Before I Go to Sleep

About the Book

“The best debut novel I’ve ever read.”—Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series

“An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page.” —Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Moonlight Mile

S. J. Watson makes his powerful debut with this compelling, fast-paced psychological thriller, reminiscent of Shutter Island and Memento, in which an amnesiac who, following a mysterious accident, cannot remember her past or form new memories, desperately tries to uncover the truth about who she is—and who she can trust.

Critical Praise

“An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page.” - Dennis Lehane

“Imagine drifting off every night knowing that your memories will be wiped away by morning. That’s the fate of Christine Lucas, whose bewildering internal world is rendered with chilling intimacy in this debut literary thriller. . . . You’ll stay up late reading until you know.” - People (4 stars)

“The summer’s single most suspenseful plot belongs to BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. . . . pure page-turner.” - New York Times

“Quite simply the best debut novel I have ever read.” - Tess Gerritsen

“Memories—real, false, and a bit of both—are at the heart of Watson’s haunting, twisted debut…. Watson handles what could have turned into a cheap narrative gimmick brilliantly, building to a chillingly unexpected climax.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This mesmerizing, skillfully written debut novel works on multiple levels. It is both an affecting portrait of the profound impact of a debilitating illness and a pulse-pounding thriller whose outcome no one could predict.” - Booklist (starred review)

“An intriguingly fresh look at the amnesia-focused psychological thriller. . . . A captivating and highly suspenseful read, populated with believable characters who lead the reader through a taut, well-constructed plot.” - Library Journal

“Watson’s debut novel unwinds as a story that is both complicated and compellingly hypnotic. . . . Watson’s pitch–perfect writing propels the story to a frenzied climax that will haunt readers long after they’ve closed the cover on this remarkable book.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A deft, perceptive exploration of a fascinating neurological condition, and a cracking good thriller.” - Lionel Shriver

“Brilliant in its pacing, profound in its central question, suspenseful on every page and satisfying in its thriller ending.” - Anita Shreve