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Truth Be Told
Soon to be a major TV series from Apple TV+ produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine! Starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul.
Truth Be Told - formerly titled Are You Sleeping - is an addictive psychological thriller about a hit podcast that reopens a murder case and threatens to unravel the carefully constructed life of the victim’s daughter.
The only thing more dangerous than a lie . . . is the truth.
Josie Buhrman has spent the last ten years trying to escape her family. Following her father’s murder thirteen years before, her mother ran away to join a cult and her twin sister betrayed her in an unimaginable way, leaving Josie alone.
Now, Josie finally has a happy new life in New York with her fiancé, Caleb. The only problem is that she has lied to Caleb about every detail of her past – starting with her last name.
When investigative reporter Poppy Parnell re-examines her father's case on her hit podcast Josie’s world begins to unravel and then the unexpected death of her mother forces Josie to return home.
Now she must confront the secrets from her past – and the lies on which she has staked her future.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2017
904 people are currently reading
29897 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Barber
4 books1,042 followersKathleen Barber’s first novel Truth Be Told (formerly published as Are You Sleeping) is the inspiration for the Apple TV+ series of the same name, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and starring Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul. Kathleen was raised in Galesburg, Illinois, and is a graduate of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and son. Follow Me is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,969 reviews
March 12, 2017
4 Stars.
What happens when your past comes back to haunt you? In “Are You Sleeping” by Kathleen Barber, the main character, Josie Burhman finds out. And for her, it isn’t pretty.
Josie has spent ten years hiding from her past, going so far as to legally change her name and traveling abroad aimlessly for five years before setting down roots in New York. But as we all know, you can’t escape your past for long. Josie’s father was murdered, thirteen years prior. Her mother, unable to cope, takes off for California, joining a cult, leaving Josie and her twin sister Lanie, in the care of her Aunt. Lanie loses it and strikes out at everyone she loves. And Josie? She leaves right after her High School graduation. Ten years later she is living a new life in New York with her boyfriend Caleb. The problem? He knows nothing of her past and Josie doesn’t want him to find out. Unfortunately for Josie, an investigative reporter creates a series of podcasts reopening the investigation into her father’s death, which coincides with her mother’s suicide. And then? All hell breaks loose, forcing Josie to go back home for the first time in ten years in order to confront her family and her past.
In “Are You Sleeping” the author, Kathleen Barber, did a phenomenal job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. Every time I thought knew what was going to happen I was wrong. The pacing of the novel was quick, the storyline drew me in immediately and the characters were all consuming. The character of Josie gripped me and she wouldn’t let go. There were times when I was completely exasperated with her, yet I liked her a lot. And the character of Ellen, Josie’s cousin? Loved her. She made me laugh. A lot. I also liked the social media aspect of the story as it created a dynamic I am not familiar with. I found “Are You Sleeping” to be a suspenseful mystery that flowed fairly well and kept me interested throughout, thus if you are looking for a good mystery, this is it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 3/11/17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 8/1/17.
What happens when your past comes back to haunt you? In “Are You Sleeping” by Kathleen Barber, the main character, Josie Burhman finds out. And for her, it isn’t pretty.
Josie has spent ten years hiding from her past, going so far as to legally change her name and traveling abroad aimlessly for five years before setting down roots in New York. But as we all know, you can’t escape your past for long. Josie’s father was murdered, thirteen years prior. Her mother, unable to cope, takes off for California, joining a cult, leaving Josie and her twin sister Lanie, in the care of her Aunt. Lanie loses it and strikes out at everyone she loves. And Josie? She leaves right after her High School graduation. Ten years later she is living a new life in New York with her boyfriend Caleb. The problem? He knows nothing of her past and Josie doesn’t want him to find out. Unfortunately for Josie, an investigative reporter creates a series of podcasts reopening the investigation into her father’s death, which coincides with her mother’s suicide. And then? All hell breaks loose, forcing Josie to go back home for the first time in ten years in order to confront her family and her past.
In “Are You Sleeping” the author, Kathleen Barber, did a phenomenal job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. Every time I thought knew what was going to happen I was wrong. The pacing of the novel was quick, the storyline drew me in immediately and the characters were all consuming. The character of Josie gripped me and she wouldn’t let go. There were times when I was completely exasperated with her, yet I liked her a lot. And the character of Ellen, Josie’s cousin? Loved her. She made me laugh. A lot. I also liked the social media aspect of the story as it created a dynamic I am not familiar with. I found “Are You Sleeping” to be a suspenseful mystery that flowed fairly well and kept me interested throughout, thus if you are looking for a good mystery, this is it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 3/11/17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 8/1/17.
July 30, 2017
3.5 stars
Are You Sleeping is a predictable psychological thriller. In spite of this, it’s very readable...so much so that I found that I HAD to keep reading, even though I knew how things were going to play out.
10 years ago, Josie Borden nee Buhrman fled her small Illinois hometown to start a new life. She travels the world, changes her last name, and finally settles down with her boyfriend, Caleb, in Brooklyn. What’s she running from? 13 years ago, Josie’s father was murdered. Lanie, Josie’s twin sister, witnessed the murder and identified the killer. As a result of this tragic event, Josie’s mother joins a cult, Lanie becomes a drug addict, and Josie lives in a world of denial.
Josie’s done her best to keep the past at bay, to the point where she even lied to Caleb about her family background. BUT she can’t hide anymore when the podcast Reconsidered starts investigating her father’s murder.
Reconsidered ( ala Making a Murderer ) is hosted by Poppy Parnell, who is unrelenting in her efforts to cast doubt upon the man who was convicted of killing Josie’s father, Warren Cave. In order to sensationalize the podcast, she tears Josie’s family apart, and quetsions their integrity. Did Warren Cave really kill Josie’s father? Or is Poppy Parnell just trying to profit off of one family’s tragedy.
Told through primarily Josie’s POV, but mixed with the podcast, articles about the murder, interviews, discussion threads on Reddit and Twitter, I really enjoyed the format of this book.
Are You Sleeping is flawed (I'm too lazy to go into detail), but as I said above, I got sucked in.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Are You Sleeping is a predictable psychological thriller. In spite of this, it’s very readable...so much so that I found that I HAD to keep reading, even though I knew how things were going to play out.
10 years ago, Josie Borden nee Buhrman fled her small Illinois hometown to start a new life. She travels the world, changes her last name, and finally settles down with her boyfriend, Caleb, in Brooklyn. What’s she running from? 13 years ago, Josie’s father was murdered. Lanie, Josie’s twin sister, witnessed the murder and identified the killer. As a result of this tragic event, Josie’s mother joins a cult, Lanie becomes a drug addict, and Josie lives in a world of denial.
Josie’s done her best to keep the past at bay, to the point where she even lied to Caleb about her family background. BUT she can’t hide anymore when the podcast Reconsidered starts investigating her father’s murder.
Reconsidered ( ala Making a Murderer ) is hosted by Poppy Parnell, who is unrelenting in her efforts to cast doubt upon the man who was convicted of killing Josie’s father, Warren Cave. In order to sensationalize the podcast, she tears Josie’s family apart, and quetsions their integrity. Did Warren Cave really kill Josie’s father? Or is Poppy Parnell just trying to profit off of one family’s tragedy.
Told through primarily Josie’s POV, but mixed with the podcast, articles about the murder, interviews, discussion threads on Reddit and Twitter, I really enjoyed the format of this book.
Are You Sleeping is flawed (I'm too lazy to go into detail), but as I said above, I got sucked in.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2017
An unscrupulous reporter, Poppy Parnell starts a podcast to reopen the murder case of Charles Buhrman and it quickly goes viral. His two daughters, Josie and twin sister Lanie haven’t spoken to each other since the day of the murder. A horrid event that sadly tore the family apart along the way.
Now, years later, the recent death of their mother is bringing them back together. Can Josie let go of the past and reunite with her sister?
Told from Josie’s perspective, as well as Poppies’ pod-casts and the avalanche of tweets that followed. Then the ensuing crazed masses getting caught up in an internet witch-hunt.
This book highlights how social media can influence people, creating a frenzy in whatever direction the curser is pointed. While this pseudo-power can be applied for good, or in many cases, for pure sensationalism at the expense of those the spotlight is on.
This is a very quick and easy read that kept me guessing through most of the book. I did figure out the curve-ball before the end but still enjoyed getting there. I enjoyed the ride and would certainly recommend it. To me, this book would make a great light vacation/ beach....mountain getaway kind of read!
A traveling sister read with Norma, Brenda and Lindsay!
To find this review along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous blog at: http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Now, years later, the recent death of their mother is bringing them back together. Can Josie let go of the past and reunite with her sister?
Told from Josie’s perspective, as well as Poppies’ pod-casts and the avalanche of tweets that followed. Then the ensuing crazed masses getting caught up in an internet witch-hunt.
This book highlights how social media can influence people, creating a frenzy in whatever direction the curser is pointed. While this pseudo-power can be applied for good, or in many cases, for pure sensationalism at the expense of those the spotlight is on.
This is a very quick and easy read that kept me guessing through most of the book. I did figure out the curve-ball before the end but still enjoyed getting there. I enjoyed the ride and would certainly recommend it. To me, this book would make a great light vacation/ beach....mountain getaway kind of read!
A traveling sister read with Norma, Brenda and Lindsay!
To find this review along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous blog at: http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2019
Are you Sleeping (Truth be Told) by Kathleen Barber is a 2017 Gallery Books publication.
Highly suspenseful psychological thriller!
