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Before I Wake
CAUGHT BETWEEN DREAMS AND REALITY...
A madman murdered her family, leaving her a shadow of the woman she once was. So one-time criminal profiler Arden Davis did the only thing she She volunteered for an experiment to wipe out the horrific memories that haunted her every waking moment. But the experiment wasn't quite the success they predicted--and now Arden is left sifting through random memories, trying to distinguish dreams from reality. Then one night, Special Agent Nathan Fury shows up on her doorstep with an urgent appeal for help.
SHE AWAKES TO A LIVING NIGHTMARE....
The murderer, it turns out, is still on the streets. This time, Arden will risk everything--even her own sanity--to lure the killer out of hiding. Even if it means the killer is closer than she thought. Even if she herself becomes the number-one suspect...
A madman murdered her family, leaving her a shadow of the woman she once was. So one-time criminal profiler Arden Davis did the only thing she She volunteered for an experiment to wipe out the horrific memories that haunted her every waking moment. But the experiment wasn't quite the success they predicted--and now Arden is left sifting through random memories, trying to distinguish dreams from reality. Then one night, Special Agent Nathan Fury shows up on her doorstep with an urgent appeal for help.
SHE AWAKES TO A LIVING NIGHTMARE....
The murderer, it turns out, is still on the streets. This time, Arden will risk everything--even her own sanity--to lure the killer out of hiding. Even if it means the killer is closer than she thought. Even if she herself becomes the number-one suspect...
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First published January 1, 2005
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About the author
Theresa Weir
32 books313 followersTheresa Weir (a.k.a. Anne Frasier) is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of novels and numerous short stories that have spanned the genres of suspense, mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, paranormal, fantasy, and memoir. During her award-winning career, she's written for Penguin Putnam, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins Publishers, Bantam Books/Random House, Silhouette Books, Grand Central Publishing/Hachette, and Amazon's Thomas & Mercer. Her titles have been printed in both hardcover and paperback and translated into twenty languages.
Her first memoir, THE ORCHARD, was a 2011 Oprah Magazine Fall Pick, Number Two on the Indie Next list, a featured B+ review in Entertainment Weekly, and a Librarians’ Best Books of 2011. Her second memoir, THE MAN WHO LEFT, was a New York Times Bestseller. Going back to 1988, Weir’s debut title was the cult phenomenon AMAZON LILY, initially published by Pocket Books and later reissued by Bantam Books. Writing as Theresa Weir, she won a RITA for romantic suspense (COOL SHADE), and a year later the Daphne du Maurier for paranormal romance (BAD KARMA). In her more recent Anne Frasier career, her thriller and suspense titles hit the USA Today list (HUSH, SLEEP TIGHT, PLAY DEAD) and were featured in Mystery Guild, Literary Guild, and Book of the Month Club. HUSH was both a RITA and Daphne du Maurier finalist.
THE ORCHARD
An Oprah Magazine Fall Pick
Featured B+ Review in Entertainment Weekly
Number Two on October Indie Next List
BJ's Book Club Spotlight
LIbrarians' Best Books of 2011
Maclean's Top Books of 2011
On Point (NPR) Best Books of 2011
Abrams Best of 2011
Publishers Lunch (Publishers Weekly) Favorite Books of 2011
Eighth Annual One Book, One Community 2012, Excelsior, Minnesota
Target Book Club Pick, September 2012
www.theresaweir.com
Title List
Writing as ANNE FRASIER
Hush, USA Today bestseller, RITA finalist, Daphne du Maurier finalist (2002)
Sleep Tight, USA Today bestseller (2003)
Play Dead, USA Today bestseller (2004)
Before I Wake (2005)
Pale Immortal (2006)
Garden of Darkness, RITA finalist (2007)
Once Upon a Crime anthology, Santa’s Little Helper (2009)
The Lineup, Poems on Crime, Home (2010)
Discount Noir anthology, Crack House (2010)
Deadly Treats Halloween anthology, editor and contributor, The Replacement (September 2011)
Once Upon a Crime anthology, Red Cadillac (April 2012)
Woman in a Black Veil (July 2012)
Dark: Volume 1 (short stories, July 2012)
