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Before I Go To Sleep: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 65,772 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
New York Times Bestseller
“An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page.” –Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Shutter Island
“Imagine drifting off every night knowing that your memories will be wiped away by morning. That’s the fate of Christine Lucas, whose bewildering internal world is rendered with chilling intimacy in this debut literary thriller. . . . You’ll stay up late reading until you know.” — People (4 stars)
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love–all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story. Welcome to Christine's life. Every morning, she awakens beside a stranger in an unfamiliar bed. She sees a middle-aged face in the bathroom mirror that she does not recognize. And every morning, the man patiently explains that he is Ben, her husband, that she is forty-seven-years-old, and that an accident long ago damaged her ability to remember.
In place of memories Christine has a handful of pictures, a whiteboard in the kitchen, and a journal, hidden in a closet. She knows about the journal because Dr. Ed Nash, a neurologist who claims to be treating her without Ben’s knowledge, reminds her about it each day. Inside its pages, the damaged woman has begun meticulously recording her daily events—sessions with Dr. Nash, snippets of information that Ben shares, flashes of her former self that briefly, miraculously appear.
But as the pages accumulate, inconsistencies begin to emerge, raising disturbing questions that Christine is determined to find answers to. And the more she pieces together the shards of her broken life, the closer she gets to the truth . . . and the more terrifying and deadly it is.
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"I've been looking high and low for a book to give me the same satisfaction that I got from Gone Girl. Before I Go to Sleep did not disappoint, the experience of the main character not only titillating, but so well written it will literally pull you into her skin. The twists are great but aside from that it has an emotional rawness that keeps your heart beating and the page turning. "
— Kirby foster (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Based upon a deceptively simple premise, Watson’s debut novel unwinds as a story that is both complicated and compellingly hypnotic…Watson’s pitch-perfect writing propels the story to a frenzied climax that will haunt readers long after they’ve closed the cover on this remarkable book.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“[A] haunting, twisted debut…Watson handles what could have turned into a cheap narrative gimmick brilliantly, building to a chillingly unexpected climax.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“[A] mesmerizing, skillfully written debut…Both an affecting portrait of the profound impact of a debilitating illness and a pulse-pounding thriller whose outcome no one could predict.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page.”
— Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River -
“Having read the book once I was compelled to read it again, enjoying the special pleasure of noting clues missed or misinterpreted the first time. Certain books are so good that they remind you of the vast pleasures good writers can give you if you’re willing to pay them attention. If you can stand the chill, Before I Go to Sleep is a delicious summer treat.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Imagine drifting off every night knowing that your memories will be wiped away by morning. That’s the fate of Christine Lucas, whose bewildering internal world is rendered with chilling intimacy in this debut literary thriller…You’ll stay up late reading until you know.”
— People -
“Exceptionally accomplished…The structure is so dazzling it almost distracts you from the quality of the writing. No question, this is a very literary thriller…The most unnerving aspect of Before I Go to Sleep is the way it is rooted in the domestic, the suburban, the trivial. Forget whizz-bang futurism: it proceeds from ordinary life in tiny, terrifying steps, and is all the better for it.”
— Guardian (London) -
“Relentless pacing in Watson’s intriguing debut psychological thriller draws the reader into Christine’s race to figure out who to trust and how to recover her life.”
— Library Journal -
“Suspenseful from start to finish, the strength of Watson’s writing allows Before I Go to Sleep to transcend the basic premise and present profound questions about memory and identity. One of the best debut literary thrillers in recent years.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review
Awards
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A Los Angeles Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
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A New York Times bestseller
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Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award
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Selected for the July 2011 Indie Next List
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A 2011 Barnes & Noble Best Book for Fiction
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A 2012 Macavity Award Nominee for Best First Mystery Novel
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A 2012 Anthony Award Nominee for Best First Novel
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Winner of the 2011 CWA New Blood Dagger
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A 2011 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Finalist
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A 2012 Barry Award Nominee for Best First Novel
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A RUSA Reading List Selection: Adrenaline
Before I Go To Sleep Listener Reviews
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" Great book. The diary format slightly restricts believability and got a little tedious, but wasn't off-putting. Read it, and don't skip ahead. "
— Perri, 2/5/2014 -
" A little predictable but thoroughly entertaining. "
— Wendy, 2/1/2014 -
" Again great idea but it was let down by the ending however if you have a few hours to spare I would definatley recomend it as it does keep you hooked. "
