What do you think?
Rate this book
The Insomniacs
The lives of four sleepless strangers intersect late at night as they attempt to solve not just their own anxieties but also the mysterious disappearance of one of their own, from New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch.
In the city that never sleeps, it’s not always easy to share what’s on your mind with the people who know you best. Huddled in an all-night diner over coffee and pancakes, a lonely middle-aged mom, an injured baseball pro, an elusive retiree, and a young waitress examine the thoughts that plague them in the middle of the night.
Empty-nester Sybil does what she does best: rolls up her sleeves and spearheads the efforts to turn this group of strangers into friends. Aimless after an injury threatens to ruin his career, Zeke finds genuine connection among the unlikely group. Tight-lipped Julian, who’s seemingly adrift in retirement and attempting to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, expands their circle when he takes their cagey diner waitress, Betty, under his wing. Betty, cautious about strangers and uncertain about strokes of good luck, entertains the trio in an attempt to resolve her own problems, which she keeps close to the vest.
Within a few restless months, the group of strangers have become a fragile family. And when one of them goes missing in the dead of night, they’re thrust into a propulsive mystery pulled straight from the true-crime podcasts Sybil obsesses over. Though ill-prepared and unequipped for the job, they begin to piece together the clues left behind. In chasing down answers, they uncover a reason for their friend’s disappearance, and are forced to wrestle with the question of how well you can really know anyone—and once you do, how much are you willing to risk to save them? And in doing so, save yourself?
In the city that never sleeps, it’s not always easy to share what’s on your mind with the people who know you best. Huddled in an all-night diner over coffee and pancakes, a lonely middle-aged mom, an injured baseball pro, an elusive retiree, and a young waitress examine the thoughts that plague them in the middle of the night.
Empty-nester Sybil does what she does best: rolls up her sleeves and spearheads the efforts to turn this group of strangers into friends. Aimless after an injury threatens to ruin his career, Zeke finds genuine connection among the unlikely group. Tight-lipped Julian, who’s seemingly adrift in retirement and attempting to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, expands their circle when he takes their cagey diner waitress, Betty, under his wing. Betty, cautious about strangers and uncertain about strokes of good luck, entertains the trio in an attempt to resolve her own problems, which she keeps close to the vest.
Within a few restless months, the group of strangers have become a fragile family. And when one of them goes missing in the dead of night, they’re thrust into a propulsive mystery pulled straight from the true-crime podcasts Sybil obsesses over. Though ill-prepared and unequipped for the job, they begin to piece together the clues left behind. In chasing down answers, they uncover a reason for their friend’s disappearance, and are forced to wrestle with the question of how well you can really know anyone—and once you do, how much are you willing to risk to save them? And in doing so, save yourself?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2026
About the author
Allison Winn Scotch
14 books1,997 followersI'm the bestselling author of eight novels including, CLEO MCDOUGAL REGRETS NOTHING, IN TWENTY YEARS and TIME OF MY LIFE, currently in development at Sony. My latest book, THE REWIND, will be released in Nov 2022 by Berkley Books.
As an author, I know how brutal reviews can be, so I'll only post about books I've enjoyed. (Just in case you're wondering why all of my reviews are positive!)
As an author, I know how brutal reviews can be, so I'll only post about books I've enjoyed. (Just in case you're wondering why all of my reviews are positive!)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
April 20, 2026
★★★1/2
A cult.
A burned-down church.
A missing person.
A group of insomniacs.
And a mystery waiting to be solved.
The Insomniacs is a slow burn, character-driven mystery with an amateur investigation. It’s about a group of sleepless, broken people who find something in each other, and when one of their own goes missing, they decide to investigate. What follows is them piecing things together, throwing around theories, connecting dots, and essentially doing what the police couldn’t. It’s very much a true crime lover’s dream.
When it comes to wild goose chases and murder mysteries, I'm more used to retrograde investigations (where the crime has already happened and the novel opens with an investigation) and crimes happening within the first few chapters. But then there are stories that take their time before introducing the crime. The Insomniacs falls into this category.
Usually I love character-driven stories, but I was kind of detached for a bit… until someone went missing. But once that happened, I could appreciate all the groundwork that had been laid earlier, because it helped make sense of everyone’s motivations.
Despite the cult theme, this reads surprisingly cozy. It explores themes like family, freedom and love in many forms. The story is told through multiple POVs, which works for the kind of mystery it’s trying to build. I think something was missing in the development of the characters and the connection between them, but the most intriguing characters to me were Sybil, Betty and our mystery arsonist (I guessed wrong!). I don't know why I don't care for romantic subplots in thrillers, but at least it didn't bother me here.
