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Close Your Eyes
Close your eyes…and count to ten.
He doesn’t know his name. He doesn’t know his secret.
When Daniel woke up from a coma, he had no recollection of the life he lived before, the person he once was. Now, fourteen years later, he’s being forced to remember.
A phone call in the middle of the night demands he return what he stole back when he was young – but Daniel has no idea what it could be, or who the person on the end of the line is.
But one thing is terrifyingly clear: if he doesn’t find out what he took and return it before the week ends, his family will be murdered.
Rachael doesn’t know why she and Thomas, her six-year-old son, have been taken. But she knows she needs to protect him. To save his innocence, she tells Thomas they are involved in a story, one that will have a happy ending – as long as he can close his eyes when she tells him to.
Will Daniel discover what he cannot remember and save his family? Or will Rachael have to take drastic action to save their son?
Perfect for fans of Holly Seddon, Gillian Flynn and BA Paris.
From the best-selling author of Our Little Secret comes a new psychological thriller with a shocking twist.
He doesn’t know his name. He doesn’t know his secret.
When Daniel woke up from a coma, he had no recollection of the life he lived before, the person he once was. Now, fourteen years later, he’s being forced to remember.
A phone call in the middle of the night demands he return what he stole back when he was young – but Daniel has no idea what it could be, or who the person on the end of the line is.
But one thing is terrifyingly clear: if he doesn’t find out what he took and return it before the week ends, his family will be murdered.
Rachael doesn’t know why she and Thomas, her six-year-old son, have been taken. But she knows she needs to protect him. To save his innocence, she tells Thomas they are involved in a story, one that will have a happy ending – as long as he can close his eyes when she tells him to.
Will Daniel discover what he cannot remember and save his family? Or will Rachael have to take drastic action to save their son?
Perfect for fans of Holly Seddon, Gillian Flynn and BA Paris.
From the best-selling author of Our Little Secret comes a new psychological thriller with a shocking twist.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2018
352 people are currently reading
1100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
May 2, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What if one day, out of the blue, your past just flat-out catches up to you.....
After a bad accident 15 years ago, Daniel has been plagued with amnesia. It was as though his life started all over that day. He moved forward, making a nice new life for himself. Thomas, his son whom he loves deeply, and Rachel, his ex-wife who he’s still close friends with. And now he’s been blessed with a new girlfriend Katie who adores his son.
A perfect life...right? Well, not so fast. With one late-night phone call, all that happiness and joy is about to fly out the window.
Someone from Daniel’s past is demanding he return a certain ‘something’ or they’ll harm his family. Problem is, Daniel has no idea what that ‘something’ could be. He does know, if he doesn’t figure it out quickly his family may not make it out alive.
It’s a race against time as Daniel attempts to put the pieces of his past together before the deadline approaches.
Told from dual points of view from Daniel and Rachel. The tension is high-level throughout the book making it a real challenge to put down. A great spin at the end for a real added bonus!
A fast paced thriller that truly will keep you on the edge of your seat! My second book by Darren O’Sullivan, I enjoyed this one as much as his previous release Our Little Secret.
I’ll be waiting and watching for his next release!! (Please hurry!)
Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Darren O’Sullivan for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
What if one day, out of the blue, your past just flat-out catches up to you.....
After a bad accident 15 years ago, Daniel has been plagued with amnesia. It was as though his life started all over that day. He moved forward, making a nice new life for himself. Thomas, his son whom he loves deeply, and Rachel, his ex-wife who he’s still close friends with. And now he’s been blessed with a new girlfriend Katie who adores his son.
A perfect life...right? Well, not so fast. With one late-night phone call, all that happiness and joy is about to fly out the window.
Someone from Daniel’s past is demanding he return a certain ‘something’ or they’ll harm his family. Problem is, Daniel has no idea what that ‘something’ could be. He does know, if he doesn’t figure it out quickly his family may not make it out alive.
It’s a race against time as Daniel attempts to put the pieces of his past together before the deadline approaches.
Told from dual points of view from Daniel and Rachel. The tension is high-level throughout the book making it a real challenge to put down. A great spin at the end for a real added bonus!
A fast paced thriller that truly will keep you on the edge of your seat! My second book by Darren O’Sullivan, I enjoyed this one as much as his previous release Our Little Secret.
I’ll be waiting and watching for his next release!! (Please hurry!)
Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Darren O’Sullivan for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2018
Great psychological thriller! I was enthralled by this story from the beginning. Then the last 15% had an ending I never saw coming. Outstanding!!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 29, 2018
3.75 Stars* (rounded up)
Fourteen years ago, Daniel was in an accident. When he awoke from a coma he had no recollection of who he was before. Now he is awoken in the middle of the night by a phone call. The caller asks for “Michael” and tells him that he must return what he stole or his family will suffer. Of course, he has no idea what the caller is talking about, but they mean business and he immediately fears for his son, Thomas, his ex-wife, Rachel. Thereafter, he immediately rushes to his ex-wife’s house to find evidence of a crime having been committed and discovers that Rachel and Thomas are gone. Dread fills his soul. It is real.
The clock is ticking - Daniel has 5 days to recover what he stole fourteen years ago. Daniel does his best to uncover a past he knows nothing about. Talking to his mother, trying to track down a father he hasn’t spoken to in years. Meanwhile, Rachel does whatever she has to do to protect her son. Their love for each other is evident.
