A dark and twisty thriller that delves into a truly captivating subject. It had me engrossed from start to finish! This book is a must-read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers.
An amazing debut.

Rating: 2.3/5

There has been an awful lot of noise around this debut novel from Matthew Blake. Not only did it spark a bidding war between a number of publishers who were keen to get their hands on it, but it is already lined up to be sold in numerous countries. "Anna O" is almost guaranteed to become a bestseller and there is every chance that it will also end up being adapted for either the big or small screen. Given the highly appealing premise, this kind of frenzied reaction is understandable - but, for me, it didn't really live up to the hype.

The basic story and the mystery surrounding it is undoubtedly appealing, but the execution doesn't deliver the gripping, page-turning novel that I was hoping for. At times it is clever, but that also becomes somewhat pretentious at certain points. Matthew Blake makes frequent references to Greek mythology, Shakespeare and the work of Alfred Hitchcock and Truman Capote. To an extent these are valid reference points in support of a narrative style that is intelligent and aiming to be seen as a worthy piece of literary fiction. However, there are also numerous references to the content of the Harry Potter books, which not only fail to deliver the same gravitas, but are also significantly overdone.

Be that as it may, my biggest issue with "Anna O" is the pacing. Until the final third of the novel it really is painfully slow and protracted. I appreciate that there is a need to ensure that the foundations of the plot are firmly in place, but the art of the storyteller is in achieving that requirement whilst simultaneously grabbing hold of, and retaining, the reader's attention. I have to confess that I found my concentration wandering on more than a few occasions.

Overall, there is unquestionably an intriguing story at the heart of this novel and I would not be at all surprised to see a talented screenwriter successfully bring a version of it to the screen, but I also found reading this book a much harder slog than it should have been.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

"Anna O" presents a gripping murder mystery with a tantalizing twist - can a crime be committed during sleepwalking, and what if the key suspect won't wake up? The premise is intriguing, steeped in psychological elements, and kept me curious throughout. With a diverse cast of suspects and victims, the story masterfully builds suspense and momentum. However, the story's climax disappointed me. The writer's attempts to mislead the reader and introduce plot twists resulted in holes in the narrative. While the majority of the story is engaging, the final revelations left me wanting more cohesiveness. It's a thrilling read that loses some of its shine due to a somewhat convoluted conclusion.

I devoured this book in next to no time. Unput down able.! Lots of twists and turns right up to the last, though i had sort of guessed it a few chapters before the end.
It was well put together with decent historical events neatly linked to the storyline.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review ...

So if you want a thriller you can race through - this is a great one. I liked the concept of the book (although why Anna O is asleep for four years before anyone tries to wake her up is perplexing).

I loved the way this was written - Dr Benedict Prince, (a professor who studies the science of sleep and treats sleeping disorders) and the currently sleeping Anna O (who may or may not have murdered her two best friends and business partners in cold blood) are the narrators of this story - Anna through her diary and Prince in real time. Allows you to get a handle on Anna's psyche firsthand while Prince tries to explore it second hand.

I don't want to give the plot away so I don't want to go into depth - but there were a few things I didn't get, why Benedict Prince felt so connected with Anna O and why there were so many Harry Potter references? Maybe the author just loves Harry Potter? Who doesn't?

A murder mystery with a major twist - does murder count if you were sleepwalking? And what is the key suspect wont wake up? Great premise, heavily steeped in psychological principles, that kept me curious and intrigued. There were lots of things to love: An interesting cast of suspects and victims, a the story built suspense and momentum well, each section dropping another breadcrumb. The writer creates a legend in Anna O, the murderess who never woke up and thus cant be tried. And the hapless sleep psychologist who tries to solve the case and wake the patient.

So I enjoyed 80% of the story. However, it annoys me when writers try to get too clever. There were red herrings, and attempts to lead the reader down a different path, and then the massive plot twists that actually undo all the good that was built before, leaving the plot open to massive holes. So for me, so much potential, but a disappointing end.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”

"Anna O" is a captivating, disturbing psychological thriller with unexpected twists. I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. I really liked M.Blake writing style and appreciated thorough background research of psychological aspects of sleep disorders. I was drawn by complex characters and well constructed plot.
A must-read for fans of Before I Go To Sleep or Girl On The Train.

