions of the waiting room, the actions of worried relatives (I particularly liked the way Sarah's sister took charge) was all so realistic.
At first Sarah has no recollection of who she is never mind the series of events leading up to her accident, but gradually fragments of memories come back to her & these reflections show how these incidents shaped her into the person she is today.
Then there is Kelly. It's so hard not to like Kelly, she's a brash, foulmouthed teen but is it all a show? I've looked at other reviews & there are a few comments on her bad language. Yes, it is a bit excessive at times but for me it helped conjure the image of a young girl who's trying to hold her own in an environment full of bullies & thugs. The pair forge an unlikely friendship. To help combat the bullies Sarah helps Kelly to become less noticeable, something she has learnt to do herself stemming from events in her past. Without wanting to give anything away about Sarah's past, all I will say is what a cow her mother was! However, something that really struck a chord with me was this passage, Sarah is talking about her mother:
"I remember coming home from school with a painting & holding it up for her to see & she said how nice it was, but she hadn't actually looked. She hadn't actually lifted her eyes from the meal she was cooking."
Now be honest, how many of us mums have done the same at some point? I can't get the feeling of guilt out of my mind now!
With Sarah's recollections & Kelly's side of the story it's not hard to work how Sarah ended up in a coma, the clues are certainly there but it still didn't conclude as I might have expected. Did justice prevail? I think that's for the individual reader to decide :o)
March 15, 2016
The first thing I have to say about this book is it is hard to believe how entertaining a narrative can be when ‘spoken’ by a woman in a coma!
Sarah is in a coma, unable to communicate at all, lying in her bed listening, in part to the conversation going on around her. Her mother and her father visit and we can tell so much about them through their snippets of conversation. Likewise the nurses, some are more solicitous than others but the real mystery is, how did Sarah end up lying there, in that state? Sarah was mugged, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time that’s what everyone says.
We first meet Kelly sat waiting for her mother in the relatives room on the night that Sarah is admitted. Her mother has gone to check on her younger brother and she sits, observing the other inhabitants of the waiting room. Kelly is a teenage girl who has been befriended by Sarah, a young woman closer in age to her mother than Kelly. From Kelly we know that Sarah has been giving her tips on how to stay out of trouble, and it seems to be working… or is it?
This is a really hard book to review, so much of what I want to say will reveal the story that it is far better you explore for yourself. What I can say is it is far more moving, and less dramatic, than many books that fall into this genre. This is psychological fiction at its purest a book that reveals the secrets behind many of our characters, how they relate to others, how they present themselves to the wider world and what other people really see them for.
The other side to this book is it is scary! No-one wants to be in such a vulnerable position and Sarah is in a state where she longs to break out of her coma and communicate with those around her. She wants to know who she is, how she got there and who some of her visitors are. This isn’t an enviable place to be especially when some of what she hears causes her intense fear.
Deborah Bee has writes in an appealing style with alternate chapters narrated by Sarah and Kelly. Kelly spends many days at the hospital, coming to terms with her friend’s fragile state, yet shoved to one side when the family are in place, watching and waiting for any sign of movement whilst struggling with varying degrees of discomfort while speaking to someone who doesn’t respond at all.
This is a unique read, not quite what I expected but in many way so much better. I didn’t expect to feel so moved by both narrator’s lives and although I guessed some of the final outcome I was far from correct on many of the finer details.
I was offered my copy of The Last Thing I Remember from Midas PR who work on behalf of Twenty7 books in return for my honest opinion
Sarah is in a coma, unable to communicate at all, lying in her bed listening, in part to the conversation going on around her. Her mother and her father visit and we can tell so much about them through their snippets of conversation. Likewise the nurses, some are more solicitous than others but the real mystery is, how did Sarah end up lying there, in that state? Sarah was mugged, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time that’s what everyone says.
We first meet Kelly sat waiting for her mother in the relatives room on the night that Sarah is admitted. Her mother has gone to check on her younger brother and she sits, observing the other inhabitants of the waiting room. Kelly is a teenage girl who has been befriended by Sarah, a young woman closer in age to her mother than Kelly. From Kelly we know that Sarah has been giving her tips on how to stay out of trouble, and it seems to be working… or is it?
This is a really hard book to review, so much of what I want to say will reveal the story that it is far better you explore for yourself. What I can say is it is far more moving, and less dramatic, than many books that fall into this genre. This is psychological fiction at its purest a book that reveals the secrets behind many of our characters, how they relate to others, how they present themselves to the wider world and what other people really see them for.
