Cafe Insomniac

by Mark Capell

"The trick is not to fear the shadows but to embrace them… Night-time has become a good friend," says Justin.

But for how long?

Twenty-five-year-old insomniac Justin Brooks opens an all-night café for something to do, to fill the long nights. But soon after opening, one of his customers is found murdered in a side street.

What Justin doesn't know is that his insomnia is connected to the murder.

Even before the murder, inexplicable things were starting to happen in Justin's life. But after it, life becomes very strange indeed...

.....His eyes stream when it rains outside..... Another café appears, out of the fog, out of nowhere..... Footsteps follow him everywhere..... The dead person talks to him, though it's not a ghost..... And a magician waits for him, perched on a high wire, high up in the night sky.....

Strange things indeed. But these strange things can't possibly have anything to do with the murder.

Can they?

Nobody who visits Café Insomniac can ever look at the world in the same way again.

"I don't know what's real and what isn't -- and which is most dangerous."

Genres: Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2013

About the author

Mark Capell is a former documentary television director. He made shows for the BBC, ITV and satellite. He got to meet all sorts of weird and wonderful people, including a gangster who offered, for 'cost price', to kill anybody who upset him. Needless to say, he never took up the offer.

Instead, he decided to take his storytelling skills to the world of fiction.

His debut novel, 'Run, Run, Run', became a number one bestselling crime thriller on Amazon.

He followed it up with a series of novellas about a failed actor who becomes a successful undercover cop because of his inordinate ability to lie - The Myles Morgan Mysteries.

'Vows to Kill' was his second full length novel and is about a detective who receives a death threat: I will kill you on your wedding day.

A compilation of all four Myles Morgan Undercover stories is now available in 'Myles Undercover'. The first story 'No Hero' can be downloaded here on Goodreads for free.

Capell's latest novel is Café Insomniac: 25-year-old Justin opens an all-night café, but is soon on a quest to find out how his insomnia is connected to the murder of a customer.

web: http://www.mark-capell.com
Twitter: @markcapell
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mark.capell.w...

Reviews

[Stephanie Dagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

How well can you trust yourself? No matter how you cut it, you cannot. Your eyes can see things that are not present; you can hear things that you should not. Hallucinations are omnipresent, and in reading Café Insomniac you too will find yourself wondering what is real and what is imaginary, as the lines between real and unreal blur to a greater and greater extent.
Such is the predicament of Justin, insomniac and latterly a latte-serving ex-teacher in charge of the titular Café Insomniac, a co-venture with his father. The premise of Café Insomniac is self-explanatory - it is a café, open all night and ready to dispense caffeine and pastries to those who find themselves burning the midnight oil or otherwise unable or unwilling to receive a visit from the proverbial sandman.
However, things are not quite as they seem, as the sleep-deprived protagonist finds himself drawn into an unnerving series of events of worsening insomnia, seemingly sparked by a murder of one of his patrons. The insomnia soon becomes a total inability to sleep, and as Justin finds his reflexes duller and duller and the imaginary harder and harder to distinguish from the unimagined, things become stranger and stranger and the normal becomes unnerving. Can Justin get to the truth of the matter and save his sanity, or was he never really sane to begin with?
The book is a definite change of pace from anything else on the market at the moment. It sends the reader into an uncanny valley where things seem normal, but not quite. There is an undercurrent of just something strange to each sentence, each paragraph. As the plot progresses, the strangeness becomes a little bit more pronounced, just a little more, until you find your skin crawling as the writing crosses into something mildly, yet fundamentally, unnerving.
Mark Capell is a fluent word-smith to craft a work with such a profound effect on the reader. When the book is not attempting to rattle the reader, the descriptions of the characters and places are down to earth and can be related to, while at the same time keeping you just ever so slightly off-balance and continuing the ever-so-slightly unsettling narrative.
In keeping with the book’s departure from the market norms, the plot lends itself to the atmosphere. It is undeniable that it is a slow build-up all the way through, and yet it complements the tiredness of Justin and the fogginess of his mental state.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. It captures the confused and unsure mental state of anyone who has found themselves awake in the small hours of the morning, eluded by sleep and groggily fumbling with reality to try and find out just what is going on around them. As a little bonus, the author also proposes, on his website, a playlist of songs that appear in the book itself and which compliment the ambiance of the story. So tune in, read on and try not to slip away...