I received a newsletter/ email from one of the many book related sites I subscribe to, I can’t remember which one- but they highly recommended a book called ‘Truth be Told’ which will soon be adapted into a miniseries for Apple TV. When I went to Goodreads to see how well the book was received, I didn’t find it right away. A little digging revealed the book was originally published under a different title- “Are you Sleeping”
As it turns out, I already had this book on my Kindle, but as so often happens, it slid down on my TBR list a long while back. So, I pulled it up, intending to only sample a few chapters, and before I knew it, I was halfway through it.
True Crime Podcasts are all the rage, and have been instrumental in helping solve cold cases, or in casting doubt on the guilt of a prime suspect or the person currently serving time for a crime they may not have committed. As such, the premise of this book is timely, capitalizing on a very hot trend.
In this case, ruthless crime reporter, Poppy Parnell, the host of a true crime podcast, begins poking around in the murder investigation of one Charles Buhrman. When Poppy challenges the eyewitness accounts, going so far as to suggest the man sent to prison for the murder might, in fact, be innocent, the podcast goes viral almost immediately. Everyone is talking about it.
But for Charles’ daughter, Josie- the podcast becomes her worst nightmare. After her father’s death, she left home, changed her name and started a new life. Now with the popularity of Poppy’s podcast, hurling the lurid details of her father’s murder into the public’s consciousness again, her hard won battle for privacy is skating on thin ice.
Then she gets a phone call explaining that her estranged mother, who had joined a cult after her husband was killed, has died, forcing Josie to return home and face the past she has been running from for over a decade…
As much as she is loath to think about her messy family situation and the awful events surrounding her father’s murder, deep down Josie is worried Poppy might be right. What really happened the night Charles Buhrman was murdered? Could there have been a mistake? Is the wrong man in prison? Is the real killer still out there?
The tension in this book is thick- not just from the mystery surrounding the murder, but from all the family drama and the prickly situation Josie finds herself in with her fiancé, who knew nothing of her past. I’m always a sucker for deep dark family secrets and betrayals, and stunning revelations. On top of that, cold case mysteries are one of my favorite crime tropes, which explains why I was so easily pulled into this drama.
As engrossing as the story was, it was probably impossible to fully prevent one from developing a strong suspicion about the ultimate big reveal. I guessed it in advance, but the author left me twisting in the wind almost to the bitter end before finally letting all the missing pieces to click into place.
Normally, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but in this case, the author waited a bit too long to lock in the final puzzle piece, which under the circumstances, was anticlimactic, and a little too convenient, as well.
However, I still enjoyed the story. It was a fast read- in a good way- and was very absorbing and atmospheric.
Overall, this is an impressive debut novel and I think Kathleen Barber is an author we’ll want to keep our eyes on.
3.5 rounded up.
Highly suspenseful psychological thriller!
I received a newsletter/ email from one of the many book related sites I subscribe to, I can’t remember which one- but they highly recommended a book called ‘Truth be Told’ which will soon be adapted into a miniseries for Apple TV. When I went to Goodreads to see how well the book was received, I didn’t find it right away. A little digging revealed the book was originally published under a different title- “Are you Sleeping”
As it turns out, I already had this book on my Kindle, but as so often happens, it slid down on my TBR list a long while back. So, I pulled it up, intending to only sample a few chapters, and before I knew it, I was halfway through it.
True Crime Podcasts are all the rage, and have been instrumental in helping solve cold cases, or in casting doubt on the guilt of a prime suspect or the person currently serving time for a crime they may not have committed. As such, the premise of this book is timely, capitalizing on a very hot trend.
In this case, ruthless crime reporter, Poppy Parnell, the host of a true crime podcast, begins poking around in the murder investigation of one Charles Buhrman. When Poppy challenges the eyewitness accounts, going so far as to suggest the man sent to prison for the murder might, in fact, be innocent, the podcast goes viral almost immediately. Everyone is talking about it.
But for Charles’ daughter, Josie- the podcast becomes her worst nightmare. After her father’s death, she left home, changed her name and started a new life. Now with the popularity of Poppy’s podcast, hurling the lurid details of her father’s murder into the public’s consciousness again, her hard won battle for privacy is skating on thin ice.
Then she gets a phone call explaining that her estranged mother, who had joined a cult after her husband was killed, has died, forcing Josie to return home and face the past she has been running from for over a decade…
As much as she is loath to think about her messy family situation and the awful events surrounding her father’s murder, deep down Josie is worried Poppy might be right. What really happened the night Charles Buhrman was murdered? Could there have been a mistake? Is the wrong man in prison? Is the real killer still out there?
The tension in this book is thick- not just from the mystery surrounding the murder, but from all the family drama and the prickly situation Josie finds herself in with her fiancé, who knew nothing of her past. I’m always a sucker for deep dark family secrets and betrayals, and stunning revelations. On top of that, cold case mysteries are one of my favorite crime tropes, which explains why I was so easily pulled into this drama.
As engrossing as the story was, it was probably impossible to fully prevent one from developing a strong suspicion about the ultimate big reveal. I guessed it in advance, but the author left me twisting in the wind almost to the bitter end before finally letting all the missing pieces to click into place.
Normally, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but in this case, the author waited a bit too long to lock in the final puzzle piece, which under the circumstances, was anticlimactic, and a little too convenient, as well.
However, I still enjoyed the story. It was a fast read- in a good way- and was very absorbing and atmospheric.
Overall, this is an impressive debut novel and I think Kathleen Barber is an author we’ll want to keep our eyes on.
3.5 rounded up.
September 25, 2018
Reconsidered: The Chuck Buhrman Murder was splashed in bold red letters across a fuzzy black-and-white picture of my father. It was the headshot he had used for work, the one where he looked less like an actual college professor and more like a caricature of one, with his tweed jacket, crooked eyeglasses, and thick black beard. The faint twinkle in his eyes threatened to undo me.
Daddy.
this book is split pretty evenly between “family drama” and “mystery novel.” on the plus side, it is a compulsively readable book, which sounds like the bare minimum of praise, but it’s meant to reflect how quickly i read it (two days is not super quick, but considering the time i have available for reading, it’s quicker than i’ve been getting through many books), and the fact that i wanted to keep picking it up, even when i had more pressing things on my to-do list. and it was enjoyable, one of those summertime page-turners that keeps the mind distracted and entertained and invested in how it’s all gonna play out. on the minus side, it doesn’t have the most nuanced characters of all time, and it’s one of those books whose enjoyment is a bit diminished in the aftermath period, when the dust has settled, the thrill of the hunt has passed, and the summer school assignment begins - the dissection of the book’s craft for review purposes.
quickplot review - josie borden is living an enviable life - she owns an apartment in brooklyn which she shares with her loving and supportive humanitarian boyfriend caleb, she works at a bookstore (which is enviable in theory), and she has spent years traveling the world in a carefree bohemian whirlwind. however, her rootlessness has, erm …roots in less-enviable circumstances - thirteen years earlier, when her name was josie buhrman and she lived in smalltown illinois, her beloved history professor father chuck was murdered in the family’s kitchen, a crime witnessed by her twin sister lanie, whose subsequent testimony landed a 17-year-old neighbor named warren cave in jail. chuck’s death caused their emotionally-fragile mother to break down completely, abandoning them with her sister amelia to join a cult in california. lanie became a burnout troublemaker while josie worked extra-hard to be the good kid, but after lanie betrayed her in the most egregious way, josie left town and cut all ties with her sister, changing her name and the story of her past so that even five years into her relationship with caleb, he thinks her parents both died in a car accident and that she is an only child.
enter poppy parnell. poppy is a former true crime blogger who aspires to greater heights and she begins an investigative, and very addictive, podcast looking into the buhrman case, at the request of warren’s mother. it becomes popular enough that josie hears fellow subway commuters discussing it, and - even more tellingly - her reclusive mother learns about it after fans invade the cult’s compound, and she hangs herself shortly thereafter, causing josie to reluctantly return to her hometown for the funeral, where she is forced to confront family, friends, and the past, as well as all the lies she told caleb.
this is all first-act foundation, so don’t come at me with spoiler pitchforks.
from there, the book splits into two intertwined strands: the truth of what happened the night of the murder and a family story of mental illness, lies, betrayal, the inescapable weight of blood, and whether it is more merciful to forgive or to set someone free to start over.
it’s a 3.5, rounded up - i’m willing to cut much slack with debuts, particularly with debuts that are bringing something unusual to the mix, which this one does in its structure - the narrative chunks are broken up by transcripts of a true crime podcast, and the reactions of listeners to the episodes on reddit threads. i never listened to serial, or any other podcast - i’m still unclear on how they work, but poppy’s is pretty horrifying - invasive, gossipy and unprofessional, and seeing its impact on a family who has endured so much trauma, and now treated to the blithe idiocy of its fans’ online commentary, is nauseating. which i mean in a good way, because this is the most interesting and original aspect of the book, and which puts me in a precarious position - being disgusted by these vultures who are treating a family tragedy as water-cooler entertainment while i am, myself, being entertained by a novel about a family tragedy makes me just as culpable as they are on the great wheel of voyeurism, although i am giving myself a pass because i’m not camping outside anyone’s house demanding they tell me their darkest secrets.
it’s a solid debut that you won’t regret reading, even if the characters are a little one-note, and i look forward to seeing what she does next.
******************************************
when it rains, it pours... after not winning a goodreads giveaway for seven whole months, i have suddenly won two in two months! of course, it's terrible timing, as i am completely swamped with books i have promised to read, but i so appreciate freebies that i will use my fastest reading-eyes to get to this one as soon as humanly possible.
come to my blog!
April 18, 2017
Perception.
And how exactly do we arrive at our view of the world and all of its clingy entanglements?
Is it purely ours to hold within or has it been tainted and smeared with the handprints of others?
Kathleen Barber presents her story of Are You Sleeping through the lense of social media. Poppy Parnell, an investigative reporter, is resurrecting a murder case from 2002. It involves a beloved college professor from Elm Park College in Illinois. Although the murderer has been convicted and serving his sentence, Poppy feels that there is more to this story.