The other side to this book is it is scary! No-one wants to be in such a vulnerable position and Sarah is in a state where she longs to break out of her coma and communicate with those around her. She wants to know who she is, how she got there and who some of her visitors are. This isn’t an enviable place to be especially when some of what she hears causes her intense fear.
Deborah Bee has writes in an appealing style with alternate chapters narrated by Sarah and Kelly. Kelly spends many days at the hospital, coming to terms with her friend’s fragile state, yet shoved to one side when the family are in place, watching and waiting for any sign of movement whilst struggling with varying degrees of discomfort while speaking to someone who doesn’t respond at all.
This is a unique read, not quite what I expected but in many way so much better. I didn’t expect to feel so moved by both narrator’s lives and although I guessed some of the final outcome I was far from correct on many of the finer details.
I was offered my copy of The Last Thing I Remember from Midas PR who work on behalf of Twenty7 books in return for my honest opinion
March 21, 2016
The Last Thing I Remember is an extremely ambitious and audaciously conceived debut novel. To make the central character a woman in a coma, who is hazily aware of conversations around her but struggling to place them in a context she can understand, is a real gamble. Sarah knows who she is, can recognise the voices of her immediate family and friends and is able to piece together fragments of her life and the events that have put her in this hospital bed but, in her 'locked in' state, she's not able to communicate at all and is completely helpless as she listens to medical experts discussing her fate. She also feels under threat for reasons she can't quite pin down from a male visitor who seems to be trying to gain access to her.
There is a danger, in less accomplished hands, that this could begin to drag - after all, her life inevitably reflects the monotony of hospital visits and daily routines and how many times can we listen to the same conversations without wanting to scream along with her. So Deborah Bee introduces a co-narrator, a feisty teenager whom Sarah has taken under her wing and who provides another view of the life Sarah was leading before the mysterious attack that has all but killed her. Kelly is street-wise and angry, her language peppered with profanities and her loyalty towards her friend beyond question. Her storyline gives us an insight into who Sarah is and provides a backdrop against which we can start to speculate as to what has happened to her.
It would be very difficult to give any more detail without 'spoiling' but it's unlikely that anyone will read this and be disappointed with the way the story unfolds. It may have been an ambitious task that the author set for herself but she has pulled it off in no uncertain terms and I look forward to reading more from her.
There is a danger, in less accomplished hands, that this could begin to drag - after all, her life inevitably reflects the monotony of hospital visits and daily routines and how many times can we listen to the same conversations without wanting to scream along with her. So Deborah Bee introduces a co-narrator, a feisty teenager whom Sarah has taken under her wing and who provides another view of the life Sarah was leading before the mysterious attack that has all but killed her. Kelly is street-wise and angry, her language peppered with profanities and her loyalty towards her friend beyond question. Her storyline gives us an insight into who Sarah is and provides a backdrop against which we can start to speculate as to what has happened to her.
It would be very difficult to give any more detail without 'spoiling' but it's unlikely that anyone will read this and be disappointed with the way the story unfolds. It may have been an ambitious task that the author set for herself but she has pulled it off in no uncertain terms and I look forward to reading more from her.
March 4, 2016
Sarah is admitted to hospital with a serious head injury. She is in a coma but is able to hear people around her at times. She has no recollection of her life or how she ended up injured, but starts to piece things together. Her neighbour, Brenda, and her daughter, Kelly are the closest to her but neither one of them are forthcoming and time is running out for Sarah as her prognosis is looking bleaker by the day.
Told from the perspective of Sarah, who is aware but not awake and Kelly, this psychological thriller slowly unravels the story of a friendship between two women who support and look out for each other. With the backdrop of South Tottenham and the gang warfare and social deprivation of the area, we are given a perspective into Kelly's life at secondary school, rife with bullying, and Sarah's life, which she has kept intensely private.
Can the truth of what happened to Sarah be discovered and will she ever wake again? A truly gritty tale that will keep you gripped throughout.
Told from the perspective of Sarah, who is aware but not awake and Kelly, this psychological thriller slowly unravels the story of a friendship between two women who support and look out for each other. With the backdrop of South Tottenham and the gang warfare and social deprivation of the area, we are given a perspective into Kelly's life at secondary school, rife with bullying, and Sarah's life, which she has kept intensely private.
Can the truth of what happened to Sarah be discovered and will she ever wake again? A truly gritty tale that will keep you gripped throughout.
September 3, 2017
Wow.... This book was really, really good!
It is told in 2 narratives, one being Sarah while in a coma and the second is her neighbor's daughter Kelly, a snarky, foul mouthed 13 year old that Sarah has befriended. I love how the author manages a great dialogue inside Sarah's head even while comatose. She also perfectly captures the teenage sarcasm and kind of makes it endearing. Totally obvs! 😂 I found myself constantly laughing out loud at Kelly's narrative!
