The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes

Forget doing anything but reading this book, because once you start, you aren't going to want to let it go. Turbo paced and tightly written, this book will leave you breathless.

It begins with a man waking up on a freezing beach, naked and sore. He does not remember his name, or where he is, or how he came to be there, or why. Clues begin to show up--the unlocked car in the desolate beach parking lot that has clothes and shoes that perfectly fit him, trash in the car showing evidence of a long road trip...and a gun the glove box. The more clues he finds, the deeper the mystery becomes. I don't want to spoil any of it--it's too much fun to fall into the story on your own. All I will tell you is that this is an excellent, excellent read!

I've been recommending Marcus Sakey books for a while now to library patrons who are looking for a new thriller/suspense author. Many have never heard of Sakey, but they always come back after that first read, looking for another of his titles. The Two Death of Daniel Hayes is going to propel Sakey right up to the top of the thriller/suspense genre.

A man wakes up half dead and naked on a deserted beach. He has no idea who he is, where he is, or how he got there. But... there's a BMW with the keys in it parked up the road. The clothes on the seat fit him, as do the shoes. There's a wad of cash in the glove box and the registration is made out to Daniel Hayes of Malibu California. Oh, there's also a gun...

'Daniel' sets off in the car, show more stopping at a motel to try and figure things out. An actress on a prime time soap triggers a memory. He can't know her, can he? Who is he? When the motel door is kicked in by the cops, he hightails it out the bathroom window. What has he done? Why are they after him? Who the hell is he!?

And I'm not going to give you any more plot, because it's just too good to spoil. Sakey drew me in with the unknown and kept me frantically turning pages as Hayes discovers more and more about who he is and what he has done. Or not done. Are his memories real or "just stories we tell ourselves to explain how we got where we are." Because nothing is as it seems. The plot twists and turns and doubles back on itself numerous times. I was happily kept totally off kilter. I loved that I wasn't able to figure the 'who and why' out until the very end. What a breakneck read - highly recommended!

Marcus Sakey: "I'm a novelist, which means I make a living telling lies. Hopefully they keep you up at night or make you miss your train stop." Oh yeah, they do! show less

A man pulls himself out of the ocean…

He is naked, half-drowned, and doesn’t know how he landed on this remote beach. Far worse, he has no memory of who he is. The only object in sight is an abandoned BWM. The man pulls himself in, shivering violently, and cranks up the heat. He finds a Rolex watch, a bottle of booze, an envelope of cash, and in the glove compartment, vehicle registration in the name of Daniel Hayes. And a gun. Eventually, in the Beemer’s trunk he finds dirty clothes. They fit him. He decides he’s Daniel Hayes of Los Angeles, California. He has absolutely no idea how he wound up in Maine.

Exhausted physically and emotionally, he wants nothing more than to sleep. The cash buys him a couple of nights in a cheap show more motel room. No closer to remembering his identity, he’s trying to figure out his next step. Then the cop shows up at his door. He runs, asking himself, “Why had he run? More important, why was he chasing you? Who are you? Who were you before you woke up on that beach?” These are the first of many questions he’ll ask himself. Later, “What if you were a bad man? A criminal, a killer? Are you that person still?”

He has a long journey to unravel his identity, and to tell more wouldn’t be fair. Sakey’s brilliant premise puts readers smack dab in the protagonists shoes, searching right along with him for the clues that will piece his history together. Details unravel at a satisfying and believable pace, and along the way there are a few jaw-dropping shockers. It’s a different kind of a mystery, and Sakey held me rapt until the final revelations. The writing and characters were strong, and the plot was complex and clever. This is a beach read it’ll be a pleasure to recommend all summer long. show less

Life is a Raindrop… (in a thunderstorm of a novel!)