Enter Josie Buhrman. Josie is the victim's daughter who has purposefully embraced the anonymous lifestyle of New York City. She's made no contact with her twin sister, Lanie, in over ten years. Lanie has made sure of that with quite the betrayal from years ago. Josie lives with her boyfriend, Caleb, who is presently working in the Congo. She met him while traipsing through Europe and Africa on her avoidance tour.
But there's plenty of breadcrumbs left behind on this Josie trail. Poppy eventually locates Josie and pursues her with her relentless podcast. Josie has erected stone walls in the form of jagged lies in regard to Caleb. He has no idea about her backstory until this "orphan's" mother dies and she must return to Elm Park. The jig is up and it's time for Josie to face the music and the sister she left behind.
Are You Sleeping had all the makings of quite the read. Kathleen Barber created a story lined with all the intrusiveness of social media into our lives topped off with the subjective nature of the human eye. What exactly is our own truth and how much of it is brushed with the strokes of other's verbal involvement? How easily are we swayed by another's words?
I know that there are and will be much higher reviews for this one. The element of "time" did me in. Barber sets out a loop that has widened over the years in this novel. To cinch it back in was a cumbersome undertaking for the reader. Of all the gin mills in all the world, Poppy picks this one. The actions taking place in the finale were so contrived. The tension at this place point was not due to a surprise element, but it was more in question of how to get all the disjointed pieces back in the box.
This is a debut novel for Ms. Barber. I'd like to take another spin around the block in her next one for sure. She has the makings of a successful author.
I received a copy of Are You Sleeping through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Gallery Books (Simon & Shuster) and to Kathleen Barber for the opportunity.
And how exactly do we arrive at our view of the world and all of its clingy entanglements?
Is it purely ours to hold within or has it been tainted and smeared with the handprints of others?
Kathleen Barber presents her story of Are You Sleeping through the lense of social media. Poppy Parnell, an investigative reporter, is resurrecting a murder case from 2002. It involves a beloved college professor from Elm Park College in Illinois. Although the murderer has been convicted and serving his sentence, Poppy feels that there is more to this story.
Enter Josie Buhrman. Josie is the victim's daughter who has purposefully embraced the anonymous lifestyle of New York City. She's made no contact with her twin sister, Lanie, in over ten years. Lanie has made sure of that with quite the betrayal from years ago. Josie lives with her boyfriend, Caleb, who is presently working in the Congo. She met him while traipsing through Europe and Africa on her avoidance tour.
But there's plenty of breadcrumbs left behind on this Josie trail. Poppy eventually locates Josie and pursues her with her relentless podcast. Josie has erected stone walls in the form of jagged lies in regard to Caleb. He has no idea about her backstory until this "orphan's" mother dies and she must return to Elm Park. The jig is up and it's time for Josie to face the music and the sister she left behind.
Are You Sleeping had all the makings of quite the read. Kathleen Barber created a story lined with all the intrusiveness of social media into our lives topped off with the subjective nature of the human eye. What exactly is our own truth and how much of it is brushed with the strokes of other's verbal involvement? How easily are we swayed by another's words?
I know that there are and will be much higher reviews for this one. The element of "time" did me in. Barber sets out a loop that has widened over the years in this novel. To cinch it back in was a cumbersome undertaking for the reader. Of all the gin mills in all the world, Poppy picks this one. The actions taking place in the finale were so contrived. The tension at this place point was not due to a surprise element, but it was more in question of how to get all the disjointed pieces back in the box.
This is a debut novel for Ms. Barber. I'd like to take another spin around the block in her next one for sure. She has the makings of a successful author.
I received a copy of Are You Sleeping through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Gallery Books (Simon & Shuster) and to Kathleen Barber for the opportunity.
October 8, 2017
3.5 stars! I enjoyed this suspenseful, gripping, page-turning debut psychological thriller!
This story follows the main character, Josie, through the reassessment of her father’s murder case from thirteen years prior. Investigative reporter, Poppy Parnell, creates and releases six mega-hit podcasts titled “Reconsidered” that reexamine this murder trial. Through the podcasts, Parnell asks questions to uncover facts and theories which end up reopening the case that was ‘solved’ years ago. Was the convicted killer who has been sitting in prison since the trial actually innocent?
I loved the format of this book and the way this story was presented. I liked reading from Josie’s perspective. The six podcasts along with several blog posts and interviews are included throughout the chapters. This provided a unique and refreshing reading perspective which I greatly enjoyed.
I found myself glued to the pages for the majority of this engrossing story, however, the ending didn’t quite live up to the excitement of the rest of the book for me. It was still a good, satisfying ending, but not as excellent as the rest of the novel. Things seemed to wrap up a little too quick and neat for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this fast-paced and creative story and would be very interested in reading more from this author! This was an impressive debut novel.
To find this review along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous blog at:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
A big thank you to NetGalley, Threshold Pocket Books and Kathleen Barber for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
This story follows the main character, Josie, through the reassessment of her father’s murder case from thirteen years prior. Investigative reporter, Poppy Parnell, creates and releases six mega-hit podcasts titled “Reconsidered” that reexamine this murder trial. Through the podcasts, Parnell asks questions to uncover facts and theories which end up reopening the case that was ‘solved’ years ago. Was the convicted killer who has been sitting in prison since the trial actually innocent?
I loved the format of this book and the way this story was presented. I liked reading from Josie’s perspective. The six podcasts along with several blog posts and interviews are included throughout the chapters. This provided a unique and refreshing reading perspective which I greatly enjoyed.
I found myself glued to the pages for the majority of this engrossing story, however, the ending didn’t quite live up to the excitement of the rest of the book for me. It was still a good, satisfying ending, but not as excellent as the rest of the novel. Things seemed to wrap up a little too quick and neat for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this fast-paced and creative story and would be very interested in reading more from this author! This was an impressive debut novel.
To find this review along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous blog at:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
A big thank you to NetGalley, Threshold Pocket Books and Kathleen Barber for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
October 5, 2017
Traveling Sisters Group Read with Brenda, Kaceey, & Lindsay!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
ARE YOU SLEEPING by KATHLEEN BARBER is a clever, suspenseful, creative, and a somewhat predictable psychological thriller novel that was uniquely told with podcast excerpts and social media feeds which added a very interesting aspect to this storyline for me. The way that this story was told and the format of this book is what I found most enjoyable.
KATHLEEN BARBER delivers a well-written and character-driven novel here that takes us on a journey of solving the murder of Josie’s father from 13 years ago that has attracted the attention of the media. I really enjoyed Josie and Lainie’s characters.
This isn’t particularly what I would call a fast-paced or gripping thriller but KATHLEEN BARBER wrote a very readable story here and I really enjoyed and found the dysfunction of the family quite interesting and it was hard to put down. Would recommend to anyone that likes a thriller on the lighter side with lots of betrayal, secrets, lies, and familial dynamics within the storyline.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and Kathleen Barber for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.
All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
ARE YOU SLEEPING by KATHLEEN BARBER is a clever, suspenseful, creative, and a somewhat predictable psychological thriller novel that was uniquely told with podcast excerpts and social media feeds which added a very interesting aspect to this storyline for me. The way that this story was told and the format of this book is what I found most enjoyable.
KATHLEEN BARBER delivers a well-written and character-driven novel here that takes us on a journey of solving the murder of Josie’s father from 13 years ago that has attracted the attention of the media. I really enjoyed Josie and Lainie’s characters.
This isn’t particularly what I would call a fast-paced or gripping thriller but KATHLEEN BARBER wrote a very readable story here and I really enjoyed and found the dysfunction of the family quite interesting and it was hard to put down. Would recommend to anyone that likes a thriller on the lighter side with lots of betrayal, secrets, lies, and familial dynamics within the storyline.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher and Kathleen Barber for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.
All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...
October 6, 2017
3.5 stars
I read this one along with my Traveling Sisters and enjoyed our short discussions. Time wasn’t really in our favour with this one and we mostly read it on our own. So for this review, I will focus on my thoughts.
Are You Sleeping was a nice surprise for me and I really enjoyed the lighter side to this story yet a little chilling and unsettling at the same time. It’s a story with hidden family secrets and betrayals that has caught the attention of the media. I really enjoyed what I called the Poppy Pods (podcasts) and liked that unique twist to the story. I thought Kathleen Barber gave us a good look into how the media and their audience can latch on and become obsessed with their views and how their reactions can affect a person. I could really see how that affected our main character Josie in this story and I could really feel for her.
I had a love/hate relationship here with Josie and I have to say she was not my favorite twin sister in this story. I really felt more for her sister Lanie and I thought Josie was not the best sister either. Josie had me so angry at her at times and I really wanted to shout at her to change her behavior to her sister.
Like Norma’s thoughts, I didn’t find this story gripping or fast-paced. I did enjoy the story and found it quite interesting. I recommend for an interesting lighter read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for the opportunity read and review this book.
I read this one along with my Traveling Sisters and enjoyed our short discussions. Time wasn’t really in our favour with this one and we mostly read it on our own. So for this review, I will focus on my thoughts.
Are You Sleeping was a nice surprise for me and I really enjoyed the lighter side to this story yet a little chilling and unsettling at the same time. It’s a story with hidden family secrets and betrayals that has caught the attention of the media. I really enjoyed what I called the Poppy Pods (podcasts) and liked that unique twist to the story. I thought Kathleen Barber gave us a good look into how the media and their audience can latch on and become obsessed with their views and how their reactions can affect a person. I could really see how that affected our main character Josie in this story and I could really feel for her.
