As someone who has insomnia I was drawn to this book immediately. While it started off a bit slow for me, it picked up and became impossible to put down. I love the complex characters, the creepy retreat, and the ending that I wasn’t able to predict. If you’re a fan of mystery, you will love Insomniac! Miranda Rijks is one of my favorite authors and continues to impress me!

The subject matter is right up my alley and I love Rijks, so of course I got a copy. And it was soooo good. She really hit this one out of the park. So much tension, twists, A shocking ending. Descents into utter madness are almost always entertaining to read and Rijks did so well. Great read.

Miranda Rijks has done it again! This is a great standalone Psychological Thriller that you won't be able to put down. This thriller was impossible to put down and I read it in one day.

I love Miranda Rijks, having only recently discovering her thrillers and therefore gaining such an appreciation for her fun fast paced reads. THE INSOMNIAC is entertaining and addictive though it wasn't hard figuring out some of the twists but for me it's the journey getting there, the thrill of the chase, the excitement of the ride. And what a ride it was!

Daisy is an insomniac. She has not had a good nights sleep in years and it has gotten so bad it's affecting her job as well as her life. Happily married to Haydn with two young children, Millie and Ollie, she also hosts a Facebook group 'Can't Sleep and Going Crazy' with thousands of members. Hubby Haydn is completely supportive, it made for a refreshing change not to have one who is harbouring a deep dark secret.

Life has not exactly turned out as she had at first planned in the early days of her journalist's career, having already mapped out the rising trajectory in her early twenties. But something happened to change the course of Daisy's life which still haunts her to this day, in both her daylight and nighttime hours. And it's keeping her awake. Now she writes for a glossy magazine 'Live Love London' though she finds the work mundane and unchallenging. Of course it doesn't help that she is constantly tired from the lack of sleep. So when she's offered a weeks' stay in a new exclusive luxurious spa and sleep clinic she's delighted. This could be the answer to her prayers and finally an end to her insomnia could be in sight.

'The Serinity Spa' have asked for someone to try out their new sleep clinic in an all expenses paid week long stay in exchange for a review and Daisy is of course the perfect candidate. Run by psychologist Amity Augustiago, the spa offers a variety of treatments of which Daisy will be able to take full advantage of...including some one on one sessions with Amity herself.

When Daisy arrives at the clinic, she is shocked to learn that she must hand over her mobile phone, laptop, tablet, car keys and all electronic devices for the week. She was not forewarned of this and feels uncomfortable having to relinquish them. What if she wants to call her children to say goodnight? Or hear her husband's voice to calm her fears? Or what if the house burns down and they have no way of contacting her? Or the children are taken ill? But they assure her that it is all part of the 'digital detoxing' and ridding yourself of any outside distractions.

And then she meets Amity. At first, her host is all smiles and friendly helpfulness. But Daisy has no idea that while she has come to clinic to cure her insomnia, Amity will become her worst nightmare. And she has all the tools at her disposal to make this happen. Voices piped into her room through hidden speakers, flashing lights, pounding music, trapped in the sauna, sealed in the flotation tank, locked in her room, manipulating hypnosis...the list goes on. It's not surprising that is isn't long before Daisy begins to wonder if she's going crazy and wants to leave but Amity convinces her that it is for her own good. But is it really? All she wants to do is leave but with her keys and her phone locked away out of her reach, she has no way of escaping. She really and truly feels trapped.

With no clue as to who controls the manipulation or why, Daisy sets out to find a way to escape. But little does she know that there is so much more to her nightmares than just Amity. That is just the beginning. Then there is the creepy stalker fan Rosemary who seems to know a lot more about Daisy's life than she has ever shared. Who is Rosemary really and what has she got to do with the nightmare her life has become?

There are secrets and lies and tons of deception in this fast past thrill ride as events from the past and present intersect. Who is Amity? Who is Rosemary? And what do these women have to do with Daisy's life, past or present?

Wow! THE INSOMNIAC is a real locked-room psychological thriller that will make you never want to visit a sleep clinic...EVER! It is intensely claustrophobic with a palpable tension that will have you scrambling to make sure your doors are not quite locked and that you can still escape if you need to. It will keep you awake into the night and haunt your dreams, the suspense and tension are that intense.

Told through the eyes of Daisy and Amity, readers get to see both women's stories unfold as we are drip-fed information little by little, piece by piece. It is clear from the beginning that both are hiding something but the fun is in working out what it is and how it intersects. Both women appear a little unreliable at times, so who do you believe?

Miranda knows just how to keep her readers engaged with just the right amount of tension cleverly written to keep you glued to the page from beginning to end. Some of it you will guess, some you will have no idea. As a night owl, I'm also something of an insomniac but nothing like Daisy. I am a very light sleeper, when I do get to sleep, waking at several annoying intervals throughout the night. It would be nice to sleep the whole night through. So I can feel Daisy's pain...though thankfully, not to her extent.

I have read another insomniac thriller which was a little along these lines but was in no way executed quite as well as THE INSOMNIAC. But then Miranda Rijks is an impressive author with the ability to lure her readers with sweetness and light before throwing them into the deep end of nowhere left to swim for our lives. I love her thrillers (this is my fifth, I believe) and one day I will get around to reading all her others I have yet to dive into.

