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I Know My Name
…But what if that’s the only thing you can remember?
Komméno Island, Greece: I don't know where I am, who I am. Help me.
A woman is washed up on a remote Greek island with no recollection of who she is or how she got there.
Potter’s Lane, Twickenham, London: Eloïse Shelley is officially missing.
Lochlan’s wife has vanished into thin air, leaving their toddler and twelve-week-old baby alone. Her money, car and passport are all in the house, with no signs of foul play. Every clue the police turn up means someone has told a lie…
Does a husband ever truly know his wife? Or a wife know her husband? Why is Eloïse missing? Why did she forget?
The truth is found in these pages…
Komméno Island, Greece: I don't know where I am, who I am. Help me.
A woman is washed up on a remote Greek island with no recollection of who she is or how she got there.
Potter’s Lane, Twickenham, London: Eloïse Shelley is officially missing.
Lochlan’s wife has vanished into thin air, leaving their toddler and twelve-week-old baby alone. Her money, car and passport are all in the house, with no signs of foul play. Every clue the police turn up means someone has told a lie…
Does a husband ever truly know his wife? Or a wife know her husband? Why is Eloïse missing? Why did she forget?
The truth is found in these pages…
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2017
About the author
C.J. Cooke
9 books1,831 followersC.J. (Carolyn) Cooke is an acclaimed, award-winning poet, novelist and academic with numerous publications as Carolyn Jess-Cooke and Caro Carver. Her work has been published in twenty-three languages to date. Born in Belfast, C.J. has a PhD in Literature from Queen’s University, Belfast, and is currently Reader in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, where she also researches the impact of motherhood on women’s writing and creative writing interventions for mental health. Her books have been reviewed in The New York Times, The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, and the Daily Mail. She has been nominated for an Edgar Award and an ITW Thriller Award, selected as Waterstones’ Paperback Book of the Year and a BBC 2 Pick, and has had two Book of the Month Club selections in the last year. She lives in Scotland with her husband and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 602 reviews
January 15, 2018
Psychological thriller with a twist!
After crashing her boat on a remote Greek island, an unnamed woman is rescued by four writers who are on a retreat. The woman can’t remember her name, where she is from, or any details of her life. As she recovers from her accident, she struggles to remember who she is. While she can’t remember anything, what she can recognize is that the four writers who have rescued her aren’t who they seem. Her rescue eventually becomes a struggle for survival.
At the same time, in Twickenham, England, Lochlan Shelley recevies a phone call alerting him to his wife’s disappearance. Why would Eloise, seemingly perfect mother and perfect wife, just up and dissappear? Did someone abduct her or is there more to Lochlan than meets the eye?
This was a captivating and intriguing read. I’ve been reading a lot of formulaic thrillers latelty and this is anything but. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I would recommend to fans of psycholgical thrilers who are craving something different!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After crashing her boat on a remote Greek island, an unnamed woman is rescued by four writers who are on a retreat. The woman can’t remember her name, where she is from, or any details of her life. As she recovers from her accident, she struggles to remember who she is. While she can’t remember anything, what she can recognize is that the four writers who have rescued her aren’t who they seem. Her rescue eventually becomes a struggle for survival.
At the same time, in Twickenham, England, Lochlan Shelley recevies a phone call alerting him to his wife’s disappearance. Why would Eloise, seemingly perfect mother and perfect wife, just up and dissappear? Did someone abduct her or is there more to Lochlan than meets the eye?
This was a captivating and intriguing read. I’ve been reading a lot of formulaic thrillers latelty and this is anything but. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I would recommend to fans of psycholgical thrilers who are craving something different!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2018
Wow what a sizzling and intense psychological thriller that C.J Cooke serves on a platter ;).
A woman wakes up on a beach in the beautiful island of Kommeno Greek. This woman has no idea how she landed on this island or where she came from. She is nameless and in a vulnerable state. A small damaged sailboat lies next to her washed on shore. Luckily, this mysterious woman comes across 4 fellow islanders that take her in as their own and nurse her back to health.
Meanwhile, Lochlan Shelley who is living in a beautiful area of London gets a frightening phone call while at work from his neighbor about his wife Eloise missing from their home. Lochlan's neighbor explains that Eloise is no where to be seen and their two children Max and infant Cressinda are alone in the house. Eloise's disappearance hits like a tornado and Lochlan's world comes crashing down. Eloise's keys, purse, car, and personal documents are left at the home... but she is no where to be found.
Lochlan calls in Eloise's grandparents Gerda and Magnus to help him with the children. Soon, the investigation takes off into finding Eloise but the investigation takes a dark turn when Eloise and Lochlan's marriage isn't what it appears to be.
Back on the island of Kommeno, this mysterious women is being taken care of by the fellow islanders but tension quickly begins to unravel between the the five of them. Each of the four fellow islanders appears to be hiding something that may help this woman find out who she really is.
C.J Cooke delivers a very engaging thriller that has plenty of twists and turns! Cooke takes off with the characterization and this is one of the strongest aspects to the story. What I truly loved about this novel was the deep psychological aspect. Cooke takes you brilliantly down another whole rabbit hole my friends. But, this habit hole is somewhere you definitely want to go! Can, I just say now THIS is what you call an ending. I loved how the author tied the title to the ending of the book.
4 strong stars!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced arc. This was solely my honest opinion and review.
Publication date is 1/16/18.
A woman wakes up on a beach in the beautiful island of Kommeno Greek. This woman has no idea how she landed on this island or where she came from. She is nameless and in a vulnerable state. A small damaged sailboat lies next to her washed on shore. Luckily, this mysterious woman comes across 4 fellow islanders that take her in as their own and nurse her back to health.
