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Flashback Paperback – October 30, 2007

by Gary Braver (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 86 ratings
See all formats and editions


If you could relive your childhood, would you? What if you had no choice?

On the thirty-fifth anniversary of his parents' mysterious drowning, Jack Koryan returns to his family beach cottage. During a swim, Jack is attacked by a school of rare jellyfish whose toxic stings put him in a coma for three years.

When he awakens, he finds that the jellyfish toxin has left him with an extraordinary memory that impresses his doctors. This discovery is complicated by flashbacks: some, pleasant childhood vignettes, others, confusing flashes of violence that leave him quaking in horror.

Jack wonders if he's losing his mind, but that fear is dispelled by Rene Ballard, a pharmacologist working on the world's first cure for Alzheimer's Disease. She wants to test Jack because the basis of the drug is the very jellyfish toxin that sent Jack into a coma. And, while several test patients have miraculously regained functionality, others are also experiencing dangerous flashback seizures.

Ballard's revelation sets Jack on a quest to discover what is happening to him. He and Rene uncover a sinister pattern of lies and deceit that has left behind a trail of bodies, and several elderly patients stuck in a past that they cannot emerge from--or don't want to.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    480 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Tor Books
  4. Publication date
    October 30, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    4.25 x 1.25 x 6.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0765348535
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0765348531
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review




"Flashback is one of the best medical science thrillers I have ever read. With an amazing attention to detail Gary Braver has woven together a story that is as timely as it is gripping and as telling as it is touching. This one's a page turner with a point."--Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Narrows

"Flashback grabs you by the throat, and the heart, from the first page to the last. The superb writing carries you away into a world of inexplicable acts perpetrated by our common man. Chilling!"--Ridley Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of The Body of David Hayes

"A knockout. Braver has written a brilliant cautionary tale. At once chilling and heartening, Flashback is thriller fiction at its best."--Robert B. Parker on Flashback

"Flashback combines an irresistible premise with the medical intrigue of Robin Cook and the scientific plausibility of Michael Crichton--a powerful, gripping, and moving tale with a beating heart."--Joseph Finder, author of Paranoia

"Flashback's compelling, fact-based medical thriller resonates with the clear pure notes of reality and positively blurs the line between reality and imagination. Braver has created a fictional world you are dying to believe in."--Lewis Perdue, New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Killer


"Gary Braver does it again. Another taut, suspenseful medical thriller from the new master of the genre. Strong characters, a powerful plot . . . you won't want to put the book down until you're done."--William Martin, author of Back Bay and Harvard Yard

About the Author



Gary Braver is the award-winning author of six critically acclaimed thrillers including Elixir, Gray Matter, and Flashback, which was recipient of the 2006 Massachusetts Honor Book Award for Fiction--a first for a thriller--and which in a starred review Publishers Weekly called “an exceptional medical thriller.” His novels have been translated into five languages, and three have been optioned for movies.

Under his own name, Gary Goshgarian, he is an award-winning professor of English at Northeastern University where he teaches courses in Modern Bestsellers, Science Fiction, Horror Fiction, and Fiction Writing. He has taught fiction-writing workshops through out the United States and Europe for over twenty years. He is the author of five college writing textbooks.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books; First Edition (October 30, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0765348535
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0765348531
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.25 x 1.25 x 6.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 86 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Gary Braver

Gary Braver

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Gary Braver (aka Gary Goshgarian) is the award-winning and bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed psychological thrillers. His novels have been celebrated for their high-concepts, careful craftsmanship, well-rounded characters, and page-turning momentum. Some of his titles have a medical slant including ELIXIR, GRAY MATTER, and FLASHBACK, which is the only thriller to have won a Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction (2006). His eight novel, TUNNEL VISION, centers on near-death experiences and a scientific experiment to determine if there is an afterlife. Of that book, legendary author Ray Bradbury has said, "I have long believed that science will move us more toward God and give us proofs of His creations. With TUNNEL VISION, Gary Braver provides a wonderfully frightening and insightful tale on this theme that shatters my bones and leaves me to piece myself back together."

His latest book, co-authored with Tess Gerritsen, is a murder mystery called CHOOSE ME which became a #1 bestseller on Kindle. The actual book in hardback, paperback and audio was published in July 2021.

Gary Braver’s novels have been translated into 16 languages, and three have been optioned for movies, including ELIXIR by director Ridley Scott.

Under his own name, Gary Goshgarian, he is the author of ATLANTIS FIRE, THE STONE CIRCLE, and ROUGH BEAST. He is also an award-winning professor of English at Northeastern University where he teaches courses in Modern Bestsellers, Science Fiction, Horror Fiction, and Fiction Writing. He has also taught fiction-writing workshops through out the United States and Europe for over thirty years. He is also the author of six popular college writing textbooks.

