A twist filled psychological thriller with an intriguing premise, missing memories, and plenty of secrets—but does it go too far?

Goodreads | Before I Disappear

Release date: November 10, 2026

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

If she can’t remember, her memories might not be the only thing that goes missing.

When criminologist April Anderson wakes in an unfamiliar hotel room with no memory of how she got there — or why she fled her comfortable life in New York— she’s told she’s under police protection, the only witness to a horrific crime.

With no memories and no answers to her repeated questions, April isn’t sure who to trust — the cop guarding her, or the fiancé secretly tracking her. As April sifts through the wreckage of her own memories, she uncovers a version of herself she doesn’t recognize, and secrets she’d rather forget.

As the trial date closes in, April realizes someone else wants her silent. Her missing memories aren’t just the key to the case, they might be keeping her alive. Will she remember the truth… or disappear forever?

Review:

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Before I Disappear. A criminologist wakes up in a remote motel with no memory of how she got there, a completely new identity, and people insisting she’s under police protection? Sign me up! Unfortunately, while the setup was strong, the execution didn’t quite work for me.

Things started off promising enough, but as the story progressed, the twists and increasingly unbelievable scenarios started piling up. Now, I’m usually more than willing to suspend disbelief for a wild, over the top thriller. Sometimes that’s half the fun! But there’s a fine line between deliciously outrageous and just plain too much, and this one crossed it for me.

There were so many twists, reveals, and gotcha moments that eventually they started losing their impact. Instead of making the story more exciting, they made it harder for me to stay invested. I wanted the suspense to build naturally, but the constant surprises ended up feeling more excessive than shocking.

Overall, Before I Disappear had a fantastic premise and plenty of potential, but the execution left me underwhelmed. I can absolutely see readers who enjoy wildly unpredictable, anything-goes thrillers having more fun with this one than I did. For me, though, it was a case of too many twists and not enough payoff.

Perfect For Readers Who Love:

• Psychological thrillers with unreliable memories
• Amnesia and mysterious identities
• Secrets, deception, and hidden pasts
• Witness protection and dangerous conspiracies
• Fast moving, twist heavy plots
• Over the top, anything can happen suspense

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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