Overall, another fantastically solid read from a talented author that is perfect for psychological thriller fans...particularly of the claustrophobic locked room type.

I would like to thank #MirandaRijks, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheInsomniac in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was quite an entertaining read. While it wasn't hard to figure out the twists before they happened, the journey getting there was well written and interesting. It was fun to be a fly on the wall and watch everything play out.

I really enjoy a well done crazy character and I was not disappointed! The attention to detail in both the characters and the setting was great. Everything was so easy to imagine, it's like a movie in your head.

I would recommend this to someone who is looking for a low-impact but entertaining thriller. Especially those who are into reading about sleep and insomnia.

Daisy can't sleep. Her insomnia has been getting worse & worse for a long time but now it is beginning to affect all areas of her life. She has a secret from her youth. As a result she is obsessed with the safety of herself & her family & is living on nervous energy. Her job as a journalist is not the demanding exciting one she has imagined but she is beginning to make mistakes & her editor has warned her that she needs to get her life in order. A free stay at a new spa & sleep clinic, he suggests, might be just what everyone needs! Reluctant to leave Hayden her husband & two children she is persuaded by him that it is what she needs. The spa is beautiful although Daisy is upset that they demand a complete technical detox- so no phone, no internet, just pampering massages & sessions with the spa owner, Amity, to get to the root of her sleep problems. However before long Daisy, far from feeling safe & relaxed, is scared' Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean that they are not out to get you!

Told from the perspective of Daisy & Amity this is a story that keeps you on your toes. I did guess one of the main reveals but it was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I loved this book and found it keeping my attention from ten very first page. I was positive I knew the ending but I sure didn’t! This was a fast paced, exciting read. I love books that take place in luxurious places and Miranda Rijks describes everything so well I felt like I was laying in that xl king sized cloud of a bed with Daisy!

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

The Insomniac by Miranda Rijks is a fantastic psychological thriller that definitely kept me awake long into the night! I didn't see the twist coming-which I absolutely love. Definitely looking forward to reading more from this new-to-me author!

Daisy thinks her insomnia is the worst thing in the world. She's wrong.
Daisy hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in years. Her chronic insomnia has gotten so bad, it’s affecting her job as a journalist. So she’s delighted when she’s asked to review a new, luxurious sleep clinic - this could be the answer to her prayers.
At first, everything about the clinic seems perfect - the stunning seaside location, the beautiful rooms, the exquisite cuisine.
Clinic owner and chief therapist, Amity, is sure she can cure Daisy’s insomnia by uncovering its root cause. But to do that, she’ll use hypnosis to probe deep into Daisy’s past. And that’s not good – because Daisy has a terrible secret.
As Amity digs into her mind, Daisy feels more and more vulnerable. She begins to think there is something off about the clinic. Is her insomnia making her paranoid or does Amity have her own sinister agenda?
Fearing the past has finally caught up with her, Daisy wonders if she should just leave. But that’s not so easy – because this clinic, which was supposed to offer rest and safety, is the most terrifying place she’s ever been…

This is a gripping and thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC!

"Daisy can't sleep. But the cure is her worst nightmare."

After being asked to review a new, luxurious sleep clinic, Daisy thinks this could be the answer to all of her chronic insomnia. But not all is as it seems in this creepy thriller. The clinic owner, Amity, uses hypnosis to get to the root cause of Daisy's issues, which causes Daisy to question what is really going on at this clinic.

Nothing like unreliable narrators to keep you questioning everything you're reading. I really enjoyed this one.

Daisy is a journalist who has not done any serious journalism in years. She isn’t a big name. Even so, she is not suspicious at all when she is asked by name to attend a new insomnia program at a high end spa in exchange for writing about her experience. Sure, she has a blog on insomnia. Is that enough reason?

I have found Miranda Rijks to be hit and miss for me. This one was more on the hit than the miss. Daisy is an OK character. We read half of the story from her POV. She is really losing it and not trusting her own judgment anymore. So we can’t be sure how reliable she is as a narrator. The other half is told from the point of view of the twisted Amity. Even the name says twisted. Don’t get me started on names in this book, though. Haydn?

This is a slightly weird take on insomnia. It seems it was written more by someone who read a lot about insomnia rather than someone who has lived it. The author also takes some liberties with hypnosis. But it’s to move the story forward, and, hey, it’s fiction.

Having read her before, I was ready for a twisty ending. Now whether it will make you gasp or roll your eyes or something in between is always a toss up. I enjoyed this one. All of the parts come together.

Daisy's life has not gone quite as she planned, she's working on a small magazine rather than her dream of being a journalist reporting on hard hitting stories, but she's happily married to Haydn & they have two children. The only cloud on the horizon (apart from her mother-in-law) is her chronic insomnia, so when she is offered the chance to check out a new sleep clinic, free of charge for a unbiased review, Daisy decides to go for it. At first everything seems great, the clinic is the height of luxury with great rooms & specially tailored diets, & the insomnia course itself looks interesting, but Daisy soon starts to feel that something isn't quite right. It could be that the clinic owner, Amity, is trying to get to the root cause of Daisy's insomnia with hypnotherapy, whilst Daisy is desperately trying to keep her secrets, but other strange things are happening. It could just be coincidence or it could be a hint that the clinic isn't what it seems.

