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Sleep
ll Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But with crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors, and haunting memories of that terrible night, it's impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty...
To escape her past, Anna accepts a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum. What begins as a retreat from the world soon turns into a deadly nightmare when seven guests arrive, each with their own secrets.
One of these guests is lying—not only about who they are, but about why they’ve come to the island. Among them is a murderer, and they’ve set their sights on Anna.
Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.
Someone’s going to sleep—and never wake up...
To escape her past, Anna accepts a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum. What begins as a retreat from the world soon turns into a deadly nightmare when seven guests arrive, each with their own secrets.
One of these guests is lying—not only about who they are, but about why they’ve come to the island. Among them is a murderer, and they’ve set their sights on Anna.
Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.
Someone’s going to sleep—and never wake up...
380 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2019
2026 people are currently reading
10475 people want to read
About the author
C.L. Taylor
26 books3,458 followersC.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
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www.twitter.com/callytaylor
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2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter
www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,731 reviews
February 14, 2021
400 pages read.....just like that! Yep 400 pages whizzed past me without me even recognising how many pages were in this latest book of CL Taylor’s.
I opened the book after studying the cover (like you do) and wondered what relevance and connection, if any, would be within these pages.
Well, you soon find out.
The beginning of the story makes me feel for Anna. She was the driver of the car that killed two people, one injured. I couldn’t help but think and feel for her. To blame yourself is the first human instinct, she was at the wheel. She had her passengers lives and other road users in the palm of her hands. We all do. As soon as we take that wheel and start to drive......
But someone feels that justice has not been mete out.
Anna is plagued by terrible insomnia, she doesn’t sleep well and if she does she wakes up terrified.
Anna needs to get a grip so she finds a job on a remote island in Scotland.
There are all types of characters that come to stay and we learn that each one is not who they seem to be.
It’s edgy, it’s thrilling and it’s full of suspense. The reader really gets pulled into the story at an alarming rate, and with such penship as this author writes you can help but feel everything, be right where the characters are staying, imagine yourself as part of this plot.
She really has such a way of twirling and entwining the reader, luring you into each sentence, each narration.
It’s hard to explain, but her descriptive writing just plonks you into the middle of it all. If the person is terrified, then I am. If the person is hiding and it’s creepy, then so am I, holding my breath so I can’t be heard. That’s the only way I can discribe this authors writing.
Many times I was holding my breath. One time was when Anna was searching rooms I was right there as a watch out for her. If she heard a creep on the stairs I’m biting my nails saying “quick....hurry....hide....don’t get caught” I kid you not. I was so invested in this plot I forgot all time and heard my sons alarm clock ring to get him out of bed and go to work.
The only book I’ve not read yet is Treatment.
I plan to read this over Christmas.
Thank you publishers for sending me an early copy.
This does not influence my review or thought. I anticipate every book this author writes.
I opened the book after studying the cover (like you do) and wondered what relevance and connection, if any, would be within these pages.
Well, you soon find out.
The beginning of the story makes me feel for Anna. She was the driver of the car that killed two people, one injured. I couldn’t help but think and feel for her. To blame yourself is the first human instinct, she was at the wheel. She had her passengers lives and other road users in the palm of her hands. We all do. As soon as we take that wheel and start to drive......
But someone feels that justice has not been mete out.
Anna is plagued by terrible insomnia, she doesn’t sleep well and if she does she wakes up terrified.
Anna needs to get a grip so she finds a job on a remote island in Scotland.
There are all types of characters that come to stay and we learn that each one is not who they seem to be.
It’s edgy, it’s thrilling and it’s full of suspense. The reader really gets pulled into the story at an alarming rate, and with such penship as this author writes you can help but feel everything, be right where the characters are staying, imagine yourself as part of this plot.
She really has such a way of twirling and entwining the reader, luring you into each sentence, each narration.
It’s hard to explain, but her descriptive writing just plonks you into the middle of it all. If the person is terrified, then I am. If the person is hiding and it’s creepy, then so am I, holding my breath so I can’t be heard. That’s the only way I can discribe this authors writing.
Many times I was holding my breath. One time was when Anna was searching rooms I was right there as a watch out for her. If she heard a creep on the stairs I’m biting my nails saying “quick....hurry....hide....don’t get caught” I kid you not. I was so invested in this plot I forgot all time and heard my sons alarm clock ring to get him out of bed and go to work.
The only book I’ve not read yet is Treatment.
I plan to read this over Christmas.
Thank you publishers for sending me an early copy.
This does not influence my review or thought. I anticipate every book this author writes.
March 13, 2019
An interesting psychological thriller, solid, yet not quite reaching the chilling heights it could have. Anna has taken up a position in a small hotel on the Scottish island of Rum, trying to deal with the aftermath of a fatal accident that she was involved in. She has seven guests in the hotel when the weather turns bad, and they are cut off from the rest of the world with no phone signal or WiFi, and the only way out, over a local river, is flooded.
Soon things start happening that shouldn't, guests possessions go missing, creepy messages appearing in the condensation of windows. Someone seems out to get Anna, and in the claustrophobic nature of a closed off hotel, with a bunch of guests she knows nothing about, she wonders if one of them is stalking her, trying to kill her because of her involvement in the accident.
I found Sleep to be enjoyable enough, probably not as creepy as the setting could have been made. Yes, you do have questions of all of the guests at one stage or other, yet they're such an obnoxious lot, you don't really care which of them might be the culprit. The characters didn't quite hit the mark for me, and I think the setting was underused. Still, it's a good one to curl up with on a rainy day.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Soon things start happening that shouldn't, guests possessions go missing, creepy messages appearing in the condensation of windows. Someone seems out to get Anna, and in the claustrophobic nature of a closed off hotel, with a bunch of guests she knows nothing about, she wonders if one of them is stalking her, trying to kill her because of her involvement in the accident.
I found Sleep to be enjoyable enough, probably not as creepy as the setting could have been made. Yes, you do have questions of all of the guests at one stage or other, yet they're such an obnoxious lot, you don't really care which of them might be the culprit. The characters didn't quite hit the mark for me, and I think the setting was underused. Still, it's a good one to curl up with on a rainy day.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2023
I loved the accident, but this felt different. I couldn’t engage with the characters and wasn’t too curious about what would happen next. The final twist wasn’t believable and I also thought that the POVs from her ex was unnecessary.
July 31, 2019
All the 5 shiny stars for Sleep by CL Taylor, TO SLEEP TO DIE!! that's what you would hate seeing in your face if someone was looking for revenge. Well that's exactly what Anna Willis has to cope with after a car accident that killed two work colleagues & left another unable to walk again.
