Blame

by Jeff Abbott

Jeff Abbott--author of the New York Times -bestselling Sam Capra series--returns with a thrilling new psychological suspense novel...

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Adult

603 pages, Hardcover

First published July 18, 2017

About the author

Jeff Abbott (born 1963) is a U.S. suspense novelist. He has a degree in History and English from Rice University. He lives in Austin, Texas. His early novels were traditional detective fiction but in recent years he has turned to writing thriller fiction. A theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. His novels are published in several countries and have also been bestsellers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and France.

Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet

Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda!

This is a high speed, action-packed, Blame game. And fingers are pointing at everyone! The big question is, who is to blame? Well, there’s more than enough blame to go around! (Ok! I’ll stop now!)

Jane awakens from a coma in the hospital. She has no memory of the crash....or even the past few years leading up to the crash. All memories are erased from age 14-17. Her mother explains she’d been in a terrible accident, and her friend David didn’t make it. As Jane tries stitching her life back together, she can’t be sure who to trust. Who’s trying to help her – who’s out to hurt her?

ALL WILL PAY

When the whole town doesn’t believe you. Who’s got your back? Where can you turn for help?

A thoroughly addictive read that quickly had me pointing my accusing fingers at everyone right alongside all the characters in the book!
This was the first book I’ve read from Jeff Abbott, though I own quite a few (8 in fact!) of his previous books. I will definitely be diving into my collection now! Not sure what I’ve been waiting for!
I would highly recommend this book for all thriller fans!

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! That's an intense one! I love the well-paced style, superb plot and the totally believable cast...
A vicious rollercoaster! Read in one sitting and memorable as hell!
I literally can't believe I got this one totally on a whim and it turned out to be such a hit! This Jane turned out definitely not plane. I loved how she put up a fight for every thing right. A drastically underrated YA bordering on adult thriller.
And remember I'm a sucker for happy endings? Yeah, I got my happy ending here. And I love how all the itty-bitty twists have been neatly tucked towars the end. And how the love quartet has been resolved. And how everything turned out worse that you initially percepted it and then has been resolved to satisfaction.
Q:
“You can understand why I don’t want to talk about this. I think it’s unethical that you approached me.” She had found that nearly any shrink or doctor flinched, automatically, at an accusation of being unethical. It would normally deflect them and put them on the defensive, and then she got her way.
(c)
Q:
I’M GLAD YOU agreed to meet with me,” Kevin said. Jane sat across from him, in a research room in the counseling department. “I’m going to be blunt with you. You’re a mess. You’re nearly homeless, you’ve been accused of an attempted suicide/murder, and your once-promising life is a shambles.”
“You should work with children,” Jane said.
(c)
Q:
She decided she needed to get home. She had a party to crash.
(c)
Q:
“It’s going to be all right. It really will be better. That’s life. It does go on. We have to go on with it. Forward.”
(c)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Everyone is playing the blame game & people are pointing fingers at Jane Norton. But the question is who is too blame!!


David & Jane were in a car crash in Lake haven Texas Unfortunately David passed away & Jane was in hospital with amnesia & doesn't remember her name, her mothers name or why she was in hospital. Jane was unconscious for four days.



Jane is enemy number one in the town especially with Perri David's mother, who is grieving her son she blames Jane & nothing will convince her otherwise, until Jane gets a message on her Face Place message I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT JANE & I AM GOING TO TELL ALL WILL PAY
LIV DANGER but who is she, & what is her agenda?

This is my second book by Jeff Abbott & i truly felt like i was on a rollercoaster unable to get off, it was fast paced & fingers pointing everywhere i didn't know until the end the final secrets that were unravelling in front of me. It was a tense suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages, all in all a great read.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you Grand Central publishing. The cover calls this book a thriller, but I found it to be more of a mystery. Jane Norton was in an automobile crash 2 years ago and does not remember anything about the crash. Her friend David Hall was killed in the crash. A suicide note in Jane's handwriting was found at the scene . The community blames Jane. But Jane's memories start to come back in fragments and she resolves to find out what happened the night of the crash. This is where the thriller part comes in, as people connected to the crash are attacked. The house of one of the ambulance attendants is burned by an arsonist along with several other houses on the block.
Jane gradually discovers more details about the crash. It is almost like peeling an onion, as layer upon layer of the details of the accident are revealed. I was not sure who the bad guys were until the last 1/4 of the book. The author tied up all the threads in a very good ending.
One quote, Jane, thinking about the blame: "Because she had never learned to cope with the blame. Just shove it in the back of her mind, where it writhed, angry and restless."

