3.5 ⭐️

Absorbing, entertaining, and fast paced this thriller follows a journalist suffering with insomnia to a spa claiming to help fight those sleepless nights.

The dual time lines allow you to see both perspectives of client and therapist

The revelation is quick to piece together but the entirety of the story is engrossing!
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I enjoyed this one. I would give it 4 ou5 if 5 stars. While I did kinda guess the ending it was still amazing read. I would recommend it

I LOVED Miranda Rijks' "THE INSOMNIAC!"

There is nothing better than a journalist with a secret past, a spa owner with a plan for revenge, a locked-room luxury spa chilling setting, a funny, creepy stalker, a few more random characters for your surprise, and jaw-dropping plot twists. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Set in London, we meet Daisy McKenzie (a favorite). Daisy is an intelligent journalist with insomnia. Something in her mysterious past haunts her, keeping her awake. This is revealed later in the book, so get ready because it is GOOD.

She is happily married to Haydn with two children. She also has a Facebook Group and blog, "Can't Sleep and Going Crazy' with 243K members. Both she and her husband are very supportive of one another and their careers.

Daisy is not completely satisfied with her current job at a glossy magazine 'Live Life London.' It does not challenge her. She enjoyed her previous career more (higher end) but had to quit. Again we find out more about this later due to a case she was working on as an investigative reporter.

She is constantly tired due to a lack of sleep which has been going on for years. When her editor says he has a new project for her, she thinks it might be just the trick.

The Serenity Spa wants a journalist to try out their new luxury spa and sleep clinic. All expenses are paid in exchange for a review and a week's stay. She is the perfect candidate. It is fully booked for months and run by Amity Augustiago. Daisy's husband thinks it is a great idea and has his mother over to help take care of the kids and house while she is away.

However, when Daisy arrives for this new adventure, little does she know (not forewarned in advance) that she has to turn over her cell phone, car keys, computers, tablets, and any electronics for a week. She is trapped. They say it is part of the process to rid yourself of outside distracting influences.

On top of this, little does she know Amity will be her worst NIGHTMARE. Amity has a hidden agenda to make her life a living nightmare, and she has all the tools at her disposal with the spa. She is out for revenge, but Daisy does not know this woman. How does their past connect?

Hold on, fans, a multi-layered web of deceit that will keep you gripped to the pages!

The horror begins from voices piped in the speakers in her private room, loud noises at all-night hours, locked in the sauna, locked in the floatation tank, violating her privacy, manipulating hypnosis, making her do crazy things, and the list goes on and on. Wow, all these will have your heart pounding. Amity befriends her and convinces her she is helping her with this insomnia by getting to the root of her problem.

However, Daisy has no clue who controls all this manipulation or why. All she wants to do is leave, but her keys are locked up, and no way to get out. Amity wants her to write down her past in a journal, but Amity breaks into her room and reads everything even though she said no one would read it.

She starts getting suspicious and tries to find a way to escape. On top of this, a stalker funny fan girl, Rosemary, on her blog, shows up at the spa, following her around, giving her the creeps, and she thinks she sees the guy from her past that has haunted her out on the beach!

Talk about LOCKED ROOM SUSPENSE! OMG.

As the week winds down, more events from the past and present connect. Amity also has secrets from her past, and she may turn into a victim instead of a predator with the huge brilliant, clever jaw-dropping twist at the explosive ending, which will have your head spinning to the satisfying conclusion. (loved).

This book checked all the boxes for me. The author's writing style is clever, sophisticated, fast-paced, crisp, and relatable characters. The suspense is riveting, the claustrophobia is intense, and the setting and descriptions are vivid. She balances with ease wit and darkness.

From the strong women characters, the twisty plot, the spa setting, the journalist backstory, and the suspense - it has it all for a locked-room gripping psychological thriller.

Miranda's BEST YET! The author is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. What talent and imagination. Her books are unique, with exciting storylines and topics, unlike any other authors. I devoured EVERYTHING about this book from the first page to the last.

The excellent character development, plot, twists, suspense, and jaw-drops (more than one). Miranda has more twists than you can imagine, and her signature surprise jaw-dropping twist at the end blew me away. I did not see it coming! This is always a special surprise you look forward to in her books.

THE INSOMNIAC is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read and the first set in a spa with a specific target agenda and not a group event. GET THIS ON YOUR LIST!! Top books of 2022. Another locked-room favorite is the upcoming Lisa Unger's Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six (Nov 2022) with a hidden agenda. Both these books are tops.

