What an absolutely wild ride this book was! I enjoyed every minute of it! The chaos kept me completely captivated. I could listen to this story go on even longer than it did. Definitely one of my fave reads of the year so far!

This was a dnf for me- I tried really hard to push through it because it sounded good but I was not motivated to continue reading.

I loved the premise, the writing style and the weird vibe this book has but I didn't love the ending. It left me, (and plenty of others, going by the reviews) a little confused and unsatisfied. (It is deliberately ambiguous. The author, in an interview, emphasizes the idea that the truth is a constructed narrative, not an absolute reality. He suggests that the reader's interpretation is influenced by their own experiences, potentially shaping their understanding of the story's meaning.)

The 50's 'Stepford Wives' type of town, the constantly watching neighbours, the repetitive nature of his life, it all made for a slightly creepy feel (which was awesome). Throw in the little breadcrumbs of mystery, wrongdoings, suspicion, conspiracy and you are on the edge of your seat trying to work what is actually going on. There are some brutal scenes in this book too, which adds to the sinister goings-on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought all of the narrators did a fabulous job. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC, these are my honest opinions.

You’ve been in an accident, Hank. A very serious accident. Your brain needs to heal. What’s real? What’s make believe? The perfect, idyllic small town of Bethlam, NV? The government postal job? Dr Hoover? The pills? The memories? What lies behind the peeling wallpaper?

The Memory Ward masterfully blends truth with madness, a tranquil existence taken right from a 1950s sitcom mixed with a government conspiracy. As he leads us through Hank’s discoveries, we question is everything as it seems or is there something more sinister behind the scenes? Are Hank’s discoveries revealing the truth or delusion?

Bassoff is an excellent writer who I feel never received the accolades he deserves. The Memory Ward continues that streak of excellence. Hopefully the recognition follows. If you haven’t read any of his work, The Memory Ward is a great place to start.

4.5 Implanted Microchips out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC to review

The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff is a trippy, suspenseful, take on what happens when our memories are no longer our own. Listening to this book felt like watching a scintillating mix of Mr. Nobody and The Truman Show.

The audio starts off a little slow, but as you continue listening you realize the plot is layered extremely well.

I did want more from the ending, but overall loved this book and can't wait to explore more of Bassoff's works.

I have a love-hate relationship with audiobooks—they're often hit or miss for me. I'm not the type to DNF, so even if a story doesn’t fully grip me (whether it’s the narration or the writing), I’ll push through. The real question is just how long it’ll take me to finish.

That said—this one? I listened to it almost non-stop from the moment I started. It was that good. I finished it in just 36 hours! If I’d had a physical copy, I probably would’ve tossed all my responsibilities aside and read straight through the day.

I was confused for most of the book—but in the best possible way. That disoriented feeling made the characters even more relatable, even with an unreliable narrator in the mix.

It gave off strong Don’t Worry Darling and The Truman Show vibes—and I highly recommend it!

I had a difficult time listening to this audio book and wasn't able to finish. The narrator did not interest me and was bland to listen to. It really took away from being able to enjoy the storyline.

This may be my favorite audio book of this month, holy crap this was great! This is for my friends that like weird, strange and uncanny all layered in with some suspense. It is basically one man’s journey into figuring out what is and isn’t real.

Jon Bassoff did a fantastic job portraying this fever dream of a story. Think the Truman Show meets Conspiracy Theory. The voice actors Bronson Pinchot, Dawn Harvey, and Janina Edward brought me into this story. I was so immersed I finished it in one day.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for allowing me the privilege of listening to this terrific audiobook I know I will be thinking about it for days.

#thememoryward #netgalley #audiobook #blackstonepublishing

I loved this audiobook so much!

Life is pretty much perfect in Bentham, Nevada. But Hank begins to notice odd things. I think the narrator did a wonderful job. I couldn’t stop listening. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good thrilling song story. This had me on the edge of my seat.

I can’t believe I’ve never read any of Jon’s books. I love his writing. It’s so creepy yet so good.

Thank you NetGalley, Jon and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the ALC!

#TheMemoryWard #NetGalley

🎧I had a really hard time getting into this book. I’m not sure if it was the narrators or the story, or both. It was challenging to finish. I really wanted to like it but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for an advanced audiobook copy.

Listen to the audiobook version of this story and let the absolutely PHENOMENAL narrators read it to you - this is seriously some of the best narration I have heard. This isn't really a full-cast production, but there are 3 narrators you'll hear from, and they all hit it out of the park. There are entire sections of this book that I went back and listened to entirely before proceeding on to hear more of the story, just to prolong my enjoyment, and the suspense.

Also, GO IN TO THIS BOOK BLIND! Read no further! If I can't convince you to do that, then I'll ask you to imagine The Truman Show and The Yellow Wallpaper had a twisted, conniving, and frightening child who's taking the suburban horror landscape by storm. This is the unreliable narrator trope at its best. This is eerie, and confusing, and twisted, and I'm not even sure I know what actually happened - but I'm not at all frustrated, I loved it. It feels genuine to the material in the book. It feels like it should feel, given the perspective we're reading from. This is not a read-once-and-be-done story, this is a read-it-and-force-everyone-you-know-to-read-it-so-they-understand story. And you'll be reading it along with them for the second, third, fourth time - and noticing new details at each new visit. Plus, this is an AWESOME book club choice.

I truly hope Bassoff adds to the universe he's created with The Memory Ward. I don't want this to be my only literary foray into this nightmare corner of Nevada, so Jon, if you're listening, please give us more!