This is one book I could not stop reading, the characters were unlikable & flawed, although at first I did feel Anna's pain after the accident she felt responsible & couldn't live with what she had done. After a while she became ad nauseum & I just wished she would shut the hell up.
I did feel angst for Mohammed ( MO) her work colleague he was spent with his life & what he would do his life had ended that day, its not until Freddy's father comes into the picture that things ramp up as he wants revenge for Freddy's death.
But who is getting into Anna's psyche with TO SLEEP TO DIE!! written on the Lobby window of the hotel she is running with her boyfriend David who dies in suspicious circumstances, this is all to much for Anna as the voices in her head continue to haunt her. Another gem by CL Taylor with a twist at the end that left me gasping, love this author she keeps the pacing up there & the 7 guests in the hotel have secrets of their own I wont go on any further if you like a doozey of a Psychological thriller then this is for you.
This is one book I could not stop reading, the characters were unlikable & flawed, although at first I did feel Anna's pain after the accident she felt responsible & couldn't live with what she had done. After a while she became ad nauseum & I just wished she would shut the hell up.
I did feel angst for Mohammed ( MO) her work colleague he was spent with his life & what he would do his life had ended that day, its not until Freddy's father comes into the picture that things ramp up as he wants revenge for Freddy's death.
But who is getting into Anna's psyche with TO SLEEP TO DIE!! written on the Lobby window of the hotel she is running with her boyfriend David who dies in suspicious circumstances, this is all to much for Anna as the voices in her head continue to haunt her. Another gem by CL Taylor with a twist at the end that left me gasping, love this author she keeps the pacing up there & the 7 guests in the hotel have secrets of their own I wont go on any further if you like a doozey of a Psychological thriller then this is for you.
March 13, 2019
I know from previous experience that before you start a C.L Taylor book to clear you’re diary and get comfortable, as you won’t want to be parted from you’re book!!
What a beginning
“If you’re reading this then I am no longer alive” You had me totally enthralled from this point to the end. I devoured every word afraid to look away incase I missed a single thing!!
Anna is driving back from a company team building event, when she is involved in a car crash which kills 2 colleagues and cripples another.
She moves to Scotland and takes a job at the Bay View Hotel on the Island Of Rum. She is hoping moving away will cure her insomnia, but someone thinks justice has escaped Anna and they want revenge!!
When a new group of guests check in to the hotel strange things happen that makes Anna think that her stalker has followed her to Scotland and they want to harm her!!
I love how you are are drawn straight into this book. The characters staying in the hotel come to life with their vivid descriptions. I actually felt like I was staying there, her writing style is amazing in the way that at times when the story was creepy I was afraid for the characters and found myself shouting “watch out” as if I was actually there!!
Reading this was bittersweet as I was loving the book and really didn’t want to finish it, but I was also desperate to find out the ending.
10 out of 10 for this compelling book with lots of twists and surprises along the way. The tension builds up and I found myself changing my opinion on who the culprit was after every chapter. All the guests seemed to have their own secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden.
Desperately seeking C.L Taylor’s next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my precious copy in exchange for a review.
What a beginning
“If you’re reading this then I am no longer alive” You had me totally enthralled from this point to the end. I devoured every word afraid to look away incase I missed a single thing!!
Anna is driving back from a company team building event, when she is involved in a car crash which kills 2 colleagues and cripples another.
She moves to Scotland and takes a job at the Bay View Hotel on the Island Of Rum. She is hoping moving away will cure her insomnia, but someone thinks justice has escaped Anna and they want revenge!!
When a new group of guests check in to the hotel strange things happen that makes Anna think that her stalker has followed her to Scotland and they want to harm her!!
I love how you are are drawn straight into this book. The characters staying in the hotel come to life with their vivid descriptions. I actually felt like I was staying there, her writing style is amazing in the way that at times when the story was creepy I was afraid for the characters and found myself shouting “watch out” as if I was actually there!!
Reading this was bittersweet as I was loving the book and really didn’t want to finish it, but I was also desperate to find out the ending.
10 out of 10 for this compelling book with lots of twists and surprises along the way. The tension builds up and I found myself changing my opinion on who the culprit was after every chapter. All the guests seemed to have their own secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden.
Desperately seeking C.L Taylor’s next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my precious copy in exchange for a review.
March 4, 2019
If you're reading this I am no longer alive. Someone has been stalking me for the last three months and, if I am dead, it wasn't an accident.
So starts a note written by Anna Willis for the police should she be found dead on the remote Scottish Island of Rum.
Anna was struggling to get back to a normal life after a serious car accident where some of her work colleagues were killed or seriously injured. Although it was not her fault that a truck ploughed into her car coming back from a work team bonding weekend, she feels very guilty and has trouble sleeping without nightmares. Someone has been leaving her messages and she is concerned that she is being stalked. She decides to escape to a new job as assistant manager of a small hotel on the isolated Scottish island of Rum. As she is still learning the ropes, a huge storm hits the island, cutting off their phone and wifi and flooding the roads so that she becomes trapped with a group of seven strangers there for a walking tour. All of them have issues or secrets of one sort or another and once again Anna feels someone is watching her with evil intent in mind.
This is a very atmospheric psychological thriller and a real page turner with many twists in the plot as eight dysfunctional people cope with cabin fever and Anna tries to find out who is trying to kill her. I did find the scope of problems experienced by all the hotel guests a bit extreme and was not totally convinced of the motive of the killer but I did enjoy the fast pace of the plot.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a digital ARC to read
So starts a note written by Anna Willis for the police should she be found dead on the remote Scottish Island of Rum.
Anna was struggling to get back to a normal life after a serious car accident where some of her work colleagues were killed or seriously injured. Although it was not her fault that a truck ploughed into her car coming back from a work team bonding weekend, she feels very guilty and has trouble sleeping without nightmares. Someone has been leaving her messages and she is concerned that she is being stalked. She decides to escape to a new job as assistant manager of a small hotel on the isolated Scottish island of Rum. As she is still learning the ropes, a huge storm hits the island, cutting off their phone and wifi and flooding the roads so that she becomes trapped with a group of seven strangers there for a walking tour. All of them have issues or secrets of one sort or another and once again Anna feels someone is watching her with evil intent in mind.
This is a very atmospheric psychological thriller and a real page turner with many twists in the plot as eight dysfunctional people cope with cabin fever and Anna tries to find out who is trying to kill her. I did find the scope of problems experienced by all the hotel guests a bit extreme and was not totally convinced of the motive of the killer but I did enjoy the fast pace of the plot.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a digital ARC to read
January 12, 2019
I've read two of C.L. Taylor's previous books; The Lie and The Escape. Sleep is the sixth book written by her and is just as (if not more so) absorbing as the two I've previously read.
