Thank you for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

It starts with Ben ( Dr. Benedict Prince) receiving information on a case Anna O. He is an expert on sleep disorders or more specifically when a person commits a crime while still asleep.

You also meet Lola a nutritionist who was there that faithful evening along with Emily, Anna’s mother.

About halfway through Anna wakes up from the sleep state she’d been in for the last 4 years, now things start to get interesting.

Was not expecting the ending!

Overall I enjoyed this book, I found the plot engaging and a well written psychologic thriller, I didnt see the ending coming at all. My only grip was the author wrote a lot about Bens thought and at times I felt they were long winded and drawn out. The book started slow for me and picked up pace towards the end with a good plot twist

I was really excited for Anna O as the premise was intriguing - a murder suspect suffering from a long term sleeping condition and the potential that we could actually do unexpected things in our own sleep.

The story got off to quite a slow start which was partly down to the overly flowery language the author uses throughout. In places it reads like someone who has just found out what a thesaurus is and there are a jarring number of Harry Potter references from Anna’s perspective.

I also didn’t find Benedict (the main doctor) to be a very sympathetic character and there was a lot of repetition in his thoughts (theories and paranoia).

I saw the ending coming from early on in the book but, when the story picked up the pace, I became hopeful that I was wrong and there would be a spectacular twist. Sadly there wasn’t and I found the reveal to be predictable and disappointing.

Very cleverly written. This book is a real page turner. You'll think you've cracked it a fair few times and be wrong at every turn.
A mystery to be solved, this feels fresh and different.

A sleep doctor, a murderess and everyone around them. I was convinced I could crack this, but no! You will want to keep reading to find out more after every chapter.

I loved this. And would want to read more by this author.

I was intrigued as soon as I read the brief blurb for this novel, and it immediately went on my TBR list! The thought that someone could commit murder in their sleep and be unaware of it is a brilliant premise for a story.
Unfortunately, I found the first half of the book slow going and difficult to get into. Although the explanations of resignation syndrome and sleep disorders were necessary to the story, I found them quite technical, and the jargon detracted from my enjoyment. I found myself thinking a few times in the early part of the book that I had no idea what was going on! Thankfully, the pace picked up in the second half, and I sprinted through it, keen to get some answers and confirm or disprove my theories.
Speaking of theories, I suspected just about everyone by the midway point! The author does an excellent job of planting red herrings and introducing plot twists along the way. I had called part of the ending quite early on, but I did not see the final twist coming AT ALL. The ending left me a little unsatisfied. I still felt like I had unanswered questions or didn’t fully understand the characters’ motives for acting the way they did.
I agree with other reviewers that the Harry Potter references felt out of place and cringeworthy in this kind of novel. I also didn’t think the “patient notes” were particularly credible.
I enjoy books that teach me something along the way, and this one did that in spades. I had never heard of resignation syndrome before and spent a long time reading about the Swedish refugee children and resignation syndrome. The book has also sparked some interesting conversations with family and friends, so I agree with others that this would make a great book club read since opinions and theories would vary widely. I can also see the story working well in film or TV format.
Another aspect I liked was the refreshing perspective on divorce/separation through the man’s eyes. I thought Matthew Blake did this really well. I wonder if he draws on personal experience here. I found Dr Prince’s thoughts about losing his child and marriage thought-provoking and moving. It was a far cry from the stereotypical portrayal of the unreliable dad who fails to show up for his kids/ex-partner that we see all too frequently in books/media, and I applaud that. The sense of grief was real, and it gave me a lot of food for thought as a recently separated mother.
Overall, I enjoyed Anna O. It kept me intrigued throughout, and the brisk pace of the second half more than made up for the slow start. I learned a lot along the way. This is, I believe, the author’s debut, and it’s quite an accomplishment for a first novel. I’m curious to see where this author goes next. I think he will only improve. One to watch.
With thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#AnnaO #NetGalley

Anna O was an interesting read, I enjoyed the story and was intrigued by resignation syndrome, I have never heard about it before.
I liked the twists and turns of the story and Ben made a good character to follow as the introduction of Anna throws his life into disarray.

This is a really good idea for a story, which, for me, was not told well. It took me weeks to read as I couldn’t engage with the characters. The ending is surprising and in a way made my hard work worthwhile, I just don’t believe that reading for pleasure should be hard work.

Not a writer for me to follow.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

This seriously had me back peddling and what the helling throughout the final chapters…brilliant novel I hope he writes more, a story full secrets that simmer under the surface of this gripping thriller, ensuring that every twist and turn is more shocking than the last, the ending is beyond belief. A must read!!!

I can be quite a tough reviewer when it comes to thrillers, and while I have seen some hot and cold reviews for this book, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't enjoyed a thriller this much since I read the Silent Patient! Which is interesting as I think it;s fair to say the two books have some parallels, what with the main characters in both books being incapacitated in some way. In this book Anna O is a mysterious sleeping beauty. Yes of course from the beginning of the book I knew it was too obvious that Anna O wasn't the true culprit, however the author succeeded to plant enough red herrings throughout the book that I was led astray and did not guess the ending. For me that is the biggest compliment I can give a thriller!

This book had a very interesting premise but I'm afraid I couldn't connect with the characters or indeed the writing. I imagine the hook could sustain other readers but I did not finish it

A great storyteller who draws you in and great characters who are multi-layered and not necessarily likeable people which, for me, is more believable.