Dark: Volume 2 (short stories, July 2012)
Black Tupelo (short-story collection July 2012)
Girls from the North Country (short story, August 2012)
Made of Stars (short story, August 2012)
Stars (short story collection, August 2012)
Zero Plus Seven (anthology, 2013)
Stay Dead (April 2014)
Writing as THERESA WEIR
The Forever Man (1988)
Amazon Lily, RITA finalist, Best New Adventure Writer award, Romantic Times (1988)
Loving Jenny (1989)
Pictures of Emily (1990)
Iguana Bay (1990)
Forever (1991)
Last Summer (1992)
One Fine Day (1994)
Long Night Moon, Reviewer’s Choice Award, Romantic Times (1995)
American Dreamer (1997)
Some Kind of Magic (1998)
Cool Shade RITA winner, romantic suspense (1998)
Bad Karma, Daphne du Maurier award, paranormal (1999)
Max Under the Stars, short story (2010)
The Orchard, a memoir (September 2011)
The Man Who Left , a memoir and New York Times bestseller (April 2012)
The Girl with the Cat Tattoo (June 2012)
Made of Stars (August 2012)
Come As You Are (October 2013)
The Geek with the Cat Tattoo (December 2013)
Her first memoir, THE ORCHARD, was a 2011 Oprah Magazine Fall Pick, Number Two on the Indie Next list, a featured B+ review in Entertainment Weekly, and a Librarians’ Best Books of 2011. Her second memoir, THE MAN WHO LEFT, was a New York Times Bestseller. Going back to 1988, Weir’s debut title was the cult phenomenon AMAZON LILY, initially published by Pocket Books and later reissued by Bantam Books. Writing as Theresa Weir, she won a RITA for romantic suspense (COOL SHADE), and a year later the Daphne du Maurier for paranormal romance (BAD KARMA). In her more recent Anne Frasier career, her thriller and suspense titles hit the USA Today list (HUSH, SLEEP TIGHT, PLAY DEAD) and were featured in Mystery Guild, Literary Guild, and Book of the Month Club. HUSH was both a RITA and Daphne du Maurier finalist.
THE ORCHARD
An Oprah Magazine Fall Pick
Featured B+ Review in Entertainment Weekly
Number Two on October Indie Next List
BJ's Book Club Spotlight
LIbrarians' Best Books of 2011
Maclean's Top Books of 2011
On Point (NPR) Best Books of 2011
Abrams Best of 2011
Publishers Lunch (Publishers Weekly) Favorite Books of 2011
Eighth Annual One Book, One Community 2012, Excelsior, Minnesota
Target Book Club Pick, September 2012
www.theresaweir.com
Title List
Writing as ANNE FRASIER
Hush, USA Today bestseller, RITA finalist, Daphne du Maurier finalist (2002)
Sleep Tight, USA Today bestseller (2003)
Play Dead, USA Today bestseller (2004)
Before I Wake (2005)
Pale Immortal (2006)
Garden of Darkness, RITA finalist (2007)
Once Upon a Crime anthology, Santa’s Little Helper (2009)
The Lineup, Poems on Crime, Home (2010)
Discount Noir anthology, Crack House (2010)
Deadly Treats Halloween anthology, editor and contributor, The Replacement (September 2011)
Once Upon a Crime anthology, Red Cadillac (April 2012)
Woman in a Black Veil (July 2012)
Dark: Volume 1 (short stories, July 2012)
Dark: Volume 2 (short stories, July 2012)
Black Tupelo (short-story collection July 2012)
Girls from the North Country (short story, August 2012)
Made of Stars (short story, August 2012)
Stars (short story collection, August 2012)
Zero Plus Seven (anthology, 2013)
Stay Dead (April 2014)
Writing as THERESA WEIR
The Forever Man (1988)
Amazon Lily, RITA finalist, Best New Adventure Writer award, Romantic Times (1988)
Loving Jenny (1989)
Pictures of Emily (1990)
Iguana Bay (1990)
Forever (1991)
Last Summer (1992)
One Fine Day (1994)
Long Night Moon, Reviewer’s Choice Award, Romantic Times (1995)
American Dreamer (1997)
Some Kind of Magic (1998)
Cool Shade RITA winner, romantic suspense (1998)
Bad Karma, Daphne du Maurier award, paranormal (1999)
Max Under the Stars, short story (2010)
The Orchard, a memoir (September 2011)
The Man Who Left , a memoir and New York Times bestseller (April 2012)
The Girl with the Cat Tattoo (June 2012)
Made of Stars (August 2012)
Come As You Are (October 2013)
The Geek with the Cat Tattoo (December 2013)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
April 3, 2018
There were so many times I wanted to DNF this one but I stuck it out. It was boring and predictable in a weird way. Weird in that the plot was weird. I felt the characters were underdeveloped as well as hard to be vested in. I need to like at least one character and there really wasn't one to support.
