Beautiful and mesmerizing novel. I really enjoyed it.

This novel was classified in the wrong genre. It really wasn't a thriller, but more of a book about overcoming and persevering with a little bit of mystery thrown in. There was a great cast of fleshed out, believable characters. Some that are likeable while others were not. It was a quick read, but one that won't be remembered for long.

It was a great read. I feel the character development was good and I would recommend to friends.

I did not finish this book as I did not engage with this story at all.

The author brings you right into the story of Lisa and Ali. A horrific night, a loss of memory and then a story of pain, loneliness and a path to healing. There is an interesting mix of characters and story lines and the author develops them in a slow and thoughtful way. You never quite sure which direction the plot will go, always waiting for "what will happen next". The trauma of PTSD is very well explained and brought to life through Lisa. You can feel her pain through the pages.
I didn't quite connect with this book. I agree with other reviewers that I was expecting a page turning thriller, where the book turned out to be a story of life, loss and recovery. The story was good, it just wasn't what I expected. All in all it was a good story, well written.

This was a very good book. It was a real page turner. I hated to put it down. I had it read in three days. The plot was very good. It showed courage in a young girl, to fight off her fears. Yet, showed her compassionate side as well. Her need for space, Yet, also dealing with her need for human interaction even after a difficult situation.

To me, this didn't feel like a conventional psychological thriller even though it is almost entirely a novel about the mental, emotional and psychological state of the protagonist. To me, this felt like an exploration of what it means to survive a tragic event; of what it means to suffer colossal mental anguish and what happens when you have witnessed a crime and yet have no memory of it. This is a novel that focuses on the internal journey of a character rather than the action of the criminal events they have physically been through.

Lisa wakes up in hospital; injured, confused, distressed and without any real memory of the events leading up to why she is there. Odd pieces of the jigsaw have fallen into place but large chunks remain missing. The importance of remembering what happened to Lisa and her best friend is for Lisa's own sense of sanity as much as for the prosecution.

"By the time the rest came back, it was too late to tell the police; the verdict had been handed down and the sentence passed."

But Lisa's life will never be the same. She walks away from the flat her and her friend Ali shared, from the carefree life they led and their innocent life centred around having fun and "kicking back".

"She never went back to the flat. Her previous life was reduced to a small bag of belongings. Lisa shoved it, unopened, under the bed."

Beard is able to convey the intensity of Lisa's feelings, the oppression of her anxiety and the all consuming distress she feels every single minute of her days. The narration may be in third person, but we are kept very close to Lisa and Beard is able to evoke atmosphere and tension through her well written prose.

"She would have stayed longer, but the silent pressure from her mother, the unformed questions, felt like an ever present weight on her shoulders. She was jumpy and bad-tempered. She couldn't confide in anyone for fear of making those around her even more worried."

Beard's descriptions on panic attacks, flashbacks, glimpses of memories and adverse reactions to sounds or certain objects are effective if not unbearably intense and relentless. Despite the advice of her psychotherapist and her mother, Lisa keeps herself hidden away in isolation, knowing that even in December "The malevolent spirit of her nightmares has no respect for Christmas."

Although the mystery and tension surrounding what really happened on that fateful night isn't fully disclosed until the very end of the book (and Beard maintains a satisfying degree of suspense until the last minute) it probably won't shock or surprise many readers. However that isn't Beard's goal - or at least I don't think it is. She uses characters like the psychotherapist to explore the emotional turmoil and psychological distress from which Lisa is suffering and uses things like the "Restorative Justice" scheme to look at different ways of confronting her emotions. Beard is obviously fascinated by the work of psychotherapists and the conversations between Lisa and her therapist were very authentic and convincing. I think "Dare to Remember" travels an interesting line between being a book about mental illness and the judicial system and a novel about a murder.

There is a lot of exposition in this book and there are a lot of quite dense passages. At times the scenes are quite oppressive and harrowing. The role of Lisa's neighbour is also full of tragedy and violence; there is very little respite amongst these pages. It is interesting to watch the dynamics between them and how these two women learn to help each other but it does make for quite a weighty plot and raises several complex issues.

However there is a lot of wisdom hidden in these pages which reflects Beard's sensitivity and ability to avoid sensationalism when portraying domestic violence, depression and anxiety in her characters. In this debut, Beard has shown us that she can definitely write good prose and that she is capable of writing a book which manages complex issues.

