I look down at her, lying fast asleep – always my little girl, and so beautiful. She gives a low moan as her head turns restlessly on the pillow. It reminds me of the soft growl of a cornered animal. Where is my poor child? What is she dreaming?
People always notice my daughter, Isobel. How could they not? Incredibly beautiful... until she speaks. An unsettling, little-girl voice, exactly like a child’s, but from the mouth of a full-grown woman.
Izzie might look grown-up, but inside she’s trapped. Caught in the day it happened – the day that broke her from within. I know why my daughter is the way she is. There’s nothing I could have done to save her... is there?
An unputdownable psychological thriller about families and secrets, perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Shalini Boland and Lisa Jewell.
Lucy studied Psychology at Warwick University before becoming a children’s magazine editor. Her first bestselling book – His Other Lover – was published in 2008. Since then she has published four other novels and her work has been translated into numerous other languages. She lives in Exeter with her husband and children. Lucy finds writing in the third person uncomfortable.
oh boy! This book! It was so dark, disturbing, and unsettling! And SO GOOD!
This book was one wild and crazy ride that took me places I was not expecting! A creepy story that completely draws you in, and you are convinced you know what direction you are headed, but boy was I wrong! Secrets and lies and deceit all leaving me completely bewildered! This is the third book I’ve read this year from Lucy Dawson all have been spectacular and unique... not only unique from one another, but different from all other psychological thrillers....
This book starts with a bang! a tragic event that will change the lives of Yves, Isabel,Adam and Tim forever... the tragedy appears to have impacted Isabell the most, leaving her permanently trapped in a childlike state... this also greatly impacts the lives of eve, Isabel’s mother and Adam, the man who is in love with her... when Isabel’s life is completely upheaved, a move and the return of a blast from the past... secrets start to spill out!
Told from the alternating points of view of eve and Clare... I thought this was brilliant Eve obviously has been in the midst of all the drama from day one... but Claire is a unwitting newcomer.... can only imagine how disconcerting it would be to meet Isabell, this stunning woman with the voice of a child and perhaps the mind.... then to find out that this woman has ties to your significant other... so much manipulation and deceit running throughout the pages of this book! So hard to write this review I want to convey how much I loved this book and I don’t want to give a single thing away.... just know you will need to buckle your seatbelt for this rollercoaster... the ride to the top of the hill may take some time... but once you get there watch out! The other side is one crazy twisted ride that will leave you breathless!
Absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys a well done perfectly paced thrill of a story!
*** huge thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
The Memory by Lucy Dawson is a thriller that has a lot going on within the pages that definitely kept me guessing all throughout. I’m going to try not to say too much but only enough to let readers know what they are picking up. There is a supernatural edge to this story including things like Ouija and voodoo that gave it a dark and creepy feel.
Years ago Eve and her daughter Isobel had moved to a new town after the death of Eve’s husband. Trying to find activities to get her daughter comfortable in a new town Eve found the two of them in Paul’s class one Saturday when he ask her out and she refuses. This angers Paul to the point he takes it out on the children by bringing a pellet gun into the class and shooting at the kids. This event set the stage for Eve and Izzie’s lives from then forward with Izzie never quite recovering from the trauma.
Now Eve has decided it’s time to see their country home to down size into something smaller. Eve finds herself showing the home to Claire who has ties to Eve and Izzie that neither woman are quite aware of on that day Claire visited Eve’s home. Claire however does fall in love with the home and the sale happens before realizing her husband shares a past with Izzie.
As I said I don’t want to give away too much with this one but it definitely was a haunting story from beginning to end. I was certain for the longest time I knew which direction this was headed but boy I was way off the mark. There are of course plenty of secrets and lies among the drama to slowly be unraveled throughout the book keeping the pages turning leaving me to rate this one 4.5 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
EXCERPT: There was a car some distance behind, the headlights tracking us. I stared at them, getting closer, as we drove past the iron-gated entrance to a lonely farm; the otherwise deserted road on one side lined with tall foreboding pine trees, and the other giving way to a steep drop off down into the valley. This could be the start of a film. Someone following us, an unknown threatening presence in the car. . .