I had a love/hate relationship here with Josie and I have to say she was not my favorite twin sister in this story. I really felt more for her sister Lanie and I thought Josie was not the best sister either. Josie had me so angry at her at times and I really wanted to shout at her to change her behavior to her sister.
Like Norma’s thoughts, I didn’t find this story gripping or fast-paced. I did enjoy the story and found it quite interesting. I recommend for an interesting lighter read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kathleen Barber for the opportunity read and review this book.
February 8, 2020
What an exciting thriller! Josie has tried to escape her family for over ten years. Her father was murdered, her mother joined a cult, and her sister turned on her. Josie is alone and scarred.
Eventually, Josie is engaged and finds happiness in New York City; however, her fiancé has no idea about her past. When a reporter exposes Josie’s father’s case, her world falls apart.
I loved the podcast elements. I loved the reporter (Poppy’s) character, as well as Josie. I really felt for Josie and her having to re-live trauma when the podcast goes live. This is an original, current, murder mystery that was hard to put down and easy to pick up. I’m definitely excited to watch the show now!
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader and my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Eventually, Josie is engaged and finds happiness in New York City; however, her fiancé has no idea about her past. When a reporter exposes Josie’s father’s case, her world falls apart.
I loved the podcast elements. I loved the reporter (Poppy’s) character, as well as Josie. I really felt for Josie and her having to re-live trauma when the podcast goes live. This is an original, current, murder mystery that was hard to put down and easy to pick up. I’m definitely excited to watch the show now!
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader and my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
July 27, 2017
It’s been thirteen years since Josie’s father was murdered and twelve years since his murderer was imprisoned. The tragedy destroyed the family. Josie hasn't talked to her mom or twin sister in over a decade. She thought she left all of that baggage in the past, but blogger/journalist Poppy Parnell is hosting a hit serial podcast that's bringing the closed case back into the public eye. Josie panics. She’s spent the last decade trying to forget that night and now everyone is talking about it. She changed her last name and hasn't even told her long-term boyfriend the truth about her family. As horrified as she is by the idea of the podcast, she can’t resist listening in. She begins to doubt her sister's story, losing the only closure she ever had. Could her sister have been mistaken, or even lying, about what she saw that night? Has an innocent man been in jail for the last twelve years? Things get even worse for the Buhrman family when Josie’s mother dies shortly after the release of the second episode. The untimely death forces Josie to come out of hiding and confront the painful past she has been running away from. Will she finally have to face the sister who betrayed her?
It's an addictive read, but not a memorable one. The non-generic cover reeled me in, but in the end it felt like many of the other thrillers I’ve read lately. These first-person narrators with dark pasts are all starting to sound the same: bland personalities & the obsessing over past events with increasing detail as the story goes on. However, I liked that Josie had to go back to her hometown and interact with her family again, so she wasn't completely isolated from other people. I loved her bossy but loyal cousin Ellen! The other problem was that I didn't have the sense of urgency that I like to feel when I read mysteries. No one seems to be threatened by outside danger and Josie isn't driven by finding the truth. In fact, she spends most of the story pushing away the one person who knows what happened.
Some of my favorite parts of this book deal with social media. Josie experiences having the worst moments of her life viewed as entertainment. Her story forces us to witness the ramifications of viewing someone's tragedy as a guilty pleasure. Poppy claims she’s merely an objective party trying to ascertain the truth, but her sensationalist reporting leads to people harassing the family. Interspersed between the chapters are Reddit threads, Twitter discussions, Facebook threads, and podcast transcripts. The author nailed the back-and-forth between the armchair detectives! Everyone is certain their theory is the correct one. People with firsthand knowledge are eager to betray the family and share what they know with the masses for a tiny taste of fame or Internet points. The listeners create caricatures out of the Buhrmans and tend to analyze every clue in the least charitable way possible. For instance, Poppy and many of her fans assume that the Buhrman family's reluctance to talk means they're hiding something—but perhaps it just means they want to be left alone.
What was the final breaking point between the sisters? What really happened the night of Chuck Buhrman’s death? Are You Sleeping? is a story about a family ripped apart by tragedy. One-by-one, the Buhrman women went their separate ways, taking on new identities to escape their emotional pain. Josie's mother joined a cult and her sister turned to drugs. Josie traveled the world and avoiding forming any attachments for as long as she good. Will anyone in this family ever be able to forgive themselves? Is there any chance for closure in this family's future? Hopefully, they'll be able to sort out the truth—preferably before Poppy Parnell broadcasts it to her five million listeners.
_______
I received this book for free from Netgalley and Pan Macmillan. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. It will be available August 10, 2017.
"The truth is never complicated. It’s just the truth. Circumstances may be complicated, but the truth is always black and white.”
It's an addictive read, but not a memorable one. The non-generic cover reeled me in, but in the end it felt like many of the other thrillers I’ve read lately. These first-person narrators with dark pasts are all starting to sound the same: bland personalities & the obsessing over past events with increasing detail as the story goes on. However, I liked that Josie had to go back to her hometown and interact with her family again, so she wasn't completely isolated from other people. I loved her bossy but loyal cousin Ellen! The other problem was that I didn't have the sense of urgency that I like to feel when I read mysteries. No one seems to be threatened by outside danger and Josie isn't driven by finding the truth. In fact, she spends most of the story pushing away the one person who knows what happened.
Some of my favorite parts of this book deal with social media. Josie experiences having the worst moments of her life viewed as entertainment. Her story forces us to witness the ramifications of viewing someone's tragedy as a guilty pleasure. Poppy claims she’s merely an objective party trying to ascertain the truth, but her sensationalist reporting leads to people harassing the family. Interspersed between the chapters are Reddit threads, Twitter discussions, Facebook threads, and podcast transcripts. The author nailed the back-and-forth between the armchair detectives! Everyone is certain their theory is the correct one. People with firsthand knowledge are eager to betray the family and share what they know with the masses for a tiny taste of fame or Internet points. The listeners create caricatures out of the Buhrmans and tend to analyze every clue in the least charitable way possible. For instance, Poppy and many of her fans assume that the Buhrman family's reluctance to talk means they're hiding something—but perhaps it just means they want to be left alone.
“You have to take care of the people you love or you lose them.”
What was the final breaking point between the sisters? What really happened the night of Chuck Buhrman’s death? Are You Sleeping? is a story about a family ripped apart by tragedy. One-by-one, the Buhrman women went their separate ways, taking on new identities to escape their emotional pain. Josie's mother joined a cult and her sister turned to drugs. Josie traveled the world and avoiding forming any attachments for as long as she good. Will anyone in this family ever be able to forgive themselves? Is there any chance for closure in this family's future? Hopefully, they'll be able to sort out the truth—preferably before Poppy Parnell broadcasts it to her five million listeners.
_______
I received this book for free from Netgalley and Pan Macmillan. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. It will be available August 10, 2017.
October 10, 2017
Are You Sleeping is part suspense, part thriller and a lot family drama all nicely rolled into one fabulously written book. While it is yet another TWIN drama filled with lies and deceit, the plot is unique and the addition of social media via podcasts make the story more interesting as well as more timely.
Josie and Lanie are twins who survived the tragic murder of their father years before. Their mother, in the aftermath, ran off to join a cult! Now, a reporter with a podcast is re-examining the murder and questioning the guilt of the accused. In the process more secrets that have been buried come to light. Is there still a killer running loose? Do the twins know more than they are saying? The podcasts want to know!
Barber has done a great job building suspense and developing her characters but it is her clever use of social media that make this book a must read!
Josie and Lanie are twins who survived the tragic murder of their father years before. Their mother, in the aftermath, ran off to join a cult! Now, a reporter with a podcast is re-examining the murder and questioning the guilt of the accused. In the process more secrets that have been buried come to light. Is there still a killer running loose? Do the twins know more than they are saying? The podcasts want to know!
Barber has done a great job building suspense and developing her characters but it is her clever use of social media that make this book a must read!
July 11, 2017
There’s an emerging literary trope in which an intelligent, but battled-scarred female protagonist with a tragic past, gets the hell outta dodge, but is inevitably forced back to her hometown to confront her demons. A spurned love interest, bitter ex-bestie, or pissed-off sibling are also generally thrown in for good measure. Off the top of my head I can think of two acclaimed works published in 2016, Kara Thomas’ The Darkest Corners and Megan Miranda’s All the Missing Girls, which fit this format. Now Kathleen Barber is throwing her hat (or pen?) in the ring with her 2017 offering Are you Sleeping. Did Ms. Barber fare well compared to her most recent counterparts? In some regards yes and in others a resounding--NO.
Josie, our main character, is this trope’s prototypical damaged lead. She’s escaped from small town Illinois and headed to Big City NYC in pursuit of an anonymous existence with her humanitarian boyfriend Caleb. Because y’all Josie’s father’s murder was a BIG DEAL. Like Nancy Grace BIG DEAL. But get this: Caleb has no clue because Josie NEVER TELLS HIM ABOUT IT. To hide her identity, years back Josie changed her last name and because she’s estranged from her twin sister (oh, and her mom’s in a cult….NBD) Caleb has remained blissfully ignorant. But more on the Caleb/Josie relationship later. Much more.
Without warning, Josie’s father’s murder is forcibly pushed back into the spotlight by a hugely successful podcast, Reconsidered, seemingly inspired by Netflix’s docuseries, Making a Murderer. Similar to Making a Murderer, Reconsidered questions whether the man in jail for Josie’s father’s murder, Warren Cave, is the actual perpetrator. Now Josie’s carefully constructed life (of lies) is in a tailspin, old wounds are being ripped open and then comes THE PHONECALL. Her mother, who she hasn’t seen since she moved to Cali to drink kool-aid & worship the sun (literally), has committed suicide. So, as happens in these little ditties, Josie is obligated to return to the ole homestead. Kicking & screaming the entire way.
