A Thousand Natural Shocks by Omar Hussain [Book Review]

A Thousand Natural Shocks is a twisty debut thriller where memory is a drug, cults lurk in the shadows, and nothing—not even the past—is what it seems.

When I picked up A Thousand Natural Shocks, I didn’t know what I was getting into. The cover was cool, and the premise sounded intriguing, which was enough for me to dive in. The first few chapters were a slow burn (not in a bad way, just… warming up), but by the time I hit the 25% mark, I was invested. By halfway through, I was hooked.

The New You Begins: A Thousand Natural Shocks by Omar Hussain – Reactor

The story follows Dash, a reporter trying to outrun his past while investigating the return of a dormant serial killer in Monterey, California. That setup alone would’ve been enough for a solid thriller, but Hussain doesn’t stop there. He adds a shadowy cult, a pill that can erase traumatic memories, and a creeping loss of identity that somehow makes everything feel even more urgent. And weird. In the best way.

What surprised me most is how every time I thought I had a handle on the story, it would zig when I expected it to zag. It’s rare for a book to keep me guessing this much without feeling gimmicky. The sci-fi elements are light but clever, and the thriller aspect is full-throttle once it gets going.

This is one of those books that gets better the deeper you get. It’s smart, dark, a little trippy, and genuinely surprising. I really hope this isn’t just a one-off for author Omar Hussain. I already want to read more from him!

Should you read it?

I highly recommend A Thousand Natural Shocks if you’re into twisty thrillers, stories that mess with memory and identity, or if you just want something you won’t be able to predict.