ABOUT THIS BOOK: She’ll never forget… I’ll never forgive.
People always notice my daughter, Isobel. How could they not? Extraordinarily beautiful... until she speaks.
An unsettling, little-girl voice, exactly like a child’s, but from the mouth of a full-grown woman.
Izzie might look grown-up, but inside she’s trapped. Caught in the day it happened… the day that broke her from within. Our family fell apart that day, and we never could pick up the pieces.
MY THOUGHTS: "I have no idea what is going on.....so why am I reading with a thumping heart that is sitting somewhere in my throat, rather than where it is supposed to be?" This is the comment I made at just over 25% into The Memory by Lucy Dawson.
Did you ever play blind man's buff as a child? You were blindfolded, spun around until totally disoriented, then had to stumble about trying to find someone to tag. Reading The Memory was a similar experience for me. Lucy Dawson is very good at leading her readers up the garden path. She had me expecting to end up in one place, but the twists and turns (and there was a glaring clue that struck a chord at the time, but which I quickly dismissed) took me somewhere entirely different.
I am not going to talk about the plot, because I don't want to give anything away, but if you like a book filled with secrets, lies and manipulative characters, then The Memory is definitely a read that you will love.
🎅🎅🎅🎅
THE AUTHOR: Lucy studied Psychology at Warwick University before becoming a children’s magazine editor. Her first bestselling book – His Other Lover – was published in 2008. Since then she has published four other novels and her work has been translated into numerous other languages. She lives in Exeter with her husband and children. Lucy finds writing in the third person uncomfortable.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Memory by Lucy Dawson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The Memory by Lucy Dawson was a story that had me hooked and I read it in one day because I did not want to put it down. Claire, Matt and their daughter Rosie move to a rural house near Matt's parents. The former owner Evie and her daughter Isobel know Matt from years earlier. They were both involved in a terrible incident when they were very young and Isobel has never recovered from this. Strange things are happening in the house that can't be explained and this causes tension between these two families. This is a story of secrets, lies and manipulation. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have been glued to this book, so much I changed to audio so I could continue reading on the move!
Lies, secrets and deceit that goes to the extreme. So much to the edge that it leaves a readers head spinning in a whirl.
Alternative chapters told between the two main characters.
This story starts with a terrible tragedy and your heart will break. Onwards from that you will get the most amazing twisted and superb written thriller.
The Memory by Lucy Dawson is a psychological thriller that is a real page turner, and not easy to review for risk of spoilers.
That fateful day…
“Someone shot at her daughter, and she didn’t protect her. A boy instinctively did it instead-the child threw himself in the line of fire rather than me. She had failed Isobel.”
What followed is that Eve moved her daughter Isobel (Izzie) away from the area. Isobel is only 7 years old and after the incident, was never the same. As the years pass, Isobel when she speaks has the voice of a little girl.
“Izzie might look grown-up, but inside she’s trapped. Caught in the day it happened… the day that broke her from within. Our family fell apart that day, and we never could pick up the pieces.”
The story centered around two different families; Eve and her daughter Isobel, and Claire, her partner Tim and daughter Rosie. Tim grew up with Isobel but moved away many years ago. The story covers different time periods, twenty years ago, ten years ago and the present.
The book starts off from Eve’s point of view. She takes her daughter Isobel to a martial arts class and something dramatic happens that leaves everyone there scarred for life. Isobel is never the same afterwards. Claire and her partner, Tim and their daughter, Rosie end up moving into Eve’s old home. The story is told through Eve and Claire in alternating chapters.
Then strange things start to happen in the house. Secrets that were once hidden now start to spill out…
Can’t say anymore for risk of spoilers. Nothing is what it seems. Everything is revealed in the end.
A real page turner…guaranteed to please. I was totally absorbed to see how everything would turn out. A satisfying read!
Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my digital copy.