It's an utterly gripping psychological thriller mystery and "who done it" similar to Murder on the Orient Express, where the cast of characters are all trapped together in one place, with a possible murderer among them. The tension builds along with the pace of the book, and it will make any reader lose "Sleep" due to finding it impossible to put it down. I personally think each C.L.Taylor book just gets better and better, and I can't wait to see what her next book brings. Highly recommended to any fans of psychological thrillers.
With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It's an utterly gripping psychological thriller mystery and "who done it" similar to Murder on the Orient Express, where the cast of characters are all trapped together in one place, with a possible murderer among them. The tension builds along with the pace of the book, and it will make any reader lose "Sleep" due to finding it impossible to put it down. I personally think each C.L.Taylor book just gets better and better, and I can't wait to see what her next book brings. Highly recommended to any fans of psychological thrillers.
With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
October 29, 2018
I have to give this top marks because reading Sleep genuinely meant that I had none over the night I read it. Well perhaps a little bit after I finished it bleary eyed at around 3am.
I'm still very fond of the psychological thriller, despite having read so many, both excellent ones and also some truly terrible ones - but this author never fails to entertain me, whether it's by writing those characters I love to hate, or as in this case with a twisty page turner that doesnt loosen it's grip once you start.
The theme of guilt is central to "Sleep" as is the underlying thread about how we deal with loss. Anna, our main protagonist, is drowning in both in the aftermath of a terrible accident. Trying to find a way to recover, she immerses herself in a new job - but someone has followed and the remote location is about to be cut off from civilisation by a raging storm...
I loved it. I'm a huge fan of claustrophobic settings, a locked room mystery feel where there are only so many suspects. It keeps things predictably unpredictable, this is beautifully plotted so you may guess but you can't know until the final reveal...making the read of it both edgy and intriguing.
The very definition of a page turner "Sleep" has a great cast of characters, a fascinating group dynamic, a couple of game changing moments and a tense, clever finale.
I actually think this is my favourite yet. Despite the lack of sleep...
Highly Recommended for fans of this genre. Top notch.
I'm still very fond of the psychological thriller, despite having read so many, both excellent ones and also some truly terrible ones - but this author never fails to entertain me, whether it's by writing those characters I love to hate, or as in this case with a twisty page turner that doesnt loosen it's grip once you start.
The theme of guilt is central to "Sleep" as is the underlying thread about how we deal with loss. Anna, our main protagonist, is drowning in both in the aftermath of a terrible accident. Trying to find a way to recover, she immerses herself in a new job - but someone has followed and the remote location is about to be cut off from civilisation by a raging storm...
I loved it. I'm a huge fan of claustrophobic settings, a locked room mystery feel where there are only so many suspects. It keeps things predictably unpredictable, this is beautifully plotted so you may guess but you can't know until the final reveal...making the read of it both edgy and intriguing.
The very definition of a page turner "Sleep" has a great cast of characters, a fascinating group dynamic, a couple of game changing moments and a tense, clever finale.
I actually think this is my favourite yet. Despite the lack of sleep...
Highly Recommended for fans of this genre. Top notch.
March 20, 2019
After the horrific accident which claimed two of her colleagues’ lives and severely injured another, Anna could find no peace. Blaming herself was easy, although everyone told her it wasn’t her fault. But when the break up with her boyfriend Alex occurred, Anna wasn’t surprised. In fact, she was relieved. She needed to get away; start again. Maybe she could find some peace of mind if she did.
The Scottish island of Rum seemed to be her answer – only 36 residents on the whole island and the local and only hotel needed a receptionist. Her application and acceptance made Anna happy – it was meant to be. But the arrival of seven guests, then a massive storm which completely isolated the hotel, leaving them without phone signal or internet was the beginning of a horrible nightmare that Anna thought she would never wake from. Who was trying to kill her? Who was threatening her with a permanent sleep?
Sleep by C.L. Taylor is a dark and intense psychological thriller with the heart-thumping scenarios coming in waves. Just when I felt I could take a breath, something else would happen. This is my first read by this author and I’m impressed. My guesses on who the perpetrator was kept changing – and changing! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
The Scottish island of Rum seemed to be her answer – only 36 residents on the whole island and the local and only hotel needed a receptionist. Her application and acceptance made Anna happy – it was meant to be. But the arrival of seven guests, then a massive storm which completely isolated the hotel, leaving them without phone signal or internet was the beginning of a horrible nightmare that Anna thought she would never wake from. Who was trying to kill her? Who was threatening her with a permanent sleep?
Sleep by C.L. Taylor is a dark and intense psychological thriller with the heart-thumping scenarios coming in waves. Just when I felt I could take a breath, something else would happen. This is my first read by this author and I’m impressed. My guesses on who the perpetrator was kept changing – and changing! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2019
I wanted to read this the minute I read the description! Right up my alley! Intrigue, suspense and a big "WHO DID IT?!". Great book - really good read!
Anna is stuck in a hotel in a storm with a bunch of guests. One of them is a killer and she is next. Who is it? And why?
I really enjoyed this one! There was a lot of suspense, action, intrigue and mystery. They could absolutely make a movie out of this one!
It didn't totally blow me away, but it was a solidly good read!
I really enjoyed the character, I didn't have a CLUE who did it until the reveal. It was amazing how EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER could have done it, and you really had no solid evidence against one person in particular. Points for that. I usually can guess it, but NO IDEA
Would I recommend Sleep?
Yes, absolutely! Any thriller or mystery fan should enjoy this one! Good fun!
Many thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for a copy of Sleep to read and review.
For more reviews check out my:
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Anna is stuck in a hotel in a storm with a bunch of guests. One of them is a killer and she is next. Who is it? And why?
I really enjoyed this one! There was a lot of suspense, action, intrigue and mystery. They could absolutely make a movie out of this one!
It didn't totally blow me away, but it was a solidly good read!
I really enjoyed the character, I didn't have a CLUE who did it until the reveal. It was amazing how EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER could have done it, and you really had no solid evidence against one person in particular. Points for that. I usually can guess it, but NO IDEA
Would I recommend Sleep?
Yes, absolutely! Any thriller or mystery fan should enjoy this one! Good fun!
Many thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for a copy of Sleep to read and review.
For more reviews check out my:
Blog
October 29, 2018
C L Taylor is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive a copy of her latest book Sleep. I cold not put it down and read it over the weekend.