The narrative is told by both Daisy & Amity in alternating chapters so the reader gets to know both characters fairly quickly & it's clear that they're both hiding something. You can work out what is happening fairly quickly, & the ending is a little too neatly wrapped up, but it's very readable. It was also a refreshing change to read a book featuring a supportive husband who wasn't cheating on the main character. A non toxic relationship in a thriller? Will wonders never cease? Overall I enjoyed reading it, it wasn't overly demanding, but it does keep the reader's attention. I plan on checking out some of the author's other books as I do like their writing style.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Inkubator Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The Insomniac
Miranda Rijks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book took me a couple days to finish ( only because I took a mini vacation) however I could of sat down and read it in a day! The suspense kept me wondering what was going to happen, and I definitely didn’t see that ending coming! I absolutely loved it!

The Insomniac by Miranda Rijks

I have read and enjoyed other books by Miranda Rijks, so I was excited to read this one.
I was slightly hesitant only because of the subject matter. I, too suffer from insomnia at times. I did not need to worry though as It wasn't a story that would exacerbate sleeplessness.

Daisy is a journalist for a magazine. Her insomnia is making her work suffer. So when her boss gives her the chance to go to a spa that claims to cure insomnia, she agrees to go. All she has to do is write a review of the spa and treatment when her week is up. Easy right? Not so much!

There is a mysterious and sinister feel to the story. Also has a locked room atmosphere involved. And , of course, all major characters have secrets. I understood where they were coming from and especially connected to Daisy.

Thanks you to netgalley and Inkubator Books for the arc

I found The Insomniac to be a complete page turner, I just could not put it down. There were plenty of twists and turns which built the tension throughout. An absolutely fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my ARC.

Creepy, crazy, thriller just to name a few things of this book! Loved it all! Can’t wait for others to enjoy the same ride as I did!

Disclaimer: I will pretty much gobble up anything Miranda Rijks writes!

And this book did not disappoint! I've been on a roll with psychological thrillers that take place in (creepy) spa like settings. But this book had the added element of dealing with insomnia. Already in a vulnerable state because of her inability to sleep, Daisy is a journalist and she's having trouble functioning, so she decides to take up her editor's offer to review the new, exclusive spa for a free week to try to get some much needed sleep.

Amity is the beautiful and put-together owner of Serinity Spa. And she has already employed some rather unorthodox methods. She tells Daisy that things will get worse before they get better. Amity also lets Daisy know that, "we need to understand what triggered the sleeplessness in the first place". Daisy is a control freak and doesn't want to reveal too much in her therapy sessions. So when she starts to get an uneasy feeling after several sessions, she wants to leave. But her editor at the newspaper is counting on her. And Amity convinces her to stay and tough it out.

And that's when Amity starts to ramp it up....and things start to get really weird.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Booksprout for another thrilling advance reader's copy by Miranda Rijks!

Daisy has insomnia, and it’s been affecting her work writing for a magazine. When the opportunity for her to spend a week at a new sleep clinic at the Serinity Spa run by therapist Amity Augustiago comes up, she can’t say no at the risk of losing her job. What Daisy doesn’t know is that Amity has ulterior motives for inviting her there.

I was beginning to feel like the insomnia trope in thrillers was being over done, but I loved Miranda Rijks take on it. Having Daisy go to a sleep clinic to help cure her insomnia was genius especially with how sinister it felt.

I was able to figure out why Amity wanted Daisy there early on, but that was okay because there are some bigger twists later in the book that I didn’t see coming. The one thing I would have liked was more of how the hypnosis affected Daisy. I think that would have made the book feel creepier and add some additional suspense to why this was happening to her.

Thank you to the author, Inkubator Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A really good thriller! Also, beware of hypnosis… 😵

Daisy can’t sleep. She’s failing at her work at a magazine, so when her boss faces her with an offer of a free, week-long stay at a sleep and wellness spa/clinic in return for a review, she feels like she can’t refuse. But someone digging into the root causes of her insomnia is the last thing she wants… because Daisy has a secret. A secret that’s been terrorising her for decades and she would give anything to keep hidden.

Little does she know that at the spa there are more people with dark secrets, some of those interconnected, and that the week she will spend there will be so much more than the seemingly innocent, albeit unorthodox sleep therapy it starts with. 🌒

This is a very well-constructed thriller that captivates you from the first scene. The suspense is maintained at all times & the pacing is superb - there was not one moment where I felt bored.

Even though I guessed the 1st twist half way through the book, there are 2 more monumental ones that I didn’t see coming at all 😱. I also really liked the way the morally grey character was built (although, to be honest, they’re a VERY dark shade of grey). The ending is very good, but what I didn’t like as much was the epilogue – it seemed unrealistic to me in many aspects and is the reason why the rating is 4 and not 5.

Miranda Rijks is a new author for me, but I already know I’ll be reaching for more of her books!