The best parts of Are You Sleeping come when the focus remains on the family. Josie and her estranged twin Lanie’s interactions are fraught with tension and history, layers, and complexity, making those passages naturally compelling. “My connection to my sister had been dulled over the years--first by drugs, then by distance--but my body insisted Lanie was calling out for me. I hadn’t decided if I would answer.” Are You Sleeping, and Josie, are most interesting when they capture and explore the complexities of familial relationships. Exposing those gray areas and allowing them to remain that way.
Unfortunately the grace and finesse with which Are You Sleeping handles familial relationships does not extend to those of the romantic variety. Josie and Caleb’s relationship made me want to scream. LOUDLY. For multiple reasons. Partly it’s that Caleb is a complete Mary Sue, or rather Marty Stu, which is embodied in gag-worthy quotes such as: “Caleb’s nurturing spirit was what had first attracted me to him. We had met in Zanzibar, where he was working with underprivileged schoolchildren.” Really? Nurturing Spirit? Working with Underprivileged children? AND he’s a humanitarian??? HARD EYEROLL. But that’s just the beginning of the ick…..
Are You Sleeping uses Marty Stu Caleb to REPEATEDLY belittle and minimize Josie’s character: “Caleb’s patience and kindness captivated me immediately; what he saw in me, I never understood.” Now in a different story this might have been an opportunity for Josie’s arc to focus on evident self-esteem & co-dependency issues. But the narrative never gives it much focus (or any, really). Instead we get even MORE instances, like the one above, where Josie is demonized only to further sanctify CALEB OF THE NURTURING SPIRIT. BUT WAIT: the snowball of BAD keeps growing….
Josie is purportedly a smart, independent, strong female lead. And she is. Except when she’s within a 10 foot radius of anyone with a penis. Then, she reverts to behavior more appropriate for that of a 15-year-old...or Anastasia Steele, reciting such cliched gems as: “you are the only thing that means anything to me in this entire world, and I would die if I lost you” and “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that.” Not only are these passages ENORMOUSLY insulting to Josie’s character, they’re insulting to WOMEN in general. Josie’s in her early thirties FFS. What thirty-something talks like that??!! Especially when in the next chapter (or paragraph) she transforms back into an intelligent, self-sufficient, admirable character? It’s inconsistent characterization. And just….gross.
As is the case in books featuring this particular trope, the whodunnit in and of itself, is really secondary. Yeah, it’s there but it’s very much not a big deal. The plot’s heavy on the psychological, lighter on the mystery.
So yeah….there were seeds of a great story here and some segments were enjoyable. Others…..not so much. Characterization is clearly an issue, as well as subtlety. Josie’s mother is described as “ethereal” about 50 times. So much so that I half expected the woman to transform into a damn fairy by book’s end. Like we get it. Enough. All that said, Kathleen Barber shows promise and I wouldn’t discount her in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Josie, our main character, is this trope’s prototypical damaged lead. She’s escaped from small town Illinois and headed to Big City NYC in pursuit of an anonymous existence with her humanitarian boyfriend Caleb. Because y’all Josie’s father’s murder was a BIG DEAL. Like Nancy Grace BIG DEAL. But get this: Caleb has no clue because Josie NEVER TELLS HIM ABOUT IT. To hide her identity, years back Josie changed her last name and because she’s estranged from her twin sister (oh, and her mom’s in a cult….NBD) Caleb has remained blissfully ignorant. But more on the Caleb/Josie relationship later. Much more.
Without warning, Josie’s father’s murder is forcibly pushed back into the spotlight by a hugely successful podcast, Reconsidered, seemingly inspired by Netflix’s docuseries, Making a Murderer. Similar to Making a Murderer, Reconsidered questions whether the man in jail for Josie’s father’s murder, Warren Cave, is the actual perpetrator. Now Josie’s carefully constructed life (of lies) is in a tailspin, old wounds are being ripped open and then comes THE PHONECALL. Her mother, who she hasn’t seen since she moved to Cali to drink kool-aid & worship the sun (literally), has committed suicide. So, as happens in these little ditties, Josie is obligated to return to the ole homestead. Kicking & screaming the entire way.
The best parts of Are You Sleeping come when the focus remains on the family. Josie and her estranged twin Lanie’s interactions are fraught with tension and history, layers, and complexity, making those passages naturally compelling. “My connection to my sister had been dulled over the years--first by drugs, then by distance--but my body insisted Lanie was calling out for me. I hadn’t decided if I would answer.” Are You Sleeping, and Josie, are most interesting when they capture and explore the complexities of familial relationships. Exposing those gray areas and allowing them to remain that way.
Unfortunately the grace and finesse with which Are You Sleeping handles familial relationships does not extend to those of the romantic variety. Josie and Caleb’s relationship made me want to scream. LOUDLY. For multiple reasons. Partly it’s that Caleb is a complete Mary Sue, or rather Marty Stu, which is embodied in gag-worthy quotes such as: “Caleb’s nurturing spirit was what had first attracted me to him. We had met in Zanzibar, where he was working with underprivileged schoolchildren.” Really? Nurturing Spirit? Working with Underprivileged children? AND he’s a humanitarian??? HARD EYEROLL. But that’s just the beginning of the ick…..
Are You Sleeping uses Marty Stu Caleb to REPEATEDLY belittle and minimize Josie’s character: “Caleb’s patience and kindness captivated me immediately; what he saw in me, I never understood.” Now in a different story this might have been an opportunity for Josie’s arc to focus on evident self-esteem & co-dependency issues. But the narrative never gives it much focus (or any, really). Instead we get even MORE instances, like the one above, where Josie is demonized only to further sanctify CALEB OF THE NURTURING SPIRIT. BUT WAIT: the snowball of BAD keeps growing….
Josie is purportedly a smart, independent, strong female lead. And she is. Except when she’s within a 10 foot radius of anyone with a penis. Then, she reverts to behavior more appropriate for that of a 15-year-old...or Anastasia Steele, reciting such cliched gems as: “you are the only thing that means anything to me in this entire world, and I would die if I lost you” and “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that.” Not only are these passages ENORMOUSLY insulting to Josie’s character, they’re insulting to WOMEN in general. Josie’s in her early thirties FFS. What thirty-something talks like that??!! Especially when in the next chapter (or paragraph) she transforms back into an intelligent, self-sufficient, admirable character? It’s inconsistent characterization. And just….gross.
As is the case in books featuring this particular trope, the whodunnit in and of itself, is really secondary. Yeah, it’s there but it’s very much not a big deal. The plot’s heavy on the psychological, lighter on the mystery.
So yeah….there were seeds of a great story here and some segments were enjoyable. Others…..not so much. Characterization is clearly an issue, as well as subtlety. Josie’s mother is described as “ethereal” about 50 times. So much so that I half expected the woman to transform into a damn fairy by book’s end. Like we get it. Enough. All that said, Kathleen Barber shows promise and I wouldn’t discount her in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2017
UPDATE: I recently did a Q&A with Kathleen about this book, and I just had to share it!! Her responses are fantastic. Read that here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/8...
4.5/5 stars for this original & addictive read!! Read my full review here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/6...
This book definitely isn't as dark as some of its peer psychological thrillers, but its originality & inventive storytelling make for a completely addictive read. A great summer thriller!!
4.5/5 stars for this original & addictive read!! Read my full review here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/6...
This book definitely isn't as dark as some of its peer psychological thrillers, but its originality & inventive storytelling make for a completely addictive read. A great summer thriller!!
August 10, 2017
Complex, creative, and satisfying!
Are You Sleeping is a character-driven thriller that takes us on a journey to solve a 10-year-old murder while delving into the intricacies and psychological effects homicide, deception, and abandonment have on surviving family members.
The writing is well done. The characters are scarred, leery, and emotionally distant. The plot has a good mix of mystery, intrigue, conflict, and drama. And the unconventional narration using true-crime podcasts and social media postings adds a unique touch.
Are You Sleeping is ultimately a novel about familial dynamics, twinship, friendship, secrets, lies, murder and the power of media and although it isn't exceptionally fast-paced or unputdownable, it is certainly a strong debut for Barber.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Are You Sleeping is a character-driven thriller that takes us on a journey to solve a 10-year-old murder while delving into the intricacies and psychological effects homicide, deception, and abandonment have on surviving family members.
The writing is well done. The characters are scarred, leery, and emotionally distant. The plot has a good mix of mystery, intrigue, conflict, and drama. And the unconventional narration using true-crime podcasts and social media postings adds a unique touch.
Are You Sleeping is ultimately a novel about familial dynamics, twinship, friendship, secrets, lies, murder and the power of media and although it isn't exceptionally fast-paced or unputdownable, it is certainly a strong debut for Barber.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
December 25, 2017
4.5 Truth or Lie Stars
When Josie and Lanie were 15, their father was killed. According to Lanie it was Warren (son of their neighbor). After that incident, Josie and Lanie’s relationship wasn’t like before. Lanie became the villain, unstable and drug user girl. Their mother had some issues but with these things everything became too much for her so she abandoned them and joined a cult without saying anything to them. After that Josie left home and start traveling abroad. Now twelve years after the killing an investigative journalist started a podcast because she thinks this cause had some blind-spot. And with this podcast she changes their lives again but this time to clarify the truth!
This story was well-written and the characters were well defined. I really enjoyed it. Of course my guess was wrong but if you follow the story more carefully, it’s not hard to guess right! It’s a page-turner and you don’t want to put it down. I really liked its writing. How it made us to recognize the truth out of lies and how it made us to doubts the characters. It’s an easy read and fast-paced one. Told in dual POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
When Josie and Lanie were 15, their father was killed. According to Lanie it was Warren (son of their neighbor). After that incident, Josie and Lanie’s relationship wasn’t like before. Lanie became the villain, unstable and drug user girl. Their mother had some issues but with these things everything became too much for her so she abandoned them and joined a cult without saying anything to them. After that Josie left home and start traveling abroad. Now twelve years after the killing an investigative journalist started a podcast because she thinks this cause had some blind-spot. And with this podcast she changes their lives again but this time to clarify the truth!