Anna is in a serious road accident with three of her work colleagues. There are fatalities and Anna feels responsible because she was driving. After she is released from hospital she decides that she can't go back to her job and takes a position in a hotel on the small Scottish island of Rum.
Anna was sure that she was being stalked and targeted before she left for Scotland and she has the uneasy feeling that someone is out to harm her.
When a group of walkers check into the small hotel for a week, things start to happen that makes Anna convinced that the stalker has followed her to Scotland.
Lots of twists and turns in the story and the tension increases with each chapter.
All the guests look suspicious and I didn't guess the guilty character until the end.
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next book from this author.
I would like to thank Elke Desanghere from Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Anna is in a serious road accident with three of her work colleagues. There are fatalities and Anna feels responsible because she was driving. After she is released from hospital she decides that she can't go back to her job and takes a position in a hotel on the small Scottish island of Rum.
Anna was sure that she was being stalked and targeted before she left for Scotland and she has the uneasy feeling that someone is out to harm her.
When a group of walkers check into the small hotel for a week, things start to happen that makes Anna convinced that the stalker has followed her to Scotland.
Lots of twists and turns in the story and the tension increases with each chapter.
All the guests look suspicious and I didn't guess the guilty character until the end.
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next book from this author.
I would like to thank Elke Desanghere from Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2019
My thoughts in a nutshell
Okay. I'm an honest person. I've read this more than two months then I didn't have time to write a complete review, so I pushed it aside. Now, I can't remember the ending of this book and I feel ashamed about it.
I can remember that I was bored while I was reading it. I picked it up because of the good reviews, but I felt it was a really average book.
I don't like the main character. I liked one thing about this story and that was the atmosphere. When I finished it, I gave it 3 stars but now because I don't remember each certain point I'm going to drop my stars to 2.
It is really embarrassing, but I can't say more about it, I'm so sorry. It looks like it didn't impress me too much...
October 8, 2019
EXCERPT: If you're reading this then I am no longer alive. Someone has been stalking me for the last three months and, if I am dead, it wasn't an accident. Tell the police to speak to my ex-boyfriend Alex Carter about what happened in London. That's where all this started.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: All Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty…
To escape her past, Anna takes a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum, but when seven guests join her, what started as a retreat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare.
Each of the guests have a secret but one of them is lying – about who they are and why they’re on the island. There’s a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they’ve set their sights on Anna.
Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.
Someone’s going to sleep and never wake up…
MY THOUGHTS: I read this overnight. It is definitely not a book that encourages a good night's sleep, despite the title.
I can't imagine how I would feel if I was driving the car that killed someone. Or worse, 2 someones and injured a third. The guilt would be paralyzing. It would prey on my mind, I would want to hide from the world. Just as Anna did....
And that is the wonderful thing about Taylor's writing, she draws the reader right into the story so that we experience what the characters are experiencing. Good. And Bad.
The pace is relentless, the tension sharp. I held my breath, I muttered advice (Anna took no notice), I almost hyperventilated at one point....and I loved it! Loved every word, every nuance, every twist.
I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!
****.5
THE AUTHOR: C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and young son. She is a five times Sunday Times bestseller and her books have hit the number one spots on Amazon, Kobo, Audible, iBooks and Google Play. Cally has a degree in Psychology, with particular interest in abnormal and criminal Psychology.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books via NetGalley for a digital ARC of Sleep by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are totally my own opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads profile page, or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: All Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty…
To escape her past, Anna takes a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum, but when seven guests join her, what started as a retreat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare.
Each of the guests have a secret but one of them is lying – about who they are and why they’re on the island. There’s a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they’ve set their sights on Anna.
Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.
Someone’s going to sleep and never wake up…
MY THOUGHTS: I read this overnight. It is definitely not a book that encourages a good night's sleep, despite the title.
I can't imagine how I would feel if I was driving the car that killed someone. Or worse, 2 someones and injured a third. The guilt would be paralyzing. It would prey on my mind, I would want to hide from the world. Just as Anna did....
And that is the wonderful thing about Taylor's writing, she draws the reader right into the story so that we experience what the characters are experiencing. Good. And Bad.
The pace is relentless, the tension sharp. I held my breath, I muttered advice (Anna took no notice), I almost hyperventilated at one point....and I loved it! Loved every word, every nuance, every twist.
I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!
****.5
THE AUTHOR: C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and young son. She is a five times Sunday Times bestseller and her books have hit the number one spots on Amazon, Kobo, Audible, iBooks and Google Play. Cally has a degree in Psychology, with particular interest in abnormal and criminal Psychology.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books via NetGalley for a digital ARC of Sleep by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are totally my own opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads profile page, or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 4, 2019
I was hooked from page 1…
If you’re reading this, I’m no longer alive. Someone has been stalking me for the last 3 months, if I’m dead, it wasn’t an accident.
The story centres around Anna, she joins her work mates on a team building weekend away to Breacon Beacons. At the end of the weekend, Anna drives back to the city with 3 of her colleagues in the car, they are hit out of the blue by another car which results in 2 of the passengers dying and the other left with serious injuries.
When Anna comes too at the hospital, she is devastated by the tragedy and loss of life. She is cleared of any culpability in the accident, months on she is still struggling to come to terms with what happened, she suffers from horrendous insomnia and is riddled with guilt.
Anna's life is turned upside down, she is trying to get back to normality, but she has a feeling of being watched, random notes have been left for her …. She writes it off as paranoia from lack of sleep. Anna decides she needs to change her life to rebuild, start over.
She accepts a front of house job at a hotel off the mainland at the Isle of Rum in Scotland. It is a remote location, popular for avid hikers looking for adventure, disconnected from the digital world, it’s just what she needs……
It’s been 2 weeks and Anna is settling in well, this weekend they have 7 guests staying at the hotel, these guests all have secrets, as the weather closes in, there is no way of connecting to the mainland the secrets start to unravel and Anna feels like she is being watched again…. Has her stalker followed her here?
I really enjoyed this book, it’s a psychological thriller, my favorite and I would highly recommend this, I liked the isolated isle setting it added to the eerie atmosphere.
This is my first read from C.L. Taylor and I'm keen to read more. I give these one a solid 4 stars.
If you’re reading this, I’m no longer alive. Someone has been stalking me for the last 3 months, if I’m dead, it wasn’t an accident.
The story centres around Anna, she joins her work mates on a team building weekend away to Breacon Beacons. At the end of the weekend, Anna drives back to the city with 3 of her colleagues in the car, they are hit out of the blue by another car which results in 2 of the passengers dying and the other left with serious injuries.
When Anna comes too at the hospital, she is devastated by the tragedy and loss of life. She is cleared of any culpability in the accident, months on she is still struggling to come to terms with what happened, she suffers from horrendous insomnia and is riddled with guilt.
