This debut novel is bound to give you sleepless nights as you turn over this high concept debut thriller

At the precipitous edge of her sanity, Thea becomes involved in a car accident which makes her realise she needs immediate and effective support to manage this chronic affliction.

An advert for Morpheus sleep research clinics seems to offer the perfect solution-but everything which appeals to Thea, the isolated setting, reputable name of the company and so on is the very thing which raises red flags for Thea's mother, organiser and head trouble maker pf a post menopausal women's group.

Cut off from the outside world and with probes stuck to her head which are monitoring her sleeping and waking hours, Thea descends into a world which has the reader on the edge of their seat, wondering if all that she sees and experiences is a fever dream or real.

The notion of sleep and how to harness the seemingly spreading endemic of chronic sleeplessness is the perfect post-modern concept. What would scientists do if they could either enable those surviving on very little sleep, with seemingly no effect on day to day function? Or worse, what if they could harness the power of the unconscious mind?

I loved the relationship between Thea and her mum, the banter between them and bickering felt totally natural and realistic. The isolated setting was perfect, it created an extra sense of dread knowing how far Thea was from getting help.

A gripping narrative with an engaging heroine who you root for from page one, this is a very interesting mix of mystery, thriller and science fiction with a dollop of horror thrown in for good measure. It is sure to appeal to all those who enjoy dipping their toes in these genres!

Thank you NetGalley, I was very keen to read this as I am a bit of an insomniac myself. I found this a bit of a page Turner and as I read at night it didn’t help me get more sleep, I just kept thinking one more chapter. Thea was very easy to relate to and made me route for her as the story developed. Absolutely recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller

i wanted to love this i really did. There was soooo much good and unique vibes in the book however because it is such a slow read it really dragged me down. It took longer than expected to finish but i really loved the concept of a trial for people affected by sleep and the manipulation that could be done. It reminds me of a movie or tv show that had a sleep study event where they looked and implanted memories and thoughts. So i liked reading it.

Sleepless is a psychological thriller that follows Thea who is an insomniac. Out of desperation Thea signs up, along with several other people, to participate in a research experiment that is trialling medication to help insomnia. The research facility is on a remote island where when creepy things start to happen to the participants they realise just how isolated they really are.
This book had a really creepy and interesting synopsis that intrigued me but the book just fell flat. The build up was quite good but then when the action kicked in the things that happened just felt far fetched and unbelievable but other than that I've wracked my brain to figure out what just didn't work for me with the book but I just can't figure it out. Maybe it's a case of 'It's me, not you'.
There's not much else I can say except "Meh". That's how Sleepless made me feel.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the arc of this book Sleepless by Louise Mumford.

4 star read- Thea has imsomnia so she joins this sleep programme called Morpheus. And follows the impacts of what insomnia can do to someone e.g- the low moods, difficulty with concentrating issues with skin and memories etc. this was a real gripping reality pyschological thriller with a lot of elements in this i thoroughly enjoyed this.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve always been someone who has periods of insomnia, usually when there’s too much going on in life and not enough hours to do it in so my brain seems to want to ‘help’ by keeping me awake until the sun starts to rise. I’m also someone who has very vivid dreams (don’t get me started on the weird stuff my mind created at night when we went into the first lockdown!) and have been known to wake up, standing with my finger on the light switch across the room from my bed, blinking in the bright light I’ve switched on whilst wandering about in my sleep… So the author’s descriptions of the effects of Thea’s sleep deprivation and some of the nightmares experienced by those in the sleep trial struck a chord with me.

Thea seemed older than her twenty-seven years at the start, but I think that was the clever description of her movements and social life whilst struggling with insomnia. She seemed much more animated during the trial, particularly when she began not sleeping at all yet feeling alert and alive.

