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Before He Wakes
Patrick and Clare wake up trapped in a basement, a thin wall separating their cells. Their captor is mysteriously absent, which at first seems like a blessing. As more time passes with no food or water, they begin to realize a clock is ticking for their survival.
Combining their intelligence and determination, the two begin plotting an escape from their shared prison. Overcoming each obstacle only presents another obstacle standing in the way of their freedom. It will take all of their ingenuity and strength to find their way out of this mess.
They know their captor is still out there, and it is only a matter of time before he returns.
BEFORE HE WAKES is a fast-paced and tense thriller that ratchets up the suspense and tension before the thrilling conclusion.
Combining their intelligence and determination, the two begin plotting an escape from their shared prison. Overcoming each obstacle only presents another obstacle standing in the way of their freedom. It will take all of their ingenuity and strength to find their way out of this mess.
They know their captor is still out there, and it is only a matter of time before he returns.
BEFORE HE WAKES is a fast-paced and tense thriller that ratchets up the suspense and tension before the thrilling conclusion.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2021
12 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 25, 2021
3.5 STARS
Crystal Lake Publishing has a solid reputation in the horror community and, for the most part, I trust them to deliver quality products. Which turned out to be a good thing in this case.
Mark Allan Gunnells has been on my radar for a while, but this is the first thing I have read by him. The blurb for BEFORE HE WAKES got my attention immediately and I knew I wanted to read this one. The concept was a fascinating one and I had high hopes going in to it.
The opening chapter was absolutely brilliant, with a man standing in line in a shop, impatiently waiting to get back to his family. It is obvious he is antisocial and just wants the chore over. When he leaves, in an attempt to escape Girl Scouts, he walks right in front of a car, which hits him and leaves him in a coma.
Next chapter:
We meet Patrick, who wakes up in a basement cell, having been abducted. He soon finds there is another captor – a teen named Clare – who has been a prisoner for much longer. There is a thin wall separating their cells, but she fills him in on what she knows.
Their captor calls himself Big Daddy, and he calls her his daughter and told her Patrick would be her brother. And, as the clock keeps ticking and their captor does not return, they have to face the possibility that they were left to starve to death. They were on their own. If they couldn’t escape, it probably meant they would never leave this place alive.
In hospital, the man in the coma is slowly gaining consciousness. Who knows how long he will be there before he can go home?
As the clock keeps ticking and the obstacles keep mounting, will they be able to escape their prison before Big Daddy comes back?
I loved the idea of this one. So simple, yet with so much potential. Sadly, I did not enjoy this one as much as I thought I would.
The problem was this:
There is a certain style of writing, where a lot of information is given to the reader, in the hopes of pulling them in and allowing them the opportunity to solve whatever-the-case-may-be. It work very well in police procedurals and some thrillers. And while I have read very long horror books by masters like Stephen King or Robert McCammon, they are an exception to the rule. Horror needs to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.
I am all for character development, as long as it keeps the story flowing. There was so much unnecessary info and situations given in this book, it frustrated me. Who cares about Robert, Patrick’s boyfriend, and his back story and what he is going through if it is not going to play a part in the resolution of the story?
The thing is, while describing Patrick and Clare’s predicament and what they are trying to do, the reader is on the edge of their seat. When you move away to other things like the search and personal relationships etc., it takes the tension way down. Which means, when we go back to the two captives, the nervous energy is gone and it must be built again from the start.
If you take away everything but the chapters with Patrick, Clare and the man in hospital, it would have been a nail-biting ride from start to finish. Cut the story by 20% and improve the pace?
It was difficult to get through this one for me. It felt so much longer than the page count, simply because it didn’t hold my interest throughout. If I can be totally honest, if this wasn’t a review copy and I only picked it up because it sounded interesting, I would have abandoned it before the halfway mark.
So, in my head I was going with 2.5 – 3 stars, because the writing wasn’t bad. And then, the last 10% of this story knocked me on my ass – it was a brilliant twist and an excellent finish to this story. This left me conflicted on how I should rate this – to be fair to both the author and myself.
In the end, I’m going with 3.5 STARS. The journey to get to the great part was not a pleasant one. If the author could have avoided the over-description of unnecessary information, that ending may have pushed this up to 4.5 stars. I can’t ignore the fact that I wanted to give up on this one.
Crystal Lake Publishing has a solid reputation in the horror community and, for the most part, I trust them to deliver quality products. Which turned out to be a good thing in this case.
Mark Allan Gunnells has been on my radar for a while, but this is the first thing I have read by him. The blurb for BEFORE HE WAKES got my attention immediately and I knew I wanted to read this one. The concept was a fascinating one and I had high hopes going in to it.
