By Grand Rapids Public Library

S. J. Watson spins a tale of mystery and suspense in his debut novel, Before I Go To Sleep.

Christine wakes up every morning not knowing where or who she is. She believes she’s a 25-year-old, single woman. It turns out she is a 40-something, married mother of one. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep, the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesiac. Her husband, Ben, is a total stranger to her, and he explains their life together on a daily basis. With the guidance of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day — a journal Ben knows nothing about.

One morning, she opens it and sees that she’s written three unexpected and terrifying words: “Don’t trust Ben.” What her husband now says is questioned. How did Christine become an amnesiac? Who can she trust? What part does the doctor play in Christine’s life? (A doctor Ben knows nothing about.)

The book moves at a fast pace but is written very well. I could see in my mind how things were playing out. I wanted more and more time to read, but real life always interferes!