A mystery from start to finish, Anna O had me jumping from one potential suspect to another and back again. A great weaving tale of murder, mystery and suspense.
My reservation of this novel is possibly more to do with my preference in genre. I thought from the blurb that this would be a psychological thriller but i feel it is better explained as murder, mystery and suspense. However, i cannot judge it based on my own misconception.

I found the analytical information regarding resignation syndrome and post traumatic amnesia very interesting indeed. I love it when novels teach me something scientifically researched; it gives the novel a whole new layer to focus my mind upon and read up on after i put the book down.

A great debut novel from Matthew Blake. Thanks to the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this novel, in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I start with this amazing book. It would be easier to write what I didn’t like about it rather than what I did. Basically there is nothing I did not like. The story ambles along and you think you know where it’s going however you actually have no idea! In my opinion it is a very cleverly written book and I would implore everyone to read it!

A really great and intriguing read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

SPEECHLESS! BLEW ME AWAY! PHENOMENAL! LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DEBUT!
Matthew Blake, will take the book world by storm when this PHENOMENAL debut is released. There are not enough words to express how much I loved this book. Anna O and Dr Benedict Prince are amazing central characters. There stories intertwine in such a twist filled way, that you think you know where the book is heading. Trust me you don't. When all the secrets and twists are revealed, it will blow your mind. It's well researched, written well and just gripping from beginning to end, the plot is out of this world brilliant. Huge Congrats to Matthew Blake, Anna O will shoot to the top of the charts in 2024.

Anna O took my breath away. I whipped through it in a day, not wanting to stop for a moment. Cleverly written with an addictive atmosphere and plenty of tense moments. I shall be seeking a finished copy when it’s out next year.

Anna O is the center of a media frenzy. Everyone knows her by name and everyone has an opinion on her. Because Anna O commited murder. There are those who believe she is innocent and those who believe she is guilty but no one can know for sure since her eyes have been permanently closed since the crime happened.

Dr Benedict Prince has been doing research on resignation syndrome. The belief that if there is no hope someone will fall into a deep sleep. He thinks his research could be the one to awaken Anna and give everyone the answers they have been wanting!

Anna O is a captivating thriller. With themes of psychology, the unconscious mind and scientific advancement it is quite dark and twisty.

This book had a dual timeline which helped piece the story together. You hear from multiple characters within the book and from excerpts from Anna's diary. The narrator's all have their own beliefs and issues which adds depth.

I would say up until the half way point the book was a bit slow but I appreciate that the story needed to be set up so the second half could fly.

The premise was intriguing to me, so much so, I actually googled to say about resignation syndrome and sleep comas. I am a prolific sleepwalker myself and so the element of people committing crimes when sleepwalking was terrifying to me. Might have to start locking my bedroom door 😂😂.

The book did make me want to read on but I did feel like there was some repetition that could have been cut out.

I have read alot of views who said they totally saw everything coming but I have to admit I did not. 😂😂. I loved all the twists in this book.

Overall the repetition of Dr Benedict Princes internal thoughts were a bug bear. And I felt like the book did not need to be so long! But I am glad I read the book. I enjoyed the concept of sleep psychology and I really enjoyed the twists.

Would be 3 and a half stars. But unable to give halves on here.

I had heard a lot of hype about this book so was appreciative of the fact I could read an advanced copy. It was a compelling read, a definite page turner, if a little overblown and contrived in places. I’m sure it’ll be a big hit.

Compelling read. I really enjoyed the writing style and it was an interesting plot. I got sucked in straight away and couldn’t put it down.
The layers and the twists make it fun to try and work out the who and the why. The different perspectives, including the diary entries, gave a nice depth to the storytelling. It’s a fascinating concept, especially for me as I suffer night terrors occasionally, and sleep walk even as an adult. Although not to any extreme, so don’t worry I’m not building my defence.
I think this is going to be a big hit, especially with the hype that’s already building

NetGalley Only - My only concern was the lack of viable suspects. It was too easy to work out, but still enjoyable.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I was really intrigued by the vague description of this book, as well as its claim to be a 'global sensation'.

However, this book was a difficult read. I found myself willing myself to read this to the end, I nearly gave up several times. I feel the book was written as more of a script for a series or film, rather than a novel.

I assume that the author has studied or has experience in psychology, because a vast amount of this book was about Greek myths and psychology cases from history which I have no interest in reading for reference.

Other than the main character of Anna, the characters weren't very well-rounded. There was very little history given about Dr Prince and his wife, which would have added to the story as it went along.

**Spoilers**

The ending of this book came out of the blue and made absolutely no sense. As mentioned above, if Dr Prince's history had been described in more detail, it may have made a little more sense. I feel that the twist was there but there was no build-up or clues for the reader to follow. I understand maybe the author wanted a shock at the end but it just didn't gel with the rest of the book.

Also, the ongoing saga of Elementary magazine's purchase/takeover also didn't really make much sense either. It was as if the friends' betrayal was described in a lot of detail, but then the RO involvement was just stuck on at the end without any history of this behaviour previously explained. Then the affair made even less sense because that wasn't built-up-to either.


I hate to leave bad reviews as I understand so much work must have gone into writing this. I just couldn't recommend it as I didn't feel it was a good read.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing a free copy to review.

I don't really read mysteries but I was intrigued by the very brief description of the book and wanted to expand my reading horizons.

I really enjoyed the story at first and liked that it showed the present day and what was happening in 2019 via diary entries. I had never heard of Resignation Syndrome so I thought that element of the story was interesting. I ultimately felt that the story was a bit too long but if you like mysteries you will enjoy the book.

I could see this story being a miniseries on Netflix someday.