Water Memory

Sentro #1

by Daniel Pyne

A fast-paced, page-turning thriller that contemplates the consequences of motherhood, memory, and crime as a commodity.

Black ops specialist Aubrey Sentro may be one concussion away from death. But when pirates seize the cargo ship she’s on, she must decide whether to risk her life to save her fellow passengers.

Sentro’s training takes over, and she’s able to elude her captors, leaving bodies in her wake. But her problems are just getting started. Her memory lapses are getting more frequent, symptoms of serial-concussion syndrome.

As she plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with the pirates, she pushes herself to survive by focusing on thoughts of her children. She’s never told them what she really does for a living, and now she might not get the chance.

While her memories make her vulnerable, motherhood makes her dangerous.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Espionage, Action

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2021

About the author

Daniel Pyne wanders restlessly between prose fiction and screenwriting. He is the author of Twentynine Palms A Hole in the Ground Owned by a Liar, Fifty Mice, Catalina Eddy, and his latest work, Water Memory, debuting February 1, 2021. Among Pyne's film credits are Backstabbing For Beginners, the remake of The Manchurian Candidate, Pacific Heights, Any Given Sunday and Fracture. Pyne's television work spans from the seminal hipster cop show Miami Vice to Amazon TV's longest running drama, Bosch. Pyne has a BA from Stanford University, where he toiled in economics but studied writing under Stegner fellows Chuck Kinder and John L‟heureux; he has an MFA from UCLA's Graduate School of Film, where he taught a seminar in screenwriting for a couple of decades. Born in Chicago, raised in Colorado, Pyne lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with his wife, rescue dog Luna, and an extremely sullen box turtle his grown children left in their wake.

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Another exciting new series from Thomas and Mercer! Daniel’s Pyne’s first installment in the Aubrey Sentro series, Water Memory, is an exciting and quickly paced thriller involving memory (fitting title!) and motherhood.

I love Aubrey Sentro! She’s an undercover specialist on a cargo ship when it is attacked by pirates. Will she save everyone onboard? Aubrey has experienced several concussions; so many in fact that she has serial-concussion syndrome affecting her memory.

What gets Aubrey through this horrible ordeal of fighting for her life on this ship while struggling with her memory off and on is her love for her children. They are her reason for never giving up.

Be prepared ahead of time that this book has disconnectedness at times that mimics the lucidity of Aubrey’s memories.

On a personal note, as someone who has had two concussions, ten years apart, this book freaked me out at times. 😱

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Snorefest

Started out promising but got lost in the authors attempt to write in poetic meandering sentences and musings on what memories mean and how they make us who we are. Bored to tears and almost didn’t finish.

[Kristin Macias · Rating 1 out of 5]

According to the description, this book is "a fast-paced, page-turning thriller." It absolutely is NOT that. A quarter into the book and still NOTHING has happened. Just a lot of descriptive language and her internal struggle of balancing work and motherhood. I couldn't finish this book.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Water Memory is the first book in the brand new Aubrey Sentro series.

I found the first half fairly boring and considered a DNF. Some of the storyline is choppy and confusing. The second half is action packed but it just wasn't enough to make me want to continue reading this series.

Thanks to MBC Books and Thomas & Mercer for my gifted copy.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Hard on a Boat
Advance Review of the Thomas & Mercer Kindle eBook (to be released Feb. 1, 2021)

Water Memory was one of the 9 possible selections in the new Amazon First Reads program which offered 1 free advance selection to Prime members in Canada (possibly 2 in the USA).

I chose Water Memory based on its being tagged as "Espionage Fiction," but this is more of a military black-ops suspense thriller without anything that one would expect from spy fiction except for some betrayals. Widow, combat veteran & now private military contractor Aubrey Sentro is suffering from progressive concussion syndrome while still working on elite ransom/rescue efforts. Implausibly, she is hiding the syndrome from her co-workers but not from her adult children who are trying to get her to seek medical assistance. Somehow she has been able to hide the nature of her work life from her children. How does she explain the wounds and scars from a "reinsurance" job?

With those very implausible beginnings, Sentro takes a forced break from work and books a cruise on a cargo freighter (pause to wonder if there really are such vacation possibilities) travelling from the East Coast USA to South America. The freighter is of course attacked by pirates and mayhem ensues.

The action sequences here were well done and there were several unexpected twists along the way. Still, the suspense momentum was constantly undermined by Sentro having flashbacks to her earlier life and to previous jobs that had gone awry.

This is apparently the first of an expected series as it is tagged as Aubrey Sentro #1.