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two years ago Jane Norton was involved in a car crash that took the life of the boy that had lived next door and been friends with her for most of her life. There were so many unanswered questions after the accident and Jane never could help answer them as she lost her memory of that night along with most of her high school years between the time her father had passed and the accident.

The biggest questions was why were David and Jane even together in the car that night. Jane had become withdrawn from her friends after her father's passing and wasn't as close to David as she once had been so it made no sense. Then there was the note that had been found at the scene in Jane's handwriting stating I wish we were dead together. Did Jane take David to that cliff on purpose??

Blame by Jeff Abbot was easily one of those thriller reads that I never wanted to put down until I got some answers as to what had really happened that night. There's nothing quite as intriguing with a mystery as when your main character really and truly has no idea what happened and why for me I suppose. Jane having amnesia of the events leading up to and of the crash itself left so many questions to be answered during the story which had me hooked from the start.

This would be one story that I spent most of my time reading making a mental list of suspects and I would also be happy to say that at the end I don't believe there would be a way to piece together the entire story by guessing early on. Full of twists and turns as secrets of that night and the events leading up to that night are revealed the story was full of action and surprises at every turn of the page. 4.5 stars overall, would definitely recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Pamela Small · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started off great and hooked me! Then the complex plot started becoming convoluted, silly, and redundant. The hook is loosening. I kept at it because it REALLY held my attention ( all night...lost A LOT of shut-eye). The author kept reeling me in ...until 85% in. By that time, I had to finish. I wish I had cut the line sooner.

The ending of the mystery is supposed to be shocking, but, sadly, it was outrageously contrived and out-of-left-field asinine.
Just shoot me...in fact, just shoot EVERY flat character in this bizarrely dysfunctional town FULL of lies, betrayals, secrets, hatred and deception. Arrgh.

DANG! ! I'm so tired of investing time and energy into a "great psychological thriller" only to be sooo disappointed in the contrived, ludicrous, nonsensical climax and denouement. Grrrrr.

[Mary Carrasco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this book was very good but at about 75%, it fell apart for me. There were so many characters with so many different agendas. Darn. I wanted to like it more than I did. I'm rating it 2.5 stars rounded up because it started so well.

[Lost In My Own World Of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este é que foi um thriller psicológico intenso que manteve o suspense até a última página. A busca para descobrir o que realmente se passou no acidente, a busca das suas memórias, a busca de si própria. Tudo isto numa viagem em que o leitor não consegue deixar de ler.

Opinião completa no blog: https://lostinmyownworldofbooks.wordp...

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this book is good. Blame is the kind of book that I felt right from the start will turn out to be great. I've read a book by Jeff Abbott before (The First Order book 5 in the Sam Capra series) and I knew he can write, and I was eagerly awaiting the day I could start reading this book. I was however when I started to read the book a bit surprised about how young Jane was, only 17. I had after reading the blurb imagined her older.

Jane's memory loss is not just from the accident two years ago. She can't remember the last three years of her life, not her father's death neither the new friends she made in high school. So, all she can go after is what all the people, her mother and the friends she has left tell hers. Her life isn't easy, memory loss and almost everyone thinks she is responsible for the death of David in the car crash. That she meant to kill them both. But, was she really suicidal? It's time for Jane to find out what really happened two years ago, was it an accident, or was she trying to kill them both? Or was someone else involved in the crash?

I love the fact that pretty much everyone acted so mysterious and suspicious in this book. From Jane's mother to her friends. Jane can't be sure whom to trust and it doesn't help that so doesn't remember more than glimpses the last three years of her life. It's a thrilling book to read, fast-paced, and I had a hard time figuring out how it all would end. They all seemed to have secrets.

Blame is a great book. If you like psychological thrillers will you love this one!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blame is the second standalone thriller by an author who writes a series I'm fond of, the Sam Capra series which is what I hoped this book was going to be about.

I don't know if its a sign of the apocalypse but Blame was a bigger bust than Mr. Robotham's The Secrets She Keeps.

This book was so bad I found it hard to believe Mr. Abbott wrote it. Was it a doppelgänger? Was it his double from a multiverse posing as him?

Blame is about 19 year old Jane Norton, an amnesiac ever since she was involved in a car accident two years ago that killed her friend, David.