October 22, 2017
This was a quick read but not satisfying.... I give it 2 stars.
September 11, 2012
Maybe it was just me, but I felt as though half of the story was missing in this novel. When I finished, i didn't feel satisfied, or even had closure. I think we were missing a lot of character backstory, and crime scene information from the French murders, and specific information on project TAKE. I understand that we were supposed to be in the dark for most of the story like Arden, but when you don't give the reader enough information to work with, how are you supposed to evoke feelings when events begin happening in the story? I didn't really have enough invested to really care what happened to the characters, which left me feeling neither one way or the other at the end. On the plus side, it did read rather quickly and I didn't dislike any of the characters (what i knew of them, anyway). Had the setting been described better, and more time put into the characters, this might have been a really wonderful mystery/thriller. as it stands, it's simply ok.
June 17, 2012
There was potential for this to be a good book but it wasn't written well. I found it hard to keep the characters straight and the author didn't spend enough time in the beginning explaining certain things. It was also very confusing how she jumped from scene to scene, and character to character within the same chapter, only separating them by new paragraphs. So in the middle of a chapter it would all of a sudden skip to something completely different.
February 25, 2013
Not nearly as good as Anne Fraiser's other novels that I enjoyed. Pacing was slow and somewhere towards the middle it was like it be became a mishmash of POV. It wasn't suspenseful at all which is what I would have expected, based on past novels by this author. I wouldn't recommend this particulair work.
October 26, 2020
Got to page 261 and couldn’t stand to read another word - skimmed to the end. And to think I liked her other book! The dialogue in this one was beyond juvenile and everything was repeated over and over. Can’t win ‘em all!
October 18, 2016
I wasn't expecting what I got, so I was a little disappointed. It's not written like Frasier's other books.
April 25, 2019
Absolutely brilliant
Unstoppable page turner, twits, plot as tight as a drum, never knowing who the killer is, excellent pace of storyline, keeps you on your toes the whole time, fast, furious and ferocious. Brilliant read, highly recommend.
Unstoppable page turner, twits, plot as tight as a drum, never knowing who the killer is, excellent pace of storyline, keeps you on your toes the whole time, fast, furious and ferocious. Brilliant read, highly recommend.
November 21, 2020
Intriguing psychological thriller!
Such a dark and scary look into the fragility of the human mind. The psyche of a serial killer is horrifying and the thought that humans are able to do such evil still shocks me. Loved this book and the outcome was gratifying
Such a dark and scary look into the fragility of the human mind. The psyche of a serial killer is horrifying and the thought that humans are able to do such evil still shocks me. Loved this book and the outcome was gratifying
March 22, 2022
Not my favorite Anne Frasier. I'm not surprised to see it's an earlier publication - it's like she hadn't gotten her feet under her quite yet. The book has some interesting ideas, the execution of them is good, not great. It also leaves a lot of unanswered concerns.
July 21, 2016
A Din of Hammering Hearts
It's a good thing I've already read other and much better books by this author! Otherwise "Before I Wake" would put me off Frazier forever.
This novel is a mess. The plot flops and sprawls incoherently around an unlikable protagonist named Arden, uh, Something. I already forgot her last name. That's how ready I was to be done with her and her ridiculously overwrought, ludicrously implausible faux-tragic tale. I only wish I could also forget the dumb full name Frazier gave Arden's distressingly one-dimensional and doggedly devoted true love. Nathan (wince) Fury. Seriously? Fury?? Is this a comic book?
More than any other flaw in this work, though, I hasten to erase from memory Frasier's incessantly hammering hearts. Every couple of pages she breaks out the Hammer, possibly in lieu of ability to animate her catatonic characters in a more interesting way. The few times someone's heart doesn't hammer, it thuds or pounds, noisy as a community barn-raising.
It's a good thing I've already read other and much better books by this author! Otherwise "Before I Wake" would put me off Frazier forever.
This novel is a mess. The plot flops and sprawls incoherently around an unlikable protagonist named Arden, uh, Something. I already forgot her last name. That's how ready I was to be done with her and her ridiculously overwrought, ludicrously implausible faux-tragic tale. I only wish I could also forget the dumb full name Frazier gave Arden's distressingly one-dimensional and doggedly devoted true love. Nathan (wince) Fury. Seriously? Fury?? Is this a comic book?
