The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess

Sydney Burgess wakes up covered in blood with no memory of the previous day. The single mother and recovering addict must piece together what happened while protecting her young son and maintaining her hard-won sobriety. Strange occurrences begin to multiply as Sydney investigates the missing time. She discovers evidence of multiple identities and personalities that seem to exist within her, leading to questions about her past and present reality. The story moves between Sydney's current investigation and flashbacks to earlier periods in her life. These parallel narratives trace her struggles with addiction and her efforts to build a stable life for her son. The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess explores themes of identity, memory, and the ways trauma shapes consciousness. The novel raises questions about the nature of self and the reliability of perception.

Readers describe this as a disorienting psychological horror novel that blurs reality and memory. Many say they couldn't put it down despite feeling unsettled. Readers appreciated: - The unreliable narrator and questioning what's real - The unique take on addiction and recovery - The building tension and atmosphere - Fast pacing in the second half Common criticisms: - Slow start and confusing first third - Some plot threads left unresolved - Writing style can feel detached - Ending doesn't provide enough answers One reader noted "The unreliable narrator aspect works perfectly with the addiction recovery storyline." Another said "The surreal elements left me questioning everything." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (100+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.5/5 Most readers categorize it as psychological horror rather than traditional horror, with several comparing it to films like Memento in its reality-bending approach.

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🔸 Sydney Burgess's visions begin after a violent home invasion, raising questions about whether her experiences are supernatural or symptoms of trauma-induced dissociation. 🔸 The novel blends psychological horror with body horror elements, exploring themes of identity and consciousness through the protagonist's increasingly fractured perception of reality. 🔸 Author Andy Marino previously wrote primarily for young adults before crafting this adult horror debut. 🔸 The book's structure mirrors its protagonist's mental state, with seven distinct "visitations" that gradually reveal the truth about Sydney's past and present. 🔸 The story takes place in Philadelphia and incorporates elements of urban isolation and gentrification as underlying sources of tension in the narrative.