Shunned by the small privileged community she grew up in, ostracized by friends, a college dropout and crashing at a friend's dorm, on the two year anniversary of the accident Jane receives a suspicious and anonymous message threatening that Jane knows more about the accident than she's telling.

But does she really?

Jane finds herself playing Nancy Drew and chasing down frenemies, dodging her narcissistic and egotistical mother, and building a timeline of her whereabouts on that fateful day.

Her investigation unearths dark secrets tied into her father's death four years ago and explains what really happened to her and David.

The characters are downright awful. Especially Jane.

She is unlikeable and kind of dumb, at least, that's the vibe I get. She is described as moody and depressed after losing her father (understandable) but nothing about her personality four years later demonstrates she is an interesting person you want to know.

She lacks depth, wit and brains but we discover she is like Bella Swan, a banal and dull character who seems to attract boys like ants at a picnic.

She was cheating on a boyfriend with David and another former classmate also has the hots for her.

Get it? No. It doesn't matter because the only question that matters is: why Jane? What makes her so amazing that all these guys want to be with her? I just don't get it.

Besides the unmemorable Jane Norton, all of the female characters in Blame are characterized as selfish, self centered, sniping, backstabbing individuals including Jane's mother, David's mother, the sadly named Peri, and Jane's ex-BFF, a gorgeous beauty, of course.

The plot is messy and convoluted. And silly.

First, we have to deal with Mr. Abbott's unoriginal attempt to rename a social media site Faceplace yet he still takes the time to write out 'ridershare app' every time Jane needs a ride since she doesn't drive. Why not go all the way and call the app Ooober?

Then, we have to follow Jane on her mundane and boring quest as she treks from place to place, dealing with a shady shrink, throwing us red herrings here and there, stealing papers, ignoring her mother's attempts to commit her to an institution, only to discover the shocking secret leads to a black market site trafficking in illegal activities. Huh. Wow. What can I say to that?

Oh, wait, I know.

Bring back Sam Capra!

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS
2017; Grand Central Publishing

I am not a fan of amnesia stories, unless it can be really well done and not just be a gimmick. Jeff Abbott, in my opinion, made me not roll my eyes. It helps that the majority of the characters were teenagers so the high drama can be blamed on the young adult angst. This novel may sound and feel a bit like a young adult/new adult book, but it still packs the suspense so don't write it off.

Jane Norton, the main character, is a teen that was in a car accident, and has now lost her memory. She cannot remember from the time of her father's death to now. In the car was her longtime friend and neighbour, David Hall. He passes away and leaves unanswered questions that lead most to believe it was Jane's fault. But when people who were present in the aftermath start experiencing "accidents" Jane knows there is more to that night. As she tries to uncover the secrets, she realizes she cannot even trust her own mother. I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed the narrator.

If you like Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay and Rick Mofina, try this one!

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

My Novelesque Blog

[Erin (from Long Island, NY) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!! (Can't go 5 cuz i wouldn't say it's an absolute favorite, but i felt wrong rating it less then the 4/4.5 since i thoroughly enjoyed every second.) The characters were great, at different times i rooted for & then despised the same person! The suspense was taut throughout. You didn't know who to trust & it was fun constantly looking over shoulders & watching everything shift. Looking back perhaps the ending was a little too neat.. But it didn't bother me at the time. I was completely drawn in & rushed to get to the answers. This book was fun because the premise was so different. I Love thrillers, but sometimes certain plots do begin to blend together. This was a completely new idea & i ate it up. Is it a classic? Perhaps not.. But if you're looking for a quick moving suspense story, not too serious but with a new, coherent story.. Buckle up & enjoy!

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this story sucked me right in! i had to keep reading! fantastic book... highly recommend it

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This suspense/thriller book was a page turner for me. And it was so current regarding teenagers and social media. I thought the author nailed the whole 'mean girl' thing and the tight tech community thing. Well done.

There were a lot of characters in this. Usually that is a negative, but it worked for two reasons:
one, they didn't all bleed together even though many were the same age and secondly, they all had purpose and their own individuality that propelled the story forward.

