Sleepless

Louise Mumford

Dec 2020 · HQ Digital · Narrated by Helen Keeley

About this audiobook

‘The Circle meets Black Mirror in a thrilling, plausible and gripping debut. Frighteningly inventive.’ John Marrs, bestselling author of The One

‘Wow wow wow! What a story that was!... An unputdownable thriller... Absolutely brilliant read that had me on the edge of my seat!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

Don’t close your eyes. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t let them in.

Thea is an insomniac; she hasn’t slept more than three hours a night for years.

So when an ad for a sleep trial that promises to change her life pops up on her phone, Thea knows this is her last chance at finding any kind of normal life.

Soon Thea’s sleeping for longer than she has in a decade, and awakes feeling transformed. So much so that at first she’s willing to overlook the oddities of the trial – the lack of any phone signal; the way she can’t leave her bedroom without permission; the fact that all her personal possessions are locked away, even her shoes.

But it soon becomes clear that the trial doesn’t just want to help Thea sleep. It wants to control her sleep...

An unputdownable, gripping psychological thriller for fans of The One, Behind Her Eyes and Girl A!

Readers LOVE Sleepless!

‘A twisty, action-packed plot make this intriguing thriller unputdownable.’ Roz Watkins, author of the DI Meg Dalton series

'A brilliantly original premise which is horrifyingly believable – one for insomniacs everywhere.’ Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

‘This book is INSANE... Just could not put the book down.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Twisty and tantalizing. It made me sleepless all night until I finished it.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Hooks you in from the opening chapter... A novel of breathtaking pace that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘This book was so good. From the beginning I was engrossed... I wanted more. A fantastic read.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Kept me up half the night while I raced through the pages... If you like John Marrs, you'll love this.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Inventive, thrilling, believable, exceptional and well written... I couldn't put this book down with the result that I probably slept less than ever but it was worth it. Highly recommended.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Start this one early... it is very difficult to put down... Fantastic storyline, loads of tension and brilliant characters.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

Louise Mumford has written a taut thriller with so much suspense ratcheted out that it makes the reader (or listener in this case as it was beautifully narrated by Helen Keeley) want to scream.! Thea is an insomniac who hasn't managed more than three hours sleep in one go for, literally, years. To say that she's desperate is a huge understatement so, when she sees an advert for sleep trials, where the company promises amazing results, she applies. Cue the tension, there are a lot of rules and the participants are all given the same outfits to wear, with soft slippers. Thea asks for outdoor shoes and has to explain why! Thea makes friends but is unsure if she can trust them...is it all in her head or is there something strange going on? Who is in the old monastery building and who attacks Thea's friend Rosie? Wow! I loved this book, it gave me everything that I want from a psychological thriller. Absolutely first class and accordingly, extremely highly recommended!

About the author

Louise was born and lives in South Wales. From a young age she loved books and dancing, but hated having to go to sleep, convinced that she might miss out on something interesting happening in the world whilst she dozed – much to her mother’s frustration! Insomnia has been a part of her life ever since.

She studied English Literature at university and graduated with first class honours. As a teacher she tried to pass on her love of reading to her students (and discovered that the secret to successful teaching is... stickers! She is aware that that is, essentially, bribery.)

In the summer of 2019 Louise experienced a once-in-a-lifetime moment: she was discovered as a new writer by her publisher at the Primadonna Festival. Everything has been a bit of a whirlwind since then.

Louise lives in Cardiff with her husband and spends her time trying to get down on paper all the marvellous and frightening things that happen in her head.