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Book Summary and Reviews of The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes

A Novel

by Marcus Sakey

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  • Published:
  • Jun 2011, 400 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

A man wakes up naked and cold, half-drowned on an abandoned beach. The only sign of life for miles is an empty BMW. Inside the expensive car he finds clothes that fit perfectly, shoes for his tattered feet, a Rolex, and a bank envelope stuffed with cash and an auto registration in the name of Daniel Hayes, resident of Malibu, California.

None of it is familiar.

What is he doing here? How did he get into the ocean? Is he Daniel Hayes, and if so, why doesn't he remember? While he searches for answers, the world searches for him - beginning with the police that kick in the door of his dingy motel, with guns drawn. Lost, alone, and on the run, the man who might be Daniel Hayes flees into the night.

All he remembers is a woman's face, so he sets off for the only place he might find her. The fantasy of her becomes his home, his world, his hope. And maybe, just maybe, the way back to himself.

But that raises the most chilling question of all: What will he find when he gets there?

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. The action is fast-paced, the tension is nearly constant, and there are more twists in the plot than in a double helix... A possible threat to readers' cardiac health." - Library Journal

"Starred Review. [Sakey's] protagonist's struggles to learn who he is, what he's accused of, and why he's in danger offer readers an insightful, emotion-packed, suspenseful, and genuinely riveting thriller." - Booklist

"The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes confirms Marcus Sakey's place as one of our best storytellers. This is a tight, intuitive and terrific read." - New York Times bestseller Michael Connelly

"A brainy, twisty, sometimes twisted mystery, The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes is part dazzling California noir, part dark American road trip, part sly psychological thriller-and entirely ingenious." - New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn

This information about The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

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SavvySuz

Life is a Raindrop...This is a thunderstorm!
"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 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!

Diane S.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey
A man wakes up naked on a beach and doesn't remember where he is or how he got there. From there it is all thrills and chills as he attempts to find out what happened to him and where he belongs. Plenty of twists and turns, with some very good characters and some not so nice people. Sakey's writing is as always suspenseful and he's from Chicago.

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Author Information

Marcus Sakey Author Biography

Photo: Brett Carlson

Marcus Sakey's thrillers have been nominated for more than fifteen awards, named New York Time's Editor's Picks, and selected among Esquire Magazine's Top 5 Books of The Year. His novel Good People was made into a movie starring James Franco and Kate Hudson, and his other books are in various stages of development for film.

Born in Flint, Michigan, he attended the University of Michigan before beginning a decade-long career in television and advertising.

His debut thriller The Blade Itself was sold at auction and published to wide critical acclaim, allowing him to work full-time as a writer.

Marcus was the host and writer of the acclaimed television show Hidden City on Travel Channel, for which he was routinely pepper-sprayed and attacked by dogs. He lives in ...

... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Marcus Sakey's Website

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