Isobel is an extraordinary beautiful woman, that is until she speaks. She has the voice of a little girl in an adults body. Izzy (Isobel) is trapped, caught in the day that it happened. Eve (Isobel's mother) has put their home ip for sale and move to somewhere smaller. Claire, her partner Tim and their daughter end up moving into Eve's old home. Tim and Izzy had survived a childhood trauma. I can't say much more about the book as I don't want to spoil it for other readers.
This story covers three different time periods, twenty years ago, ten years ago and the present. The story is told through Evie and Claire in alternating chapters. Izzy is a fascinating character for several different reasons (you will need to read the book to find out why). You don't find out the true story of events until nearer the end of the the book but when I did I was on the edge of my seat rooting for some of the people that were involved. This is a well written book that gives us a few red herrings and a more than satisfying ending.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Lucy Dawson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this for the most part, but felt very disappointed in the ending. I can't recall this being an issue for me usually, the end came and I thought 'is that it?'.
Izzie suffers a tragedy as a young girl, just after losing her father in a car accident. The serious issue occurs as a young child, and we rivisit her and her mother as adults. Izzie no longer speaks in an adult tone, and often surprises those who don't know her wiht a sing song child like voice. They live in a small town, so most folk know them, but not many appear genuinely sympathetic to what occured at a sporting event, involving a gun, all those years ago.
Izzie's mother Eve has decided to sell their home, a strange falling down place with strange rooms, hallways and lockable portions; it needs lots of work. Enter Claire and Tim, the family due to move in. They are a mess themselves, Tim's family prententious and plain awful, a lot to dislike there! Claire tries to grapple with her mysterious new home, and Tim clearly knows more than he is letting on.
This book is full of dececeptive people, awful people, an overprotective mother and an unsympathetic town. I despised many and felt sorry for Claire marrying into an awful family.
I felt this dragged somewhat, then leading into an abrupt disatisfying ending, which ultimately brought my rating down from 4 stars to 3.
I am a big fan of Lucy Dawson's books and I did really enjoy this one. It is very different from her previous books, and a bit slower in pace in my opinion. But it was a great story, told from multiple points of views in various points in time. It is a hard one to review without giving anything away. The story is dark and creepy with plenty of twists you won't see coming.
It is the story of 2 families known to each other but not friendly with each other. Eve's daughter Isobel is involved in a disturbing incident when she is 7 and her life is changed forever. When Eve decides to sell her home and moves the secrets that have been hidden for years come spilling out. Strange things happen in the house, making them all think they are going mad and seeing things.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
A tragedy happened many years ago. Eve moved her daughter, Isobel, to an isolated home on the outskirts of town. Isobel is only 7 years old and sadly, she will remain at that age for a long time.
Eve has decided to sell their home and move somewhere smaller and less expensive. When the new family arrives, their presence in the house with unearth a dark past that has long been buried.
But secrets have a way of coming out of the shadows and into the light ... no matter how terrible they are.
This is a hard one for me to review ... at least without spoilers of one kind or another. Suffice to say, what I thought was happening .. wasn't. The people involved weren't who I thought they were. The story premise is a good one ... kept me glued to the pages from start to finish.
This is a well-written psychological thriller that will play with your mind .. and characters not easily forgotten. There are no secrets exposed until the very end .. and it's quite volatile.
Many thanks to the author / Bookoutre / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
The current occupants of Fox Cottage, a large rambling historic home, Eve and her 34 year old daughter Isobel (Izzy) are selling up and moving to a new development. Claire, Tim and their eight year old daughter, Rosie, have purchased it. As Claire was the one to view the property Eve had no idea that Tim would be coming 'back'. When she found out she went ballistic. Years ago, when Izzy herself was eight she was in a small martial arts class when the instructor lost his head and started shooting at the children with plastic pellets out of an automatic weapon. The children were not seriously injured. Tim, also in the class, threw his body in front of Izzy. Since then Izzy has been developmentally challenged, socially awkward and just plain weird. She still seems so childlike. She also has a serious case of hero worship for Tim. This has not diminished over the years and when these two families connect the sparks fly and secrets come tumbling out.