“Close Your Eyes” by Darren O’Sullivan is a race against time, it gives you heart palpitations and makes your breath catch in your throat. The characters are very real and likable and their emotions are felt as if they are your own. If you are looking for a mystery/suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is it.
Kaceey and I read this one together. We enjoyed all of the twists and turns this book had to offer. Thanks for reading it with me Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Darren O’Sullivan for a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.29.18.
Fourteen years ago, Daniel was in an accident. When he awoke from a coma he had no recollection of who he was before. Now he is awoken in the middle of the night by a phone call. The caller asks for “Michael” and tells him that he must return what he stole or his family will suffer. Of course, he has no idea what the caller is talking about, but they mean business and he immediately fears for his son, Thomas, his ex-wife, Rachel. Thereafter, he immediately rushes to his ex-wife’s house to find evidence of a crime having been committed and discovers that Rachel and Thomas are gone. Dread fills his soul. It is real.
The clock is ticking - Daniel has 5 days to recover what he stole fourteen years ago. Daniel does his best to uncover a past he knows nothing about. Talking to his mother, trying to track down a father he hasn’t spoken to in years. Meanwhile, Rachel does whatever she has to do to protect her son. Their love for each other is evident.
“Close Your Eyes” by Darren O’Sullivan is a race against time, it gives you heart palpitations and makes your breath catch in your throat. The characters are very real and likable and their emotions are felt as if they are your own. If you are looking for a mystery/suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is it.
Kaceey and I read this one together. We enjoyed all of the twists and turns this book had to offer. Thanks for reading it with me Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Darren O’Sullivan for a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.29.18.
July 20, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS
ARC BOOK REVIEW
Release Date-5/5/18
This was a fabulous edge of your seat read that I can't really say too much about without giving away the whole plotline so I'm going to try to keep it as vaguish as possible.
So this was my second book by this particular author and "Close Your Eyes" had the slight edge for me in terms of enjoyment.
It was a fast-paced race against the clock as Father and family man Daniel attempts to unravel the Mystery that is his past.
If he fails; well the cost will be the ultimate punishment; his family.
Daniel suffering from amnesia from an accident fifteen years previous is sent on an action-filled journey of self-discovery where everything he thought he knew and more might just be the biggest lie of them all.
This is told from dual POV alternating Daniel then Ex-wife Rachel and later we also get a brief glimpse into the head of Daniels Son Thomas.
The main characters here are few with "Close Your Eyes" keeping the main focus on Daniel, Rachel and Thomas.
These three are also joined initially by the supporting cast of Rachels husband Sean and Daniels girlfriend Katie as they have formed for the sake of Thomas's happiness an almost unconventional family setup that seems to work for them.
everyone else involved is then just thrown right into the mix also stirring and muddying the already churned waters causing a sense of confusion and even doubt especially for Daniel himself.
This was ramped throughout and as each new lead and corner was turned my heart was totally in my throat; I felt almost like I was undertaking this path with poor Daniel the helplessness he must have felt alongside his own fear and panic.
The emotions experienced by Daniel as well as Rachel and Thomas, well I felt like I was there in the moment with them, so fantastically did this portray the rawness and brutality of feeling here.
This went to places I wasn't expecting shocking me completely.
Dipping me so low at times with where this dared to venture I couldn't help but think the worst.
This truly sank to depths of darkness that I wasn't quite expecting leaving me bereft in my feelings of despair.
I did have kinda an inkling where things seemed to be heading, but this didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
I also really liked the eventual conclusion here it gave me a much-needed sense of satisfaction; Much more so than using some clever gimic to devastate and shock the reader.
The ending here gave me an overall sense of justice which was ultimately want I wanted most.
Why then a rating of four over five you may ask if I liked this so much?
Well, two things really and I will try to explain without letting any cats out the bag; the first one here is relatively easy The Son Thomas; I thought he seemed much younger than what his actual age was.
I'm a mother of Five myself so hardly a novice when it comes to kids and in my opinion, Thomas didn't seem like any six-year-old that I have ever met.
If I had to pinpoint his actual age from his behaviour and actions it seemed to me more like four; just an opinion though.
The second thing and this is more tricky to explain without disclosing too much but I'll try; I never quite understood the timeline here; why this particular moment over any other logically it didn't really make sense why this is happening now rather than another moment past or even future.
Especially with Daniel starting to recall moments from his past.
This really bugged me like a lot and I couldn't stop myself overanalyzing the whys.
And while I'm on a roll the reasons behind all this for me were frankly lacklustre in nature and I wanted a more satisfying overall explanation for the completely unnecessary reactions and actions here.
But I suppose there wouldnt be much of a story if it was actually done my way with some bloody logic.
You will get more of what I'm trying to convey here when you've read this for yourself.
Over than the above I really did enjoy this it was a really engaging piece of fiction that kept me on my toes throughout; happy to recommend this.
So I was provided with an ARC of "Close Your Eyes" By Netgalley of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
April 21, 2018
Wow.. this book had me hooked very early on and didn't let go. I read this in 2 sessions, I just had to finish it.
14 years earlier Daniel woke from a coma unaware of who he was and with no memory of anything from his past. He has moved on with life and is happy... until he receives a phone call telling him to give it back or his family will die. He needs to remember his past or lose his son... and fast.
This book will have you turning pages and losing track of time.. it is so good. This is the first book by this author but I have already downloaded his debut novel to read.
Thanks to Digital HQ and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
14 years earlier Daniel woke from a coma unaware of who he was and with no memory of anything from his past. He has moved on with life and is happy... until he receives a phone call telling him to give it back or his family will die. He needs to remember his past or lose his son... and fast.