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky, darkish, and fun. Cafe Insomniac is a small coffeehouse serving coffee and pastries to those who stop by between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The proprietor is young man by the name of Justin Brooks who suffers from chronic insomnia. The idea of opening a coffee bar seems an inspired idea for such an individual.

The clientele for an all-night cafe is a motley crew, as one might imagine. An old knackered piano was left behind when the space for the cafe was leased. A self-professed weirdo named Delilah tunes it up herself, and then sits down and makes it sing. As the story progresses, you will encounter a mural that comes to life even as it is being painted, a house band comprised of long-dead musicians (most of Justin's favorite musicians are dead), a group of vampire wannabes, and a man whose smile is so evil his lips resemble barbed wire.

What is real here? Are we working with hallucinations, parallel worlds, lucid dreams, or is Justin merely a nutter?

Good story, very different.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I got this book in a BL giveaway.

Cafe Insomniac is a pretty weird book. I liked it.
Justin Brooks, twenty-five-year-old ex-teacher opens a an all-night cafe. Soon someone is murdered near the cafe and that worsens Justin's insomnia. What follows is a lot of weird encounters, meetings, revelations and overall events too strange for Justin to explain to himself or others. He is not sure what is real anymore.

"Hallucinations, lucid dreams, wishful thinking, neurological devilment, or a combination of all four, I don't know."

That's pretty much it unless I tell the whole story. It really has to be read as a whole to see how crazy it is.
The story reminds me a bit of Kafka's The Trial in the first part, because someone is breathing down Justin's neck and he hasn't got a clue what is happening. The great thing is neither do you. It's not the same as The Trial, it just has that feeling.
Parts of the story remind me of Twin Peaks (the TV series). If you've seen it and you didn't like it, then maybe this book isn't for you. It has that same creepy feeling when someone is lost and can't find his/her way in corridors which look as the one they came a moment ago.
I am not sure if that was the author's intention, but there were quite a few moments which were really funny ("I always came up with a great aphorism or two in my imaginary conversations").

This could be a good movie.

[Lindy Moone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you awake while you're reading this?

Are you sure?

If you usually sleep soundly through the night, every night, this strangely charming but off-center book might just keep you awake... and peering into shadows... and wondering if your loved ones really exist. And for anyone who's ever suffered from sleep deprivation, Cafe Insomniac is a delightfully disturbing walk down (repressed) memory lane, a stroll through a Hitchcock movie set -- with David Lynch on their heels.

Cafe Insomniac is unpredictable. And quietly unnerving. And there's a murder.

What's not to love?

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

In some ways this is a really interesting novel. It's certainly well written. Mr. Capell sure knows how to string a sentence together for the most emotional impact. It's also well edited. And since you spend a decent amount of time in Justin's head (befuddled as it may be) you get a feel for him. There is a lot of such praise I could give the book.

Unfortunately, I also thought it dragged. Now, some of this is, I'm sure, purposeful on the author's part. Justin's sleep deprived mind moves at the speed of molasses. The slow pace of the novel echoes this, creating a certain appropriate atmosphere. But it also made the book feel much longer than it actually is. (And at 360+ pages, it's already pretty long.)

What's more, despite all Justin's hallucinatory, confused ideas creating unexpected twists to the plot, the whole thing was disappointingly predictable in the end. If felt very much like the author wimped out a little bit and veered back onto safer ground before his conclusion.

I was also left with a few questions, though most of it did wrap up nicely. For example (and I'm trying valiantly to not include a spoiler here), was he ever really beat up? One would presume so since he really did know his sister's problem, which infers he really did go to the hospital. If he was really beat up, who did it if XXX was a hallucination? Or what caused the injury to his hand at the end, if the events of the previous night weren't real? Essentially, the book isn't always careful to ensure that the effects of things explained away are also explained.