The author was good at shifting the spotlight around. He kept me wondering up until the very end.
The MC is a teenager, Jane, who was in a tragic car accident leaving her with amnesia and leaving her friend dead. The fallout from the accident was well done. I will say some of this was a little far-fetched, but I didn't even care because the story had already pulled me right in and I really cared about Jane and the outcome.....which was satisfying. So 4 stars.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first review since discovering Goodreads.... I picked up this book at random in the library with no knowledge of the author and I can say with confidence that I will read more by Jeff Abbott. The pull was instant... the story took no 'getting into' and I was hooked from the start. Easy reading and a strong plot. My only criticism is that the unravelling of the mystery was not as refined as the rest of the novel. Once the pieces fall into place I feel they fall a bit too quickly... however, this did not spoil the overall enjoyment: a real page turner!

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

FirstLine ~ What she would never remember: their broken screams starting with I love... and I hate..., the sudden wrenching pull, the oh-no-this-is-happening-this-can't-be-happening feeling of falling as the SUV rocketed off the road, the horrifying downward slope of the hillside in the highlights, his hands tight over hers on the steering wheel, the smashing thunder of impact, the driver's-side airbag exploding in her face, the rolling, the lights dying, the unforgiving rock, and then the blow to the head that undid her and wiped her clean and made her new.

From that first line, which is amazing, til the very last page I was hooked. It was such a great book set around lies. The twists and turn will put you off kilter and keep you deeply immersed in the book. The characters are well fleshed out and the dialogue is fantastic. A must for fall and winter reading.

[Amy-K Nunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very repetitive and frustrating to read due to characters knowing what happened the night of the accident but no one was willing to talk about it. The main character, Jane, basically had to jump through hoops to get answers when she had suffered enough from the accident alone.

[Nika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, гарний детектив і радію, що хоч щось дочитала 🙈

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was a pleasant surprise - a brief, entertaining, high-velocity thrill ride without much in the way of distraction/baggage. I’m not sure why I haven’t read Jeff Abbott’s stuff before, but I really enjoyed this one, and I’m confident I’ll read more. To the extent that variety is the spice of life, I got a real kick out of this (hence, a five-star rating, in context), and I could easily see Abbott slotting into my future airplane/travel reading rotation.

[Note: This read like serial crime/action/espionage/mystery fiction, but it’s a standalone, and one of the most entertaining aspects is that – for all the solve the mystery, catch the bad guy/gal, escape in one piece aspects – the book’s focal point is both victim and prey, and, otherwise, Abbott largely eschews reliance on a detective or cop or agent or conventional problem solver, either as a protagonist or narrator or background foil. That's fully consistent with my understanding that Abbott’s long-time bread and butter was more traditional detective fiction (including serial detective fiction), and this is a relatively recent departure. I expect I’ll return and dip my toe into those waters sooner rather than later.]

Kudos to Abbott for swiftly and effectively setting the hook - (OK, I was on board by the end of the incredibly brief, almost teasing, opening chapter), keeping the pace high, and never slowing down, racing through to a sufficiently gratifying conclusion with just enough explanation to wrap up the package with a sparse but efficient concluding bow. Whew! I can’t say that I read the book in one sitting, but … for all intents and purposes … that’s what I did (staying up past midnight to finish the book on the day I started it). I was reading in Kindle format and, when I was done, I was surprised to see that the book was 350+ pages (it read like it was only 200, but maybe -in print - it was marketed with larger print and plenty of white space on the page, I dunno).

The book is fun to read, and Abbott suggests no pretensions here – he doesn’t appear to be competing for any literary awards, and he’s quite disciplined about not sacrificing momentum for flights of fancy, painting elegant pictures, or delving into the deepest recesses of his thesaurus. (Frankly, in terms of length and style, I’d consider this almost the polar opposite of the spectrum from, say, the more languid, colorful, and elaborately ornamented 500+ pages of, say, a contemporary James Lee Burke or, I dunno, the seemingly far more dense 400+ pages of a Tana French novel.) Plenty of readers will complain about stereotypes and, for the most part, uni-dimensional characters – but there were enough players that I was OK with most of them; and, while critical readers might quibble with details (and there are more than a handful of OK, that was a bit much moments), c’mon, it’s fiction, it’s a quick read, and it’s hugely entertaining, … so just sit down and enjoy the ride…

Bizarre coincidence/Favorable comparison: I find it more than a bit strange that, in short order, I read two novels constructed around a fatal teenage car accident, both involving the same gender dynamic (same gender driver), and the devastating post-accident consequences. [Non-spoiler alert: the other is Kristin Hannah’s Night Road, review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ] In both cases (for different reasons), I began the book without knowing what the book was about (which is increasingly difficult in this day and age, so I’m a bit amused by my cluelessness on this score). They couldn’t have been more different. I enjoyed one (this one) and was flummoxed and disappointed (and, largely, irritated) by the other. One was an incredibly quick read (OK, I couldn’t put this down once I started), and the other was a dreadful, overwrought and overwritten slog. It’s a funny reading world out there.

[Themountainbookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a Goodreads giveaway! I normally don't like thrillers but this one is a great exception. Can you imagine not remembering the most important night of your life? That's what happens to Jane and we follow her on her quest to find answers. As the title suggest the author takes us on a journey to find out who is to blame. The author does a wonderful job of leaking out details slowly throughout the book. Typically I find thrillers predictable, but this one surprised me several times. If you haven't liked thrillers in the past or haven't read one I'd give this one a shot.

[Hannah]

4.5 until the last 50 pages.

[BB · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars because I did finish although the last 100 pages were eye rolling torture. Jane drives off a cliff with her best friend (and the best person who ever lived), he dies, she has amnesia. After two years she is trying to piece together the memories she lost. It is agony. She asks someone what they know. They say “nothing”. She asks them again a few chapters later, they tell her something they were keeping secret. She goes to them a third time and they tell her more secrets. This happened over and over with multiple people. She is thought to have killed her best friend, broke bones and is homeless but everyone keeps information from her. Everyone. For example:

“ there’s something else you’re not telling me.
“Jane, it’s bad.”
Tell me!” she screamed. She pounded her small fists against his chest, his arms. “Tell me! Tell me!”
“Ask your mom for your medical files he said tonelessly. “Ask her.”
Seriously, make her ask her mom or find the files? Just bloody tell her. Argh.

The adults here are across the board horrific, Janes mom and dead David’s mom tie for worst.

“She had to stop him. But she didn’t even know what he was doing. If she called the police, it would be so uncomfortable. So she stood frozen, watching his taillights vanish into the night.”

The police would be uncomfortable??? Oy.

I do NOT recommend this book.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars plus! I loved this action packed thriller, from beginning to end. Great book!!!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before GR, I mostly read authors that I’ve liked before. Jeff Abbott was one of them. I really liked his style and the suspension. But GR revealed so many new books to me, that I’ve more or less forgotten about him (also at that point I’ve read everything by him). But this author has been busy and his books are still compelling and a nice change to my usual choice.

Initially, I was a bit concerned about the main person’s amnesia, which is in my opinion difficult to pull off and has quite often been overdone. However, I enjoyed the story quite a bit and was very eager for the ending and to see how all the presented fragments fit together. This was well done, thought there was one exception that did not really seem necessary to the story, the character Shiloh Rooke . Also, I did not see that ending coming and was quite shocked to see apparently normal people hiding very dark secrets – mainly human trafficking .

I hope I’ll find some more book of his in the library…

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding psychological thriller! I loved it, especially the twisty, surprise ending. This is one I'll want to reread. (And I also want to read more of the author's previous books.) Highly recommended to readers who enjoy complex psychological suspense with a superb plot and a large cast of distinctive characters.

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just . . . Wow! My first Jeff Abbott book and I'm already ranking him up there with the likes of Grisham, Baldacci, Connelly, etc. The man knows how to write. I was hooked from the very first page.

Poor Jane. At age seventeen she's in a car accident that pretty much erases all her memories of the last three years. She doesn't remember her father's death, high school, and, of course, the accident itself. Which is why she doesn't remember her good friend, David, being in the car with her. Unfortunately, he can't tell her anything because he's dead as a result of the accident. At first everyone was very sympathetic to Jane with all that she was going through. However, all that changed when the accident investigators found Jane's apparent suicide note saying, "I wish we were dead together". So had she deliberately wrecked the car in an effort to kill both herself and David? If so, why? What were they doing on that lonely stretch of road that night? As Jane begins questioning everything she does know, what others have told her about the accident, something just doesn't add up.

And why is everyone so reluctant to divulge any meaningful details when doing so could help her remember?. Her mother, her friends, David's parents (who naturally blame her), all appear to be hiding something. What do they know that she doesn't know? Does what happened to her and David have anything to do with her father's death? Police ruled it an accidental shooting but Jane's heard talk of an apparent suicide. She just can't picture her dad ending things that way. He never would have left Jane. The questions continue to pile up. Then the message arrives telling Jane, "I know what really happened. I know what you don't remember." From that point on Jane becomes determined to find out the truth, even when it proves hazardous for anyone even remotely connected with the accident. People are attacked, one of the paramedics on scene the night of the accident has her house burned down, another loses his girlfriend after she mysteriously receives some adult videos with her boyfriend as their star.

