Never Forget.
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.
“Audrey Lee’s mesmerizing THE MECHANICS OF MEMORY is as complex as it is thrilling. All we ever really have are our memories, but what if those memories aren’t real? Lee takes this premise to frightening extremes…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
“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.
“The Mechanics of Memory is propulsive and muscular. I hung on every word. A technological thriller that keeps us perched on the edge of our seats as well as our disbelief, Lee pulls it together masterfully. In the end I cried in relief…and instantly wanted more. Can’t wait to see what’s coming from her next!”
– Linda L. Richards, award-winning author of Dead West and Endings
“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
Audrey Lee started writing fiction at the young age of eleven, when she and her best friend co-authored a masterpiece about gallivanting around London with the members of Depeche Mode, Wham!, and Duran Duran. Unfortunately, these spiral notebooks have yet to find a publisher evolved enough to understand the genius buried within. As a result, The Mechanics of Memory is her first work of published fiction.
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 districts 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, son, and Maltipoo, Luna. When not working, Audrey is compulsively organizing something, bullet journaling, cheering for her son at a dance competition, max betting on a slot machine, or watching the Golden State Warriors with a dirty martini in hand.
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Extract
1 | don’t look back
HOPE
The Wilder Sanctuary
Rancho Mirage, California
“And how are the nightmares?”
“Fine.” Hope shifted, pushing stringy hair from her face with her palms. “I haven’t had any this week.”
“None at all?”
Hope shook her head slowly, face impassive.
“That’s important progress.” Dr. Stark looked impressed with his own abilities, as if he’d performed a special magic trick to protect Hope from herself. Perhaps in a way he had.
Dr. Stark jotted notes on his tablet with a pointy gray stylus. “Are you sleeping any better?”
“A little. An hour or two at a time.” It was a lie. She hadn’t slept at all.
Hope focused on the San Jacinto Mountains outside the picture window, framed by the endless blue of the summer sky. Desert sky. It was hard to think about darkness right now, with so much light around her. “Does that mean I’m getting better?”
“As we’ve discussed, it’s important you get concentrated stretches of sleep.” Dr. Stark flipped his tablet to expose the keyboard, typing with a renewed purpose. “It will help you make progress in the Labyrinth.”
The word Labyrinth filled Hope with a viscous dread. She knew she’d visited it dozens of times since arriving at Wilder, though never remembered what had happened there. “I told you I’m never going back.”
“You did,” Dr. Stark said. “But as I said, it’s important to try and push through. It helps you confront what you’re avoiding.”
“I’m not avoiding anything,” Hope said. Another lie.
“I’m increasing your temazepam to thirty milligrams,” Dr. Stark said. “And tomorrow evening I’d like you to spend some time in ViCTR using the Erleben device. Say, forty-five minutes?”
Hope glanced at the ceiling. She wanted a cigarette in the worst way.
“Great,” he said. “Check in with the pharmacy after our session.”
Stark was doing the casual Friday thing that day, though Hope remained uncertain if it was, in fact, Friday. He resembled a prep school student, with his shiny polo shirt and immaculately pressed chinos. The polo looked brand new, still creased in the sleeves and too white, almost blinding. Hope couldn’t picture Dr. Stark performing the tasks of mere mortals: changing the toilet paper, taking out the garbage, shopping for polo shirts. Maybe his wife did all that. Maybe she bought five polo shirts in different colors from Neiman Marcus, hanging them in an orderly row, next to his dry-cleaned Italian suits in clear plastic bags.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” Dr. Stark asked, still typing, fingers thin and bare.
“Are you married?”
“Divorced,” he said. “More thoughts about last year, perhaps?”
“Nothing else,” Hope said. She glanced outside again. “Have there been any messages for me?”
“I’m sorry.” Stark shook his head. “But I promise to let you know if there ever are.”
An artificial chime reverberated through the room’s speakers, and Dr. Stark smiled. “We’ll pick up again next week.”
Hope wiped her hands on her pants and rose, heading for the shiny glass door.
“Hope,” Dr. Stark said.
She paused, hand on the doorknob.
“Be well.”
“Be well, Dr. Stark.”
The Wilder Sanctuary
When I first began writing The Mechanics of Memory, I knew I wanted to create a sense of claustrophobia in the form of being trapped against your will. My mind immediately went to the asylums of long ago, such as seen in Shutter Island and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. But then I realized I wanted Wilder to instead be a luxury resort, because the interplay of being trapped in a beautiful oasis seemed far darker to me.
There are many real-life luxury detox places around the world, catering to celebrities and the super-rich. Unfortunately, I will never make enough money to see any of these facilities in person, but I did do quite a bit of online research. At one center, the staff will take and post photos so you can appear to be on a lavish vacation in Fiji and not in the middle of your thirty-day detox. There’s a place in Connecticut which looks better than any vacation I’ve ever taken. And another, in Switzerland, which only admits one client at a time, and provides you with a personal chef, limo, maid and butler, and a fleet of doctors.
And so, I created the Wilder Sanctuary, an uber-posh detox facility that primarily caters to A-Listers and has a price tag to match. “Residents” at Wilder eat Michelin-star food, participate in yoga, meditate, and have a dedicated team of doctors focused on their wellness. A definition of the word wilder is to perplex or bewilder, something I often thought about while writing this world. There is something sinister lurking just below the surface at Wilder, but few people notice. Happy people are compliant people, and at Wilder the residents feel a sense of privilege as the chosen few. That puts the architects behind Wilder in a very powerful position.