So a potentially good premise. The other major premise of the book was that Fox Cottage itself was kind of evil, haunted or in some other way creepy. Isobel was convinced that Rosie would be harmed and was into all sorts of witchy stuff - ouija boards, spells and poppets. This I didn't buy! The supernatural element didn't work for me. None of the characters were particularly likeable either. Tim's parents who still live in the area are positively horrid.
There were a few twists towards the end but I felt the book slumped in the middle and seemed to drag on too much. Izzy herself seemed overwrought, her mother shrill and over protective. Claire was unsympathetic and Tim was just a hot mess. The story may have better focusing on the after effects of trauma rather than trying to confect supernatural phenomena. I like Lucy Dawson's books and she writes well (otherwise this was only a two star read for me). This was not my favourite however.
The book was a difficult going to begin with, but thanks to the encouragement of friends, I pulled it back up and got to it. To my amazement, the book bewitched me back into it – zip zap zoom. And I was flying with the pages, I didn’t ever want to stop reading it till the end. I read through the night till 4am. Whew!!
The story had Eve and daughter Isabelle selling their home Fox Cottage and Claire and family buying it. Both had Tim in common Claire’s partner and Isabelle’s ex… Then the house started breathing and spitting its warnings. Things started disappearing and appearing at new places…
I love Lucy Dawson books, they had the right amount of mystery to make it a rocking ride. This book too had mystery but with hints of horror with ouija board, planchette, spirits, seance, poppets, and holy water sprinkled in all the rooms by the priest. The book was just in the right side to creepy. Wow!! Absolute fun!!
Lucy was brilliant; the mystery started seeping through the pages at strategic points duly crafted by her to increase my interest. It ensnared me, bound me to it, one twine after another, some of them tighter than the others. Once the book picked up speed, I kept running into its various twists, which dragged me into the dark drafty corners just like the rooms of Fox Cottage.
This was one dark creepy read which kept me quite confused I kept hating and liking the characters alternately as I kept getting to know them. They were both interesting and unlikable.
Till the story came to a climatic horrifying finish which had me gasping. This fiery finale was the perfect culmination of the lies and truths, of realities and horror, of human and spirit.
I couldn’t stop thinking about this book, how sometimes the most gruesome of things are missed and wrongly labeled as childhood trauma. I was chilled to the bone for a long time!!
After an unfortunate tragedy strikes, Evie along with her daughter Isobel move to an isolated town. Many years later though when Evie decides to sell to another family and move to a smaller house, secrets come tumbling out that can have a drastic effect on everybody involved
Told from alternating point of views The Memory is a dark psychological thriller that gripped me from the start. I don’t want to give away too much so will just say it’s a fast read with a twist that I didn't see coming
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
You can always rely on Lucy Dawson to come up with an intriguing story that will hook you from the first page to the last. Her books don’t tend to be the regular run-of-the-mill psychological thrillers, in the sense that even if you do see the twists coming, there’s always this incredible layer of emotion woven throughout the story that almost wraps itself around your heart in a vice-like kind of way.
I’m not telling you anything about the plot. The description is a nicely vague one and I prefer leaving it like that. Suffice to say Izzie is indeed a most unsettling character and one that is very hard to connect to. You never quite know what she’ll do or say next. Yet, she’s also someone to feel sorry for and that feeling only grows throughout the story.
The Memory is one of those books that lends itself perfectly to be read in one sitting. One of those utterly addictive page-turners that has you reading one more chapter and then another one and before you know it, it’s way past your bed time but hey, who cares, right? With lots of strange things happening, I was left to wonder if this was a case of paranoia or hallucinations. Yet, I found I was utterly convinced I knew exactly what was going on and couldn’t put it down until I reached the conclusion. As it turns out … I was completely wrong.
This is a tense and gripping tale of secrets, unrequited love and a mother’s fierce attempts to protect her vulnerable daughter. It’s dark, sometimes creepy, sometimes disturbing but intensely compelling and delves into quite a few traumatic and important themes. An unnerving read that has desperately left me wanting more from Lucy Dawson.
