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The Deep Sleep
‘I HAD REASON TO BELIEVE BEING HEARTLESS HAD GROWN HIGHLY-CONTAGIOUS. BECAUSE IT HAD SPREAD THROUGH THESE PEOPLE LIKE A BUSHFIRE. MADE OF CANCER. THERE WAS BARELY A SOUL BETWEEN THEM.’
Harriet Hale falls from her balcony, surviving just long enough to give Detective Casey Colton a cryptic message.
A message worth dying for?
Or maybe one worth killing for?
The deeper Casey digs into the seventeen-year-old’s life, the darker her story gets. One filled with strange secrets and stranger people with a nasty habit of turning up missing or dead.
As the case grows ever murkier, and the bodies pile up around him, Casey learns that those who spend too much time in the dark may never see the light again.
Harriet Hale falls from her balcony, surviving just long enough to give Detective Casey Colton a cryptic message.
A message worth dying for?
Or maybe one worth killing for?
The deeper Casey digs into the seventeen-year-old’s life, the darker her story gets. One filled with strange secrets and stranger people with a nasty habit of turning up missing or dead.
As the case grows ever murkier, and the bodies pile up around him, Casey learns that those who spend too much time in the dark may never see the light again.
287 pages, Paperback
Published February 10, 2025
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 30, 2025
4.25⭐️ - This is a chilling mystery about the death of Harriet Hale, a teenager who falls from her balcony. Detective Casey Colton, who lives in the building, is first on the scene and hears Harriet’s final words, a cryptic message that sparks a dark and layered investigation.
The writing is gritty, raw and super readable. Every chapter brings something new, pulling you deeper into the mystery. I thought I had it figured out a few times, but I was completely wrong. The misdirection is clever, with just enough subtle clues to keep you guessing the whole way through.
Colton is a really compelling lead. He’s flawed, emotionally bruised and rough around the edges, but there’s a vulnerability that makes you care about what he’s going through. He’s clearly carrying a lot, and it shows in how he approaches the case. Watching him unravel Harriet’s secrets while managing his own personal demons made for a much deeper story than I expected. The book does contain some dark themes and explores heavy, sensitive topics.
Thank you so much Tyson for sending me a copy of your book. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what you write next!
The writing is gritty, raw and super readable. Every chapter brings something new, pulling you deeper into the mystery. I thought I had it figured out a few times, but I was completely wrong. The misdirection is clever, with just enough subtle clues to keep you guessing the whole way through.
Colton is a really compelling lead. He’s flawed, emotionally bruised and rough around the edges, but there’s a vulnerability that makes you care about what he’s going through. He’s clearly carrying a lot, and it shows in how he approaches the case. Watching him unravel Harriet’s secrets while managing his own personal demons made for a much deeper story than I expected. The book does contain some dark themes and explores heavy, sensitive topics.
Thank you so much Tyson for sending me a copy of your book. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what you write next!
May 13, 2025
“Death isn’t hard. Anyone can do it. It’s living that’s the hard part. But that don’t mean dying doesn’t hurt.”
This is a chilling mystery about Harriet Hale falling from her balcony.. Detective Colton was there long enough after her fall to hear her last words, a cryptic message. The deeper Colton dives into the teens life the darker it gets..
The twists and turns in this book made my neck ache .. never have I raised my eyebrows so much. Or whisper oh my God!
Tyson’s writing is something I’ve not read before it’s whimsy yet gritty, raw and knowledgeable it’s hard to describe until you read it.. lil history facts melt in with the story.. which I throughly enjoyed.
Everytime I thought I guessed who done it, I was wrong which doesn’t happen often.. it was mind blown after mind blown 🤯 just so good.. and the gut punch ending I didn’t see coming. Absolutely brilliant 👏🏻
I ate this up in one afternoon and recommend esp if you love crime/thriller mystery books.
5⭐️
This is a chilling mystery about Harriet Hale falling from her balcony.. Detective Colton was there long enough after her fall to hear her last words, a cryptic message. The deeper Colton dives into the teens life the darker it gets..
The twists and turns in this book made my neck ache .. never have I raised my eyebrows so much. Or whisper oh my God!
Tyson’s writing is something I’ve not read before it’s whimsy yet gritty, raw and knowledgeable it’s hard to describe until you read it.. lil history facts melt in with the story.. which I throughly enjoyed.