Meanwhile, Lochlan Shelley who is living in a beautiful area of London gets a frightening phone call while at work from his neighbor about his wife Eloise missing from their home. Lochlan's neighbor explains that Eloise is no where to be seen and their two children Max and infant Cressinda are alone in the house. Eloise's disappearance hits like a tornado and Lochlan's world comes crashing down. Eloise's keys, purse, car, and personal documents are left at the home... but she is no where to be found.
Lochlan calls in Eloise's grandparents Gerda and Magnus to help him with the children. Soon, the investigation takes off into finding Eloise but the investigation takes a dark turn when Eloise and Lochlan's marriage isn't what it appears to be.
Back on the island of Kommeno, this mysterious women is being taken care of by the fellow islanders but tension quickly begins to unravel between the the five of them. Each of the four fellow islanders appears to be hiding something that may help this woman find out who she really is.
C.J Cooke delivers a very engaging thriller that has plenty of twists and turns! Cooke takes off with the characterization and this is one of the strongest aspects to the story. What I truly loved about this novel was the deep psychological aspect. Cooke takes you brilliantly down another whole rabbit hole my friends. But, this habit hole is somewhere you definitely want to go! Can, I just say now THIS is what you call an ending. I loved how the author tied the title to the ending of the book.
4 strong stars!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced arc. This was solely my honest opinion and review.
Publication date is 1/16/18.
January 25, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 solid stars!
Not going to lie, when I first started I Know My Name I had no idea what I was going to think of it. I was fairly bored at the beginning, and the book wasn't holding my attention all that well. However, once I was about halfway through I got into it more, and once I reached the end I began to appreciate the rest of the book a lot more!
I Know My Name is definitely more of a character study than fast-paced thriller, and psychological thriller is an extremely accurate description / genre in this case. Although not as fast-paced as I usually enjoy, this was still a solid 4 star read for me.
The story is told in beautiful, very descriptive prose, but I didn't feel like it was too wordy. C.J. Cooke really paints a picture for you, and this is an incredibly detailed narrative with more than one surprise.
The book switches perspectives and even sometimes goes back in time. Both qualities that I really enjoy in a book, and it was helpful to the story. I really enjoyed all of Lachlan's realizations (especially at the end), but I don't want to give anything away so I will leave it at that. I have to say that I did kind of see the twist coming (or at least it made sense to me), but I still enjoyed it. I also thought the ending made sense, and didn't seem terribly far-fetched like I've seen some reviews say.
Final Thought: If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are more of a character study than fast-paced thriller, you should like this book. Even though I'm usually into a faster pace than this book provides, I really appreciated the subject matters that Cooke touches on, and the words of wisdom at the end. I would also recommend going into this book without re-reading the blurb, then you aren't expecting anything. Also, this book deals with a whole lot more than that blurb discusses.
*This title was published on 16 Jan 2018*
*Thanks so much to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free finished copy of this book in exchange for my review. My review is completely honest and unbiased*
Not going to lie, when I first started I Know My Name I had no idea what I was going to think of it. I was fairly bored at the beginning, and the book wasn't holding my attention all that well. However, once I was about halfway through I got into it more, and once I reached the end I began to appreciate the rest of the book a lot more!
I Know My Name is definitely more of a character study than fast-paced thriller, and psychological thriller is an extremely accurate description / genre in this case. Although not as fast-paced as I usually enjoy, this was still a solid 4 star read for me.
The story is told in beautiful, very descriptive prose, but I didn't feel like it was too wordy. C.J. Cooke really paints a picture for you, and this is an incredibly detailed narrative with more than one surprise.
The book switches perspectives and even sometimes goes back in time. Both qualities that I really enjoy in a book, and it was helpful to the story. I really enjoyed all of Lachlan's realizations (especially at the end), but I don't want to give anything away so I will leave it at that. I have to say that I did kind of see the twist coming (or at least it made sense to me), but I still enjoyed it. I also thought the ending made sense, and didn't seem terribly far-fetched like I've seen some reviews say.
Final Thought: If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are more of a character study than fast-paced thriller, you should like this book. Even though I'm usually into a faster pace than this book provides, I really appreciated the subject matters that Cooke touches on, and the words of wisdom at the end. I would also recommend going into this book without re-reading the blurb, then you aren't expecting anything. Also, this book deals with a whole lot more than that blurb discusses.
*This title was published on 16 Jan 2018*
*Thanks so much to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free finished copy of this book in exchange for my review. My review is completely honest and unbiased*
January 6, 2018
There is more sizzling intensity in these pages than the actual Hades-like heat coming from the Sun's rays over the Greek island of Kommeno.
Kommeno, an uninhabited gem of nature northwest of Crete, opens its arms to a woman who has washed up on her shores. The small damaged sailboat rests in the sand alongside her. Barely alive, the woman crawls seeking shelter......a nameless woman with no recognition of how she came upon these shores or, shockingly, who she is.
C.J. Cooke sweeps the storyline like a tidal wave in a completely different direction and location in the pages that follow. Lochlan Shelley, working for a corporate finance firm in Edinburgh, receives a phone call from a worried neighbor. Lochlan's wife, Eloise, and their two children reside in their home in Twickenham outside of London. Lochlan commutes back and forth for work.
The neighbor gives a rapid-fire rendition of what she came upon. The children, Max and newborn baby Cressida, have been abandoned. There is no sign of Eloise although her car is still in the driveway. Her handbag and keys remain in the house. The police are contacted and the search for Eloise hits the pavement. Having no parents in the picture, Eloise's grandparents, Gerda and Magnus, are called in to help with the children.