More than any other flaw in this work, though, I hasten to erase from memory Frasier's incessantly hammering hearts. Every couple of pages she breaks out the Hammer, possibly in lieu of ability to animate her catatonic characters in a more interesting way. The few times someone's heart doesn't hammer, it thuds or pounds, noisy as a community barn-raising.
September 24, 2016
I gave this book a 4 star rating, as it started off as a 3, and by the end was a 5! I love a.book that starts off with a bang. I didn't get the bang with this one at the beginning, but I got more than I bargained for at the end. This story was beyond creepy and disturbing. It'll take we a while to get "the tank" out of my brain. Overall, a great suspense thriller!
June 30, 2017
The book started out with a great premise and immediately catches your interest. Unfortunately, as the story progresses, similar to what a previous reviewer stated, it feels that big pieces of the story are missing and certain elements are left "hanging" without adequate explanation or a back story.
June 12, 2017
It's DNF for me . . . I tend to like Anne Frasier, but this one was just too dark, depressing, and disturbing. I had no sympathy for any of the characters introduced through the first third of the book and no interest in what ultimately happened to them.
August 15, 2008
terrible. not sure i even should have wasted my time.
October 4, 2012
Not one of her better efforts.
January 14, 2014
Too many points of view. Characters are flat. Plot is like a promising episode of The X-Files gone sadly wrong. Overall effect is tedious.
January 23, 2016
2-2.5 Stars - Starts off rocky and ends up predictable. Not even close to as good as her other books.
June 11, 2017
I didn't like this book. It was not my cup of tea. I tried very hard to like it.
July 18, 2017
This could have been pretty good, if the author had developed the characters with enough backstory.
August 20, 2025
When Arden was a criminal profiler she underwent a procedure that allowed memories to transfer into her mind to help her the person who killed her parents. A killer was caught and sent to death row. After his death he left a letter confessing he hadn’t killed her parents. Special Agent Nathan Fury searched for Arden Davis to inform her of the news. Now he wants to experiment on her again to lure out the killer.
…
The first time she volunteered for Project TAKE the killers memories were transferred to her mind erasing her own memories. Now she struggles to differentiate between reality and dreams. The project was designed to use sensory deprivation on subjects to see the world through the killer’s eyes, thus making them a crucial component in determining a killer’s next step before he made it. Arden, Noah, Harley, Franny, Eli and Nathan were the six test subjects who completed the project.
…
Before I Wake by Anne Frasier is about a woman who was a test subject in a project where memories of a killer were transferred into her mind to help profile a killer’s mindset. The concept is fantastic. The execution not so much. How is it possible to be this bored reading what should be an intriguing story? Once the idea was developed the story became flat focusing on Arden’s inability to recover lost memories while at the same time some memories surfaced. I felt like I fell into the middle of the story. This felt like a second installment and I was looking for the first book to help with my understanding about these experiments. The story was about the side effects these experiments had on the individuals involved.
…
The first time she volunteered for Project TAKE the killers memories were transferred to her mind erasing her own memories. Now she struggles to differentiate between reality and dreams. The project was designed to use sensory deprivation on subjects to see the world through the killer’s eyes, thus making them a crucial component in determining a killer’s next step before he made it. Arden, Noah, Harley, Franny, Eli and Nathan were the six test subjects who completed the project.
…
Before I Wake by Anne Frasier is about a woman who was a test subject in a project where memories of a killer were transferred into her mind to help profile a killer’s mindset. The concept is fantastic. The execution not so much. How is it possible to be this bored reading what should be an intriguing story? Once the idea was developed the story became flat focusing on Arden’s inability to recover lost memories while at the same time some memories surfaced. I felt like I fell into the middle of the story. This felt like a second installment and I was looking for the first book to help with my understanding about these experiments. The story was about the side effects these experiments had on the individuals involved.
April 30, 2022
Not her best work (spoiler alert) 3.5 stars
Anne Frasier has become a favored author, but I found this book confusing. Her previous works have all been believable, with realistic and sympathetic characters. This one is neither. And the ending is totally surreal. I doubt the best paramedics in the world could keep multiple extreme trauma victims alive so to think a rural ambulance service, which would have only one set of EMTs, could do it is beyond the ken. This book won't make me give up on Frasier, and I encourage readers to give her a second chance if this is your first AF book.
Anne Frasier has become a favored author, but I found this book confusing. Her previous works have all been believable, with realistic and sympathetic characters. This one is neither. And the ending is totally surreal. I doubt the best paramedics in the world could keep multiple extreme trauma victims alive so to think a rural ambulance service, which would have only one set of EMTs, could do it is beyond the ken. This book won't make me give up on Frasier, and I encourage readers to give her a second chance if this is your first AF book.