— Emelia, 1/27/2014 -
" This book reminded me of Gone Girl. It kept you wandering. Also, the idea that someone wakes up every day with a memory, a clean slide--intriguing. The repetition of each section when the character wakes up was handled well. At first, it's shared in great deal. Little by little it becomes briefer as the character's diary fills in what she needs to know. There were moment where I was not buying the sequence of events, as in, "That's unlikely to happen." However, I wanted to know how it would evolve, where minor information such as the bruises on her at the beginning of the book is explained. Also, if not for my age, I want to jump up and down in protest when a book ends where everyone is happy. Reading the last few pages, I had no urge to get out of my seat. Worthwhile reading. Although four is a bit high, three is a bit low, so 3.5+ (for creativity). "
— Edithandersen, 1/20/2014 -
" An interesting concept that sometimes strained a bit at the reader's willingness to accept the facts as given but done well. Entertaining story about a woman who forgets her life every night when she goes to sleep. "
— Angie, 1/12/2014 -
" 3.5 - An interesting perspective. Not like the Drew Barrymore movie. A much more upsetting tone with twists. I think it made me tense because the whole time I was waiting to see what bad thing was going to happen. "
— Kate, 1/9/2014 -
" Very well written and intriguing story line. Slightly disappointed by the ending but I guess it was not completely necessary to really know in the end. Had me hooked. "
— Megan, 1/5/2014 -
" An excellent light thriller. Full of suspense - I couldn't put it down. Easy to read and forgettable, a perfect "vacation" read. I wouldn't credit it with a high literary value or particularly great writing, but it has an interesting concept and kept me guessing. "
— Ali, 12/25/2013 -
" I haven't completed this book yet but about 100 pages into it, it's been yawn city. It's so slow and I don't really get the hype about it. Maybe one day I'll finish the book and rate it higher. "
— Rebecca, 12/18/2013 -
" So Good!! I did guess parts of the story but that's only because I had caught something while skimming. Bad me! LOL. But the ending left me wanting to know just what would happen when she awoke again. For those who liked 'Gone Girl', this one is for you. "
— Mira, 12/10/2013 -
" Creatively written. Really interesting subject done in a new way. I read it quickly because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. "
— Heather, 12/7/2013 -
" Good book, different from the books I usually read. "
— Christine, 11/26/2013 -
" Loved it. Really good twists "
— Tracie, 11/22/2013 -
" Original and amazing. One of the best books I have read in a long time. It is classic and timely and yet feels totally new. "
— Anna, 11/19/2013 -
" Ooooh...that was good. There's just one clue that is dropped that I wish the author had just omitted. I think it would have been less predictable although I was still interested enough in the final reveal to keep reading. I think fans of Gone Girl will enjoy this. "
— Linda, 9/18/2013 -
" This book really is brilliant it had me hooked from the very beginning and it's twists surprised me so much. I also really liked the way that it went from present day to journal to present day and how the story slowly unfolds. I honestly would recommend this book to anyone! "
— Laura, 8/2/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book. At times I found it a little confusing and a little predictable. Overall very enjoyable and at times a nonstop page turner. I selfishly wanted more story line from the end but I could see why the author chose to end the story there. "
— Heather, 5/21/2013 -
" I thought is was written as a low budget movie script. "
— Abby, 5/10/2013 -
" nailbiter. couldn't put it down. "
— Christine, 3/2/2013 -
" Interesting and well-done narrative. Really enjoyed it. The weakest part was the end, in my opinion, but still well worth the read if you enjoy trying to piece together puzzles. "
— Gina, 1/21/2013 -
" Great first book from a new author. Kept my interest to the last page. A book club at work chose this as one of their reads and it was a hit! "
— Linda, 1/18/2013 -
" Oh my goodness...awesome, in every way! Just when u think it's safe to think things are good, a twist, and then a turn and whoa!! So good!! "
— Vikki, 10/19/2012 -
" Really interesting plot. When I got to the last 50 pages couldn't put it down, had to finish. "
— Patricia, 10/14/2012 -
" both the story and the writing was pretty boring. "
— Marvin, 1/7/2012 -
" For those who like Gone Girl, you'll love this one. "
— Kristin, 11/5/2011 -
" Simply Fanastic, well written - understandable with some fantastic twists! "
— Maddie, 10/27/2011 -
" The last few chapters were very well executed... The rest was not well paced & I found myself somewhat bored at times... The concept was great, leaving much potential for something that was executed better. "
— Vonia, 10/5/2011 -
" Great summer read, not too taxing on the brain but a bit of a page turner.<br/> "
— Sian, 6/23/2011 -
" This book kept my attention even though I kind of figured out the mystery. I think the build up was very suspenseful but there was a rush to ending. "
— Zuzo56, 6/22/2011 -
" Talk about a page-turner! I finished this in a day and a half. Well written and intriguing, a very fun read.<br/> "
— Heather, 6/22/2011 -
" Held my interest to the end. Didn't want to stop until I finished. "
— Donna, 6/20/2011
About S. J. Watson
S. J. Watson, born in England, is the author of three novels. His first novel was the award-winning Before I Go to Sleep, which was a finalist for the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, was a New York Times bestseller, and was made into a major motion picture in 2014. It also has sold more than four million copies in over forty languages.
About Orlagh Cassidy
Orlagh Cassidy, an American actress of stage, television, and film, is an audiobook narrator who has twice won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, as well as many AudioFile Earphones Awards. She is a graduate of SUNY at Purchase and a recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Scholarship. She has been seen on and off Broadway and in films, including Definitely Maybe and Calling It Quits. Her television credits include roles in Law & Order and Sex and the City and as Doris Wolfe on Guiding Light.