He lives with his family outside of Boston. His website: www.garybraver.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
86 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Stephen Tomporowski
5.0 out of 5 stars More than meets the eye
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2011
Verified Purchase
Don't let the easy-going writing style deceive you, there is more going on here than the surface. The first 300 pages set the stage for the climax of the last 150. There are plenty of clues here hidden deep within the narrative. Here is not just a thriller, but you will find out a lot about how the drug industry works with the FDA, nursing homes and their own clinical trials. And you will learn a lot about Alzheimer's disease. But while all this is coming at you in a Dahlgren-esque style, the clues are quietly slipped by you, so pay attention! And, while you will quietly believe you know what is happening and what's going to happen, Bang! You're wrong--and all the clues were there.

Bottom line: A well-worth-it read. You'll be disappointed that there isn't more! Drop that NY Times bestseller and read this!
One person found this helpful
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Mark
4.0 out of 5 stars A very good thriller
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2006
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This fast paced novel has enough twists and turns to keep you reading eagerly until the end. There is an interesting medical premise in this mystery-thriller which unfolds well. While I had to suspend belief at times, it was fun enough that I was happy to do so. While many of the characters are not especially believable, some are, and the good plot made this a worthwhile summer read for me.
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J. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic bio-pharmaceutical thriller
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2005
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The thing that I found the most interesting about this book was the way it played off the potential to have a whole class of patients (Alzheimer's patients, and their families) threatened by abuses within the pharmaceutical industry. The book highlights doctors who take bribes, who have financial incentives to push their drug through the clinical trial phase, regardless of the risks to the patients. Behind the doctors, are the corporate pharmaceutical interests that care more about profit than people. I don't know if people realize how very close to the bone Gary Braver's tale really hits. A thought-provoking, intelligent book with a unique voice, like all of Mr. Braver's work. If you haven't read ELIXIR or GRAY MATTER, those are also great books. Braver speaks to topical issues of our times in a way that few authors do.
One person found this helpful
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albind
3.0 out of 5 stars Worth your time
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2005
This is my first Gary (Braver) Goshgarian book. I bought three titles after seeing him speak at Northeastern University about a month ago.

After reading Flashback, I find Gary's writing to be descriptive and straighforward (most of the time). When he allows himself to be drawn into verbose flowerly language, it stands obvious against the rest of the text. However, during those times, it's also obvious that he chooses his words carefully, so his sentences do not descend into sweet sickening monstrosity.

Flashback is well researched and balances scientific prose with engaging characters to produce a skillful thriller. This is a book that can engage you and be read, easily, in less than a week... more likely a weekend. I personally think the ending was a bit rushed and predictable after a certain point, but this isn't a mystery book. If you are a man, prepare to be absorbed by Rene Ballard, if she were a real person, I would be in love with her. This story is a very good candidate to be transferred to film.

I very much enjoyed this book. Time is precious for all of us, and I don't regret spending my hours reading this book. I'm a critical judge, by giving this three stars - I mean it's a worthwhile read.
2 people found this helpful
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Miguel Figueroa
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for summer.
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
Very good thriller book. Believable characters. The plot is very realistic- in fact I think that what the medical and pharmacy industry is doing to people-(of course not all of them) is depicted in this fantasy story.
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Linda😊
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2015
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Just love every book Gary writes!
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Wooley in PSL
4.0 out of 5 stars THREE AND A HALF STARS I THINK
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2012
I would read Gary Baver/Goshgarian again, flashs of very very good stuff in FLASHBACK. I guess I wanted more from the stuff in the ads and on the cover. Dissappointed a little and I have never seen so much italics in all my life, come on already. This is a drug story, that is developing a new drug for patients with Alzheimer's and all comes together after about half way through the book. Try it you might like it more than me.
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doc
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT - GREAT READ!
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2017
I found this book in the postal room in the high rise complex in Florida. It appeared to be unread. it was free for the taking and sharing and return when done. I was into it from first page. I read it sparingly because I did not want to finish it. my only issue would be that it was not a 100 pages longer. could not figure how he was going to wrap things up in remaining 100 pages or so but he did. Very well written and cogent in my opinion and I am a reader. Love Crichton, Cook, Dune, Enders Game, Mote in God's Eye, this was just a wonderfully good read. So rare to find them a good read. My compliments to this man - a very bright and talented writer. Thank you. I will buy your other 5 star rated books as soon as I get back to Michigan. David Bobby
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