The suspense continues to build as the story winds it's way to its satisfactory conclusion. This was one I didn't want to put down. The characters were so well written I felt like I was right there with them. Jane had so much to overcome and she had to do it while missing the last three years of her life. As such, she had so way of knowing who was being truthful with her and who was lying. A lot of times she had to rely on feelings and emotions, and what she remembered from previous experience, to guide her. She had to deal with loss, betrayal, fear, uncertainty, confusion, all those things that made up her current set of circumstances, and she had to handle it all without going insane or having some kind of breakdown because of it. I can't imagine not knowing who your friends were or even more frightening, who were your enemies. In Jane's case there are definitely people who don't want her to remember the night of the accident. She's in danger without really knowing it.

I love the way the author took all the twists and turns, wove them altogether one by one, and came up with a top notch story. I'm going to go and check out his previous work. Now I've gotten a taste of his writing style, I'm hungry for more.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As memórias são o motor dos sentimentos."

Um thriller diferente dos que costumo ler, mas muito refrescante por esse mesmo motivo. Os protagonistas são adolescentes e as suas famílias, o que é uma novidade para mim, pois este é um género que associo a uma faixa etária diferente da retratada.

Adorei a componente da amnésia e o modo como esta influencia a personagem principal, assim como todos aqueles que a conhecem. A Jane teve um acidente de viação à dois anos, que resultou na morte do seu melhor amigo; ela sobreviveu mas perdeu a memória dos últimos dois anos da sua vida. Sente-se culpada pelo acidente, ainda que não se recorde do que aconteceu, de quem é/era, assim como das relações que tinha.

Parece que todos lhe mentem, todos têm receio da sua reação e de si mesma. Tornou-se uma pária, uma assassina, sem compreender o motivo de tal...

Este livro foi incrível. Revelações atrás de revelações, reviravoltas a cada capítulo. É impossível de prever o final - o que foi isto?!?! Eu nunca adivinho o final de um thriller, mas este... Bravo, muito bem construído, sem dúvida. Jamais iria imaginar que a ação tomasse o rumo que tomou.

Adorei a Jane desde o primeiro momento e vê-la a superar-se, a tentar recuperar as suas memórias foi incrível. Uma personagem muito forte que não se deixa vergar pelos momentos menos bons da vida.

Recomendo imenso esta leitura.

[Felicia G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 star rating. This book had the potential to be really good but fell short. It was hard to believe an amnesiac attending college could piece together the missing parts of her life. I struggled with listening to the narration of the main female character. The conclusion of the story was rushed and did not explain some of the key points presented in the story.

[Dawn O'brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was very slow to start and more of a ya book than psychological thriller.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blame is an engrossing psychological thriller set in Austin, Texas, published in 2017, about a young woman who has been ostracised by her community for her role in an accident that killed a popular high school student, that she remembers nothing about. I had not read this author before, although Panic has been on my shelf since 2012. I got it from Book Club and was in the mood for a thriller after a couple of Big Name duds, and liked it a lot - despite the plot not making a whole lot of sense and it featuring many of the elements I’ve been trying to avoid!

Jane Norton is 19, homeless and drifting, since the car crash that killed her friend and neighbour David, and took her memory. Everyone thinks she was trying to commit suicide, so she also lost most of her friends. Her mother Laurel will do anything to protect her, but David’s mother Perri is unable to forgive Jane, and now someone is sending anonymous threats to reveal what really happened that night. How can she uncover the truth when she can’t remember anything?

This features a cast of completely unlikeable characters - including the “heroine” Jane who’s a moody manipulative unreliable liar who inexplicably all the boys seem to fall for, two domineering status-obsessed over-privileged mothers, and a large array of other potential suspects with dubious motives.
Then there’s the amnesia plot line, something I’ve actively avoided in recent years after it’s overuse in this genre, and the Mean Girls trope, also overdone. What saves this is excellent plotting and a competently written third person past narrative that constantly shifts our sympathies between the main characters, so that I suspected everyone in turn and could not predict who would be behind it all. The reveal of what was going on was pretty out-there and therefore unpredictable, but by then the action had sped up to breakneck pace so I didn’t care how implausible it all was. 4 fun-if-you-don’t-take-it-too-seriously stars from me.