The Mechanics of Memory

A 2025 Edgar Award and Anthony Award Nominee

“An intoxicating mix of psychological thriller and domestic drama.” —Naomi Hirahara, USA Today bestselling author

Beware of false memories. They keep secrets and tell lies.

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.

For readers who enjoy The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier, Lies We Bury by Elle Marr, and The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn.

Audrey Lee’s debut novel, The Mechanics of Memory, has received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Edgar® Award for Best First Novel, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery. The audiobook was also awarded the IPPY Gold Medal for Best Mystery/Thriller.

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 systems 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 and Maltipoo, Luna. She spends the majority of her time missing her son, Derek, who abandoned her for college. When not doing that, Audrey is compulsively organizing, watching Derek’s dance videos, max betting on a slot machine, and cheering for the Golden State Warriors with a dirty martini in hand.