The Mechanics of Memory - by Audrey Lee (Hardcover)

About the Book

Short Summary: Hope Nakano is institutionalized at a luxury facility with no memory of her last year, despite constant treatments to recover the life she lost. In VR therapy, Hope receives a coded message about her past. Her search for answers begins to uncover a much larger secret that people are determined to keep hidden. But Hope soon realizes everyone has secrets to protect, including herself.

Book Synopsis

A 2025 Lefty Award and Edgar Award Nominee

"An intoxicating mix of psychological thriller and domestic drama." --Naomi Hirahara, USA Today bestselling author

Beware of false memories. They keep secrets and tell lies.

Memory is Copeland-Stark's business. Yet after months of reconsolidation treatments at their sleek new flagship facility, Hope Nakano still has no idea what happened to her lost year, or the life she was just beginning to build with her one great love. Each procedure surfaces fragmented clues which erode Hope's trust in her own memories, especially the ones of Luke. As inconsistencies mount, her search for answers reveals a much larger secret Copeland-Stark is determined to protect.

But everyone has secrets, including Hope.

For readers who enjoy The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier, Lies We Bury by Elle Marr, and The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn.

Review Quotes

About the Author

Audrey Lee started writing fiction at the young age of eleven, when she and her best friend co-authored a masterpiece about gallivanting around London with the members of Depeche Mode, Wham!, and Duran Duran. Unfortunately, these spiral notebooks have yet to find a publisher evolved enough to understand the genius buried within. As a result, The Mechanics of Memory is her first work of published fiction.

Before she started writing fiction, Audrey received her master's degree in education from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!) and spent over two decades in public education. When she isn't writing books she consults with school districts about creating environments for students that are more equitable, culturally responsive, and socially just.

Audrey lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, son, and Maltipoo, Luna. When not working, Audrey is compulsively organizing something, bullet journaling, cheering for her son at a dance competition, max betting on a slot machine, or watching the Golden State Warriors with a negroni in hand.