Thank goodness Ms. Steadman did not suffer from the sophomore slump! I might have liked this book even more than her first book. I did feel that she drove us all a bit crazy trying to find out what Emma/Marni's secret was. I would have preferred to have that out in the open earlier. And, honestly, I am a bit lost on what was really going on with Mr. Nobody himself. I assume she did her research and the situation is something that could actually happen, but it seemed a bit far fetched to my uneducated self. That all being said, this was a slow burning intense book! I loved how Ms. Steadman fleshed out characters that might not have gotten any attention from another author. This added to the overall story for me. But, I would have liked to see more of Emma's family, especially after her secret comes out and maybe could have added to the second half where we weren't wondering what the big secret was anymore.

I loved the authors previous book that I recently read, and this one did not disappoint either! I got so invested in the characters, it was hard to put the book down! Twists and turns done in the best way, looking forward to reading more of this authors work.

Mr. Nobody is an intelligent, well-written thriller. Yes (as other reader/reviewers have pointed out), it has flaws, but when have flaws ever stood in the way of love? And I did love the experience of reading this book.

Let's get some of the flaws out of the way. There was the little niggle over pacing. Much of the book -- my Kindle tells me it was perhaps 83% -- involved a slow, meticulous build, with well-spaced, incremental reveals about the two main characters: a neuropsychiatrist with a past and a patient who may have a rare case of retrograde amnesia, or perhaps a unique fugue state diagnosis, or maybe he manufactured his symptoms.

Then that last bit of the book seemed frantic, with the final chapter covering months of wrap-up in a few pages. So naturally there was a lot more "telling" than showing.

But, overall, the writing! Such well-crafted prose. It was a delight to immerse myself in a thriller where I didn't need to turn off my brain or shush the editing impulse over silly grammatical lapses. (Didn't happen.) And high marks for making neuroscience painlessly accessible to the lay reader.

I think I liked Mr. Nobody even better than the author's first book, Something in the Water.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.

I really enjoyed Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman so when I saw this ARC of Mr. Nobody I was excited to check it out. Sadly, this book just didn’t work for me. The pace of this book was so slow, to the point where I almost gave up, but other readers told me to keep going so I did. While the second half did pick up a bit, the twists just didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t find myself invested into this story. This doesn’t mean I won’t give this author another chance, but I can’t say this book thrilled me in any way.

I encourage you to read it for yourself and see how you feel. Thank you Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this advance reading copy. This book will be published 1/7/20.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I may have been one of the few that didn’t love Something in the Water. I enjoyed it in the sense that it was interesting, but the main characters drove me so crazy it made me like the book less. Even though I didn’t love it, I was still excited to read Catherine Steadman’s newest book and was delighted when Netgalley approved my request. Compared to Something in the Water, this book moves at a much slower pace. For a good portion of this book I wasn’t really sure what was going on. There is a lot of talk about psychology in this book, which I enjoyed, but I could see this turning off other readers. I enjoyed the multiple narrators throughout the book, the twists, and the suspense as the story unfolded. I never guessed what was going to happen and didn’t truly grasp what had happened until she spelled it out for the reader. I enjoyed the ending and conclusion of our story. I would recommend this book to those who are into psychology and are into slow burn mysteries. Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Emma Lewis became a neuro psychiatrist because of traumatic events in her past. She even changed her identity so the public would not know who she was. Then she gets a call with a potentially career changing case - Mr. Nobody was found on a beach, near her old hometown, and has no memories of who he is.
Exciting book with lots of twists and turns, as Emma tries to bring Mr. Nobody's memory back and also come to terms with what happened in her past. It kept me guessing until the very end how things were going to turn out.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This started off sort of slow for me with the back and forth in time frames then picked up and had me really interested through the middle of the book. The premise was intriguing. Who was this man who seemed to remember nothing about himself. And what had happened to Emma in the past that required her to go into some sort of witness protection program? Had she been lured back to the location for some reason? Was her employer what he seemed? What was the connection between 'Mr. Nobody' and Emma? Lots of questions that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

And then. For me, the ending just seemed to fizzle out. The revelations seemed to be less than I expected and though the conclusion wrapped everything up neatly, it just was meh for me.

Still, this is a good read with some interesting viewpoints and I'm glad I read it. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Emma Lewis, 30 years old - lead consultant neuropsychologist- works in a busy London hospital.
She specializes in the field of memory loss.
She also spent fourteen years trying to forget one awful night from her childhood village in Norfolk.
She had entered a witness protection program, years ago.
Emma wants to accept a prestigious job which would send her back to Norfolk.
She’s terrified at the thought of going back to where she fled, but wants to be the head honcho on the high profile ‘Mr. Nobody’ case......
a case that the government had the upper power.
Emma needed to sign a confidential non-disclaimer waiver agreement - in order to work with a patient she was qualified for.
Of course we wonder why.