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery or are into amateur investigations, this is the one!
A cult.
A burned-down church.
A missing person.
A group of insomniacs.
And a mystery waiting to be solved.
The Insomniacs is a slow burn, character-driven mystery with an amateur investigation. It’s about a group of sleepless, broken people who find something in each other, and when one of their own goes missing, they decide to investigate. What follows is them piecing things together, throwing around theories, connecting dots, and essentially doing what the police couldn’t. It’s very much a true crime lover’s dream.
When it comes to wild goose chases and murder mysteries, I'm more used to retrograde investigations (where the crime has already happened and the novel opens with an investigation) and crimes happening within the first few chapters. But then there are stories that take their time before introducing the crime. The Insomniacs falls into this category.
Usually I love character-driven stories, but I was kind of detached for a bit… until someone went missing. But once that happened, I could appreciate all the groundwork that had been laid earlier, because it helped make sense of everyone’s motivations.
Despite the cult theme, this reads surprisingly cozy. It explores themes like family, freedom and love in many forms. The story is told through multiple POVs, which works for the kind of mystery it’s trying to build. I think something was missing in the development of the characters and the connection between them, but the most intriguing characters to me were Sybil, Betty and our mystery arsonist (I guessed wrong!). I don't know why I don't care for romantic subplots in thrillers, but at least it didn't bother me here.
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery or are into amateur investigations, this is the one!
April 14, 2026
The best stories happen after midnight. I promise you'll be reading late into the night with this one...it's so good!
Four sleepless strangers unite to solve the disappearance of one of their own. A perfectly plotted and paced story with equal parts warmth and wit.
I love everything ASW writes, and with The Insomniacs she knocks it out of the park.
Four sleepless strangers unite to solve the disappearance of one of their own. A perfectly plotted and paced story with equal parts warmth and wit.
I love everything ASW writes, and with The Insomniacs she knocks it out of the park.
October 6, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I am a huge Allison Winn Scotch fan and while this book was different than her other books I loved it. About 4 strangers who start hanging out because they are up all night (a fact I can relate to), it then turns into a mystery. While the mystery is one I easily figured out, I enjoyed all of the characters and the banter between them.
April 1, 2026
★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Such a great premise… but the execution never fully clicked for me. The Insomniacs by Alison Wynn Scotch had all the ingredients for a compelling, slightly eerie, character-driven thriller—an online group of strangers bonding over sleepless nights, secrets, and anonymity—but it ended up feeling more convenient than convincing.
What I liked:
The concept is genuinely intriguing. A group of insomniacs forming connections through late-night chats and then taking those relationships into the real world? I was immediately in. There are also some solid thriller elements woven in—Betty’s mysterious, cult-like past adds tension, and once the stakes start to rise (especially around the midpoint), the book definitely becomes more propulsive. It’s an easy, fast read, and I was curious enough to keep going just to see how everything would unravel.
What didn’t work:
The biggest issue for me was believability—across the board. The friendships develop way too quickly, going from online chats to deep, life-altering bonds (and even living together) in a matter of weeks. I just never bought into the emotional connection, which made the higher-stakes moments land a lot softer than they should have.
The characters also felt a bit flat—more like archetypes than fully realized people. Even as we learn more about them, it feels like we’re only getting one defining “slice” of each character rather than real depth. Because of that, dynamics like Sybil and Zeke’s relationship didn’t feel earned.
The insomnia itself also didn’t feel realistic. It’s more of a concept than something grounded in how people actually function, which made the entire setup feel a little shaky. And by the end, the way everything resolves—including the sudden shift around their sleep—felt a bit too neat.
Betty’s backstory, while interesting, also becomes increasingly convoluted, leaning into familiar “cult-like” tropes without adding enough nuance to make it feel fresh.
This is one of those books where I loved the idea of it more than the actual reading experience. If you’re looking for something quick, readable, and lightly suspenseful, this might work for you—but if you need strong character development and believable relationships to stay invested, this one might fall a bit flat.
Such a great premise… but the execution never fully clicked for me. The Insomniacs by Alison Wynn Scotch had all the ingredients for a compelling, slightly eerie, character-driven thriller—an online group of strangers bonding over sleepless nights, secrets, and anonymity—but it ended up feeling more convenient than convincing.
