You Will Remember Me

This was a compelling story about hidden pasts and manipulation with a capital M! The story is told from three POVs - Jack, a young man with a dark past who suddenly wakes up, battered on a beach, with no recollection of who he is; Lily, Jack's girlfriend, who is desperate to find him when he suddenly disappears from her life and finally, Maya, Jack's stepsister who has been searching for her brother for years.

The plot is fairly predictable and there are a couple of serendipitous elements that require readers to suspend disbelief (particularly how Jack/Ash finds his way back to the small town where he grew up). But if you can get past that, this is an entertaining read and I particularly loved that McKinnon swings for the fences with a chilling, gasp-worthy ending that I didn't see coming.

The cast is small (and largely unlikable) and includes a dastardly 'baddie' who could give a Master class in manipulation. Whether its emotional, verbal, physical or psychological - they have got it covered. Eeks!

For me this was less of a thriller and more of a psychological drama since the reader is privy to the identity of the culprit early on, but still an engaging, page-turner of a read. Filled with lies, accusations, subterfuge, and deception, this is a story about manipulation and the darker side of love. Look for it May 25, 2021!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to MIRA Books for my complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon

Genre: Psychological Drama, Thriller, Canadian

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from publisher

Publisher: MIRA Books

First Published: May 25, 2021

Opening Lines: 

Book Description from GoodReads: Forget the truth. Remember the lies.

He wakes up on a deserted beach in Maryland with a gash on his head and wearing only swim trunks. He can't remember who he is. Everything--his identity, his life, his loved ones--has been replaced by a dizzying fog of uncertainty. But returning to his Maine hometown in search of the truth uncovers more questions than answers.

Lily Reid thinks she knows her boyfriend, Jack. Until he goes missing one night, and her frantic search reveals that he's been lying to her since they met, desperate to escape a dark past he'd purposely left behind.

Maya Scott has been trying to find her estranged stepbrother, Asher, since he disappeared without a trace. Having him back, missing memory and all, feels like a miracle. But with a mutual history full of devastating secrets, how far will Maya go to ensure she alone takes them to the grave?

Shared fates intertwine in a twisty, explosive novel of suspense, where unearthing the past might just mean being buried beneath it.