The opening chapter was absolutely brilliant, with a man standing in line in a shop, impatiently waiting to get back to his family. It is obvious he is antisocial and just wants the chore over. When he leaves, in an attempt to escape Girl Scouts, he walks right in front of a car, which hits him and leaves him in a coma.
Next chapter:
We meet Patrick, who wakes up in a basement cell, having been abducted. He soon finds there is another captor – a teen named Clare – who has been a prisoner for much longer. There is a thin wall separating their cells, but she fills him in on what she knows.
Their captor calls himself Big Daddy, and he calls her his daughter and told her Patrick would be her brother. And, as the clock keeps ticking and their captor does not return, they have to face the possibility that they were left to starve to death. They were on their own. If they couldn’t escape, it probably meant they would never leave this place alive.
In hospital, the man in the coma is slowly gaining consciousness. Who knows how long he will be there before he can go home?
As the clock keeps ticking and the obstacles keep mounting, will they be able to escape their prison before Big Daddy comes back?
I loved the idea of this one. So simple, yet with so much potential. Sadly, I did not enjoy this one as much as I thought I would.
The problem was this:
There is a certain style of writing, where a lot of information is given to the reader, in the hopes of pulling them in and allowing them the opportunity to solve whatever-the-case-may-be. It work very well in police procedurals and some thrillers. And while I have read very long horror books by masters like Stephen King or Robert McCammon, they are an exception to the rule. Horror needs to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.
I am all for character development, as long as it keeps the story flowing. There was so much unnecessary info and situations given in this book, it frustrated me. Who cares about Robert, Patrick’s boyfriend, and his back story and what he is going through if it is not going to play a part in the resolution of the story?
The thing is, while describing Patrick and Clare’s predicament and what they are trying to do, the reader is on the edge of their seat. When you move away to other things like the search and personal relationships etc., it takes the tension way down. Which means, when we go back to the two captives, the nervous energy is gone and it must be built again from the start.
If you take away everything but the chapters with Patrick, Clare and the man in hospital, it would have been a nail-biting ride from start to finish. Cut the story by 20% and improve the pace?
It was difficult to get through this one for me. It felt so much longer than the page count, simply because it didn’t hold my interest throughout. If I can be totally honest, if this wasn’t a review copy and I only picked it up because it sounded interesting, I would have abandoned it before the halfway mark.
So, in my head I was going with 2.5 – 3 stars, because the writing wasn’t bad. And then, the last 10% of this story knocked me on my ass – it was a brilliant twist and an excellent finish to this story. This left me conflicted on how I should rate this – to be fair to both the author and myself.
In the end, I’m going with 3.5 STARS. The journey to get to the great part was not a pleasant one. If the author could have avoided the over-description of unnecessary information, that ending may have pushed this up to 4.5 stars. I can’t ignore the fact that I wanted to give up on this one.
July 29, 2022
Patrick and Clare are both his captives in their basement cells. They need to work together to escape before he returns. It’s a race against time. Gunnells is a master of unusual plots and misdirection, and you are always sure to be surprised by the outcome of his stories. This is no exception. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s a good and entertaining read.
May 13, 2021
This one is a mail bitter! The tension does not end through out the entire story. There’s so many great things happening here in Before He Wakes. The characters are well-fleshed out, especially Patrick, our hero. There’s a lot of detail here within this character that could be argued as unnecessary, but this isn’t a bad thing. These time details only enhance the story and make it what it is.
June 2, 2021
I sat down for a good 15 minutes trying to figure out what I was gonna say in this review, but all Im gonna say is that this book sent me on a damn rollercoaster of emotions ranging from excitement to anger to sadness and everything in between.
This was a damn good book and I cant wait to read more from this author.
This was a damn good book and I cant wait to read more from this author.
May 14, 2021
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
I’ve only read Mark Allan Gunnells short stories, which have all been fantastic.
In fact, several of his stories in ‘The Daylight Will Not Save You’ are easily among the best short stories I’ve ever read.
Oddly, I’ve not yet read any of his longer works, so when ‘Before He Wakes’ was offered up, I was intrigued by the synopsis. It reminded me a bit of the movies ‘Don’t Breathe’ and ‘Green Room’ which I enjoyed. Movies where people are trapped and they have to figure out a way to survive.
Knowing Mark’s way with words, I wasn’t worried about this using sheer extreme horror to try and move the plot along (think the soulless wump-wump of ‘The Summer I Died’), but would instead have a grounded, emotional story where the reader would be on the edge of their seats.