What I liked:
The concept is genuinely intriguing. A group of insomniacs forming connections through late-night chats and then taking those relationships into the real world? I was immediately in. There are also some solid thriller elements woven in—Betty’s mysterious, cult-like past adds tension, and once the stakes start to rise (especially around the midpoint), the book definitely becomes more propulsive. It’s an easy, fast read, and I was curious enough to keep going just to see how everything would unravel.
What didn’t work:
The biggest issue for me was believability—across the board. The friendships develop way too quickly, going from online chats to deep, life-altering bonds (and even living together) in a matter of weeks. I just never bought into the emotional connection, which made the higher-stakes moments land a lot softer than they should have.
The characters also felt a bit flat—more like archetypes than fully realized people. Even as we learn more about them, it feels like we’re only getting one defining “slice” of each character rather than real depth. Because of that, dynamics like Sybil and Zeke’s relationship didn’t feel earned.
The insomnia itself also didn’t feel realistic. It’s more of a concept than something grounded in how people actually function, which made the entire setup feel a little shaky. And by the end, the way everything resolves—including the sudden shift around their sleep—felt a bit too neat.
Betty’s backstory, while interesting, also becomes increasingly convoluted, leaning into familiar “cult-like” tropes without adding enough nuance to make it feel fresh.
This is one of those books where I loved the idea of it more than the actual reading experience. If you’re looking for something quick, readable, and lightly suspenseful, this might work for you—but if you need strong character development and believable relationships to stay invested, this one might fall a bit flat.
April 24, 2026
I couldn’t put this book down! Literally stayed up until 4:30am to finish it. I loved the story, and each character was interesting from start to finish as we learned and engaged with their stories. It’s got intrigue, humor, love, anger and more. Definitely take the time to read this book. I think it’s now my favorite of hers.
Want to Read
August 28, 2025This has the potential to fill the void left by Graveyard Shift
April 14, 2026
Everything feels a little more chaotic at 3 a.m., and in The Insomniacs, Allison Winn Scotch captures that strange, vulnerable hour when your thoughts spiral and the world feels both quiet and overwhelming all at once. Published by Berkley Publishing Group, thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
This is one of those stories that sneaks up on you. At first glance, it’s about insomnia. Four strangers who can’t sleep find each other in an online group for night owls and restless minds. But what unfolds is much deeper than a shared sleep problem. It’s about loneliness, reinvention, secrets, and the unexpected people who show up when life feels stuck.
Sybil is an empty nester staring down a life that suddenly feels too quiet and a marriage that may not survive the silence. Zeke is a professional baseball pitcher whose career hangs in the balance after an injury leaves him questioning who he is without the game. Julian is a retired widower who carries both wisdom and unresolved ghosts from his past. And Betty is the guarded young waitress at the all-night diner where the group eventually begins meeting in person, someone who seems wary of kindness and even more wary of being seen.
What starts as late-night chats and cautious diner meetups slowly turns into something warmer and deeper. These four people, who have absolutely no reason to trust each other, begin forming a fragile little found family built on shared exhaustion and the honesty that tends to show up when people are tired enough to stop pretending.
And honestly? Watching that bond form was the real magic of this book.
The reading experience felt cozy but never boring. It has that comforting “midnight diner conversation” vibe where humor, vulnerability, and awkward honesty all mix together. The characters feel real in that slightly messy, complicated way that makes you root for them even when they’re frustrating. Sybil in particular has a strong personality that sometimes borders on controlling, but it also comes from a place of care that makes her impossible to completely dislike.
Then the story shifts.
Without giving anything away, the quiet rhythm of their late-night gatherings is suddenly interrupted when one member of the group disappears. And that’s when the book gently pivots into mystery territory. Suddenly these sleep-deprived strangers are piecing together clues, replaying conversations, and realizing they may not know each other quite as well as they thought.
What I appreciated most is that the mystery never overwhelms the emotional core of the story. Yes, there are twists, questions, and moments of tension, but the real heart of the book stays rooted in connection. It’s about what happens when people who feel invisible suddenly matter deeply to each other.
One line that stayed with me long after I finished was:
“Sometimes the people you meet in the middle of the night are the ones who see you most clearly.”
That idea runs through the entire novel. There’s something about those late hours when defenses drop and people speak more honestly than they do in daylight.
Reading The Insomniacs felt like settling into a worn diner booth with coffee that never quite runs out while strangers slowly become friends. It’s warm, thoughtful, occasionally funny, and just suspenseful enough to keep the pages turning. The pacing leans more character-driven than plot-heavy, which worked really well for me because I genuinely cared about what happened to each of these people.