[Kathy]

My brother told me this was a good read.
I had selected it as one of those reliably disappointing First Read books from Amazon for prime members.
Looks like the readers here either hate or love it. I am in the hater category and put this in my abandoned book slot. I won't put this stuff in my brain when there are good books available to read.
....excessive vulgarity, bad language for no reason I can see, nonsensical meandering thoughts, astonishingly unrealistic action, questionable morals, etc.

[Kathleen Olona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a place to review books not complain about the selections

I am an avid reader, but don't normally leave reviews. In my opinion this was an excellent book. I raced through it wanting to know how Sentro was going to prevail. I found the language and writing style to be poetic; and since the protagonist has some problems with memory, I took that the style of writing was trying to convey how that might feel. I had no problem with suspension of disbelief and completely fell into a fast paced and interesting story. I loved it. What I do not love ,John Judd, Randy, and your cohort, is your hijacking what is a site for book reviews to post your screed about wanting more male authors on First Reads. Not only do you one across as regrettably shrill, Randy states he has not even read the book; HD just wants an arena to voice his complaints. This is not that forum. I loved this book. I loved the characters, especially Sentro. I found humor around the villains; especially Castro and the scar faced tweaker. I loved their anger and dismay at being outfitted by Sentro. I loved the relationship between Zoala and Sentro. I was drawn in by the story and while I understand the writing style is not for.everyone, I would still highly recommend this book

[Tom - Reader of Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. This is bad. And not in a good way, like watching Snakes on a Plane.

I don’t like to give out 1 star reviews, it feels unfair especially when a book has clearly been reviewed by some as good enough to be published. But sometimes you come across something and wonder what everyone was thinking.

Boring, tedious, dull. All applicable here. The writing is dreadful; the author is desperate to show how clever he is, either that or he really got a thesaurus and wants to show a family member he knows how to use it.

The characters are bland, I didn’t care for any. And this not an espionage thriller as Amazon foolishly has it branded. It’s a lazy, lacklustre action story.

Sorry, but I couldn’t find my liking and only finished it as I hate to give up on any book just in case the end makes up for it. Here, it didn’t.

Avoid.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Water Memory is just the sort of book to turn any reader off freighter cruises. True, they do supply the leisurely cruise without the bling and crowds of the behemoth cruise ships of companies like Carnival or Princess or Royal Caribbean, but freighters are more likely to be boarded by pirates. In fact, one of the things I found interesting in Daniel Pyne's thriller is that there seems to be an entire thriving business around hijacked cargo ships.

The first third of Water Memory is a bit clunky as the author explores Aubrey Sentro's relationship with her children as well as the workings of Aubrey's mind. Persistent post-concussion syndrome means headaches, aural distortions, mood swings, and memory problems among other things, and watching Aubrey experience these things can be painful because she is a talented black-ops specialist who enjoys what she does ("international risk mitigation") and she's extremely good at it. Having her mind betray her is going to put paid on the life she loves.

Not having told her children Jeremy and Jenny what she really does for a living has caused problems. Both grew up with a stay-at-home father and the idea that Aubrey couldn't be bothered to spend any time with them like "real mothers" do. In fact, it's warped Jenny so much that I got tired of her whining about how she's never had the mother she deserved. (Big girl panties, Jenny. Big girl panties.) Pyne's description of mother and daughter-- "two peeves in a pod"-- made me laugh and stayed in my mind just like the author hoped it would.

Once the first third of the book, the setup, is done and the pirates have taken control of the ship, the pace picks up. This is where I really became engrossed in the story. I learned why Aubrey chose this unusual work for herself. I learned to appreciate characters like Morehouse the doctor and little Zoala who might be playing in the Cricket World Cup one day. I also appreciated what Pyne has to say about women who don't do what's expected of them.

I loved watching Aubrey at work as she tried to save everyone aboard the cargo ship. I loved Zoala. Those two caused me to break out in fist pumps more than once. And I loved the little twist at the end of Water Memory. Evidently, there's supposed to be a follow-up book in the "Aubrey Sentro series." As much as I enjoyed this story, I'm not interested in reading any further. Some characters are absolute perfection in one book and one book only. I think Aubrey Sentro is one of them.

[Sarah Tompkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not necessarily disagree with the things other reviewers are saying. I probably would have given this book 3 or 4 stars, but I'm trying to balance out some of the one-star reviews that I think are a tiny bit unfair. I think we walk into a book (or movie or song) with certain expectations and a book that doesn't meet those expectations might come across as discordant when it's really just unique. There are certain patterns, tropes, and conventions that this book just doesn't deliver. I'm okay with that though, because it delivers other things. I predict this will be a sleeper hit. It defies many of the conventions of its genre. Howver, it does not confront and interrogate those conventions but instead circumvents them and dismisses as irrelevant.

