Praying for Sleep

by Jeffery Deaver

Edgar-nominee Deaver presents a tautly intricate, original work of terror. When a madman escapes from a hospital for the criminally insane, he is crystal clear on one point: he knows the woman he stalks better than she know herself, and, as he hunts her, he brings to light a terrible secret from her past.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Detective

448 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 1994

About the author

#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This exact quote from this story, "I've been trying to stay awake," reflects exactly my thoughts around this story. Jeffery Deaver is usually one of my favorite authors, but this is a complete miss for me. 2 of 10 stars

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shall preface all reviews for Deaver books as follows: they are generally mysteries/crime thrillers usually containing fairly dark subject matter, and if that doesn't sit well with you, I'd avoid them.

Of the books Deaver has written that aren't part of a series (i.e., not featuring Lincoln Rhyme, Kathryn Dance, et al.), this is my favorite. The books only covers a few hours' worth of events, excluding backstory, and picks up speed quickly. A very large, very insane man has escaped from an asylum and is on his way to a woman who testified against him in a murder trial. Though reasonably concerned for her safety, she elects to stay home long enough to prepare her house against flooding from an approaching storm. He's over forty miles away, on foot, how much danger could there be?

Deaver is at his very best here, building the suspense to a stunning conclusion. The man can write twists that make M. Night Shyamalan's movies seem outright dull, and this book is no exception.

[Marie Sexton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've decided it would look petty to detail the many reasons I disliked this book. The short version is, I thought there were MASSIVE plot holes, some serious timeline discrepancies, and way too many little backstory tangents and flashbacks. Finally, I didn't think the ending was even remotely surprising. (I'm surprised more people didn't see that "twist" coming. I thought it was pretty obvious.) Overall, a very frustrating and disappointing read.

[Cathal Kenneally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I'd normally expect from Jeffrey Deaver but still a brilliant book. He never fails to deliver. An original storyline with a few twists and turns along the way. It's very reminiscent of something like what Stephen King would write but I feel there's more to Jeffrey Deaver than Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance novels. These are great books as well but this is a refreshing change

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeffrey Deaver has always interested me with his short stories, though I had never tackled a full-length novel by the author until recently. I find his current writing quite addictive, but wanted to delve into some of Deaver’s earlier work to see how it compares. Michael Hrubek is a convicted murderer and paranoid schizophrenic. His escape from a New England hospital has many worried, especially as Michael has set his sights on seeing Lis Atcheson, the woman whose testimony sent him away. But as Michael seeks to locate Lis, others are trying to find Michael for their own reasons. A professional tracker needs the money capturing Hrubek would bring, while Dr. Richard Kohler is a psychiatrist who needs to keep his secrets locked away. Dr. Ronald Adler runs the hospital and cannot take the scandal Michael Hrubek’s escape will bring. It is Owen Atcheson who has the most to gain by finding Michael, as it will allow him to kill the man who wants to attack his own wife, Lis. Deaver leaves the reader to juggle everything going on, as some are praying it all dies down and lets everyone sleep!

Jeffery Deaver is a stand-out storyteller, able to keep many pieces connecting with ease. This narrative is erratic, perhaps tied to the protagonist’s mental incapacities, and forces the reader to pay close attention. Tension runs high as the story gains momentum and leaves the reader to sort through it all. Much like the King of Horror, Deaver proves effective as he tosses much at the wall for the reader to decipher.

Characters work well from the outset. Michael Hrubek is anything but typical for the reader, but his erratic nature flavours the story perfectly. Each of those who play a role have their own backstory that comes to light as the story progresses. While not what I would want for all of Deaver’s work, I liked the unpredictable nature of this piece and the characters who steer it in that direction.

Plot points work to surprise the reader from the start and Jeffrey Deaver is able to do so with ease. There is much going on during a short period of time. Surprises, twists, and even a few horrific revelations come to the surface here, forcing the reader to sort through it all from page one. This story differs from everything else I have read by Jeffrey Deaver, but I cannot say I disliked it. Edgy and always ready to entertain me, this piece has just what I needed to fill a gap between larger reading assignments.

Kudos, Mr. Deaver, for a dark thriller.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating this one was quite tough for me, I so badly wanted to give it 5 stars because, first of all the ending I didn't see coming, but then some of the story was quite predictable and a few plot holes, and then on the other hand some unexpected moments, so I'm giving a 4 star rating, which means I obviously really liked it!