This story was well-written and the characters were well defined. I really enjoyed it. Of course my guess was wrong but if you follow the story more carefully, it’s not hard to guess right! It’s a page-turner and you don’t want to put it down. I really liked its writing. How it made us to recognize the truth out of lies and how it made us to doubts the characters. It’s an easy read and fast-paced one. Told in dual POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
November 10, 2021
Josie Buhrman's father was shot and killed 13 years ago, and Warren Cave - the goth teenage boy next door - was convicted of the crime.
Afterwards, Josie's already troubled mother fell apart, and ran off to join a cult.
To top things off, Josie's rebellious twin sister, Lanie, betrayed her in a very hurtful way.
So at 18, Josie left a goodbye note for her beloved Aunt Amelia - with whom she'd been living - and left Elm Park, Illinois.
Josie backpacked and hitchhiked around the world, supported herself with low-paying food service jobs, and invented a fake history to tell new acquaintances.
After years of roaming Josie met Caleb, a handsome international aid worker from New Zealand. They fell in love and eventually settled in New York, where Josie got a good job in a bookstore. Josie never told Caleb the truth about her past, which is about to come back and bite her in the butt.
A reporter named Poppy Parnell is making a podcast about the murder of Josie's dad, Chuck Buhrman. Furthermore, Parnell is questioning Warren Cave's guilt and looking at possible alternative suspects.
The re-opening of the case generates a lot of interest among the general public, who proceed to talk and post comments about the case and everyone connected with it.
Josie is terribly anxious about Parnell's podcast, which reminds her of painful events. Additionally, the idea that Warren Cave might be innocent is anathema to her. After all, Josie's sister Lanie said she SAW Warren shoot her father. Who else could have committed the crime? Podcast groupies are ready with lots of suggestions, including Josie's mother, Warren's mother, Lanie, and others.
The podcast and the renewed publicity is apparently too much for Josie's mother, who commits suicide. As a result, Josie has to return to Elm Park, where she'll attend her mother's funeral, comfort her Aunt Amelia, and see her estranged sister Lanie.
Caleb thinks Josie's mother is long dead, so she tells him it's her aunt's funeral, and convinces him to stay behind in New York.
Being back in Elm Park is very stressful for Josie. She's still furious with her sister; her cousin Ellen, a fashionista, is critical of her appearance; the viewing and funeral are difficult; and Caleb shows up and learns that Josie is big liar.
Moreover, Poppy Parnell keeps trying to corner Josie, to get an interview for the podcast.
The story is told as a narrative interspersed with excerpts from the podcast, plus Tweets, Reddit threads, and comments from the public. This style works well for the book, and some of the 'messages' are very entertaining. (Sadly, it's a realistic portrayal of how insensitive people can be on social media.)
The basic plot - is Warren guilty? If not, who is? - is compelling. The main characters, though, are somewhat unsympathetic and/or unrealistic.
Josie, for one, is an irritating protagonist. She's whiny, overly emotional, and even after 10 years can't get past Lanie's 'betrayal' which - after all - wasn't that earth shattering. And Josie does some business with her hair - she has her luxuriant tresses chopped into a bad pixie cut and dyed.....then gets it fixed - which seems pointless. Also, in real life, men aren't as understanding or forgiving as Caleb.
As for Lanie, some of her obnoxious behavior as a teen - hanging with a bad crowd; using drugs; not showering; wearing dirty clothes; and so on - is understandable in the circumstances.
However, one of Lanie's actions is a serious crime, and there are no appropriate consequences. I wondered what her family was thinking!
In a way Poppy Parnell is the most authentic character in the book. She's irritating but behaves like a real journalist - chasing people for comments; saying outrageous things for publicity; not caring about the harm she's doing to the families; and so on.
By the end of the book the truth about Chuck Buhrman's death emerges, which some readers may suss out long before the characters do.
Overall, this is an okay book that shows how 'true crime' stories can devastate the families involved.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
September 27, 2017
3.5 stars
This one has an interesting concept. Amid the trend of true crime podcasts looking into crimes of the past whether unsolved or controversial where every key piece of evidence gets investigated with the hope of overturning a conviction by the end (think Serial), you’d think we’ve seen this done before. But you’re wrong.
I was enlightened to a perspective you don’t really think about even when getting so caught up in the hype and obsession of these podcasts. It’s unfortunate because the true victims left after one is murdered are those left behind. Do we think of what re-opening the gates to a “solved case” might do to the family members of the deceased who have worked hard to move past this dark chapter in their lives?
Of course these podcasts teach us to think about the convicted. And if the convicted did not indeed commit the crime, then is it fair to leave him rotting in prison? Absolutely not.
Are You Sleeping explores these ideas through the perspective of the murder victim’s daughter. Josie has worked hard to leave her past behind her. She changed her last name, hasn't spoken to her twin sister in ten years and in her five year relationship with Caleb..lied about her past entirely. And unfortunately for Josie, even though it has been thirteen years since her father was murdered and mother ran away to join a cult, a hit podcast is making the rounds only to bring all that she left behind right back to the surface.
Equal parts family drama and mystery thriller, the story has more than enough to keep your interest. From the investigation into what really happened 13 years earlier by way of podcast to the dysfunction of Josie’s family following such a horrifying tragedy. The podcast chapters are interwoven throughout the narrative along with occasional tweets, newspaper articles and reddit threads of fans discussing the case.
The crime itself was the murder of Chuck Buhrman whom the 17 year old neighbor Warren Cave was convicted of shooting point blank and is now serving a life sentence because of Josie’s twin sister Lanie’s witness testimony.
There is so much tension in the twin sisters’ relationship. They are estranged and their relationship is beyond complex with many layers hidden beneath the surface. This was one of the best aspects throughout the novel. It touches on the convoluted way one can be completely backstabbed by a family member yet still inexplicably will be there for one another when shit really goes down.
I found the book to be quite thought-provoking and entertaining especially being a debut. I could have used some big twist at some point, but that’s just me loving a “mindfuck.” (side note: I tried to think of a more polite way to say this and “severe mind meddling” just doesn’t do the trick. Sorry.) If you’re more into a psychological look at a family being forced to confront a tragedy of their past, check this one out. If it’s the whodunnit aspect that intrigues you, there are better ones to read.
“I’d hoped it would all just blow over, but apparently America has an appetite for that brand of opportunistic, sensationalistic reimagining of the truth.”
This one has an interesting concept. Amid the trend of true crime podcasts looking into crimes of the past whether unsolved or controversial where every key piece of evidence gets investigated with the hope of overturning a conviction by the end (think Serial), you’d think we’ve seen this done before. But you’re wrong.
I was enlightened to a perspective you don’t really think about even when getting so caught up in the hype and obsession of these podcasts. It’s unfortunate because the true victims left after one is murdered are those left behind. Do we think of what re-opening the gates to a “solved case” might do to the family members of the deceased who have worked hard to move past this dark chapter in their lives?
Of course these podcasts teach us to think about the convicted. And if the convicted did not indeed commit the crime, then is it fair to leave him rotting in prison? Absolutely not.
Are You Sleeping explores these ideas through the perspective of the murder victim’s daughter. Josie has worked hard to leave her past behind her. She changed her last name, hasn't spoken to her twin sister in ten years and in her five year relationship with Caleb..lied about her past entirely. And unfortunately for Josie, even though it has been thirteen years since her father was murdered and mother ran away to join a cult, a hit podcast is making the rounds only to bring all that she left behind right back to the surface.
Equal parts family drama and mystery thriller, the story has more than enough to keep your interest. From the investigation into what really happened 13 years earlier by way of podcast to the dysfunction of Josie’s family following such a horrifying tragedy. The podcast chapters are interwoven throughout the narrative along with occasional tweets, newspaper articles and reddit threads of fans discussing the case.
The crime itself was the murder of Chuck Buhrman whom the 17 year old neighbor Warren Cave was convicted of shooting point blank and is now serving a life sentence because of Josie’s twin sister Lanie’s witness testimony.
My connection to my sister had been dulled over the years—first by drugs, then by distance—but my body insisted Lanie was calling out for me. I hadn't decided if I would answer.
There is so much tension in the twin sisters’ relationship. They are estranged and their relationship is beyond complex with many layers hidden beneath the surface. This was one of the best aspects throughout the novel. It touches on the convoluted way one can be completely backstabbed by a family member yet still inexplicably will be there for one another when shit really goes down.
I found the book to be quite thought-provoking and entertaining especially being a debut. I could have used some big twist at some point, but that’s just me loving a “mindfuck.” (side note: I tried to think of a more polite way to say this and “severe mind meddling” just doesn’t do the trick. Sorry.) If you’re more into a psychological look at a family being forced to confront a tragedy of their past, check this one out. If it’s the whodunnit aspect that intrigues you, there are better ones to read.
March 2, 2017
Talk about an addicting, compulsively-readable book. The author truly kept me needing to know what was going to happen next, with a captivating format that includes the transcripts, commentary, and social media of an investigative reporter (a la the Serial aspect of the story), coupled with the first-person narrative of Josie Buhrman, the daughter of the murdered man featured in the podcasts. Josie's storyline was immersive, fully developed, and she portrayed a like-able voice in which I was dying for a happy ending. Did I get one, you'll have to read to see. A book I'd recommend to all the thriller fans out there.