Anna's life is turned upside down, she is trying to get back to normality, but she has a feeling of being watched, random notes have been left for her …. She writes it off as paranoia from lack of sleep. Anna decides she needs to change her life to rebuild, start over.
She accepts a front of house job at a hotel off the mainland at the Isle of Rum in Scotland. It is a remote location, popular for avid hikers looking for adventure, disconnected from the digital world, it’s just what she needs……
It’s been 2 weeks and Anna is settling in well, this weekend they have 7 guests staying at the hotel, these guests all have secrets, as the weather closes in, there is no way of connecting to the mainland the secrets start to unravel and Anna feels like she is being watched again…. Has her stalker followed her here?
I really enjoyed this book, it’s a psychological thriller, my favorite and I would highly recommend this, I liked the isolated isle setting it added to the eerie atmosphere.
This is my first read from C.L. Taylor and I'm keen to read more. I give these one a solid 4 stars.
March 20, 2019
All Anna wants to do is sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying nightmares and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. To escape her past, Anna takes a job in a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rim, but when seven guests join her, what started as are treat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare.
Anna has survived a car crash but two of her colleagues were killed and one was left with life changing injuries. Anna blamed herself as she had been driving. She moves to the Isle of Rum, working in a hotel. When a group of guests arrive a storm shortly followed them. Soon secrets are revealed and not everyone is who they say they are. There is a big twist about half way through this story. I did guess right though. This is a well written book that has been perfectly thought out and researched.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author C. L. Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anna has survived a car crash but two of her colleagues were killed and one was left with life changing injuries. Anna blamed herself as she had been driving. She moves to the Isle of Rum, working in a hotel. When a group of guests arrive a storm shortly followed them. Soon secrets are revealed and not everyone is who they say they are. There is a big twist about half way through this story. I did guess right though. This is a well written book that has been perfectly thought out and researched.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author C. L. Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2019
CL Taylor.. you smashed this one out of the park and then some! What a fantastic book! Seriously people if you have not read anything by this writer you are missing out big time. I am a big fan and have loved Lo of her books but this one is absolutely her best so far. I had a rare day off without any kids round me I devoured this in an afternoon. I could not put it down and had no idea how it was going to end... so so good. Get your hands on this book people!!
It opens with Anna being involved in an accident in which she is driving. It changes her life forever and she feels the guilt deeply. She can't sleep and blames herself for it all. Her relationship with her boyfriend suffers and she packs up and moves to Rum on a remote Scottish Island for a new start. She gets a job in the Bay View Hotel doing bits of everything. Just before a massive storm 7 new guests arrive for a walking holiday. But all of these guests have secrets and not all of them are who they say they are. One of them s out to get Anna, and her lack of sleep makes this seem like paranoia.
This book will have you hooked straight away and ignoring the chores that you really should be doing. Make sure when you pick this one up that you have plenty of time to read because you will not want to do anything else.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
It opens with Anna being involved in an accident in which she is driving. It changes her life forever and she feels the guilt deeply. She can't sleep and blames herself for it all. Her relationship with her boyfriend suffers and she packs up and moves to Rum on a remote Scottish Island for a new start. She gets a job in the Bay View Hotel doing bits of everything. Just before a massive storm 7 new guests arrive for a walking holiday. But all of these guests have secrets and not all of them are who they say they are. One of them s out to get Anna, and her lack of sleep makes this seem like paranoia.
This book will have you hooked straight away and ignoring the chores that you really should be doing. Make sure when you pick this one up that you have plenty of time to read because you will not want to do anything else.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
February 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Sleep immediately grabbed my attention, and I’ll admit, the title was pretty much the clincher. As someone who’s all too familiar with insomnia, I thought the theme of sleep—or the lack of it—was a perfect fit for me. I was expecting something that would play with my own sleep-deprived mind, and while it didn’t quite keep me up all night, I appreciated how the concept of sleep was woven into the story. It felt fitting, and honestly, added an extra layer to the thriller aspect.
The first half of the book did a great job building that atmosphere. The remote Scottish island, the storm, and the sense of isolation set a solid foundation for the unease that I was hoping for. I could feel the tension between the characters, and it made me think that things were about to spiral into something truly unsettling. But by the second half, I started to feel the pacing slacken. The twists didn’t have the impact I was expecting, and the shifting perspectives began to disrupt the flow of the story.
The setting—though full of potential—didn’t quite hit that peak of chilling isolation I was craving. It was like the island was more of a backdrop than an active part of the suspense. And with characters who were tough to connect with, it was hard to stay fully invested in their fates.
That said, Sleep still kept me engaged, and I appreciated how the theme of sleep tied into the story. It was a solid psychological thriller with a unique angle, just not as gripping or memorable as I’d hoped. But if you’re looking for an easy read with a touch of unease, it’s definitely worth picking up.
The first half of the book did a great job building that atmosphere. The remote Scottish island, the storm, and the sense of isolation set a solid foundation for the unease that I was hoping for. I could feel the tension between the characters, and it made me think that things were about to spiral into something truly unsettling. But by the second half, I started to feel the pacing slacken. The twists didn’t have the impact I was expecting, and the shifting perspectives began to disrupt the flow of the story.
The setting—though full of potential—didn’t quite hit that peak of chilling isolation I was craving. It was like the island was more of a backdrop than an active part of the suspense. And with characters who were tough to connect with, it was hard to stay fully invested in their fates.
That said, Sleep still kept me engaged, and I appreciated how the theme of sleep tied into the story. It was a solid psychological thriller with a unique angle, just not as gripping or memorable as I’d hoped. But if you’re looking for an easy read with a touch of unease, it’s definitely worth picking up.
February 6, 2020
Sleep, an intriguing book by C.L Taylor, I'd ordered this and delved right in, interested by the remote setting of a small Scottish Island, which is always a great setting for a mystery, a whodunnit.
We follow Anna, the main protagonist of the story, as she has a tragic car accident, which due to her irritation she may be partially responsible for the accident, or at least could have done more to avoid the collision.
Sadly two of Anna's colleagues in the Car are now dead, and the other seemingly crippled, and Anna is absolutely distraught, blaming herself, what's more, she receives strange messages telling her she needs to sleep, she is disturbed by these messages, but her boyfriend doesn't seem to take them seriously and the two soon split up, which was on the cards for a while.
After getting herself a job at a hotel, she likes the owner, David and her constant workload which takes her mind off her worries, and the several guests who arrive at the hotel also gives her the chance to possibly interact with them and take on their worries and problems instead of her own.
