From the USA Today bestselling author of The Music of Us comes a thrilling and poignant new suspense novel: Ash finds herself in the ER diagnosed with coma. She has no memory of what has happened to her, but what she can do–despite what everyone around her might think–is listen to the conversations of her visitors. One of them in particular strikes her as a suspect in her recent rape. For Ash, … particular strikes her as a suspect in her recent rape.
For Ash, there is little time to gather clues: blackouts are happening not only in the hospital but throughout California. The Russian hackers who are intent on sabotaging the power grid are trying to blackmail her boyfriend, Michael, into helping their cause. And what better way for them to do it but by kidnapping her out of the hospital?
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The writing of this book is mesmerizing. From the first line, I found myself getting quiet and still, just listening to the main character’s voice: “Growing up, I didn’t care for fairytale characters. The one I disliked the most was Sleeping Beauty. Unfortunately, now I’ve turned into one. It’s the Sleeping part that frightens me…”
The character who speaks is a young woman named Ash, who has been beaten and raped, and lies in a hospital in a coma. But she can think, and hear everything going on around her. To the nurse, she imagines she looks like a mummy in her bandages. She hears her mother, the comments of others, the monitor emitting its pattern of beeps. She is startled by a power outage, and though the hospital has backup generators, she is further startled to hear those in the room speak of outages throughout the city and state.
She also remembers the rape; hears the brutal, Russian-accented voice of the monster who did this to her. She hears her boyfriend Michael come, and her mother’s hostility to him. Michael is a college dropout and a brilliant computer genius who has started his own software company. Distraught, he tries to explain to Ash that there might be a connection between him and the assault on her.
The story then catapults into stunning action. “The doors of the hospital take a hit. They crack, explode in a shower of glass slivers.” Terrorists next use the scheme of kidnap and blackmail, using Ash as the bargaining chip to force Michel to do their bidding. But he’s a hero, and Ash is determined to be whole again. This story is great romantic suspense, with the bonus of wonderful character development and a deep grasp of the human mind. Five big shiny stars!
A Captivating, Suspenseful Thriller
Wow! This is a very unique and suspenseful story. Ashley Winters has been attacked and raped. The novel begins with her wrapped in bandages from head to toe as she slowly regains her mental consciousness while her body remains in a comatose state. She can’t move a limb, open her eyes, or speak, but her mind is functioning and she can hear. Due to movement around her and voices, she soon realizes she’s lying in a hospital bed. Her memory is foggy and she has no idea how she ended up there. Ash doesn’t even know her name, but recognizes her mother’s voice. Nightmares haunt her dreams as she tries to piece together who attacked her.
The police think the assailant might come back to finish job and has her guarded 24/7. There’s a breakdown in that security and Ash hears the assailant talking near her bed to another enemy who wants her dead. She also learns the attack wasn’t random. The mastermind behind it wants something from her boyfriend, Michael. Ash is being used as a bargaining chip. Even in her state, the mastermind is still determined to use her to get what he’s after. What does he want? And how can Ash defend herself when she lacks control of her body?
Uvi Poznansky has created a well-crafted, unusual, intriguing read with memorable characters. I felt the fear and emotions that consumed Ash as she tried to snap her body into consciousness while being at the mercy of criminals. This story is a real page-turner that grips from the first chapter to the very end. I’m already looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Virtually Lace. If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers filled with masterfully written twists and turns, get this book! Highly recommended.
This is simply one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read. Absolutely superb.
I have personal knowledge of people in comas able to hear things although they can’t communicate other than maybe through a tear. The author obviously did a great deal of research on the subject, and the result is a can’t-put-down book.
If you’re in the mood for a good read and a book that will stay with you long past the last page, this one is for you. Highly, highly recommended!