For the most part, however, it's an interesting and enjoyable read. Well worth picking up if the blurb sounds interesting to you.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this is a strange one. It's a crime novel, it's a romance, it's urban fiction, and it's magical realism. For some reason, even though they have very little in common, I kept thinking of that episode of The Sandman where they're all locked in a diner with The Corinthian.

As a frequent insomniac myself, I know only too well that sense of unreality that comes after lack of sleep, and Mark Capell captures it perfectly. Did that just happen? How did I get here? Can I trust my own thoughts? Am I actually awake or lucid dreaming? Normally I loathe books written in the first person present tense, but in this case it works, giving an immediacy that draws us into Justin's dreamlike world - everything is NOW, this isn't something he's looking back on and rationalizing.

Fellow insomniacs with a taste for the slightly surreal will enjoy this.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come when I have the chance to write it.

I thought this book was very good for the strength of its writing and interesting blend of genres. Some caveats, but an entertaining read, nonetheless.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across Mark Capell when I won a giveaway for his book, VOWS TO KILL, over at LibraryThing earlier this year. I really enjoyed it and I couldn’t wait to read more of his work. When he asked if I’d review CAFÉ INSOMNIAC I couldn’t say no! Capell’s CAFÉ INSOMNIAC is an intricate mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Justin Brooks is looking forward to the next chapter in his life. Suffering from insomnia, he decides to open an all night café and serve people looking for a great cup of coffee. On opening night, he gets a visit by a man who tells him to call him should he need any help and Justin dismisses him from his mind. As the night progresses, he serves less than a handful of customers and keeps tabs on a woman who walks in and stays all night. The next morning, he finds out a café customer was murdered, but as the nights progress, he finds there’s no one to trust and events around him become more and more strange. Justin soon finds himself at the center of an investigation and when his family is threatened, he realizes he needs to tread carefully.

As for characterization, we get a good grasp of the characters and character development is strong. We spend the majority of our time with Justin and we get to experience firsthand how insomnia affects his life. It’s easy to sympathize with Justin and you can feel his struggle with insomnia. Capell introduces several secondary characters that are vital to the plot. We have Delilah who makes terrible coffee, but is a gifted musician and she’s there to help Justin run the café. Justin’s father and his sister also make an appearance and it’s easy to understand what the family dynamic is. Then there’s our victim and I won’t say the name because I don’t want to spoil the story because the plot does revolve somewhat around this person’s death. Finally, there’s the mysterious Vince Moore who a property investor who has a shady past.

Narration is first person via Justin’s perspective and it’s necessary for the reader to understand his struggle with insomnia. The writing is engaging and Capell is a solid storyteller. I really enjoyed how easy it was to imagine the scenes and everything taking place. CAFÉ INSOMNIAC really comes to life and it’s a rare treat to find an author with that talent. I did come across a few Britishisms that might confuse a reader not familiar with British culture, but nothing that will prevent a reader from enjoying and understanding the plot. He does make a reference to the Kray Brothers, notorious twin brothers who ran an organized crime operation in the East End of London. The brothers for the most part aren’t widely known in the US, but have been referenced in a song by Jay-Z and Kanye. Anyway, I liked how Capell used the Moore brothers and fashioned them after the Kray brothers in way. It keeps the reader guessing as to the identity and what type of person Vince Moore is.

Readers are left with a few questions unanswered, but nothing that will prevent you from enjoying it. The ending is beautifully done and I can’t imagine it being any other way and it was a surprise! I apologize to my neighbors for yelling, “Come on now!” Like I said, it was a complete surprise that I wasn’t expecting. Also, it’s important to note that CAFÉ INSOMNIAC takes place over the course of a week, but it feels longer than that. Part of has to do with the way Capell incorporates time and breaks it down according the day. If Justin felt the week of opening was a long one, you will too.

Mark Capell’s CAFÉ INSOMNIAC will have you question what to believe: the facts in front of you or what your mind tells you.

This review & more are posted to Literary, etc.