“You are who you choose to be. Be sure you can live with the decisions you make.” Daniel Hayes
The dilemma is that Hayes begins his journey in a haze (a play on words, Mr. Sakey?)… dripping wet, naked, confused and with no memory of how he got where he is…and worse…not even knowing WHO he is…his identity an enigma!
What decisions has he made? What has happened to him? Where exactly is he…what ocean did he just drag his body out of?
“Calm, don’t panic…Retrace your steps…Focus…Don’t force it. Tease it. Coax it out.”
Sakey continues to hone his fine skills in writing thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end.
His novels should come with seat-belts…the show more plot twists toss the reader with plenty of turbulence in this newest offering, THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES.
Just when you think you’ve had an ‘AHA’ moment, the plot loops around and you find yourself clutching at the proverbial straws all over again. You regain your footing as Daniel slowly retraces his and clues are revealed. However, all is not as it appears and trust ebbs and flows like the tide from which Daniel first sprung.
It’s difficult to say much more without adding a spoiler alert.
Just know that once you pick this fast-paced novel up…you’ll speed along with Daniel from Maine to California with petals of memories slowly unveiling a past that begs to atone and surprises itself in both dreams and reality.
I was very impressed with the author’s sharp images of Los Angeles and how well he portrayed the city as if he had lived there himself!...but, I’m pretty sure he hails from Chicago.
I am a native “Angelina” and so Sakey brought back vivid pictures of places like Griffith Park, Hollywood, the unique culture of Southern California and a whole lot more!…even the Avocado tree that I, too, had in my back yard! …but without the pulsating adrenaline rush! show less

This novel had my full attention from the first page and never lost it. It is one of the best crime drama/thrillers I've read this year so far. The book opens with Daniel Hayes struggling for life in the ocean off Maine. He has no idea where he is or who he is...he has amnesia.

I don't want to give too much away or just rehash the plot line here. Since Daniel has amnesia, the reader discovers things when Daniel does. There are so many twists and turns and surprises that the reader becomes completely immersed in the story and you really cannot stop reading...you have to know what is going to happen next. The characters, the plot, the settings...everything works perfectly to move the narrative along at a breakneck pace that does not show more detract from the story telling. I love the introspection where Daniel explores himself and his world throughout the novel. Who are we really? Do others really know us? Do we really know other people? The amnesia prompts Daniel to really delve into himself and to ponder those who have been around him. Does he really know his wife? Issues of trust and issues of identity flow through this wonderful tale.

I highly recommend this entertaining, intriguing, fast-paced crime drama/thriller. So thrilled to have discovered this amazing new-to-me author. If you are like me you won't be able to put it down. 5 Stars show less

[The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes] is one of those books where it's hard... actually maybe impossible...to say much about it without revealing a few key plot points so I will try to be very selective here. Much of the suspense generated by the narrative comes from Daniel believing that he has experienced a recent traumatic event that has caused him to block his memory of the past. You, the reader, quickly suspect there is much more to it. As Daniel begins his search for himself and the story behind his bizarre predicament you will always find yourself rooting for Daniel in spite of what the various law enforcement agencies believe. His journey makes for an entertaining...intriguing... fast-paced crime thriller.

Marcus Sakey's latest novel doesn't read like your typical thriller. While it has the suspense, plot twists, and excitement in spades, Sakey's writing is more complex and clearer. It's a psychological drama with the excitement and action of a thriller.

It opens with Daniel Hayes, wet and naked on a beach in Maine. He comes across clues to what seems to be his life, but he everything is hazy and uncertain. He thinks he owns the BMW, that his name is Daniel Hayes, he dreams of this beautiful woman who he also sees on TV. The only thing that seems real to him is his connection to this actress/soap opera character and so he travels across the U.S. to California to find this woman. As he slowly realizes which of his memories are real, he show more tries to piece together what his life had been, what he might have done, and what dangers he faces. But his loss of memory hasn't put the world on hold - the dangers that surrounded him, that had caused him to attempt suicide in Maine, still exist. And his enemies are still out there - even as he fails to recognize them.

Daniel's skills remain and he faces the dangers of the present and the ghosts of his past. It's an exciting, engrossing read - highly entertaining and very much recommended!

ISBN-10: 052595211X - Hardcover $25.95
Publisher: Dutton Adult (June 9, 2011), 400 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher and Kaye Tours. show less