If you love stories about found family, unlikely friendships, and the strange magic of human connection, this one will absolutely resonate. It’s especially perfect for readers who enjoy women’s fiction that blends emotional depth with a light mystery element. Think readers who appreciate character-rich stories where the relationships matter just as much as the plot.
By the time I finished the final pages, I felt like I had spent several sleepless nights alongside these characters, sharing their worries, their jokes, and their stubborn determination to show up for one another.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four stars for a cozy, thoughtful story that reminds us how the most unexpected connections can change everything.
Now I’m curious… if you couldn’t sleep and had to spend the night talking with three strangers in an all-night diner, what would you talk about first?
#TheInsomniacs #AllisonWinnScotch #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReview #BerkleyPublishing #WomensFiction #MysteryReads #FoundFamily #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookRecommendations #BookCommunity #CozyMysteryReads #CharacterDrivenBooks
This is one of those stories that sneaks up on you. At first glance, it’s about insomnia. Four strangers who can’t sleep find each other in an online group for night owls and restless minds. But what unfolds is much deeper than a shared sleep problem. It’s about loneliness, reinvention, secrets, and the unexpected people who show up when life feels stuck.
Sybil is an empty nester staring down a life that suddenly feels too quiet and a marriage that may not survive the silence. Zeke is a professional baseball pitcher whose career hangs in the balance after an injury leaves him questioning who he is without the game. Julian is a retired widower who carries both wisdom and unresolved ghosts from his past. And Betty is the guarded young waitress at the all-night diner where the group eventually begins meeting in person, someone who seems wary of kindness and even more wary of being seen.
What starts as late-night chats and cautious diner meetups slowly turns into something warmer and deeper. These four people, who have absolutely no reason to trust each other, begin forming a fragile little found family built on shared exhaustion and the honesty that tends to show up when people are tired enough to stop pretending.
And honestly? Watching that bond form was the real magic of this book.
The reading experience felt cozy but never boring. It has that comforting “midnight diner conversation” vibe where humor, vulnerability, and awkward honesty all mix together. The characters feel real in that slightly messy, complicated way that makes you root for them even when they’re frustrating. Sybil in particular has a strong personality that sometimes borders on controlling, but it also comes from a place of care that makes her impossible to completely dislike.
Then the story shifts.
Without giving anything away, the quiet rhythm of their late-night gatherings is suddenly interrupted when one member of the group disappears. And that’s when the book gently pivots into mystery territory. Suddenly these sleep-deprived strangers are piecing together clues, replaying conversations, and realizing they may not know each other quite as well as they thought.
What I appreciated most is that the mystery never overwhelms the emotional core of the story. Yes, there are twists, questions, and moments of tension, but the real heart of the book stays rooted in connection. It’s about what happens when people who feel invisible suddenly matter deeply to each other.
One line that stayed with me long after I finished was:
“Sometimes the people you meet in the middle of the night are the ones who see you most clearly.”
That idea runs through the entire novel. There’s something about those late hours when defenses drop and people speak more honestly than they do in daylight.
Reading The Insomniacs felt like settling into a worn diner booth with coffee that never quite runs out while strangers slowly become friends. It’s warm, thoughtful, occasionally funny, and just suspenseful enough to keep the pages turning. The pacing leans more character-driven than plot-heavy, which worked really well for me because I genuinely cared about what happened to each of these people.
If you love stories about found family, unlikely friendships, and the strange magic of human connection, this one will absolutely resonate. It’s especially perfect for readers who enjoy women’s fiction that blends emotional depth with a light mystery element. Think readers who appreciate character-rich stories where the relationships matter just as much as the plot.
By the time I finished the final pages, I felt like I had spent several sleepless nights alongside these characters, sharing their worries, their jokes, and their stubborn determination to show up for one another.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four stars for a cozy, thoughtful story that reminds us how the most unexpected connections can change everything.
Now I’m curious… if you couldn’t sleep and had to spend the night talking with three strangers in an all-night diner, what would you talk about first?
