We call her Jane, because she can't tell us her name. Can't or won't, I'm not sure. She lies in a hospital bed, a strangely old expression upon her teenaged face. We don't know her age either .... Jane Doe is our mystery.
Doing her rotation in the children's psych ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman does everything she can think of to bring Jane Doe out of her catatonia and help her regain her memory. But Jane's progress seems to be one step forward, two steps back. Then there are Zoe's own problems: the recent death of her mother, her ADHD, and her current probationary status with the hospital. And while Dr. Berringer, her attending, seems supportive, Zoe suspects that he's hiding a serious problem of his own. Plus, the detective on the case keeps telling Zoe to stay out of his investigation, but she just can't help looking for the truth about Jane Doe on her own.
This character-driven mystery by Sandra Block is her second with protagonist Zoe Goldman, her flawed and imperfect yet ultimately appealing and likeable heroine. (And you don't need to read the first one in order to enjoy this one; I didn't. Though reading any mystery series in order is probably best.) I liked that this story took place in the psych ward of a county hospital, and I thought Jane Doe's case was interesting. And while this book reads fast, I didn't find it super suspenseful. Still, I have to admit that I didn't see the ending coming. All in all, The Girl Without a Name is a fun read. I'll definitely be going back to read Little Black Lies, Block's first Zoe Goldman novel.
Happy Reading!
Sounds like an interesting story. I like it that the setting is a psych ward; there's always this creepy yet intriguing feeling about them. I'm glad this could read as a standalone and I'll see if my library has a copy of Little Black Lies. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to find another good writer of psychological thrillers. :)
DeleteI really liked Little Black Lies and Zoe's character! I'm all in for this second installment by Sandra Block!
ReplyDeleteGood to know that Little Black Lies is just as good as this one! I think she has a third one out in this series now, too.
DeleteSounds very intriguing. I like when a book in a series can stand on it's own. I'll look for your review of Little Black Lies now.
ReplyDeleteIt might take awhile...I have a bunch of library books I have to finish first. ;)
DeleteI hadn't heard of this one, but it sounds like a series I would like. Thanks for the heads-up!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading more by this author...especially about this character. :)
DeleteI love the title of the book! Sounds like a fun read. I'm glad you posted about it - thanks!
ReplyDelete:D Any time!
DeleteThis is a new author to me. Her books sound really intriguing. I'm avoiding violent mysteries right now.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good mystery that doesn't get too dark or violent, so it might be a good one for you to try. :)
DeleteThis does sound interesting! I am glad this one had a strong mystery. I am really curious now to know what happened to Jane to make her that way.
ReplyDeleteThe story behind Jane is interesting; I didn't guess the ending on this one.
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