It is a morning like any other. You wake in your own bed wearing your own pyjamas, yet something is not quite right. There is a chill in the air and a lingering scent that evokes a distant memory. Fear seizes you but you’re not sure why…

Maria Shroder wakes up on the morning of the 28th of September alone in her apartment with her music playing softly in the background. But her wrists and neck, though void of any marks, are sore. Having no recollection of the days that have passed since her abduction, Maria discovers she is suffering from hysterical amnesia. What is it that her mind is protecting her from?

Maria seeks solace within a book club, but it is not long before she starts to suspect her new friends. Is it just a coincidence that the next book choice mirrors her recent ordeal? And is it just by chance that Sunil has moved into her apartment building? Maria confides in her best friend Leanne but when her closest ally starts doubting her sanity, she has no choice but to turn to her estranged sister. In her desperate attempt to uncover the truth, Maria is forced to first untangle the secrets of her past. Only then will she be able to unlock the memory of those forgotten days and discover the truth. 

Marissa de Luna is an up-and-coming young author with a passion for writing, travel and adventure. ‘The Bittersweet Vine’ is her second novel.

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