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Try Not to Breathe
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For fans of Lianne Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, an arresting debut novel of psychological suspense: a young journalist struggles to keep the demons of her alcoholism at bay as she finds her purpose again in tackling the mystery of a shocking headline-making crime, still unsolved after fifteen years.
Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen ...more
Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen ...more
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Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
February 23rd 2016
by Ballantine Books
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Try Not to Breathe is Holly Seddon's debut novel. A really good psychological suspense novel that pulled me in right from the start.
***Although I always try my best there may be minor spoilers***
Alex Dale is a young journalist whose focus is mostly on trying to maintain her alcoholism. She rides the line between serious drinker and functioning alcoholic. After losing her job and her husband she's barely hanging on.
Then Alex comes across Amy Stevenson....
While writing an article about a doctor w ...more
***Although I always try my best there may be minor spoilers***
Alex Dale is a young journalist whose focus is mostly on trying to maintain her alcoholism. She rides the line between serious drinker and functioning alcoholic. After losing her job and her husband she's barely hanging on.
Then Alex comes across Amy Stevenson....
While writing an article about a doctor w ...more

I'd like to thank Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.
Well, I'm a bit disappointed as all the hype around this book had me expecting more. I should have learned by now that hype tends to destroy reads for me.
Things I liked: many aspects of the plot were very unique and intriguing. I found the idea of a victim of a horrific crime left in a "vegetative state" interesting and a strong theme to build an excellent thriller on. Also, the research of the symptoms of various ...more
Well, I'm a bit disappointed as all the hype around this book had me expecting more. I should have learned by now that hype tends to destroy reads for me.
Things I liked: many aspects of the plot were very unique and intriguing. I found the idea of a victim of a horrific crime left in a "vegetative state" interesting and a strong theme to build an excellent thriller on. Also, the research of the symptoms of various ...more

Loved this book from start to finish.
This psychological thriller is about a journalist, Alex Dale who when visiting a hospital notices a face from the past. A young girl, Amy Stevenson was attacked 15 years ago and the crime was never solved is lying in a hospital bed, the journalist feels a compulsion to seek out the truth. The book shifts from present to past as the story and the truth unfold. Well paced and strong believable characters that had me reading it at every opportunity. An excellen ...more
This psychological thriller is about a journalist, Alex Dale who when visiting a hospital notices a face from the past. A young girl, Amy Stevenson was attacked 15 years ago and the crime was never solved is lying in a hospital bed, the journalist feels a compulsion to seek out the truth. The book shifts from present to past as the story and the truth unfold. Well paced and strong believable characters that had me reading it at every opportunity. An excellen ...more

TRY NOT TO BREATHE the debut novel of British author Holly Seddon, is an outstanding psychological tale of suspense. It is really hard to believe that this is a debut novel, as it is so good. I am sorry I took so long to read this novel, but I recently had eye surgery and was restricted with my activity. This character-driven novel involves the reader right from the beginning…the story of two women that connect and become friends.
The first woman, Amy Stevenson, is a hospital patient in a vegetat ...more
The first woman, Amy Stevenson, is a hospital patient in a vegetat ...more

I wish to thank Holly Seddon, Net Galley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of Try Not to Breathe in exchange for an unbiased review.
Try Not to Breathe, the debut novel of British author Holly Seddon, is an excellent psychological tale of suspense. It follows the story of Alex Dale, a disgraced journalist who is struggling to regain not only her respectability, but also her life, which she essentially lost to the ravages of the bottle. Alex is working on a freelance investigative article ...more
Try Not to Breathe, the debut novel of British author Holly Seddon, is an excellent psychological tale of suspense. It follows the story of Alex Dale, a disgraced journalist who is struggling to regain not only her respectability, but also her life, which she essentially lost to the ravages of the bottle. Alex is working on a freelance investigative article ...more

I would never have guessed this was a debut book for author Holly Seddon...I'm super impressed!
Well thought-out and engaging characters along with a storyline that was fast paced and compelling.
More of a who-dunnit than a psychological thriller, but this still kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing along the way.
I thought I had the antagonist figured out early on, then oops-I realized I was wrong and settled on my next suspect.
That carried me for a bit until I switched gears and decided ...more

