Jon Bassoff’s The Memory Ward is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you questioning reality from start to finish. Set in the eerie town of Bethlam, Nevada, the novel follows Hank Davies, a postal worker whose world unravels after discovering that the letters he delivers contain only blank pages. What starts as a simple mystery spirals into a chilling exploration of identity, trauma, and the fragile nature of perception.

Bassoff masterfully builds suspense, creating an unsettling atmosphere reminiscent of The Truman Show and Wayward Pines. The narrative unfolds slowly at first, but once it gains momentum—particularly with the introduction of Catherine—it becomes impossible to put down. The ending left me shaken, a testament to how well the story weaves together psychological tension and existential dread.

While some moments felt a bit meandering, the payoff was worth it. The Memory Ward is an engrossing, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense with a touch of speculative fiction.

Featuring nonreliable protagonists and twisty storylines, The Memory Ward is a disorientating novel that will leave readers wondering even after the last page. With a slow burn pace that doesn't let up on the tension, The Memory Ward grabs ahold of the reader and doesn't let go.

The Memory Ward is a page-turning novel that’s a little horror, mystery, thriller, and speculative fiction in one. It’s a quick and easy read that will grab you immediately. I feel like I was in the Twilight Zone reading it. You know something weird is going on, but not sure what. Even the main character is odd himself, while he tries to figure out what is going on. I absolutely devoured this one, and I will say the ending left me with my jaw practically unhinged!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Anyone who thinks the premise looks interesting: you won’t be disappointed! Lovers of the Twilight Zone or The Stepford Wives.

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
The narrator who voices Wally has an amazing range of voices. The voice for Wally in particular is this kind of pathetic, sad voice. Some might be turned off by it, but it fits the character perfectly. I highly recommend the audio for this!

Book Review: The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff

Jon Bassoff’s The Memory Ward promises an eerie and unsettling experience, blending elements of mystery, horror, and thriller. However, while the novel is well-crafted in certain respects, it ultimately falls short of delivering the gripping, psychologically intense narrative one might expect from its premise.

The story follows Hank Davies, a postal worker in Bethlam, Nevada, who slowly begins to unravel the unsettling reality of his seemingly idyllic town. The premise is intriguing: a man discovering blank letters, cryptic messages hidden behind wallpaper, and an unnerving sense that something is terribly wrong. The novel aims to immerse readers in an environment where reality and illusion blur, yet it does so with a sense of predictability that undercuts its suspense.

One of the book’s biggest weaknesses lies in its genre execution. Marketed as a thriller infused with horror, The Memory Ward lacks the necessary tension and fear to sustain these labels. The horror elements, if present, are too subtle to evoke genuine dread, and the thriller aspect suffers from a lack of compelling stakes. Readers expecting a mind-bending psychological thriller with shocking twists may find themselves underwhelmed. The major twist is foreshadowed too early in the story, making the climax feel more like a confirmation of suspicions rather than a surprising payoff.

Despite its shortcomings, the novel does have strengths. The use of unreliable narration is one of its most effective tools. The narrators are self-assured in their distorted perceptions, which keeps the reader questioning what is real and what is fabricated. The novel’s writing style also enhances the unsettling atmosphere, even if the plot does not fully support the tension it attempts to build.

The Memory Ward excels in crafting a disorienting, paranoia-infused setting and successfully employs unreliable narration, yet it lacks the depth and execution necessary to make it a standout thriller or horror novel. Readers looking for an introspective look at identity and memory might appreciate its literary qualities, but those seeking an unpredictable and truly gripping mystery may find themselves disappointed. Bassoff’s talent is evident, but this novel does not quite reach its full potential.

This was an interesting and creepy read/listen. I was intrigued right from the beginning of the book as I love psychological puzzles. I listened to it in audiobook format and I felt like the narrators did such a good job at portraying the different characters and that kept me engaged. The story itself was complex - it begins describing a man living out his daily mundane life, but quickly pivots as he is told late one night by a neighbor that nothing is really as it seems and that he is in danger. He then starts noticing things are quite strange around him and goes down a path to uncover the truth.

The ending has still left me pondering what actually happened. I'd give this a chance if you are into reading more thriller/puzzle stories!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for my copy!

A tense, mind-bending story with elements of speculative fiction, thriller and horror, told through multiple perspectives.

Bethlam in Nevada is the perfect place to live, or is it? Hank Davies has started to suspect that the idyllic little town is not what it seems, and he is not the only one to have noticed the oddities at Bethlam. Hank begins to look beyond the perfect veneer, and further into the disturbing new reality as he attempts to distinguish what is true and what is not…

This is an entertaining and eerie story, that explores memory, identity and perceptions of reality.

The audiobook narration by Bronson Pinchot, Dawn Harvey and Janina Edwards worked well with the storyline and cast of characters.

With thanks to Blackstone Publishing, Jon Bassoff, NetGalley for this e-ARC to listen to and review.

Give this one a go if you enjoy psychologically intense stories that blend thriller and horror elements.

Such an intense, well plotted and thrilling story. I couldn't guess where it was going but was thrilled to see what came next! Great audio narration too.

I have never read anything by this author so going in with a blank slate I have nothing to compare. I really enjoyed about 3/4 of this book. I enjoyed the twists and turns and couldn't wait to finish and recommend it.

Then it turned for the. The last 1/4 of this book dragged so badly that I actually started to feel annoyed at needing to finish. I feel like it should have been wrapped up after the plot reveal for a tighter story. I still enjoyed it overall but it lost a star toward the second half.