I could not put this book down and kept coming back to it when I tried. It has a major twist that I did not see coming and only started to suspect as the book drew to an end! Excellent book!
The audiobook narrators were AMAZING btw!
It is told in 2 narratives, one being Sarah while in a coma and the second is her neighbor's daughter Kelly, a snarky, foul mouthed 13 year old that Sarah has befriended. I love how the author manages a great dialogue inside Sarah's head even while comatose. She also perfectly captures the teenage sarcasm and kind of makes it endearing. Totally obvs! 😂 I found myself constantly laughing out loud at Kelly's narrative!
I could not put this book down and kept coming back to it when I tried. It has a major twist that I did not see coming and only started to suspect as the book drew to an end! Excellent book!
The audiobook narrators were AMAZING btw!
March 3, 2017
Not even one star really, I found there were too many things wrong with this book, it annoyed me!
It was a struggle to read I only kept with it because i wanted to see how it ended I guessed half right half way through the book too.
It was a struggle to read I only kept with it because i wanted to see how it ended I guessed half right half way through the book too.
January 16, 2017
Painfully slow paced and too much senseless cursing.
April 18, 2016
3.5
Late at night, a pretty young woman is brought into the hospital’s emergency department unconscious with a serious head injury. It is believed that she was assaulted and struck her head on the pavement as she fell, causing an intracranial bleed. Her husband, who was also attacked, was found dead at the scene from a blow to the head. Paramedics say that she only said two words to them before lapsing into a coma. “Thank you.” They couldn’t ask what she was thanking them for, as she never regained consciousness.
Pretty 28-year old Sarah and mousy 14-year old Kelly from a working class background in Tottenham make very unlikely friends. In fact, when Sarah moved next door, Kelly called her a “yuppie” and was fully prepared to hate her for her beauty, her expensive clothes, her fancy car, her handsome husband. Why would someone like her move into riot ridden and gang controlled Tottenham anyway? But Sarah and Kelly have things in common no one knows about, secrets so big and terrible that their friendship soon is the only thing that keeps them going, makes them stronger. They have come to rely on one another, trust each other. But now Sarah is in a coma, and Kelly can’t manage on her own. She needs Sarah to wake up. This was not supposed to happen.
The Last Thing I Remember is a dark and sinister book about the effects of abuse, bullying and domestic violence, and the terrible lengths people must go to to protect themselves. Half of the story is told in the voice of Sarah, who is locked into her lifeless body, unable to communicate, with fragmented memories of her life and the events leading up to her attack only slowly emerging. The other half is in the voice of 14-year old schoolgirl Kelly, who is desperate for her friend to wake up out of her coma. As the story slowly unfolds, terrible truths about the lives of the two unlikely friends are revealed, which led to the events cumulating in Sarah’s attack.
I loved the way the author uses her two very different characters to tell the story – Sarah’s refined voice and Kelly’s brash, emotional ramblings, as they reveal the secrets that bind them together. The writing style is unique and lively and adds credibility and emotional depth to the story. As Sarah, locked into her lifeless body, is forced to listen to the voices of her visitors, nurses and doctors, more details about her family and private life are revealed. What a terrible hell, to be “locked in” without means of communication! Tension builds as Sarah’s condition remains unchanged, and she hears the neurologist discusses the option of turning off her life support with her family. There are some really vile characters in this book, and my feelings vacillated between sympathy, horror and anger as I learned more about Sarah’s background. I especially wanted to slap her mother!
The Last Thing I Remember kept me intrigued from beginning to end and its dark undertones provoked a lot of thought about the truths behind people’s facades, the things we cannot see. It was, in many ways, a heartbreaking read with a somewhat shocking twist at the end. A very powerful book about the complexities of human relationships, very cleverly executed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
http://butbooksarebetter.blogspot.com...
Late at night, a pretty young woman is brought into the hospital’s emergency department unconscious with a serious head injury. It is believed that she was assaulted and struck her head on the pavement as she fell, causing an intracranial bleed. Her husband, who was also attacked, was found dead at the scene from a blow to the head. Paramedics say that she only said two words to them before lapsing into a coma. “Thank you.” They couldn’t ask what she was thanking them for, as she never regained consciousness.