This book will have you turning pages and losing track of time.. it is so good. This is the first book by this author but I have already downloaded his debut novel to read.
Thanks to Digital HQ and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
December 11, 2018
Sometimes, we come across a book where you’re gripped immediately! You rush around your home, getting everything you need to do, done, as quickly as possible, just so you can sit down with a cuppa and emerge yourself into its world. Then, it compels you to keep reading until you reach the end. Yeah… this is that book!
From the moment I started reading the prologue, I said to myself, “Uh Oh! I know I’m not sleeping tonight!’
Darren’s ability to emerge his readers into his fictional world is compelling, captivating their attention, feeding the intricate clues, which are interwoven through the plot. As you read about Daniel’s past, the threads of mystery unravel slowly as he members his past that his parents tried to bury. When yo think you know where it’s going, suddenly you’re faced with the plot twist we all love about a thriller! And yes, it's a great one!
The plot is gripping, following the emotional story of a fathers love for his child and the journey he goes through to get him back.
When Close Your Eyes arrives on your Kindle, don’t start it until you know you have a clear day ahead, because you’re going to need it!
Congratulations Darren O’Sullivan! You did it again!
From the moment I started reading the prologue, I said to myself, “Uh Oh! I know I’m not sleeping tonight!’
Darren’s ability to emerge his readers into his fictional world is compelling, captivating their attention, feeding the intricate clues, which are interwoven through the plot. As you read about Daniel’s past, the threads of mystery unravel slowly as he members his past that his parents tried to bury. When yo think you know where it’s going, suddenly you’re faced with the plot twist we all love about a thriller! And yes, it's a great one!
The plot is gripping, following the emotional story of a fathers love for his child and the journey he goes through to get him back.
When Close Your Eyes arrives on your Kindle, don’t start it until you know you have a clear day ahead, because you’re going to need it!
Congratulations Darren O’Sullivan! You did it again!
May 4, 2018
Having recently read Our Little Secret by Darren O’Sullivan, I was very keen to get my hands on Close Your Eyes and I have to say that this new book is even better than the fabulous debut by this exciting new talent! I know I’m a fast reader but even I was amazed by the speed in which I raced through this adrenaline rush of a read! One of my first thoughts was that the styling reminded me of early Simon Kernick, with its race against time plot as Daniel fights against the odds to save his family.
Daniel is suffering from retrograde amnesia where he has no memory of his life from before a tragic accident 14 years ago. He has learnt to deal with that loss but when a memory makes an unexpected return it shocks him….. but not as much as the phone call he receives shortly afterwards demanding he return something he stole, something he has absolutely no idea about. But now that his family have been taken he knows that whoever called him is serious and he has just days to work out what happened to him before his accident and deliver the stolen goods. His ex wife Rachael and son Thomas have to survive imprisonment at the hands of a desperate gang as they hope and pray that Daniels memory will return in time to save them both.
Wow! What a thrilling journey this book is and I absolutely loved every single step it took me on! Talk about hitting the ground running! I was thrown straight into a violent and dramatic scene that shocked me, leaving me with more questions than answers. Close Your Eyes is a “thriller with a heart” that I became completely engrossed in within those first few pages. Daniel was an intriguing character that I didn’t always like but his determination to save his family definitely redeemed him in my eyes! I was actually surprised that the two threads for the storyline weren’t as I expected them to be (a past and present told from Daniel’s point of view) but instead focused on the hunt for the truth about the past by Daniel and also the struggle for survival by Rachael and Thomas. The contrast between these two threads evoked such a powerful response in me that I really did feel like I had been on an emotional rollercoaster by the time I had finished that final breathtaking chapter! The scenes between Rachael and her son were just so beautifully written and their relationship was perfectly defined without being overly sentimental. The bond between father and son also became a driving force for Daniel as he raced around the places he began to remember, searching for the reason for the violence that has ripped his family apart.
There were some great twists here that provided plenty of shocks along the way and I was often surprised by the direction the plot took. The clues are drip fed throughout the narrative as it twists and turns towards its shocking conclusion and I have to admit that my jaw hit the ground at one point! So make sure you clear your diary for the day when you start Close Your Eyes as you won’t be able to put this compelling and addictive thriller down.
Highly recommended by me!
Daniel is suffering from retrograde amnesia where he has no memory of his life from before a tragic accident 14 years ago. He has learnt to deal with that loss but when a memory makes an unexpected return it shocks him….. but not as much as the phone call he receives shortly afterwards demanding he return something he stole, something he has absolutely no idea about. But now that his family have been taken he knows that whoever called him is serious and he has just days to work out what happened to him before his accident and deliver the stolen goods. His ex wife Rachael and son Thomas have to survive imprisonment at the hands of a desperate gang as they hope and pray that Daniels memory will return in time to save them both.
Wow! What a thrilling journey this book is and I absolutely loved every single step it took me on! Talk about hitting the ground running! I was thrown straight into a violent and dramatic scene that shocked me, leaving me with more questions than answers. Close Your Eyes is a “thriller with a heart” that I became completely engrossed in within those first few pages. Daniel was an intriguing character that I didn’t always like but his determination to save his family definitely redeemed him in my eyes! I was actually surprised that the two threads for the storyline weren’t as I expected them to be (a past and present told from Daniel’s point of view) but instead focused on the hunt for the truth about the past by Daniel and also the struggle for survival by Rachael and Thomas. The contrast between these two threads evoked such a powerful response in me that I really did feel like I had been on an emotional rollercoaster by the time I had finished that final breathtaking chapter! The scenes between Rachael and her son were just so beautifully written and their relationship was perfectly defined without being overly sentimental. The bond between father and son also became a driving force for Daniel as he raced around the places he began to remember, searching for the reason for the violence that has ripped his family apart.