July 28, 2017
You can find more twisted plot reviews at https://booksbejeweled.com
Josie's father was murdered by a teenage neighbor ten years ago, when she was still a girl. The killer was sent to prison and Josie's family fell apart. Her mother, an emotional wreck, up and left Josie and her twin sister, Lanie, to join a cult in Northern California. She never saw or spoke to her daughters again. Josie and Lanie, the twins, are left to live their teenage years with their Aunt Amelia and cousin Ellen. Lanie was the single eyewitness to the murder, the reason the killer was caught and sentenced to life. She was also the more rebellious of the two girls and she ends up on a dangerous path of truancy, drugs and law-breaking. In a fit of anger, she yells at Josie to just go away and leave her alone.
Josie did go away. She changed her last name. She backpacked the world and met a wonderful guy, Caleb. They settled in Brooklyn and she never explained her horrific family history or even that she had a twin sister. It was all too painful for her and she wanted to keep Caleb free from the drama of her past.
Along comes the 21st century journalistic phenomenon: the true crime podcast. And guess what crime Poppy Parnell, the perky blogger, wants to dig up and examine with a fine tooth comb? Yep, the murder of Josie's dad. Josie is absolutely terror-stricken to hear people on the subway and in grocery stores discussing the podcast, her personal life horror show openly tweeted about by complete strangers. It seems like everyone is obsessed with Reconsidered- the podcast. Was the wrong man convicted? There are witnesses that place the teenage killer at a park miles away from the crime. He didn't have a weapon.
When Josie's mother hangs herself during the height of the podcast mania, Josie finds herself having to face all the lies she has told Caleb and all the details of her past. She must reconnect with her twin sister, Lanie, and ask her once and for all about the night of the murder. Was Lanie honest about that night?
The story is fast-moving and suspenseful. I love the podcast element to this book (Ask me about UP AND VANISHED, please!). There is a whole sub-theme about public shaming on social media. I do wish the plot had been a bit twistier and even darker. It's borderline, dare I say it... Predictable. But not boring. The characters are very real and fleshed out. I absolutely love Josie's cousin, Ellen, she is hilarious.
ARE YOU SLEEPING reminds me very much of THE LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE and RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA. If you liked those books, you will love this one.
Josie's father was murdered by a teenage neighbor ten years ago, when she was still a girl. The killer was sent to prison and Josie's family fell apart. Her mother, an emotional wreck, up and left Josie and her twin sister, Lanie, to join a cult in Northern California. She never saw or spoke to her daughters again. Josie and Lanie, the twins, are left to live their teenage years with their Aunt Amelia and cousin Ellen. Lanie was the single eyewitness to the murder, the reason the killer was caught and sentenced to life. She was also the more rebellious of the two girls and she ends up on a dangerous path of truancy, drugs and law-breaking. In a fit of anger, she yells at Josie to just go away and leave her alone.
Josie did go away. She changed her last name. She backpacked the world and met a wonderful guy, Caleb. They settled in Brooklyn and she never explained her horrific family history or even that she had a twin sister. It was all too painful for her and she wanted to keep Caleb free from the drama of her past.
Along comes the 21st century journalistic phenomenon: the true crime podcast. And guess what crime Poppy Parnell, the perky blogger, wants to dig up and examine with a fine tooth comb? Yep, the murder of Josie's dad. Josie is absolutely terror-stricken to hear people on the subway and in grocery stores discussing the podcast, her personal life horror show openly tweeted about by complete strangers. It seems like everyone is obsessed with Reconsidered- the podcast. Was the wrong man convicted? There are witnesses that place the teenage killer at a park miles away from the crime. He didn't have a weapon.
When Josie's mother hangs herself during the height of the podcast mania, Josie finds herself having to face all the lies she has told Caleb and all the details of her past. She must reconnect with her twin sister, Lanie, and ask her once and for all about the night of the murder. Was Lanie honest about that night?
The story is fast-moving and suspenseful. I love the podcast element to this book (Ask me about UP AND VANISHED, please!). There is a whole sub-theme about public shaming on social media. I do wish the plot had been a bit twistier and even darker. It's borderline, dare I say it... Predictable. But not boring. The characters are very real and fleshed out. I absolutely love Josie's cousin, Ellen, she is hilarious.
ARE YOU SLEEPING reminds me very much of THE LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE and RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA. If you liked those books, you will love this one.
October 24, 2017
"The truth is never complicated. It's just the truth.Circumstances may be complicated, but the truth is always black and white."
Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber is an engrossing psychological thriller with innovative storytelling and a compelling plot. It is a classic whodunit, but with the twist of modern day elements such as podcast transcripts, reddit threads and twitter feeds. I wouldn't place it under the dark and horrifying category of thrillers as there is minimal bloodshed and vey little violence but rather call it an engaging and highly addicting story.
What can a person do if the past they've been trying to escape for more than a decade comes haunting back, and to make things worse its public knowledge and a trending topic. Josie Burhman is caught up in this hell.
Thirteen years earlier Josie's father got murdered. Unable to handle the grief, her mother joined a cult halfway across the country, leaving Josie and her twin sister Lanie in their Aunt's care. Lanie finds solace in drugs and Josie takes the path of denial. Right after high-school, she leaves her hometown and changes her name. After wandering the world for five years, she finally settles in New York with a steady job and a loving boyfriend Caleb, who is entirely unaware of her past. Josie's world comes crashing down when an investigative journalist Poppy Parnell starts digging into her father's murder in a true crime podcast called "Reconsidered". Now, everyone everywhere is talking about this podcast and Josie feels trapped in her own past.
"The only thing more dangerous than a lie...is the truth."
As I mentioned earlier, I really liked the way this book is written. In addition to the first person narration by Josie, there are occasional twitter snippets, reddit threads and podcast transcripts which gives the story a slightly different take. Additionally, there are a bunch of armchair-detectives, eager to put forward their theory, a set of people exchanging irrelevant information about the family in question and a lot of online action that goes around along with the podcast, all of which is contrasted against the pain and privacy breach of the victim's family. We get a first person perspective on how distressing it can be when complete strangers are trying to analyze and tear apart a family's tragedy.
Kathleen Barber has cleverly woven a story around a murder, family drama, layers of pretenses, lies, betrayals and also seamlessly interlaced the theatrics of a crime re-examining podcast and an obnoxious, trouble-causing reporter. All in all an excellent summer suspense read.
**Thank You Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this**
Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber is an engrossing psychological thriller with innovative storytelling and a compelling plot. It is a classic whodunit, but with the twist of modern day elements such as podcast transcripts, reddit threads and twitter feeds. I wouldn't place it under the dark and horrifying category of thrillers as there is minimal bloodshed and vey little violence but rather call it an engaging and highly addicting story.
What can a person do if the past they've been trying to escape for more than a decade comes haunting back, and to make things worse its public knowledge and a trending topic. Josie Burhman is caught up in this hell.
Thirteen years earlier Josie's father got murdered. Unable to handle the grief, her mother joined a cult halfway across the country, leaving Josie and her twin sister Lanie in their Aunt's care. Lanie finds solace in drugs and Josie takes the path of denial. Right after high-school, she leaves her hometown and changes her name. After wandering the world for five years, she finally settles in New York with a steady job and a loving boyfriend Caleb, who is entirely unaware of her past. Josie's world comes crashing down when an investigative journalist Poppy Parnell starts digging into her father's murder in a true crime podcast called "Reconsidered". Now, everyone everywhere is talking about this podcast and Josie feels trapped in her own past.
"The only thing more dangerous than a lie...is the truth."
As I mentioned earlier, I really liked the way this book is written. In addition to the first person narration by Josie, there are occasional twitter snippets, reddit threads and podcast transcripts which gives the story a slightly different take. Additionally, there are a bunch of armchair-detectives, eager to put forward their theory, a set of people exchanging irrelevant information about the family in question and a lot of online action that goes around along with the podcast, all of which is contrasted against the pain and privacy breach of the victim's family. We get a first person perspective on how distressing it can be when complete strangers are trying to analyze and tear apart a family's tragedy.
Kathleen Barber has cleverly woven a story around a murder, family drama, layers of pretenses, lies, betrayals and also seamlessly interlaced the theatrics of a crime re-examining podcast and an obnoxious, trouble-causing reporter. All in all an excellent summer suspense read.
**Thank You Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this**
March 12, 2017
I loved "Are you Sleeping" which again has two very different sisters at the heart of it and reminded me just a little of the brilliant "Six Stories" which I also loved recently - but I think that was just the podcast aspects which really do work well in telling the wider story.
In "Are you Sleeping" a new podcast re-examining an old murder opens up old wounds for an already fractured family. Taking in themes of memory, sibling relationships and traumatic past events, Kathleen Barber weaves a tense, atmospheric and genuinely fascinating tale of a family dynamic gone horribly wrong and the possible miscarriage of justice this has caused. The mystery elements are well woven and clever, the story twists its way to a rather heartbreaking ultimate solution and it is utterly gripping from first page to last.
I was completely engaged with the ebb and flow of the relationship between twins Laine and Jo -both of whom had very different reactions to events around them - estranged but trying to find a way to come back together under extraordinarily trying circumstances, I loved how the author managed the dynamic between them both in their similar and dissimilar qualities. Added to that the ever changing path to the final truth of the matter encompassing loss, parental influence and how our perceptions change with life experience, this was a completely wonderful read featuring some very memorable characters.
Highly Recommended.
In "Are you Sleeping" a new podcast re-examining an old murder opens up old wounds for an already fractured family. Taking in themes of memory, sibling relationships and traumatic past events, Kathleen Barber weaves a tense, atmospheric and genuinely fascinating tale of a family dynamic gone horribly wrong and the possible miscarriage of justice this has caused. The mystery elements are well woven and clever, the story twists its way to a rather heartbreaking ultimate solution and it is utterly gripping from first page to last.
