Amnesia

A mystery that enthralls you from the beginning. I couldn't put this one down. I'm expecting more great books from this author.

Imagine how your world would change if you were to witness your sister's murder, unable to aid her in any way, and that the man responsible got away clean. Then imagine that you have been given the opportunity to set things right. Suppose you have prepared your entire life in order to do so, but instead of bringing the murderer to justice, you find yourself involved in a plot so bizarre and unlikely you suspect you may have gone crazy? This is the conceit of David Best's latest thriller, "Amnesia". The title is apt, as it deals with the mysteries of human memory, the way we store and process information and, possibly, the ways we may lose it. Marti Segerson is the young girl, now grown and a psychiatrist in rural Tennessee. Having taken a job with the asylum where Vernon Odessa, the madman who killed her sister, is incarcerated, she aims to prove Odessa did the deed and ensure that he is punished. The only problem? If Odessa did it, he can't remember. And Marti's memory is starting to develop more holes than a wheel of Swiss cheese. Having previously enjoyed David Best's "The Judas Virus", I was excited to read this one. I am pleased to report that "Amnesia" is even better. The characters are sharply drawn and individual enough to be believable but without the unbelievable quirks that some freshman authors add as a substitute for characterization. Marti is resourceful and smart, but vulnerable and wounded by her childhood trauma. Her neighbor and landlord, Clay, might be a tad on the superguy side, being a rodeo rider and volunteer fireman, but these traits may be forgiven by his understated demeanor and self-effacing humor. The plot is laid out like a fine tapestry, with seemingly insignificant occurrences carrying greater weight as the story unfolds. The story is literally plotted like a roller-coaster, with Best bringing us to the point of revelation again and again, only to let the reader slide away in a rush, until the final plunge into the breathless resolution. This is a fine book, a terrific commute or beach read that will keep you turning the pages. Enjoy!

Beware! this book will draw you in, You will spend your spare time unable to put it down,, sheet I am on page 301 and worried that that my next read won't be this good, this is one fun book to read, waiting what happens to Marti, let alone Marti and Clay and the lockpicker, gueeze, even the minor characters in this book cause personal concern because you feel like you know so much about them. Regards, Bill