A psychological in which our main character has lost her memory. The novel was a great read and filled twists and turns

This was a fantastic heart felt book i loved it i really enjoyed the whole story line of this book i love books when people lose there memory because there as in the datk as the reader but this was a truly spooky exciting read i couldnt put it down i liked it that much i brought the paperback copy for my daughter

I Know My Name is an addictive psychological mystery which draws you in from the opening chapter - a chapter which leaves you with more questions than it does answers. I'm being deliberately vague as this really a book which is easily spoiled by giving too much away.

All I will say is that the story fired my imagination from the beginning so that I never really knew what was going to happen next or indeed which character was telling a version of the truth. So many unanswered questions form the basis of the plot which is taut, tight and beautifully recounted.

The author definitely knows how to crank up the pressure and in I Know My Name the tension exists from the very beginning. I really had no idea where the story was taking me, which is why I read it quickly over the space of just a few hours, partly because I couldn't put it down, but also because I wanted to find out just what was going on. As with all psychological thrillers there is a sting in the tail, which I didn’t suspect until it was upon me and then everything fitted into place beautifully.

What that twist is, well, you’ll have to find out for yourself…

I Know My Name is one of those books which is just perfect for the holiday season, pack it in your travel bag and be prepared to suspend time ..

I just kept reading this book as I was so engrossed in the mystery as to why and how Eloise had ended up on an island in Greece with no memory. At the heart of the book is the trauma Eloise suffered in her childhood and the mental health issues that go with that.
I definitely didn't see the twists coming but that for me made the book even more intriguing.
A really good read.

Whilst on a business trip, Lochlan is informed that his wife Eloise has gone missing from their home in Twickenham. London. She has left without any of her possessions, money or bank cards but more importantly, she has left her two young children in their home alone.
Lochlan is a career minded businessman and soon learns that not only does he not know his children well, having spent little time with them, but he soon realises that he doesn’t know his wife very well either.
Meanwhile, on the remote Kommeno Island, Eloise’s body has washed ashore. Four strangers on a writing retreat find her and take her to recuperate in their holiday cottage. Eloise has complete amnesia and distrusts the individuals whose behaviour is unnerving and erratic.
The island is bleak and mysterious with derelict buildings and treacherous weather conditions. Eloise is lonely, troubled and disturbed as she desperately tries to recollect the slightest bit of information about herself.
Gerda and Magnus, Eloise’s grandparents are drafted in to help with the children. Gerda is straight talking, judgemental and dislikes Lochlan. Magnus has a quieter, more contemplative personality.
The book alternates between Lochlan and Eloise’s stories, both are spellbinding with hidden mysteries springing up throughout. Some chapters refer to Eloise’s childhood in Geneva and England. These chapters help build up a more detailed understanding of Eloise and how her childhood shaped her later life.
A riveting debut psychological thriller by C.J. Cooke in which the reader is drawn into a tangled web of mystery and intrigue. It is difficult to rest until the outcome unfolds and the mystery solved. The plot is tight but I would have preferred the ending to be a little more dynamic.. However, it is believable and the story is unique and memorable.
A television adaptation is being produced.

Here is an excerpt from the book:
“I peel off the pyjamas that Hazel lent me and study the naked woman in the small shaving mirror above the sink. This woman who is me. She is Caucasian, slender, somewhere between thirty and forty with thick honey blonde hair to her shoulders”

Truly did not like nor did I finish this book. It was and awful story.

This book was brilliant, a great psychological thriller, the story was gripping and hard to read at times, knowing what certain characters had gone through.
Eloise was such a strong but pitiful character, her own story sad but hopeful and so realistic, in the fact that this sort of thing happens to people.
The writing was eloquent and descriptive and kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering where the journey would take me.
Highly recommended

‘… but what if that’s the only thing you can remember?

What would you do, if you woke up on a deserted island, with no recollection of who you are and no idea how you got there, surrounded by four strangers? Your only clue to your identity is an unspeakable yearning to have a baby back in your arms.’

Such is the premise of the new thriller I KNOW MY NAME by acclaimed poet and academic CJ Cooke.

Published by Harper Collins on 15th June, CJ Cooke was inspired to write this novel through her work in creative writing interventions for treating mental illness. This is a book that was written to raise awareness and to start a conversation….

CJ Cooke has written a novel that was prompted by her own very personal experiences with mental health issues. A very strong advocate, highlighting the stigma surrounding mental health issues today, CJ Cooke leads a Glasgow based research project ‘exploring the relationship between creative writing and mental health’

In her own words ~ ‘No novel can possibly tackle such large social issues, but perhaps this one can start a useful conversation, or prompt someone in need to reach out for help.’

I Know My Name is the story of Eloise Shelley, a mother of two small children. Her husband Lochlan receives a shocking call one day from a neighbour to tell him that his wife appears to missing. With Lochlan working in Edinburgh, he makes the journey home, with as much haste as possible, only to discover that Eloise is still not home.

Lochlan does all the routine checks. He contacts her friends, checks for her wallet, phone, passport etc., but everything is exactly as it was. Nothing has been taken and it is as though Eloise has just vanished into thin air.

