Description:

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That’s when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, the same message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

Adele’s Review:

I read and reviewed Megan Goldin’s previous thrillers Night Swim and The Escape Room and liked them both (4 Stars) but Stay Awake is by far my favorite. I LOVED it! 5 Stars! The story is not only well-written it’s expertly plotted and executed. Brilliant! I couldn’t stop reading.

Throughout the tale I rooted for Liv Reese, the protagonist, and her counterpart, Detective Halliday, who both have a lot to prove. They solve a murder mystery in alternating chapters in their unique POV as the story unfolds. Goldin weaves clues throughout the book and ties up the big reveal with a very satisfying conclusion. I hope we see more of Detective Halliday in future books. Stay Awake has joined the short list of my favorite books of 2022. Highly recommended! Don’t miss this one!

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4614218168

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250280664/