Before I Go to Sleep

"The best debut novel I've ever read." --Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series

"An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page." --Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Moonlight Mile

S. J. Watson makes his powerful debut with this compelling, fast-paced psychological thriller, reminiscent of Shutter Island and Memento, in which an amnesiac who, following a mysterious accident, cannot remember her past or form new memories, desperately tries to uncover the truth about who she is--and who she can trust.

“"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."”

"[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"

"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)"

"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)"

"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"

"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 "

S. J. Watson was born in the Midlands and lives in London. His first novel was the award-winning Before I Go to Sleep, which has sold nearly five million copies in more than forty languages around the world.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. She has done voice work for commercials in which she is probably best known for her role as the mom in the "BFF Jill" spots for AT&T.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.