#TheInsomniacs #AllisonWinnScotch #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReview #BerkleyPublishing #WomensFiction #MysteryReads #FoundFamily #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookRecommendations #BookCommunity #CozyMysteryReads #CharacterDrivenBooks
May 1, 2026
I thought (and still think) the premise of this book was great. Four very different people bond through a shared inability to ever get a good night’s sleep. Then something happens and a mystery must be solved. Where this book failed me was the characters themselves. I just found them completely unbelievable. ESPECIALLY the uber-famous Mets pitcher spending his evenings playing Sudoku (once he’s taught the game) with two online strangers. Just, no. And he falls in love with the middle aged soon to be divorcee who, we are told dozens of times, graduated first in her class from Harvard medical school but never practiced because apparently if two doctors have babies one must end up being a stay at home parent? Nothing about these characters made me care about them. I rushed through the book because I still wanted to know who did it only to find the answer completely illogical.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2026
4.5 Stars rounded up.
RTC
RTC
April 14, 2026
I’m not sure what I was expecting going in, but this book was SO good! It is definitely a character-driven story and is heavy on found family, so if you love those things combined with some mystery and past family trauma, this book will be right up your alley! Also…there’s a bit of reverse age gap romance in here?! Which was a pleasant surprise 🤭
While this was a bit slow to start, once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down! I liked all four Insomniacs, but Sybil reaching the point in her life where she held nothing back and said what she wanted to say was definitely my favorite 😜 But all four main characters were so well fleshed out and felt very real.
I thought the mystery aspect was unique and was woven naturally into the story. I did guess the “whodunnit” but to me this book wasn’t so much about a twist at the end as it was about the journey the characters take to get there. I just wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed! But everything does wrap up in a satisfying way.
That sloooooow burning romance though 😩 It felt like teasing because you as the reader are in both characters’ heads and know they both like each other, but given their life circumstances it was definitely more realistic that they wait to reveal their feelings. I just wanted them to get together already!!
This book is a gem and one I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own, so thank you, @berkleypub, for the invite!
While this was a bit slow to start, once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down! I liked all four Insomniacs, but Sybil reaching the point in her life where she held nothing back and said what she wanted to say was definitely my favorite 😜 But all four main characters were so well fleshed out and felt very real.
I thought the mystery aspect was unique and was woven naturally into the story. I did guess the “whodunnit” but to me this book wasn’t so much about a twist at the end as it was about the journey the characters take to get there. I just wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed! But everything does wrap up in a satisfying way.
That sloooooow burning romance though 😩 It felt like teasing because you as the reader are in both characters’ heads and know they both like each other, but given their life circumstances it was definitely more realistic that they wait to reveal their feelings. I just wanted them to get together already!!
This book is a gem and one I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own, so thank you, @berkleypub, for the invite!
April 17, 2026
[3.75⭐️] This book was a good reminder that it’s fun to read outside of your usual types of books now and then! The characters of The Insomniacs instantly drew me in, with their very annoying and realistic flaws and also their relatability and their charms. The pacing slowed a little bit for me around the 3/4 mark but quickly picked back up, and I overall found it hard to put the book down. My interest is now peaked and I’ll be checking out more of Allison Winn Scotch’s work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
April 24, 2026
I only picked this up because I am also an insomniac, but I really did enjoy it
October 1, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this one because I LOVE the author as a person. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters so it just ended up falling a bit flat. Great writing though!
I really wanted to love this one because I LOVE the author as a person. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters so it just ended up falling a bit flat. Great writing though!
April 26, 2026
In The Insomniacs Allison Winn Scotch introduces four unlikely friends who find each other on an internet forum for insomniacs. For Sybil, a recent empty-nester whose husband is cheating on her, sleep has escaped her for too long. Julian, the elusive elder statesman of the group, had to retire due to stress-induced health complications but he can't let the past go. Pro baseball Zeke is facing an uncertain future with a devastating injury while diner waitress Betty fears if she closes her eyes for too long (figuratively and literally) her past will find her. Is it random that four strangers on the internet found each other in the masses of New York City? Bonding over their insomnia, they quickly become close, sharing more about their pasts and trying to help each other in the present. The story changes shape, however, when one of them goes missing. Just how far will this group of unlikely friends go to save one of The Insomniacs?
This was an unexpected novel in the sense that it doesn't fit into one genre-part general fiction and party mystery/thriller, Allison Winn Scotch has created a cast of memorable characters, Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives and provides unique insight into present circumstances, created by past events. This is a layered novel, with some twists and turns, and ultimately is a story of hope and friendship in unexpected places. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
This was an unexpected novel in the sense that it doesn't fit into one genre-part general fiction and party mystery/thriller, Allison Winn Scotch has created a cast of memorable characters, Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives and provides unique insight into present circumstances, created by past events. This is a layered novel, with some twists and turns, and ultimately is a story of hope and friendship in unexpected places. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
April 23, 2026
This was definitely one of the slowest slow-burn thrillers I’ve read, but I still really liked it. The book brings together multiple characters and explores their perspectives, backgrounds, and emotions, which is not an easy thing to balance, so I can appreciate the effort. That said, it takes quite a while to get to the main conflict. Nearly the first half of the book builds up to the central situation, which felt a bit frustrating at times and slowed the overall pacing. Even so, I found the characters engaging, and I genuinely enjoyed learning about their backstories and seeing how everything would eventually come together. I just wish the plot had moved a little faster.