A noticeable familiar theme stands out... similar to
Gillian Flynn’s thriller, “Sharp Objects”, where the protagonist returns home - in part-to face her own damaged family history.
Emma will do the same.

Mr. Nobody has no memory of who he is - why he was soaking wet, freezing, barefoot - washed up like a fish on the sand from the ocean.
It was a chilly winter day on Holkham Beach in Norfolk.
Mr. Nobody notices a name written on his hand....
seems clear that he’ll ‘remember’ it, then quickly wipes it off.

My ‘first’ interest ... was the ‘setting’.
I’ve been to the UK, but never to Holkham Beach ( my loss)...it’s looks gorgeous.... with miles and miles of sand, pine trees and dunes. Swimming, though, is not recommended. I liked the lovely beach atmosphere.
A little fun tidbit: Gwyneth Paltrow walked this beach in the movie, “ Shakespeare in Love”.

Regardless of Emma’s fear to return to Norfolk, she takes the job of working with ‘Mr. Nobody’, ( they named him Matthew).
Early diagnosis suggests Matthew was suffering from retrograde amnesia (RA), dissociative fugue.
The onset of RA is usually caused by an accident or disease. It can be a temporary condition or it can be permanent.
Or....
Matthew could simply be a ‘Mr.Nobody-liar.

The two protagonists: Emma and Mathew develop a
an uncommon Dr./patient relationship.
Matthew knows things about Dr. Lewis... things that happened in her past.
Emma knows about her past, too, but readers are left in the dark about both of their past histories.

Emma’s chapters are written in first person.
The other chapters, written in third person narrated by Matthew.

The supporting characters, (a police officer, ( Chris), his wife/journalist, ( Zara), and a nurse, ( Rhoda), add time the overall story but clearly have issues of their own.
Some of the side drama was more interesting than the main story.

Everything had issues - everyone had a back story.

Potentially there was a fascinating medical/memory/ psychological-thriller-tale to be told ....with a strong beginning.
Unfortunately, a very slow pacing kicked in and never seemed to find its ground.
It was as if the writing itself sabotaged it’s own story....leaving behind a
moronic preposterous ending.

2.5 >> stretching to 3 stars

Mr. Nobody alternates chapters between "The Man" who has woken up on the beach with amnesia and Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis who has been called to take on "The Man's" case.

Emma soon realizes that there's more than meets the eye with this case. She'll have to return back to her childhood home where something dark lurks from her past and she'll no doubt be faced with her demons. Yet, the case of possible fugue is so intriguing, she's pulled to accept the challenge.

We don't actually hear from "The Man" too much early on, but learn about his situation from those helping him like Detective Poole and hospital staff.

I have to say that about a third of the way into the book I had to put it down for a very emotional scene. I don't do well when I am confronted with a child's death. If that doesn't bother you, then you might be okay. But fair warning, it could be upsetting for some.
This one was a hard read for me due to the emotional aspect and all the medical terminology. Not my favorite read, but strong writing throughout.

I have always liked a good thriller that deals with amnesia and at first I found Mr.nobody to be intriguing at times and slow at others and a little dragged on but I still felt like it would be enjoyable for people who love a more slow-paced mystery as where I am a full fast-paced twist and turn junkie.

The author spent time in research and it really did show in the novel and Steadman is a creative writer but this one just didn't really do it for me.

This is my first novel from Catherine Steadman and although I found this one to be a little slow I will still check out her other books in the future.

The plot
A psychiatrist treating a man with no memory discovers that her patient knows far more about her past than his own in a gripping psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water.

Who is Mr. Nobody?

When a man is found on a British beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. From the hospital staff who find themselves inexplicably drawn to him, to international medical experts who are baffled by him, to the national press who call him Mr. Nobody, everyone wants answers. Who is this man? And what happened to him?

Some memories are best forgotten.

Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is asked to assess the patient in a small town deep in the English countryside. This is her field of expertise, this is the chance she’s been waiting for, and this case could make her name known across the world. But therein lies the danger. Emma left this same town fourteen years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.

Places aren't haunted . . . people are.

Well, I really wanted to like this book. I had high hopes for it but unfortunately it didn't really work for me.
The first half was really promising and great but then it started to fall apart. Maybe it's me. I read a lot of thrillers so maybe this one was overshadowed by my high expectations.