There were some great twists here that provided plenty of shocks along the way and I was often surprised by the direction the plot took. The clues are drip fed throughout the narrative as it twists and turns towards its shocking conclusion and I have to admit that my jaw hit the ground at one point! So make sure you clear your diary for the day when you start Close Your Eyes as you won’t be able to put this compelling and addictive thriller down.
Highly recommended by me!
January 30, 2019
Read this book in 2 sittings and absolutely loved it. Full of twists and turns and an ending that i didn’t see coming. Highly recommended.
May 4, 2020
Setting: UK; 2017-18. Daniel has a fairly good life with his new girlfriend Katie and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife Rachael and 6-year-old son Tommy - he has had to rebuild his life since a car accident 15 years before wiped all his earlier memories. But then Daniel receives a threatening phone call from an unknown man - Rachael and Tommy have been taken hostage and will only be returned if he hands over what he stole from them in 2003. Daniel has two major problems - he doesn't know what he is supposed to have taken so how can he return it and why does the man call him Michael? As Daniel searches for answers, his previous life is revealed to him. At the same time, we hear the account of Rachael as she and Tommy are kidnapped and then held in a garage.
A bit slow to get going but the tension soon ramped up and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the previous one I had read from this author. I had my suspicions about something part of the way through the book and was proved to be right but, even so, it was a great read and I am looking forward to reading more by this author - 9/10.
A bit slow to get going but the tension soon ramped up and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the previous one I had read from this author. I had my suspicions about something part of the way through the book and was proved to be right but, even so, it was a great read and I am looking forward to reading more by this author - 9/10.
April 15, 2018
Actually 4.5 stars but I have rounded up.
I really enjoyed this author's debut - Our Little Secret - when I read it last year so I was quite excited to get my hands on this, his follow up book. It's always a bit scary starting a book with high expectations but, on the whole, this follow up did match up quite nicely.
So, 14 years ago Daniel woke up from a coma after an accident he can not recall. More disturbing is that he actually can't remember anything from before his accident; not even his name. Fast forward to the present and, apart from the odd flashbacks which still do not add up to anything sensible, his memories of life before the accident have still not returned. But, he has got on with his life as best as he can. Living with Katie and sharing parental responsibility for Tom with his ex, Rachael, he seems to be ticking along quite nicely. Until that is he receives a phone call from someone who appears to know him. A rather nasty someone who wants what Daniel stole from him. A someone who called him Michael. Convinced that the caller has the wrong person, Daniel is about to hang up when he hears something that blows his world apart. He has 5 days to return what he stole or face some rather devastating consequences. But he has no memory of anything so how can he? And so begins a delicious game of cat and mouse as Daniel races to get to the truth and save the ones close to him.
Well, after a bit of a build up which was wholly necessary, the action kicks in and doesn't let up until the very end. OK so I did guess a couple of key things early but I think that was more due to the sheer volume of this genre book I read rather than the author being too easy to suss out, and I don't think that this early discovery marred my enjoyment of the book at all. I mean, I've been wrong before!
The story itself is narrated by several of the characters. each chapter is headed with who, where and when but, as they are all quite distinct voices, it is easy to follow and remember who is talking.
The plot is cleverly worked out and well executed. All the way through, we are drip fed elements from Daniel's past which sketch out the picture of his life before the accident and it soon becomes evident that that life is not quite as he thought. These are mostly in the form of flashbacks but there is also the added element of his remembering things from memory links connected to people and places he encounters as the story goes on. I found both these methods to be very effective and their inclusion was well timed to complement the present day narrative. Almost like giving the next clue in a treasure hunt. Which, in effect, was exactly what this book turned out to be for me. Albeit one with a bit more at stake than just getting the prize. Action and adventure and a thrilling ride all the way!
All in all, although it didn't quite hit the heady heights of his debut, only just missing mind, the author has followed up with a cracking read thus cementing him firmly on my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I really enjoyed this author's debut - Our Little Secret - when I read it last year so I was quite excited to get my hands on this, his follow up book. It's always a bit scary starting a book with high expectations but, on the whole, this follow up did match up quite nicely.
So, 14 years ago Daniel woke up from a coma after an accident he can not recall. More disturbing is that he actually can't remember anything from before his accident; not even his name. Fast forward to the present and, apart from the odd flashbacks which still do not add up to anything sensible, his memories of life before the accident have still not returned. But, he has got on with his life as best as he can. Living with Katie and sharing parental responsibility for Tom with his ex, Rachael, he seems to be ticking along quite nicely. Until that is he receives a phone call from someone who appears to know him. A rather nasty someone who wants what Daniel stole from him. A someone who called him Michael. Convinced that the caller has the wrong person, Daniel is about to hang up when he hears something that blows his world apart. He has 5 days to return what he stole or face some rather devastating consequences. But he has no memory of anything so how can he? And so begins a delicious game of cat and mouse as Daniel races to get to the truth and save the ones close to him.
Well, after a bit of a build up which was wholly necessary, the action kicks in and doesn't let up until the very end. OK so I did guess a couple of key things early but I think that was more due to the sheer volume of this genre book I read rather than the author being too easy to suss out, and I don't think that this early discovery marred my enjoyment of the book at all. I mean, I've been wrong before!
