BOOK REVIEW - Anna O - Matthew Blake - Audiobook - 5*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Anna O - Matthew Blake - Released 2024

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Another freebie from my digital subscription to The Times newspaper. They usually only have one audiobook to choose from each month, but this one captured my attention the second I saw it. 

Firstly it's a psychological thriller, which as we all know, is my go-to genre. I love figuring out the twists, uravelling the mystery, and the fast pace that comes with a book in this genre. 

There was another reason though, a slightly egotistical one! My intention next year is to head to

university to study psychology, and it forms part of the studies I am undertaking this year in preparation for university level study (at my age, I need all the help I can get!). A recent assessment I have written was focussed on Freud and his development of his theories of personality, in particular his influence on the development of talking therapies as a form of treatment for psychological issues. Part of this involved researching his work with a patient known as Anna O. When I spotted the name of this book, although not directly relating to Freud's patient, there were clear references to his areas of focus (dreams, and sleep in particular) and I loved the idea that I had an awareness already of this small part of the story. I wanted to see how much I "got". I told you it was egotistical but there you have it, my reason for excitement was "getting the reference" in the title! 

BLURB

ANNA O HASN'T OPENED HER EYES FOR FOUR YEARS

Not since the night she was found in a deep sleep by the bodies of her best friends, suspected of a chilling double murder. 

For Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist on London's Harley Street, waking Anna O could be career-defining. As an expert in sleep, he knows all about the darkest chambers of the mind; the secrets that lie buried in the subconscious. 

As he begins Anna O's treatment - studying his patient's dreams, combing her memories, visiting the site where the horrors played out - he pulls on the thread of a much deeper, darker mystery. 

Awakening Anna O isn't the end of the story, it's just the beginning. 

AUTHOR

This is Matthew Blake's first book although he did write as a career albeit a very different capacity before (he was a speech writer and researcher in Westminster). 

The plot of this story came from Matthew's surprise and interest in finding out that a person is asleep for, on average, 33 years of their life. This fact took a life of its own and sent him down a wee rabbit hole of sleep related research and made him ask the question (and then build a story around it) - if you commit a crime while asleep, are you guilty of said crime?

His website has other reviews for this book, and I spotted on Amazon that it looks like he has a new book due out in 2025.   

PLOT/STORYLINE

Ben Prince is a forensic psychologist, who specialises in sleep related psychology. He works in a top-notch private sleep treatment facility in London, catering to the upper echelons of society, and their sleep related issues. 

He's called in to treat a woman who has been effectively in a state of deep sleep, possibly brought on by trauma, for four years, ever since she was found at a crime scene involving the grizzly double murder of her friends and business partners. 

Ben's job is to get Anna O to wake up so that she can stand trial for the crimes. He utilises his yet untested theory about sleep disorders but finds himself deep in a mystery that just keeps throwing new and dangerous elements at him. 

We are treated to a masterful dual timeline and Anna O's perspective, through her journals from the months leading up to the fateful night. It's a great way of inserting her perspective before she wakes up, rather than waiting until then and cramming it all in through flashbacks or dialogue.

The story also shows the perspective of some of the other key characters - an obsessive fan/suspicious person, Anna's family and Ben's estranged wife, adding a different dynamic to the story and keeping things fresh.  

It also takes us down an interesting second, very similar case, which opens doors to ulterior motives, suspicion and lies. 

A unique element to the story is the focus on the psychology of sleep, which is quite in depth at times and I found very interesting and could easily of had me down a rabbit hole of research myself! Interestingly there have been a few criminal cases involving sleepwalking, and resignation syndrome (the disorder that Ben believes Anna is suffering from) is a real disorder (though extremely rare, certainly not to the extent that it's depicted in the book). OK maybe it had me down a small rabbit hole! 

Overall, the book focusses on Ben's attempts at waking Anna, along with Anna's journal, with the second half of the book being more of the thriller ilk, whodunnit, twisty twists and big reveals. 

CHARACTERS

The two main characters, Ben and Anna are written and approached in very different ways. Ben is fascinated by the case, and was intrigued by it well before he was roped in to helping out. He's going through a messy breakup, and has a young child (who is a great and intuitive young character, helping to humanise Ben a little, away from his doctor persona). He struggles to balance his work and home life, which impacts all of his relationships, and I saw a vulnerability in those moments that made him really relatable to me as someone who has career goals and a family. It's a hard job balancing those things, that's for sure! 

Anna's perspective is told through her journal entries from before the double murder. She's a journalist (or she's trying to be a journalist!) and she's full of hope and excitement. But, as always in these books, there's a sinister underlying issue - sleep issues are taking over her life. Her relationship with her best friends may not be as rosy as it may seem, and she is also nosy to the point of criminality. She was a relatable yet unlikeable character, her journalistic endeavors were really interesting and she came across as capable and strong, but in her personal life she's almost a different person entirely, which was interesting to see develop throughout the book! 

Ben's boss is another side character who is a quirky and eccentric lady, who has been Ben's mentor for a long time. Her role in the book is mainly dialogue and filler, for Ben to articulate his thoughts and feelings to. She also becomes involved in the mystery and tries to aid Ben in his quest for the truth. 

Another side character of note is Ben's ex-wife. She is a police officer and was involved in the original Anna O case, remaining involved in a professional capacity when Ben starts to work with Anna. We don't see much from her perspective but she adds a dynamic to Ben's character, and shows some insight into his personality and their relationship, along with how that case impacted their lives from the beginning. 

I can only imagine how difficult it is to develop main characters when only one of them is awake for a vast majority of the book but I think it was really well done in Anna O.  

OVERALL REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SPICE: 🔥

This was one of my unexpected favourites of the year. The premise was engaging, well thought out and well executed. It was also thought provoking from a moral perspective, had me thinking about the morality and ethics around sleep psychology, and the physical effects that trauma has on the body. 

When a book has me researching the subject, trying to understand the science, theories and perspectives on it, I know that I have found a cracker. 

I did find that there were three very separate parts in terms of style, the treatment of Anna O, the other similar case from the past, and the double murder investigation. The finale was much more of a typical thriller style, with twists and turns, bad guys, good guys, suspects galore, and red herrings all over the place, but I really enjoyed how it built into that style with a much more researched and analytical approach. It was a fun way to play with storytelling and I am absolutely guilty of making my son sit in the car for a full 30 minutes with me while I listened to the end, as I just HAD to know what the outcome was going to be! 

This is a book that I would love to read again, as I am sure there are many more nuggets of foreshadowing that I didn't spot. I had guessed correctly quite early on, but then changed my mind, such was the great sleight of hand shown by the author. It was a really fun book to read, I was engaged from start to finish and I am so glad I found it! 

WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK?

If the premises of sleepwalking crimes, conspiracies, psychology and manipulation intrigue you, this may be just what the doctor ordered. Some may find it slow to start, as the theory and background are set up, but I found it to be a perfect build up to a wild psychological story. 

I hope you enjoyed this review, let me know if you've read this book or if you have any similar recommendations, or why not follow my blog by clicking the link and subscribing. I also post bookish content on TikTok, along with full length video reviews on YouTube. Happy Reading!