My jaw drops at the very thought that this is a debut novel in this genre from the author, C.J. Cooke. Cooke takes charge from the get-go leaving deeply imbedded footprints in her character development. It's the weaving back and forth of these flawed individuals, who drive this storyline with such magnitude, that sets this story aflame. The quest for Eloise is met with such ferocity and that ferocity is met with secret landmines of which we readers could never imagine.
My only concern was with the closing out of this nerve-driven storyline. Cooke wades deeply into the heavy, heavy weeds of psychological entanglements. It's quite the closure.....almost like getting hit in the head with an unexpected housebrick. But at the same time, this strange river manned by strange characters demands a strange conclusion. Be advised: it's a very, very worthy read.
I received a copy of I Know My Name through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins (Grand Central Publishing) and to C.J. Cooke for the opportunity.
Kommeno, an uninhabited gem of nature northwest of Crete, opens its arms to a woman who has washed up on her shores. The small damaged sailboat rests in the sand alongside her. Barely alive, the woman crawls seeking shelter......a nameless woman with no recognition of how she came upon these shores or, shockingly, who she is.
C.J. Cooke sweeps the storyline like a tidal wave in a completely different direction and location in the pages that follow. Lochlan Shelley, working for a corporate finance firm in Edinburgh, receives a phone call from a worried neighbor. Lochlan's wife, Eloise, and their two children reside in their home in Twickenham outside of London. Lochlan commutes back and forth for work.
The neighbor gives a rapid-fire rendition of what she came upon. The children, Max and newborn baby Cressida, have been abandoned. There is no sign of Eloise although her car is still in the driveway. Her handbag and keys remain in the house. The police are contacted and the search for Eloise hits the pavement. Having no parents in the picture, Eloise's grandparents, Gerda and Magnus, are called in to help with the children.
My jaw drops at the very thought that this is a debut novel in this genre from the author, C.J. Cooke. Cooke takes charge from the get-go leaving deeply imbedded footprints in her character development. It's the weaving back and forth of these flawed individuals, who drive this storyline with such magnitude, that sets this story aflame. The quest for Eloise is met with such ferocity and that ferocity is met with secret landmines of which we readers could never imagine.
My only concern was with the closing out of this nerve-driven storyline. Cooke wades deeply into the heavy, heavy weeds of psychological entanglements. It's quite the closure.....almost like getting hit in the head with an unexpected housebrick. But at the same time, this strange river manned by strange characters demands a strange conclusion. Be advised: it's a very, very worthy read.
I received a copy of I Know My Name through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins (Grand Central Publishing) and to C.J. Cooke for the opportunity.
December 27, 2017
I Know My Name by C. J. Cooke is a psychological thriller that had my attention from the opening pages. A woman is rescued on a remote island when her boat crashed by a group of four writers on their annual retreat. With no memory of who she is or how she came to be on the island the woman wants nothing more than to contact the authorities and find her identity but there is no way to leave the island.
In the next chapter readers are introduced to Lochlan who gets a phone call that his wife is missing leaving their young children alone. With his world falling apart after that phone call Locklan is frantic to find out what happened to his wife, Eloise. With police and family called the search begins for the young mother who has left her young children and husband behind.
The point of view during the story switches mainly between our mystery woman on the island with whom we assume is the missing Eloise and her husband, Lochlan, who is frantic to find what happened to his wife. There are also chapters that take a reader back in time to learn of Eloise’s past intertwined within what is going on in the current story. Everything is very easy to follow along with all throughout the book when switching and flowed very well keeping me on the edge of my seat as I tried to piece together what the outcome would be.
I Know My Name is a debut novel for C. J. Cooke but I would never have been able to guess that fact. The story was very well done and pulled me in immediately with the tension building from the opening pages. The setting on the island was a wonderful one that I could clearly picture and the characters were very well developed. The ending is not necessarily a new one to those that read a lot of thrillers but it was done rather well and it really seemed the author did a lot of research to make it flow smoothly. Great read and I’ll definitely look forward for more to come from this author.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
In the next chapter readers are introduced to Lochlan who gets a phone call that his wife is missing leaving their young children alone. With his world falling apart after that phone call Locklan is frantic to find out what happened to his wife, Eloise. With police and family called the search begins for the young mother who has left her young children and husband behind.
The point of view during the story switches mainly between our mystery woman on the island with whom we assume is the missing Eloise and her husband, Lochlan, who is frantic to find what happened to his wife. There are also chapters that take a reader back in time to learn of Eloise’s past intertwined within what is going on in the current story. Everything is very easy to follow along with all throughout the book when switching and flowed very well keeping me on the edge of my seat as I tried to piece together what the outcome would be.
I Know My Name is a debut novel for C. J. Cooke but I would never have been able to guess that fact. The story was very well done and pulled me in immediately with the tension building from the opening pages. The setting on the island was a wonderful one that I could clearly picture and the characters were very well developed. The ending is not necessarily a new one to those that read a lot of thrillers but it was done rather well and it really seemed the author did a lot of research to make it flow smoothly. Great read and I’ll definitely look forward for more to come from this author.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 23, 2017
A beautifully written novel about the disappearance of a woman who is found on the beach of a Greek island, she has no idea what has happened to her or how she got there.
The woman is Eloise Shelley, who is a mother of two young children. Her husband, Lochlan, panics when he discovers she is missing and has left all her belongings behind. He learns that he didn't know his wife as well as he had thought.
The story unfolds slowly and is compelling. I was easily swept away in the heartfelt search that went on for Eloise. We also hear Eloise's story as she struggles on the island to recall what has happened. Who are these people helping her on this remote island? Will they help her get home or are they conspiring against her?
I also enjoyed the setting of the island and could visualize all the sights and sounds. I really enjoyed the first person narrative. This debut author does such a wonderful job with characterization and I felt deeply for Eloise and her family.