This is so hard to believe this was this authors first debut psychological thriller. It matches any top authors who write in this genre.
This was so astounding I kept reading or listening throughout the day. I was totally hooked throughout.
The story and plot thickens with each chapter you read. Characters are so well developed you get to know them almost instantly.
There’s a lot of reviews going into parts of this story I’ll only be repeating them so I’ve chosen to say how this made me feel inste ...more
This was so astounding I kept reading or listening throughout the day. I was totally hooked throughout.
The story and plot thickens with each chapter you read. Characters are so well developed you get to know them almost instantly.
There’s a lot of reviews going into parts of this story I’ll only be repeating them so I’ve chosen to say how this made me feel inste ...more

Feb 12, 2018
j e w e l s
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
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Holly Seddon came up with a great story idea: A news reporter investigates the story of a young woman named Amy she has stumbled upon in a convalescent home. Amy has been in a coma for many years due to a violent act she endured at the age of 15. The person responsible for this crime has never been apprehended and the reporter embarks on a dangerous mission to expose the perp.
The reporter, Alex Dale is a drunken, hot mess of a main character in TRY NOT TO BREATHE. This is my second novel to rea ...more
The reporter, Alex Dale is a drunken, hot mess of a main character in TRY NOT TO BREATHE. This is my second novel to rea ...more

Amy is still alive - with a paralyze body - in a hospital bed - fifteen years later.
As readers, we have questions about this. For fifteen years a boyfriend - Jacob continues to visit her. A little odd??? ( even 'if' he feels love or guilt). Fifteen years is a long time - when you are only a teenage boy from the start.
Alex has experienced more loss in her life than she can handle -and is a heavy daily drinker. At one time she had a successful career as a journalist ....
but now seems closer to ki ...more
As readers, we have questions about this. For fifteen years a boyfriend - Jacob continues to visit her. A little odd??? ( even 'if' he feels love or guilt). Fifteen years is a long time - when you are only a teenage boy from the start.
Alex has experienced more loss in her life than she can handle -and is a heavy daily drinker. At one time she had a successful career as a journalist ....
but now seems closer to ki ...more

Dec 11, 2015
Lo Bookfrantic
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
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LIVE ALERT
AMAZON US
4.5 ★★★★"Killer Secret" Stars
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person – Shifting
Publication Date: February 23rd, 2016



This was definitely one of those books where you open it and you just can't put it down...you try to sleep but you can't stop thinking about what is going to happen next, You try to guess who the bloody killer is and finally you reached the end and you can breathe again without even realizing ...more
AMAZON US
4.5 ★★★★"Killer Secret" Stars
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person – Shifting
Publication Date: February 23rd, 2016

“I played tennis again. I played tennis and I won.”


This was definitely one of those books where you open it and you just can't put it down...you try to sleep but you can't stop thinking about what is going to happen next, You try to guess who the bloody killer is and finally you reached the end and you can breathe again without even realizing ...more

Nov 04, 2015
Zoeytron
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
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new-fangled-e-reader
For fifteen years Amy has lain comatose as a result of a horrific beating, the case never solved. Jake was Amy's boyfriend at the time of the attack. Riddled with guilt and loss, he has had a great deal of difficulty moving forward with his life. Alex is a washed up journalist who is slowly and methodically killing herself with booze. She seizes upon this cold case and begins the slow climb from rock bottom, vowing to find out who is responsible for the crime. The line between consciousness and
...more

Sep 01, 2017
Suzanne
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
overdrive-browser
Such an original premise. A young girl is attacked and ends up in a coma. A woman is increasingly falling apart becomes obsessed with the case. They were the same age, the case so highly known at the time. Amy was only 15 when attacked and Alex, 15 years later tries her best to work out what happened all those years ago. Alex is in such a mess of her own, a failed marriage and a terrible alcohol addiction. Can she even maintain focus for a day to work out what went wrong? The internal dialogue o
...more

Jan 04, 2016
Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
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author-pub-giveaways
MY BLOGS: Melissa Martin's Reading List

I cried at the end of this book, but it was a good cry. It was a somewhat happy ending....