On writing:
How did you do research for your book?
My best friend frequently says she hopes nothing untoward ever befalls my husband, because the FBI will look at my search history and I’ll definitely end up in jail. For The Mechanics of Memory I read tons of medical journals, and did a lot of online research from luxury detox facilities to maps of Palm Springs to “What drugs will knock out a 160-pound human the fastest and not leave a trace?” and “How many milligrams of Diazepam will kill someone?” I also spent some time at a VR arena in Reno shooting up zombies.
How did you decide to write about memory?
I read a book by Dr. Julia Shaw called The Memory Illusion. I was simultaneously fascinated and horrified about how unreliable our memories are. Basically, our brains are like Swiss cheese: we have gaps in what we remember, and our minds fill in those gaps. And we are highly susceptible to suggestion, to want to please and conform, and to our own confirmation bias.
Dr. Shaw uses her powers for good, but I thought, you can do some pretty shady stuff with that knowledge.
There are many thriller and sci-fi books out there. What makes yours different?
My readers have repeatedly mentioned that the genre-bending nature of The Mechanics of Memory makes it stand out. It’s a psychological thriller with some speculative/techno/scientific elements, but at the heart it’s also a love story.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Read a lot. Study reading as a writer.
Write every day. The only way you can become a better writer is to write, even when it’s hard. Keep at it until you finish, even when the imposter syndrome is telling you otherwise.
Write honestly. When you get that weird feeling in your stomach saying something doesn’t feel right or you’re being lazy, listen to it. Readers notice when you pull punches.
Your book is set in Palm Springs. Have you ever been there?
I spent a week there many years ago, but it made a lasting impression. A great deal of what’s in the novel is from memory, which we already know is unreliable!)
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I’ve spent over two decades in education, first as an elementary teacher and then as an administrator. Now I work as an educational consultant delivering professional learning to educational institutions around how to build systems for students that are more equitable, compassionate, and socially just.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
It happens, usually when I’ve finished a manuscript and don’t know what to start next. In those instances, it helps to read, binge watch something, or otherwise free my mind from needing to come up with a plot or a character. They always show up when you least expect them to!
What is your next project?
About six months ago, I finished the sequel to The Mechanics of Memory. But something wasn’t quite right about it, and so I shelved it so I could get some distance. I recently just finished a standalone novel, currently titled One for Sorrow. It’s still a dark thriller/mystery, but with less technology and a dash of paranormal.
What genre do you write and why?
I love to read sci-fi and fantasy, but I chose to write thrillers because I like the challenge. I enjoy constructing complex plotlines with lots of twists and turns.
What is the last great book you’ve read?
So many! But my two recent favorites are The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd and The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I’ve been told that The Mechanics of Memory sticks with readers long after the book is over. That’s one of the greatest compliments I could receive, because you absolutely do not want to be forgettable!
How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
Hope is far braver and a much bigger badass than I am. I have been told that Hope’s snarkiness reminds them of someone they know, though I have no idea who that could be.
If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
I have an ever-changing Pinterest page with my dream cast. But the one role which won’t change is Ali Wong as Hope. I worship Ali Wong.
If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
See my Spotify Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VoNpqRC6CM1ESYdBwQQRD?si=d8e12ced308f4b2e
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Remember that finishing your first draft is just the beginning. Pat yourself on the back, pop that champagne, and then buckle up…there’s a lot more work to be done.
Which authors inspired you to write?
I like writers that are dark and imaginative but also manage to infuse a little humor (Lev Grossman and Aaron Sorkin). I like authors who tell a twisty story in a literary way (Haruki Murakami). I love it when I don’t see the twist coming (Gillian Flynn and Samantha Downing). I always appreciate it when I laugh out loud (David Sedaris and Barry J. Hutchison.)
On rituals:
Where do you write?
Since I also work from home (mostly), I’m lucky to have my own office.
Do you write every day?
Yes.
What is your writing schedule?
I’m an early bird, so I’m usually writing by 5:30. (After I’ve had my coffee and played Wordle and done the NYT Crossword!)
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I print out my book on paper when revising. I do the majority of my notetaking and planning on paper. I do use a software called Airtable to create elaborate, color-coded spreadsheets of each novel. I write the actual manuscript on the computer.
If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time?
My son is off to college this fall, so I’m going to have a lot of spare time.
Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
Anywhere I can take my dog and hear the ocean when I fall asleep. That, and Las Vegas.
Favorite dessert?
Van Leeuwen Earl Grey + Honeycomb ice cream, always together.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
Ryan Reynolds, Dev Patel, and…oops…you said books. In that case, The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman
Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.
It’s difficult to explain without sounding like that serial killer from CSI, but sometimes I make miniatures. I’ve made a mini camper, cheese shop, chocolate shop, apartment in Paris, itty bitty sushi, a flower shop, a mid-century modern house, and a yarn store. I also made a mini Wilder Sanctuary. (https://audreyleeauthor.com/extras/)
(FYI – this is where are the mini pics are: createdbyaudrey.wordpress.com)
What TV series are you currently binge watching?
Shogun
What is your theme song?
Not Afraid, Eminem
Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
EJohn Taylor from Duran Duran
ramblingmads 