This medical thriller will have you holding your breath. Written in first person, Coma Confidential draws the reader into the mind of the heroine, a young woman who barely survived a brutal beating and rape. Ash doesn’t remember what happened. She doesn’t even remember her name, but she’s aware of her surroundings and the people who come and go. Slowly, she pulls together the puzzle pieces and unravels the mystery…while the reader bites nails, hoping she’ll discover the culprits before it’s too late.
Not only is Ash battling to move to let someone know she’s aware—a finger or toe or her eyes—she’s frantic to discover what happened and who was responsible for her attack. When she finally realizes the truth, a whole new villain emerges and Ash must challenge herself…will her body to respond so she can save her own life.
A remarkable story of courage, strength, and survival. Without revealing spoilers, I’ll simply say don’t miss this beautifully written, lyrical story by USA Today Bestselling Author, Uvi Poznansky.
‘Coma Confidential’ by Uvi Poznansky is the first book in her Ashley Winters series. We meet Ash, the protagonist, in a most unusual way; mentally aware, yet trapped in a comatose body that refuses to respond. Much of the tale is told from Ash’s point of view and for this to work, the author needed to immerse the reader in the sensation of abandonment and helplessness the main character is experiencing as the story unfolds. Apart from a few sensory memories, and knowing she is lying on a hospital bed, Ash cannot recall anything, not even her own name. It precisely through the tactile information her senses provide that author Poznansky draws the reader into this intense mystery. By revealing, step by step, crucial details simultaneously to both the protagonist and the reader, the author not only ramps up the suspense but ensures the reader vicariously lives through Ash’s anxiety and fear as the tale progresses.
To describe the book as a harrowing intimate experience created with sublime skill does not do the author credit. The feeling of vulnerability, of being defenseless, even in the most basic manner of a cry for help, as the protagonist discovers there is a killer nearby who needs to finish the job, grabs the reader and creates a solid bond between them and the helpless young woman resulting in pages turning well into the night.
An awesome read from an outstanding and skilled writer. Highly recommended!
USA Today bestselling author, Uvi Poznansky, certainly doesn’t need a review from me. But I read Coma Confidential anyway to see what all the fuss was about. I was impressed, but not surprised, by the quality of the writing and the compelling story line.
The story is told through the point of view of Ashley Winters, and she is a memorable and highly relatable character. The book begins with Ash in a coma, inches from death, as a result of a brutal beating and rape. As she slowly regains consciousness and her faculties, she manages to recover her abilities and her memory as she heals.
On the surface, choosing a main character who is in a coma doesn’t seem to be the stuff of thrillers. But as soon as Ash is kidnapped from the hospital, the thrill is nonstop until the end. Her ability to escape the gang of Russian hackers with her life depends almost entirely on her own cleverness and a little bit of martial arts. In the end Ash proves to be an opponent to be reckoned with.
The supporting characters in Coma Confidential are memorable, if not always likeable. And Poznansky provides plenty of details that put us in the middle of the action. We are with Ash all the way.
WOW, what a read! The plot was intense, powerful and thrilling and held me captive all the way through! The characters fairly leaped off the page, and the tension was palpable. If you are looking for a book that you just CAN’T put down, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
What a wonderful read! I could feel the frustration of Ash in a coma, hearing and feeling everything, unable to react at all. She didn’t even know who she was. Yet she was so logical and brave and even funny at times! She knew she had only herself to save her. This book will be with me for awhile. Unforgettable.
My Audible version was read to me with flair and feeling. Great job.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Story Origin.
A woman is at the hospital in a coma. At times she can can hear people talking, but has no idea what happened or even who she is. She eventually hears her name, Ashley, and begins to remember some things. Other things she hears in conversations going on around her. Someone had beaten her badly enough to put her in this situation, but who and why? These are the things Ash and hopefully the police must find out. This thriller drew me in and kept me reading from beginning to end. I definitely want to read more from this author!
***** A Powerful and Different Kind of Thriller
Have you ever been in or known someone in a coma? We hear horrendous stories about how terrible it is for the near and dear sitting by a hospital bed, trying not to weep. But do we really know what goes on in a patient’s mind while he or she is “out”?
