The Memory Wood: the chilling, bestselling Richard & Judy book club pick – this year’s must-read thriller
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By Sam Lloyd
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1 review
THE MUST-READ RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK. Chilling, moving and unputdownable, The Memory Wood is a thriller like no other.
‘Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent’ Daily Mail
‘Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist’ Guardian
‘Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers that stay with you, read this book’ Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife
Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It’s the only home he’s ever known.
Elissa has only just arrived. And she’ll do everything she can to escape.
When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend.
And he doesn’t want Elissa to leave.
Besides, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn’t the first girl he’s found inside the Memory Wood.
As her abductor’s behaviour grows more erratic, chess prodigy Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival.
Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . .
Praise for Sam Lloyd:
‘An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller’ Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door
‘Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It’s undoubtedly the best thriller I’ve read in a long, long time’ Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour
‘I haven’t read anything quite this exciting since Room. You think all the stories have been told, then something like this comes along’ Emma Curtis, author of The Night You Left
Readers love The Memory Wood
‘A very clever psychological thriller. Dark, creepy and intense.’ *
‘Deliciously dark… fresh and imaginative.’ *
‘The twists and turns in The Memory Wood will astound. This book is undoubtedly the best I’ve read this year.’ *
Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Winter 2020
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Macclesfield Library Reading Group
The Macclesfield Library Book Group received ten copies of this book from the Reading Agency in exchange for reviews.
Here are some of our group's thoughts:
'Quite dark and suspenseful but enjoyable read with interesting/unexpected twists.'
'The Memory Wood was a compelling read. Read it fairly quickly as it was intriguing. Not an enjoyable read and would not have usually chosen this type of book.'
'Strangely compelling, slightly confusing, but couldn't put it down, wanting to know what was going to happen next'
'Gritty, easy to read and full of twists and turns. Intrigued by the character or Ellisa and how she coped. Fast paced and full of tangents that are left open for interpretation.'
'Cleverly written. Very complicated plot. I was unclear how i felt about it until the book club discussion. I actually enjoyed it once the plot was made clear to me'
'Dark, disturbing and twisty! Really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story but sometimes the amount of characters/timelines was hard to keep up with!'
'Didn't finish the book as I found it too upsetting'
