The Familiar Stranger

by Christina Tarabochia

Book Overview

Craig Littleton's decision to end his marriage would shock his wife, Denise... if she only knew what he was up to. When an accident lands Craig in the ICU, with fuzzy memories of his own life and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802447317
• ISBN13: 9780802447319
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Moody Publishers
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Great Story!

To say that Denise Little was not thrilled with her husband's decision to skip church for a hiking excursion would have been putting it mildly. But when she receives a call from the police at the end of the service, her world comes crashing down around her. Rushing to the hospital, she finds her husband broken, unconscious but mercifully alive. When he finally wakes up, he has no idea who she is. Their already bumpy marriage takes horrible hits as dark secrets of his past come sneaking out of the closet. Denise finds herself forgiving again and again. But how much can one woman take? Can she handle the whole truth? Christina's book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let me go. I even dreamed about the story, trying to put all the pieces together while I slept. Christina's style was easy to read and very engaging. Her characters were real - flawed and believable. The story line was compelling and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. If you haven't read The Familiar Stranger yet, I suggest that you do so. It's worth it!

Page Turner

The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry is a page-turner. Denise knows that Craig is not himself. When he decides to skip church to go hiking, she doesn't fight it. In the middle of church service, she takes a phone call that changes her life. Craig has been in an accident. Could she have prevented the accident? If only she had persuaded him to go with them instead. Denise rushes to his side and vows that she will do everything in her power to make their marriage work. It will take much more than her effort because he has amnesia and doesn't even know his own wife. Not wanting to hurt his two boys, he wills himself to do what he would normally do (as told by Denise) with them even though he doesn't remember them. This is a chance for them to start over. Or is it? Craig is tore apart in attempting to regain his memories. The more he remembers, the deeper the secrets lie. Each secret revealed digs a deeper hole for Craig. Can Denise remain by his side and forgive him? This was a difficult book to put down. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong. Christina Berry kept my attention the entire book. It was full of plot twists and surprises. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling in their marriage or not. The characters remain with you after the book has ended.

Impressive debut

The Familiar Stranger, Berry's debut novel, opens with a scene between a couple whose marriage is obviously in trouble. Craig goes his way, Denise goes hers. Then she receives a phone call that changes the stakes from the everyday to stunning suspense. Craig has been in a devastating accident, and when he wakes from a drug-induced coma he no longer remembers Denise or their life together. Berry ramps up the story from a domestic plot to page-turning suspense as one revelation about Craig's past follows another. Betrayals, lies, and false memories all play into the mystery of their marriage. Told from two points of view, we see Denise reel as she grapples with discoveries from Craig's secret life. At the same time we share Craig's bewilderment at finding himself part of a family he doesn't remember, and being accused of things he has no recollection of doing. The Familiar Stranger moves quickly, and kept me riveted to the story when I should have turned off the light and gone to sleep. Berry does a masterful job of bringing all the plot points together at the satisfying conclusion. I recommend The Familiar Stranger, and look forward to Berry's next novel. Inspirational fiction has a new star.

Wonderful debut novel!

The Familiar Stranger" is a great ride. From the opening page to the very last I had to know more. Christina Berry's original voice and her ability to raise uncertainty drives the reader forward to a surprising ending. A wonderful first book!

Is there a sequel?!! Please Hurry!

If I had not had to put this book down because of other commitments, I wouldn't have. As it was, I read it in less than 24 hrs. from the time I received it. This book is captivating, written in a unique format with an even more unique storyline. The writing is creative and descriptive, at times invoking all of the reader's senses. I seriously hope there is a sequel coming, and I hope it's coming soon! I highly recommend this book for everyone, young/ old, male/ female, it will appeal to almost everyone I know, and I plan to recommend it - or buy it as a gift for - almost everyone I know!