I was right.
What I liked: ‘Before He Wakes’ follows the story of two young people, one college male and one high school female, who’ve been abducted and are trapped in the basement of a house. They decide to work together to find some way to escape, especially as the unsettling feeling that their captor may not return starts to creep in.
I can’t say too much of the ‘why’ the captor may not return, as that was a whole other plot point that interspersed the story and ultimately comes to an emotional and massively mind-blowing finale which was very well done. But just know, Mark uses that portion of the novel to ramp up the tension and readers are in for a treat.
This book positively drips tension. As the story progresses, Mark ramps it up and even when we think we’re about to experience elation and freedom and sweet, sweet success – well, you’ll need to read this yeah?
The characters were all really well done and while this doesn’t fall into a full-on “monsters in the closet jump out” horror story, the creep factor is high and the subtle character shifts due to starvation, isolation and ultimately realization are really well done.
What I didn’t like: While the story itself was absolutely spot on, I did find a few times I had to suspend my disbelief that a captor (Big Daddy) this prepared would leave such random and convenient objects around. Granted, he didn’t suspect that any of the people in the basement would make any progress in escaping, but still, some of it was a bit convenient.
Why you should buy this: If you’ve not read any of Mark Allan Gunnells’ work, this would be a fantastic place to start. We get some truly relatable characters and the side stories about the agony their families are going through as their loved ones are missing was the cherry on top. As I mentioned, this book is a masterclass on tension and I had to stay up and finish it last night, needing to know what happened.
Fans of Mark’s work will be in for a treat as this shows just why he’s a writer you need to read.
Outstanding work and now that I’ve read this novel, I’ll need to bump some of his other works I have up the TBR. Well done.
I’ve only read Mark Allan Gunnells short stories, which have all been fantastic.
In fact, several of his stories in ‘The Daylight Will Not Save You’ are easily among the best short stories I’ve ever read.
Oddly, I’ve not yet read any of his longer works, so when ‘Before He Wakes’ was offered up, I was intrigued by the synopsis. It reminded me a bit of the movies ‘Don’t Breathe’ and ‘Green Room’ which I enjoyed. Movies where people are trapped and they have to figure out a way to survive.
Knowing Mark’s way with words, I wasn’t worried about this using sheer extreme horror to try and move the plot along (think the soulless wump-wump of ‘The Summer I Died’), but would instead have a grounded, emotional story where the reader would be on the edge of their seats.
I was right.
What I liked: ‘Before He Wakes’ follows the story of two young people, one college male and one high school female, who’ve been abducted and are trapped in the basement of a house. They decide to work together to find some way to escape, especially as the unsettling feeling that their captor may not return starts to creep in.
I can’t say too much of the ‘why’ the captor may not return, as that was a whole other plot point that interspersed the story and ultimately comes to an emotional and massively mind-blowing finale which was very well done. But just know, Mark uses that portion of the novel to ramp up the tension and readers are in for a treat.
This book positively drips tension. As the story progresses, Mark ramps it up and even when we think we’re about to experience elation and freedom and sweet, sweet success – well, you’ll need to read this yeah?
The characters were all really well done and while this doesn’t fall into a full-on “monsters in the closet jump out” horror story, the creep factor is high and the subtle character shifts due to starvation, isolation and ultimately realization are really well done.
What I didn’t like: While the story itself was absolutely spot on, I did find a few times I had to suspend my disbelief that a captor (Big Daddy) this prepared would leave such random and convenient objects around. Granted, he didn’t suspect that any of the people in the basement would make any progress in escaping, but still, some of it was a bit convenient.
Why you should buy this: If you’ve not read any of Mark Allan Gunnells’ work, this would be a fantastic place to start. We get some truly relatable characters and the side stories about the agony their families are going through as their loved ones are missing was the cherry on top. As I mentioned, this book is a masterclass on tension and I had to stay up and finish it last night, needing to know what happened.
Fans of Mark’s work will be in for a treat as this shows just why he’s a writer you need to read.
Outstanding work and now that I’ve read this novel, I’ll need to bump some of his other works I have up the TBR. Well done.
May 13, 2021
I'd be hard put to choose a "best of" Mark Allan Gunnells, but BEFORE HE WAKES might well be. How he has gone within the minds and souls of the compassionate human angels as well as the evil consciousless human predators; how he feels what females feel about rape culture and body shame and unending danger as well as the viewpoints of both Gay and straight males, all of this boggles my mind. I constantly thought, "Is Mark reading my mind?" This is such an achievement!
