#BookReview Dangerous Memory by Cynthia Rogan

A woman finds herself in a precarious situation when she discovers something her bosses don’t want her to know. Afraid and alone, a drunken encounter at a bar completely changes everything she can remember…

Minnie Chance is brought onto a peculiar case by Martin, a US Marshal who found a woman on the beach. Battling with her own demons, and worry for her brother who is being hunted by criminals, Minnie arrives on the crime scene, greeted by a beaten woman with amnesia.

Beaten and potentially drugged, this woman bares a connection to Minnie’s brother, perplexed at how, Minnie feels she has to investigate to see where this will lead. An independent contractor, Minnie has to decide if she is ready and capable to take on a case that will bring her closer to her own turmoil.

Minnie and Martin work together to uncover the clues, and help ‘Jane Doe’ discover her actual identity and why she ended up where she was. As her memory gradually returns, she may once again be in the sights of the person that targeted her in the first place. Minnie has to race against the clock to quickly uncover who was behind Jane Doe’s beating.

At the same time Minnie is on the hunt for Jane Doe’s attacker, a close friend is also facing a violent situation that Minnie cannot ignore. Torn between obligations at home, and a driving need to help others, Minnie encounters a tough situation difficult to get out of.

Memories flicker in and out of focus, snippets of past memories and experiences lead Minnie and Martin to a university campus and a company where Jane Doe interns at. Memories continue to resurface, yet how reliable are they? Memories incriminating people that might not be involved cause Minnie to question her own intuition, guilt, and innocence. Throughout, she has to go against her own moral compass, and do something that goes against what she believes.

“A lie for a life.”

Dangerous Memory

The end goal of the antagonist is surprising, and at the same time one can’t help but wonder, what if this was possible..?

My Review.

One could surmise this is the premise of the book.

Some people start off with good intentions, leading to fanatical behaviour that will cause them to do anything to achieve their goal.

Minnie has an interesting backstory of being a member of a convent, her entire life turned upside down when she was attacked, her father killed, and a long-lost brother entered her life only to be snatched away again due to his knowledge of criminal dealings. The author does well with filling in the details without bogging down the current story. Enabling me to get a real sense of the type of person Minnie is, and what she has already undergone. Quickly setting up a strong character through the trials she has been through.

The chapters are cleverly outlined with the days, adding to the urgency of the timeline Minnie may have to find Jane Doe’s attacker. As the time creeps closer to day 10, the stakes rise as human lives may be in peril. The author achieves a suspenseful read with the layers of the case slowly being revealed.

It does drag a little closer to the end. Other than that, the story reads really well, and I like when authors don’t tie up everything. She has left it open to the next Minnie episode. Resembling real life in many ways; a little messy, tense, anxious, drags at times, and just does not conclude in the way you would expect.

Those that enjoy a cozy mystery and books like the Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson might enjoy this take on a conspiratorial mystery.

Thank you to Reedsy and Cynthia Rogan for providing me a copy of this book.