Fear Dreams is an intense and gripping psychological thriller. From the first pages, I could not put it down – to the point of doing an extra twenty minutes on my recumbent bike without even realizing it. Wow. There is never a lull in this fast-paced story.
The book opens with a nightmare that has haunted Liddy since she was hit by a drunk driver three months ago. Her physical and emotional recovery has been tough, but Liddy, an artist, is anxious to get back her life back. Her husband Paul and best friend Beth are supportive, she’s seeing a psychiatrist, so everything should work out, she tells herself. But when her nighttime terrors start showing up in the daylight, Liddy is thrown into an abyss of fear and uncertainty and starts to doubt her own sanity. Think Alfred Hitchcock meets meets Girl on the Train. It’s that good.
Well-written and expertly-plotted, the novel maintains a taut thread of suspense and intrigue throughout. The author does an excellent job of slowly unraveling the lives of this once-carefree young couple, starting with their move into a fabulous apartment in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood. It’s a great loft space, but the demise of the last occupant sets a menacing tone and overshadows their new digs like a monster under the bed. The tension escalates as Liddy finds her life inextricably and mysteriously linked to missing NYU coed Sasha Perry.
The author has a gift for bringing readers into a scene. A great example of this is a nail-biting police ambush of a serial killer. Watching the action unfold is Police Det. Kerrie Blasco, a strong, smart and empathetic character who refuses to give up the search for Sasha Perry despite pressure from police brass. Blasco’s determination is crucial to helping Liddy discover the source of her demons. The subplot about Blasco’s relationship with colleague Alex Brand is an enjoyable interlude in this high-voltage drama.
A superb thriller that simmers with suspense and intrigue!
Wow oh wow, FEAR DREAMS will leave you breathless. The tension starts with the first sentence, and builds nonstop throughout this highly emotional thriller. The ending is a shock. I’m still gasping.
Liddy Barron, a sensitive artist, was injured in a car accident that left her with nightmares, memory gaps, and an increasing obsession in the disappearance of a young coed. She becomes frantic she’s seeing a ghost. Her husband Paul, a scientist, tries to help but he’s a Facts and Logic type who thinks it’s just her imagination. Enter Detective Kerri Blasco who is Liddy’s opposite: strong in the way of a terrific cop, but so intuitive that nervous, insecure Liddy refers to her as “better than a shrink.” Other characters in the story are complex and cleverly woven together. All I can say is holy hell, what a read!
Another 5 star book from J.A Schneider! "Fear Dreams" truly had me white knuckled, on the edge of my seat all the way to the very shocking end. I loved the incorporation of the two main detectives, Kerri and Alex from her other series "Embryo" books. Written with such heart and passion, you can just tell how much the author loves to write. She is my favorite all-time writer because her books NEVER disappoint. She will have you guessing all the way to the end, the ultimate twist you will never see coming and which blew my mind. This book, along with her other books, should be on EVERY thriller lover book TO-GET, much recommended list.
Liddy, an artist has recurring nightmares after being hit by a drunk driver. She suffered tremendous physical and mental injuries including some memory loss. Paul Baron, her husband is a neuroscientist working on a new anesthetic. They seem to have a really good relationship, and are moving into a new loft to help speed Liddy’s recovery.
Detectives Kerry Blasco and Alex Brand are looking into the disappearance of Sasha Perry, believing that she was murdered. (The case has been officially closed.). Liddy sees Sasha on the street, and the sightings get progressively more weird and disturbing. Is she really seeing something or is she suffering from delusions?
Liddy’s character was well-developed, complex, flawed, sympathetic and relatable.
As with all Ms. Schneider’s book the writing is top notch, suspenseful, and tense and the story will keep you guessing until the end. Fans of psychological thrillers will not want to miss this.
I loved the book and urge you to check out the Embryo series by the same author.
Liddy Barron has just survived a horrid hit and run accident.. She has awful dreams and begins to see the victim of a murder,Sasha Perry,in Liddy's art and in her window and walking down the street.
This excellent psychological thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat as the police,Liddy and her husband Paul try to close in on what happened to Sasha.
I really loved this book!
This is hands down Joyce Schneider's BEST book yet! The Embryo Series is splendid - if you haven't read any of them, do yourself a favor and try them - they're terrific! In fact, I can't wait for the next one to appear! But that being said, FEAR DREAMS is super suspenseful and you will be on the edge of your seat until the last page! If you HAVE read any of the Embryo Series, you will "see" a few of our old friends from that police force in the Fear Dreams story which is nice. The characters in Fear Dreams are so well developed! I cannot recommend this book enough. I truly thought I had figured out the whodunit but was shocked at the end of the story! Great work, Joyce Schneider!!!! Now we would like to see a television mini-series or a movie done of both the Embryo Series (with Matthew Fox and Juliana Margulies in the leads) and Fear Dreams could well be a stand alone movie!
Here is a thriller that leaves an impact, just like the previous books (in the Raney & Levine series) which I have read by this author. FEAR DREAMS grabs you by the guts and evokes strong reactions. Its main character is artist Liddy Barron, who is trying to separate nightmare and reality, after being injured in an accident that left gaps in her memory. She calls on her art to help her place into context not only the crime but her own role in it, as well as the roles of the other characters. So the ‘who done it’ aspect is explored internally, exploring memories ‘on the inside’, as well as ‘on the outside’ by Detective Kerri Blasco who is examining clues and witnesses in a cool, rational manner.
“It shouldn’t have been there in the water, Paul said they’d go away, these things she kept seeing, but the current smacked the shirt tight to her face and she couldn’t breathe.” And there you have it, in a single opener: her fear of being suffocated, which we sense in our guts, her confusion about the meaning of the images she sees, trying desperately to interpret these phantoms of forgotten events, and her dependence on her husband, which may soon be called into question if she is to come into herself. She must save herself, somehow, and reshape her memory of the night of the accident, the crime, and her role in it, all of which determines who she is.
Liddy paints an image of the victim after her death, and of her plea, “Help me, said the words,” which has a profound effect on several of the players. The use of art captures my imagination. “Behind him, glowing, the painting he hadn’t seen. The face was different; the eyes glared at him.” This painting come to life reminds me of The Picture of Dorian Gray and of Pygmalion, both of which illustrate how art mirrors life. But in this story, art mirrors the Great Beyond, and the victim’s call for vindication. J.A. Schneider is informed by classic literature and she turns classic ideas to her own advantage in this thriller.