The following day he informs the police, her grandparents and all others who would be concerned for her whereabouts. Eloise was raised by her grandparents in Switzerland, as her own mother had lived a troubled life. With the wealth of her grandparents, Eloise was well educated and now held a very senior position in a charity, assisting refugees. She was at home on maternity leave at the time of her disappearance, but when at work, she would have been considered a very strong and able individual. Her disappearance is totally out of character.

Komméno Island, Northwest of Greece, a boat is wrecked off the coast, with a woman on board. She is alive but has no memory of how she ended up there. She also has no idea of her identity.

The island is abandoned save for a few rather quirky characters who locate her and bring her back to the relative safety of the run down old cottage where they are staying. The island, once a hub of the tourist industry was hit badly by the recession. Now uninhabited, with the only locals been the mountain goats, she finds herself in the care of these individuals who appear to be on a writing retreat.

Koméno Island is brilliantly portrayed as a very bleak and isolated place. As this lost and frightened woman is soon to discover, there is a very sinister and disturbing atmosphere present, yet she is unable to establish any sense of reality and moreover she cannot get a grasp on who these people are.

In the meantime, Lochlan is frantically searching for traces of Eloise. He never really had much in common with her grandparents, as in their eyes he was never good enough for her. But as the pursuit for Eloise continues, Lochlan makes some very alarming discoveries.

I know My Name is a completely different read for me and here is where I probably had a little difficulty with the book.

The story of Eloise Shelley is truly frightening. Her character is elusive in many ways as we try to piece together her history. As a mother myself her story resonated with me in many ways as I tried to imagine her thoughts and the possibility of this scenario playing out for real.

But something just didn’t sit right with me when I finished the book. I felt the ending was a little too far fetched as I pondered the alternatives. It all was wrapped up a little too neatly for me.

There is no doubt that CJ Cooke can write. I had vivid images in my mind of the desolation of the island. The portrayal of fear and loneliness jumps right off the pages. On finishing the book I thought about the content and the message being expressed. Then I read The Afterward by the author and I was totally taken aback by the recorded words.

I Know My Name is to be adapted for TV as a 6-8 part drama. I honestly believe this is where this novel will come into it’s own. The characterization of Eloise will make for compelling viewing, as layer by layer her story is revealed slowly. There is a very heavy eeriness about this book that I think will transcend much better on screen.

Now folks, bearing in mind this is just my personal opinion, as this book was just not the right fit for me, I would advise you to make your own decision and discover for yourself the truth that is to be found in the pages of I Know My Name.

I'm really sad to be posting this review with only 3 stars but that's just the way it is. I began this book really excited and loving it, all the way to around 60% where things started to go downhill for me. Let me explain my thoughts...

First thing to note with this novel is the passion and emotion it's written with. There is absolutely no doubt that Cooke has a knack for writing. Writing that can simultaneously give you the shivers and produce strong parental feelings all in one go. There is nothing wrong with the way this is written, in fact, that's my favourite thing about this novel, the beauty of the language and descriptiveness used.

Characters in this novel are good. I thought Lochlan was the most developed and well present character out of them all. Eloise's character was interesting and I was invested in her story with the others on the island but I feel like more could have been done to make us empathise with her, both when she was scrabbling around the island with ominous strangers and when all was said and done and we find out what really happened. Maybe it's just me but I couldn't connect with her on a personal level.

The story in this one is interesting. Eloise, grown woman, dedicated mother and charity advocate vanishes from her home, leaving her two young children all by themselves. What ensues is a desperate search for her, by her loving but distant husband and overbearing grandparents. There are definitely some cliches in this book, but the story starts strong and remains strong all the way through and it definitely concludes itself in an interesting and different way to other similar books in the market.

My problem is that I couldn't connect with the ending, and maybe that's because I guessed what was going on at around 50% and it didn't shock me. I was just waiting for the reveal to be revealed and in that time I lost my enthusiasm for the book. Not only that but the ending could have been done better. It was too rushed and time moved too quickly for the real impact of the story to hit you.

This is, of course, all personal opinion. I didn't not enjoy it. It was different in ways and I loved the writing style, but I lost my connection to the story along the way and ultimately, the story needs to grip you from beginning to end to be really successful. In the end, my thoughts are this: good debut, shows lots of potential to be a strong, emotive storyteller, but this one just missed some sort of mark with me.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I feel the blurb is slightly misleading - the bugged cameras, finding out whats gone on might cost her life...

I didn't really feel that these were key points in the book, and not really indicative of the plot especially the cameras, they were misdirection and not really in-keeping with the rest of the involved and intriguing novel. The inner struggle of Eloise, and the family dynamic with the in laws & husband left behind was really interesting however and it was a book I really did enjoy

This was actually a book I mistakenly downloaded but I must confess I really enjoyed. We are introduced to a woman suffering some form of acute amnesia who appears to be living on a Greek Island called Kommeno. How did this woman arrive there? Who are the mysterious residents of the island who seem to want to help....or do they? Back in the UK Lochlan Shelley is at a business meeting in Scotland when he receives an urgent call from a neighbour who informs him that his wife Eloise is missing. Is there a connection between these two events? To say much more about the happenings that unfold would destroy what is an excellent and clever piece of writing. The reader is slowly drawn in as CJ Cooke gradually reveals the secrets that are hidden in the minds of the two main protagonists. What is at the centre of this novel is only really disclosed in the final chapters and I certainly did not anticipate how the threads and clues would be bound together, and indeed how the author is very well placed to write such a powerful piece of prose. It makes me wonder if we really know the thoughts and secrets that are hidden in the minds of those we hold nearest and dearest. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley and the publisher Harper for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was different and very interesting.I had no idea what was going on a woman washes up on a remote beach with no idea seemingly of how she got there or who she is.Meanwhile in England a toddler and a baby are in a house on their own luckily the toddler is spotted by a kindly n'bour the father dashes back from a business trip,and the fun begins.....I was page turning like a woman possessed this was certainly intriguing and a puzzle to me and I enjoyed the fact it was original and different to anything I have read recently.I recommend this book for an interesting and twisty tale that is well worth your time.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

When CJ Cooke offered a few copies of I Know My Name to bloggers on twitter I immediately asked if I could have one as the book sounded so good. It didn’t click with me until later that CJ Cooke wrote one of my favourite ever books, The Guardian Angel’s Journal, so when I found that my copy of I know My Name was signed I actually squealed with delight and was even more thrilled.

I’m so happy to say that I Know My Name doesn’t disappoint, I would go so far as to say that it’s the best psychological thriller that I’ve read this year. It had me on the edge of my seat at times and it really got under my skin.

I Know My Name is told in two strands. One is on a remote Greek island where a woman is washed ashore, she doesn’t know her name or where she came from or how she got to be there but she is lucky to be rescued by a group of writers that are staying on the island. The second strand is set in London where a man is called to come home from work by a neighbour as it seems his wife has gone missing leaving their two very young children behind.

This novel is thrilling, it’s unnerving and it gives you so much to consider as to what might have happened. But it’s so much more than that too. It’s a novel about how much you really know about a person, it’s about how much pain and damage people can hide from their loved ones and it’s about how easy it is to not see what is happening in your own home right in front of you.

I loved this book because it truly is a psychological thriller, it looks at a terrifying scenario of memory loss, of a creepy neglected island but also a look at how the mind works. The things people will do to survive, the things people sometimes have to do to survive.

I read this book in two sittings, the only reason I didn’t finish it in one is because I started reading late at night and fatigue overcame me. I immediately picked it up again the following morning and didn’t stop reading until I turned the last page. It’s now a few days since I read this book and I still find myself thinking about it, it really has made such a lasting impact on me and I know I won’t forget this story any time soon.

This is truly an outstanding psychological thriller that will unnerve you, it will give you the creeps and it will deeply unsettle you as it all begins to come together. It will grab you and it won’t let you go, even when you’ve finished reading it.

This is an incredible novel and I highly, highly recommend it. I feel certain that this book will be in my top books of this year!

I Know My Name is due to be published in paperback on 15th June.

I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this rather intense book which story of a Mum Eloise disappearing is surrounded by mystery. At first I asked myself how can a Mum of two young children, one Cressida still a baby, just walk out on them, but as the tale unfolds I began to understand that it stems from the horrendous abuse Eloise was subjected to as a child and thus the complexity & trauma of it has impacted on her mental health. Therefore she honestly believes that it is in the children’s best interest for her to leave, what a decision to make!

This book is set in two locations Twickenham, London the family home and Kommeno Island Greece. A whole can of worms is released when Eloise vanishes and her husband, Mother and Father have to face the horrific events of her past and some secrets that are closer to home while trying to find her and look after the children. I read most of this book holding my breath willing Eloise to remember just who she is and where she belongs. This novel is a must for fans of psychological thrillers and I wouldn’t hesitate in reading more from this author in the future.

I wasn't sure about this book when I started reading it, however it has completely wowed me as I got involved in the lives of Eloise, Lochlan and Gerda. Told from each of their perspectives, we discover that Eloise has gone missing from their family home. As the reader we meet Eloise and know she is trying to get her way back home, but the family don't know if she's dead or alive. I read the book quickly as I wasn't to find out what was happening and who was keeping Eloise from getting home safely. The ending was brilliant, and one I definitely didn't spot.

Excellent book. Great main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.

This is a mostly well-written debut and the characters are nuanced and sympathetic. However at about the two-thirds point I realised what the twist was likely to be, and was disappointed because it's a theme that has been so overused. Admittedly this book addresses the issue fairly well, but it still left me feeling let down and somewhat spoiled my reading of the rest of the book.

There are also a couple of glaring plot-holes - why, for example, did a nationwide campaign, including massive media coverage and a sizeable cash reward, not lead to anyone coming forward who had driven the taxi/seen Eloïse on the train, seen her at the airport, sold her the airline ticket, sat near her on the plane? Why is that nobody follows up on the missing Swiss passport, despite it being mentioned several times?

The final chapter is entirely exposition, and while I understand the author's desire to educate her readers, this chapter does not add to the story.