The trial itself is ‘big brother’ gone to the extremes, not only monitoring their test subjects but influencing the sleep patterns of them too, altering behaviour, learning and achievements without the subject realising at first. Thea’s initial curiosity turns to fear and paranoia as she realises that there is too much that doesn’t ring true. Surely most sleep trials don’t involved armed guards… Uncertain who to trust, Thea struggles with wanting to escape and wanted to find out the truth.

I found there were some parts of the plot which kept me riveted, and others where my attention drifted a little but not for too long as it would pick up the pace again. I enjoyed the drip feeding of information as Thea gradually uncovers the twisted conspiracy at the heart of the trials and overall I would give this book a 4/5 stars.

An interesting and easy read, with an unusual take on the issues surrounding insomnia. My only issue is that maybe it doesn't belong in the 'mystery and thrillers' category.

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for giving me the opportunity to read and review honestly.

Although I loved the concept, Sleepless turned out to be quite underwhelming. The build-up was interesting and the pacing satisfying, but toward the end I realised the depth of the story was lacking in that nothing much happened after the protagonist figured out something bad was going on. It felt like a half-baked idea that wasn't given enough time to develop inside the mind of the author before the writing process was embarked upon. A wasted opportunity, really, as the author is clearly a talented writer and could have made something more impactful out of the concept had they allowed it to mature. There was not much of a dark night of the soul or climax. Everything seemed to go the way of the protagonist and her mother when they decided what to do, with very little push-back from the antagonists who just seemed to poof into nowhere, and the glaring use of deus-ex-machina at the end rendered it even more of a let-down.
I didn't enjoy the political commentary that was given on behalf of the protagonist's mother, because it wasn't relevant to the story and made the MC's mother into a Mary Sue. Plot points that were set up came to nothing, some of the logic was skewed and questions were left unanswered that I think would have made the book a lot more satisfying had those loose ends been tied up.
Overall, the book was okay. It was a quick read and ironically didn't require much brain power to get through, but I hope the next installment by this author will be a little less rushed and shallow.

Really didn’t love this book. It fell so flat for me - I liked the premise but it felt so far fetched.

😊 Louise Mumford has written a brilliant and intensely gripping psychological thriller début.

In Sleepless Thea Mackenzie, 27, has suffered from crippling insomnia for years. It affects all aspects of her life so when Thea, an admin assistant, receives an advert on her phone offering help to those in her situation, she decides to respond to it. The offer is for a sleep trial using technology that re-programmes the brain and after she is accepted, she heads off to the remote island of St Dunstan’s, off the UK coast, along with the other volunteers.

Engrossing from the start this is a speedily paced and original techy-thriller that had me reading late into the night. There is always plenty going on and there is certainly never a dull moment! Louise Mumford's story is compelling and entertaining with one or two vivid and colourful characters that fit the story well.

The plot was effectively executed and I was desperate to find out what would soon be unfolding. Written with clarity, Louise Mumford demonstrated a great command of ambiguity and misdirection that certainly kept me invested! With its ghostly undertones and the atmospheric setting I also liked the indirect, eerie ending. I am certain that Sleepless will be well-received by all who get a buzz from a well-written, dark, techy thriller/ mystery. I look forward to seeing what Louise Mumford has in store next. A well-deserved five stars for a gripping and enthralling book! 😊

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

If you haven't already got an insomnia problem you may develop one after reading this 'edge of your seat' debut novel!! Thea, an insomniac, takes part in a sleep trail to help her sleep longer each night. It works but you find out what is actually happening to Thea on the island where the trial takes place you won't want to sleep yourself!

I particularly liked the character of Vivian, Thea's mum, who is sceptical about the trial and fights to save her daughter. The story fits in both the thriller and science fiction genres. A distinctive, original debut.

I'm very pleased that the author Louise Mumford has agreed to be an interviewee on my Thriller Women blog www.thrillerwomen.blogspot.com

Fairly enjoyable pseudo-thriller. However, as soon as the book revealed that it was a sci-fi 'evil corporation' I lost a lot of interest. Its very cliche and reads true to the trope. There is nothing ground breaking here and I would have been disappointed if I'd bought it. Not terribly written, but it's been done before. 2/5.