In this powerful Book 1 of the Ash Thriller Series, you learn first hand how that condition can alternate between being poignant, frustrating, and horrifying. Particularly when the patient has been brutally attacked to begin with and could soon fall victim to even nastier circumstances––in the hospital itself.
Ash and Michael are both software engineers, and as such, the brilliant Michael is a wanted commodity. Ash is too, but for different reasons. Through her, people can draw Michael in. Added to that scenario is Betty, Ash’s childhood nemesis, filled with envy and hate toward the patient. Ash’s Ma is also present, overflowing with protectiveness, yet always, ALWAYS there with an opinion. There are nurses who are nice enough but negligent, and then there’s Dr. Patel, the pompous know-it-all physician, unwilling to bend to anything or anyone other than his own will.
Vivid details abound in this book, from describing Ash’s constant effort to move by simply the twitch of her toe to a dangerous electrical failure in the hospital that may not be as innocent as it first seems.
To me, this book also shows a fascinating and intricate web of multi-layered characters, bursting with lies, conniving play acting, hospital personnel not at their best, and bad, foreign influences. Yet it does also include something else, something just as powerful. Steadfast love. Simply great!
Entertaining series starter…
I found this story to be interesting and entertaining. The lead character, a young lady named Ash, has survived a brutal assault only to find herself hospitalized and in a coma. She has no memory of what happened to her, or even of her own name, and must piece everything together from bits of conversation she overhears in her hospital room. I found this unusual perspective quite captivating. As Ash’s story unfolds, it becomes evident that Ash is still in danger from the people responsible for her attack. Her assault was no random act of violence. While I found the storyline engaging, I must comment that the medical aspects of her situation were lacking in complete authenticity, but not to a degree that I felt compromised the enjoyment of this fictional story. The story clips along at a brisk pace which could not have happened had the author chosen to rigorously adhere to grim reality.
I chose to listen to the audio version of this story as I read along. The narrator, Heather Jane Hogan, did a wonderful job bringing the story and all the characters to life. It was easy to picture the whole story unfold as she read. It will be interesting to see where the author decides to take Ash on her next adventure.
While I did purchase a copy of this book, I was provided with the audio version by the author and I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.
I really wanted to like this book, but it was a bit too unrealistic. I liked the premise of the story. I think it could’ve been a good book with a little research about the medical field.
What an intriguing story! To wake up in the hospital after a traumatic experience only to realize you are in a coma. As Ash slowly starts to recover her memories and bodily functions, she realizes how much danger she’s still in.
This is such a riveting story by Uvi Poznansky. The details and descriptions really drew me in.
Heather Jane Hogan’s narration was very entertaining. She really brought the characters to life.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
Ash, Kooky And Light-Hearted Throughout, Tries Through Observation And Recollection To Piece Together The Mystery Of What Happened To Her And Why.
This is book one of the Ash Suspense Thrillers with a Dash of Romance series.
Ashley Winters loves her new apartment. It is near the University of California Irvine where she is working on her masters and she feels incredibly safe there. Although she needs a job to help pay down her mounting student loans, life is good. But something went horribly wrong.
Ash awakes in the hospital unable to remember who she is. She desperately tries to focus in on her surroundings for clues as she struggles to remain conscious. Doctors and nurses speak about her, but nothing about her personal life. She does learn that she is in a coma, though, and may not make it.
Ash listens intently as visitors come and go. Bored to death, she has just two goals. First, to figure out who she is and what happened. Second, to get out of the hospital, because she soon learns she has reason to believe her life is in jeopardy.
A handful of visitors sit at Ash’s bedside at various times – her mother (Ma), her father (Pa), Betty, and Michael. There is a police officer posted outside her room. She can’t rule anyone out.
Ma is a little strange. She hardly speaks and hates Michael.
Pa is remarried and lives in Florida. He once worked at Southern California Edison but was forced out of his job due to downsizing. The company had brought in cheap overseas labor to replace the more expensive American employees. He was bitter about it.