The story is an interesting one, but the last third of the book fell short for me. It took a completely different direction than I expected. At this point, I figured out where the mystery was heading and the ending was just too far-reaching for me.
The way it wrapped up is what didn't work for me, but others have loved it.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC.
January 13, 2018
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for sending me a free copy for an honest review. Wow, I Know My Name by C.J. Cooke was an awesome read with a twist I did NOT see coming! Well played C.J., well played! This is out on January 16th and you need this! My review will be very simple as I do not want to spoil anything!
This book was a non stop read for me! I was glued to the pages wanting to know who, what and why! This is told in multiple POV with some flashbacks for background.
A woman is rescued on a remote island after her boat crashes by four writers who are on a retreat. She doesn’t remember her name, where she has come from and how she has ended up on this island. The writers seem helpful and want to take care of her but can she trust them?
The very next chapter we met Lochlan. He receives a call from his neighbor telling him that his wife, Eloise, is not home but their kids are. He races home to find his kids with the neighbor and Eloise no where in sight. All her belongings are still in the home. Her purse, phone, car... all there except she isn’t. The search for Eloise begins with police, friends and family. Lochlan and Eloise’s grandparents suffer a great deal of pain not knowing where Eloise has gone. Has she just left her kids and husband behind? Did someone take her?
The twists and turns were so much fun! You need to go into this as blind as possible. I have been staying away from reviews until after I finish because just the slightest comment and I know where it’s headed! I really enjoyed I Know My Name and I highly recommend! 4.5 Stars!
This book was a non stop read for me! I was glued to the pages wanting to know who, what and why! This is told in multiple POV with some flashbacks for background.
A woman is rescued on a remote island after her boat crashes by four writers who are on a retreat. She doesn’t remember her name, where she has come from and how she has ended up on this island. The writers seem helpful and want to take care of her but can she trust them?
The very next chapter we met Lochlan. He receives a call from his neighbor telling him that his wife, Eloise, is not home but their kids are. He races home to find his kids with the neighbor and Eloise no where in sight. All her belongings are still in the home. Her purse, phone, car... all there except she isn’t. The search for Eloise begins with police, friends and family. Lochlan and Eloise’s grandparents suffer a great deal of pain not knowing where Eloise has gone. Has she just left her kids and husband behind? Did someone take her?
The twists and turns were so much fun! You need to go into this as blind as possible. I have been staying away from reviews until after I finish because just the slightest comment and I know where it’s headed! I really enjoyed I Know My Name and I highly recommend! 4.5 Stars!
November 4, 2017
I received a free electronic copy of I Know My Name by C.J. Cooke from NetGalley for my honest review.
This book is a very intense psychological thriller that sucks you in from the first chapter. A very deep read with lots of twists to it. A story a a happily married woman with two children who goes missing and leaves behind her husband and children. A very emotional book about childhood abuse and how it affects a person many years later and mental illness.
This book is a very intense psychological thriller that sucks you in from the first chapter. A very deep read with lots of twists to it. A story a a happily married woman with two children who goes missing and leaves behind her husband and children. A very emotional book about childhood abuse and how it affects a person many years later and mental illness.
January 16, 2018
I loved this psychological thriller! This book had me turning pages up through the night as fast as possible! The way I can relate to this story is that I am the care taker of my son’s father and he had his 2nd severe traumatic brain injury 4 years ago. He had only a 6% chance of survival and they never thought he would be able to walk, eat or go to the bathroom on his own. Well he proved all of that wrong but unfortunatelyhe battles short term and long term memory loss. Every day is new to him and sometimes even 20 minutes ago is erased. It has been a huge struggle in so many ways because his memory of us is so long before and such but we are a family and make it through. Back to the book, this story had me guessing like crazy and had no idea what was going to happen next. The plot was smooth flowing yet suspenseful at the same time. I highly recommend this book!😄
January 16, 2018
I Know My Name by C.J. Cooke is one of those books that instantly, from the very first page makes me curious and engrossed. I'm really impressed with the fact that this is C.J. Cooke's first book. The writing pulls you in and to be honest, I had some serious problems with closing the book, despite the fact that I needed to get up early and the time just disappeared while I was reading the book.
The story shifts focus between Lochlan who discovers that his wife has gone missing without a trace, and a woman that is washed up on the shore of a remote Greek island with amnesia. This seems like a straightforward story, but is it really so? Without giving away too much, did I as the story progressed suspect how it would turn out, and yeah, I was on the right track. However, that only made the story more interesting to read, to see if I was right. I was also thrilled to read a book where the husband wasn't treated as a suspect from the very first minute. I could clearly picture how he would have to get on the run to find his wife to prove that he was innocent, but that never happened and that made me very glad.
I also found the ending to be very satisfying, and once again I face the trouble of trying to explain why without giving the story away. It's just that it could have ended more abrupt when Lochlan learns the truth, etc. However, the epilogue gives a more satisfying ending.
All and all is this a great book and I can't wait to read more books by C.J. Cooke.
I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
The story shifts focus between Lochlan who discovers that his wife has gone missing without a trace, and a woman that is washed up on the shore of a remote Greek island with amnesia. This seems like a straightforward story, but is it really so? Without giving away too much, did I as the story progressed suspect how it would turn out, and yeah, I was on the right track. However, that only made the story more interesting to read, to see if I was right. I was also thrilled to read a book where the husband wasn't treated as a suspect from the very first minute. I could clearly picture how he would have to get on the run to find his wife to prove that he was innocent, but that never happened and that made me very glad.