I LOVE discovering new thriller UK authors (from the other side of the pond) and an author for life when I like their style. Don't you love newfound authors? I owe this to NetGalley and Dreamscape audio, who had some of her recent books that are now out on audio for my introduction. I enjoy her audiobooks and enjoy the inspiration behind the books. If you have not read this author's work thriller fans, get her titles on your TBR list. Thank me later.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #InkubatorBooks for a digital ARC to read, enjoy, and review.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars ++ ✨✨✨✨✨
Pub Date: 24 July 2022
July 2022 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2022

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 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 it's 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.

I was pulled into this story from the first page. I liked all the characters in this well written book. The story is told from Daisy and the spas owner, Amity's perspectives. Both women are connected by events that happened in their pasts. The tension and suspense builds with each turn of the page. There's clues along the way to help us realise what's going on. This is a fast paced and twist filled thriller. Loved it.

I would like to thank #Netgalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #MirandaRijks for my ARC of #TheInsomninac in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! The Insomniac is a page turner for sure! I read half of it in one sitting! And I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I loved the idea of the sleep clinic, especially as someone who has suffered with insomnia for most of my life. And it seemed like a unique and fresh idea!
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, though. It felt rushed to me. And it was strange to me that there was no follow up from Amity's point of view. She was so invested in making Daisy suffer, so why would that just end? It didn't make sense to me.

An enjoyable thriller. I initially thought it was going to be another predictable story, but the little twist at the end caught me off guard and made up for the semi-slow pace.

Well written with a really original and interesting premise. It had an engaging and riveting storyline with well developed characters and a really interesting setting. I really enjoyed it.

Written by an author who experiences sleeplessness in real life, the main character’s insomnia struggles in this novel seemed all too real!

Daisy was working as a journalist for a small luxury magazine, when she received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a week-long insomnia programme at a high-end sleep clinic in exchange for an article about her experience. Daisy, herself, has been suffering from insomnia for years and this has negatively affected her work and personal life. So although Daisy was reluctant to be away from her family for a week, this insomnia programme may very well be what she needs.

Amity, the owner of the sleep clinic and a psychologist by trade, is a believer of treating insomnia by uncovering its root cause, not just by dealing with its symptoms. We will later sense that Amity seems unusually determined to be part of Daisy’s insomniac journey, but whether or not she has benevolent intentions is for our main protagonist to find out.

I absolutely love the idea of throwing a bit of suspense in a luxury spa setting. Combine this with a sleep-deprived journalist who just wants a semblance of normality in her life, and a spa owner who uses an arsenal of conventional and unconventional methods like hypnotherapy and floatation therapy in treating her patients. The Insomniac was a quick and light read, and with its clearly psychological angle, it captures the essence of a psychological thriller perfectly! I highly recommend this exciting novel!

5 STARS! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for giving me access to an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such an amazing book. This was everything I want froma thriller/ domestic noir. I found it really fascinating and a really interesting topic to explore (the insomnia) it was such an original plot line and was written I'm such a way that you jist get completely engulfed in this story. Highly recommended

The new standalone psychological thriller by author Miranda Rijks is another fast paced page turner that you will struggle to put down.

Miranda Rijks never fails to thrill me with her intriguing plots and interesting characters and she does it again with this one.

Insomniac Daisy is suffering from her lack of sleep and it is starting to affect her performance as a journalist. So when she is asked to stay at a luxurious new sleep clinic by her boss and write a review it seems to be a possible solution to all her troubles.

Daisy is a little reluctant to leave her family but first impressions of the clinic are favourable, luxury rooms and a beautiful location. Daisy is met by the Clinic owner and chief therapist, Amity, who is very positive and assures her that once they know the root cause of her insomnia they can cure it. The only thing is Daisy’s root cause is a terrible secret that she has kept to herself for far too long. Daisy doesn’t want to expose her secret and the more Amity probes her the more vulnerable she feels. Daisy starts to wonder if Amity is just doing her job as a therapist or does she have an hidden agenda.

One of the rules of the clinic is that everyone has to hand over the phones and laptops when they arrive so Daisy feels alienated from her family with no way of contacting them. The more she experiences at the clinic the more she feels she needs to get away. But getting away is not as easy as you would think.

A fast paced thriller that gripped me so much I read it in one sitting.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Inkubator for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

'Sleep is like pseudo death but permanent wakefulness can kill you.'

A revenge story set in a not-so-relaxing spa retreat, this one was a quick, adventurous read.

