I Know My Name by C. J. Cooke

This debut psychological thriller by C. J. Cooke packs a real punch. Even when you can discover the twist of the mystery early on, it remains compelling.

March 17, 2015 - A woman washes up on the shore of the small Greek island of Kommenos, without any memory of who she is or how she got there. She is rescued by a group of four writers on retreat, who resuscitate her and bandage her wounds. They are the only residents on the island; no services, the only hotel long bankrupt and abandoned. Joe, Hazel, George, and Sariah take her in and use a satellite phone to call for help. Another Aegean windstorm approaches; they will have to wait it out. Why is she in Greece when she cannot remember her own name?

On the same day, March 17, 2015 - Lochlan Shelley cuts his business trip short when a neighbor finds his newborn and young son Max alone in his house. His wife Eloise has vanished, leaving everything behind, including her car, money, and identification. Where could she go when she was still breastfeeding? Her parents fly in from Switzerland to tend to the children. Police arrive to investigate, looking first to the husband and the cracks in their marriage. Eloise was envied by other mothers, seeming to handle everything with ease despite growing up with a heroin-addicted mother herself. The national media are involved, and it's discovered the baby monitors had been hacked. Who was watching them, and why?

The writers talk of Greek myths—Theseus and the Minotaur, Pandora—and encourage Eloise to write and perhaps regain her memory. Is she pretending not to know? Eloise explores the island and beach where she washed up. With no help or supplies arriving, the group begins to wonder if they are doomed to never leave the island.

Eloise's parents announce a reward for her safe return. "Please, bring her back to us."

The twist is often what a thriller is all about, and Cooke handles this well. I did realize early on what was happening; however, it almost enhanced the building of the tension. It was a page-turner in the best sense. Now, the ending I imagined was better than what was written, but kudos for balancing the two storylines and pulling off a solid thriller.

Recommended for those who like to scratch their heads and say, "What?"

2017 / Tradeback/ 394 pages