For instance, we have a spy who has a romantic assignation during which the spy develops shallow but genuine feelings for the lover. Instead of any of the other acceptable ways this could have gone, the spy (without feelings of guilt) sacrifices the lover to a violent death within a minute of the action beginning without even *considering* attempting rescue. It's actually a great scene. But I think someone accustomed to certain patterns would have wanted something else to happen there, and maybe felt that something was missing. Some kind of rescue attempt or sense of responsibility or deep sadness or something. While I love those patterns too, this one gave me something else that I also value.

I love it that this woman is so capable professionally and that she's got what amounts to a trophy husband.

The only real weakness in the book as far as I'm concerned is that the characters and motivations of the main character's children, which is a major piece of the narrative, make no sense at all unless the reader accepts the premise that a woman owes a series of vague duties that add up to "mothering" to her kiddos. I don't accept that premise, so those plot points never rang true to me. Otherwise, though, the novel is compelling in the way it lays out motivations and choices.

I hope this guy keeps writing. I think what he's done here is good and its still early times. The public might need a minute to let this one sink in.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Water Memory

Aubrey Sentro is a black ops specialist who has had concussion so many times she may be one concussion away from dying. When the cargo boat she is on is seized by pirates Aubrey decides to risk her life in order to help the crew and passengers.
This is a brilliant read that races along at a great pace. Aubrey Sentro is a complex character who has been living a double life for quite a long while.
Totally engrossing and highly recommended.

[Jessica Greaves · Rating 1 out of 5]

167 pages in. And i just cannot go any further. There are so many inconsistencies, and things that just make no sense. Ths only reason I read as much as I did is that I really wanted to know what was going to happen with the main characters TBI. Guess now I will never know.

[Emma Orders a Mocha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have given this book a 2.5 star out of 5.

The plot of this story is intriguing, and explores the risks to life, and dignity that is caused by modern-day pirates. Not the type with parrots on shoulders, but rather the type who have very real objectives relating to violence, theft, warfare, and the thrill of claiming power over others.

I read the uncorrected proof copy of this book, as I was reading in advance of the publication date. The proposed cover of 'Water Memory' shows us a birds-eye view of the cargo ship that becomes seized by pirates. A great cover, and one that implies 'thriller'.

There are few things that come to mind that would have seen me rate this book more highly. For example, the story tends to jump between scenes and story-lines that will eventually intersect per chapter. This makes the beginning moments of the book confusing, and I often found myself back-tracking what I had to make sense of where I was in the story. Perhaps it would have been easier to follow if prompted in the titles of the 'who' is providing us with their perspective/contribution to the story line per chapter. The movement between scenes can be an advantage for rapid context building, but takes longer than is likely intended to work out.

Further to this, the naming patterns of the characters was a source of distraction for me. For example, our mother of the story, Aubrey Sentro, is often referred to by surname only, and then in other lines nearby, by her first name. I found that a little distracting, and as a reader, prefer the consistency of character names.

With this said though, 'Water Memory' offers a reader a look into grief, the complexity of mother-daughter relationships, loneliness, hope, resilience and survival. As well as pirates. So you've got a big story in store!

*I was kindly provided an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book by the publishing company, Thomas and Mercer through NetGalley. All views are entirely my own. Opinions are my own and are not reflective of either the views of the author, the publishing company or NetGalley.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audio and the only reason I did not give 5 stars, is at times I was as confused as the character's memory. It is at times scattered but It made me pay attention. The narrator had a calming voice to the action which I enjoyed.

[Pop · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe the worst book I ever tried to read. Promising at first but I finally just got tired of it. Didn’t finish.

[Cardyn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.romancedailynews.com/sing...

[Corissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

High seas, pirates, a few spies, and family bring this thriller to life!

An excellent adventure! It was truly a thrill from beginning to end. The characters are exceptional, the action fit for a movie. The author has done an outstanding job in narrating Aubrey Sentro's life. Between the present and past a story evolves that leaves you energized and flipping the page. Enough twists and turns to make you feel like your on a roller coaster curious for the next stop. I hope this one is a series that goes for a long while because I can't wait to come back to this reality.

[Andrea Corley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the last book that I started in 2021 and the first book that I finished in 2022, but darn it I sure wish I would have liked it more! When I read the blurb, I thought that I would really like this book, but I really had a hard time staying interesting and basically having to force myself to finish it! There have not been many books (if any) that I've NEVER finished, but this one came close.

