The Mechanics of Memory

by Audrey Lee

Overview

A 2025 Edgar Award and Anthony 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780744310412
Publisher:	CamCat Publishing
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Audrey Lee’s debut novel, The Mechanics of Memory, has received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Edgar® Award for Best First Novel, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery. The audiobook was also awarded the IPPY Gold Medal for Best Mystery/Thriller.

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 systems 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 and Maltipoo, Luna. She spends the majority of her time missing her son, who abandoned her for college. When not doing that, Audrey is compulsively organizing, watching her son's dance videos, max betting on a slot machine, and cheering for the Golden State Warriors with a dirty martini in hand.

Editorial Reviews

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest meets Inception in Lee’s stunning debut. A must read.” —James L’Etoile, award-winning author of Dead Drop and Face of Greed

“Steeped in paranoia and delightfully playful with the concept of reality, The Mechanics of Memory is wildly entertaining and, ironically, quite unforgettable.” —Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of The Father She Went to Find

“A technological thriller that keeps us perched on the edge of our seats as well as our disbelief, Lee pulls it together masterfully. Can’t wait to see what’s coming from her next.” —Linda L. Richards, author of Dead West, One of Amazon's Best Books of 2023

“The Mechanics of Memory is a swift, twisty speculative novel that grabs you from page one. With engaging characters and intriguing science, the reader is absorbed throughout. For fans of Blake Crouch and other high-end speculative twist rides.” —Shannon Kirk, international bestselling author of Method 15/33 and the gold medal winning The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall

“Debut author Audrey Lee has created an intoxicating mix of psychological thriller and domestic drama a la the streaming series Severance. As you take your first steps in The Mechanics of Memory, you will find yourself falling under Lee’s spell, unable to leave her world until the very end.” —Naomi Hirahara, USA Today bestselling author of Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning Clark and Division

“Lee's debut makes a binge-worthy audiobook . . . Recommended for listeners who like quick reads and thriller/mysteries with a modern edge.” —Booklist, audio review

“[A] mesmerizing thriller about a woman who must confront the unreliability of her own memory.” —AudioFile Magazine, an Earphones Award Winner

From the Publisher

Sunny Lu, Keong Sim, and Charlie Thurston narrate a mesmerizing thriller…Lu imbues Hope with endearing eagerness despite her uncomfortable experiences…and commands the ear as Hope becomes more and more unreliable. All three narrators enhance this stunning thriller’s unique atmosphere of paranoia. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”

AudioFile