Thank you for letting me read this arc copy. The storyline was fantastic and genuinely kept me hooked! Characters were well developed and the storyline was interesting. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers

Two people were murdered. That much isn’t in question. The murderer isn’t in question either - Anna Ogilvy, daughter of a very privileged couple, confessed at the time - and then fell into a deep sleep for years. But did she really do it? And if she was asleep… can she be held accountable?

This dark and twisty thriller really puts you through your paces. The narrator being a sleep scientist studying Anna brought a really interesting element to it and asks the question of can you be culpable of something you did while sleepwalking? If you sleepwalk- be very careful what happens when you’re asleep…

Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Very similar to the hit book “The Silent Patient”. Quite slow in parts but a very good read.

Written well and the characters are perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A deeply intriguing crime thriller with a troubling twist to the climax. A young woman is known to have committed a double murder during a family adventure weekend and immediately to have fallen into a comatose state for four years. As she recovers, medical practitioners and government officials are keen to discover the truth. A great read!

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but found it a fascinating read. I was stuck changing my mind every minute about whether she was guilty and faking it or something else all together and then when it all came together everything was turned on its head. Great read that I couldn’t put down.

I struggled with the 'draft' format of this but realised it would be fixed before release. it was suspensful, engaging, surprising and I only found out when looking at other reviews this was a debut which makes it that bit better!

Intriguing book about a subject that rarely comes to public attention - sleep walking. The main characters are all damaged people and the reader is aware of all relevant details from their perspective.

Everyone has an interest in the criminal activity which may or may not be affected by political interests. Several different crimes/ perpetrators and their stories overlap creating a complex plot that keeps the reader on their toes.


NB I had read 50% but stopped because of the formatting which was so poor as to spoil my enjoyment. I will buy this book when it is released.

This is an amazing debut. It’s almost a classic in my eyes such is the amazing content, story, pace, characters and oh it’s brilliant!
I’ve just said to my book friends it’s one of those that you want to read fast to find out what’s happening but also savour every last word. Extremely likely to be a film too in my mind.

This is highly engaging well written book that will keep you guessing right until the end. I can see why there was such a demand for the title amongst publishers as it is the sort of title that will grip the public imagination.

Very enjoyable a solid 4.5 stars

Anna O - Matthew Blake.

Suspense in Spades.

The Sleeping Beauty and the prince but who is the wicked stepmother? Not a fairy tale but a nightmare. A twisty tale of deception and revenge. I couldn’t put it down.

When Ben Prince is called to use his skills as a forensic psychologist on Anna O the top security prisoner who has been in a deep sleep for four years after murdering two friends in cold blood he jumps at the chance. This will re energise his career and prove his theory on awakening those in a permanent state of sleep.

As he becomes obsessed with Anna and her case he digs deeper convinced that she is innocent of the double murder she is accused of.

The novel a multi person narrative swings back and forth from the past to the present. Complex and compelling it keeps us on our toes with its ever shifting ground. Who do we believe, who do we trust?

A great read for all lovers of suspense and psychological drama.

Anna O by Matthew Blake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A very gripping read full of unexpected turns! I was hooked as soon as a read the description for this book as it seemed to have a similar vibe to The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Safe to say I was not disappointed with this book!

The chapters were quick enough to keep reading a few on a break at work and still keep you intrigued and there were twists right until the very end! Some of which were predictable in a way but didn’t take away any enjoyment from the book at all!

The only negative wasn’t anything by to do with the author or book at all but the format I read it it. I usually send my NetGalley books to kindle in order to read and did so with this book. Unfortunately the formatting broke up a bit and it was a bit difficult to follow the page at times because of this. Again though this was nothing to do with the book at all and I throughly enjoyed it!!

A very interesting read that was challenging in so many ways!

I was totally taken aback by the ending. Authors like Matthew Blake are so creative.

It was not an easy read though! I felt that at the end of the book I would be awarded a post graduate diploma in psychology at the very least!

The plot was outstanding and the characters posed lots of questions for the reader in trying to discern what was happening at any point!

Recommended!!

A high concept, dark twisty thriller.
Anna Ogilvy hasn’t opened her eyes for four years.
She committed the crime of the century - but nothing or no one could wake her from the nightmare.
“I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me” - Sylvia Path
Believers in her innocence call her Anna O and believers in her guilt call her Sleeping Beauty.

Beautifully written, addictive and well plotted with a multiple layered storytime
Loved the unique premise of the suspected murderer being asleep.

Thanks @matthew_blake @harperfiction & @netgalley for the eARC