An injured man is found on a beach with no identification and unable to speak. Called Matthew by hospital staff and Mr. Nobody by the press, he soon attracts national attention. Neuropsychiatrist Emma Lewis is tasked with assessing if this case is true memory loss or if he's faking it. Emma has an identity issue of her own--she's living under an alias after a terrible incident years earlier in the same town where, perhaps not coincidentally, Matthew was found. Matthew regains his ability to speak and refers to Emma's secret past, but she's certain she's never met him before. When her previous identity is revealed, Emma's life is in danger, but she doesn't give up on discovering Matthew's true identity as he may be the key to understanding what happened to her years ago. VERDICT Steadman (Something in the Water) strikes an engaging balance between character development and action in this satisfying, intricately plotted thriller that will appeal to fans of Sarah Pinborough and Ruth Ware. [See Prepub Alert, 7/8/19.]--Anitra Gates, Erie Cty. P.L., PA

In this over-the-top psychological thriller from bestseller Steadman (Something in the Water), a man with a head wound turns up on an English beach, having no memory of who he is or how he arrived there. London neuropsychiatrist Emma Lewis can't resist a fugue case or a request from Richard Groves, the top neuropsychiatrist in their field, to treat the man nicknamed Mr. Nobody--even if it means returning to a town that she left 14 years ago, where she has secrets of her own. Once the story about Mr. Nobody breaks, the police hotline floods with calls about his identity claiming variously that he's an illegal immigrant, a missing husband/son, a TV actor, or a former soldier. Emma comes to realize that Mr. Nobody recognizes her in a world full of strangers, and he knows things about her past that she thought she'd buried. Point of view shifts diminish the novel's readability at times, but the elaborate plot, filled with seemingly impossible twists, drives to a suspenseful conclusion. Readers will look forward to Steadman's next. Agent: Camilla Wray, Darley Anderson (U.K.). (Jan.)

Drenched with seawater, bleeding from a head wound, and missing his memory, a man awakens on Holkham Beach in Norfolk, England. Written on his hand is a clue, but a clue to what? His identity? Or something more sinister?Once taken to the hospital, the man initially called Mr. Nobody is dubbed Matthew, and although he cannot speak, brain scans reveal no physical trauma. When the leading neuropsychiatrist is unable to take on the case, he recommends Emma Lewis, who is eager to seize the chance to prove her new theories about fugue states. True fugue states are rare, but Matthew's case seems authentic, and his brain scans share an odd anomaly with a previous case from years ago. Yet taking on Matthew's care requires signing nondisclosure forms, leaving Emma wondering who is protecting this man. Worse, for the first time in 14 years, Emma will have to travel back to Norfolk, where something happened that left her so traumatized that she and her family needed new names. Once there, Emma reunites with Chris Poole, an old friend from school who's now working for the police department. Romance sparkles, but Chris' journalist wife, Zara, may hold cards spelling trouble not only for Emma, but also Matthew. Steadman (Something in the Water, 2018) once again brilliantly paces the action from the very first scene: a car wreck about to happen at whiplash-inducing speed. With each step, confusion descends, blurring the path forward with deliciously gothic twists. As in all good thrillers, lights unexpectedly snap out, a creepy house is hidden down a tree-woven lane, and long-buried secrets emerge. As Emma takes charge of her patient, his memories slowly entangle their pasts together, and exposing those secrets may imperil Emma's very life.A spellbinding thriller perfect for those dark and stormy nights. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Dr. Emma Lewis and her family went into hiding after a violent tragedy that took place at their home when she was a a teenager. Partially hiding from the past, partially attempting to fix the pain it has caused her, Emma has become an over-worked neuoropsychiatrist in a busy London hospital. Surprisingly, she is given the golden opportunity to treat a patient deemed ""Mr. Nobody"" after he washed up on a beach in a amnesic fugue-state, not knowing who he is. Upon meeting her patient, Emma discovers that he does know her, however as well as the secrets that she has tried to keep hidden. Uncovering who Mr. Nobody is and how his past is linked to Emma's creates the slow burn of a suspense thriller, speeding up as the truth is revealed, and building in intensity to a wildly fast-paced ending. British actress Steadman's second novel contains the same strong writing style and surprising twists that attracted fans to her impressive debut, Something in the Water (2018).--Margaret Howard Copyright 2019 Booklist