Everytime I thought I guessed who done it, I was wrong which doesn’t happen often.. it was mind blown after mind blown 🤯 just so good.. and the gut punch ending I didn’t see coming. Absolutely brilliant 👏🏻
I ate this up in one afternoon and recommend esp if you love crime/thriller mystery books.
5⭐️
August 5, 2025
It's not every day that I come across a mind bending thriller with a unique and original story. Gaunt comes up with some great ideas to keep this noir style crime thriller flowing and it had me guessing right up to the end. The book is dark and moody, and paints a creepy background involving rain, graveyards, mortuaries and morgues. The sarcastic wit of the main character kept me laughing through the entire book. If you like thrillers, you need to read this one.
May 18, 2025
Detective Casey Colton’s world is rocked, when a girl in his apartment building falls to her death. Casey is the first on scene and as she lays dying, the mystery girl whispers three words to him. “Reveille in D”.
Dangerous webs are weaved & Casey is determined to find out whether the girls death was an accident or if something more sinister is at play. As he gets closer to the truth, he realises this case is going to rob him of one thing.
Will it be his life? His sanity? Or Both?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Firstly, thank you so much to Tyson for not only sending me an E read of his novel, but also a paperback copy. It was so exciting to read a book from an Australian author who comes from the same state as me!
This gritty noir novel kept me guessing right up until the very end. He presents a cast of characters who are relatable, people that you might experience in your every day life. Casey Colton is a rough around the edges & deeply flawed Detective. But you can’t help but empathise with the emotional turmoil he endures during the case, because it’s clear that Casey has demons of his own.
Of particular note, I loved how Tyson weaved historical facts into the story line. These were often at the start of a chapter. As a history nerd, I loved it. It was a little palate cleanser between some of the more darker elements in the book.
It’s important to note, there is no TW’s in this book. This wasn’t an issue for me, not much upsets me. But there are some very sensitive themes in this book. So if books featuring themes/scenes of infanticide, 💊 use, self cancelling, animal abuse and 🍇 are triggering for you, be prepared going in.
Thanks again Tyson for your generosity! I can’t wait to see what you have in store next, Congratulations 🥳
Dangerous webs are weaved & Casey is determined to find out whether the girls death was an accident or if something more sinister is at play. As he gets closer to the truth, he realises this case is going to rob him of one thing.
Will it be his life? His sanity? Or Both?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Firstly, thank you so much to Tyson for not only sending me an E read of his novel, but also a paperback copy. It was so exciting to read a book from an Australian author who comes from the same state as me!
This gritty noir novel kept me guessing right up until the very end. He presents a cast of characters who are relatable, people that you might experience in your every day life. Casey Colton is a rough around the edges & deeply flawed Detective. But you can’t help but empathise with the emotional turmoil he endures during the case, because it’s clear that Casey has demons of his own.
Of particular note, I loved how Tyson weaved historical facts into the story line. These were often at the start of a chapter. As a history nerd, I loved it. It was a little palate cleanser between some of the more darker elements in the book.
It’s important to note, there is no TW’s in this book. This wasn’t an issue for me, not much upsets me. But there are some very sensitive themes in this book. So if books featuring themes/scenes of infanticide, 💊 use, self cancelling, animal abuse and 🍇 are triggering for you, be prepared going in.
Thanks again Tyson for your generosity! I can’t wait to see what you have in store next, Congratulations 🥳
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2025
"Reveille in D."
Those were the last words whispered by Harriet Hale after falling from her balcony, just before her last breath. And Detective Casey Colton was there to hear them. But what did it mean? That's what the detective would struggle to find out.
His search for answers would take him on a journey down a haunting rabbit hole, introducing him to characters who held the darkness of a vile secret, buried in their hearts.
The Deep Sleep was a well-paced mystery that took its time to unfold, but never once felt slow. The story was gripping and intriguing, with interesting, well-rounded characters. It reminded me of the great Noir stories from Chandler and Hammett. I could feel the earth under my feet in the cemetery, and hear the rain tapping on my fedora.
Those were the last words whispered by Harriet Hale after falling from her balcony, just before her last breath. And Detective Casey Colton was there to hear them. But what did it mean? That's what the detective would struggle to find out.
His search for answers would take him on a journey down a haunting rabbit hole, introducing him to characters who held the darkness of a vile secret, buried in their hearts.
The Deep Sleep was a well-paced mystery that took its time to unfold, but never once felt slow. The story was gripping and intriguing, with interesting, well-rounded characters. It reminded me of the great Noir stories from Chandler and Hammett. I could feel the earth under my feet in the cemetery, and hear the rain tapping on my fedora.
