The Insomniacs

by Allison Winn Scotch

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?

Genres: Mystery, Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

I'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!)

Reviews

[Jodi Schulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kim Territo · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Quill&Queer]

This has the potential to fill the void left by Graveyard Shift

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a change to read Allison Winn Scotch’s “The Insomniacs.” While this novel is a slight departure from her earlier work, I absolutely enjoyed it.

When the novel opens, we meet for strangers in NYC who connect because they have difficulty sleeping at night. Each has his/her own reasons, but while they connected over lack of sleep, other common threads begin to weave strong relationships between these four individuals.

Scotch creates four delightful, engaging characters, though I admit I hold a little bias in favoring Sybil and Zeke. The accompanying mystery was also well-developed with a few surprises thrown in that I could not guess. The writing is fresh (even though the setting itself is a cliché—as New York is the city that never sleeps).

Four and a half out of five stars.

Thank you the Allison Winn Scotch, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book… had such a clever premise… a group of strangers who all struggle with insomnia meet online, decide to gather once a week, and slowly become an unlikely, heartwarming found family. Along the way, they even end up solving a bit of a mystery, which kept things fun and engaging.

I don’t read a lot of mystery, and I picked this up because it was labelled as women’s fiction/general fiction — but honestly, I really enjoyed it! The balance between emotional storytelling, character development, and light mystery was just right for me. The dynamic between the four sleepless strangers felt genuine and warm, and watching their bond form was my favourite part. 🌿💫

A cosy, thoughtful story about connection, loneliness, and the unexpected people who come into our lives when we need them most.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the early eARC! ✨

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in less than 2 days - couldn’t stop reading to find out what was next. It was a clever storyline - group of strangers meet under unique circumstances and become close, solving a mystery along the way. You have to suspend some belief at times around coincidences, situations etc - but the characters were all likable and interesting, especially Sybil. I felt like I was rooting for them all.
One last thought - I love reading books during their appropriate season and this book takes place during the fall/winter time period - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s. Reading it as an ARC, it is perfectly timed. However, this book comes out in April 2026!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to send a thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was definitely an interesting read for me. The book was fast paced in the beginning and had no intention to slow down. It's a fun and cozy mystery that follows four strangers in New York City. The story is told through multiple perspectives and contains the trope of found family. I especially enjoyed when their lives finally intersected in order to solve the disappearance. This is one cozy mystery that I will be reading again when the weather starts to get cooler. This title is set to be released on April 14th, 2026.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about four strangers that cannot sleep. They chat with each other online and agree to meet up together once a week. As they get to know each other they find themselves in the middle of a mystery. The way it was written kept my interest and me turning the pages to find out what happened next. I give this book a solid 4.5 and will round up because it kept my interest throughout. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick mystery read that unfolds during the darkest hours of the day.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels rather appropriate that I couldn't sleep and started reading just before 3 a.m. and now the sun is starting to come up.

When four Insomniacs in New York City start spending their sleepless nights together, they get more than just company in the night. This is as much a mystery as it is a story of found family and, most importantly, the downfall of the patriarchy. This was written in a way that compelled you to keep reading for the infamous "one more chapter.'

[Marianne Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0. I enjoyed this book. The ending was a bit disappointing; nevertheless, i enjoyed the read very much. Unique plot about a group of people who have trouble sleeping at night finding each other. Each of the four characters has a unique story, growing to care for each other deeply over their short friendship. Then all hell breaks loose. No spoilers here - you need to read for yourself. Recommend book.

[Marlene Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story that wove many storylines into a cohesive one with character and plot development. It was a page turner.