He wants to remember. She needs to forget. . . . Memento meets Sharp Objects in a gripping psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water.“Twisty . . . highly imaginative . . . deliciously provocative.”—The Washington Post Who is Mr. Nobody? When a man is found on a British beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable … British beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. From the hospital staff who find themselves inexplicably drawn to him, to international medical experts who are baffled by him, to the national press who call him Mr. Nobody, everyone wants answers. Who is this man? And what happened to him?
Some memories are best forgotten.
Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is asked to assess the patient in a small town deep in the English countryside. This is her field of expertise, this is the chance she’s been waiting for, and this case could make her name known across the world. But therein lies the danger. Emma left this same town fourteen years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.
Places aren’t haunted . . . people are.
But now something—or someone—is calling her back. And the more time she spends with her patient, the more alarmed she becomes that he knows the one thing about her that nobody is supposed to know.
Praise for Mr. Nobody
“Riveting.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Even better than Something in the Water, Catherine Steadman’s new novel, Mr. Nobody, is original, ingenious, and utterly gripping, with characters you’ll really care about as they race toward the brilliantly unexpected ending.”—JP Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before
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Very clever, brilliantly compelling, another amazing read from Catherine Steadman.
The story definitely had me guessing who Mr. Nobody really was! It was a page turner because of the subplots happening which all tied into the main story. An enjoyable read!
Even better than Something in the Water, Catherine Steadman’s new novel, Mr. Nobody, is original, ingenious, and utterly gripping, with characters you’ll really care about as they race toward the brilliantly unexpected ending.
Well done! Catherine Steadman has created the most thrilling read here. The characters are well-developed, and I really liked all of them (well, except one certain reporter). Dr. Emma Lewis is an expert in her field of Neuropsychiatry, and she has been called in to assess a patient who has been found on a local beach. Mr. Nobody has no identification, does not speak, and appears to have no memory at all. Yet, he recognizes Emma, and he calls her by her former name. Emma has a traumatic past that we slowly learn throughout the rest of the book. Mr. Nobody knows her past, and he, too, is a fascinating character. I hated to put the book down!
“Mr. Nobody” by Catherine Steadman begins with an unusual first person narrative that leaves readers wondering what happened before and what will happen next. Steadman structures the book in a unique manner, and identifies the time and the main character of each chapter.
In Chapter one, (day one) readers meet “The Man.” Descriptions in the present tense bring realism to the man and express his confusion, his bewilderment, and his vulnerability. The next chapter jumps to day six, and continues in a first person narrative by Dr. Emma Lewis. She talks to herself and speaks to reader as if chatting with close friends. She relates experiences, describes incidents, demonstrates professionalism, and projects trust and confidence. Steadman alternates chapters between the man and the doctor and skillfully presents the events from both sides separately as they eventually merge. There is a tantalizing end to each chapter that entices readers to continue on to the next chapter with the alternating point of view and forms a bridge to bring readers back to this scenario in the future chapter. Then the man speaks…
The story advances with detailed information about Dr. Lewis’s search for answers for “the man,” now called Matthew. Dr. Lewis is determined to identify the problem, either physical or psychological; there are many questions, but few answers. Details about “the man” emerge slowly and deliberately within the context of the rest of the story, but information about “the man” is sensitive, perhaps even covert, and more than one secret is involved. As Dr. Lewis gets closer and closer to finding answers, the action becomes frantic, the situation grows dangerous, and the solutions are shocking. I will not give away the unanticipated end.
I received a review copy of “Mr. Nobody” from Catherine Steadman, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine. I was glued to the pages as I read, and absolutely did not anticipate the dramatic conclusion.
Fantastic!! Imagine meeting someone who had no idea who they were–no past at all. This is what happens to Dr. Emma Lewis–herself a victim of the repercussions of her father’s unsavory business dealings, when she is called in on a special case–a man who has no identity is found on a beach, soaking wet, with no shoes, and nothing that ties him to another human being. For days he doesn’t speak, but then one day he looks at Emma and calls her a name from her past–Marni. This changes everything! You won’t be disappointed in this thriller of a psychological wonder! I couldn’t put it down!!!
I couldn’t put it down. The beginning was so intriguing with the man on the beach. I was slightly disappointed in the big reveal as it didn’t seem to really tie things together but overall it was great!
A must read
A good storyline that keeps you guessing.
I’m a little disappointed by this one… I really really really liked the beginning. The mystery around Matthew’s appearance was well-designed. The attention surrounding Emma’s mysterious past was taut and intriguing. I couldn’t wait to see how the two would intersect – the hints and teasers were promising something dark and mysterious, I wasn’t sure if there was going to be a supernatural component, a series of accidents, or a long con – whatever it was though, the build was gradual and anxiety levels were high, and the reading was quick, tight, and enjoyable.
Then things started to be revealed, and frankly that is where the book lost me…
The delicious slow build that I enjoyed so much turned into a roller coaster ride of coincidences, half-explanations, and what felt like short-handed solutions to long and complex questions. It felt unsatisfying. It was never a question of whether I’d finish – the writing is engaging and I was so invested by this point that I was determined to see it through. It was a much slower read at that point though, and the ending almost felt like it was written by a different author – or at least one given a strict “wrap it up NOW!” order…
I think Steadman is a very talented writer and because I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of the book, would pick her up again – I just hope the next book I read maintains the level of detail, description, and complexity from this one’s opening half throughout the entire story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
A man is found wandering on the beach, with no identification, and seemingly unable to speak. Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is called to the hospital to evaluate this man. Everyone wants to know who is this man? what happened to him?
