Anna O by Matthew Blake

 

Having murdered her two closest friends Anna Ogilvy then fell asleep and has been that way for the last four years. Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist who has been approached by the Ministry of Justice to determine if the methods he describes in a journal article will be able to wake Anna O.

Anna O by Matthew Blake is a psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes and has your head reeling by the end. Using a variety of media, which allows the story to move between different time frames, we learn the background of Anna O. During an outward bound event she stabbed to death her closest friends and has been unconscious since. Having a history of sleepwalking, it is assumed that Anna carried out the murders while asleep. The big question posed by the novel is can someone who commits a crime while asleep be held criminally responsible? Alongside this other questions such as "Can evil be cured?" and "Is evil inherited?" are also posed.

Enter Dr. Benedict Prince, a psychologist who specialises in sleep disorders and works at The Abbey Sleep Clinic. Through this character, we are given lots of information on sleep disorders, the psychology of the mind and some historical examples of people who have claimed to commit crimes while asleep. All of this is done in laymen's terms to keep the reader involved. 

Throughout I kept coming up with different theories about what actually happened, the motives involved and the role of different characters. At times I wondered if it was an act to avoid prosecution, at other times I felt there was some type of conspiracy taking place; at no point was I absolutely convinced I was right. There is also the role that social media has played in the case. Not only has it kept the story alive but it has resulted in two very separate groups, those who believe Anna O is a villain and those who think she's a victim.

The deeper the story delves into the background of the characters you realise that none of them are particularly likeable, the vast majority are motivated by self-interest, and this makes the reader doubtful about their actual involvement in the crime. We get hints early on that something has been covered up.

As the conclusion approaches the anticipation has you holding your breath, the sense of dread is palpable. There are lots of layers to the big reveal, just when you think everything is clear the author adds another twist. This is one of those novels that you want to discuss with others as it raises so many questions.

Anna O by Matthew Blake will be published on 1st February 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.