Before I Wake Paperback – June 10, 2014

Unfortunately turns out I also bought The Accident which is exactly the same book with a different title. Angry about that!!

This was one of those "can't put it down" booksI'm usually not too fond of books with psychotic villains, because so often they are almost caricatures of extreme and gratuitous violence. In this case the author did a very good job in realistically developing the slow building of what becomes his obvious abusive obsession. While by the end his actions are becoming improbable it is easy enough to suspend disbelief for the sake of the plot. Some might find the heroine, Sue, less than endearing; but her thinking and actions are also realistic in terms of someone who has experienced the type of relationship she had with James. I have to think the author has either experienced, or closely observed, the dynamics of a relationship between abuser and abused; and the "gaslighting" that manages to paint the abused person as "mental".

I'd of given this one 4 stars if it weren't for the fact that the ending didn't give me the one definitive answer I wanted. Without spoiling the plot I can't say any more. However, the story is REALLY engaging and the characters enthralling. As someone who suffered from psychological abuse, I can attest to the fact that she did a great job of building on how the abusee got into the predicament she did. Like I said, I just wish the ending was more satisfying. Felt like she cut it about half a page short.

4.5 stars! The narrator of this novel is Sue, the mother! The narrator is not the teen Charlotte as I thought it would be. Sue suffered from verbal and physical abuse at the hands of a controlling boyfriend and we see how that relationship and abuse affected her into her adulthood and as a mother. I found it very entertaining and feel the author did a wonderful job of detailing the abusive relationship! It kept me turning the pages. It was suspenseful and very well written. We do not hear from Charlotte through the book and I wish that we had..I really wanted to hear from her! This was a great psychological thriller and I would recommend!

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I ended up reading the whole thing in 2 days. This book had so many twists and turns I had no idea where it would end up. I found myself thinking of this book long after I had put it down. One of the best thrillers I have read.

Great book if you love books that keep you on the edge of your seat. I will be checking out more books by this author. (Spoiler) wish there was more info on the outcome of Charlotte.

I love books that jump back and forth from past to present as the plot reveals itself. It kept me guessing most of the time. a little predictable at end tho. would read author again

Couldn't put down; I read it in one day, it was so good! Would have given it 5 stars if not for some of the language.

I have been purchasing the C L Taylor books for an elderly relative in sequence. I was shocked to hear that she had twobooks with identical stories, but with different titles and covers. This is a con. It will be returned.

This book is worth reading, but it's also published under another title," THE ACCIDENT"

Thrilling story line would have liked to know the outcome of poor Charlotte however

Was disappointed because I already had this under a different title - The Accident.