Great psychological thriller in the vein of Lisa Gardner.

Lisa's brain partitions off the details of events on the night her best friend Ali is killed because she's not ready to cope with the trauma. This leaves her with survivor guilt, unanswered questions and unexplained feelings of guilt which manifest itself in nightmares and illuminating flashbacks. She holes up in a cottage in a remote village determined to sever herself from humanity and lick her wounds quietly. I found the plot slow moving and often rather depressing but I did love the dog Riley and the comfort he gave her. The counselling sessions were very interesting as she's treated for PTSD and together they unravel her memories and attempt her gradual recovery along with the friends she has made in the village. I think the novel stresses two important facts - that you can't escape from your problems and the dangers of drugs and drink. I shall spread the word to Amazon etc and thank you to Legend Press for allowing me to read this.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Ali is the survivor of an assault that leaves her broken and her best friend dead. She moves away to deal with the repercussions and guilt whilst trying to piece together what happened. She is befriended by jessica who wants to help but has her own issues. Can Ali unlock the past to move on with her future.

I really enjoyed this book, I tried to work out the twist but I was wrong. Brilliant read.

I thought this book was a psychological thriller but I think this one is based on only psychological terms. In the most parts of the book Lisa was feeling guilty. There was a brief encounter with Jessica's husband Mark, other than that I couldn't find any thriller in the book. The book was a page-turner, because I wondered that little memory so much. Though it didn't satisfy me, I still liked the book. It was well written in the psychological parts, but I didn't like narration from a third person.

Any time I receive an advanced copy of a book described as a “psychological thriller” I get excited. I did not know much about this book going in other than it was about a woman named Lisa who was recovering from a brutal attack that left her best friend dead and Lisa with barely any memory of what took place. Unfortunately, as I got into the story there wasn’t much of a “thriller” to be found in the pages. You know right away who the killer is, so there is no real mystery there. I would agree that it is a psychological novel in that it focuses primarily on what happens to victims of violent crimes after they have survived an attack. Dare To Remember is an in-depth look at Lisa learning how to cope with the post traumatic stress she suffered from the brutality of her attack as well as how she reconciled the survivor’s guilt that she carried. Lisa moves out in to the country to recover and begins to suffer terrible flashbacks. She slowly pieces together the events of what happened to her with the help of her therapist and her neighbor, Jessica. I know the author was trying to create additional tension and suspense caused by what Jessica and her husband were going through but their story line just fell completely flat to me.
This book is described as “Shocking. Page-Turning. A clever sophisticated psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B.A. Paris and Sophie Hannah”. I think ultimately that does such a disservice to the story when it is marketed this way because that is what you go in expecting to read and it is always such a let down once you discover that it is not the case. 3 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Legend Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A very good psychological crime drama about a young woman, Lisa, who was attacked in her home. It will keep you interested to the last page and is a very well written novel. I loved the canine character of Riley also. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

This is the story of Lisa who wakes up in hospital after being brutally attacked and her best friend Ali was killed.

Lisa can't remember what happened just before the attack but keeps getting flashbacks as she struggles to come to terms with it and get on with her life. She moves away from everything and everyone she knows to try and piece together the terrible events of that fateful night, but will she ever learn the full truth and how will she feel if she does work it out?

This is the first book I've read by this author, it's very well written and kept me intrigued from the beginning, I just had to find out what really happened that night.

I would like to thank Legend Press for the approval and look forward to reading more of this author's work. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon UK & US.

DARE TO REMEMBER is the debut well written novel by author Susanna Beard. This novel has been tagged as a shocking Page-Turning Psychological Thriller, but I feel it more closely matches an emotional psychological drama. It follows two years in the life of a young woman, Lisa Fulbrook who survived a brutal attack in her own home which left her best friend, Ali Mayfield dead. Lisa’s journey through this traumatic event and fight for the “truth” in order to allow her to get her life back, sets the tone for the novel.

“A young woman died when she fell from the window of a first-floor flat yesterday evening; another woman was found seriously injured inside. A man in his thirties was apprehended by passers-by as he left the building and was later arrested.”

When Lisa woke up in hospital, with her mum by her side, she demanded to know what had happened. Her mum told her that her best friend, Ali was dead. Lisa had no recollection of the event. After being released from the hospital, Lisa never went back to her flat, but went to her mums to recuperate. Life would never be the same for her! She was now suffering from nightmares and flees to the countryside to set up home-based work to generate some income…while she attends therapy to restore parts of her memory.

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. Lisa establishes a friendship with her next- door neighbor, an elderly man, John, who surrendered his dog, Riley, to her, when he couldn’t look after the animal properly. Lisa soon grew attached to Riley and enjoyed their daily walks., where she met another dog walker, Jessica.