[Joanne Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a word, muffled.
It had an interesting start. Justin Brooks, an insomniac, very quietly opens a night café and quietly his clientele starts picking up. A patron is quietly murdered around the corner. Justin quietly reacts to this, and to the strange man who seems to be quietly threatening him and his family.
All very quietly, as if seen through fog. Muffled noises, muted emotions. No, not through fog… as though it’s a dream. Some parts are heard in detail, and some parts brushed over, as though inconsequential or as though they didn’t happen at all.
The Edward Hopper work, Nighthawks, was at the forefront of my mind. The whole atmosphere of the painting; the stillness, the quiet, the frozen scene in the heart of a bustling city, the lack of any kind of relationship between the characters… this was perfectly personified in the pages of Capell’s story. It was entrancing. I’ve always loved Nighthawks, and it was like I had jumped right into the scene.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...

I read on, waiting for the Technicolor to explode. Waiting for the event to happen that would kick the dream world where impossibly strange people turned up and did unexplainable things to the curb. I was looking forward to seeing how Justin would cope with this new world. The real one.
The event did take place, but it was muffled. Justin coped very well. So reasonably. So logically.
Sigh.
The muted emotions continued. I wasn’t right in all my predictions about the dream world, but I was close enough to find the “reveal” not as surprising as I’d imagine it was intended.
I have a few frustrations to air. The muted feel of the story is okay for a while, especially if the pace changes about a third of the way in - but not for an entire book. Capell is verbose. Many conversations are relayed word for word, adding length to an otherwise simple yet compelling story. The description of insomnia was repetitive. The characters were neutral. I didn’t like them or dislike them, I simply didn’t get a handle on them at all. All down to that muffled writing. They were too simple. The most interesting one was the father, but his character at the end is not believable.
However, I also have some high praise.
The muffled writing is absolutely perfect for this character. Justin goes through his days / nights in a daze, because of his tiredness. The style of writing perfectly mimics this feel of being half-in and half-out of a dream world at all times. It captures perfectly what it would be like to be constantly tired. Nighthawks again. A perfect pairing.
And although I wanted him to snap out of it towards the end, when the climax takes place and forces a reality check (plus he’s had some sleep), he doesn’t. I didn’t like this because I wanted more, more, more… something. More realness. And this too is appropriate, because although the man has slept, he’s still… well, you’ll have to read it and find out. I’ve given away far too much as it is.
Ooo and I love the covers. I have seen two, and they are both good.
Not particularly fast-paced, and a little long-winded for me. But you will like this book if you enjoy gentle suspense, gentle psychological thrillers, gentle who-dunnits where you get given all the clues from page one and can enjoy finding out if you were right.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Café Insomniac keeps you guessing until the very end. The main character, Justin, is a sweet, naïve, dreamer you will find yourself rooting for. He is an incurable insomniac and exists on very little sleep. Because of this, he has been forced to give up his chosen profession of teaching children and is opening an overnight café with the financial backing of his father, who is a shrewd businessman. There are many lovable characters who show up along the way and also a few villainous ones.

The best aspect of this story to me is the surreal quality caused by Justin's insomnia. You're never quite sure what is real and what is a dream or hallucination brought on by his sleep deprivation.

The romance is sweet, and the conflict is that of the innocence and exuberance of youth pitted against the greediness and guile of the world.

I would highly suggest this book for almost anyone. It is a metaphysical mystery, suspense and romance, fun to read and hard to put down!

I received a digital copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha]

To start this off, I must tell you that you will be confused, but it's a good kind of confused. There was a point where I was reading, turned to Sam, and said "I have no idea what the fuck is going on here". I'm pretty sure this is how Justin, the main character, would describe as he dealt with the events. However, this doesn't mean it was a bad book. I actually found it pretty spectacular. A lot of the writing flowed very well, even being poetic at times. The story was full of characters who were deadly, odd, or even appearing to be from Wonderland. The story pulls readers immediately into the life of a man with severe insomnia, which helps to give the confusion a meaning. My favorite part of this book was the confusion, once I got to the end and learned what it was. It was fascinating to think about, definitely had me on my toes.