The trouble is, she still cannot sleep and to make matters worse, she receives another cryptic message, meaning the person has come all the way to the Island of Rum with her.
Who could it be? There are several guests each with their own problems, some worse than others but anyone is a potential suspect.
This was an enjoyable read, the mystery aspect was nicely done, the only problem is it was a slow start, and it took me a while to warm to Anna, though I did like her by the end, the rest of the characters weren't particular likeable (excepting David) or memorable, but the reveal was good, and I did like the ending, and will check out more of C.L Taylor's work
3.75 Stars, recommended.
We follow Anna, the main protagonist of the story, as she has a tragic car accident, which due to her irritation she may be partially responsible for the accident, or at least could have done more to avoid the collision.
Sadly two of Anna's colleagues in the Car are now dead, and the other seemingly crippled, and Anna is absolutely distraught, blaming herself, what's more, she receives strange messages telling her she needs to sleep, she is disturbed by these messages, but her boyfriend doesn't seem to take them seriously and the two soon split up, which was on the cards for a while.
After getting herself a job at a hotel, she likes the owner, David and her constant workload which takes her mind off her worries, and the several guests who arrive at the hotel also gives her the chance to possibly interact with them and take on their worries and problems instead of her own.
The trouble is, she still cannot sleep and to make matters worse, she receives another cryptic message, meaning the person has come all the way to the Island of Rum with her.
Who could it be? There are several guests each with their own problems, some worse than others but anyone is a potential suspect.
This was an enjoyable read, the mystery aspect was nicely done, the only problem is it was a slow start, and it took me a while to warm to Anna, though I did like her by the end, the rest of the characters weren't particular likeable (excepting David) or memorable, but the reveal was good, and I did like the ending, and will check out more of C.L Taylor's work
3.75 Stars, recommended.
January 25, 2022
3.5 ⭐
This one is pretty similar to An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena, that I read last fall: some strangers, a hotel, a storm... and, probably, a killer!
The first half was great! Unfortunaly, the plot dragged during the second half and there wasn't enough suspense.
All in all, it was a nice read with an interesting setting and a few twists!
This one is pretty similar to An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena, that I read last fall: some strangers, a hotel, a storm... and, probably, a killer!
The first half was great! Unfortunaly, the plot dragged during the second half and there wasn't enough suspense.
All in all, it was a nice read with an interesting setting and a few twists!
July 23, 2022
The Escape was the very first book I read by C.L. Taylor and I found it OK. This one, however, is really, really good! I'm a big fan of audiobooks, especially thrillers and I decided to listen to this one instead of reading it, and oh boy that was a good move! Sleep is the kind of book that draws in the reader right from the start and then you just can't stop reading (or listening).
Sleep is the kind of thriller with lots of suspects, plenty of red herrings, and a great pace! Is someone after Anna? If so who? Being trapped in a remote hotel in Scotland with a bunch of strangers is not that fun when someone seems to be after you. Who can Anna trust when they are all strangers? And, then the first body is found...
Sleep is an excellent thriller by C.L. Taylor and now I can't wait to read (listen) to the rest of the author's books! And, I'm in luck she has written plenty of books!
Sleep is the kind of thriller with lots of suspects, plenty of red herrings, and a great pace! Is someone after Anna? If so who? Being trapped in a remote hotel in Scotland with a bunch of strangers is not that fun when someone seems to be after you. Who can Anna trust when they are all strangers? And, then the first body is found...
Sleep is an excellent thriller by C.L. Taylor and now I can't wait to read (listen) to the rest of the author's books! And, I'm in luck she has written plenty of books!
April 2, 2019
I have loved all of C.L. Taylors previous books, ‘Sleep’ I liked!
The story revolves around Anna who is involved in a car crash where 2 of her colleagues die and one has life changing injuries, she walks away....was it her fault?
Anna cant settle back to ‘normal’ life and so moves to Rum (!) a near deserted isolated Scottish island to start work in the islands only hotel and welcomes her first set of guests....there is a storm...the hotel is cut off....someone is seeking revenge for what she ‘did’ but who is it? And why? ....
There is nothing like a hotel story, full of characters, getting to know them and who they are really are, everyone has a story but whose story includes revenge...
The hotel, Rum itself and the characters are as always in this authors books described with ease and draw you in and involve you immediately, the story is set, the players are ready and off you go
The conclusion and the person who is advocating ‘Sleep’ and their reasons for doing so is chilling if not just a tad unbelievable imo thats why this book for me is a like instead of a love, nonetheless a good, well written and involving story as always by C.L.Taylor
7.5/10 4 Stars
March 10, 2019
Wow what an utterly compulsive read. Yet again the amazing C. L. Taylor has written something both unputdownable and simply brilliant.
I always tend to find I read this author's books in one sitting so had been bidding my time to start it when i could give it my full attention. What better than on a 12 hours flight to Thailand.
I think it took perhaps 2 and a half hours tops to devour Sleep. No whether I'll get any sleep myself after reading this is to be seen as it was slightly unsettling.
Most of the book is from Anna's viewpoint but what had baffled me initially was how some of the other threads would combine properly.
Any book that starts with a letter to be read in case of death, naming the most likely suspects was always going to attract my attention.
There is something rather claustrophobic about the majority of this story set in a cut off Scottish Isle.
Everybody named on that first page of the book could potentially be out to get Anna or have reason to be up to no good. There are many secrets that will surprise over the course of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed and was hooked for the entirety of this story and can only commend the author on writing another superb book.
If you love suspense, intrigue, guessing, or generally enjoy psychological dramas then this is completely worth reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I always tend to find I read this author's books in one sitting so had been bidding my time to start it when i could give it my full attention. What better than on a 12 hours flight to Thailand.
I think it took perhaps 2 and a half hours tops to devour Sleep. No whether I'll get any sleep myself after reading this is to be seen as it was slightly unsettling.
Most of the book is from Anna's viewpoint but what had baffled me initially was how some of the other threads would combine properly.
Any book that starts with a letter to be read in case of death, naming the most likely suspects was always going to attract my attention.
There is something rather claustrophobic about the majority of this story set in a cut off Scottish Isle.
Everybody named on that first page of the book could potentially be out to get Anna or have reason to be up to no good. There are many secrets that will surprise over the course of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed and was hooked for the entirety of this story and can only commend the author on writing another superb book.
If you love suspense, intrigue, guessing, or generally enjoy psychological dramas then this is completely worth reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
July 24, 2019
3 - 4 stars.