Daisy, a journalist who writes fluff pieces for a lifestyle magazine, suffers from chronic insomnia, so much so that it has begun to affect her family life and her job. So when she gets a full-expenses paid trip to a sleep clinic, courtesy of her job, in exchange for a glowing review of the place, she reluctantly welcomes it as a last ditch attempt to cure her sleeplessness. As she entrusts herself into the capable hands of the clinic therapist and owner, Amity, little does she realize that Amity has much more sinister plans for her.

This was my first foray into the subject of insomnia and it had me, a self-confessed clinophile, quite intrigued., The plot was rife with tension right from the first chapter. The suspense reels one in begging to finish the book in a single sitting. Many of the scare tactics used in the book (Eg: locked in an over-heated sauna, etc.) were reminiscent of similar scenes in other spa/cruise themed thrillers and this made certain parts of the plot predictable. However, the plot twist was credible and brilliant.

Overall, a fast-paced thriller. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since Daisy was threatened when she was younger she’s had insomnia her fears of something happening to her or her family is something she cannot squelch. As she gets older it just seems to be getting worse so when her boss Garth tells her he picked her to do a review for the new health spa and that they have a sleep clinic she thinks that would be perfect. Amity is the owner of the health spa and specifically wants to work with Daisy with her insomnia. When Daisy first arrives at the spa she thinks it’s weird that she hast to turn in her phone and her keys and that she is an allowed to call home for the duration of her stay. She also feels weird when another resident of the clinic Rosemary acts like she is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not only is Daisy a journalist she also has a blog and a Facebook group and she is the reason Rosemary beg to go to the spa. Strange things start happening on the first night and although they just get stranger Amity down plays everything and that includes Daisy being locked in the spa in the strange music that comes through the speaker in her room this will all come to a crescendo and Daisy will find out things are a lot more personal than she first thought. I perhaps didn’t do this book justice with my summary just know the drama is Rich the thrillers hi and I must admit I have read books by this author before and she certainly is an author to depend on for your thrillers. The only negative I would say is that I thought it odd that Daisy was annoyed and thought it was a breach of privacy for Amity and the staff to be able to talk over a loudspeaker into her room. I mean they do that on cruises, hospitals and other places. That is the only negative though the book was great and I can’t wait to read more by this author. I received this book from net galley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

Good book for my first book by this author didn’t really know what to expect since I haven’t really heard of this author before. Still enjoyed it. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. I have read other books by this author and liked them too.

The Insomniac by Miranda Rijks is my first book by this author. All I want to know now, is how?! How on earth have I never read anything before. She’s awesome.
This book had me hooked from page one. I loved the story, Daisy was a wonderfully written character that I felt I connected with. Great plot development as well and together you have this masterpiece.
Love, love, love it!
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc.
I’m looking forward to going back and reading more from Miranda Rijks!

Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! Oh, the trouble you caused yourself! In this book, we learn about Daisy. She is a journalist with severe insomnia. Her job sends her to review a spa that specializes in sleeplessness and uses somewhat unorthodox practices to “heal” their guests specifically Daisy. She soon realizes that by getting over her insomnia, she may expose a secret that she’s been keeping for a very long time and is probably the source of her troubled sleeping. Truly enjoyed this one, nice quick read and a twist I didn’t see coming until it was almost there!

This book is a slow starter than soon becomes a gripping page turner! Daisy is a journalist who suffers from insomnia. She runs a Facebook group for fellow insomniacs. As a journalist, she gets invited to a wellness spa for the new sleep program. In return she will write an article featuring her stay at the spa. Amity is a therapist at the spa who has other intentions and unconventional methods. I enjoyed this book! It was very well written.

Daisy is a small time journalist and has been keeping a secret which has left her with chronic insomnia. Daisy fears for her family and suffers from security OCD. Having only about two hours of sleep a night she is a nervous wreck and it is affecting both her personal and professional life. Daisy is offered a free week at the new Serenity spa and claims to help with her insomnia. Massages, pampering and help with her insomnia. A win win situation and all she has to do is write a rave review for the spa but she is wary. Amity the owner has finally got Daisy in her clutches it has taken her a long time to get her but why does she want her???.A psychological thriller which I found very hard to put down. I was speechless when the truth was finally revealed and definitely not what I was expecting. Another gripping five star read from one of my favourite authors.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just kept falling flat for me. I don’t know if it’s because I read a lot of thrillers, but for me this book seemed like so many stereotypical thriller tropes shoved together and ultimately wasn’t unique and just seemed like a bunch of other books I’ve read shoved together. The premise is what really got my attention in the first place, but once I actually got into the book I found the plot predictable and the characters one-dimensional.

Wow what an exciting read! Miranda Rijeka knocks it out of the park again. Such a great writing style and excellent delivery. This one hooked me from page one and just never let go. Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book