[Barbara Heckendorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic story about a young guy who is suffering from insomnia and therefore wasn't able to teach anymore. He opens a night coffee which is called Insomniac. Already in the opening night he meets suspicious individuals and has to meet extraordinary situations he isn't able to explain. During the plot he has to struggle with familiar issues as well as his insomnia which wouldn't let him sleep anymore. He can't anymore separate what is real and what is a dream or more a hallucination. The outcome is a surprise and it looks like this guy is making a kind of self-healing process.
I couldn't put this book aside. I had to read it through. It's written like a psychological thriller and it is very gripping.
(4 1/2 stars)

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

I don't think I've ever read anything quite like Cafe Insomniac. It's a mix of mystery and magical realism. The story has a charm to it that I liked while the mystery kept me reading. It's a very slow build, which I normally would call a negative, but I think it works here. A lot of mundane things go on in the story with strangeness sprinkled in until the strangeness seems to take over and it becomes hard to tell what is real and what isn't. In the end there is no real reason given for what is behind it all. Is he mental or is it just the lack of sleep or is it something else altogether?

[Sharlene Almond · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start is somewhat unusual, but it did have me intrigued. Justin starts up a night-time café, specially designed for those that can’t sleep, especially him. Battling from insomnia, his idea to open an all night café leads him down a path completely unexpected.

When an accident happens at the café, Justin debates on calling on his first customer that offered his ‘services’, claiming to want to support the local community.

At first I thought this story was going to be a bit mundane, but there are definitely a lot of twists happening. Customers coming off the street to help fix things, while an attractive woman spends the entire night in the café, but obviously scared of something… or someone.

The author has a humorous way of depicting characters and scenes, which lightens up the overall feel of the novel.

Not exactly what I would describe as a thriller, but the unusual events and how and why they are all connected is fascinating and keeps me enthralled. I want to read more to find out what exactly is going on.

The plot thickens as a death and a threat or warning occurs. There is no indication to what started this; why Justin and his café is being targeted.

As the plot progresses, more unusual things take place. Unfortunately the middle of the story slows down. There is the underlying presence of a corrupt person, but the story mainly continues to tell about the different characters that come into the café. I wasn’t sure if they were part of the underlying plot, or just talking about the type of customers that come into the café.

Although the main plot is quite good, I think the story perhaps goes for a bit too long. It shouldn’t slow down as much. There is a bit too much focus on what happens at the café, and less exciting events happen.

There are some interesting and sad moments. The different characters add another dimension to the story; with another character getting caught up in the mix of a powerful man that thinks he owns everything and everybody. People under his grasp can’t be free, and the one man that could bring him down refuses.

Although I connected with the story to begin with, I did fade in and out in the middle of it. It’s not really a mystery, but a bit slow to be a thriller. Some dramatic scenes create a bit more pull from the novel, but they don’t really contribute much to the overall story line; at least that would appear so, but with this novel, appearances can be deceiving.

Finally, the pieces start to fall into place. Events start to make sense, unexpected events come into play.

The ending does drag a bit, I got the gist of where the author was heading with the ending quite quickly, so the ending could have been a bit shorter just to tighten things up.
Overall, a good read which could have benefited from being about a hundred or so pages shorter.

3 ½ stars

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Justin is 25 years old and was a teacher until he lost his job due to his insomnia. What job can Justin do that will fit in with his sleeping problems? He decides to open an all night cafe to cater for fellow insomniacs, shift workers and other night owls.

Cafe Insomniac is a first person narrative and Justin's cafe is in a British city. Follow Justin as he launches his new business and tries to make it succeed. Justin meets many people and there are problems along the way.

This novel showed great promise as Mark Capell is a very articulate author. He uses a very large vocabulary and describes at great length British life, cafe culture and sleeping problems. Mark has the ability to write clearly and with great class.

Although his writing is good, I found this story bad. I think the storyline is unrealistic as nobody would open a cafe just for nights and have it closed during the day. Nothing much happens in this novel as Justin casually chats to a small group of characters. I did not develop an empathy for Justin as he was just a dreamer without a good head for business. So Justin has lucid and very powerful dreams giving the reader the option to decide whether these episodes are dreams or reality. This is no big deal as ALL novels are the dreams of the author and to write a book highlighting the difference between dreams and reality is rather childish.