I was not fond of this book. I wasnt sure where it was going but eventually pieced it together. I wish it went more into the "why" of it all. I strongly disliked the voice of the reader. It felt like they were dumbing the voice down for the people. it made me feel dumb as well.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

A really dark, really twisted version of The Truman Show. A good read that lost steam towards the end.

I have had a difficult time with this one but I can’t tell if it is the narration style of the story itself. It took over an hour for me to be even a little invested in the story. During Wally’s story the mystery of what’s going on starts to unwind and quickly Truman show vibes crept in. Unfortunately, I’ve lost interest. This wasn’t quite for me but it was well written. Probably good for thriller lovers. I was hoping for more horror.

This is a book that will mess with your head, it will leave you with questions. All and all I liked this book a lot and I will be stuck with this one for quite a while due to the fact that I am left with so many unanswered questions and not knowing what was the truth and lies!

Twilight zone meets the Truman show with a little bit of Pleasantville thrown in. That's how I would decobre this book and I mean it in all the beat ways possible. From the firat page I was hooked into this story and the charxtxera and the every changing characters and narrative of what was happening. What is real and what is not what is in our minds and what if the worst things we feared are true. This was excellent writing and I felt the tension so heavy within these pages. I was terrified and intrigued on equal measure. I wanted so badly to know what was happening and at the same time loved the aspect of not knowing and being carried along with hank and wally until the end. This was a twisty tale that held me and didn't let go this idilic perfect town was beautiful and yet wrong in all the ways it was suppose to be right. It felt like seeing behind a film and hoe things where made that's what the town felt like. It was this ever consuming feeling that what I was seeing was wrong witch was exactly what was intended by a great author that knows how to play with narrative and distorting reality and our very fears. This was such a great read I read it so fast not being able to put it down. This is my first time e reading from this author but I promise it won't be the last and that ending I feel it will stay with me long after finishing. A fantastic book I highly recommend.

I received an advance audiobook copy of The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff from netgalley.

I enjoyed the narration. The changing of characters and storylines was easy to follow.

This mind bending book had me scratching my head trying to figure it out until the big reveal. I had my suspicions about some of the twist, but definitely not all.

Very well written and thought out. Definitely recommend.

I’m going to give this a 3.5 star rating, it took me a little while longer than I would have liked to get into the story, when I did start to become intrigued around half way through the ending wasn’t as satisfying as I would have like and felt I was left with so much confusion and so many questions. However, the audiobook was really good at portraying the creepiness and uneasiness of the narrative! I don’t think this book would be for me, however I could definitely see it being right for others, I maybe just feel like I would have liked for answers at the end

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Memory Ward is guided by a fascinating, curious premise - what is real? What isn’t? Who can you trust? Psychologically disturbing at times, it will send you down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories that will keep you up at night.

I had mixed feelings on it, personally. Some parts had me on the edge of my seat while others felt like they dragged on. It took me a while to get through it, and it definitely picked up in the second half, but it just kind of misses the mark for me. Regardless, a unique story that will appeal to those with a taste for sci-fi, fantasy, and maybe even dystopian tales.

LOVE IT , so happy to listen to this book, I love Wally! Isn't he so sweet to his Dad!? Don't we all wish to be so care for in our old age? But scary, and WEIRD. Great!! It's so funny to be wondering what is going on here? Just keep the gory gross stuff, I can do without that. Thanks so very much to have better audiobook selection also.

4.0 stars - Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC audiobook of 'The Memory Ward'. What a mind-bending book, definitely unlike anything else that I've ever read. I've never watched 'Russian Doll' but after reading the synopsis, I wondered if I was going to get vibes of 'The Silent Patient' ... while it had small elements of 'The Silent Patient', I found it much more similar to the TV Show 'WandaVision'. The constant questioning of what was real and what was imagined was such a wild ride! I enjoyed finding out the reasons behind what was going no - that part fascinated me, although I did find it highly unethical. I'm also not 100% sure I fully grasped the last chapter, but still enjoyed the book nonetheless!

The audiobook bounced back and forth in quality, which was weird. The story itself was predictable, yet still entertaining, and the reveal was super shocking, as it picked up in intensity and graphic content for said reveal.

The Truman Show meets Black Mirror in this mind-boggling story where nothing is quite as it seems.

Hank is an average guy living a pretty average life in quaint Bethlehem, Nevada. He's a mail carrier with a wife, a home, and friendly neighbors. Life couldn't get much better. That is until the day Hank discovers the mail he's delivering is nothing but blank pieces of paper disguised as letters. He begins picking up on other details he's overlooked, and another community member reaches out, carefully sharing their concerns about this idyllic town they're both living in.

What's discovered is a rollercoaster of information, making it difficult to piece together the truth from the lies, the reality versus the perspective. And just when you think you have it figured out, you realize how very wrong you are.

This is the exact kind of psychological thriller I become immersed in. The story pulled me in from page one and I was desperate to find out what was going on in Bethlehem and with Hank. Is it a simulation? Is Hank mentally unwell? Is it an experiment? The story plays out in such a way that you consider each as possible at various times throughout the story. It was gripping and held my attention effortlessly throughout the book. The narration (sped up, of course) was fantastic as I always appreciate when different narrators are used for different characters.

As much as I was engaged in the story, I was a bit disappointed in the conclusion. But only because I was hoping everything would become clear after the hours spent trying to piece together the truth. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and will be checking out other novels written by Jon Bassoff!

4.5 Stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a copy of this audiobook!