I also found the ending to be very satisfying, and once again I face the trouble of trying to explain why without giving the story away. It's just that it could have ended more abrupt when Lochlan learns the truth, etc. However, the epilogue gives a more satisfying ending.
All and all is this a great book and I can't wait to read more books by C.J. Cooke.
I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
June 14, 2017
I Know My Name was really beautifully done. A page turner of a novel with genuine emotional resonance at the core of it I was completely caught up in the story of Eloise and Lochlan as he desperately searches for her and she tries to remember what happened to her.
It is a psychological thriller but with a slightly different vibe. There isn’t a huge mystery or a huge twist in the tale, CJ Cooke simply opens her characters up to the reader and lets them see the story unfold. Left with two children Lochlan can’t understand how Eloise could leave them. A gap in memory leaves Eloise unsure of anything at all apart from her name. Separated by an ocean, you are rooting for these two to come back together.
It is difficult to say too much without giving away the heart of this book so I’ll just say that it is beautifully complex yet simply told in a way that really digs deep into the themes that anchor the tale. Unpredictable simply because it is not trying to hard to be clever, I Know My Name draws you in and leaves you at the end with all the feels. In some ways it is less psychological thriller and more family drama, pulling apart the layers of one family unit and letting you find the truth.
Really terrific. Just excellent.
Highly Recommended.
It is a psychological thriller but with a slightly different vibe. There isn’t a huge mystery or a huge twist in the tale, CJ Cooke simply opens her characters up to the reader and lets them see the story unfold. Left with two children Lochlan can’t understand how Eloise could leave them. A gap in memory leaves Eloise unsure of anything at all apart from her name. Separated by an ocean, you are rooting for these two to come back together.
It is difficult to say too much without giving away the heart of this book so I’ll just say that it is beautifully complex yet simply told in a way that really digs deep into the themes that anchor the tale. Unpredictable simply because it is not trying to hard to be clever, I Know My Name draws you in and leaves you at the end with all the feels. In some ways it is less psychological thriller and more family drama, pulling apart the layers of one family unit and letting you find the truth.
Really terrific. Just excellent.
Highly Recommended.
June 13, 2020
A woman washes up on the shores of Kommeno Island, northwest of Crete. She remembers nothing of how she got to the island. She remembers nothing of her past and doesn’t even remember her name. Meanwhile Lochlan Shelley in Edinburgh gets a phone call at work telling him that his wife is missing. The neighbour In London has found their toddler Max and 12 week old baby Cressida on their own in the house. It appears Lochlan’s wife, Eloise, has vanished without a trace. Is there more to her disappearance than meets the eyes. Could she have left Lochlan? Is Lochlan in some way responsible for disappearance? The police and her grandparents who raised Eloise since she was a twelve year old all have their suspicions. What is the truth? And where is Eloise?
I found this is really interesting read, as it flits between the woman on the Greek Island and the situation with Lochlan and his young family back in London. Interspersed are some other incidents, which give a picture of Eloise’s childhood experiences and upbringing. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book for around 60 percent or thereabouts, before it turned into something that I was not expecting. From that point I was still intrigued enough to want to know how it all panned out and kept reading to the end. I’m not going to say much more as this book needs to be read without divulging too much. However, once you have finished the book the afterword by the author certainly makes interesting reading. But please don’t sneak and read it beforehand or you will spoil the impact of the story.
This is a debut novel and it will be interesting to see what this author writes next. I, for one, will be keeping an eye out. A couple of incidents like with the rabbit were hard for this reader to read. But I’m a bit of a wuss in some regards, especially when it comes to animals. All in all a compelling read with a few twists some readers may not see coming. Definitely recommend this book that had me turning the pages as tension mounted.
I found this is really interesting read, as it flits between the woman on the Greek Island and the situation with Lochlan and his young family back in London. Interspersed are some other incidents, which give a picture of Eloise’s childhood experiences and upbringing. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book for around 60 percent or thereabouts, before it turned into something that I was not expecting. From that point I was still intrigued enough to want to know how it all panned out and kept reading to the end. I’m not going to say much more as this book needs to be read without divulging too much. However, once you have finished the book the afterword by the author certainly makes interesting reading. But please don’t sneak and read it beforehand or you will spoil the impact of the story.
This is a debut novel and it will be interesting to see what this author writes next. I, for one, will be keeping an eye out. A couple of incidents like with the rabbit were hard for this reader to read. But I’m a bit of a wuss in some regards, especially when it comes to animals. All in all a compelling read with a few twists some readers may not see coming. Definitely recommend this book that had me turning the pages as tension mounted.
August 22, 2022
Not in the mood for a review because I already feel like it took an eternity to read! I will only say that I had no problem with the writing, but it was extremely slow. The ending could have save it all, but even if I didn't see it coming, it went into a direction I didn't like. I'm really not into this kind of trope.
2.5
2.5
July 10, 2017
Oops. I left this one as a "review to come" for a looong time.
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I’m really sad to be posting this review with only 3 stars but that’s just the way it is. I began this book really excited and loving it, all the way to around 60% where things started to go downhill for me. Let me explain my thoughts…
First thing to note with this novel is the passion and emotion it’s written with. There is absolutely no doubt that Cooke has a knack for writing. Writing that can simultaneously give you the shivers and produce strong parental feelings all in one go. There is nothing wrong with the way this is written, in fact, that’s my favourite thing about this novel, the beauty of the language and descriptiveness used.
Characters in this novel are good. I thought Lochlan was the most developed and well present character out of them all. Eloise’s character was interesting and I was invested in her story with the others on the island but I feel like more could have been done to make us empathise with her, both when she was scrabbling around the island with ominous strangers and when all was said and done and we find out what really happened. Maybe it’s just me but I couldn’t connect with her on a personal level.