Cafe Insomniac is set in a British city but it is never named and its location is kept a secret. No road or building names are used, so you can not identify a location. This is not an enjoyable read, it is a drag and involves a tremendous amount of small talk. It is not a good novel because it lacks a believable or interesting plot. This is such a poor read that I can vote it only 2 stars.

Cafe Insomniac is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2013.

[Maya Mattison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a truly odd book, and it captured the state of the sleep-deprived and the world they live in, very well. The most sleep deprived I've ever been is three or four days, and I still start to descend into a hazy reality at that point...

Early on, the book is difficult to stick with as the events at the beginning are confusing, and a number of characters are introduced in rapid succession with seemingly no relation. It was a bit *too* confusing for my taste. They had their introduction and then disappeared, but it didn't really matter as 'hey-here's another new character!-' and the next introduction was occurring. Most of those introduced turned out to be important to the story, but some that were treated as if they were important, were not. Interesting plot device, and it mirrors the hazy reality insomniacs live in, but I found it a little rough.

Toward the middle of the story, though, it became fairly easy to predict the ending--I'm not sure what specifically gave it away, except that the hundred little clues just came together in the back of my mind. A good bit reminded me of Kafka's Metamorphosis, as well. I couldn't tell if the author intended any of these effects.

I wouldn't characterize this book as a mystery, though it is presented as such; I'd almost characterize it as drama with horrific elements, though it is more psychological horror brought on by lack of sleep and hallucinations than anything else. I don't know if I would recommend it to someone else unless the person likes horror/suspense novels. Though the writing was well done, and it was a good departure from the generes I usually read, I do not think I will be reading it again.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange story, highly imaginative, quite a page turner and the most outlandish premise I have read in a long time. It is told entirely from Justin’s, the main character, point of view. We get inside his mind to feel his fear and how confuse he is. As the story progresses everything becomes weirder and weirder…..very spooky indeed. At one point it is easy to feel as Justin did mix between not knowing what is real and what isn't. I had to wait till the end to find out.

What is it all about?

“Twenty-five-year-old insomniac Justin Brooks opens an all-night café. But soon after the opening, one of his customers is murdered. The fallout from the murder makes his insomnia worse -- much worse. He completely loses the ability to sleep. Strange things start to happen in Justin's world, things that are hard to explain and could possibly have something to do with the murder.”

If you suffer from sleep deprivation “Café Insomniac” will walk you down memory lane and if you a sound sleeper this fascinating tale will not only keep you awake wondering if you are really awake but it will also have you looking over your shoulder for the boogie man…..very unnerving and highly unpredictable…..

Although I usually stay far from these types of novels I admit being quite surprised how much I like this one. It is well written to be visually entertaining and to appeal to those with a taste for the surreal.

[Ramisa R · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 STARS

My main problem with this book was the excessive narration. It was obvious extra information was added in order to lengthen the novel, but unfortunately, it didn't add to the overall plot. The entire book was strange, but with a satisfying ending. However, the novel can LITERALLY be told with half the words, without any lost meaning. Justin regularly has reveries which have nothing to do with the story he's telling --and, in fact, is extremely distracting.

However, I liked the overall suspense added, which is why it deserves the half-star.

[Jennifer Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful sensitive book about many things, but the father/son relationship is a key one. It is set in London in a cafe that stays open all night - especially for insomniacs - like the owner. Great read - tension, mystery, and an unusual look at the twilight world of the insomniac where it is hard to discern the real from the imaginary.

[Cindy Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what to think! A compelling read

This novel carries the reader along a winding path of mystery and insomnia and dream. Sometimes the reader will think "aha!" now I understand what is reality and what is not! Then another turn....the book has a slight feel of something like The Golem and the Djinni or of a Neil Gaiman novel....

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good read. There are many friends I would recommend this to, but many that I know would not like it. I guess liked it because it was so "out there", It was original, all right. Good job, Mark.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise was interesting, but it read like a self-published first novel. It would have benefitted from an editor to correct grammatical mistakes and to remove self-indulgent passages that detracted from the narrative.

[Kaitlyn wilmann]

Interesting twists

kept me thinking. was not what I expected when I got to the end. it kept me on my toes

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this but still not sure what was real and what was hallucination