‘A Memory of Demons’ by David Ambrose

Published by ISIS Audio Books. 2003.
ISBN 0-7531-1947-1
Read by Tim Machin & Liz Holliss.

Tom Freeman awakes in hospital with multiple injuries, and no memory of how he got there, just a general memory of the drug and alcohol haze that he knows is his life. But he is given a second chance, and ten years later he has a good life with his wife Clare and their daughter Julia.

Although Tom is infrequently plagued with nightmares which he knows relate back to his former life, he is unprepared for the horror to come. At first it is perplexing that his daughter insists that her name is Melanie, but gradually her insistence plunges them him into a nightmare situation. Seeking child-psychiatric help for their daughter, Tom makes the frightening discovery that a girl had disappeared from the exact spot in which he had suffered his last alcohol- binge and blackout ten years before. Did Tom murder this girl? And could the spirit of the dead girl be possessing his daughter?

This was a chilling and fascinating book, with some breathtaking twists and surprises. It was also the first book where we have two readers. Now that I have finished the book, I see why, and how skilfully the audio interpretation has been made to take into account the passage of time.  Full marks to both readers, Tim Machin for making both the main characters believable, and likewise to Liz Hollis who fooled me completely. I highly recommend this if you like being on the edge of your seat, almost too scared to listen to the next tape!
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Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes

David Ambrose read law at Oxford University and has worked internationally in films, theatre, and television. His credits include at least 20 Hollywood films, 3 stage plays, and countless hours of television - including the controversial Alternative 3. He has worked with a range of people from Orson Welles and Gene Roddenberry to Sharon Stone and Pierce Brosnan. His novels have been published in 20 countries.