May 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this deep-dive into the heart of human darkness. Through its twisty maze of a plot, I was continually kept guessing. The desire to keep reading, keep the pages turning was ever-present. Another winner from a master of the genre!
January 5, 2022
This story kept me on the edge of my seat! Our main character, Patrick, has been abducted and is being held captive in the basement of a house—and he’s not the only one there. We learn how far he will go to get out. This story is also very layered. We learn a lot about the characters and their lives which makes them so real for the reader. There’s a lot of heart, and heartache, in this book. I loved it.
May 14, 2021
Intriguing story. It had me not wanting to go into any strange houses alone.
Read it for a good scare.
Read it for a good scare.
March 20, 2025
While out running early one morning, Peter gets hit in the head, passes out, and wakes up in a cell. He soon finds out he’s not alone. This story was pretty intense and creepy. Perhaps I’m paranoid, but I believe there are a lot of crazy people like Big Daddy out there, so this was a real page-turner for me. I thought the ending was very clever. It wasn’t what I had expected at all, so it gets an extra star for creativity.
July 17, 2022
3.5⭐️
Review to come
Review to come
May 20, 2021
When you’ve been reading, watching, and writing about horror for your entire life, it becomes increasingly difficult to experience the simple joy of being caught off guard and genuinely surprised. It just doesn’t happen that often. You’ve seen every scenario, mainlined every twist and turn in every conceivable kind of terror. The more attuned those particular senses get over time, the more you lust for someone to come along and kick you in the teeth with something that gets the formula right.
Mark Allan Gunnells ( 2B , 324 Abercorn ) has done just that, and I offer my sincere thanks. I don’t have to tell you that there are few thrills greater, few impressions stronger than that crucial first read of an author. It’s truly a make or break. On a personal note, I was quite pleased that Gunnells set this story in the upstate of South Carolina where we are both from. I can see it, smell it, and hear it.
You can read Stuart's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
Mark Allan Gunnells ( 2B , 324 Abercorn ) has done just that, and I offer my sincere thanks. I don’t have to tell you that there are few thrills greater, few impressions stronger than that crucial first read of an author. It’s truly a make or break. On a personal note, I was quite pleased that Gunnells set this story in the upstate of South Carolina where we are both from. I can see it, smell it, and hear it.
You can read Stuart's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
May 15, 2021
Mark Allan Gunnells's psychological horror tale, Before He Wakes, shows us how strong and yet how fragile the human mental state can be under high levels of stress and abuse and how easy it can sometimes take us to a somewhat dark place to help us survive.
Patrick, a healthy college student, wakes up in Big Daddy’s basement, not knowing where he or who his abductor is. Clare, a scared, malnourished, 15-year-old old, has been there for months. Big Daddy has left, is gone longer than usual, and they soon wonder if he’s ever coming back. Patrick convinces Clare, who fears the punishment if they fail, to work with him to escape. That’s when the rollercoaster begins. I felt every thrill of their success and every gut punch when an obstacle sets them backwards. Patrick and Clare are the hero’s and their story is the strongest and so very well-written.
Patrick’s boyfriend, Robert, and Clare’s parents are left feeling confused, fearful, angry, and helpless. I don’t want to give anything away, and there was some closure to the storylines, but they and the police’s involvement ended a bit abruptly, and I was left wanting more.
Having said that, I loved this book. A terrifying read right up to the last page.
4 ½ stars.
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Patrick, a healthy college student, wakes up in Big Daddy’s basement, not knowing where he or who his abductor is. Clare, a scared, malnourished, 15-year-old old, has been there for months. Big Daddy has left, is gone longer than usual, and they soon wonder if he’s ever coming back. Patrick convinces Clare, who fears the punishment if they fail, to work with him to escape. That’s when the rollercoaster begins. I felt every thrill of their success and every gut punch when an obstacle sets them backwards. Patrick and Clare are the hero’s and their story is the strongest and so very well-written.
Patrick’s boyfriend, Robert, and Clare’s parents are left feeling confused, fearful, angry, and helpless. I don’t want to give anything away, and there was some closure to the storylines, but they and the police’s involvement ended a bit abruptly, and I was left wanting more.
Having said that, I loved this book. A terrifying read right up to the last page.
4 ½ stars.
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
When I read the description of this book in FreeAudiobookboom, I immediately wanted it. Even if I didn't get a free code, I probably would have hunted it down, at least in ebook form.
