What an interesting concept. This issue isn’t new to me as I always go down a rabbit hole when I read about a new idea and this was in 50 first dates, but that was a rom com so no adrenaline rush. And a stand alone from an author known for her series work, gives you a chance to taste her work without the pressure of multiple books.

Imagine knowing there is danger but not being able to remember the facts and circumstances surrounding it. And imagine being the police and not only trying to solve a crime and protect her.

I had a lot of sympathy for Quinn. With all the reading I do, an amateur sleuth with memory issues is new to me. But this isn’t your normal cozy. There is a sense of urgency and danger for Quinn.

I loved how her art helped her focus and remember things she might not have otherwise. And that the support group she attends added a way to keep the reader in the know of the process of Quinn’s limitations.

Quinn’s isolation due to her brain injury and working towards finding new support and trusting others adds depth to this psychological thriller. It shifts what is normally about the plot to also focusing on the character and adding depth to the story.

Cynthia Farrell does a good job narrating Quinn and keeping the listener on the edge of their seat while also showing Quinn’s vulnerabilities.

If you love slow burn mysteries with an air of danger and depth, this one needs to be on your summer reading list.

After a brutal attack one evening, Quinn is coping with a TBI. She can only retain new memories for a brief period- less than an hour. She is coping- she carries a notebook and writes everything down. One day, after work, she witnesses a murder while taking out the garbage. She quickly writes it all down, but the cops that respond think she wrote a script. But one detective believes her. Quinn works to regain her brain function and to help solve the murder. But she can never get over the feeling that maybe the murderer saw her.

The whole brain injury/memory aspect made this interesting and unique. It also made Quinn a very sympathetic character and someone you couldn't help but root for. However, for some reason, I didn't love this. I liked it and enjoyed it, but something was off. I really wonder if it was partially the audiobook narrator. Cynthia Farrell narrates and it just didn't feel like a good match. No particular reason why. The only thing I can say I actively disliked about the narration is the detective's voice in dialogue. Other than that, it just seemed off.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book…a woman with short-term memory loss witnesses a murder and has a hard time believing if she is remembering flashes or making them up. It is definitely an exciting and interesting idea, but I had a really hard time with the writing. The author over-explained everything as if assuming the reader couldn’t possibly make small connections on their own. There was nothing to discover or figure out, because the author spelled every single interaction out. There was a point where it felt like the author was also trying to hit a specific word count, because the amount of times coffee was described and talked about was distracting to the story.

This standalone with a fun mystery and while I liked the characters are am disappointed it is a standalone I have to admit that a woman with a TBI and unable to make/recall short term memories a poor amateur sleuth. I also really like Detective Reyes (even if I don’t believe that anyone would put so much faith into a witness with a TBI). I listened to the first 7 or 8 chapters in audiobook and then I binged the rest on kindle in one sitting. Patience is not my thing. This one wasn’t as full of action as some mysteries, but I really liked the stuff about memory loss and TBIs which kept me interested even in the slow parts. Quinn was attacked and left for dead after a night out about 3 months ago. She’s trying to get back to her old life, largely because she can’t recall anything after the accident. She is using a notebook and repetition helps her to remember a little more a little longer but she struggles to keep her condition from everyone around her. One night in the alley behind her work she witnesses a murder. She wrote down everything she could remember before calling 911 and forgot almost everything before the responding officers arrived. This was a good mystery and I highly recommend it.

I recently had the chance to read an advanced copy of "Echoes of Memories" by Sara Driscoll, marking my first encounter with this author. The story follows Quinn Fleming, who is grappling with a traumatic brain injury and becomes entangled in a mystery involving a suspected murder—though no body or crime scene is found when she reports it.

I particularly appreciated the detective character assigned to the case and how Driscoll explored Quinn's life both before and after the injury. While the book earned 3.5 stars from me, I felt that the pacing in the middle could have been tighter. The narrative seemed to drag a bit, and a more concise approach might have intensified the suspense and driven the story forward more effectively.

I thought this book started out really well and I was definitely intrigued but around the 50% mark or so it started really dragging for me and was a bit repetitive. I think the concept of this book is good and the book is entertaining but a bit too slow for my personal taste. There was a fair amount of suspense so I will hand that to the author because I think that was done well. I do love books about amnesia / memory issues due to trauma but this one was not a favorite for me although I definitely see the appeal and many other readers will enjoy this one.

I do think the narrator, Cynthia Farrell does a great job of voicing the FMC Quinn.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book got over 4 stars on Goodreads, I’m not seeing it, but obviously it’s just me. It started out strong and I loved the first 30% of the book. But then it just drug out and was monotonous. It felt a little bit Groundhog Day-ish. It took a really long time to get to the mystery and then it just wrapped it up with no real twist. Instead of action really telling us who the murderer was, the detective sits down and tells what happened step by step in the case. The detective mentions several times throughout the book that she is waiting on phone records to help solve the case. At the end, she talks about not knowing what was on the victims phone because they were still waiting on the information to come in. It was really frustrating to me to read this uber slow storyline only to have it wrapped up in few minutes by someone telling me what happened and not even completing the evidence.

Quinn Fleming witnesses a murder and calls the police. There is no body and no other witnesses, so when Quinn can only give the police her account of the events by referring to her notebook, they dismiss her as a crank. Fortunately, Detective Reyes recognises Quinn's name when reviewing the notes and realises that Quinn herself was the victim of an unsolved assault and suffered a traumatic brain injury, meaning that she can only retain new memories for a few minutes, hence the notebook.

This is a fast paced and well written book with hints of 50 First Dates in Quinn's use of her notebook and reminders around her apartment. As well as the criminal investigations, there is a great storyline involving Quinn's support group, with her friend Viv and group leader Will supporting Quinn in recovery of her memories, both personal and related to the incidents. I found this fascinating and actually enjoyed it more than the crime solving element, although both aspects of the story were very good.

This is the first book I have read by Sara Driscoll, brilliantly brought to life by narrator, Cynthia Farrell and I look forward to more!

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sara Driscoll and RB Media, for an ARC in return for an honest review.