The Memory Collectors

A Novel

By: Dete Meserve

Narrated by: Andrew Eiden, Erin Bennett, Hillary Huber, Michael Crouch

Four strangers time travel to the past and find themselves stuck on the day all their lives were changed in this stunning speculative mystery from award-winning film and television producer Dete Meserve, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Wrong Place Wrong Time, and The Paradox Hotel.

What would you do if you could spend an hour in your past? Four strangers in the beach town of Ventura, California are about to find out.

Elizabeth aches for one more precious hour with her son who died in a senseless accident. Andy is desperate to find his first love who vanished after a whirlwind romance. Logan craves the rush of surfing and mountain climbing, yearning to reclaim the freedom he lost after a misstep landed him in a wheelchair. Brooke is looking for an hour of relief from the guilt of an unforgivable mistake.

Enter Aeon Expeditions, the groundbreaking time travel invention of Mark Saunders—which allows some lucky clients the chance to spend an hour in their past. Even though Aeon’s technology ensures time travel can’t alter the future, all four clients, including Mark’s ex-wife Elizabeth, yearn to revisit the hour that changed their lives forever.

But when their “hour” extends beyond sixty minutes, they find themselves stranded in the past. As their paths intertwine unexpectedly, they unearth shocking secrets hidden in the shadows of their shared history: All their lives were shattered the same night on a secluded highway by the beach. As they delve into the hidden truths of that pivotal hour, a startling revelation emerges. They were not alone. Someone else was present, harboring deadly intentions.

The Memory Collectors is a heart-wrenching, genre-bending novel brimming with hope, grief, and second chances.

©2025 Dete Meserve (P)2025 Spotify Audiobooks

Unexpected in a good way

I thought I was just getting a sci-fi thriller - which I did - but I also got a pretty raw character study and reflection over the choices that make up a life. I really liked the balance between the two directions though I actually wish we went a *little* bit deeper on the individual character resolutions and their mental journey to get there. After such a build up, it felt like the end was kind of rushed. But overall, I quite enjoyed this and want to get more into Meserve’s other works.

I love this story

The Memory Collectors. I have listened to over a hundred audiobooks and have listened to a lot of great books. This is my favorite audiobook…. Give it a listen; it begins on telling details of the 4 characters so keep listening… Great Narrators. My all time favorite… and the first from this author for me and I’m glad I took a chance on it cause I wasn’t sure first. I didn’t want it to end. Joyce S.

Awesome book

I love the way the story came together. I was invested and loved how the storyline unfolded. It was just the right amount of predictable but still had a few twists. A great perspective on closure.

Captivating Story!

I loved the characters in this book and how their stories intertwined! The narration was perfection and I couldn’t stop listening! I highly recommend! 5⭐️

Makes time travel believable

A great Audible listen. The story is gripping and makes me wonder, "Is time travel fiction or reality?"

A novel that became a part of my soul.

So many times I have asked myself: where would you go? Who would you choose to see again? What would you say? Would it make a difference? And my answer is always: Jessica, it will only bring you heartache because what’s done is done.

You can’t bring them back, you can’t make them love you and there is nothing you can do about what other people decided to do with their lives.

This novel fits me so perfectly! It’s been years ever since I’ve come across such a well written and well thought story. Where everything falls in place, in perfect place and where I feel so comfortable with each character.

I loved having a different voice to tell the story of each character and I found it fascinating how every single one of them had an agenda. They suffered loss, pain and to tell the truth they were devastated. However, they found a way.

This is a story about time traveling, about loss and grief. It’s about love and opportunities and how we face life even in the darkest of times.

Go for it! It’s so worth it! You will have an amazing time!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Boring

I just found myself incredibly bored. I didn't care about the characters or what happened to them. Not sure why. I also didn't love the audio performance. Rare on both counts since there are 4 POVs and 4 audio narrators.