Regular readers will know that I'm rarely swayed by a lot of hype surrounding a book. Before I Go To Sleep has been everywhere lately and I've done my best to ignore it, mainly because I couldn't find out much about it. It's almost impossible to find the back cover copy. All you see is amazing reviews. I knew that a woman went to sleep and forgot everything. Yeah, right. It simply didn't appeal.
But I kept seeing the reviews:
"It's exceptionally accomplished...The structure is so dazzling it almost distracts you from the quality of the writing." -- Guardian
"S J Watson's debut doesn't put a foot wrong... brilliantly simple... Unforgettable." -- Financial Times Weekend
"A taut and terrifying novel, with a grip of steel." -- Woman & Home
"An unsettling, compulsive thriller...A truly gripping read. "-- Marie Claire
I had to see what all the fuss was about and, hey, they're right. Before I Go to Sleep is a very special book. It is "taut and terrifying" and "an unsettling, compulsive thriller". And yes, I was gripped from first page to last. I kept thinking I'd solved the mystery but then another twist came along.
I hate spoilers so I'm not going to give any here but, briefly, the story begins with Christine waking up, as she has every morning for the last 20 years, in a house she doesn't recognise with a strange man who tells her he's her husband. He explains that they've been married for many years, that she was involved in a car accident that robbed her of the ability to retain memories...
I loved this book. It was one of the best I've read this year. You can check it out here if you're interested.