Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon

This was an ARC from NetGalley.

Try Not to Breathe is the first novel I have read by Holly Seddon and I was hooked almost immediately. While the novel's narration switches between characters, the main narrator, Alex Dale, is a functioning alcoholic trying to resurrect her career as a journalist. She's writing about the Bramble Ward at Tunbridge Wells Royal Infirmary where Dr. Haynes has proven that the "vegetables" on the ward display brain activity, but it's not Dr. Haynes that grabs Alex's attention: it's the young patient in one of the cubicles whose face Alex recognizes.

In 1995 Amy Stevenson was kidnapped, raped, and beaten nearly to death. There were suspects, including Amy's stepfather Bob, but nothing conclusive. Now Alex is determined to find out the rest of Amy's story while battling her addiction and grieving for her broken marriage. Investigating Amy's case helps Alex get a handle on her life and gives her purpose. With a little help from Amy's high school boyfriend, Jacob, Alex follows Amy's story through unexpected twists and turns, ending with a twist no one expects.

I had a difficult time putting this book down as Seddon's prose barrels through Alex's dysfunctional existence, Jacob's crumbling marriage, and Amy's fight for consciousness. This book is a fast paced, enjoyable read written from a number of different points of view. Seddon's attention to detail is fantastic and paints a vivid picture of each character's part in Amy's struggle. Highly recommended.

Happy reading!

xoxo

Poison