If you are interested in the mind of the victim as much as the killer, then this will be the book for you. If you like a novel when you get completely inside the head of the main character and cannot help but become involved in their pain and anguish, then you will enjoy this. It's not a long read and you will keep turning the pages, but perhaps not because of the reasons you originally thought.
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3.0 out of 5 starsA psychological mystery
ByAmazon Customeron 1 February 2017
Format: Paperback
This is a compelling tale, but very simple and linear. It tells the story of Lisa, who is trying to get her life back on track after a violent attack. This is outlined in the first few pages, so I’m not giving anything away. The title of the book is about the journey that Lisa makes trying to remember that fateful night and whether she was in any way to blame. I did not find the denouement was particularly startling, or surprising.

I found the writing and descriptions very well executed, but I prefer a story with a few more complications and sub-plots. Lisa starts a new life and gradually settles into the community and makes friends. The descriptions of the environment and the people are very well done. Lisa receives weekly therapy from a psychotherapist, these sessions are particularly well observed.

I enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. I think if you like an uncomplicated story which is a psychological thriller, you will enjoy this book.

Lisa struggles to come to terms with the senseless attack that killed her best friend and left her scarred both physically and mentally.Scared of practically everything and suffering from flashbacks and anxiety she retires to a country cottage. She attempts to remember exactly what happened as she rebuilds her life with the help of an aged neighbour's dog.

I don't think it really qualifies as a thriller as I didn't find there was much suspense involved. This was a good read but not a great one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it.

Dare to Remember by Susanna Beard.
Not so much a thriller as physiological drama. A bit slow paced and found the characters a bit hard to like but all in all an entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Very competent is the best way I can describe this enjoyable and well-written psychological drama about a young woman who blocks out from her consciousness the details of a horrific attack. Gradually her memory starts to return as she attempts to rebuild her life and the slow reveal of what actually happened is cleverly controlled. The author maintains the tension throughout the novel, and the book is well-crafted and well-plotted. If perhaps the characters seem rather bland they are at least reasonably realistic and not too predictable, and the dialogue is mostly convincing. I was compelled to read on, for sure, and overall this is a very promising debut novel if not a particularly original one.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

I did enjoy this book. But it felt like a lot of build up to nothing. I felt let down by the final big reveal of Lisa's missing memories.

This was not a psychological thriller, it felt more like a regular fiction novel. And while it's not a page turner, it is a compelling read. I just thought that the missing memories would have more of an impact. I also never figured out Jessica's part in the book. It felt like it was just thrown in for extra padding.

I found it to be a slow read, but an enjoyable one.

This is a competent story that moves along slowly. I can't say that I especially liked the characters and that might be one of the reasons I didn't love this. The big reveal, while disturbing, is not necessarily surprising. No (real) motivation for the attack is revealed and that adds to the disappointment.

I wish the publishers would be more careful in their marketing. When they tell us to expect a great thriller, they need to deliver. This is a bit tepid for me.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

This is a well written psychological drama that instantly grabs your attention. I had a hard time putting this book down, as it left me with a constant feeling of anticipation for what was going to happen next. The characters are well rounded, and I feel the book gives a great description of the psychological impact of trauma and PTSD on the day to day life and functioning of people impacted by it.

In this novel, Lisa and Ali, two friends from childhood, end up in a bad set of circumstances one evening that end in Ali's death. Lisa is left without a memory of what happened, as well as severe PTSD. After moving away from the life she knew and starting over, as well as participating in therapy, her memories gradually start returning to her. Slowly Lisa begins to embrace her two neighbors, Jessica and John, and John's dog Riley, whom she ends up adopting, and these individuals become an inegral part of her recovery. Despite her slow and steady progress, however, there's one specific memory, that Lisa cannot seem to get a hold of, although she knows there's something nagging at her and causing her to feel extreme guilt for Ali's death.

The only wish I would have had for this book is that the memory evading Lisa, which finally returned, would have been something a bit more "dramatic." I was completely drawn into the book, awaiting the secret to come to light, and when I found out what it was - I was left feeling like I wanted "more" or something deeper and darker perhaps. However, I do appreciate the positive resolution in the book, and how it exemplified an individual who faced their fears and came out all the better for it.

Great read, and definitely one I would recommend to others. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to experience this novel!

Le récit m’a captivée de bout en bout. C’est un récit de renaissance, de reconstruction de soi et de sa vie. Un page-turner que j’ai été incapable de lâcher avant d’avoir le fin mot de l’histoire.