“Riley is her lifeline. She knows that. He provides comfort, companionship and a kind of rhythm."

If you're a dog lover like me, you'll enjoy the interaction and love between a person and their pet, how animals give unconditional love and play a major role in the healing process.

But Lisa had to know what happened that terrible night…and more important why were they attacked?

Lisa needs to be able to live a normal life without nightmares and flashbacks and fear of men and crowds and loud noises. She must search for the truth.

This is a wonderful debut novel by British author Susanna Beard, and offers strong writing, and believable well-developed characters that come alive on the page. Highly recommend.

I received an ARC via Netgalley.

Wonderful story! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

I would not call this a shocking psychological thriller, as Good Reads does. Amazon is better off referring to it as a psychological crime drama. It's slow paced and easy to read. I actually read it in one sitting. I think it's a realistic account of dealing with trauma. The main character was quite easy to identify with for me. She's just a normal woman who experienced something terrible.

An evening out with her best friend has ended horribly. Lisa is injured and scared physically and emotionally forever. Her best friend Ali is dead, killed by a man that they thought was their friend. Traumatized and unable to deal with everyday life, Lisa moves away from everyone she knows and rents a small house. She is obsessive about locking and double checking doors and windows. She doesn't want any visitors, even her own mother. She's frightened of men and doesn't want to make any friends. She just wants to be alone.

This begins to change when she starts conversing with her neighbor, a kind elderly man she doesn't find intimidating. Walking his dog for him ends up striking a friendship between the two, and she eventually takes over total care for the pup as he has a difficult time with it. The dog brings her immense comfort as she struggles to regain her memory from that night and accept what happened to her. She soon makes another friend, a local woman who is going through a difficult time of her own. Her healing process is long and difficult, but she's getting there.

I loved her relationship with the dog, Riley! Animals can be such a comfort. They don't judge, and they're usually happy to lay in bed when we're feeling depressed. He reminded me of my own dog, who is always there for me when I'm sad or sick.

I was given an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Legend Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Lisa Fulbrook flees to the countryside to recuperate from an attack that left her badly injured and her best friend dead. Lisa doesn't quite remember what really happened that night, let alone the identity of the attacker and reason why. Like the title states, she dares to remember the truth.

Dare to Remember did not live up to its psychological thriller tag. Where was the shock? I struggled with continuing to read after my 50-Page Rule. It sparked up a bit only to let me back down. I held out thinking the ending would make it all worth my time. Nope. I could be in the minority with disliking Dare to Remember so check out other reviews before making a decision to read/not read it.

LiteraryMarie

Great debut psychological thriller from Susanna Beard. Great storyline - very suspenseful and thoughtful. It was hard to put the book down. I wanted to know more about Lisa, Ali and the attack that left Ali dead. Lisa's new life and the PTSD she goes through is so real, and easy to identify with. It is not an action packed, fast paced book. It is steady but suspenseful. Great read. I recommend it!

If you’re expecting a thriller, with twist and turns, this is not the book for you to read. There is no blood, no stalking, no suspense more than the memories Lisa struggles with after surviving a brutal attack and her best friends Ali's death. The book held my interest, I had to know, what it was Lisa thought she did, that was so terrible. All the other things about her new friends John and Jessica did not capture me much. I couldn’t feel any connection with te characters and felt that the story was progressing very slow.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and Legend Press!

This turned out to be a very slow paced, contemplative read about a young woman trying to come to terms with trauma after losing her best friend in an attack about which she doesn't remember anything in the beginning.

The whole time, I was expecting some excitement or at least a bit of suspense. The language itself was a little too simple, too direct. I suppose it really depends on the expectations set beforehand when reading this book. With me it just did not click in style. Nevertheless it is indeed a page turner and it gets one hooked from the very first pages.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great page turner from beginning to end. Loved it as I could not wait to find out what was coming next. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who ejnjoys a good thriller

A superbly written and addictive psychological drama, Dare to Remember moves at a good pace, building tension as characters and plots are unveiled. I really enjoyed the Susanne Beards flowing style of writing, and devoured this book in two sittings.
A very well written, enjoyable read and I look forward to any future books by this exciting new author.

Thank you!

Lisa is recovering from a violent attack which leaves her with memory loss and PTSD; she is also grieving for her friend, Ali who died in the incident. As she tries to come to terms with what has happened, she gradually learns the truth about the attack and the choices she herself made.
In Susanna Beard’s debut novel there is some gripping writing and some well-painted scenes of Lisa’s run-ins with counselling, social services and the legal system. But what stands out are the small details of normal life and the importance of relationships: Lisa’s instinct is to hide from everyone, yet she is drawn into a close friendship with a woman experiencing domestic abuse, with a lonely elderly neighbour who needs her support and with Riley, her neighbour’s dog. It is through contact with others and by long walks in the countryside with Riley, that Lisa is finally able to accept what has happened to her and to her best friend, and not to blame herself. At the end of the novel there may even be romance on the cards.