This was a 5 star read! I really enjoyed the different time periods (20 years ago, 10 years ago, present) and the different character perspectives. There was no predictability in here at all. The beginning starts out as one story and then it is interwoven into the present while bringing everything together somehow in a way I did not expect! This was full of paranoia, deep dark secrets and a huge secret that made me fall off my chair! Warning - pay attention to every detail because the TWO BIG TWISTS are so subtle which makes it even more awesome. If you read it fast you just might miss it, but when you catch it, its HUGE! This book is so full of heart felt emotions and just the female characters are some pretty strong women who have been through hell. The author definitely played with my mind. Twisty, dark, deep, sometimes heartbreaking. This book is going to be a success when its released! Thank you #NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review. 10 dark stars.
The Memory dives right in with a very hard hitting and traumatic scene which I’m not going to describe, as it would reduce the impact to know what’s coming. It’s a brilliant opening to the story. We then move on a number of years to find Eve and her daughter Isobel still dealing with the effects of that day. Isobel, in many ways still trapped in childhood... and apparently dabbling in witchcraft... is a fascinating character - but throughout the story we’re kept unsure as to how much of her issues are really her and how much is possibly manipulated by her mother for whatever reason.
Then there’s Claire, moving into Isabel and Eve’s old house with her husband Tim and daughter Rosie. I liked Claire as a character. She’s strong, sceptical and not inclined to take any nonsense, despite being pushed into a situation very much not of her choosing, though things do start, not surprisingly, to get to her and not all her actions are wise. Husband Tim - also, like Izzie, a survivor of childhood trauma - seems much more vulnerable and is susceptible to the strange and threatening atmosphere of the new house. Is someone really trying to drive them out, are supernatural forces at work or is it all in somebody’s fragile mind? You don’t know who to trust....
I’m very impressed with Lucy Dawson’s books - her last, The Daughter, was excellent and I think The Memory is even better. (The only thing I don’t love is the title - what’s with this current obsession with “The [Proper Noun]” titles? It feels meaningless and I’m certain the author could’ve come up with something better. I’m not wild about the cover, either and I’m not entirely sure what that dress has to do with anything.)
I found the story to be unusual - definitely not standard psychological thriller fare, despite the cover - and never predictable: throughout, I had no idea where things were going and no idea how it would all end. There are a couple of big surprises and at least one genuinely chilling scene (aside from the terrifying opener). Highly recommended and I can’t wait to see what Lucy Dawson does next.
In this ambitious novel, the lives of three young children are turned completely upside down by one terrible morning. Their lives entangle again decades later, when Isabel’s mother, Evie, puts their family estate on the market. We whirl through the story alternating between Evie and Claire’s (the woman who buys the property) perspective. There is a lot going on, and most of it has promise. It certainly kept my attention! There’s a mystery revolving around Isobel, themes of grief and loss, and then a lot of supernatural content involving the house.
A lot of bombshells are dropped, but I feel like the wild range of subjects dilute this story. I would have loved if this novel had settled into one theme, in a deep, meaningful way. The setting was irresistible, and I was solidly invested in all the characters. But none of it was quite enough.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.
When I first picked up this novel, I was pretty psyched to get into it as I hadn't read a psychological thriller for quite a while. However, as I got into it, it turned out to be a bit of an average read for me. Let me elaborate further.
Firstly, I thought the premise for the story was a really unique. From the blurb, I thought the book would have had a creepy atmosphere especially since we are dealing with a woman who suffers such extreme trauma where she speaks as a child. Although the story progression deals with this issue, it veers into many aspects such as the supernatural which become a little too unbelievable for me. The book is atmospheric enough but it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. Additionally, the setting does little to enhance the novel as it focused more on the characters and their secrets. So, I found it served more as a backdrop for the story.
