If I could give this 4.5 stars I would. Amna O is wonderfully well written, I loved the details and the author's way of adding descriptions that plant the images in your mind.

The chapters being from different characters has been done before, but the addition of the notebook from the patients' POV adds a closeness you might not have got elsewhere. The flip between now and then builds to an incredible climax. The conversation around how to go about writing a novel in the final section was a funny and clever way to bring you into their world.

I've read other reviews talking about multiple Harry Potter references. However, I clocked only two minor ones, nothing about 10 points to Griffindor! Either I've missed the others, or the audio book has had them removed...

There are a few annoyances. Why even bring the brother in (he's such a minor player he hardly even needed to be there at all). Plus overuse of the word KitKat and the chapters are way too short.

The age of Kitty/Sally Turner's kids is an odd detail to leave out as well, especially considering how well the rest of the book is crafted.

I would say towards the end, it did seem to drag out, mostly to an enjoyable level but at times, it did fall into frustration.

That said, the writing was exceptionally skilful with twists and turns building slowly at first, then sped up throughout the book. Some of which I got early, some of which didn't hit me until the author wanted them too (did guess who the dad was having affair with. DIDN'T GUESS who was helping the take over!). The storytelling was eeked out well and extremely carefully.

I had 5 guesses at Patient X identity, got it on the fourth go, which shows I wasn't sure. The book had you looking all over the place but managed to tie up all the questions I had come up with, showing a satisfying attention to detail.

All in all a great read, I will look out for more work by Matthew Blake.

With thanks to the author, publishers HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook copy of this work in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very enjoyable thriller, with an interesting sleep-related plot that I had not encountered before. The various reveals as the story progressed were great, and kept me engaged and guessing as to what was going to happen next. I did however feel that it was a bit too detailed and "sciency" in parts, to the point that it almost distracted from the storyline. Also the ending felt a little rushed and convoluted.

Overall I had a good time with this one though.

.Anna O is the case that everyone knows, it is ther case that everyone wants to know about. Did Anna O really murder two of her closest friends while sleepwalking. No one knows becasue Anna O has been asleep for the years since the terrible crime took place, it is something the specialists call resignation syndrome. The DA wants her to stand trial for the crimes, but first she must be woken. Enter Benedict Prince, a divorced dad, who is a specialist in sleep disorders. With the notariety of this case, things have to kept hush hush, as Anna is moved in to the Abbey that Ben works at.

Ben is haunted by his own problems and is trying to balance being a good Dad with his work and tries not to irritate his ex too much. Ben takes the case and decides that he needs to get to know Anna better to be able to find the piece from her past that will bring her back. As he interview her family, he starts to feel bad for the girl, and worries about bringing her out of her sleep state just to be charged with murder, but the evidence is overwhelming.

But things aren't always what we think they are and as we read Anna O's diary entries, and read about Patient X, we see something different, there are more people involved n this story than first believed.. There is a far greater stroy here. There were lots of great twists in the story and although I felt there were a few times the story dragged on, the overall coinsensus was that it was an enjoyabe listen.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house, narrartor and the author for the opportuity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audiobook in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was an interesting listen and kept me intrigued and I had to keep listening to find out what happened. It was different which is what I was expecting from the cover and the blurb but it works in its way. It kept me involved which is what you need from a book.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

This was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and I couldn't resist hopping back in again in anticipation of Matthew's new release coming out soon!

The audio was fantastic and it was great to go through all the clues again - even not remembering vital sections of this!

Just brilliant! Loved it ....again!!

Here's my original review!



📚Book Review📚


Anna O
Matthew Blake


🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


This was a superbly written psychological thriller that will have you hooked to the last page.


Anna O has been asleep for 4 years - ever since she was found, with a bloody knife in her hands, next to the bodies of her 2 friends!
Dr Prince has been tasked with using his expertise in sleep therapy to try and wake her ready to stand trial.


We follow this story via a few different pov's but our main source is Ben, Dr Prince.
He knows Anna's case inside out, as do most of the country  - but we learn of the events - past and present - over the course of the book from Ben, her nurse, her parents, police reports and even Anna's own journal.


From the information presented it's easy to see both sides of the argument for Anna's guilt and innocence and I spent the whole book flipping from one theory and view to another and back again!


There are so many threads running throughout and you know that by the end, they will come together and make sense - but you just can't get there.
This is definitely one of those books that I just want to dive straight back into to check back on clues that I know were there, but totally missed the first time around!


I am obsessed with all things psychological and found the science of this really interesting throughout.
The premise was brilliant and the presentation of the whole plot was just perfect.
I loved that I had no clue who to trust for the majority of the book and even when the facts were laid out for us, I still wasn't sure - being completely shocked by the final reveal.


This was a rollercoaster read with some exciting twists and a killer ending!
Definitely one to pop in your TBR's for 2024!!

Anna O by Matthew Blake, an audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens, Hannah Curtis, Sarah Cullum and Christine Rendel, was a very, very slow burn thriller but a fantastic journey in a world of carefully twisted crimes, manipulations and jaw-dropping twists!
I don't know why this book gave me a Silent Patient vibe; the stories are nothing alike, but the vibe was there!
Let's start with narrators! They did a fantastic job! I don't think that I would rate this book 5 stars if I did not have an audiobook! All the narrators connected with the book so nicely. I think this book benefits from being an audiobook because if I were to read this, I would skip so much!
This generally felt a bit too long, but that final twist was so yummy!

Anna killed two people while sleepwalking. Now she has slept for the past 4 years...
Doctor Benedict Prince is an expert in sleep disorders and has been absest with Anna's case since all this happened...
The Ministry of Justice has secretly contacted Benedict and asked for support to wake Anna up...
Will this be the highlight of his career or his final downfall?

Several twists will leave you speechless...

Matthew Blake's Anna O is an absolutely gripping and brilliant read! The concept is incredibly clever – a true page-turner that keeps you guessing until the very end. Blake's writing is sharp, and the intricate plot unfolds with masterful precision. If you're looking for a fresh, intelligent thriller that will stay with you long after you've finished, this is it!

Killed someone in their sleep: innocent or guilty? The Anna O case has been the talk of the town for years now, and as the trial approaches, the resurrection of Sleeping Beauty is imminent. Time to pick your side, but most of all, escape from it all alive.

I am definitely disturbed after reading this book, if nothing else. Besides the main plot, the concepts of human psychology, subconscious crime, insomnia, and dream paralysis are discussed in a way that intoxicates you. The mystery builds up again, and just when you think things are getting back on track, it derails itself by exchanging the roles of hunter and prey.

Call it a hunch, but I did guess the ending and the identity of Patient X. I wished that part was less predictable, but the rest of the plot twists keep you on your toes. The story has everything you expect from a thriller – there is murder, psychologists, fast pacing, multiple twists – and the benign narrative kept me hooked to the page.

This story appealed to me and it started out great, but I felt it dipped in the middle and from then onwards it felt like a long story, maybe too much information on too many characters. However, the author managed to keep me interested enough to want to know how it ended,

I was hooked by the snopsis and I wanted to know about Anna Ogilvy, or Anna O as she was called.

The book is very detailed and very well researched.

I was shocked to find the crime took place in Oxfordshire, as that's where I grew up. It was comforting hearing familiar place names.

I felt so uneasy about the crime, yet I also felt fascinated. Why did Anna do it?

The pacing was very slow, and I found nothing much happened in the first eleven chapters. Most of those except one were from the POV of Ben, the sleep doctor. Fortunately, the pacing picked up, but not until around chapter 30, which I thought was way too late.

Overall, I liked the chapters in the book that were from Anna's mother's point of view, though. Anna's diary chapters were also interesting.

I think alternate chapters for every single chapter and character instead of having multiple consecutive chapters from Ben's POV would be a better structure for the book.

The clinic and surroundings are well described, but I felt too many chapters were spent describing those. However, despite the good descriptive langauge used, I felt pulled out of the story during these chapters because there weren't enough visuals.

I was more interested as the book went on.

I felt Anna's arrival at the clinic is merely glossed over, and it wasn't detailed enough.

The medical staff seem cold and matter-of-fact.

There was too much repitition and some parts of the book were too wordy. I was hooked on the mystery of Anna O. though.

4 stars

Thanks to Matthew Blake and HarperCollins for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
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I was interested in this audiobooks blurb but it didn’t live up to the hype, it was very dragged out and I found the female narrators weren’t strong enough to keep me my attention, the best bit was the last 10 minutes.

Book Review: Anna O by Matthew Blake
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Crime Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Anna O is a mind-bending thriller that grabs you by the brain and doesn’t let go. Twisty, tense, and totally unputdownable—sleep was not an option (just like Anna). Matthew Blake nails the psychological suspense with a story that’s as smart as it is chilling. Loved every page.

"Anna O" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the eerie concept of sleepwalking and the dark potential it holds. The narrative follows Anna, a woman who discovers that she had committed a crime, murder, during her sleepwalking episodes. The author expertly crafts a suspenseful atmosphere, blending elements of mystery and psychological exploration as Anna O stays in a state of sleep for four years. Ben, a sleep expert is brought in to try and awaken Anna. The tension builds steadily, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they question the boundaries of consciousness and accountability. With well-developed characters and a plot that twists and turns, this book is a captivating read for fans of psychological dramas and thrillers. It raises intriguing questions about the nature of guilt and the subconscious, making it a thought-provoking page-turner.

Thanks so much to Netgalley an HarperCollins Audio for my advanced audiobook copy.

I’d heard loads of great things about this so was very excited to start it. It started out great, I was fully invested in Anna’s story, and actually really liked Dr Prince who was overtaking Anna’s care while she is in her deep sleep. But maybe ¾ the way through I just kind of gave up wanting to know more. The ending wasn’t a surprise, the hints dropped throughout are so obvious that I’m not sure the ‘twist’ can be called a twist to be honest.

Good premise, great first half maybe, but the second half let it down for me.

These are my own views, and may not be yours, I know people who loved this book.

This is a story about a woman that supposedly killed to people while sleepwalking, the doctor that tries to wake her up and the people in their lives.

Fist of all, the story and the idea of this book were very compelling. The first 80% of the book was really addictive and the story was really interesting. However, after that something changed and I didn't quite liked the decisions that were taken plot wise.

The characters are all interesting and well developed and I really enjoyed following their paths and seeing how everything came together. The narrators did an amazing job with the characters and made the book even more exciting.

The ending was a bit weak for me, I was expecting something different more shocking after how fast-paced and gripping was the majority of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book, all opinions are my own.

This was a high quality audio with good narration. The plot Anna o commits 2 murders while asleep and has slept ever since , Until Ben a sleep expert is employed to wake her up so she can stand trial and justice can be served. This felt a long listen with various pov and parts and a shifting timeline. While this did give the characters more depth , the story itself dragged on and then just when i wanted it to be over there was twist after twist and a final wtf twist that kinda make up for the length. The pacing did feel off especially in the middle. It was a good thriller worth sticking with. The plot due to the way it was told became too much in places yes it did all link together but it could have been shorter which would have increased the tension. The final twist was omg never saw that coming, which pushed this up to 4. The end game just took too long to come about. The actual story seemed to not be sure about which character it wanted to focus on, the title implied it was anna but it felt more about ben and his relationships and life. This is perfect for any crime lovers who like a long drawn out story. Thank you netgallery, publisher , author and narrators.

Well… that was a twist I didn’t see coming!

I started Anna O as an ebook, but I can say without a doubt that I enjoyed the audiobook so much more. The English narration felt completely natural, fitting the UK setting perfectly, and the multi-cast performance brought so much energy and clarity to the story. It made the pacing easier to follow and kept me engaged, especially during the slower or more complex moments.

I genuinely loved this audiobook. The production was excellent, and the narration elevated the entire experience. A dark, twisty thriller that kept me guessing — and listening. Highly recommend giving it a listen over a read if you’re torn between the two!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen and review.

I’ve been wanting to read Anna O by Matthew Blake ever since it came out in 2024, so I was thrilled to get the chance to listen to the audiobook through NetGalley—thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

The premise is definitely intriguing: Did Anna O commit murder in her sleep? And since that night, she hasn’t woken up. It’s up to forensic psychologist and sleep crime expert Dr. Benedict Prince to bring her back to consciousness so she can stand trial.

Anna O fits neatly into the psychological thriller genre, which has exploded with similar titles over the past decade. Does it bring something new to the table? Kind of. Through Ben’s narration, we get a deep dive into the world of forensic psychology and sleep disorders, which adds a fascinating layer. But I’ve read quite a few books with a similar vibe, so the story didn’t feel especially groundbreaking to me.

While the characters each bring their own perspective to the case, I never felt fully pulled into the story. There were moments of suspense, but I missed those big, jaw-dropping cliffhangers that keep you up at night. The pacing was solid, but the mystery unraveled gradually and predictably—I actually saw all the twists coming well before they were revealed.

That said, Anna O is still a solid thriller. It just didn’t quite hit the mark for me in terms of originality or emotional impact. However, the audiobook narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life, and I’d definitely recommend experiencing it in audio format if you’re curious.

I avoid books with any hint of insomnia (I get fed up with the whole ‘I’m just so tired’ scenario on repeat) but thought it might be interesting to give the opposite scenario a try. Well, I’m delighted to say that I’m fully on board with the whole ‘are they ever going to wake up’ storyline. Anna O is a fascinating story, told in an interesting and compelling way. I was immediately engaged and, despite there being a lot going on with multiple POVs, many characters, different timelines and journal entries, I found it easy to follow and captivating. My only slight criticism is that it felt a little too long and repetitive in places but the ending (which I had to go back and listen to again as I thought it was so good) more than made up for it.

I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook version. Each of the narrators were brilliant and the excellent narration and seamless production absolutely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the audio ARC.

The audiobook's narration was great in taking us through this mystery/thriller, with the voices fitting the characters.
This book includes an intriguing concept with solid writing and a compelling atmosphere that pulls you in from the start. The psychological themes and mystery elements are well-executed, and the shifting perspectives across chapters add depth and variety to the storytelling. The plot twists are well-placed and keep the tension alive.

However, the pacing tends to lag in places, especially in the latter half, and the atmosphere—while immersive—sometimes feels overwrought. Characterization is a mixed bag: while the main male character is central to the story, his self-importance becomes grating, and some of the female characters feel underdeveloped or inconsistent in their motivations. Greater insight into their reasoning would have added much-needed depth.

Despite these flaws, Anna O is a compelling blend of psychological thriller and murder mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre. A good read overall, even if not without its shortcomings.