Black Out

A Novel

By: Lisa Unger

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

"When my mother named me Ophelia, she thought she was being literary. She didn't realize she was being tragic."

On the surface, Annie Powers' life in a wealthy Floridian suburb is happy and idyllic. Her husband, Gray, loves her fiercely; together, they dote on their beautiful young daughter, Victory. But the bubble surrounding Annie is pricked when she senses that the demons of her past have resurfaced and, to her horror, are now creeping up on her.

These are demons she can't fully recall because of a highly dissociative state that allowed her to forget the tragic and violent episodes of her earlier life as Ophelia March and to start over, under the loving and protective eye of Gray, as Annie Powers.

Disturbing events - the appearance of a familiar dark figure on the beach, the mysterious murder of her psychologist - trigger strange and confusing memories for Annie, who realizes she has to quickly piece them together before her past comes to claim her future and her daughter.

©2008 Lisa Unger (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Twisty, riveting, and enormously exciting. Lisa Unger is a powerful and elegant writer, and Black Out is her best novel yet." (Joseph Finder)

"I read Black Out in one hungry gulp, and spent the rest of the night trying to calm my jangled nerves. This is a stunning, mind-bending shocker with moments of sheer terror - one of the best thrillers I've read this year!" (Tess Gerritsen)

"Black Out is riveting psychological suspense of the first order. If you haven't yet experienced Lisa Unger, what are you waiting for?" (Harlan Coben)

Far fetched

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book was entertaining enough, but the story was so convoluted that it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't.

Would you recommend Black Out to your friends? Why or why not?

I can't say that it is that good that I would recommend it.

Have you listened to any of Ann Marie Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any other of Ann Marie Lee's other performances, but I thought she did a good job with this one.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I would, so that maybe I could get more clarity about the story.

Any additional comments?

I found the writing to be ok, but the story was confusing, and while a far-fetched story can be really good, this one was so wierd that I was losing interest.

Boring and long way to tell a story

Save your points
Oh, and when the “little girl” talks, it’ll make you so irritated!!!!!

Pay attention

If you want to listen to a book that you must listen to carefully, this is the one for you. I loved to story but I did have to go back and listen to parts again. There are so many characters, real and not, that it can be confusing. But i loved this story, it was really good. Very different.

Not impressed

if you're going to purchase this audiobook make sure you are devoted to full attention.
It was an okay story, the narrator was great.

Disappointing... dragged on...

I willed myself to finish the book, to the finish the listen. I was very disappointed in the story; I have read other books by Lisa Unger and have enjoy them. This was just not an enjoyable book.

Not worth it

Long confusing and unrealistic. I tried to like it but not worth it. Don’t bother

Hate the ending.

This is my least favorite out of Lisa Unger's books. It was more depressing than thrilling.

Stopped counting

how often I tried to get into this story
still not sure what was happening
to the "leading lady"...storyline is not believable..at all...I'm still sorry about the time I waisted listening to this.

A waste of time

Where was the editor?! The story was far fetched, but made worse by the lack of editing. It was repetitive, poorly constructed and TOO long.

I just can’t.

Less than three hours left and I cannot bring myself to finish it. I wanted to return it early on but because of the good reviews I had hoped it would get better. It has not. I am bored to death and want my credit back.