She lost her memory. Now she might lose her life. A beautiful woman wakes in a hospital bed, t confused. She’s been in a coma for weeks. And can only remember her first name—Blue. Blue learns she fell from a window on the fourth floor of a hotel. Did she jump? Or was she pushed? To discover the truth, Blue must figure out who she is and what she was doing in that hotel. And she needs to do it fast. Because someone is out there, hunting Blue down, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Not knowing where to turn or who to trust, Blue must rely on her instincts to survive. Gradually, her memories begin to return, and they’re darker than she could ever have imagined. Will she put the pieces of her life back together before she’s silenced forever?
The premise of The Forgotten Girl really intrigued me, despite the book being a hefty read with quite a lot of pages. That said, I felt it could’ve been about 100-150 pages shorter. I also found myself feeling wary of characters like Lorraine and DeLuca. Something about Blue suddenly having this amazing friend who was so willing to support her didn’t quite sit right with me. And the fact that Blue was so open about her memory loss with people she certainly wouldn’t have known before her fall seemed like a bit of a stretch.
On the positive side, I really liked Blue’s mother and the farmhands—they brought some warmth to the story. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something just wasn’t clicking in my mind. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been in a massive reading slump this year due to some personal and family issues, or if the book simply didn’t have that spark I was hoping for.
Overall, the book had a fantastic premise, great pacing, and vivid descriptions that really brought the story to life. I applaud Auffendorf for such a clever idea. That said, I hope her future works are slightly shorter and a bit more engaging. The plot twist was good, but in my opinion, it didn’t quite hit the mark., but don’t let that put you off; as writers engage more with their readers their skills deepen and future works do improve (because every writer wants to cater for an audience after all!)
Author Bio
Daco S. Auffenorde is an award-winning author of thrilling suspense stories. Her books have been discussed in several interviews, including on Bob Kustra’s National Public Radio show Reader’s Corner and at George R.R. Martin’s Jean Cocteau Cinema. A southern girl from Huntsville, Alabama—known as Rocket City for its pivotal role in building the rocket that took astronauts into space—Daco is the daughter of a physicist and crafts fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat tales that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Daco holds a B.A. and M.A.S. from The University of Alabama in Huntsville and a J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law. She is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Alabama Writers’ Forum, Authors Guild, and the Alabama State Bar. When she’s not writing or reading, she enjoys long hikes, painting with watercolors, and hacking away at golf balls.
The Forgotten Girl is her first psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.
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