But I got a free code and am so glad I listened to it. Each time I got entranced in the story, the chapters would change and it would backtrack into character development, or another storyline that released the tension. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story, but it could have been so much better. If I had read it instead of listening, I very well may have DNFed it The ending was not what I expected and literally made me LOL
But I got a free code and am so glad I listened to it. Each time I got entranced in the story, the chapters would change and it would backtrack into character development, or another storyline that released the tension. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story, but it could have been so much better. If I had read it instead of listening, I very well may have DNFed it The ending was not what I expected and literally made me LOL
October 4, 2022
I enjoyed this book. The writing was extremely easy to take to and the characters were immediately likeable.
The story itself was good. I often found myself reaching for another page when I should possibly have been sleeping instead.
I’ll definitely be checking more out from this author. I’d be extremely interested to see what he does with other situations.
Recommend for thriller fans and fans of “Kiss the Girls” and such.
The story itself was good. I often found myself reaching for another page when I should possibly have been sleeping instead.
I’ll definitely be checking more out from this author. I’d be extremely interested to see what he does with other situations.
Recommend for thriller fans and fans of “Kiss the Girls” and such.
May 12, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Before He Wakes tells the tale of two people desperately trying to break out of their abductor's home whilst he has mysteriously vanished for a period far longer than he usually does. With their food supply dwindling, a break for freedom is now or never.
Mark Allan Gunnells does an excellent job of telling a fast-paced story that keeps you invested and always curious to see how Patrick and Clare fare on their bid for freedom. Just when you think 'ah, they've got it now, surely they can't run into any other kind of issue' a completely logical and unexpected issue crops up that gets you right back in thought mode as you rapidly try to think of what they could do in order to get free.
Yea, I actually got so invested at one point that I felt I was there with them trying to get out. So well done on that one, Mark Allan Gunnells :)
It doesn't solely revolve around the unfortunate pair trapped within the strange house. As you would expect, people on the outside are desperately seeking for their loved ones. Clare's parents embark upon their own frantic mission of finding their daughter, as does Patrick's boyfriend after the realisation that Patrick hasn't ghosted him sets in.
It even did something I'm not used to: It had a couple of chapters set before the events of the book every so often and it did them incredibly well. Normally, chapters like that have a good chance of taking you out of the story and ruining the flow, even if they're well-written. Not only were they well-written, but they served to add to the story in a way that made the amount I felt invested in it seem to grow. So well done again to the author for that one.
As you can probably see, I've scored it four out of five. That implies that my high praise has to end somewhere and make way for a slight negative. Here is that negative: The story being told surrounding those outside of the house did not feel complete. It got to a point where things had reached a point where I just knew something big was going to happen to all involved ... and then that was it. Never heard from them again. I was left to imagine what might have happened. That was fairly easy in one case, but not in the other. Perhaps an epilogue talking about what happened to them/how they moved on etc ... would have added an awesome sense of closure.
I also wasn't initially thrilled with the ending. But that isn't something I'd mark the book down for at all as the ending, albeit not the one I typically enjoyed at first, was written very well. Then after a period of reflection, the ending grew on me.
Overall, this was one heck of a fun, fast-paced read. If you want a quick, dark thriller, then this may well be the one for you.
Before He Wakes tells the tale of two people desperately trying to break out of their abductor's home whilst he has mysteriously vanished for a period far longer than he usually does. With their food supply dwindling, a break for freedom is now or never.
Mark Allan Gunnells does an excellent job of telling a fast-paced story that keeps you invested and always curious to see how Patrick and Clare fare on their bid for freedom. Just when you think 'ah, they've got it now, surely they can't run into any other kind of issue' a completely logical and unexpected issue crops up that gets you right back in thought mode as you rapidly try to think of what they could do in order to get free.
Yea, I actually got so invested at one point that I felt I was there with them trying to get out. So well done on that one, Mark Allan Gunnells :)
It doesn't solely revolve around the unfortunate pair trapped within the strange house. As you would expect, people on the outside are desperately seeking for their loved ones. Clare's parents embark upon their own frantic mission of finding their daughter, as does Patrick's boyfriend after the realisation that Patrick hasn't ghosted him sets in.
It even did something I'm not used to: It had a couple of chapters set before the events of the book every so often and it did them incredibly well. Normally, chapters like that have a good chance of taking you out of the story and ruining the flow, even if they're well-written. Not only were they well-written, but they served to add to the story in a way that made the amount I felt invested in it seem to grow. So well done again to the author for that one.
As you can probably see, I've scored it four out of five. That implies that my high praise has to end somewhere and make way for a slight negative. Here is that negative: The story being told surrounding those outside of the house did not feel complete. It got to a point where things had reached a point where I just knew something big was going to happen to all involved ... and then that was it. Never heard from them again. I was left to imagine what might have happened. That was fairly easy in one case, but not in the other. Perhaps an epilogue talking about what happened to them/how they moved on etc ... would have added an awesome sense of closure.