July 25, 2025
Okay listen… if you love a good “WHODUNNIT?!” that keeps you side-eyeing literally everyone, this book is for you.
From the first chapter, I was like:
“I’ve got this. I know who did it.”
…Then 20 pages later: “Wait. No I don’t.”
Then again at 2AM: “OH. MY. GOD.”
It's twisty. It's clever. It's bold AF.
Warning: It does not shy away from strong language, including THAT word (yes, C U Next Tuesday makes a cameo), but it works with the characters and gritty tone. And hey the author is a true blue dinky die aussie, so it is somewhat expected.
Tyson Gaunt gave us murder, mystery, mayhem, and just enough sass to make your jaw drop and your brain spiral.
Highly recommend for fans of sharp-tongued suspense with bite!
From the first chapter, I was like:
“I’ve got this. I know who did it.”
…Then 20 pages later: “Wait. No I don’t.”
Then again at 2AM: “OH. MY. GOD.”
It's twisty. It's clever. It's bold AF.
Warning: It does not shy away from strong language, including THAT word (yes, C U Next Tuesday makes a cameo), but it works with the characters and gritty tone. And hey the author is a true blue dinky die aussie, so it is somewhat expected.
Tyson Gaunt gave us murder, mystery, mayhem, and just enough sass to make your jaw drop and your brain spiral.
Highly recommend for fans of sharp-tongued suspense with bite!
May 15, 2025
"Death was gravity and they'd all fallen for it"
I thoroughly enjoyed this gritty, Aussie, noir murder mystery. I was left constantly guessing and didn't pick that ending at all!
Don't want to know where Tyson Gaunt got his inspiration from, but I hope to read more work from him in the future!
I thoroughly enjoyed this gritty, Aussie, noir murder mystery. I was left constantly guessing and didn't pick that ending at all!
Don't want to know where Tyson Gaunt got his inspiration from, but I hope to read more work from him in the future!
February 19, 2025
Banger. Grounded, gritty, cynical and well-drawn. Bring on the sequel
April 15, 2025
Some of the best noir I've read in a long time. Exceptional prose. Gritty, lean, and raw. Can't recommend enough.
February 2, 2026
I haven’t loved a book this much in a long time. And when I say love, I also mean I was terrified the entire time. @tysongaunt you sick, talented, unstable author you! Given this is not my go to genre I smashed this book in two sittings. I couldn’t put it down. Twist and turn after twist and turn. I kept promising ‘just one more chapter’ to end on not such a gnarly spot…. That never came haha. Get onto the next one asap Tys…. I need another one!!!!
January 24, 2026
The Deep Sleep By Tyson Gaunt is a perfect example of how exceptional work can be found by small authors, who do not get nearly enough recognition.
On a dark night when the rain sings it’s dirge, a young woman hurtles from her balcony to the death that waits on hard concrete below. What follows is a gritty noir about an even grittier police officer that unravels a tangled web of depraved misery, which has already wrapped too many in its fetid bands. Each chapter adds layers to the history and horror, revealing a mystery that spun my head and my soul. No punches are pulled, and man, do some of them hit hard.
In sleek, death-soaked prose, Gaunt weaves this complicated and layered story about love, loss and hope(lessness) in a compelling way. The tone and texture of the setting are extremely vivid, drawing on a brutal and gothic aesthetic. However, I personally found them a bit oppressive by the end, which I suppose is the point, since I will never forget my time in Gravesend.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend The Deep Sleep to anyone who enjoys a gritty murder mystery where a new horror waits on every page.
On a dark night when the rain sings it’s dirge, a young woman hurtles from her balcony to the death that waits on hard concrete below. What follows is a gritty noir about an even grittier police officer that unravels a tangled web of depraved misery, which has already wrapped too many in its fetid bands. Each chapter adds layers to the history and horror, revealing a mystery that spun my head and my soul. No punches are pulled, and man, do some of them hit hard.
In sleek, death-soaked prose, Gaunt weaves this complicated and layered story about love, loss and hope(lessness) in a compelling way. The tone and texture of the setting are extremely vivid, drawing on a brutal and gothic aesthetic. However, I personally found them a bit oppressive by the end, which I suppose is the point, since I will never forget my time in Gravesend.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend The Deep Sleep to anyone who enjoys a gritty murder mystery where a new horror waits on every page.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews