If She Wakes

By: Michael Koryta

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

Discover the electrifying new novel from New York Times best-selling author Michael Koryta, the "master" (Stephen King) of thriller writing, the story of two women fighting for their lives against an enigmatic killer.

Tara Beckley is a senior at idyllic Hammel College in Maine. As she drives to deliver a visiting professor to a conference, a horrific car accident kills the professor and leaves Tara in a vegetative state. At least, so her doctors think. In fact, she's a prisoner of locked-in syndrome: fully alert but unable to move a muscle. Trapped in her body, she learns that someone powerful wants her dead - but why? And what can she do, lying in a hospital bed, to stop them? 

Abby Kaplan, an insurance investigator, is hired by the college to look in to Tara's case. A former stunt driver, Abby returned home after a disaster in Hollywood left an actor dead and her own reputation - and nerves - shattered. Despite the fog of trauma, she can tell that Tara's car crash was no accident. When she starts asking questions, things quickly spin out of control, leaving Abby on the run and a mysterious young hit man named Dax Blackwell hard on her heels. 

Full of pulse-pounding tension, If She Wakes is a searing, breakneck thriller from the genre's "best of the best" (Michael Connelly).

©2019 Michael Koryta (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"It's a measure of how good this book is that the chilling, masterfully sustained suspense is only one of its standout achievements. Koryta never brushes off anyone's death; he makes you feel for the victims. The relationship between Tara and her sibling is beautifully nuanced, full of revealing details going back to their childhood. Koryta has never been better than with this knuckle-biting thriller." (Kirkus)

"Instantly gripping, with realistic action, a breath-snatching twist, and a few untied ends that hopefully signal a sequel." (Booklist)

"Adept at creating Hitchcockian moments, Koryta keeps the suspense high throughout." (Publisher's Weekly)

Hang in there... it’s worth it

This book easily took me over an hour to decide I was going to continue listening... all the while thinking I could get my credit back and just look for something else. But I kept listening, and I am glad I did. This is definitely different, and I appreciate that. I really like the formulaic “Gone Girl” style books (although no one has done it better than Gillian Flynn), but I was longing for something more original, and this definitely is. My 4 star rating is largely based on that. It was entertaining, interesting, and definitely different. A well used credit. It’s rife for a sequel, and if there is one, I’ll listen to it.

Thrilling

If She Wakes is another excellent dramatic thriller from best-selling author Michael Koryta.

A scientist is killed, a girl is collateral damage and left in a coma, another woman with a dangerous past is sent to investigate what should have been a simple accident and a killer or two are hunting for something that only the girl in the coma have the answers for...

Robert Petkoff manages to make the listener forget that this story should have been narrated by a female voiceover artist and he keeps everyone involved from the first words to the last. He brings all the characters to life, he reads, he acts with talent and passion.

Fast-paced, thrilling and extremely entertaining,, If She Wakes is a story that will stay with you for a long time.

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Sometimes I post reviews at the author / narrator / publisher's request.
Thank you,
Victor

Took a chance... glad I did!

This was a little different than the psychological thrillers I almost always go with. I’m not gonna say there was a huge “aha” moment at the end... but this book had everything: originality, suspenseful plot, subtle humor, amazing character development. The only negative was that the male narrator wasn’t amazing when he played Abby... I had to ignore the annoying sometimes baby voice. But other than that, LOVED IT!

Three stars is a generous review

You have to be into escapism to the nth degree to enjoy this storyline. It’s obviously impossible to believe that a situation like this has ever once arisen. But besides that, it’s hard to listen to people talk to themselves the whole book. Which is mainly what a couple of the main characters do in here. I thought the bad guy was good in this book though and the narrator did a good job with his voice.

So confused!

Maybe this would be better to read rather than listen to. I got so confused by all the cellphones and characters. And I agree with another reviewer who was unclear about the main character. Not my favorite.

Two characters make this book interesting

I'll start by saying I've been a fan of Michael Koryta for awhile. I've listened to quite a few of his books. "Those who wish me dead"is what started fandom for me. That being said, the most intrigiung part of this book was the interaction between Dax and Abby. It was almost like we were in their world and everything (including the suspense was filler).One pleasant surprise was realizing that Dax is an offspring of one of the characters from "Those who wish me dead".

The story for me somehow just misses the boat. Lots of characters that all felt secondary, even what is considered one of the main characters. I couldn't tell if the suspense was supposed to focus more on Tera (the girl who couldn't speak), or Dax and Abby. Add in the sister who felt like a stand in most of the time, it was just not very interesting.

If you have never read an MK book or are not typically into supsense books, you might be intrigued or find it fascnating on some level, If on the other hand suspense is your genre, you most likely will not find the suspense you might be searching in this one.

I'll continue to listen to Michael especially if Mr. Petkoff is narrating, but this one you probably can take a pass unless you have the other book I mentioned.

Michael Did it Again

I couldn't imagine how someone could make a good story out of a girl in a coma, but he did with a home run. Really good book.

Very offensive language

I couldn’t get pas the offensive language in the beginning of the book. I had to quit reading it.
The description of the book sounded wonderful so I took a chance on a new author. I won’t be reading anymore books by Michael Koryta. Why ruin a great read by putting vulgar language in it?

I feel cheated!

I have never written a review before this, but feel I must do so. The action in the book was great, the characters were great, well formed, and I always love Robert Petkoff, the narrator, he is partly the reason that I got this book.

My problem is with the story, where we are all waiting, waiting, with baited breath, to find out the reason for all of the carnage. A lovely young college student, and others have to pay a HEAVY price, and for what?! When I/we finally, finally, finally, get to hear why all of this took place, it made me angry!

The final explanation was a real disappointment and was presented like a blimp on the screen....a foot note, just a few sentences. And people lost their lives and are debilitated, for this?!

I don't want to say what the reason is, in case you want to listen, and the listening is good, active, and right on queue. I simply feel that in the story, the means do not justify the end.

NO QUESTION

A well-written story that keeps the listener interested from beginning to end, and a great narrator who knows how to keep his audience entertained and performs with energy and finesse. There's no question that this audiobook should be your next purchase.