Pretty 28-year old Sarah and mousy 14-year old Kelly from a working class background in Tottenham make very unlikely friends. In fact, when Sarah moved next door, Kelly called her a “yuppie” and was fully prepared to hate her for her beauty, her expensive clothes, her fancy car, her handsome husband. Why would someone like her move into riot ridden and gang controlled Tottenham anyway? But Sarah and Kelly have things in common no one knows about, secrets so big and terrible that their friendship soon is the only thing that keeps them going, makes them stronger. They have come to rely on one another, trust each other. But now Sarah is in a coma, and Kelly can’t manage on her own. She needs Sarah to wake up. This was not supposed to happen.
The Last Thing I Remember is a dark and sinister book about the effects of abuse, bullying and domestic violence, and the terrible lengths people must go to to protect themselves. Half of the story is told in the voice of Sarah, who is locked into her lifeless body, unable to communicate, with fragmented memories of her life and the events leading up to her attack only slowly emerging. The other half is in the voice of 14-year old schoolgirl Kelly, who is desperate for her friend to wake up out of her coma. As the story slowly unfolds, terrible truths about the lives of the two unlikely friends are revealed, which led to the events cumulating in Sarah’s attack.
I loved the way the author uses her two very different characters to tell the story – Sarah’s refined voice and Kelly’s brash, emotional ramblings, as they reveal the secrets that bind them together. The writing style is unique and lively and adds credibility and emotional depth to the story. As Sarah, locked into her lifeless body, is forced to listen to the voices of her visitors, nurses and doctors, more details about her family and private life are revealed. What a terrible hell, to be “locked in” without means of communication! Tension builds as Sarah’s condition remains unchanged, and she hears the neurologist discusses the option of turning off her life support with her family. There are some really vile characters in this book, and my feelings vacillated between sympathy, horror and anger as I learned more about Sarah’s background. I especially wanted to slap her mother!
The Last Thing I Remember kept me intrigued from beginning to end and its dark undertones provoked a lot of thought about the truths behind people’s facades, the things we cannot see. It was, in many ways, a heartbreaking read with a somewhat shocking twist at the end. A very powerful book about the complexities of human relationships, very cleverly executed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
http://butbooksarebetter.blogspot.com...
July 27, 2016
Two very different narrators take us by the hand and lead us through this refreshingly different psychological suspense story. Sarah has been the victim of a severe assault and lies comatose in the critical care unit of the local hospital where she is, to all intents and purposes, brain dead. However, Sarah can listen and think, the only trouble is she can't make anyone hear her. Kelly is Sarah's fourteen year old neighbour and in the months leading up to Sarah's attack these two unlikely companions have become friends. They both have a story to tell and each story is compelling in its own way.
Sarah trapped in locked-in syndrome can communicate to the reader only by her thoughts, but with emotional depth she shares her reactions to her dream like state and reveals much about her life, her childhood and her marriage, whilst Kelly, on the other hand, is feisty, fierce and determined to help Sarah and, at the same time, tell her own side of the story.
This is a well put together psychological suspense story which looks at the repercussions of a devastating crime from diverse perspectives and ,in doing so, allows two completely different narrators to tell their unique version of events. The author writes a good story and has created characters which stay with you. I especially enjoyed reading Sarah’s thought processes and feel that the locked in process was described really well. I would have liked less profanities coming out of Kelly’s mouth, but I realise that was necessary to emphasise the social differences between Kelly and Sarah’s life experiences.
So, overall, a good debut by a talented author who I am sure will continue to go from strength to strength in future novels.
Sarah trapped in locked-in syndrome can communicate to the reader only by her thoughts, but with emotional depth she shares her reactions to her dream like state and reveals much about her life, her childhood and her marriage, whilst Kelly, on the other hand, is feisty, fierce and determined to help Sarah and, at the same time, tell her own side of the story.
This is a well put together psychological suspense story which looks at the repercussions of a devastating crime from diverse perspectives and ,in doing so, allows two completely different narrators to tell their unique version of events. The author writes a good story and has created characters which stay with you. I especially enjoyed reading Sarah’s thought processes and feel that the locked in process was described really well. I would have liked less profanities coming out of Kelly’s mouth, but I realise that was necessary to emphasise the social differences between Kelly and Sarah’s life experiences.
So, overall, a good debut by a talented author who I am sure will continue to go from strength to strength in future novels.
April 29, 2016
One of the things you should probably know about me is that I am an Anglophile. I lived in England for 5 months when I was in college and have since adored all things British. Any book set in England already has my good will from the get go. Add to this an unusual format and premise and The Last Thing I Remember, by Deborah Bee, had me enthralled throughout.
