S. J. Watson, author of Before I Go to Sleep, on tour June/July 2011

About Before I Go to Sleep

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harper (June 14, 2011)

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.

Every morning, Christine awakens beside a stranger in an unfamiliar bed. She sees a middle-aged face in the bathroom mirror that she does not recognize. And every morning, the man patiently explains that he is Ben, her husband, that she is forty-seven-years-old, and that an accident long ago damaged her ability to remember.

In place of memories Christine has a handful of pictures, a whiteboard in the kitchen, and a journal, hidden in a closet. She knows about the journal because Dr. Ed Nash, a neurologist who claims to be treating her without Ben’s knowledge, reminds her about it each day. Inside its pages, the damaged woman has begun meticulously recording her daily events—sessions with Dr. Nash, snippets of information that Ben shares, flashes of her former self that briefly, miraculously appear.

But as the pages accumulate, inconsistencies begin to emerge, raising disturbing questions that Christine is determined to find answers to. And the more she pieces together the shards of her broken life, the closer she gets to the truth . . . and the more terrifying and deadly it is.

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

“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)

“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)

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

Like Before I Go To Sleep on Facebook – Harper is launching a massive Facebook campaign starting in May that aims to make available up to the complete text of the book via a snazzy online reader. Harper is setting rolling goals for the number of followers, and each time a new goal is reached, a new excerpt will be made available. Giveaways and contests will be hosted through that page as well, so check back for opportunities that you can share with your readers.

About S. J. Watson

S. J. WATSON was born and educated in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the National Health Service for a number of years. Before I Go to Sleep, his first novel, has been sold in thirty-one countries and has also been optioned for film by Ridley Scott.