Emma knows this can put her name on the international map, but she left this same town fourteen years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.
The more time she spends with her patient, the more alarmed she becomes that he knows the one thing about her that nobody is supposed to know.
The first part of the book is quite interesting in that it explores fugue states. The intricate plot is well paced, characters are deftly drawn. Somewhere around the middle of the book, the pacing slows down although there are a few twists and turns here and there. The ending was less than satisfactory, it felt rushed. This is a new author to me, so not sure if this one is an anomaly.
Many thanks to the author / Random House – Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
I couldn’t put it down! I read it so fast! Now I’m going to read the other book from her! I’m excited! I love to read!
Keep making wonderful books
I received this book as an Early Reviewer from the publisher through thelibrarything. This book for me, was just ok. I don’t know if I was expecting more of a “WOW” but the end seemed a bit anti climatic. This story is told from 2 perspectives, the unidentified man, with no memory of who he is, named by the media as Mr. Nobody, and Dr. Emma Lewis. Emma is a neuropsychologist in London and Mr. Nobody is found in her childhood hometown. Emma goes back, mainly to discover this man’s mental state and to help further her career. But pieces of her past seem to keep popping up around this stranger. I can’t say much more without spoiler alerts. Overall I didn’t hate this book, I just didn’t love it enough to tell everyone that they have to read it.
After reading Catherine’s “Something in the water” a book I absolutely LOVED, I thought this one would be a great read, but unfortunately I fount it to be slow and sometimes boring. I did struggle to finish it. I still look forward to reading more from her as I do love her writing style.
Sadly, this book was a letdown for me. I was so excited to read another by Steadman, as I really enjoyed Something in the Water. I found myself not caring much about the characters. It was kind of a letdown for thriller impact and I forced myself to finish. There was way too much wordiness that were confusing/hard to understand and not necessary.
u202aMs. Steadman’s debut, “Something in the Water” was one of my first NetGalley reads. I loved it, so I was excited when I saw her second book on NG!u202c
u202aThe story of Dr. Emma Lewis and Mr. Nobody really peaked my interest at times, but ultimately left me with too many questions. The premise and writing are fantastic and I think the story had the potential to be really great. But it was bogged down with too many details and the ending didn’t do it for me. It didn’t have the “thrill” factor that keeps me engaged and wanting to flip the pages.u202c
u202aI’ll admit my expectations were high after reading her first book, so I was disappointed in this one. It looks like I might be in the minority on this one.u202c
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Book and Catherine Steadman for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
#NetGalley #MrNobody #Thriller
@CatSteadman
My Rating: 3.5 ’s (rounding down to 3)
Published: January 7th 2020 by Ballantine Books
Pages: 320
Recommend: Yes, but you might be disappointed if you read her first book.
Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman
This was a great read!
What if you woke up with no idea of who you were? Where you were? No idea of your past?
Dr. Emma Lewis is renowned in her field of psychiatry. She is innovative and progressive with her research. When she is contacted by a colleague regarding a man who appears to have washed up on the beach with zero recollection of anything, she is eager to take the case. However, in taking the case, she will have to relocate to the one place she does not want to return to.
Follow Dr. Lewis on her own journey of discovery and she tries to help the man on the beach, “Mr. Nobody” figure out his own past. Are some secrets better left hidden? Once they are uncovered, there is no going back.
Pick this book up. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an advanced reader copy at my request.
I was drawn to read and review this book because of the cover…breathtaking! The book had a relatively fast beginning, with a lot happening in a short time. But then, about halfway through, the story began to drag for me. The premise of the book was very creative; a man is discovered on a beach who has no identity and no clue about his past. Dr. Emma Lewis, a neuropsychiatrist, is tasked with finding out if Mr. Nobody (as he is dubbed by the media) has a past that he is running from or if he truly doesn’t recall his past. Interestingly enough, Emma has secrets to hide in her own past and she is not at all happy about having to return to her hometown to treat Mr. Nobody. However, Emma agrees to go and see if she can discover the truth about his condition just because it will give her a boost in her career. This was the part in which I totally lost interest because the pace was slow and the interaction between the two main characters was hum-drum. Nevertheless, I persisted, expecting to find a real surprise ending since the book is touted as a psychological thriller. I was very disappointed in the ending; it did not end with a bang or even a whimper. It just ended. Fans of suspense that moves slowly may enjoy this book, but I did expect more from this author since I had also read and reviewed her first book, and I suspect that readers may be somewhat disappointed at the letdown at the ending.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Absolutely love the writing style of Catherine Steadman. She has created a disturbingly stunning piece of literature that challenges all the familiar tropes and will shock even the most avid fans of this genre. Her characters are complex, enigmatic, and brimming with the most intriguing qualities. Cannot recommend this enough. Sure to be amongst the top books of 2020.
Thank you to #NetGalley and @RandomHousePublishingGroup for this ARC of #MrNobody, which I read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#ballantinebooks #wayward_readers #catherinesteadman