Rounding up 2.5 into a 3 star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

thanks to netgalley for the advanced readers copy of Mr. Nobody, i was able to finish this one over the weekend! i read Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman earlier last year and loved it, so i was super pumped to pick up her latest.

rating: 3.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟✨

there’s two main characters—a doctor named emma who is trying to hid her identity, and a man she’s treating who can’t remember anything about his. the synopsis had me hooked!

dr. emma is a psychiatrist with a speciality in memory loss and has been dreaming of a case like this her entire career. the only catch is: she has to return back to her hometown—the place she fled from, changed her name to avoid, and entered witness protection to be safe—to treat the patient. although it’s a high profile case, there’s no way anyone would be able to recognize her all these years later, right?

wrong. the patient—Mr Nobody—who lost all of his memory and essentially showed up washed up on the beach knows who she is and all about her past. but how? he can’t even remember his name, and there’s no way he was a part of what happened 14 years ago...is there?

selfishly, emma is determined to solve this man’s memory issues in order to find out exactly what—and how—he knows about her past while trying to stay undiscovered in her old hometown.

i wanted the two main characters’ plots to intertwine a bit more than they did, but i was surprised at the ending. it started a bit slow for me, but by 40% of the way through i was hooked and determined to figure it out!

You settle into your reading nook, warm cup of something in your hand, winter outside the window (well, in California, that's relative, but still...), and start reading a thriller with a good pedigree and an intriguing cover. Perfect way to spend a January day. Until you reach a point in your reading where you've stalled so completely, you have to struggle to keep going. But going you must since it is a review copy and you've got to be fair. Well, to be fair, Mr. Nobody starts beautifully, atmospherically, intriguing, but after umpteen references to "What Happened Then," plus so many conversations that start "Er," tedium in large measure sets in. Others have jacked up their star awards because that beginning is so good, but I'm giving the lowest possible rating because of the disappointment and the incredibly silly denouement.

Mr. Nobody is the latest story by Catherine Steadman. I'm giving Mr. Nobody 5 stars because that's the most that's allowed. This book will has the reader on the edge of their seat.... a lot! This is a page turner. Make sure you allow yourself time to drop everything and just read. I want to thank Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the early copy to review.

When a barefoot man with no memory turns up on a wintery beach, neuropsychiatrist Emma Lewis returns to her hometown to help. At sixteen, she'd fled the coastal town, changing her name to hide her past. So how does her patient know so much about her? Emma Steadman's second psychological thriller–with twists and turns aplenty–is a corker.

Catherine Steadman's Mr. Nobody is meticulously crafted. The opening pages immediately capture the reader's attention. A remote shoreline, a disoriented individual in disrepair. Is he in danger or does he pose a threat? The plot moves quickly between the unidentified patient and the young female psychiatrist recruited to assist in his treatment. The characters are well developed.I was emotionally vested in the outcome. The story is fast-paced, easily consumed in just a sitting or two. Ripe with possible explanations and outcomes, Steadman will keep you guessing and reassessing throughout the novel. As always, expect the unexpected!

Mr. Nobody is my first novel by Catherine Steadman. I still have yet to read her debut, Something in the Water, which has been published to accolades. That book was buzzy, with everyone from national book critics to Hollywood celebrities crooning over the novel, so I jumped at the chance to review her second book, Mr. Nobody. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me.

The novel opens to a wounded man with a hazy memory of how he managed to become washed ashore in the dead of winter. He doesn't even know his name. Dr. Emma Lewis is brought in to oversee his care. She is determined to find out if he truly has amnesia or if something deeper is happening to this poor soul.

I'm not a big fan of amnesia books or plot devices in which the author deliberately withholds information from the reader as some form of cheap trick. In this case, we know something happened in Dr. Lewis's past which forced her family to relocate suddenly. We know it was serious enough for the family to change their names and basically live in hiding, shying away from the truth of what happened, but we aren't privy to this information early on; however, we are teased by it.

This all might have worked for the author, but sadly, the pacing was far too slow for my liking. My attention was held, but unfortunately, there were times I thought, "This is boring." There have been other buzzy books that made me feel this way too, so I still recommend this to anyone who enjoys Ms. Steadman's writing style.

I honestly feel like the writers style is comfortable for me. As if I’m talking to my girlfriends. The story was a bit slow for my interest because nothing major happened until about 55% into the book. However, once everything picked up I really liked the story.

4.5 stars
Steadman’s Mr. Nobody is definitely a Somebody! This book ticks all the boxes for a binge read: well-paced, plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing, and just the right amount of tension. When the reader finds themselves commiserating with not only the protagonist, but also the guilty party on multiple occasions, you know you have a mystery/thriller worth reading.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This lady wrote There's Something in the Water, so I HAD to request and read this book! The writing is propulsive in this one too. The pages fly by as you try to figure out the mystery of the anonymous man found on a British beach -- who is he? Where did he come from? What is his connection to our heroine, Dr. Emma Lewis? What is the trauma in Emma's past that she is determined to keep hidden?

Sinister machinations seem to be at work from the beginning, and in the end that plays out...everything feels a little too villainous. It's kind of relentless and comes off as heavy-handed rather than being effective. I still really enjoyed the thriller element of this tale, and the creepy haunted house feel of Emma's hidden-away lodgings. I will recommend this book to people who love a dark thriller and who enjoyed There's Something in the Water. Thank you!