One of Jeffery Deaver's earlier books, Praying For Sleep was a complete departure from the Lincoln Rhyme series, this one had more of a psychological/horror feel to it, even though it's still suspense/thriller.

Praying For Sleep is a psychological/thriller focusing on a Michael Hrubek, a young man with paranoid schizophrenia who has escaped from the mental institution where he was incarcerated, and he has set out to find Lis Atcheson, the woman who testified at his trial and identified him as a vicious killer. Now Hrubek is out for revenge against Lis. Lis knows he's out there, and he's coming, but what she doesn't know, is there's more to Hrubek's past and trial, and with a deadly storm on the way, Lis and Hrubek are up against more than they could ever imagine, all taking place over the course of one terrifying night!

A classic Deaver tale with that classic Alfred Hitchcock twist in the end that you'll never see coming!

[Chris Escott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series, I looked forward to reading this stand-alone thriller expecting the fast-paced, roller-coaster ride of thrills and suspense I had come to expect from his other works. How wrong could I have been?
This is tedium at it's utmost. With a repetitive, predictable storyline, tedious plot which has been done a hundred or more times before and two-dimensional characters, this rapidly became a bore-fest and a chore to even pick up. In fact, the characters were so dull, I was praying that the escaped schizophrenic psychopath, Michael Hrubrek would actually catch up with the "victim" Lis and actually kill her for being so darn irritating.
I actually gave up on this book a third of the way through and I challenge anyone to make it all the way without giving up at least once. If you want to read a book about two women sand-bagging by a rising river and taping up a greenhouse whilst every page gives a weather report about the forth-coming storm, please give this book a go. But that's about all there is to this story and there are far better books out there.

[Bill Bunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story engine is good with some good twists at the end. The middle slogs a bit with all the searching. It's hard to keep track of who's searching where for what reason. And, honestly, the searches are only mildly interesting, I think, because I didn't care deeply for the characters on the search. A few back story moments could have been cut in size. This story, in my opinion needed another good edit, cutting out maybe 10 or 15 thousand words.

[Patty_pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deaver scrive molto meglio di così, ma in ogni caso questo libro è un bel libro, psicologicamente inquietante e con un finale sorprendente. Le prime 200 pagine in realtà mi hanno annoiato e cercavo il "mio" Deaver tra le righe, senza trovarlo. Tante storie parallele in sole 24/48 ore (gli avvenimenti hanno questa durata, più o meno) le ho trovate parecchio dispersive, ma poi le storie convergono in un paio di "stazioni" dove parecchi nodi vengono al pettine e i personaggi rivelano la loro vera natura. Qualunque altra cosa io possa raccontare vi rivelerebbe troppo, pertanto mi limito ad assegnare tre stelline a questo libro invitandovi ad avere pazienza nella sua lettura: alla fine vi sarà piaciuto.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very dark, spooky and twisty. Highly recommend 😱

[chucklesthescot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael has been locked up for a long time thanks to the evidence that Lis gave to a court, but now he has escaped and is on his way to her house and nothing and nobody is going to stop him. At home Lis is trying to protect her home from the coming storm so hearing that Michael is on the loose is the last thing she wanted to know. As the storm and Michael close in, danger is everywhere...
This was my first Jeffery Deaver book and I thought it was great. The tension is building throughout as Michael slowly gets nearer to Lis, the trackers are following Michael and Lis is fretting at home. The characters are well written, the flashbacks are used well and I loved the ending! This made me pick up more of his books so I'm glad I liberated this one from a charity shop...

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

No doubt about it - this book gave me nightmares. The basic story is that there is a psychotic killer on the loose (escaped from a mental hospital), and he's on his way to hunt down the woman who testified against him in court. So reading this just before bedtime was a bad, bad idea.

The book took place over an approximately 24 hour span, and all of the backstory was filled in by either conversations between characters or internal reflection/thoughts by a single character. Not knowing the whole story leading up to the current events and having details slowly revealed added to the drama and suspense. As is typical of Deaver's writing, there are a few extremely unexpected twists that keep you at the edge of your seat (or bed).

[Féolin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nachdem mir mein erster Jeffery Deaver ("Schule des Schweigens") in seinem nervenaufreibenden Unterhaltungswert wohl nie mehr wieder aus dem Kopf gehen wird, lässt dieser hier für mich leider viel Potenzial liegen.