The book started well and I thought the premise of the book was good. It’s about guilt and all those 7 guests in a hotel on Rum (teeny tiny Scottish island below the Isle of Skye) with the main character Anna, have guilt or secrets of some kind and most of them were dysfunctional. The story is told principally from Anna’s perspective but with chapters from other characters at various points in the book. Towards the end I felt that broke the continuity and flow of the story and I just wanted to get on with it! None of the characters were especially likeable which I found a negative. I loved the setting of Rum as I have a huge love of Scottish wild places whether that’s the mainland or one of the islands but I don’t think the author made enough effective use of that wildness in order to create more atmosphere. I didn’t feel sufficient tension or menace which was disappointing. The ending was quite surprising and I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming!
Overall, an easy read but a tad disappointing.
The book started well and I thought the premise of the book was good. It’s about guilt and all those 7 guests in a hotel on Rum (teeny tiny Scottish island below the Isle of Skye) with the main character Anna, have guilt or secrets of some kind and most of them were dysfunctional. The story is told principally from Anna’s perspective but with chapters from other characters at various points in the book. Towards the end I felt that broke the continuity and flow of the story and I just wanted to get on with it! None of the characters were especially likeable which I found a negative. I loved the setting of Rum as I have a huge love of Scottish wild places whether that’s the mainland or one of the islands but I don’t think the author made enough effective use of that wildness in order to create more atmosphere. I didn’t feel sufficient tension or menace which was disappointing. The ending was quite surprising and I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming!
Overall, an easy read but a tad disappointing.
November 6, 2018
Sleep is the 6th psychological thriller CL Taylor has written. It is a stand alone. And it is awesome.
Cally put on Instagram that this was on NetGalley and I got super excited and high tailed it on over there. Only to find it had already gone to wish. Gutted! So I wished. And I was extra happy that I got approved for it the next day! 😊 Wahoo!
Sleep is about Anna, a young woman who is involved in a fatal car accident involving her and three colleagues. Two of her colleagues died in the crash and one is now paralysed from the waste down. Anna miraculously escapes with 'minor' injuries compared to the others. But the psychological effects are impacting her really badly.
She's feeling guilty and she can't sleep. When she does manage a couple of minutes, she wakes up screaming and thrashing.
After a receiving a couple of disturbing messages, she decides to split up with her boyfriend, Alex, and move to the Isle of Rum to get away from it all. Unbeknown to her, her stalker is closer than she thinks and she may not be safe all the way up on the Scottish Isles....
I thought this book was absolutely fantastic. The usual standard from CL Taylor. All her books have been great. The suspense and tension is so thrilling to read and it's one you can read all in one go - I didn't want to put it down!
We meet a small group of travellers at the hotel Anna has come to work at. They are all there for a hiking/walking holiday and all have their own little quirks. Melanie and Malcolm are there with their niece Katie. Joe, Trevor, Christine and Fiona are there solo. Each have their own secrets and reasons for being on Rum. Are one of these people Anna's tormentor?
CL Taylor sets the scene of the dark, mysterious, creepy hotel- cut off by a raging storm - well, and the story feels claustrophobic and frustrating. Anna feels so much guilt, which is the main reason she can't sleep. We explore the relationship between mental illness and sleep. We explore the different meaning sleep has to different people.
Although we know early on that someone is there and trying to harm Anna in some way, I didn't guess who it was until it was revealed, I guessed the reason and the motivation of the 'stalker', but I couldn't work out who it was.
As a character I really liked Anna. She felt the guilt that you would imagine she would, but you also knew it wasn't her fault and felt sympathy for what she was going through. Taking that leap and moving to a different country, was brave. Even if it could be seen as running away, I think she was more like trying to survive, and did what she had to do.
I really enjoyed this one, thank you NetGalley and Avon for letting me have a copy to read and review! And thanks CL Taylor for writing such a thrilling book! 😊
(Also, I loved seeing a character called Becca in there - it's a great name! 😊 )
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
Cally put on Instagram that this was on NetGalley and I got super excited and high tailed it on over there. Only to find it had already gone to wish. Gutted! So I wished. And I was extra happy that I got approved for it the next day! 😊 Wahoo!
Sleep is about Anna, a young woman who is involved in a fatal car accident involving her and three colleagues. Two of her colleagues died in the crash and one is now paralysed from the waste down. Anna miraculously escapes with 'minor' injuries compared to the others. But the psychological effects are impacting her really badly.
"No it doesn't hurt there. It hurts here, in here, inside my head."
She's feeling guilty and she can't sleep. When she does manage a couple of minutes, she wakes up screaming and thrashing.
After a receiving a couple of disturbing messages, she decides to split up with her boyfriend, Alex, and move to the Isle of Rum to get away from it all. Unbeknown to her, her stalker is closer than she thinks and she may not be safe all the way up on the Scottish Isles....
I thought this book was absolutely fantastic. The usual standard from CL Taylor. All her books have been great. The suspense and tension is so thrilling to read and it's one you can read all in one go - I didn't want to put it down!
We meet a small group of travellers at the hotel Anna has come to work at. They are all there for a hiking/walking holiday and all have their own little quirks. Melanie and Malcolm are there with their niece Katie. Joe, Trevor, Christine and Fiona are there solo. Each have their own secrets and reasons for being on Rum. Are one of these people Anna's tormentor?
CL Taylor sets the scene of the dark, mysterious, creepy hotel- cut off by a raging storm - well, and the story feels claustrophobic and frustrating. Anna feels so much guilt, which is the main reason she can't sleep. We explore the relationship between mental illness and sleep. We explore the different meaning sleep has to different people.
Although we know early on that someone is there and trying to harm Anna in some way, I didn't guess who it was until it was revealed, I guessed the reason and the motivation of the 'stalker', but I couldn't work out who it was.
As a character I really liked Anna. She felt the guilt that you would imagine she would, but you also knew it wasn't her fault and felt sympathy for what she was going through. Taking that leap and moving to a different country, was brave. Even if it could be seen as running away, I think she was more like trying to survive, and did what she had to do.
I really enjoyed this one, thank you NetGalley and Avon for letting me have a copy to read and review! And thanks CL Taylor for writing such a thrilling book! 😊
(Also, I loved seeing a character called Becca in there - it's a great name! 😊 )
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
December 14, 2019
Another high quality psychological thriller by one of my favourite authors C.L. Taylor. I find her writing instantly entertaining and so difficult to put down once you start reading the opening page. This one was no different and shortly after starting reading it I was already re-planning my day in order to finish it, so you are warned.
The lead character, Anna is involved in a road accident and three of her work colleagues are left dead or seriously injured. Anna was driving and feels responsible and following her release from hospital decides that she needs to make a clean break in her life, heading for pastures new. She breaks from her boyfriend and takes a position in a hotel on the small Scottish island of Rum.