The story itself is narrated by several of the characters. each chapter is headed with who, where and when but, as they are all quite distinct voices, it is easy to follow and remember who is talking.
The plot is cleverly worked out and well executed. All the way through, we are drip fed elements from Daniel's past which sketch out the picture of his life before the accident and it soon becomes evident that that life is not quite as he thought. These are mostly in the form of flashbacks but there is also the added element of his remembering things from memory links connected to people and places he encounters as the story goes on. I found both these methods to be very effective and their inclusion was well timed to complement the present day narrative. Almost like giving the next clue in a treasure hunt. Which, in effect, was exactly what this book turned out to be for me. Albeit one with a bit more at stake than just getting the prize. Action and adventure and a thrilling ride all the way!
All in all, although it didn't quite hit the heady heights of his debut, only just missing mind, the author has followed up with a cracking read thus cementing him firmly on my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
July 26, 2020
I want to give this book zero stars... is that possible?!
So. Many. Obvious. Plot points.
And yet so so so many plots holes.
Spoiler:
1. It was obvious Katie was in on it from the beginning. Always taking notes of Daniel’s flashbacks. Having to go visit her father who Daniel has somehow never met. What?!?
2. On the hunt for clues to his past... Daniel keeps making decisions that DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!! He has four days to remember what he stole and yet he’s just letting hours go by on some kind of wild goose chase. Then when he does get to the town, he LEAVES WITHOUT LOOKING FOR THE THING! It was obvious that the thing he stole was hidden in the French hideaway town but somehow he LEAVES the town without even considering it!? What???
3. He finally finds out from the owner of The White Horse that it’s Kym Bright’s kid who’s probably taken his family but DOESN’T ASK THE OWNER ANYTHING MORE ABOUT KYM’S KID. Oh hey thanks for confirming that this person is probably the person who took my very precious family, I don’t need to know any more about them so I’ll just be on my way thanks! WTF????
I finished the book because I did hold out hope that there would be more to the story than a shitty plot with characters whose motivations just seem forced... but nope. I feel like the author made the villain a woman and was like “HAHA BET YOU DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING A WOMAN WOULD NEVER COMMIT SUCH HEINOUS CRIMES RIGHT?!?”
.... Come ON. Even the villain’s motivations were terrible. Just absolute shit.
0/10 would not recommend. Unless you like plot holes with characters who don’t make sense, then go for it.
So. Many. Obvious. Plot points.
And yet so so so many plots holes.
Spoiler:
1. It was obvious Katie was in on it from the beginning. Always taking notes of Daniel’s flashbacks. Having to go visit her father who Daniel has somehow never met. What?!?
2. On the hunt for clues to his past... Daniel keeps making decisions that DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!! He has four days to remember what he stole and yet he’s just letting hours go by on some kind of wild goose chase. Then when he does get to the town, he LEAVES WITHOUT LOOKING FOR THE THING! It was obvious that the thing he stole was hidden in the French hideaway town but somehow he LEAVES the town without even considering it!? What???
3. He finally finds out from the owner of The White Horse that it’s Kym Bright’s kid who’s probably taken his family but DOESN’T ASK THE OWNER ANYTHING MORE ABOUT KYM’S KID. Oh hey thanks for confirming that this person is probably the person who took my very precious family, I don’t need to know any more about them so I’ll just be on my way thanks! WTF????
I finished the book because I did hold out hope that there would be more to the story than a shitty plot with characters whose motivations just seem forced... but nope. I feel like the author made the villain a woman and was like “HAHA BET YOU DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING A WOMAN WOULD NEVER COMMIT SUCH HEINOUS CRIMES RIGHT?!?”
.... Come ON. Even the villain’s motivations were terrible. Just absolute shit.
0/10 would not recommend. Unless you like plot holes with characters who don’t make sense, then go for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2020
Low 3 stars | I was in the mood for a good thriller. Slightly disappointed. It was just not my thing. Not only was the whole plot highly improbable, I didn’t like Racheal’s storyline. I’m sure a lot of ppl will enjoy it though.
May 4, 2018
This is a great book that will have you hooked from the first few pages.
Daniel receives a call one night asking him to give back what he took, or else his ex wife and son will die.
The only problem with is that Daniel lost his memory 14 years ago after an accident so anything that happened before then is gone from his memory.
Daniel faces a race against time to save Rachael and Thomas and he is shocked with the answer his Mum gives him when he asks her for help.
Daniel has to re-trace his life all those years ago and is faced with quite a few shocks and surprises along the way.
This book is full of twists and turns and will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Daniel receives a call one night asking him to give back what he took, or else his ex wife and son will die.
The only problem with is that Daniel lost his memory 14 years ago after an accident so anything that happened before then is gone from his memory.
Daniel faces a race against time to save Rachael and Thomas and he is shocked with the answer his Mum gives him when he asks her for help.
Daniel has to re-trace his life all those years ago and is faced with quite a few shocks and surprises along the way.
This book is full of twists and turns and will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
June 20, 2018
Riveting and deeply disturbing. A solid 4 stars.
Trigger warning: Violence against a child
Trigger warning: Violence against a child
April 16, 2018
“He doesn’t know his name. He doesn’t know his secret.”
When Daniel awakened from a coma, he had no recollection of the life he led before. Now, over fourteen years later, he’s started anew. He has a beautiful six-year-old son. His two closest friends are his son’s mother Rachael and her husband Sean. And he’s ready to propose to his girlfriend Katie. Although he fights to remember his bits and pieces of his past, his new life is full of love and happiness. Nothing can take that away.
Or can it?
A phone call in the middle of the night brings the life he can’t remember crashing into the one he lives now. The man he used to be stole something. The people from whom he stole it want it back. Daniel can’t recall what it was or who they are, but he has a matter of days to return it. Rachael and his son have been kidnapped. If he doesn’t, they will be killed.
Rachael will do anything to protect her son. She tries everything to keep him safe and unafraid, but will it be enough? The key to their survival is in Daniel’s past. He must retrace the steps of the man he was before to figure it out. Yet, that’s hard to do when you still can’t remembe
Get ready to close your eyes, and count to ten...
It’s always easy to review a good book, but it’s harder to review a great one. “Close Your Eyes” by Darren O’Sullivan is the latter, full of the surprises and twists that you expect from the genre, but also emotional punches that will have you nearly rooting for a bad guy and crying for the good. It’s so well-crafted you can’t help but wonder if O’Sullivan plotted every aspect of the story, even the pacing.
The book starts out slow as Daniel meticulously tries to uncover details from his former life. The slower pace might be a bad move for most thrillers, but not this one. Instead, it’s a needed part of the story that helps build tension while keeping Daniel’s amnesia realistic.
That said, the slower pace doesn’t last one word longer than required. O’Sullivan wastes no time picking up speed as Daniel finds a trail to follow. From there, you’re as frenzied and desperate as Daniel to figure out who he was and what he stole. The breath-stealing suspense that O’Sullivan is so good at creating keeps you from putting the book down. And you will fall in love with Rachael and her son alongside Daniel as they help narrate the story. In fact, you may not have a heart if you don’t become emotionally invested in these two reaching the final chapter and returning home safely.
“Close Your Eyes” is a double thriller, if there is such a thing. Author Darren O’Sullivan has a knack from pulling the proverbial rug out from under your feet, but also his character Daniel’s as well. You’ll be gobsmacked from all the unpredictable twists starting early in the novel and continuing to nearly the last page.
Using the words of Daniel’s son, this book will turn your mind upside down before you reach the end, “just like it would be if [you] were in Australia.” Daniel couldn’t have ever imagined where his story would take him. You won’t be able to either.
When Daniel awakened from a coma, he had no recollection of the life he led before. Now, over fourteen years later, he’s started anew. He has a beautiful six-year-old son. His two closest friends are his son’s mother Rachael and her husband Sean. And he’s ready to propose to his girlfriend Katie. Although he fights to remember his bits and pieces of his past, his new life is full of love and happiness. Nothing can take that away.
Or can it?
A phone call in the middle of the night brings the life he can’t remember crashing into the one he lives now. The man he used to be stole something. The people from whom he stole it want it back. Daniel can’t recall what it was or who they are, but he has a matter of days to return it. Rachael and his son have been kidnapped. If he doesn’t, they will be killed.
Rachael will do anything to protect her son. She tries everything to keep him safe and unafraid, but will it be enough? The key to their survival is in Daniel’s past. He must retrace the steps of the man he was before to figure it out. Yet, that’s hard to do when you still can’t remembe
Get ready to close your eyes, and count to ten...
It’s always easy to review a good book, but it’s harder to review a great one. “Close Your Eyes” by Darren O’Sullivan is the latter, full of the surprises and twists that you expect from the genre, but also emotional punches that will have you nearly rooting for a bad guy and crying for the good. It’s so well-crafted you can’t help but wonder if O’Sullivan plotted every aspect of the story, even the pacing.
The book starts out slow as Daniel meticulously tries to uncover details from his former life. The slower pace might be a bad move for most thrillers, but not this one. Instead, it’s a needed part of the story that helps build tension while keeping Daniel’s amnesia realistic.
That said, the slower pace doesn’t last one word longer than required. O’Sullivan wastes no time picking up speed as Daniel finds a trail to follow. From there, you’re as frenzied and desperate as Daniel to figure out who he was and what he stole. The breath-stealing suspense that O’Sullivan is so good at creating keeps you from putting the book down. And you will fall in love with Rachael and her son alongside Daniel as they help narrate the story. In fact, you may not have a heart if you don’t become emotionally invested in these two reaching the final chapter and returning home safely.
“Close Your Eyes” is a double thriller, if there is such a thing. Author Darren O’Sullivan has a knack from pulling the proverbial rug out from under your feet, but also his character Daniel’s as well. You’ll be gobsmacked from all the unpredictable twists starting early in the novel and continuing to nearly the last page.
Using the words of Daniel’s son, this book will turn your mind upside down before you reach the end, “just like it would be if [you] were in Australia.” Daniel couldn’t have ever imagined where his story would take him. You won’t be able to either.
May 6, 2018
So I had the pleasure of meeting the author Darren not so long ago, and as he is local to me, it was a huge incentive to read his book, not that I needed it as blurb sounded hugely intriguing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this despite finding it a little slow to begin with, but that didn't last long and before I knew it I was literally engrossed by the storyline. I found myself turning the pages really quickly in a bid to find out what would happen next and I was routing for Daniel all the way.
I loved that places such as Stamford and Burghley House got a mention in the story as they are places that I know well and have visited many occassion. I felt it bought me that little bit closer to the story because of it.
Overall I enjoyed the story and how it all turned out, but there was one part of the story's outcome that I didn't like and when it happened, I was like No no no, so I was a little sad by that. But with that said, I thought the ending was good, and totally didn't see it coming, was completely shocked by it.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this despite finding it a little slow to begin with, but that didn't last long and before I knew it I was literally engrossed by the storyline. I found myself turning the pages really quickly in a bid to find out what would happen next and I was routing for Daniel all the way.
I loved that places such as Stamford and Burghley House got a mention in the story as they are places that I know well and have visited many occassion. I felt it bought me that little bit closer to the story because of it.
Overall I enjoyed the story and how it all turned out, but there was one part of the story's outcome that I didn't like and when it happened, I was like No no no, so I was a little sad by that. But with that said, I thought the ending was good, and totally didn't see it coming, was completely shocked by it.
February 5, 2024
Creative and great story. Kind of drags on in the middle and goes into extensive detail about things that have nothing to do with the plot. Loved the ending and didn’t see it coming!
February 24, 2020
I really, REALLY liked this one! Maybe because I have my own memory loss issues, I don't know, but at times it felt like this was happening to me. The twist at the end was perfect!
April 19, 2018
Wow, what a great book! Nice twist love it!
This author is becoming one of my new favorites
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an early release of this book
This author is becoming one of my new favorites
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an early release of this book
May 3, 2018
Daniel Lynch is a man with a missing past. Memories of his life before the incident fourteen yours ago, have vanished. Grey space is all he sees when he tries to recall those elusive years. Since that night, he has rebuilt a good life from the wreckage. He has a six-year-old son and a girlfriend who he plans to propose to in the coming months. Despite battling to recover those lost memories, plumbing his mind for the man he was before and sieving through his graphic dreams for clues, he is happy and optimistic for the future. But when he receives a call in the middle of the night from a man who demands he return what he took, Daniel comes to realise that there was more to the man he used to be. With his family in danger and time running out, he must peel back the layers of his past to find what he took and who he really is.
The two strands flow beautifully together. Daniel is battling to to save his family in a race against time that is literally a life or death situation for his ex Rachael and their son Tom. And Rachael is battling in a whole other way. In a bid to keep her son’s fear at bay, she tells him that their horrendous situation is simply a story being played out. A tale of bravery and determination. The men who keep them trapped in a dark space are only characters. And the long hours that pass by are only chapters. Chapters that will soon end. Rachael’s plight to keep her son safe and well is a heartrending depiction of a mother’s love for her child.
Darren O’ Sullivan keeps a constant source of tension flowing through the book. His writing style is sharp and addictive. Both strands of this story were very emotional but Rachael’s chapters with little Tom really did pull at my heartstrings. I think Darren has created something very beautiful in what is quite a dark book. The combination is perfect! Bravo!
Close Your Eyes is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with plenty of tension and a great set of characters! It’s a story about the love of your child, lost memories and finding your true identity.
Fast-paced. Twisty. Fab.
The two strands flow beautifully together. Daniel is battling to to save his family in a race against time that is literally a life or death situation for his ex Rachael and their son Tom. And Rachael is battling in a whole other way. In a bid to keep her son’s fear at bay, she tells him that their horrendous situation is simply a story being played out. A tale of bravery and determination. The men who keep them trapped in a dark space are only characters. And the long hours that pass by are only chapters. Chapters that will soon end. Rachael’s plight to keep her son safe and well is a heartrending depiction of a mother’s love for her child.
Darren O’ Sullivan keeps a constant source of tension flowing through the book. His writing style is sharp and addictive. Both strands of this story were very emotional but Rachael’s chapters with little Tom really did pull at my heartstrings. I think Darren has created something very beautiful in what is quite a dark book. The combination is perfect! Bravo!
Close Your Eyes is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with plenty of tension and a great set of characters! It’s a story about the love of your child, lost memories and finding your true identity.
Fast-paced. Twisty. Fab.
May 26, 2018
Rarely does a book grip me from the beginning, but usually if it does, the tempo dies down and falls into a lull until the final few explosive chapters.
This book not only gripped me from the get go, but the shocks, twists and heart stopping turns just continued to hit me with a force that just left me begging for more. This is the first book from Darren I’ve read and have now purchased his first book.
Part of me was angry at Darren for parts of the storyline I won’t mention for fear of spoilers, his execution of this book was on point!
A brilliant 5⭐️ read that did not disappoint!!
This book not only gripped me from the get go, but the shocks, twists and heart stopping turns just continued to hit me with a force that just left me begging for more. This is the first book from Darren I’ve read and have now purchased his first book.
Part of me was angry at Darren for parts of the storyline I won’t mention for fear of spoilers, his execution of this book was on point!
A brilliant 5⭐️ read that did not disappoint!!
May 2, 2018
Respect to Darren O'Sullivan in giving a voice to a child as well as adults to reveal his plot. I found the second half of the book more compelling than the first. Overall interesting premise with twists- the most dramatic and surprising being near the end.
July 26, 2021
A fantastic psychological thriller!
January 29, 2022
Words cannot described how awful this book was… the bad spellings, the extreme over use of “darling” or saying the persons name in every piece of dialogue. The emotion described by the narrator was not at all related to the situation in most scenarios. This could’ve been written by a GCSE student.
May 30, 2018
Standard blueprint, nothing original about this one. Dully presented with a super obvious villain: it was almost insulting how obvious it was. Instantly forgettable, along with the zillion other books with this same formula. Joe-civilian embroiled in a mystery, trying to solve it on his own without involving police. Yawn. At least bring something new to the table. Disappointing, specially since I loved his other book "Our Little Secret".
September 16, 2022
This was such a fun thriller to read, didn’t see any of it coming!
April 25, 2018
I received an ARC from Net Galley and publisher HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review.
To be perfectly honest, the start of this book was a struggle for me. It's not really anything to do with the book itself but this is definitely not my brand of thriller. The story centers around Daniel, a man whose family gets kidnapped by a mysterious figure from his past. The figure says that Daniel has something that belongs to them and they need it back or else his family will die. The only problem is Daniel has amnesia and has no idea what the object is, let alone where he hid it.
So yeah, I typically go for more psychological and domestic thrillers. For the first half of this book I was very bored and I almost didn't finish reading it. However, it is very well-written and I found myself connecting with the characters despite it all. After the halfway point, I was hooked. It helped me that the chapters alternate between Daniel hunting for this object and his wife and child being held hostage. Rachel was by far my favourite character and I loved the amount of time spent on her half of the story, as well as the focus on the child. Too often the family is treated like a plot device in books like this whereas here they were definitely fully-fledged characters.
In the end, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved how the plot went. If this is your kind of thriller then you should definitely read it as you will enjoy the first half much more than I did. Even if it isn't, it might be worth trying. For an author to get me invested in a story like this, they have to be doing something right. The second half definitely has more elements of a psychological thriller as well which adds a nice dimension to the more adventure thriller side. Overall I would highly recommend this book.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
To be perfectly honest, the start of this book was a struggle for me. It's not really anything to do with the book itself but this is definitely not my brand of thriller. The story centers around Daniel, a man whose family gets kidnapped by a mysterious figure from his past. The figure says that Daniel has something that belongs to them and they need it back or else his family will die. The only problem is Daniel has amnesia and has no idea what the object is, let alone where he hid it.
So yeah, I typically go for more psychological and domestic thrillers. For the first half of this book I was very bored and I almost didn't finish reading it. However, it is very well-written and I found myself connecting with the characters despite it all. After the halfway point, I was hooked. It helped me that the chapters alternate between Daniel hunting for this object and his wife and child being held hostage. Rachel was by far my favourite character and I loved the amount of time spent on her half of the story, as well as the focus on the child. Too often the family is treated like a plot device in books like this whereas here they were definitely fully-fledged characters.
In the end, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved how the plot went. If this is your kind of thriller then you should definitely read it as you will enjoy the first half much more than I did. Even if it isn't, it might be worth trying. For an author to get me invested in a story like this, they have to be doing something right. The second half definitely has more elements of a psychological thriller as well which adds a nice dimension to the more adventure thriller side. Overall I would highly recommend this book.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
May 20, 2018
Wow, I did not see that coming. The twist at the end that is.
He doesn’t know his name. He doesn’t know his secret.
When Daniel woke up from a coma he had no recollection of the life he lived before. Now, fourteen years later, he’s being forced to remember.
A phone call in the middle of the night demands he return what he stole – but Daniel has no idea what it could be, or who the person on the other end is. He has been given one warning, if he doesn’t find out his family will be murdered.
Daniel goes on a hunt to find out about his past and what it was that he took. As he is looking memories start coming back and he wasn't the person that he thinks he is. I started this book in the morning and finished it late afternoon. I could not stop.
I read this in one dya
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.
He doesn’t know his name. He doesn’t know his secret.
When Daniel woke up from a coma he had no recollection of the life he lived before. Now, fourteen years later, he’s being forced to remember.
A phone call in the middle of the night demands he return what he stole – but Daniel has no idea what it could be, or who the person on the other end is. He has been given one warning, if he doesn’t find out his family will be murdered.
Daniel goes on a hunt to find out about his past and what it was that he took. As he is looking memories start coming back and he wasn't the person that he thinks he is. I started this book in the morning and finished it late afternoon. I could not stop.
I read this in one dya
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.
March 8, 2020
Well, it's British so the only familiar places were London and Paris. The 300-page book only covered a 5-day time span, so too much description.
Daniel Lynch was in an accident 14 years ago where he almost died, and he gradually is remembering tiny bits of his life before. Since then, he was married to Rachael and they had a son Thomas before divorcing. Now she and her new husband, Sean, are good friends with Daniel and his girlfriend Katie, and Thomas is age 6 and treasured by each of them. But one night Rachael and Thomas are kidnapped with Sean being murdered, and Daniel needs to dig into his deepest memory to recall what the item is he has that the kidnappers are after, and where it is now. Meantime, he has found that his mother was lying to him about his previous name and criminal life. Can he recover the unknown item before his family is murdered?
Daniel Lynch was in an accident 14 years ago where he almost died, and he gradually is remembering tiny bits of his life before. Since then, he was married to Rachael and they had a son Thomas before divorcing. Now she and her new husband, Sean, are good friends with Daniel and his girlfriend Katie, and Thomas is age 6 and treasured by each of them. But one night Rachael and Thomas are kidnapped with Sean being murdered, and Daniel needs to dig into his deepest memory to recall what the item is he has that the kidnappers are after, and where it is now. Meantime, he has found that his mother was lying to him about his previous name and criminal life. Can he recover the unknown item before his family is murdered?
June 11, 2018
Ugh. Unbelievably cliche. If you've ever read a Harlan Coben, you'll know from page one
Also: too much graphic violence and the child sounded way younger than 6.
Also: too much graphic violence and the child sounded way younger than 6.
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