Secondly, I didn't find any of the characters likeable. The story shifts between the POVs of Claire and Eve. To me, Eve's character came across as very overbearing and she gets confrontational very easily. She seems to take an averse reaction to Claire the minute she learns of her connection to the past. I also found her outbursts to be rather over the top and scary at times, but the author doesn't really explore this side of her character too much. Claire, on the other hand, seemed relatable at the beginning. However, I didn't like how she couldn't empathise with her partner, Tim, and I felt at many times, she wouldn't even give him the benefit of the doubt. She was neither supportive nor loving except towards her daughter. While Tim came across as very whiny, gullible and spineless. So, all in all, I wasn't keen on any of them. With that being said, the book, essentially, dealt with extremely damaged and dysfunctional people all of whom had no positive aspects to their personalities. Without going into spoilers, I felt only two characters were redeemed in this novel and that made the story passable.
Last but not least, the majority of the novel focused on the past and the secrets that were kept hidden. As our protagonist Claire and Tim purchase Fox Cottage, the past along with these secrets start to unravel. I personally didn't like the supernatural element to the story as I felt it didn't add anything to the overall plot. It just made it silly and childish. I would have preferred more thrills and excitement which I didn't get except towards the end of the novel. I did find the revelation shocking. However, the way the author wrapped up the story was rather weak. In my opinion, I wouldn't classify this as a thriller. The book was focused more on trauma and family dysfunction. I also would have liked to see more of how the trauma had affected Isobel and would have enjoyed if the author delved into this further. But, most of Isobel's parts were recounted by other characters. Thus, loosing the impact it would have given to the story. I also would have preferred some more twists and turns as the plot progressed. Unfortunately, even those revelations which seemed few and far in between were bland at best. As I said, an average read for me. Would I recommend this book? I guess if you wish to pass the time, but if you are looking for something more exciting, possibly pick up something else.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for gifting me a free eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This was the first book I have read by Lucy Dawson. After reading the description of this book I was excited to read this book.
The Memory is an addictive thriller of a book from the very beginning and I found myself flying through the chapters to see what would happen next. I was hooked from the very beginning of this book and I enjoyed reading about the various characters that we are introduced to throughout the story.
The story is told in two different timelines by two different points of view. The book starts off from Eve’s point of view. She takes her daughter Isobel to a martial arts class and something dramatic happens that leaves everyone there scarred with awful memories of that tragic, awful day. Isobel is never quite the same afterwards. Fast forward about 30 years later and we are introduced to a woman named Claire, and her family. They move into the home that Claire and Isobel shared.
Strange things happen, that are dark and creepy, and you are left to wonder if these things are actually happening or are they imagining it. A great story that was a pleasure to read through to the end.
I look forward to reading more books by Lucy Dawson.
I am a fan of this author but personally this book didn't work for me unfortunately. I found myself disliking every single character from the overbearing mother to the childlike Isobel with her tantrums and outburst. This character in particular I found very confusing. The whole child locked in a woman's body and her mother's treatment of her just didn't ring true for me. Get the woman some treatment and don't feed her behaviour.
This book felt more of a horror/ghost story rather than a psychological thriller.
A rather odd book, with a convoluted start going in one direction and then suddenly shifting into different directions all at once, it takes a long time to reach a conclusion and when it does it is very disappointing. The epilogue illustrates how desperate the author is to neatly wrap everything up, except omitting to tell one of the characters what was really going on with her daughter, this is an odd omission. Further more none of the characters were particularly endearing, despite their sad back stories, they were all pretty self serving and condescending.
This really could have been a short story with a lot cut out. There were a lot of pointless details that seemed to drag the story out. The ending was also drawn out.
The book definitely could have been better - I never really cared about any of the characters, finding them to be flat, and in some cases whiny and annoying (Tim!). I asked myself on more than one occasion what was going on!
That said, towards the end of the book there are some pretty creepy parts, that were done very well.
When I saw there was going to be a blog tour for The Memory by Lucy Dawson, of course I was going to jump on. After all Lucy Dawson is one of my go-to favourite authors for a twisty, jarring read.