April 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this novel about scientific experiments, brainwashing, and the FBI. As far-fetched as it seems (I can imagine scientists not realizing how horribly wrong the experiments could go) it was a good story that kept me reading. I like the characters and could sympathize with them. I'm not really sure how Nathan Fury fit into the story, working with the scientist, he nevertheless comes across as a "good guy" – overall though, I enjoyed this and though it's the first book I've ever read by Ann Frasier, I may read more.
June 26, 2021
Head Game
Once you start reading about Arden, the FBI and going down a rabbit hole. You will truly wonder what is real and what is imaginary by manipulation. I have never heard the word bleaching in this way, to escape horrid memories. This is physiological head read, follow Arden and find the truth, would you really be surprised if this kind of experimental mind control did exist. Good read, you have moments you need to put it down just slow yourself down. This who done it, is beyond the imaginative, yes read it. It is a rollercoaster.
Once you start reading about Arden, the FBI and going down a rabbit hole. You will truly wonder what is real and what is imaginary by manipulation. I have never heard the word bleaching in this way, to escape horrid memories. This is physiological head read, follow Arden and find the truth, would you really be surprised if this kind of experimental mind control did exist. Good read, you have moments you need to put it down just slow yourself down. This who done it, is beyond the imaginative, yes read it. It is a rollercoaster.
April 28, 2022
shocking and suspenseful!
Sometimes things aren’t as they seem. Even when we know this to be true, this book will definitely have you second guessing everything. Things may not be what they seem, but can you tell the difference between reality and imagination? An FBI agent who has decided to leave the bureau behind. Some bizarre experiment brings her back. You won’t believe it! Her past definitely has some impact on what causes her to come back. The journey, however, is so was are you must read this book!
Sometimes things aren’t as they seem. Even when we know this to be true, this book will definitely have you second guessing everything. Things may not be what they seem, but can you tell the difference between reality and imagination? An FBI agent who has decided to leave the bureau behind. Some bizarre experiment brings her back. You won’t believe it! Her past definitely has some impact on what causes her to come back. The journey, however, is so was are you must read this book!
August 7, 2017
Anne Frasier is on my favorite authors list
This story had an Agatha Christie-like scene that had you thinking that every character could potentially be the murderer! Suspense continued to build as characters began dropping one by one. Kept me guessing until the satisfying ending.
This story had an Agatha Christie-like scene that had you thinking that every character could potentially be the murderer! Suspense continued to build as characters began dropping one by one. Kept me guessing until the satisfying ending.
July 20, 2020
Very fast paced, exciting and what an ending
The FBI has always been secretive, and this book makes you think more about what they are capable of. I was shocked to finally figure out who did what and what and who was real and good. It's an incredible read and keeps you going from the start.
The FBI has always been secretive, and this book makes you think more about what they are capable of. I was shocked to finally figure out who did what and what and who was real and good. It's an incredible read and keeps you going from the start.
September 5, 2020
Killers
As usual Frasier has written a compelling story. Has the government really sanctioned people to make killers out of others? Anything's possible. If you can imagine it it can happen. Someone else can actually make things like this happen. They claim deprivation is the key to changing personalities. Maybe.
As usual Frasier has written a compelling story. Has the government really sanctioned people to make killers out of others? Anything's possible. If you can imagine it it can happen. Someone else can actually make things like this happen. They claim deprivation is the key to changing personalities. Maybe.
October 29, 2020
Frasier never fails to tell a great story
I don’t know how she does it, but Anne Frasier keeps coming up with great stories. Her imagination and creativity make each new book different and a terrific read. I’ve read quite a few of her books now and am still surprised at how she’s able to keep her stories and characters fresh, never repeating a theme or psychological twist.
I don’t know how she does it, but Anne Frasier keeps coming up with great stories. Her imagination and creativity make each new book different and a terrific read. I’ve read quite a few of her books now and am still surprised at how she’s able to keep her stories and characters fresh, never repeating a theme or psychological twist.
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August 16, 2021Edge of your seat
Really well written, very fluent..not like some that go along making sense then poof the ending comes and you want to know why the character did what they did, this one gives full explanation and great characters, twists and turns. Keeps you guessing until the end. Loved it!
Really well written, very fluent..not like some that go along making sense then poof the ending comes and you want to know why the character did what they did, this one gives full explanation and great characters, twists and turns. Keeps you guessing until the end. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews