Anna O

Anna O by Matthew Blake is a mesmerising, psychological thriller. I loved the premise of this novel: A woman accused of killing two of her best friends but then falls into a deep sleep. Did she murder them in cold blood, or was she sleepwalking at the time and not in control of her actions? Guilty or innocent? And how can you prove it either way?

Blake's writing is hypnotic! I also found it quite poetic at times. I loved the references to other texts in the book, such as Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, as well as the mention of Medea, Anna O theory and resignation syndrome, to name a few. I did find myself researching a lot, and then getting stuck into these fascinating subjects.

The story is told mainly through Ben's point of view. Ben is a sleep expert and works in a sleep clinic in Harley Street. However, there are also chapters dedicated to Anna O's notebook, as well as Dr Bloom's case notes and some other characters. I have to admit I couldn't predict the outcome of this thriller. It took me completely by surprise and I loved the twist and turns. A fantastic book from start to finish. I did take my time reading it purely because I wanted to savour every page and not miss anything, but I also got caught up in my own research along the way.

Anna O is a phenomenal debut novel. This is one to add to your TBR pile.