First Line of The Memory by Lucy Dawson
"He asked me out again as the class was about to start, while kids were taking their shoes and socks off."
My thoughts on The Memory by Lucy Dawson
I was a little nervous when I started reading this book, as I didn't immediately take to the characters. And that is a strange experience for me with Lucy Dawson, as I usually find her characters relatable and I instantly click. However the more I read, the more I realised that due to events in the past, I scarcely knew the characters, and I had to give them a chance.
The plot is a lovely slow burn, that had me flipping pages quickly to get to the bottom of the strange events. In particular I was intrigued to see what memory the title was referring to, as I was sure it wasn't the obvious contender. The setting is dark, eerie and very, very ominous . We're talking Ouija boards, Voodoo dolls and all kinds of ghoulish elements and I was a little jumpy at times reading it.
Like most of this author's books, I can't say much about the actual plot, as it's a huge spoiler. But I loved the direction it ending up taking, and the ending was hugely satisfying.
The bottom line: It took a while to settle in to it, but then I loved it!
Who should read The Memory by Lucy Dawson
I’d recommend this to you if you like creepy domestic-noir type thrillers, clever plotlines, and hints of paranormal activity. Fans of Shalini Boland, Liz Nugent and Paula Hawkins should also enjoy this one.
Thanks to Bookouture for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.
This book had a lot going on, right off the bat it starts with a traumatizing event, then goes on to include love, loss, mystery, paranormal, and a slew of characters that had no idea what was going on. Each one had secrets, and they all had very different agendas, which in turn kept the story constantly turning. The ending is what gave it it’s fourth star.
Reading a story by this author can always be considered as a treat added to your pile of amazing books as well as a threat to the hours of sleep you get while devouring it.
Books can be confusing in a good or a bad way. This one messed with my head in a very good way. Half way through I still did not see how the start of the book would connect with the outcome, but hey, that's just what makes the author having you come back for more each time she publishes a book.
While the author has guided your mind in a certain direction she surprises you with a twist you did not see coming and the pieces of the puzzle suddenly all fit together and you see the whole picture.
This book sketches a very creepy atmosphere and connects you to the dark side. And then there is light, an all consuming light to reveal everything that has been hidden for a very long time. 5 stars.
I was immediately intrigued from the opening chapters about this book and I found the last quarter flew past in a series of compulsive to read words.
It did to me lag in the middle a bit, as I really wasn't sure what was going on, and it was starting to feel a bit too supernatural for my tastes.
I wasn't really sure where the story was going at times, but really glad that I continued reading as it all made a lot of sense in the end.
I found that I didn't really connect with the characters that much, and although they had all been through horrible things, the only person I really liked was Adam.
It was a good book, it just wasn't my favourite by far from this author. I look forward to the next one with interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
She’ll never forget… I’ll never forgive. People always notice my daughter, Isobel. How could they not? Extraordinarily beautiful... until she speaks. An unsettling, little-girl voice, exactly like a child’s, but from the mouth of a full-grown woman. Izzie might look grown-up, but inside she’s trapped. Caught in the day it happened… the day that broke her from within. Our family fell apart that day, and we never could pick up the pieces My thoughts 4.5 This is more of a suspense thriller then a psychological thriller. While in a psychological thriller makes you "jump off your seat, this one keeps you on the edge of your set. As your reading the story you meet Isoble and find out that unknowingly to her mother Isoble has a secret and not just any secret but a dark one that's connected to her childhood as well to the house they live in, and the more you read the more you find out that not only is this dark secret connected to Isoble and her home but to a other family as well, like i said its more of a suspense thriller then anything because of the the more you read , you became ware of things unknown to the Isoble's mother before she finds out, its still a good story to read because it makes you keep asking yourself what is this dark secret that holds Isoble so much that it seems that even though she's now growing up she's still a very much so a scared little girl inside, and how its connected to her home and to the other family , and why didn't she mother notice some thing was wrong until now, to find out more you have to read the book, with that said i want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review The Memory in change for my honest opinion. Can't wait to read more from this author.