The story in this one is interesting. Eloise, grown woman, dedicated mother and charity advocate vanishes from her home, leaving her two young children all by themselves. What ensues is a desperate search for her, by her loving but distant husband and overbearing grandparents. There are definitely some cliches in this book, but the story starts strong and remains strong all the way through and it definitely concludes itself in an interesting and different way to other similar books in the market.
My problem is that I couldn’t connect with the ending, and maybe that’s because I guessed what was going on at around 50% and it didn’t shock me. I was just waiting for the reveal to be revealed and in that time I lost my enthusiasm for the book. Not only that but the ending could have been done better. It was too rushed and time moved too quickly for the real impact of the story to hit you.
This is, of course, all personal opinion. I didn’t not enjoy it. It was different in ways and I loved the writing style, but I lost my connection to the story along the way and ultimately, the story needs to grip you from beginning to end to be really successful. In the end, my thoughts are this: good debut, shows lots of potential to be a strong, emotive storyteller, but this one just missed some sort of mark with me.
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I’m really sad to be posting this review with only 3 stars but that’s just the way it is. I began this book really excited and loving it, all the way to around 60% where things started to go downhill for me. Let me explain my thoughts…
First thing to note with this novel is the passion and emotion it’s written with. There is absolutely no doubt that Cooke has a knack for writing. Writing that can simultaneously give you the shivers and produce strong parental feelings all in one go. There is nothing wrong with the way this is written, in fact, that’s my favourite thing about this novel, the beauty of the language and descriptiveness used.
Characters in this novel are good. I thought Lochlan was the most developed and well present character out of them all. Eloise’s character was interesting and I was invested in her story with the others on the island but I feel like more could have been done to make us empathise with her, both when she was scrabbling around the island with ominous strangers and when all was said and done and we find out what really happened. Maybe it’s just me but I couldn’t connect with her on a personal level.
The story in this one is interesting. Eloise, grown woman, dedicated mother and charity advocate vanishes from her home, leaving her two young children all by themselves. What ensues is a desperate search for her, by her loving but distant husband and overbearing grandparents. There are definitely some cliches in this book, but the story starts strong and remains strong all the way through and it definitely concludes itself in an interesting and different way to other similar books in the market.
My problem is that I couldn’t connect with the ending, and maybe that’s because I guessed what was going on at around 50% and it didn’t shock me. I was just waiting for the reveal to be revealed and in that time I lost my enthusiasm for the book. Not only that but the ending could have been done better. It was too rushed and time moved too quickly for the real impact of the story to hit you.
This is, of course, all personal opinion. I didn’t not enjoy it. It was different in ways and I loved the writing style, but I lost my connection to the story along the way and ultimately, the story needs to grip you from beginning to end to be really successful. In the end, my thoughts are this: good debut, shows lots of potential to be a strong, emotive storyteller, but this one just missed some sort of mark with me.
February 24, 2018
I Know My Name by C J Cooke is a psychological thriller that unfortunately didn't keep my interest I just found it long winded, that's not to say it isn't a good book for those who liked the plot I just found it didn't have any tension, I couldn't feel anything as the chapters went on.
I liked the characters Eloise was interesting but I thought Lachlan's characters was well developed & Max's character made it for me, I wasn't actually sure where this was going but pulled it all together at the end I must say the ending left me feeling flat as I had worked it ll out at about half way. 3.5 stars
I liked the characters Eloise was interesting but I thought Lachlan's characters was well developed & Max's character made it for me, I wasn't actually sure where this was going but pulled it all together at the end I must say the ending left me feeling flat as I had worked it ll out at about half way. 3.5 stars
February 5, 2019
I had added I Know My Name to my virtual TBR shelf on Goodreads a few months ago without realizing I actually had it in the store. After a string of non-suspense books, it was exactly what I was in the mood for.
I really enjoyed it! I liked the alternating chapters between Lochlan (the husband) and Eloise (the wife). I figured out the "twist" kind of early on, still a good read though!
I really enjoyed it! I liked the alternating chapters between Lochlan (the husband) and Eloise (the wife). I figured out the "twist" kind of early on, still a good read though!
November 25, 2024
A woman awakens on a Greek island with no idea of who she is, where she's from, what she was doing to end up on the island, or anything about her life and who may be looking for her. Meanwhile, in London, a husband frantically searches for his wife. She is the mother of their two young children, and she suddenly vanished one day.
The story is told from two points of view, the husband in London and the woman on the Greek island. There were a few flashback chapters that helped fill in the backstory.
An easy read with well-developed characters. Good for fans of psychological thrillers, especially ones that involve amnesia and/or a missing wife.
I received a copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from two points of view, the husband in London and the woman on the Greek island. There were a few flashback chapters that helped fill in the backstory.
An easy read with well-developed characters. Good for fans of psychological thrillers, especially ones that involve amnesia and/or a missing wife.
I received a copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2018
Noooooooo! This book was chugging along pleasantly as a perfectly enjoyable, average psychological thriller. But then the twist turned out to be one that I absolutely hate, and am tired of encountering in this type of book. I cannot stand this particular twist anymore, and any positive feelings for the book vanished at the point I realized what it was (and really, I probably should have guessed sooner). You may not hate this particular storyline, so don't let this necessarily dissuade you.
August 12, 2017
Sometimes when I read books I'm amazed at the intricacies that authors can manage. What starts as a simple disappearance of a woman turns into a complicated & fascinating story that unfolds a tad bit at a time. And the ending wasn't storybook but fulfilling all the same. Brilliant!
February 19, 2024
One of the better psychological thrillers I’ve read. Well played, C.J., well played.
January 23, 2018
That was so good!! So many ahhh moments. Very emotional and cleverly written... read this book!!