April 4, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own.
📖 Book Review 📖 Even in one of the world’s busiest cities, surrounded by crowds of people, loneliness is more common than people realize. And in New York, four unlikely strangers with a proclivity for sleepless nights, form a strangely endearing bond. Allison Winn Scotch writes a grown-up version of The Breakfast Club (but with a nocturnal twist), building in suspense as the four characters handle chaos in their own lives…and uncover buried secrets about each other. The Insomniacs is a twisty novel that has a little bit of everything, creating an eclectic and fun read.
📖 Book Review 📖 Even in one of the world’s busiest cities, surrounded by crowds of people, loneliness is more common than people realize. And in New York, four unlikely strangers with a proclivity for sleepless nights, form a strangely endearing bond. Allison Winn Scotch writes a grown-up version of The Breakfast Club (but with a nocturnal twist), building in suspense as the four characters handle chaos in their own lives…and uncover buried secrets about each other. The Insomniacs is a twisty novel that has a little bit of everything, creating an eclectic and fun read.
April 23, 2026
I was never invested in any part of this story except Sybil’s personal life
April 14, 2026
This novel is about 4 insomniac New Yorkers who start spending time together. Sybil’s marriage is in trouble, Zeke is an injured pitcher for the Mets who may never play again, and Julian is retired and bored. They meet on an Internet forum about insomnia, and then add a 4th to their group when they meet at an all night diner and befriend their young waitress Betty, who is running from a mysterious past.
I’m an Allison Winn Scotch super fan - I’ve read every single book of hers since her debut almost 20 years ago, and her books have made multiple appearances on my top ten lists over the years. This one is quite different from her others - and I loved it! It’s an interesting blend of genres - found family, a little bit of romance, mystery and suspense, even a cult-like situation. And it was a great read with great characters!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out 4/14/26); all opinions are my own.
I’m an Allison Winn Scotch super fan - I’ve read every single book of hers since her debut almost 20 years ago, and her books have made multiple appearances on my top ten lists over the years. This one is quite different from her others - and I loved it! It’s an interesting blend of genres - found family, a little bit of romance, mystery and suspense, even a cult-like situation. And it was a great read with great characters!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out 4/14/26); all opinions are my own.
April 23, 2026
Thank you to Berkeley for the ARC! This was a solid 4.5 stars that might creep up to 5 since it's been replaying in my mind since I finished it!
This book gave me the exact experience I love when reading: perfect pacing, endearing characters, a gripping mystery, and gorgeous descriptive language! Alison Winn Scotch describes mannerisms and emotional experiences in such a niche and universally understood way - it was an absolute joy to read and brought needed levity to the suspense and tension in the main plot.
I absolutely loved the found family element of this book - this group of people is the last bunch you'd expect to become fierce friends, which makes their journey all the more endearing. I also adored the casual New York-ness of this book; it doesn't overly romanticize the city, but perfectly captures how literally anything can happen in New York.
If you're a fan of Only Murders in the Building, I think you'll love this one!
This book gave me the exact experience I love when reading: perfect pacing, endearing characters, a gripping mystery, and gorgeous descriptive language! Alison Winn Scotch describes mannerisms and emotional experiences in such a niche and universally understood way - it was an absolute joy to read and brought needed levity to the suspense and tension in the main plot.
I absolutely loved the found family element of this book - this group of people is the last bunch you'd expect to become fierce friends, which makes their journey all the more endearing. I also adored the casual New York-ness of this book; it doesn't overly romanticize the city, but perfectly captures how literally anything can happen in New York.
If you're a fan of Only Murders in the Building, I think you'll love this one!
April 13, 2026
I loved everything about this book: the mystery, the found family, the characters finding themselves and standing up for themselves. All of it was just perfect.