I can't believe this is the author's debut novel. I loved it so much and it really touched me. Sometimes (or a lot of times) when we are young, we do some really stupid things. Amy did a stupid thing, but she didn't deserve what happened to her.
This book tells different points of view. You have Alex, Jacob, Amy, and a little bit from Sue.
Alex is was a journalist wit ...more

I cried at the end of this book, but it was a good cry. It was a somewhat happy ending....

I can't believe this is the author's debut novel. I loved it so much and it really touched me. Sometimes (or a lot of times) when we are young, we do some really stupid things. Amy did a stupid thing, but she didn't deserve what happened to her.
This book tells different points of view. You have Alex, Jacob, Amy, and a little bit from Sue.
Alex is was a journalist wit ...more

As far as psychological thrillers go, this is the best I have read for some time. Try Not to Breathe comes from debut author Holly Seddon. The inspiration for this gripping tale came to Seddon while she was listening to a radio show discuss patients in vegetative states. Amy Stevenson, the main character who is in a coma for the bulk of Try Not to Breathe, formed in Seddon’s mind after listening to this show. Seddon has also conducted extensive research through the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disab
...more

I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for making it available!
Here's a question: does anyone else, when they read mysteries, find themselves suspecting everyone, and whenever a new character is introduced you try to determine whether that person is the culprit? I don't believe I'm alone in that behavior, but it's difficult to disengage the "detective" ...more
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for making it available!
Here's a question: does anyone else, when they read mysteries, find themselves suspecting everyone, and whenever a new character is introduced you try to determine whether that person is the culprit? I don't believe I'm alone in that behavior, but it's difficult to disengage the "detective" ...more

I loved this book from the very first page It got me hooked & i kept turning the pages, Holly Seddon is an accomplished writer with a lot of promise.
This book is set in Kent Amy Stevenson is a young 15 year old girl who has a boyfriend Jake & her best friends Becky & Jenny they have a secret that they are hiding about Amy but wont tell.
Suddenly Amy is attacked in a park & left for dead she ends up in hospital in a comatose state unable to talk about who attacked her then Alex who lives in the sa ...more
This book is set in Kent Amy Stevenson is a young 15 year old girl who has a boyfriend Jake & her best friends Becky & Jenny they have a secret that they are hiding about Amy but wont tell.
Suddenly Amy is attacked in a park & left for dead she ends up in hospital in a comatose state unable to talk about who attacked her then Alex who lives in the sa ...more

Amy Stevenson was attacked 15 years ago and have ever since been in a coma. No one has been caught for the brutal attack. Alex Dale was once a loving wife, a mother to be and a brilliant journalist. Now she has nothing left. But, then she does an interview with a doctor about coma patients and meets Amy. They are close in age and grew up close by, but they never met. Amy remembers the case and the more she investigates about it the more obsesses is she to solve what happened to Amy. But, how to
...more

Sep 10, 2015
Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I liked this one a lot. The story kept me very interested and I really had a hard time putting it down at times. I am not always a fan of multiple points of view but I think that it worked wonderfully in this book. As the book unfolded, I wasn't quite sure where things were going. I had a couple of guesses about who was responsible for what happened to Amy but I wasn't quite sure until it came out in the story. I do love it when I can't figure ...more
I liked this one a lot. The story kept me very interested and I really had a hard time putting it down at times. I am not always a fan of multiple points of view but I think that it worked wonderfully in this book. As the book unfolded, I wasn't quite sure where things were going. I had a couple of guesses about who was responsible for what happened to Amy but I wasn't quite sure until it came out in the story. I do love it when I can't figure ...more

Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon is a 2016 Ballantine Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Often times I roll my eyes at the cliché’s like “stunning debut”, because it’s been applied to so many sub-par books that are attempting to latch onto a popular trend. Currently, the psychological thriller is all the rage, and this book has been likened to the work of Tana French and Paula Hawkins, which is something that is ...more
Often times I roll my eyes at the cliché’s like “stunning debut”, because it’s been applied to so many sub-par books that are attempting to latch onto a popular trend. Currently, the psychological thriller is all the rage, and this book has been likened to the work of Tana French and Paula Hawkins, which is something that is ...more

