2.5 rounded up.
Not my favorite Paula Daly. My first experience was Keep Your Friends Close which totally blew me away! Open Your Eyes, not so much. Plot was a bit contrived and I don't think sufficient clues were dropped along the way. Slow paced with an ending which seemed rushed and forced. And I just didn't really care about Jane and her troubles. She was somewhat shallow and lacking in real emotion. The children, Martha and Jack, were part of the story, but Jane didn't seem to be truly concerned about how the events affected them. The interracial marriage issue felt inappropriate to the time frame and didn't add anything to the story. My favorite character was Eden, the nephew, who seemed more focused, mature, and intent on solving the problem than the whole group of hapless "grown-ups".
Disappointed. ( )

Stupid.

I noticed on Twitter a while ago that Paula Daly had a new book coming out this summer, so when it came up as a serialisation on The Pigeonhole I put my name straight down. Thankfully, I was chosen to read Open Your Eyes over ten days and, although I would normally read a book in no more than three days, reading this way builds up the tension and suspense to feverish levels. So much so in my case that I woke up two hours before my alarm and the first thought that popped into my head was to read the final stave!

I've read Paula Daly books before so I knew to expect the unexpected and boy does Open Your Eyes have the shock factor! The book starts with a bang (literally) as Jane's husband Leon is attacked in their driveway. I can't say any more without spoiling the gasp out loud moment for others, but this is guaranteed to have readers reaching for their virtual running shoes in order to race through the book. It's easy to take the book title as an instruction as you will not want to blink for fear of slowing down your reading of this fast-paced book.

I'm being careful to say very little about the plot, other than what's in the blurb, but Jane has to start digging into Leon's life to find out who could possibly have hurt her husband. With Leon in a coma, Jane feels vulnerable in her home alone with two small children. What if whoever hurt Leon comes back for her? Jane must look at everything and everyone as a threat, especially when somebody seems to know exactly what she's up to.

I loved that some of the characters are authors so there are some fabulous references to the publishing world that give book lovers some idea as to the anatomy of a book from conception to publication. I really felt as if I was peeping behind the curtain into Oz as the wizards of the publishing industry worked their magic. It is because I love books so much (no? really?), that the final sentence gave me goosebumps and just shows how much Open Your Eyes had got under my skin.

Gripping, compelling and so very clever, Open Your Eyes firmly establishes Paula Daly at the top of the domestic noir genre - long may she reign! ( )

4.5 stars.

Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly is a clever, twist-filled domestic mystery.

Jane Campbell and her husband Leon are happily married with two young children. As they are leaving to celebrate Leon's birthday, Jane runs into the house to grab something and when she returns, she notices something is not quite right with her husband. After he crashes their car into a neighbor's brick wall, Jane learns the stunning truth-Leon has been brutally attacked. As Leon is placed into a medically induced coma, Jane learns some unsettling information that leads her to question everything she thinks she knows about her husband. When Detective Inspector Hazel Ledecky suspects Jane might be responsible for Leon's injuries, Jane begins conducting her own investigation to find out who wanted to kill her husband. Will she uncover the truth before it is too late?

Jane is a fairly passive woman who avoids confrontation. After giving birth to their children, she also turned over all financial responsibility to Leon. Jane has struggled for years to publish her manuscripts and Leon is quite supportive of her efforts. She teaches creative writing and after her husband's attack, she realizes that Leon has been keeping several secrets from her. She also finds some troubling files on his computer, but she is having trouble making sense of what her discoveries mean.

Leon is a moderately successful author of a gritty detective series. He has a bit of a short fuse but Jane has no reason to fear for her safety. Leon can be a bit dismissive of other writers and he has had a few run-ins with another author. But as far as Jane can tell, no one would have any reason to want to harm her husband.

After Leon emerges from his coma, Jane is shocked by the changes in her husband. His traumatic brain injury is quite serious and his recovery will be long. Although Jane is ill-prepared to care for him, Leon is quickly released from the hospital and sent home. His memory issues are severe and he is prone to angry outbursts. Jane is surprisingly firm with him when she needs to be but she continually questions whether she is up to the task of caring for him.

The police investigation into Leon's attack soon stalls due to a lack of evidence, motive and suspects. Jane has reason to fear for her family's safety and she quietly continues trying to figure out who is responsible. When Jane stumbles onto the startling truth, will DI Ledecky believe her?

Open Your Eyes is an absolutely riveting mystery that is quite engaging. Jane is a sympathetic and likable protagonist who discovers hidden strengths when faced with adversity. The storyline is tautly plotted and moves at a brisk pace. Paula Daly's meticulous research into traumatic brain injuries adds authenticity to the plot. Readers will be genuinely surprised when Jane uncovers the perpetrator's identity and motive for Leon's attack. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this suspenseful mystery to fans of the genre. ( )

I love Daly’s books

Fast paced, credible with great characters and an excellent plot.
Another fab novel from Daly who is now one of my firm favourites ( )