Sleepless is a book you will not want to put down until you finish. It draws you in from the first page and just doesn't let go. It's well paced and so absorbing that you don't realise how quickly you are reading to see what happens next.

I really enjoyed this book! It is fast paced, action packed and isn't your typical psychological thriller. As someone who is a very light sleeper and can struggle to get a good night's rest, I found the story connected with me instantly and I was hooked from the beginning!

Mumford jumps straight in with this story and we are aboard a thrill ride of twist and turns very quickly into the book. I love how she has the reader connect with Thea, and her mum Vivian, very early on in the book. You are rooting for them from day one and you want Thea to find the help that she so desperately craves. Due to her insomnia, she always feels like a shell of a person and wants nothing more than to actually live, rather than just get through each day in whatever way she can. There are so many people out there who go through this and when you get so bogged down and surrender to the darkness, it can be extremely difficult to fight through it and come out into the light.

I found the chapters on the island so atmospheric. You could so clearly picture the sleep centre, the surroundings and landscapes and the characters introduced to us there are great. I really loved Rosie and Rory and thought they smoothed out Thea's rough edges nicely. The idyllic setting of the island brings the reader into this sense of comfort and straps you in for what quickly becomes a fast paced, tense and thrilling ride.

I won't say much more, you can probably tell that I really enjoyed the book. The only reason I didn't give a full 5 stars was because I found the ending a little abrupt. I would have liked it to continue a bit more.

Big thanks you to HQ, Harper Collins and Net Galley for allowing me to read this pre publication!

Please note that I tried to have this posted automatically to Good Reads but it wouldn't work, the link to the review can be found below.

Louise Mumford writes with an ease and creates imaginative characters that you can immediately identify with and have a visual of them imprinted on your mind.
Thea is an insomniac and is awake all night until she finally falls asleep about 6am and sleeps for a maximum of three hours meaning she is late for work every day and is so lethargic she might as well not be there. At her wits end she reads an article on a new sleeping trial and decides to take part even though her activist mother is against the idea saying that it’s probably some kind of cult.
The participants are taken to a remote island and all of their personal belongings are taken from them and they are all issued a type of uniform.
At first everything seems to be going well and Thea feels better every day but strange things start happening and Thea becomes increasingly curious and frightened at the same time.
As an insomniac myself I could relate to many issues raised but after reading this there will be no trials for me.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

An enjoyable and unsettling read. Wish the ending had been a little more developed rather than leaving the reader to fill in the gaps!

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, HQ and HQ Digital also the author Louise Mumford for giving me the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Sleep is something that many people struggle with. I found this very insightful even if it was fictional to some degree. I thought that Louise wrote the story really well. She certainly kept me entertained throughout.

Sleepless is a psychological thriller that will have you on edge. Fast-paced, action-packed, and highly addicting. My thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Sleepless was definitely an interesting and unique read, and as someone with mild insomnia, I liked how the main character’s situation slowly spiraled out of control, when all she wanted to do was get a good night’s sleep. At the beginning in particular, I thought the depictions of how she felt after not sleeping for days were very realistic and sometimes difficult to read. 2/5 stars

Thea has suffered from insomnia for a long time. One day she got into an accident and that make her realize that she need to tackle her insomniac problem. She can't function in a day life.

She see an advert about a clinical trial to cure her insomnia so she decided to join the program eventho her mom seems suspicious about the program.

This trial took place on an isolated island. When she got there everything doesn't feel right. They don't allow all the participants to use their mobile phone, change their diet and Thea saw something weird but people said she just imagining things.

I like Thea's mother, Vivian. Her instinct told her something is not right when Thea stop calling her and she decided to go and do whatever she can to save her daughter.


Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for Sleepless ARC!