Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Date of publication: October 6, 2015
Driving home, Margaret Holloway is rear-ended and trapped in the wreckage of her car. Just as she begins to panic, a stranger pulls her free and disappears. Though she escapes with minor injuries, Margaret feels that something's wrong. Flashbacks to the crash are dredging up lost associations from her childhood. And somehow, Margaret knows that it's got something to do with the man who saved her life. As Margaret uncovers a mystery with chilling implications for her family and her very identity,
Everything She Forgot winds through a riveting dual narrative and asks the question: How far would you go to hide the truth-from yourself?
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Critical Praise:
“Ballantyne’s effortless prose took me across the Atlantic and didn’t let me return until its surprising and satisfying conclusion. A tight story that comes full circle and keeps you reading.” — Bryan Reardon, author of Finding Jake
Everything She Forgot has been presented as a thriller and a mystery. But, honestly, I didn't think it was either. The book opens with Margaret, a social worker, who ends up in a multiple car accident. She finds herself trapped in a burning car and is saved by a mysterious stranger at the last minute. The accident affects her and begins to bring back memories of a forgotten time when she was little.
I think had this book been presented in a different way, I would have enjoyed it more. I was expecting a thriller and didn't really get one. The story waffles between the present and 1985. I won't give too much away, but the connections between the past and present aren't really too hard to figure out very early on. So, for me, there really was no twist or surprise in the end. Don't get me wrong, it is worth taking a look at. The characters are interesting as well as the story of what happened to Margaret. Just don't expect a huge thriller. There really isn't one here.
Author Bio:
Lisa Ballantyne was born in Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland and studied English Literature at University of St Andrews.
She lived and worked in China for many years and started writing seriously while she was there. Before being published, Lisa was short-listed for the Dundee International Book Prize.
Her debut novel, The Guilty One was translated into over 25 languages, long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and short-listed for an Edgar Allan Poe Award. The Guilty One was also the Autumn 2012 Richard and Judy Book-club Winner. She lives in Glasgow.
Thanks for introducing us to this new book. I think you're right, the marketing can affect one's final perception. Still, it does sound like an interesting read!
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