Dare to Remember is a grippingly suspenseful. I could not put the book aside, had to keep reading. It is one of those edge of your seat books. The book is well written and has a good plot with lots of twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

A very well written book that had me gripped the whole way through. I was totally engrossed in this book. Lisa's character and her struggle to remember the attack and to move on from it is well written and believable. I like the fact that Riley helped her and that it also took Jessica's friendship and counselling to help her. That added to the believability of the story and my enjoyment of the book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Dare to Remember by Susanna Beard (Legend Press)

Review copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Genres: Thriller, Trauma

RATING: 4/5



Story

Reeling from a brutal attack that leaves her best friend dead and her badly injured, Lisa Fulbrook flees to the countryside to recuperate. With only vague memories of the event, she isolates herself from her friends and family, content to spend her days wandering the hills with her dog, Riley.

However, Lisa is soon plagued, not only by vivid flashbacks, but questions, too: how did their assailant know them? Why were they attacked? And what really happened that night?

As she desperately tries to piece together the memories, Lisa realises that there’s another truth still hidden to her, a truth she can’t escape from. A truth that may have been right in front of her all along.

Review

In many ways this is a horrible book. We spend a lot of time experiencing Lisa’s flashbacks and fear, and there are very few laughs. It’s sad. Of course, what would you expect with this subject matter?

But don’t let that put you off. Were it any different, it would be awful. As it is, the novel is a triumph.

Beard has managed to portray a realistic, well-rounded victim of trauma in an accurate and respectful way. Her psychological difficulties are at the forefront of the story, but Lisa is still a real human being and she isn’t defined by that one experience. She has depth and personality, and I think I really understand her.

I think the success of this novel is partly down to its pace. Although the storyline of Dare to Remember spans approximately 2 years, it takes a long time to get there. We spend a lot of time with Lisa immediately after the event, as she struggles to come to terms with what’s happened. It is a great way to really get your claws into the mindset of the character, though the subject matter and slowness does make it a bit more difficult to stay engaged with the book for long stretches. I’m a read from 8pm to 3am sort of person, so that didn’t suit me, but you may be a 10-page at a time person, in which case it’d be perfect.

Despite taking a little longer to read the novel than I would usually, there is a great air of intrigue which kept me coming back. Lisa can’t remember what happened that night, or even who Fergus was, though there is something, as my brother would say, ‘on the tip of her brain’. Her struggle to find out what that something is definitely keeps the pages turning, and when it is revealed it’s a worthy surprise.

I’m also delighted that Beard didn’t feel the need to give Lisa a man to ‘help her through’. Well, the psychologist is a man, but that doesn’t count. She is her own knight in shining armour, and that is a truly refreshing thing to find, even in this day and age!

It’s a great read for any fans of the thriller genre, and I’d definitely recommend. Just don’t expect a laugh.

Dare to Remember is available to purchase NOW!

Susanna Beard can be contacted via her website and twitter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for the e-ARC of this title. I didn't feel this was a psychological thriller...I found it more a drama, a story about friendship, the guilt we place on ourselves and trauma after horrible events. With that put out there...I loved this book. I found the characters well developed and real. This book is about a young woman who survived a terrible attack in which her best friend died. She doesn't remember everything that happened, and she's retreated into herself. Life, however, has other ideas. Like another reviewer, I kept thinking something was going to happen to shake up the plot...and it didn't...but it was a page turner, and I read into the night. This is a debut by a British author, and I'd recommend you don't miss this one. I can't wait for her next!

This book got me from the very first chapter. There was no delay in getting to the point and premise of the story. I particularly enjoyed this opening, as there were no long descriptive passages initially about the event on which the book is based. I wouldn't necessarily call this a psychological thriller though, but it is certainly a page turner.

The ending didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it was still adequate and finished the book nicely. I guess this is the difficulty when the build up to the final crescendo was so thorough - no matter the ending it couldn't have been as good as the build up elicited.

A young girl recovering from an horrific episode is trying to rebuild her life. Her best friend is kiilled and she is badly injured by a man they considered a friend. She relives that night in vivid flashbacks and horrendous nightmares. She isolates herself in the country and here she meets and befriends an elderly neighbour and his dog. We move with her through meetings with the therapist, strained meetings with the family of her murdered friend, her mother and even the muderer.
This is a tautly written book that gripped me right through to the finish. I would certainly recommend it with the proviso that it's not an easy read.