August 23, 2018
This was not what I expected - in a good way. I was wary about yet another amnesia story but this book is about so much more than that.
Eloise Shelley is washed up on the deserted and quite rugged Greek island of Kommenos. There are four other people here on some kind of writer's retreat, they're camped out in an old farmhouse. They patch Eloise up but she can't remember anything. Never mind, they'll soon have her on a boat to Crete.
Back in London Eloise's husband, Lochlan, is beside himself with worry about her and how to care for their two young children Max (4 yo) and Cressida (3 months). Eloise was raised by her grandparents after her mother died so they rush to London to help out.
On Kommenos, Eloise is concerned when the boat, supposedly carrying food and taking her back to civilisation, doesn't arrive. But more worryingly George has told her she can't leave until she remembers. George has 'misplaced' the sat phone and acquired a gun. There is a high degree of tension among the group and Eloise doesn't trust any of them any more. She wonders if she can repair the boat she arrived on and make her own way to safety.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Eloise's disappearance has turned up some worrying details from her past. And that is as much as I can tell you. Nothing is as it seems and the ending was a surprise, although the clues were heading in that direction.
This was a great effort for a debut novel. It really sucks you in and doesn't let go as tension mounts throughout. After I finished I kept reading and learned that, although fiction, it is based on true life experiences. This lends credibility to the narrative which was beautifully rendered.
Eloise Shelley is washed up on the deserted and quite rugged Greek island of Kommenos. There are four other people here on some kind of writer's retreat, they're camped out in an old farmhouse. They patch Eloise up but she can't remember anything. Never mind, they'll soon have her on a boat to Crete.
Back in London Eloise's husband, Lochlan, is beside himself with worry about her and how to care for their two young children Max (4 yo) and Cressida (3 months). Eloise was raised by her grandparents after her mother died so they rush to London to help out.
On Kommenos, Eloise is concerned when the boat, supposedly carrying food and taking her back to civilisation, doesn't arrive. But more worryingly George has told her she can't leave until she remembers. George has 'misplaced' the sat phone and acquired a gun. There is a high degree of tension among the group and Eloise doesn't trust any of them any more. She wonders if she can repair the boat she arrived on and make her own way to safety.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Eloise's disappearance has turned up some worrying details from her past. And that is as much as I can tell you. Nothing is as it seems and the ending was a surprise, although the clues were heading in that direction.
This was a great effort for a debut novel. It really sucks you in and doesn't let go as tension mounts throughout. After I finished I kept reading and learned that, although fiction, it is based on true life experiences. This lends credibility to the narrative which was beautifully rendered.
August 19, 2019
Ah..... that was good.
For a thriller, it was fairly wholesome. Some of the parts were so cute, it's almost like I wasn't reading a thriller at all. Cressida is such an adorable baby, and I've taught classes for parents and tots, and I will say that I have never met a more adorable baby than Cressida.
Cooke is very good with her words. She doesn't mince them and doesn't say a whole lot more than needed. I'll admit that the book did feel slow at sometimes, but if you're Lochlan, with zero idea of where your wife is, the slowness of the book puts it into perspective.
The wholesome part of this book came from the message the book was trying to show and get out. Unlike, a lot of thrillers (for which there is nothing wrong with) build their plot out of vengeance, obsession and depravity, Cooke's thriller had a different tack.
It was interesting to see how nothing got blown out of proportion. Lochlan made some mistakes, and he recognized that. There was no change of children custody, no firing from his job, and even better not threat of divorce.
In any case, Cooke's novel was an interesting spin of a thriller. A lot more light-hearted/natured than Paris's Behind Closed Doors, and equally good thriller, but of different metrics.
For a thriller, it was fairly wholesome. Some of the parts were so cute, it's almost like I wasn't reading a thriller at all. Cressida is such an adorable baby, and I've taught classes for parents and tots, and I will say that I have never met a more adorable baby than Cressida.
Cooke is very good with her words. She doesn't mince them and doesn't say a whole lot more than needed. I'll admit that the book did feel slow at sometimes, but if you're Lochlan, with zero idea of where your wife is, the slowness of the book puts it into perspective.
The wholesome part of this book came from the message the book was trying to show and get out. Unlike, a lot of thrillers (for which there is nothing wrong with) build their plot out of vengeance, obsession and depravity, Cooke's thriller had a different tack.
It was interesting to see how nothing got blown out of proportion. Lochlan made some mistakes, and he recognized that. There was no change of children custody, no firing from his job, and even better not threat of divorce.
In any case, Cooke's novel was an interesting spin of a thriller. A lot more light-hearted/natured than Paris's Behind Closed Doors, and equally good thriller, but of different metrics.
Read
May 16, 2017I lost myself in I Know My Name. One minute I was pacing the boards of a house in London with a baby in my arms and panic in my heart. The next I felt the wind on my face and the rocks cutting into my feet on an isolated Greek island. CJ Cooke's debut is an atmospheric, mysterious and intense read that resonates long after you turn the last page. It's a stunning psychological thriller, rich with mystery and full of heart.
April 6, 2018
Ik weet alleen mijn naam nog is een onwijs spannende thriller die je behoorlijk op het verkeerde been weet te zetten. Denk namelijk maar niet dat je weet hoe het zit. Ik zat er al behoorlijk naast. Maar toch zit je niet alle paginas lang op het puntje van je stoel. Het draait om een onderhuidse spanning die wel aanwezig is, maar niet zo zeer ten uitvoering komt in het verhaal. Het is vooral je eigen hoofd dat je erover gaat breken.
January 16, 2018
Thanks to Grand Central Pub for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review!