I also wasn't initially thrilled with the ending. But that isn't something I'd mark the book down for at all as the ending, albeit not the one I typically enjoyed at first, was written very well. Then after a period of reflection, the ending grew on me.
Overall, this was one heck of a fun, fast-paced read. If you want a quick, dark thriller, then this may well be the one for you.
July 1, 2021
I was offered the opportunity to read this book by the publisher, Crystal Lake Publishing and although I didn’t get chance to read it in time for its release it has been my intention to give it a go. I’d heard good things about this book, and I can’t disagree that it’s a very interesting story.
I found myself turning page after page as I invested in the characters I was being introduced to, it’s nice that the author has included some chapters that explain the backstories of the people we’re reading about, and I enjoyed reading the reactions the friends and families had to the disappearances. It’s good that we didn’t purely get the story from a singular perspective because this way it fleshes things out a little more and the characters feel more real.
I did feel that we could have explored the offshoot stories a little more, but those weren’t the main point of the book and I suppose you could find yourself following different paths forever if you tried to fully explore everything. The important points are covered, and I enjoyed the formatting of switching perspective chapter by chapter.
The pace of the story is nicely written too, giving us just enough to go on for the events currently happening without giving us too much scope to guess what the next events would be. I did find some things seemed to be slightly glossed over, but not in such a way that it impacts the reading and I tend to find that over explaining things can be worse.
Due to the format of the chapters and the pace of the story, it’s easy to follow and enjoyable to read. It isn’t a long read either, meaning those who don’t often read due to time constraints or simply attention span can enjoy this without making a huge commitment. I know even for some who do have a lot of reading time, a huge book can be quite daunting, so this is a nice slice of fiction for those who want something that isn’t too short but isn’t going to take weeks to read either.
I would be interested to read more work by Gunnells, because I enjoyed the story and the twist. Plus, there’s some nice representation within the story too. I liked that there was more than one gay character in this book, and that they all have their own personalities. They’re not each a carbon copy of one another. There’s a certain amount of danger in including gay characters if you’re not going to write them as people and that danger is of falling into the “box ticking” trap.
I thought that Gunnells navigated this nicely, giving us real people with real relationships and lives without falling to stereotypes.
I found myself turning page after page as I invested in the characters I was being introduced to, it’s nice that the author has included some chapters that explain the backstories of the people we’re reading about, and I enjoyed reading the reactions the friends and families had to the disappearances. It’s good that we didn’t purely get the story from a singular perspective because this way it fleshes things out a little more and the characters feel more real.
I did feel that we could have explored the offshoot stories a little more, but those weren’t the main point of the book and I suppose you could find yourself following different paths forever if you tried to fully explore everything. The important points are covered, and I enjoyed the formatting of switching perspective chapter by chapter.
The pace of the story is nicely written too, giving us just enough to go on for the events currently happening without giving us too much scope to guess what the next events would be. I did find some things seemed to be slightly glossed over, but not in such a way that it impacts the reading and I tend to find that over explaining things can be worse.
Due to the format of the chapters and the pace of the story, it’s easy to follow and enjoyable to read. It isn’t a long read either, meaning those who don’t often read due to time constraints or simply attention span can enjoy this without making a huge commitment. I know even for some who do have a lot of reading time, a huge book can be quite daunting, so this is a nice slice of fiction for those who want something that isn’t too short but isn’t going to take weeks to read either.
I would be interested to read more work by Gunnells, because I enjoyed the story and the twist. Plus, there’s some nice representation within the story too. I liked that there was more than one gay character in this book, and that they all have their own personalities. They’re not each a carbon copy of one another. There’s a certain amount of danger in including gay characters if you’re not going to write them as people and that danger is of falling into the “box ticking” trap.
I thought that Gunnells navigated this nicely, giving us real people with real relationships and lives without falling to stereotypes.
May 14, 2021
The premise is simple: Patrick, a college kid, and Clare, a high school student, are locked in a cellar. Their abductor, who wants to be called "Big Daddy", has not checked on them in several days. They start to realize that he may never return. Patrick and Clare have to fight their way out of captivity to survive, but they need to move quickly in case Big Daddy returns to fulfill whatever sinister fantasy he has in mind for them.
Before He Wakes is a fast-paced, well-developed thriller with multiple plot lines converging into a heart-pounding climax. Gunnells could teach a master class on character development. Just like in a previous novel "324 Abercorn" Gunnells develops every character without clogging the flow of the narrative. From a reader's perspective, it is refreshing. However, from an aspiring writer's perspective, it is infuriating because he makes it seem so easy and natural.