4.5★s
Amy Stevenson was only fifteen years old when it happened; her abduction in 1995 was the talk of the town and headlines in the newspapers for a long time afterwards. But Amy had been found alive much to her family’s delight. That was short-lived though when it was realised that Amy would never be the same again – completely unable to communicate and in a vegetative state, the horror of what had happened was intensified by the fact that Amy’s attacker was never found.
Fifteen years later repo ...more
Amy Stevenson was only fifteen years old when it happened; her abduction in 1995 was the talk of the town and headlines in the newspapers for a long time afterwards. But Amy had been found alive much to her family’s delight. That was short-lived though when it was realised that Amy would never be the same again – completely unable to communicate and in a vegetative state, the horror of what had happened was intensified by the fact that Amy’s attacker was never found.
Fifteen years later repo ...more

4.5 Stars rounded up here! I cannot believe this is a debut novel from this author! It had all the elements that I hope for in a thriller and the ending shocked me with the reveal and got me all emotional with how touching it was at the same time. That in itself set it apart from most other solid Thrillers I have read recently! This is a book about assault, illness, disability and comebacks, which I personally have experienced recently. a great read and I would recommend it to pretty much everyo
...more

Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon is a well-written and fast moving novel that I thoroughly enjoyed!
It's very hard to believe that this was her debut novel - great job!!! ...more
It's very hard to believe that this was her debut novel - great job!!! ...more

**4.5 stars**
Try Not To Breathe was a wonderfully engaging and intense story – one to watch in early 2016 I have a feeling it is going to be a huge hit..
Amy had a secret – and her secret nearly killed her. Years later Alex Dale is fighting a losing battle with alcoholism and trying to reboot her journalistic career. Whilst on a story about vegetative and locked in patients she stumbles across a case she remembers well and decides it is time to try and find justice for Amy. Amy meanwhile is not g ...more
Try Not To Breathe was a wonderfully engaging and intense story – one to watch in early 2016 I have a feeling it is going to be a huge hit..
Amy had a secret – and her secret nearly killed her. Years later Alex Dale is fighting a losing battle with alcoholism and trying to reboot her journalistic career. Whilst on a story about vegetative and locked in patients she stumbles across a case she remembers well and decides it is time to try and find justice for Amy. Amy meanwhile is not g ...more

Wow!! What a fantastic book! I really enjoyed this one. 'Try Not To Breathe' is Holly Seddon's debut novel and I cannot wait to read her next one (Just discovered I will have to wait until July 2017!).
The characters are so captivating and after finishing the novel I still want to know more about them. Alex is a semi-functioning alcoholic and I had no idea how strong this addiction could be. The lengths Alex goes to, to try and live a normal life are really quite disturbing.
And Amy, poor Amy... ...more
The characters are so captivating and after finishing the novel I still want to know more about them. Alex is a semi-functioning alcoholic and I had no idea how strong this addiction could be. The lengths Alex goes to, to try and live a normal life are really quite disturbing.
And Amy, poor Amy... ...more

https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
First off I have to say that this character driven novel contains all the twists, secrets, guilt, misery, and mystery inherent in all of the best psychological thrillers available today. It does NOT read like the debut novel it is. Well done Holly Seddon!
Simplistically this is the story of two damaged women who become friends.
The first, Amy Stevenson, is very damaged indeed. She is a hospital patient in a vegetative state. Fifteen years ago when she was on ...more
First off I have to say that this character driven novel contains all the twists, secrets, guilt, misery, and mystery inherent in all of the best psychological thrillers available today. It does NOT read like the debut novel it is. Well done Holly Seddon!
Simplistically this is the story of two damaged women who become friends.
The first, Amy Stevenson, is very damaged indeed. She is a hospital patient in a vegetative state. Fifteen years ago when she was on ...more

Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
Pretention vs. Enjoyment - 4 vs. 5 Stars
4 Stars or 5 Stars. 4 Stars or 5 Stars. 4 Stars or 5 Stars. Choosing my rating tends to be an easy choice. The pretentious reviewer in me thought I should go with 4 stars. The down to earth guy who loves a good yarn thought this was worth all 5. In this case, enjoyment won out over pretention and 5 stars rule the day.
Plot Summary
The story follows Alex, a down and out journalist. Her life is controlled by serious al ...more
Pretention vs. Enjoyment - 4 vs. 5 Stars
4 Stars or 5 Stars. 4 Stars or 5 Stars. 4 Stars or 5 Stars. Choosing my rating tends to be an easy choice. The pretentious reviewer in me thought I should go with 4 stars. The down to earth guy who loves a good yarn thought this was worth all 5. In this case, enjoyment won out over pretention and 5 stars rule the day.
Plot Summary
The story follows Alex, a down and out journalist. Her life is controlled by serious al ...more

She's earned chops at other forms of writing, but this is the author's first at-bat with a novel. And by golly, she's hit a home run with the bases loaded. Put another way, WOW!
The book begins in England in 1995 with a peek into the life of 15-year-old Amy Stevenson - a young girl with a few good friends, a mother and stepfather she adores (well, most of the time - she's 15, after all), a sweet boyfriend - and a big secret. Fast-forward 15 years and we see Amy again; this time, we learn she's be ...more
The book begins in England in 1995 with a peek into the life of 15-year-old Amy Stevenson - a young girl with a few good friends, a mother and stepfather she adores (well, most of the time - she's 15, after all), a sweet boyfriend - and a big secret. Fast-forward 15 years and we see Amy again; this time, we learn she's be ...more

This is my first book I've read from this author,my rating is more 3.5 stars but rounded it up to 4.Alex is a journalist she is a alcoholic,after a visit to hospital she recognises Amy a story from the past she was attacked she was 15 years old now in a vegetative state, the crime was never solved.she finds out more about Amy past.This book was a slow start and abit confusing going back to the past and present will Alex find the truth behind her attack.
...more

This story revolves around two view points, Alex and Amy's. Alex is a journalist who likes to drink a lot, but is still capable of functioning at work. She is visiting a hospice to research coma victims when she sees a girl that she recognises as Amy Stevenson. Amy has been lying in a coma for 15 years after suffering a brutal attack, the culprit yet to be found. Alex becomes fascinated with Amy's story, she visits regularly, holding Amy's hand, talking to her and in her own way, develops a bond
...more

Sep 19, 2015
Elle's Book Blog
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
standalones,
thriller-suspense
:: 6 Marvelous Stars ::
I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU!
This book will be available on February 23rd 2016. You can preorder it NOW!
WOW. This book is amazing. Fans of mystery, thrillers, and suspense NEED to read this book. I was literally hooked from page one. I was gripping my kindle for dear life. And I constantly felt a need to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely loved this book. For a debut, it’s utterly perfect. I haven’t ...more
I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU!
This book will be available on February 23rd 2016. You can preorder it NOW!
WOW. This book is amazing. Fans of mystery, thrillers, and suspense NEED to read this book. I was literally hooked from page one. I was gripping my kindle for dear life. And I constantly felt a need to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely loved this book. For a debut, it’s utterly perfect. I haven’t ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Thriller (?)/Alcoholic journalist, girl in coma, takes place in London (?) [s] | 4 | 32 | Oct 14, 2017 11:31AM | |
On Getting Muscles, Tips | 1 | 7 | Jun 15, 2017 04:47AM | |
Play Book Tag: Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon- 4 Stars | 1 | 18 | Jul 16, 2016 12:22PM |
Holly Seddon is the international bestselling author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES and LOVE WILL TEAR US APART.
THE HIT LIST will be published as an ebook in August 2020 and a paperback in April 2021.
After growing up in the English countryside obsessed with music and books, Holly worked in London as a journalist and editor. She now lives in Amsterdam with her family and writes full ...more
THE HIT LIST will be published as an ebook in August 2020 and a paperback in April 2021.
After growing up in the English countryside obsessed with music and books, Holly worked in London as a journalist and editor. She now lives in Amsterdam with her family and writes full ...more
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