A missing wife in London, a mystery woman found on a remote Greek island, and secrets between spouses. I KNOW MY NAME by CJ Cooke is a solid thriller debut! With similar elements that we all know and love in the thriller genre with a fitting end for a psychological suspense novel.
When Eloise goes missing, Lochland's world is turned upside down. He receives a call from his neighbor that his children (toddler and newborn) are home alone with their mother nowhere to be found. Her phone and wallet are left behind - where is Eloise? Meanwhile, a woman washes up on shore of a remote Greek island. She has no memory of who she is or how she ended up there.
This book instantly pulls you in. You quickly learn that Eloise is the mystery woman on the island - so no spoiler there! What happened to Eloise and how did she end up in Greece? The book bounces between different perspectives - mainly between Lochland and the woman on the island. We had a couple random chapters from other perspectives that helped tell a little bit about the woman's past. I do agree with my buddy readers, Chandra and Sam, this had me a little confused. The fluidity was broken up here, but otherwise this was a solid debut.
The ending had a great twist and I think it was incredibly fitting for the psychological thriller genre! I will definitely be looking for more from Cooke in the future. She can tell a story and I really enjoyed the writing in this one. If you want a good psychological thriller to get sucked into, then you'll have to pick up I KNOW MY NAME!
I give this 3/5 stars!
A missing wife in London, a mystery woman found on a remote Greek island, and secrets between spouses. I KNOW MY NAME by CJ Cooke is a solid thriller debut! With similar elements that we all know and love in the thriller genre with a fitting end for a psychological suspense novel.
When Eloise goes missing, Lochland's world is turned upside down. He receives a call from his neighbor that his children (toddler and newborn) are home alone with their mother nowhere to be found. Her phone and wallet are left behind - where is Eloise? Meanwhile, a woman washes up on shore of a remote Greek island. She has no memory of who she is or how she ended up there.
This book instantly pulls you in. You quickly learn that Eloise is the mystery woman on the island - so no spoiler there! What happened to Eloise and how did she end up in Greece? The book bounces between different perspectives - mainly between Lochland and the woman on the island. We had a couple random chapters from other perspectives that helped tell a little bit about the woman's past. I do agree with my buddy readers, Chandra and Sam, this had me a little confused. The fluidity was broken up here, but otherwise this was a solid debut.
The ending had a great twist and I think it was incredibly fitting for the psychological thriller genre! I will definitely be looking for more from Cooke in the future. She can tell a story and I really enjoyed the writing in this one. If you want a good psychological thriller to get sucked into, then you'll have to pick up I KNOW MY NAME!
I give this 3/5 stars!
October 1, 2020
3,5*. Boek was oké. Vond het soms een beetje saai en langdradig, maar desondanks was het niet een heel slecht verhaal. Je wordt wel regelmatig op het verkeerde been gezet. Dat maakte het dan wel weer boeiend.
January 27, 2018
Lochland receives a call from a neighbor who finds his children home alone with their mother nowhere to be found. He races home and begins his quest to try and figure out where his wife went. The baby monitors seem to be off for some reason, no one has seen her and he is at a complete loss as to who may have taken her - after all, she had no reason to leave.
A woman wakes up on a remote island. Rescued by writers on a retreat on an island that houses no on else, she is left without her memory and no way to get in touch with anyone to know if she's missed by anyone. Why can't she remember anything and why are these people somewhat familiar to her when she's never met them before?
This book drew me in from the beginning. We quickly realize that Lochland's wife is the rescued woman on the island. The question we want answered is how did she end up there and why? We get alternating points of view between Lochland and this woman. Occasionally we see through a couple other peoples POVs and a few glimpses into her past. This is where the book lost me a little bit. It wasn't confusing as much as just all over the place. I quickly realized where the book was going so while I can see the ending being a huge twist and surprise for most readers, it wasn't for me. Clearly the author knows how to write. I understood everything coming once I realized where the book was heading so it made more sense to me when I got there.
For a debut novel, I'm very impressed and will definitely look for more from this author. Personally, I think I'll be in the minority and feel most readers will absolutely LOVE this book and be surprised by this psychological twist at the end.
Huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in return for my honest opinion.
A woman wakes up on a remote island. Rescued by writers on a retreat on an island that houses no on else, she is left without her memory and no way to get in touch with anyone to know if she's missed by anyone. Why can't she remember anything and why are these people somewhat familiar to her when she's never met them before?
This book drew me in from the beginning. We quickly realize that Lochland's wife is the rescued woman on the island. The question we want answered is how did she end up there and why? We get alternating points of view between Lochland and this woman. Occasionally we see through a couple other peoples POVs and a few glimpses into her past. This is where the book lost me a little bit. It wasn't confusing as much as just all over the place. I quickly realized where the book was going so while I can see the ending being a huge twist and surprise for most readers, it wasn't for me. Clearly the author knows how to write. I understood everything coming once I realized where the book was heading so it made more sense to me when I got there.
For a debut novel, I'm very impressed and will definitely look for more from this author. Personally, I think I'll be in the minority and feel most readers will absolutely LOVE this book and be surprised by this psychological twist at the end.
Huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in return for my honest opinion.
January 9, 2018
While compulsively readable (read it in just ONE day!), this story started to lose me around 50%. While an interesting premise, I started to form some theories at the halfway point and for once in my life, THEY WERE CORRECT! Now, why is this significant?!? Cause I never figure these things out!! I’m someone who loves a great twist, so the predictability was the downfall for me, however, for someone who doesn’t figure it out, this could be a bigger win. I don’t want to say much more because the surprise factor is essential here, so give it a try for yourself and see what you think!
Thank you to Grand Central Pub for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Grand Central Pub for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
August 13, 2018
Review to come
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