"Nachtgebet" wartet mit einer Inhaltszusammenfassung auf, bei der man einfach weiterlesen muss:
Als dem schizophrenen Mörder Michael Hrubek in einer stürmischen Herbstnacht die Flucht aus der geschlossenen Anstalt gelingt, werden die Albträume von Lis Atcheson wahr. Durch ihre Aussage konnte der Gewalttäter für den Mord an zwei Studenten hinter Gitter gebracht werden. Seitdem hat er sie in jeder schlaflosen Nacht heimgesucht … Während vor ihrem Fenster der Sturm des Jahrhunderts aufzieht, bewegt sich der von allen Seiten gejagte Psychopath unaufhaltsam und mit tödlicher Ruhe auf das abgelegene Haus zu, das Lis gemeinsam mit ihrem Mann Owen, einem bekannten Strafverteidiger, bewohnt. Ein mörderischer Wettlauf gegen die Zeit beginnt …

Bei mir springt einfach sofort das Kopfkino an, wenn ich so eine Prämisse lese - und vielleicht lässt mich das Buch auch deshalb etwas enttäuscht zurück. Der Autor spinnt für mein Gefühl etwas zu viele Fäden, lässt sich etwas zu lange Zeit, bis Sturm und Spannung über die Figuren hereinbrechen. Dazu kommt, dass wir den paranoiden Schizophrenen Michael Hrubek fast zu gut kennenlernen - so gut, dass ich persönlich irgendwann eher Mitleid mit diesem Menschen empfand, der mich eigentlich das Fürchten lehren sollte. Auch vom Final Twist hätte ich mir, so großartig er auch angelegt und so spannend der eigentlich Showdown gemacht ist, mehr erhofft.

Ausgewählte Werke von Jeffery Deaver erscheinen bei Saga Egmont im Hörbuch und bei dotbooks im eBook.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read most of Jeffery Deaver's novels and short stories I found that I had difficulty relating to the characters in this story. Michael Hrubeck, a psychotic patient, has escaped from the mental hospital where he was an in-patient. I must admit his means of escape was inventive. Michaels is an extremely large man who quite honestly is just plain scary. Michael is intent on finding Lis Atcheson, whose court testimony was crucial in Michael's murder conviction.

The story takes place over a 24 hour period and as the story unfolds you learn more about Lis, her husband, Owen and Lis's sister, Portia. None of these three characters really appealed to me, which I am sure affected my opinion of the book. Michael's psychiatrist, Richard Kohler, Dr. Ronald Adler, who heads up the psychiatric hospital where Michael was a patient, and Trenton Heck who is tracking Michael for the authorities round out the primary characters. The closest I got to caring about any of these characters was with Trenton Heck. With the exception of Trenton Heck, each of the other characters had serious flaws which became more apparent as you read,

The ending was one I should have seen coming. This book was not up to Mr. Deaver's usual standards. He can do better; but even so, I will still keep reading more of his books.

[Janine Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tijdens een zware storm is een schizofrene gevangen ontsnapt en waarschijnlijk op weg naar de vrouw die tegen hem getuigd heeft. Vanuit verschillende perspectieven wordt het verhaal verteld. De premiejager die met zijn hond op zoek is naar de ontsnapte patiënt, de arts die de patiënt behandelde en hem probeert te vinden om hem te verdoven, de ziekenhuis directeur die alles onder de pet wil houden, de echtgenoot van de ‘gezochte’ vrouw die de ontsnapte patiënt wil doden, de vrouw zelf, die samen met haar zus probeert om stormschade te voorkomen, maar ook wat met haar zus heeft uit te praten en de ontsnapte patiënt zelf, die enerzijds doodsbang is maar ook koste wat kost doorzet om bij zijn bestemming te komen. Hij weet telkens dwaalsporen te creeren, en zijn achtervolgers af te slaan. Steeds duidelijker wordt dat het verhaal toch iets anders in elkaar zit dan de meesten denken, zeker als er ook doden vallen.

[Roxanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not bother with this book. It was painfully boring and slow and tedious and full unnecessary bullshit. Thought about not finishing it, but I hate that. Had to read the last 100 pages out loud using voices that mocked the characters. When I finished it, I literally ripped the book in half and threw it. Free kindling.

[Meeka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very god read

[Сибин Майналовски · Rating 1 out of 5]

Мудно и скучно до безобразие.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stelline e mezzo/5.

[Christi Gregg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just really longggg…..

[Dashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again I read this book for a friend where in normal circumstances I would have just dnf'd it. There were a lot of unnecessary povs to shift through. I could not relate to the characters. The scene cuts are abrupt. Honestly, I was bored the entire time.

