It all seemingly begins when James Purdew breaks his leg on the stairs of his Amsterdam apartment, while rushing to answer the telephone. While recuperating at home, Purdew has too much time to think and becomes obsessed with a three-year span of his past that he cannot recall. His relationship with his girlfriend, Ingrid unravels and he finds himself drawn back to England, to the town of H, where he lived during those missing three years.
Remnants of a Memory
Strange things start happening almost as soon as Purdew arrives in H. He is drawn to the street where he used to live and collapses on the pavement. He then receives a "too-good-to-be-true" offer to restore a house on the street, an offer that requires him to stay in the house alone and take instructions from an anonymous employer. Mysteriously, the same employer had rejected scores of candidates before hiring Purdew. In true Gothic fashion, it turns out that the house is the exact one where Purdew lived during the missing three years. Coincidence?
Restoring a House, Restoring a Memory
As Purdew works at restoring the empty house, he finds clues that are seemingly being left for him. There's a Gothic manuscript with missing pages with a story that is uncanny in its parallels to his own. Everything, however, is cloaked in fuzzy remembrances and half-told truths. There's also the tale of a man that committed suicide by jumping from the attic window of the house. Could Purdew have been involved? Soon, he is drawn into a labyrinth of hallucinations and memories. Will he be able to sort through the clues before he goes mad? Or is he mad already?
"The Amnesiac" is a complex, multi-faceted book, a wonderful antidote for the modern, quickly-written bestseller. It's a book that makes you ponder and go back to re-read sections for hidden meanings. It's also a Gothic mystery in the spirit of DuMaurier, Mary Shelly, and the Bronte Sisters. This thoughtful and unique book would make a good companion for a long winter's night.
About Sam Taylor
Sam Taylor is a former journalist with Britain's "Observer." Taylor was educated in Britain and the United States. He now lives in France with his family and is at work on a new novel. "The Amnesiac" is his second novel. To learn more about Sam Taylor, visit his Web site and blog.
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