Anna felt that she was being stalked before she left for Scotland and she has an unnerving feeling that someone is out to harm her. Shortly after starting her new job, seven guests book in and each of them has a secret, but one of them is lying about who they are and why they're on the island. There's a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they've set their sights on Anna.
Excellent psychological thriller guaranteed to thrill.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The lead character, Anna is involved in a road accident and three of her work colleagues are left dead or seriously injured. Anna was driving and feels responsible and following her release from hospital decides that she needs to make a clean break in her life, heading for pastures new. She breaks from her boyfriend and takes a position in a hotel on the small Scottish island of Rum.
Anna felt that she was being stalked before she left for Scotland and she has an unnerving feeling that someone is out to harm her. Shortly after starting her new job, seven guests book in and each of them has a secret, but one of them is lying about who they are and why they're on the island. There's a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they've set their sights on Anna.
Excellent psychological thriller guaranteed to thrill.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2019
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February 2, 2019
A wonderfully plotted thriller that kept my mind working overtime trying to figure out who the culprit was; this is definitely one to read! With its remote island setting and cast of disparate and damaged characters all adding to the tense plot, I raced through the pages as the suspense increased and the well of suspects decreased, until just that final one remained! I think you'd be hard pressed to guess the ending before it arrives, well, I certainly couldn't, and this all added to my enjoyment of the story.
I guess the only trouble with this book was that sleep did get in the way of reading it! I soon devoured the rest in the morning though and have no hesitation in recommending this to fellow thriller fans.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I guess the only trouble with this book was that sleep did get in the way of reading it! I soon devoured the rest in the morning though and have no hesitation in recommending this to fellow thriller fans.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 14, 2018
This is a book I would definitely not recommend starting on an evening. Not only won’t you want to go to sleep, you won’t be able to pull yourself away from the book either!
There is no better setting than a secluded island for this genre of story. As lovely as it sounds, the fact that a doctor only visits once every two weeks and if there were ever any emergencies, you are totally cut off. You can’t even drive to the island! Alarm bells were starting to ring before the guests turn up! You really get the sense of isolation that the characters start to feel.
The murderer has to be one of the people on the island, of which there arn’t many. Trying to figure out just which one it was, well, like Anna, I was constantly switching and changing my mind. There are also some added little twists in the story, just to make things even more interesting. I had absolutely no clue until the author was ready to divulge just who it was, adding to the already tense climax.
Sleep, for me, is the authors best book yet. The tension and suspense that mounts throughout was superb and it really does make it, an edge of your seat read. A very chilling reading experience with plenty to thrill it’s reader. A must read for lovers of suspense.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
There is no better setting than a secluded island for this genre of story. As lovely as it sounds, the fact that a doctor only visits once every two weeks and if there were ever any emergencies, you are totally cut off. You can’t even drive to the island! Alarm bells were starting to ring before the guests turn up! You really get the sense of isolation that the characters start to feel.
The murderer has to be one of the people on the island, of which there arn’t many. Trying to figure out just which one it was, well, like Anna, I was constantly switching and changing my mind. There are also some added little twists in the story, just to make things even more interesting. I had absolutely no clue until the author was ready to divulge just who it was, adding to the already tense climax.
Sleep, for me, is the authors best book yet. The tension and suspense that mounts throughout was superb and it really does make it, an edge of your seat read. A very chilling reading experience with plenty to thrill it’s reader. A must read for lovers of suspense.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
April 4, 2019
There’s a certain irony in the fact that I’m writing this review at 3.20am because I can’t sleep, although fortunately not for the same reasons as this book’s protagonist! It’s certainly a suspenseful page-turner that’s worth tomorrow’s inevitable yawns...
Wracked with guilt over her role in the car crash that killed two of her colleagues and paralysed a third, and unsure if the creepy notes she’s finding are the work of a stalker or her own paranoia, Anna quits her job and her failing relationship and moves from London to work in an isolated hotel on the remote Scottish Island of Rum. When a walking tour group book in, she hopes the work will help resolve her insomnia, but then a fierce summer storm cuts them off from outside help, things start to go missing and a sudden death leaves her in charge of seven strangers who all seem to be keeping secrets, Anna doesn’t know who she can trust, when one of them seems determined that she should sleep - forever.
I had read and quite enjoyed one of this author’s earlier novels, (The Lie) but this was a far more accomplished psychological suspense/mystery that had me unsure what on earth was going on despite plenty of clues. I don’t like first person present narration but it worked well here, and the other third person scenes helped fill in the rest of the story. The writing is excellent, just enough descriptions to get a feel for the wild and beautiful island setting without distracting from the plot. I suspected each character in turn, as I was meant to, but didn’t guess the guilty party at all. Anna grew on me as a heroine with her courage and strong principles and I liked the ending. I will certainly be looking out for more from this author.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
Sleep is available from today.
Wracked with guilt over her role in the car crash that killed two of her colleagues and paralysed a third, and unsure if the creepy notes she’s finding are the work of a stalker or her own paranoia, Anna quits her job and her failing relationship and moves from London to work in an isolated hotel on the remote Scottish Island of Rum. When a walking tour group book in, she hopes the work will help resolve her insomnia, but then a fierce summer storm cuts them off from outside help, things start to go missing and a sudden death leaves her in charge of seven strangers who all seem to be keeping secrets, Anna doesn’t know who she can trust, when one of them seems determined that she should sleep - forever.
I had read and quite enjoyed one of this author’s earlier novels, (The Lie) but this was a far more accomplished psychological suspense/mystery that had me unsure what on earth was going on despite plenty of clues. I don’t like first person present narration but it worked well here, and the other third person scenes helped fill in the rest of the story. The writing is excellent, just enough descriptions to get a feel for the wild and beautiful island setting without distracting from the plot. I suspected each character in turn, as I was meant to, but didn’t guess the guilty party at all. Anna grew on me as a heroine with her courage and strong principles and I liked the ending. I will certainly be looking out for more from this author.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
Sleep is available from today.
April 4, 2019
What drew me to Sleep was not only my love of Ms Taylor's previous novels but also the remote setting of the Scottish island of Rum. There really is nothing better than a gripping thriller set in a claustrophobic landscape that leads to a dark, unpredictable and deeply atmospheric story. There are twists, turns and red herrings galore and the author does a superb job of throwing you off the scent. This is a writer at the top of her game and who just gets better and better with each book. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining addition to Cally's catalogue of work and a real page-turner to boot. If your a fan of psychological thrillers you could do a lot worse than picking this up.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
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