Liz, our kind of main character, was pretty dull and I can't tell you how many things I learned about Heck's dog. Which in no way added to the story. I will say the twist was good but halfway predictable and not worth the effort it takes to get there.

[Jennifer (BTH Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of: Books That Hook

4.5 stars

Praying for Sleep is a stand-alone novel written by Jeffery Deaver in 1994. It is available in many formats. I read a paperback copy I borrowed from the library’s honor books.

Jeffery Deaver is a well-known author of thrillers, especially the Lincoln Rhyme series that starts with The Bone Collector.

This was my first time reading one of his stand-alone novels. For the most part, I was impressed. I thought he did an excellent job of getting into the mind of the paranoid schizophrenic who had escaped from the mental institution. The book jumps right into action and keeps the reader glued to the pages from start to finish. This was a really hard book for me to put down.

I especially liked how the very first sentence of the book got my imagination going. “Like a cradle, the hearse rocked him gently.” I didn’t know if the “him” was dead or alive, in a coffin or not, and so on. I thought it was an awesome opening line.

For some readers, this book might be too disturbing. Some scenes made me cringe, but I’m sure that is what Deaver intended. I don’t count that as a negative; I’m merely pointing it because things like an insane man masturbating with an animal’s blood might be too gruesome for some reader’s stomachs.

Two things, however, did count as negatives in my mind. First, Deaver jumps and forth between present and past tense a lot. I didn’t see the point of this. It was annoying. Second, it seemed at times that the author expected the reader to read between the lines more than was possible. I couldn’t fill in all the blanks like I felt I was expected to. Along those same lines, I thought not all readers would know what the author was referring to by some terms and abbreviations. For example, he mentions CV. I don’t think everyone knows that CV stands for Curriculum Vitae. Even if he had said that’s what it stands for, I don’t think all readers would know what a Curriculum Vitae is. I probably wouldn’t know myself if I didn’t work for a university.

Despite those two complaints, I really enjoyed reading Praying for Sleep. I know it is an older book, but if you haven’t read it yet and you enjoy thrillers, you should check this one out. I recommend it to readers who aren’t easily grossed out and like to be led along on a journey that isn’t what it seems, or to readers who like to get into the minds of the criminally insane.

[Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

$1.99

I picked this book up because I really like the Lincoln Rhyme character and series by this author and figured I would try something different. I don't know if I will do that again, though. The premise of this book seems "simple" enough, but the only thing I couldn't figure out before I began to read was how it would take 450 pages to catch a paranoid schizophrenic killer. The book dragged at times, and I really didn't care for any of the people, but I did like the big zig that came right at the end. This also made me think of how people who are "mad" of any sort can so often be not only misunderstood, but abused by nearly anybody. This all takes place in less than 24 hours, probably more like 12, and so most likely it will keep you turning the pages to see how it ends.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this book give new meaning to spine-tingling suspense! Deaver at his best. The story covers a period of only a few hours after a mental patient's escape from a hospital, but the events that occur in those few hours (plus some flashbacks) are amazing. There are some very unexpected twists right up to the end. I don't like the title of the book as it had very little to do with the subject (the protagonist's insomnia), but I loved everything else about it. If you like psychological suspense, read it!

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very strange book.
It was almost a ghost story. It certainly made me feel uncomfortable. I wasn't sure what was going on. I felt aimless, and tormented like Lis - like the character who can't sleep. I can barely remember the baddie. The characters were so haphazardly given 'characteristics' that didn't quite fit.
This was hopefully meant to make me feel like this? What it didn't do was satisfy me as a reader. There was no plot.

[Shirley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Deaver’s books but oh my God this one was painful. I could only read a few pages at a time, never even a whole chapter. I put this book down, then picked up and finished another book, before picking it back up. Time and time again. Finally, on page 265, mid sentence I just quit. No reason to put myself through this. I do not care about any of the characters, the flow is choppy and nothing interesting happens. I don’t care at all how things turn out.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Jeffery Deaver novel I have encountered and I must say he is an author that I want to read much more of. With the twists and turns of his plots and the well developed characters, this book kept me on the edge of my seat.

A captivating thriller.

Tim Machin did a first class job on the narration.

More please!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I am a big fan of the Lincoln Rhyme series. I was expecting so much more from this book. Its about a hundred pages too long and you really start to wonder, is it going anywhere? But by the end it is a good story, could be better with some editing.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thrill was the ending otherwise found this story very tedious

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's been quite awhile since I read a book where the whole story takes place within 24 hrs. I liked it. will read more by this author