Gunnells is a fantastic writer and "Before He Wakes" is a story that starts fast and never slows until the final page. If you love action-packed thrillers with well-developed characters, then I highly recommend this book.
(I received an advanced reader copy to review for Signal Horizon Magazine, which in no way influenced my opinion of the book)
Before He Wakes is a fast-paced, well-developed thriller with multiple plot lines converging into a heart-pounding climax. Gunnells could teach a master class on character development. Just like in a previous novel "324 Abercorn" Gunnells develops every character without clogging the flow of the narrative. From a reader's perspective, it is refreshing. However, from an aspiring writer's perspective, it is infuriating because he makes it seem so easy and natural.
Gunnells is a fantastic writer and "Before He Wakes" is a story that starts fast and never slows until the final page. If you love action-packed thrillers with well-developed characters, then I highly recommend this book.
(I received an advanced reader copy to review for Signal Horizon Magazine, which in no way influenced my opinion of the book)
May 27, 2021
Captured, isolated and fighting for freedom.
Patrick wakes up in a basement, only remembering he was attacked whilst out running. But he isn’t alone, another captive of their kidnapper—only referred to as ‘Big Daddy’—is down there with him. A young girl named Clare who had been reported missing for months. With Big Daddy not coming to tend to his ‘children’, Patrick and Clare work together to try and escape their prison.
Mark Allan Gunnells’s latest offering is a nail-bitting thriller full of shock, a killer twist and heartbreak. What I admire the most about Before He Wakes is Gunnells’s attention to his characters—big or small. Bouncing from different viewpoints, we are given perspectives of all the players involved in the action. This attention to detail makes the twist a shocking payoff and one I never saw coming.
I would have liked to have spent more time with some of the supporting characters in the story, as every character was fleshed out extremely well. However, this didn’t make the story dissatisfying, it only fuelled me with more desire to know more.
If you’re a fan of Mark’s work this is one that is not to be missed!
Patrick wakes up in a basement, only remembering he was attacked whilst out running. But he isn’t alone, another captive of their kidnapper—only referred to as ‘Big Daddy’—is down there with him. A young girl named Clare who had been reported missing for months. With Big Daddy not coming to tend to his ‘children’, Patrick and Clare work together to try and escape their prison.
Mark Allan Gunnells’s latest offering is a nail-bitting thriller full of shock, a killer twist and heartbreak. What I admire the most about Before He Wakes is Gunnells’s attention to his characters—big or small. Bouncing from different viewpoints, we are given perspectives of all the players involved in the action. This attention to detail makes the twist a shocking payoff and one I never saw coming.
I would have liked to have spent more time with some of the supporting characters in the story, as every character was fleshed out extremely well. However, this didn’t make the story dissatisfying, it only fuelled me with more desire to know more.
If you’re a fan of Mark’s work this is one that is not to be missed!
May 18, 2021
I am a sucker for escaping out of impossible situations. Mrs N is tired of my yelling at the TV when someone is thrown into a room and they give up trying to get out. “I’d always find a way, even if it involved fabricating a digging tool out of one of my bones.” So when Before he Wakes landed on my mat I couldn’t wait to read it.
True to promise a serial kidnapper, a locked basement room, a snarling Doberman and a lunatic or two satiate my reading hunger. Noir, page-turning and easy-to-read fingernail biting is wating for you too. Do the victims escape, Not telling. Great double twist though.
True to promise a serial kidnapper, a locked basement room, a snarling Doberman and a lunatic or two satiate my reading hunger. Noir, page-turning and easy-to-read fingernail biting is wating for you too. Do the victims escape, Not telling. Great double twist though.
July 11, 2021
Dark and well-told, a tale of obsession and madness, a tale that explores each character caught up in Big Daddy's insane world that he has so carefully built, the family he has assembled. Patrick, a student, caught on a run, Clare, a teenager, caught waiting for her boyfriend in a park, and Linda, a woman living alone, caught by her loneliness. Then, Big Daddy doesn't come home, and Patrick and Clare know this is their chance to escape.
Gunnells' carefully constructed characters are real people, and I found myself caught up in their horror, wishing for a happy ending.
Gunnells is a masterful storyteller indeed.
Recommended, especially for horror fans.
Gunnells' carefully constructed characters are real people, and I found myself caught up in their horror, wishing for a happy ending.
Gunnells is a masterful storyteller indeed.
Recommended, especially for horror fans.
September 16, 2021
Great psychological thriller!
