I have a bit of a thing for books that take your expectations and throw them against the wall. The Memory Chamber is a psychological thriller in the most literal sense - it really is about what happens inside the characters' heads. A soft sci-fi/speculative setting, a love story and the dark undertones of an alternative but frighteningly realistic reality - this book had it all for me. Captivating, chilling, clever - highly recommended.

What really makes this book is the speculative scientific background: we're in a world where it's possible to create personalised 'heaven's by capturing and programming all your best and favourite memories from life so that your brain cells, after death, enjoy an eternity of pleasure. Cave does an excellent job of setting up this provocative scenario complete with protesters, a greedy US corporation (of course!) and an idealistic 'heaven architect' who wants to believe she is genuinely helping people deal with death.

Things change, however, when Izzy falls for a dying patient who might have been guilty of murder before he died: with the police wanting to access his 'heaven' to convict him post-mortem and have his heaven shut down, the story switches to a far more conventional crime/thriller with Izzy on the run, helped by a police detective and a willing scientist.

I had a few moments where the science didn't quite make sense to me (more than likely my fault as science definitely isn't my strong point!): (view spoiler on GoodReads).

Despite a few niggles, this is fast-paced book which crosses a largely conventional crime plot with something far more interesting - a gripping, thought-provoking read.