December 28, 2025
cute! i’d recommend this to mystery fans who aren’t keen on constant super dark stories. the characters were delightful to follow, and i loved the inter-connected desires and the role of sleep as their physical goalpost. however, the writing wasn’t very strong, and there was certainly some noticeable repetition. some questions were left unanswered and not in a satisfying way (in as spoiler-free a way as possible, here’s an example: what exactly was his plan in the last stretch of the book? to me, it seemed like he was just there to be a convening point.) overall, this was a low stakes, effective palette cleanser, the sort of mystery you can solve early but still want to read until the end.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an ARC through Netgalley!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an ARC through Netgalley!
April 16, 2026
4.5/5 -If you've been around this blog for a long time, you know that I am a big fan of Ms. Scotch's novels and her latest, The Insomniacs, is fantastic. I loved that it is a mystery but still has her wit, charm and characters. Each of the group members are bound by their inability to sleep in a city that never sleeps. Zeke can't sleep because he's in pain from multiple surgeries and thinking about how pitching is the only thing he knows how to do; Sybil doesn't know what to do with herself now that she's an empty nester and questioning all her life choices; Betty is running from something and can't sleep because of that; Julian can't turn his brain off no matter how he tries. This group that met online, takes it into the real world at an all-night diner; little do they know their lives will be forever linked.
I love how the story unraveled at the right pace allowing this reader to keep up and puzzle some things together. I liked how Sybil wouldn't give up on Betty even though she probably should have read the room a few times and backed off. That was definitely the mother/nuturer side of her. She also was the one who was a tad bit obsessed with true crime and might have wanted to solve this all by herself. Betty wanted to depend on the group and develop relationships but that's hard when you are constantly looking over your should.
I think though my favorite was Zeke. He was so open, honest and self-depreciating while trying to figure out his life. When you've been singularly focused your life because you think you are only good at one thing, you rethink it all when it's been taken away from you. I also really loved his pining for Sybil.
I liked that the ending was open ended enough another novel or short story, but resolved enough that I wasn't left needing more if that's where Ms. Scotch decides to end their stories.
Life is messy and complicated, Ms. Scotch shows that in The Insomniacs.
I love how the story unraveled at the right pace allowing this reader to keep up and puzzle some things together. I liked how Sybil wouldn't give up on Betty even though she probably should have read the room a few times and backed off. That was definitely the mother/nuturer side of her. She also was the one who was a tad bit obsessed with true crime and might have wanted to solve this all by herself. Betty wanted to depend on the group and develop relationships but that's hard when you are constantly looking over your should.
I think though my favorite was Zeke. He was so open, honest and self-depreciating while trying to figure out his life. When you've been singularly focused your life because you think you are only good at one thing, you rethink it all when it's been taken away from you. I also really loved his pining for Sybil.
I liked that the ending was open ended enough another novel or short story, but resolved enough that I wasn't left needing more if that's where Ms. Scotch decides to end their stories.
Life is messy and complicated, Ms. Scotch shows that in The Insomniacs.
April 30, 2026
DNF Life’s too short to read bad books. At 100+ pages in, I knew The Insomniacs was a bad book. As other reviewers have complained, the author hammers her characters into a relationship very early on and based on nothing. Three insomniacs meet in an online forum (even there, they play sudoku together rather than get to know each other). Then they decide to take it to the streets, and, within 2 or 3 meet-ups, force a reluctant waitress to complete a rabidly intense mini community loosely based on their shared sleeping disorder which is hardly ever mentioned again. From there – despite whatever crime fiction we’ve been promised – the plot first spins its wheel on a budding romance between two of them – the two most loathsome of the four. Unrelatable characters are one thing; Sybil and Zeke are so void of personality there is nothing to do but hate them outright. They are tedious stereotypes: a bored, pampered housewife and an injured jock hook up – straight from the imagination of a puberty-compromised middle schooler (trust me). Julian and Betty show promise, and I wish them well in whatever plot this book may or may not eventually have, but more than anything I wish them escape from the soulless companionship of a foursome forced on them by the author. Neither of them ever wanted to be there. Me neither.
May 13, 2026
Sometimes a one star rating doesn't deserve the time it takes to write a review. Because I am an insomniac, I stayed up during the night to read this on my Kindle. Although the premise was intriguing, a group of insomniacs chatting online and deciding to meet in person, (not plausible) there could have been a better plot.
The characters were not well developed-not one of them. All very shallow and unbelievable. The story goes on and on not really giving the reader anything except what is Betty's full secret?
If you must read this, borrow it from the library. Life is too short and un-slept nights are too long.
I have deleted the book from my Kindle as I use my storage space and archives for better works.
The characters were not well developed-not one of them. All very shallow and unbelievable. The story goes on and on not really giving the reader anything except what is Betty's full secret?
