Deadly Memories

by Joanne Fluke

Surviving a terrible car accident but losing her memory entirely, Maura Thomas attempts to reconstruct her life with the people who claim to be her family, until a memory resurgence makes her realize that her accident was planned. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

349 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1995

About the author

Like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow's clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.

While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.

She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.

Series:
* Hannah Swensen

Reviews

[i. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do yourself a favour: if you liked the cosy books by this author do not read this one or you throw up all the chocolate chip cookies, muffins and cupcakes you ate with her previous books. Although the original idea of the novel may seem appealing, it turned out to be a weird mixture of cosy novel characters and creepy novel ones . The plot is predictable and the description of the reenactment of a child molestation situation by the victim (as an adult) and a prostitute made me sick to my stomach. I DNF-ed it and had to take some chamomile tea.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like her books that don't deal in food and endless recipes. The story seemed to be a pretty straight forward case of amnesia after an auto accident...but the reader soon learns that the amnesia is anything but straight forward and the accident maybe was not all it seemed. There was some really good twists along the way to an unexpected conclusion.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like her books that don't deal in food and endless recipes. The story seemed to be a pretty straight forward case of amnesia after an auto accident...but the reader soon learns that the amnesia is anything but straight forward and the accident maybe was not all it seemed. There was some really good twists along the way to an unexpected conclusion.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this through my Libby app. Very engaging action, but the daughter in the story, Jan, was a bit unbelievable I thought at times, and that's my only real ding. She probably had to be rather naive for the plot to develop as it did.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of Joanne Fluke's series about Hannah Swensen and happened to see she wrote other books so I gave this one a try. It pretty good and not at all the the Hannah Swensen stories which is good.
Maura Thomas is in a very serious car accident, is in a coma and loses her memory. When she gets home from the hospital her daughter, her husband and brother-in-law and housekeeper try to help her remember. Nothing seems to help until she starts having very strange dreams that seem so real but are about places and actions that are nothing like Maura's life now.
Who can she trust as she tries to get her memory back?

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! You definitely have to keep in mind that it was written before some of this technology we have, but it still worked. When Maura gets into a car accident and forgets some of her memories, it's like she has to start her life over again. I liked how the author had her remember some feelings even though the character wasn't sure why she was feeling this way. I didn't know how her dreams were going to work into her life now, but I thought it worked perfectly. The ending was wrapped up nicely. I can't wait to get my hands on another old book by her!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful departure from the Lake Eden/Hannah Swensen mysteries. One would think it was written by another author.

This booked grabbed me and kept me riveted all the way through. Ms. Fluke did an excellent job of disguising the identity of the villain until the last chapter.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read her cozy mysteries but this suspense type was new to me. I will need to read more. It was supposed to be my " leave in car book to read as I waited for people book" but I had to bring it to finish.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good story. I deducted a star for sexual content. Huge turn off for me. I hate that crap in any book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman with amnesia and someone is out to kill her because of what she knows. It is a trope that's been used for so many books, but Joanne makes it seem fresh with the new experiences and the twists throughout because the reason you think someone is after her is not the actual reason. That's what I loved about the twists in this. It wasn't what I expected!
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Maura and the other characters, especially her daughter and brother-in-law. She had the support and love of her family to carry her through the hard times. I will say that I never cared for her husband, Keith, and when the truth was discovered about him, I was not really surprised.
I won't spoil the book, but I will say, the early thrillers Joanne wrote before creating Hannah Swenson, are refreshing and reminds me why I fell in love with her writing. Once you start reading, if you're like me, you will not want to put it down.
Recommend!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*. This is not one of her cosy mysteries, it’s a dark murder mystery. I enjoyed most of it, good characters, interesting plot, but it has a few problems. 1) Jan wax a little juvenile for a college student, 2) some repetition, and 3) if some is trying to kill you letting people into your circle that you don’t know is probably pretty stupid. Things I liked 1) the puppy, 2) her gradually getting her memory back was done well, and 3) David, Hank. Keith/Donny; you didn’t know for sure who the bad guy was. It was fun figuring it out.

[Joanie Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maura Thomas wakes up in a hospital after being in a coma for three weeks and has no memories of the last twenty three years of her life. She is told she was in a car accident and her friend who was driving was killed. But, was it an accident? As the days go by Maura starts to regain her memories and realizes someone is trying to kill her to stop that from happening. Can she remember it all so she can stay alive...

[CW · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maura is involved in a deadly auto accident that killed her good friend/accountant Grant. She has amnesia and has lost 19 years of her life. She has daydreams/nightmares that seem to be about a person named "Emma", but she experiences these events as if they happened to her. Who really knows about Maura's past life? Who will let her know that her husband may not be exactly who he seems to be. (Lots of food references - just missing Hannah Swensen's recipes!!).

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warring this is a spicy book. I checked the reviews and did not see anything about this books sexual content. I have really enjoyed all of the other books that I have read by this author except one and it was spicy as well, hens the reason I checked the reviews. It was a great book until I got to the spicy part and then I deleted the book from my device.

[Kat Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've given this book more stars had the ending not been so utterly ridiculous. I'm still laughing at the ludicracy. A spy working in Russia? Drug cartel? Seriously?

Why train a dog you refuse to listen to? When an unknown person(s) is trying to kill you why let in a virtual stranger? I was like 'just kill her'. OMG! I can't even!!! I hope all her books aren't like this.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book dragged on and on. Some of the characters were supposed to be spies and yet had no clue or suspicions about all these new men suddenly hanging around right after the first murder attempt. It just wasn't a very entertaining book to listen to. I'd recommend sticking to Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series and ignore her other books.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would try one of Joann Fluke’s books that wasn’t in her cozy mystery Hannah Swenson series, hoping it would be less corny, more edgy. Although it was categorized as a thriller, and I suppose it had some thrilling elements, the story was preposterous and lacked depth.

[Deborah Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is definitely not a Hannah Swenson story. The beginning had me trying to remember who all the characters were and I had suspected everyone by the end.
I was riveted at the end and couldn’t put it down.

[ChrisGA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed the Hannah Swensen series, but this departure into stand-alone thriller was a delight. In spite of several glaring typos and editing errors, this was engaging and populated by interesting characters.

[Letsreadagoodbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good! Never heard of this author found her while scrolling through libby! Kinda glad i did! Very good story! Quick little listen!

Best part is when the husband and the mistress got
what was coming to them!!

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a great story line and the way it was built up to the end which just ended. Disappointing.

[Al Beasley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book really hard to get into, but holy crap it gets exiting towards the end

[Christa Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started slow and I think the ending was too rushed.

[Marilyn K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. It kept me guessing, and had a nail biting ending.

[Mary Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not like her Hanna swenson mysteries!

[Coi Drummond-Gehrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, fun read.

[Deb Coon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, but very different. Maura is not Hannah. Probably should stick with the cookies.

[Belfasterd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good quick read, fluff, brain candy kind of book.

[Mary Hechko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read twisty turny.

[Brenda Deuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a usual Joann Fluke book but it was great.