The premise of this book sounded so good, and I liked Aubrey Sentro as a character, I just felt bored by the story. It leaves me wavering on if I would try book #2 or not, but I was interested in Sentro enough as a character, that I would maybe give it a shot! I haven't read Book #2's description yet so I can't say for sure, but I won't adamantly refuse to read it based on the first book.

I felt that the story just lacked something and was a bit repetitive. I've never really been one to jump towards a story about Pirates so maybe that's what put me off a bit, but the story did have a good bit of action and adventure, which I would say saved it, for me. That's probably what helped me give it a solid 3 stars rather than less.

Water Memory is narrated by Christine Traister. She is one of my favorite narrators, so that's probably a lot of the reason I thought I might really like this book. She's also a good part of the reason I gave this book 3 stars and not less. A narrator can make or break a book, that's for sure, she for me, she helped save this book a little bit!

Overall, I was really disappointed that THIS was the last book of 2021 and first book of 2022. I was hoping to have a much more exciting read to tell you about! I won't completely dismiss this author and/or series yet though!

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is the case with good action movies across time, if you look too deep below the unique settings, the badass action sequences, and the epic cinematography, the foundation is full of holes. In this instance, Pyne uses Sentro's own traumatic brain injury / diagnosed memory problem to excuse it, giving her long stretches of clarity but almost any time someone asks her why she just kind of gets cagey and can't remember specifics.

The problem is... This is a book, not an action movie. I could track the cinematography of the scene, though pans and cuts and sweeping aerials, but even though we frequently inhabit the foggy head of our heroine, she remains almost a complete mystery. There was very little substance. A number of times, it felt like we were clawing at a barrier trying to get to something deeper and then we would be interrupted by a jump-cut or an action sequence or a flashback. As a reader, it frustrated me to no end because I wanted so much more than the book was giving me.

If this was a movie, it would be phenomenal. But in a movie, you can get away with hand-wavey motivations that will be basically ignored if the stunts and technical details are on point. Alas, not a movie.

{Thank you MBC and Amazon publishing for the review copy; all thoughts are my own}

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Hard on a boat? Up to a point. A very thrilling action story. I can get into Aubrey Sentro as a character and I am looking forward to another book with her as the main character. A character with several flaws and a medical condition. Big time memory problems.

Really have no complaints about this thriller. One of the first Amazon First Reads that panned out for me. Do not let the Die Hard aspect stop you from reading this book (and Die Hard is my favorite movie of all time). This book did a proper homage to that movie and then added some more elements to it. A wide and varied cast of characters.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aubrey Sentro is taking a vacation cruise on a cargo ship. The ship Aubrey is traveling on is taken hostage in an area where holding ships for ransom is business as usual. But the pirates don’t realize Aubrey has a special ops background and won’t just go along with the plan.

I enjoyed reading this book. The flashbacks to Aubrey’s childhood were a little disruptive and took me out of the action. The bad guys and all the corrupt authorities around them were disturbing in a good way. Aubrey’s kids were annoying and could have been left out of the action. The main part of the book was fun and entertaining. Overall this was a good book.

[S. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Other than being the least thrilling thriller I've ever read, my biggest gripe with this book was the main character in no way shape or form felt like a real woman. She read as male. 100%.

There are some very well written gender non-conforming women, but this isn't one of them. This was more like "freaky friday" let's swap the husband and wife's bodies.

Overall, very blah.

[Claus Enevoldsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some highlights, but overall I'm afraid this book didn't thrill me. Pyne ambitiously attempted to weave together a story about "a woman, a mother, and a spy" in a fast paced action thriller, but it just didn't connect. I may need to revisit my policy on DNF.

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle First - January 2021

A boring "thriller" that seemed to try a bit too hard

[Julie Mccann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the book but it jumps around a lot, which with my poor memory I sometimes found confusing - but it was to good effect generally.

[Joelene Swearingen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great fast paced adventure. It is tough to read about characters suffering concussion syndrome though -

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concept-middle aged spy finds herself forgetting what she needs to remember. And then there is her "life," the one she is left with when her beloved husband dies and leaves her with the children she really does not know. It needs to make sense....

mega action, great plot, flawed hero. Could not put it down.

[Nell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty enjoyable. I remember having a really hard time getting into it, but that might have been my mindframe at the time, and not the book.
I am keen to read the second one!

[Brandon McGuire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great. Not terrible. Just ok.

[Mrs.J.C.Mooney · Rating 1 out of 5]

It didn't thrill me!

Odd, definitely odd. It's a book of several parts. OK, Good, Lost its way. Can't say I enjoyed it, felt it lost the plot several times and if I'm honest it lost me half way through. I'm amazed I even bothered to finish it and when I did I wondered why I bothered.