Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson

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🧠 Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 out of 5 stars)
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Amnesia Noir
📢 Warning: Spoilers ahead — and I promise, they’re worth it.

😱 This Is the Thriller You Cancel Plans For

Before I Go to Sleep gave me actual stress. The good kind. The kind where you’re muttering “oh no no no” into your book at 2am and then immediately reading the next chapter because you have to know what happens. This story completely wrecked my sleep schedule and I regret nothing.

The concept is simple, but chilling: Christine wakes up every day with no memory of her current life. She thinks she’s in her 20s — until she looks in the mirror and sees a stranger. A much older version of herself. Every. Single. Day.

She lives with a man named Ben, who patiently reminds her of who she is, what’s happened to her, and how to get through the day. But then she gets a phone call from a doctor, Dr. Nash, who tells her she’s secretly been keeping a journal. He helps her add to it every day.

And the very first thing written inside that journal?

“DON’T TRUST BEN.”

And that, my friends, is how you start a thriller.

🧠 Christine’s Nightmare

Christine suffers from a form of amnesia that wipes her memory each night when she sleeps. She wakes up confused, disoriented, and has to relearn everything about her life every single day. Her husband Ben seems devoted, and the situation heartbreaking… until it slowly, terrifyingly, starts unraveling.

Dr. Nash encourages her to write in her journal, and each day she rediscovers not only who she is — but also what she’s learned the day before. And things don’t add up. Ben lies about little things. Then bigger things. Why doesn’t he want her seeing this doctor? Why won’t he talk about their past? Why are there no photos from their wedding?

And then — we find out Ben isn’t Ben.

🕵️‍♀️ The Truth Unfolds

With fragments of memory returning, Christine begins to remember a man named Mike — someone she once had an affair with. And slowly, horrifyingly, the truth surfaces:

  • Mike attacked her during a fight when she tried to end the affair.

  • The attack caused her amnesia.

  • She spent years in a hospital, with her real husband, Ben, visiting — until he finally gave up and let her go, believing it was worsening her condition.

  • Mike, knowing this, pretended to be Ben. He picked her up from the hospital. Took her home. Played house. Gaslit her every single day into believing he was her husband.

Can we all take a moment to scream into the void?

🔥 The Final Showdown

Mike discovers the journal. Bad news. He tries to destroy it. Then he takes her on a “romantic getaway” — to the same place he attacked her years before. Christine, with her memory slowly piecing itself back together, tells him she’s in love with Ben. That’s all it takes.

He flips. He tries to kill her. Again.

He binds her to the bed. Tries to burn the journal. The room catches fire. She accepts she might die, but at least she knows the truth.

Then — she wakes up in the hospital. Alive. Surrounded by loved ones. Mike is dead. Her real husband, Ben, is there, full of remorse. Her best friend Claire helped save her after she failed to call her as planned, and Dr. Nash put the clues together and guessed where Mike had taken her.

And the best part? Christine’s memory is back. Fully. Finally. And for good.

Cue the sigh of relief. Cue the goosebumps.

✨ Why This Book Worked for Me

  • The premise was flawless. It gave me Memento vibes with a feminine twist, and I was instantly hooked.

  • The pacing was near-perfect. Every chapter builds tension. The amnesia structure was used brilliantly — not as a gimmick, but as a layered exploration of trust, identity, and control.

  • The stakes were sky-high. It’s terrifying to imagine not knowing who you can trust — especially when you’re sleeping next to the person you should be able to trust most.

  • Christine’s slow, painful fight to reclaim herself is one of the most satisfying character arcs I’ve read in a thriller. I was rooting for her on every page.

🧠 Final Takeaway

This story is about more than just amnesia or manipulation — it’s about survival. It’s about taking back your story, piece by broken piece, and refusing to let someone else define who you are.

And also? It’s a masterclass in suspense writing.

If you haven’t read this book yet — DO. IT. IMMEDIATELY. Just maybe don’t start it late at night unless you’re okay with being very, very tired the next day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

5 out of 5 stars. No question.

🛒 Buy Before I Go to Sleep

👉 Pick it up on Amazon (affiliate link)

😱 Loved This? Try These:

  • Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough — equally mind-bending and disturbing

  • The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides — twists on twists

  • Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell — family secrets, memory gaps, and gut-punch reveals

  • We Were Liars by E. Lockhart — for that amnesia + truth bomb combo

Let me know when you find your next favorite — I want to be just as emotionally wrecked by it as you were!

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