A Book A Week

I've been a fan of Michael Koryta for years. When I first started my blog, I was enamored with the way he mixed supernatural elements into the plots of his thrillers. More recently, Koryta has cranked out new standalone mysteries, eschewing the temptation of settling into a regular series in favor of original plots and characters. I enjoyed How It Happened so much that I instantly vowed to read whatever he came up with next. Koryta's publisher generously provided me a copy of If She Wakes, which I eagerly devoured over the last few days.

Tara Beckley is trapped inside her own body. She lies in the hospital bed, attached to machines and fully conscious, but unable to speak or move. Heck, even a blink would be welcomed at this point. She remembers driving the professor to his speech. She remembers his odd request for a detour. She remembers the van crashing into her car, leaving the professor dead and her lying in this hospital bed with locked-in syndrome. Tara just needs to be able to tell everyone what happened.

Abby Kaplan has a simple job to do. As a claims investigator, Abby has been tasked with making sure Tara's university can't be faulted for the death of the visiting professor. They had Tara pick the guest lecturer up from the airport, so they want to make sure their own interests are covered. The driver of the van has already admitted his fault in the accident, so Abby is merely there as a formality. She is a former stunt driver who gave it all up after a horrific accident. As she looks at the tracks on the street and angles of the cars, Abby realizes that everyone has simply trusted the van driver's story. The evidence points to something much more nefarious.

There is no denying Micahel Koryta's skill at crafting intriguing stories with relatable characters. If She Wakes hinges upon a simple premise and is full of the kind of characters I love to read about. Still, I couldn't help like something was missing from this novel. Instead of a plot propelled by layers of deep character development and thoughtful contemplations on larger themes, If She Wakes serves more as pure action entertainment. That's not to say I wasn't sucked into the momentum of the novel, I was. I guess I've just come to expect more from Koryta's work. Still, I'm a sucker for a thriller with the kinds of twists and turns If She Wakes presented, so I'll recommend it as a worthy addition to any summer reading list.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 22)