If you must read this, borrow it from the library. Life is too short and un-slept nights are too long.
I have deleted the book from my Kindle as I use my storage space and archives for better works.
April 7, 2026
A few New Yorkers find each other online and discover they have something in common- they can't sleep. Sybil, Zeke, and Julian couldn't be more different, but after interacting online, they decide to meet up in an all-night diner. There they meet Betty, a waitress who also can't sleep. The four of them become more involved in each other's lives until one of them dies and one is on the run. Will these four very different people be there for one another?
This synopsis makes this book sound like a thriller and it is not. It is more a found family drama with some action in it. You also wouldn't think this far-fetched premise would work, but it does. I've enjoyed Scotch's books before and this one had some of the same elements- good characters, an easy flowing storyline that's propulsive, and an overall really solid book. I really enjoyed this (after completely suspending my disbelief that any of this could actually happen.) I loved the characters and I was willing to follow them on this crazy storyline that had a retired FBI agent, a famous baseball player, and brilliant but uncompleted Harvard surgeon, and a religious cult. What's not to love?
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. All books are read by me, and no AI is used in the writing of this review.
This synopsis makes this book sound like a thriller and it is not. It is more a found family drama with some action in it. You also wouldn't think this far-fetched premise would work, but it does. I've enjoyed Scotch's books before and this one had some of the same elements- good characters, an easy flowing storyline that's propulsive, and an overall really solid book. I really enjoyed this (after completely suspending my disbelief that any of this could actually happen.) I loved the characters and I was willing to follow them on this crazy storyline that had a retired FBI agent, a famous baseball player, and brilliant but uncompleted Harvard surgeon, and a religious cult. What's not to love?
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. All books are read by me, and no AI is used in the writing of this review.
April 22, 2026
A cozy murder mystery with a unique premise that has four complete strangers meeting on a chatroom for insomniacs and becoming friends. There's family trauma, disability/pain rep, marriages in trouble, infidelity and romance all in one fun true crime style story. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like How to age disgracefully or The busybody book club. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
October 7, 2025
I’ve read this author before and kind of lost track of her, so was pleasantly reminded when this book became available for review. What I thought was going to be a cute little story turned into a suspense/mystery that I really liked. The storyline and characters were great and I would highly recommend!
April 29, 2026
(Actual: 4.75⭐, rounded up) // Full review to come.
May 1, 2026
3.5 stars
March 25, 2026
ARC Review
The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch
4/5 ⭐️
N/A 🔥
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
I thought I finished this book last night.
Turns out, it wasn’t finished with me
Because this morning I was still thinking about it, still replaying the twists, still wanting to grab a coffee and crawl right back into this story. So yes, I am officially dealing with a mild book hangover.
This book is full of the kind of unease I love — unlikely friendships, complicated people, buried truths, and that creeping sense that no one is telling the whole story. And then, just to make it even better: cults.
Yes. Cults.
Notes I made while reading:
oh, I love an unlikely friendship
Okayyy Erin Brockovich nod!!
Wait… what?!
Oh
OH?!
Religious cults? Say less!
okay, I definitely figured this out
…and then immediately being humbled because no, I absolutely did not figure it out.
Read this if you like:
• unlikely friendships
• found family
• cults
• whodunnit energy
• messy, complicated humans
• books that quietly ruin your ability to move on
This one sneaks up on you — and lingers
Happy reading 📖
•
•
•
#bookstagram #bookreview #arcreview
The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch
4/5 ⭐️
N/A 🔥
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
I thought I finished this book last night.
Turns out, it wasn’t finished with me
Because this morning I was still thinking about it, still replaying the twists, still wanting to grab a coffee and crawl right back into this story. So yes, I am officially dealing with a mild book hangover.
This book is full of the kind of unease I love — unlikely friendships, complicated people, buried truths, and that creeping sense that no one is telling the whole story. And then, just to make it even better: cults.
Yes. Cults.
Notes I made while reading:
oh, I love an unlikely friendship
Okayyy Erin Brockovich nod!!
Wait… what?!
Oh
OH?!
Religious cults? Say less!
okay, I definitely figured this out
…and then immediately being humbled because no, I absolutely did not figure it out.
Read this if you like:
• unlikely friendships
• found family
• cults
• whodunnit energy
• messy, complicated humans
• books that quietly ruin your ability to move on
This one sneaks up on you — and lingers
Happy reading 📖
•
•
•
#bookstagram #bookreview #arcreview
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews