#74 - Black Out

Book No: 74
Title: Black Out
Author: Lisa Unger
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Published: 2008
Obtained: 2008/Shelfari
Completed: 9/15/08
No. of Pages: 358
Rating: 4/5*****

I have read and enjoyed both of Unger’s previous books Beautiful Lies and Sliver of Truth, which featured Ridley Jones. This book is a standalone and once again presents a roller coaster ride of suspense, physiological terror and string taut tension.

Annie Power’s is living a fairy tale life as the wife of a well to do businessman, Gray and mom to her beautiful daughter Victory. She has a fabulous home, cars, money live in help, and everything you could ask for. Annie Power’s however is hiding a huge secret- five years earlier her husband Gray, who is involved in private security, helped her fake her death to escape from the clutches of psychopath Marlowe Geary, a serial killer who Annie had been involved with during his killing spree. Annie remembers almost nothing of the years she spent with Marlow, suffering from disassociation and memory loss. Although her husband has assured her that Marlowe is dead, when a necklace Marlowe once gave her shows up in front of her home Annie is sure he has come back for her. As she begins to remember more and more of her past she also begins to suspect her husband is lying to her about his work and is plunged into a cat and mouse game with a corrupt police officer when she is witness to a crime. As more and more of her memories come back Annie knows that she must face her past in order to have a future.

This story had really intense pacing and made me stay up way too late at night trying to get to the end of the book. I did find the ending a bit convoluted but overall this was a non-stop ride through an unsettling landscape of some very dark and twisted characters. Read it with the lights on.