This is the type of book that never leaves you mind. Popping up now and again, always nagging on you. An unreliable narrator and a deliciously intricate story. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narration was very well done. The narrators voice takes on the same character at different points, and you can feel the changes. So great!

This was a very strange book. It drew me in, I was fully captivated and excited to learn more. The end...was weird. I understand it, I understand why the author chose to end the book that way, and it was very unsettling. But I did wish for more resolution. In a horror book, sometimes that isn't the best, most terrifying way! This was my first book by this author, and I would definitely read more. It was well-written.

Jon Bassoff’s The Memory Ward is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you questioning reality from start to finish. Set in the eerie town of Bethlam, Nevada, the novel follows Hank Davies, a postal worker whose world unravels after discovering that the letters he delivers contain only blank pages. What starts as a simple mystery spirals into a chilling exploration of identity, trauma, and the fragile nature of perception.

Bassoff masterfully builds suspense, creating an unsettling atmosphere reminiscent of The Truman Show and Wayward Pines. The narrative unfolds slowly at first, but once it gains momentum—particularly with the introduction of Catherine—it becomes impossible to put down. The ending left me shaken, a testament to how well the story weaves together psychological tension and existential dread.

While some moments felt a bit meandering, the payoff was worth it. The Memory Ward is an engrossing, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense with a touch of speculative fiction.

Featuring nonreliable protagonists and twisty storylines, The Memory Ward is a disorientating novel that will leave readers wondering even after the last page. With a slow burn pace that doesn't let up on the tension, The Memory Ward grabs ahold of the reader and doesn't let go.

The Memory Ward is a page-turning novel that’s a little horror, mystery, thriller, and speculative fiction in one. It’s a quick and easy read that will grab you immediately. I feel like I was in the Twilight Zone reading it. You know something weird is going on, but not sure what. Even the main character is odd himself, while he tries to figure out what is going on. I absolutely devoured this one, and I will say the ending left me with my jaw practically unhinged!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Anyone who thinks the premise looks interesting: you won’t be disappointed! Lovers of the Twilight Zone or The Stepford Wives.

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
The narrator who voices Wally has an amazing range of voices. The voice for Wally in particular is this kind of pathetic, sad voice. Some might be turned off by it, but it fits the character perfectly. I highly recommend the audio for this!

Book Review: The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff

Jon Bassoff’s The Memory Ward promises an eerie and unsettling experience, blending elements of mystery, horror, and thriller. However, while the novel is well-crafted in certain respects, it ultimately falls short of delivering the gripping, psychologically intense narrative one might expect from its premise.

The story follows Hank Davies, a postal worker in Bethlam, Nevada, who slowly begins to unravel the unsettling reality of his seemingly idyllic town. The premise is intriguing: a man discovering blank letters, cryptic messages hidden behind wallpaper, and an unnerving sense that something is terribly wrong. The novel aims to immerse readers in an environment where reality and illusion blur, yet it does so with a sense of predictability that undercuts its suspense.

One of the book’s biggest weaknesses lies in its genre execution. Marketed as a thriller infused with horror, The Memory Ward lacks the necessary tension and fear to sustain these labels. The horror elements, if present, are too subtle to evoke genuine dread, and the thriller aspect suffers from a lack of compelling stakes. Readers expecting a mind-bending psychological thriller with shocking twists may find themselves underwhelmed. The major twist is foreshadowed too early in the story, making the climax feel more like a confirmation of suspicions rather than a surprising payoff.

Despite its shortcomings, the novel does have strengths. The use of unreliable narration is one of its most effective tools. The narrators are self-assured in their distorted perceptions, which keeps the reader questioning what is real and what is fabricated. The novel’s writing style also enhances the unsettling atmosphere, even if the plot does not fully support the tension it attempts to build.

The Memory Ward excels in crafting a disorienting, paranoia-infused setting and successfully employs unreliable narration, yet it lacks the depth and execution necessary to make it a standout thriller or horror novel. Readers looking for an introspective look at identity and memory might appreciate its literary qualities, but those seeking an unpredictable and truly gripping mystery may find themselves disappointed. Bassoff’s talent is evident, but this novel does not quite reach its full potential.

This was an interesting and creepy read/listen. I was intrigued right from the beginning of the book as I love psychological puzzles. I listened to it in audiobook format and I felt like the narrators did such a good job at portraying the different characters and that kept me engaged. The story itself was complex - it begins describing a man living out his daily mundane life, but quickly pivots as he is told late one night by a neighbor that nothing is really as it seems and that he is in danger. He then starts noticing things are quite strange around him and goes down a path to uncover the truth.

The ending has still left me pondering what actually happened. I'd give this a chance if you are into reading more thriller/puzzle stories!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for my copy!

A tense, mind-bending story with elements of speculative fiction, thriller and horror, told through multiple perspectives.

Bethlam in Nevada is the perfect place to live, or is it? Hank Davies has started to suspect that the idyllic little town is not what it seems, and he is not the only one to have noticed the oddities at Bethlam. Hank begins to look beyond the perfect veneer, and further into the disturbing new reality as he attempts to distinguish what is true and what is not…

This is an entertaining and eerie story, that explores memory, identity and perceptions of reality.

The audiobook narration by Bronson Pinchot, Dawn Harvey and Janina Edwards worked well with the storyline and cast of characters.

With thanks to Blackstone Publishing, Jon Bassoff, NetGalley for this e-ARC to listen to and review.

Give this one a go if you enjoy psychologically intense stories that blend thriller and horror elements.

Such an intense, well plotted and thrilling story. I couldn't guess where it was going but was thrilled to see what came next! Great audio narration too.