I enjoyed reading this book. I read it in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down.

“Mum, please tell me. What happened? Why am I here?”

Her mum glanced up at the nurse, who gave a small nod, a black curl escaping the cap pinned into her hair.”

“You were attacked, both of you, at the flat.”

“Attacked? By who?” A flush of panic ran through her. “What happened? Where’s Ali?”

“I’m so sorry, darling, but…”

What has happened is a slow unraveling as Lisa Fulbrook escapes to the solitude of the country to recover physically and mentally. The most important parts of her that she needs to recover are her memories of what happened to her best friend Ali. With flashbacks and terrors, she begins to wonder if she is to blame. Everything is a fog, and in this fog something doesn’t sit right with her. “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.”

Lisa seems to be suffering a form of PTSD, but why have the memories escaped her? Just what did happen? Who was the man, the criminal and how did they know him? Rather than a shocking thriller, this is more of a psychological drama/trauma. It is a victim’s story of confronting their monster even if that monster is inside of them. We often imagine ourselves as the hero in any story we hear. Surely, if I were in said situation I would fight, I would conquer. Truth is far more sticky, in the moment of any crime animal instincts overrule our rational mind. Sometimes we are more coward than the courageous lion!

No one seems to blame Lisa, until she sees Ali’s brother. Why does he have so much animosity towards her? She was a victim, she has the wound to prove it, she lost so much blood. What does he know that she cannot recall? Memory is a slippery fish, just as she catches one the rest swim off into the murky depths of her soul. The criminal begins to come into focus along with her own responsibility in the violent moment. Lisa has gone from being young, carefree, she and Ali flirting with life as any young woman does to living in a isolated place, keeping the world far from her. How does one conquer themselves? How do you fight your own mind to reach truth?

The novel is quiet and disturbing. It isn’t action packed, much more an excavation of the internal. For anyone that likes psychological dramas, this is for you. The reader is in the darkness of Lisa’s memory lapses as much as Lisa herself. You care enough to want to unravel the mystery but there isn’t any heart pounding terror happening along the way. There were times I felt the element of terror would have entered more, particularly for someone that suffered so much trauma. The novel ambles along and many readers of ‘thrillers’ don’t have the patience. For those that do, it’s a walk in the head. I enjoyed it but more from the victim’s perspective and there were times it moved too slowly for me. I expected the truth to be much more shocking, but all the same it was still strange.

Publication Date: February 1, 2017

Legend Press

DARE TO REMEMBER
Susanna Beard

MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
Publisher Legend Press
Publish Date February 1, 2017

SUMMARY
Lisa wakes in the hospital with her mom, Chloe by her side holding her hand. She is dazed and drifts in and out of consciousness for hours. She is in pain, there is a dressing on her throat and a tube in her hand. She know there is something important she has to ask, but can't remember. Her mom tells her, Lisa and her best friend and roommate Ali had been attacked. Ali was dead. Lisa's throat has been cut within millimeters of a artery. Ten çentimeters long. Lisa had no memories of what happened that dark night in the flat. What happened to her best friend? Why can't she remember?

REVIEW
Dare to Remember is a unique mystery, told brilliantly. The attack has already happened. The perpetrator has already had his day in court, pleading guilty and is serving time. But neither Lisa nor the attacker say they can recall what happen to Ali. Did she jump, did she fall or was she pushed? Your interest will be captivated right from the beginning.

Dare to Remember, a perfect title, is about Lisa's attempt to recover, and recall what happened when they opened their door to their friend Fergus. The story slowly unfolds as Lisa attempts to restart a new life in a small village outside of London. Her nightmares and flashbacks soon begin to reveal vague memories and we begin to learn more about what happen that night.

The author, Susanna Beard's writing is wonderfully descriptive. I particularly loved her descriptions of the quaint village, and the shabby little cottage Lisa moves to after her ordeal. I also appreciated the way Beard integrated Lisa's new neighbors, John and Jessica into the plot giving the book much more breadth and interest. Even giving us some more surprising twists and turns.

Lisa's character was so real. Her panic attacks and stress are to be expected. You want her to recover, you want her to get better. But sometimes you want to yell at her, and then sometimes you want to give her a hug. Her courage and strength were admirable.

This was a fast-paced page-turner. Halfway through the book I realized I was reading it way to fast. I needed to slow down and enjoy it, because I knew I wasn't going to want it to end.


Special thanks to Netgalley and Legends Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.