Betty is her former nemesis from Costa Mesa High School. There is an unpleasant history between the girls. Betty was the party girl that stole Ash’s boyfriends.
Michael, her boyfriend, is a college dropout but a brilliant software developer. Has been working on a startup in his garage. Ash occasionally works with him on developing a Virtual Reality model. He chose not to pursue hacking, despite his talent.
The headlines are filled with stories about Russian cyber attacks on the electrical grid causing havoc. A group known as Dragonfly has infiltrated U.S. power companies. The power in the hospital ominously comes and goes. The mystery deepens when Ash overhears someone talking to a man named Vlad about her condition. While the story wraps up in the end, an important loose end remains.
Ash, kooky and light-hearted throughout, tries through observation and recollection to piece together the mystery of what happened to her and why. She shows incredible courage and fortitude in spite of her grave condition and the horrible event that placed her in her present state. She is on heavy pain medication for much of the book, which might explain her attitude, but in the small bit she isn’t under the influence of drugs she comes across in a somewhat similar manner.
Ash’s story is an unorthodox and unique whodunit. For a story about the victim of a horrific crime, it is written in an incredibly light-hearted way that only the victim herself can accomplish from her point of view. The story is quick read and well-written. It is plot-driven. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
The premise of a victim in a coma has been used frequently in crime fiction, but in Uvi Pozansky’s hands, it becomes a weapon that can mean the difference between life and death. In Poznansky’s Ash Suspense Series, her protagonist, a young woman named Ash, is in a coma, her life hanging by a thread. The good news is that Ash is mentally aware of everything that is going on around her; the bad news is that no one knows it, because she is totally paralyzed. Poznansky uses that situation to build suspense and deepen the plot so skillfully that I had to read the first half of the book in one sitting. Slowly she brings Ash out of her coma without her enemies knowing it. Indeed, Ash is able to participate in their demise as her control over her body returns. Another element of suspense is the high tech angle at stake. Her enemies, part of the Russian mob, have been able to steal software that control the electric grid of a city – allowing them to turn the power on and off at will, and creating chaos each time they do. The looting, danger, and even murders that occur during the black-outs affect Ash’s boyfriend and family. And even, eventually, the perpetrators themselves.
This is a great read, and one that is recommended.
Coma Confidential, by Uvi Poznansky, is the latest release from this USA Today Bestselling Author. Ms. Poznansky has successfully experimented with a new dimension of genre here, in what I’d call a delicious psychological thriller.
Told from the point of view of a comatose patient, Coma Confidential is brilliantly conceived and finely executed.
In the first part of the book, the patient—whom we later discover is named Ash—can only hear sounds around her. She knows the tapping sounds in the hallway match certain nurse’s and doctor’s footsteps. Fully aware of her surroundings, she can’t communicate. She lives in a dark world where the staff buzz around her, talking about her as if she’s probably a lost cause. Completely alone and confused, she doesn’t know her name or have any idea what put her in the hospital in this coma.
The aroma of donuts tells her the policeman is back on his shift… but why is he guarding her?
Later, a strangely familiar voice with a Russian accent sends adrenaline whooshing through her body…but why?
Little by little, Ash unravels the mystery of what landed her in the hospital and why she’s in terrible danger. And day by day, parts of her body begin to awaken. At first it’s a twinge in her toe. Soon she can open her eyes. But she realizes that revealing that she’s coming back may sign her death warrant, so she keeps her gradual awakening a secret.
When the power systems start failing randomly in the neighborhood and within the hospital, Ash is worried. She still needs machinery to help her stay alive. What will happen to her if the power doesn’t come back next time?
This suspenseful story spins into a wild race for survival for Ash, filled with terror, courage, and a journey that will have you cheering her on.
Coma Confidential is the second in the Ash Suspense Thrillers series, but it completely stands alone and there’s no need to read book one first in order to enjoy this intriguing tale!