Be prepared for a major mind f*ck!! Expect the unexpected and be ready for some fascinating plot twists. This story was well written with an edge that will leave you on the edge of your seat not knowing what to expect next. The story was amazing by itself but when you add the brilliant performance of Andrew Gibson to narrate it, you will be blown away. He really has a way of bringing this story to life. With so many emotions, despair, anger and even a little craziness thrown in, he really nailed it. If you love this genre, this is a must read/listen.
I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
Be prepared for a major mind f*ck!! Expect the unexpected and be ready for some fascinating plot twists. This story was well written with an edge that will leave you on the edge of your seat not knowing what to expect next. The story was amazing by itself but when you add the brilliant performance of Andrew Gibson to narrate it, you will be blown away. He really has a way of bringing this story to life. With so many emotions, despair, anger and even a little craziness thrown in, he really nailed it. If you love this genre, this is a must read/listen.
I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
May 17, 2021
Not exactly splatterpunk but with a feeling of it, perhaps a little too much of the gay viewpoint to be overly intriguing to me, yet with an ending which worked and didn't fall into the pit of contentment so many of these types of story cop out with.
May 18, 2021
Couldn't put down....
Tense, fast paced and well written. Characters you connect with and the story and ending packs a real punch. The ending stayed with me for days.
Tense, fast paced and well written. Characters you connect with and the story and ending packs a real punch. The ending stayed with me for days.
May 15, 2021
Very clever plot.
The twist. I know it's a cliche to say I never saw it coming, but really, I didn't.
I was lost in the story, getting all anxious for the characters, and then...
Really excellent
The twist. I know it's a cliche to say I never saw it coming, but really, I didn't.
I was lost in the story, getting all anxious for the characters, and then...
Really excellent
February 6, 2022
HOLY MOLY ! Did not see that coming! Loved it! Super suspenseful and wow loved the ending! Twisted and great.
February 1, 2022
4.5 🌟
OMG what a thriller, loved it I didn't like the end but it was amazing
OMG what a thriller, loved it I didn't like the end but it was amazing
October 16, 2021
This dark tale was chilling, each chapter told from a different perspective. Yet, it didn't deter you from connecting with the characters. The narrator's performance was perfection.
July 27, 2022
I’ll talk about a couple of details in the book but I’ll try to be vague as possible as to not spoil the story.
This book has some interesting plot points. However it has problematic elements that only grew throughout the reading. Namely that characterization of female characters is almost universally negative. There are 4ish female characters and all of them are described as being either weak, pitiful, broken, spiteful, and/or deceptive. Even the more positive characteristics painted as naive and foolish. The most positive characteristic of a female in this story and I kid you not is, “she has steady hands.” I expected gloom and bleakness given the nature of the narrative, but even female characters not central to the narrative are painted in this same negative light. At no point does a female character move the plot forward but rather only slow down the the plot and act as barriers. The one time that female lead suggests an action the male takes the idea literally tells her to stay put and do nothing except wait for him to do it. The females have no agency except for what the male characters dictate. An example of this is when one female character tries to support another and instead begin to fight. The fighting continues until the male character breaks up the fight. The last straw comes near the closing chapters of the book where the lead female character puts the whole plot in jeopardy in an act that seems way to reckless for her.
I enjoyed the twists and turns of the book even the dark and bleak ones, but my journey rotted with the repeating issues. 2/5 stars, 3/5 on audible as the narrator is pretty good.
This book has some interesting plot points. However it has problematic elements that only grew throughout the reading. Namely that characterization of female characters is almost universally negative. There are 4ish female characters and all of them are described as being either weak, pitiful, broken, spiteful, and/or deceptive. Even the more positive characteristics painted as naive and foolish. The most positive characteristic of a female in this story and I kid you not is, “she has steady hands.” I expected gloom and bleakness given the nature of the narrative, but even female characters not central to the narrative are painted in this same negative light. At no point does a female character move the plot forward but rather only slow down the the plot and act as barriers. The one time that female lead suggests an action the male takes the idea literally tells her to stay put and do nothing except wait for him to do it. The females have no agency except for what the male characters dictate. An example of this is when one female character tries to support another and instead begin to fight. The fighting continues until the male character breaks up the fight. The last straw comes near the closing chapters of the book where the lead female character puts the whole plot in jeopardy in an act that seems way to reckless for her.
I enjoyed the twists and turns of the book even the dark and bleak ones, but my journey rotted with the repeating issues. 2/5 stars, 3/5 on audible as the narrator is pretty good.
September 28, 2021
Very creepy and disturbing. Also more real than Hollywood.
4 Stars****
4 Stars****
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