A young woman is in a coma but can hear everything that is going on around her. She must first figure out who she even is and how she wound up in this state. This book plays on one of my biggest fears, being in a coma and possibly being declared brain-dead. The young woman also wonders: who did this to her? Was this a mugging or was someone trying to kill her? There is so much to unravel in this story that I had to keep reading.
The book also explores assumptions about class in England. The young woman, Sarah, is from a "posh" background and moves to a more working-class neighborhood. There she meets teenager Beth, who is trying to survive a brutal high school environment. Both of these characters have more in common than one would imagine. Together they find ways to deal with the violence in their lives.
I enjoyed how the book built up the suspense over how and why Sarah was injured. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, a new element would appear that would make me second-guess myself.
If you read this for a book club, I think there will be lively discussion about the ending. I think some will sympathize with what happened, while others will be outraged. A good case could be made for either viewpoint. This is why I enjoyed this book so much.
A young woman is in a coma but can hear everything that is going on around her. She must first figure out who she even is and how she wound up in this state. This book plays on one of my biggest fears, being in a coma and possibly being declared brain-dead. The young woman also wonders: who did this to her? Was this a mugging or was someone trying to kill her? There is so much to unravel in this story that I had to keep reading.
The book also explores assumptions about class in England. The young woman, Sarah, is from a "posh" background and moves to a more working-class neighborhood. There she meets teenager Beth, who is trying to survive a brutal high school environment. Both of these characters have more in common than one would imagine. Together they find ways to deal with the violence in their lives.
I enjoyed how the book built up the suspense over how and why Sarah was injured. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, a new element would appear that would make me second-guess myself.
If you read this for a book club, I think there will be lively discussion about the ending. I think some will sympathize with what happened, while others will be outraged. A good case could be made for either viewpoint. This is why I enjoyed this book so much.
December 19, 2016
A book with basically two points of view. Kelly, a teenager, who is a neighbour and friend of Sarah who is lying comatose in a hospital bed. She hears the conversations around her but can't react. Kelly is a very realistic teenager, a bit gobby but loyal. She isn't having a good time in a north London school thanks to the marauding gang of bullies. It was an interesting concept, quite well done - it's easy to picture the run down school, for Sarah being stuck in a hospital bed and the fear she felt being so helpless. A good debut novel. Looking forward to the next book! I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2017
I couldn't put this book down. Excellent suspense, story-line, and characterization. The dialogue is challenging at first, but becomes comfortable quickly. Highly recommend~
November 28, 2017
3 1/2 stars. Good paced thriller. Told in two voices, Sarah, who is in a coma but can hear what is going on whilst in a vegetative state, and Kelly, her 14 year old school girl neighbour. As Sarah slowly recalls the suspected mugging that put her in a coma, buried memories resurface and all is not what it seems with the beautiful Sarah. Meanwhile, Kelly has to deal with violent school yard bullies, and her story is how she survives in a gang run mega high school. A clever unfolding of clues over the ten days Sarah is in a coma. I would have liked it more with a bit less swearing, but an excellent debut novel.
Read
January 31, 2018De dinainte să încep să citesc Ultima amintire de Deborah Bee, m-am întrebat dacă va fi thrillerul la care visam de ceva timp. Ei bine, nu a fost. Nu a avut suspansul pe care doream să îl trăiesc eu în acest weekend, dar cu siguranță a fost un thriller bun.
Chiar dacă nu mi-a înghețat sângele în vene citind-o, lucrurile dezvăluite spre sfârșit mi-au făcut pielea de găină, iar povestea a fost foarte bine scrisă, făcându-mă nici să nu mă gândesc la așa un final.
Cartea se citește foarte ușor, iar dorința de a afla ce i s-a întâmplat lui Sarah și dacă își va reveni, se instalează rapid.
http://prefatadecarte.blogspot.ro/201...
Chiar dacă nu mi-a înghețat sângele în vene citind-o, lucrurile dezvăluite spre sfârșit mi-au făcut pielea de găină, iar povestea a fost foarte bine scrisă, făcându-mă nici să nu mă gândesc la așa un final.
Cartea se citește foarte ușor, iar dorința de a afla ce i s-a întâmplat lui Sarah și dacă își va reveni, se instalează rapid.
http://prefatadecarte.blogspot.ro/201...
April 4, 2017
Definitely the BEST book I have read in quite awhile & I read Alot!! Once I started reading this book I could not stop until I reached the ending
A true page turner! Definitely the BEST Book I have read so far this year! 5 Gold Stars! I am looking forward to reading more by Deborah Bee!
A true page turner! Definitely the BEST Book I have read so far this year! 5 Gold Stars! I am looking forward to reading more by Deborah Bee!
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