I was completely engaged with the ebb and flow of the relationship between twins Laine and Jo -both of whom had very different reactions to events around them - estranged but trying to find a way to come back together under extraordinarily trying circumstances, I loved how the author managed the dynamic between them both in their similar and dissimilar qualities. Added to that the ever changing path to the final truth of the matter encompassing loss, parental influence and how our perceptions change with life experience, this was a completely wonderful read featuring some very memorable characters.
Highly Recommended.
February 10, 2018
3.5 stars
If you enjoyed (maybe the wrong word?) podcasts like Serial or S-Town, this book might appeal to you. The story follows a young woman, Josie, whose life gets disrupted when a podcast about her family's tragic history becomes a sensation. The premise sounded really intriguing and it started off quite well, but I did feel it lost momentum after some time, and became a bit repetitive and rather predictable. That being said, it was an easy read and well-written. I would read more by this author in the future.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
If you enjoyed (maybe the wrong word?) podcasts like Serial or S-Town, this book might appeal to you. The story follows a young woman, Josie, whose life gets disrupted when a podcast about her family's tragic history becomes a sensation. The premise sounded really intriguing and it started off quite well, but I did feel it lost momentum after some time, and became a bit repetitive and rather predictable. That being said, it was an easy read and well-written. I would read more by this author in the future.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
July 29, 2017
What are the stories we tell ourselves?
A podcast about the Charles Buhrman murder of 2002 is about to reopen old wounds for daughter Josie and possibly create new ones. Living in a protective box, Josie has managed to piece together a new life in the Big Apple with Caleb. But the past's reach is not far Journalist Poppy Parnell's clutch. Poppy seeks unanswered questions about Josie's fathers untimely death. Is Warren Cave the man convicted of Buhrman's murder the actual assailant or was a lie told? Josie is forced to confront her many secrets and the buried truth in a family's dark closet.
From the transcript of "Revisited" to the opening scene, an emotional charge is created like the atmosphere before an electrical storm. Immediately the lies start unfolding. The narrative flows freely and the plot twists seamlessly. Josie character is well developed and relatable. As Josie's world starts to be revealed we slowly start to see a women become undone. Poppy Parnell’s is completely unlikable and portrayed as a villainous reporter who will overstep any boundary to achieve her goal. The story occurs in the setting of social media which make you pause at the impact of the words cast freely out into the universe. A fantastic read for the summer! Highly recommend this well written suspenseful novel.
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A podcast about the Charles Buhrman murder of 2002 is about to reopen old wounds for daughter Josie and possibly create new ones. Living in a protective box, Josie has managed to piece together a new life in the Big Apple with Caleb. But the past's reach is not far Journalist Poppy Parnell's clutch. Poppy seeks unanswered questions about Josie's fathers untimely death. Is Warren Cave the man convicted of Buhrman's murder the actual assailant or was a lie told? Josie is forced to confront her many secrets and the buried truth in a family's dark closet.
From the transcript of "Revisited" to the opening scene, an emotional charge is created like the atmosphere before an electrical storm. Immediately the lies start unfolding. The narrative flows freely and the plot twists seamlessly. Josie character is well developed and relatable. As Josie's world starts to be revealed we slowly start to see a women become undone. Poppy Parnell’s is completely unlikable and portrayed as a villainous reporter who will overstep any boundary to achieve her goal. The story occurs in the setting of social media which make you pause at the impact of the words cast freely out into the universe. A fantastic read for the summer! Highly recommend this well written suspenseful novel.
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2017
This was a perfect book for a rainy weekend and this reader was able to keep the pages turning while so engrossed in the happenings of Buhrman family. Josie and her sister Lainie are estranged due to lot of things but especially the tragic murder of their father which Lainie claimed to have witnessed. The family falls apart as Josie runs away, changes her last name, and distances herself from her sister. She meets and falls in love with Caleb lying about her history. Mrs Buhrman also runs away and joins a cult cutting off all interaction with her daughters and her sister the wonderful Aunt A. The twins are taken in by Aunt A and raised in her household with Ellen, her daughter. Lainie, goes off the deep end and becomes a vicious, nasty druggie and enters a life of destructive behaviors. Twelve years later, investigative reporter, Poppy Parnell, through the use of podcasts and social media tries to reopen the case and possibly free the man who was convicted of murdering Mr Burhman. The family comes together once more at the suicide death of Mrs Burnell and the lies, deceit, and hate return with a vengeance.
The characters written of by Ms Barber are well defined and the intensity continues through out the book as the author leads us through a circuitous path to the final truth. Family dynamics are put to the test as the sisters reunite and ultimately come together to find what the truth actually is.
This was a well written novel, great for those of us who enjoy a tense thriller with characters who seem quite real. Ms Barber has done a fine job presenting a book which was both engrossing and believable.
Thank you to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
The characters written of by Ms Barber are well defined and the intensity continues through out the book as the author leads us through a circuitous path to the final truth. Family dynamics are put to the test as the sisters reunite and ultimately come together to find what the truth actually is.
This was a well written novel, great for those of us who enjoy a tense thriller with characters who seem quite real. Ms Barber has done a fine job presenting a book which was both engrossing and believable.
Thank you to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
March 27, 2017
This book pissed me off!! It seriously did. I finished it two days ago but can't stop thinking about it.
Josie is happily living in New York with her boyfriend, Caleb who is an international aide worker. While Caleb is out of town, Josie's carefully constructed life begins to fall apart. A journalist by the name of Poppy Parnell has been discussing the murder of Josie's father on her podcasts. A young man by the name of Warren Cave was convicted of her father's murder, but Journalist Parnell believes Cave's assertion that he is innocent. To make matters even more upsetting, Josie receives a phone call from her cousin, Ellen telling her that her Mother is dead and that she will have to return home for the funeral.
The problem? Well, there are several. Josie has lied to her boyfriend about her past. A past that Josie wanted to keep hidden, she even went so far as to have her last name legally changed. Caleb has no idea that her father was murdered or that after his murder, her Mother abandoned her and her twin sister, to join a cult. He believes that both of her parents are dead and that she was raised by her Aunt Amelia. When Caleb returns home, Josie again lies to him and tells him her Aunt Amelia died and she needs to return home for the funeral.
Another problem? Josie's twin sister, Laine. Josie has not seen her twin sister after she betrayed Josie years earlier. Josie knows nothing of her sister's life and wants to keep it that way but unfortunately, the past rears it's ugly head when Josie returns home and learns not only is Lanie married (to Josie's high school boyfriend) but they have a child together. Can you guess what the betrayal was?
Confronting the past and dealing with the present are difficult enough by Poppy Parnell is still investigating the murder and trying to find out what really happened the night in question. The continued podcasts and attempts at gaining an interview are stressful and only serve to create more drama. Then Caleb, trying to be a loving and supportive boyfriend, shows up to be a support for Josie only to learn that she has lied to him about her past and who she is.
Lanie, Josie's twin sister, was not a very likable character for me. After betraying her sister when they were younger, I thought it was disgusting that she tried to confuse Caleb by pretending to be Josie. Plus, she has mood swings and has a penchant for throwing things at people's heads (lasagna, pitcher) Also, she is a terrible mother. In a way, she is very similar to her own Mother. She forgets to pack her daughter lunch, forgets to pick her up from school and even sends her on an "adventure" where the child talks the mail main into driving her somewhere. Boy, the mandated reported in me wanted to report her for neglect.
This story is told narrative, twitter messages, reddit threads, the podcast and comments from listeners to the podcast. If Warren Cave did not murder Josie and Lanie's father then who did? Plus, Lanie testified that she saw Warren being shot..was she telling the truth? If Warren is as innocent as he and his Mother claim...then who is the killer? Why would Lanie say she saw him shoot her father if he didn't do it?
This book was addictive and I could not read it fast enough. In the end we learn the truth and it was not so much of a stretch and explained a lot of strange behaviors. I really liked the characters in this book. I enjoyed Josie. I felt for her for most of the book. Although I did find it a little extreme that she changed her name and did not tell the truth about her life, I can appreciate her reasons for doing so. She never thought she would see Caleb again when she first told him both of her parents were dead. Once you start down a path of lies is it easier to keep walking along that path or do you come clean with the truth?
Speaking of the truth..if you question what you saw or what you believe you saw, shouldn't you tell the truth about that? How do you live with yourself and your actions when you know you are wrong? This book is about many things: dysfunctional families, sibling relationships, betrayal, lies, grief, moving on and finding the truth. This book had some twists and turns which kept the pace moving and things interesting. What pissed me off - the betrayal, the "sudden" remembering of events from the past. I kept thinking seriously?????? Is she just remembering now or does she HAVE to remember because there is a journalist investigating the murder so either "remember" or have the journalist bring things out in the open? The sudden remembering was a little too quick for me but overall a very enjoyable read that left me thinking about it for days.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my review at www.openbookpost.com
Josie is happily living in New York with her boyfriend, Caleb who is an international aide worker. While Caleb is out of town, Josie's carefully constructed life begins to fall apart. A journalist by the name of Poppy Parnell has been discussing the murder of Josie's father on her podcasts. A young man by the name of Warren Cave was convicted of her father's murder, but Journalist Parnell believes Cave's assertion that he is innocent. To make matters even more upsetting, Josie receives a phone call from her cousin, Ellen telling her that her Mother is dead and that she will have to return home for the funeral.
The problem? Well, there are several. Josie has lied to her boyfriend about her past. A past that Josie wanted to keep hidden, she even went so far as to have her last name legally changed. Caleb has no idea that her father was murdered or that after his murder, her Mother abandoned her and her twin sister, to join a cult. He believes that both of her parents are dead and that she was raised by her Aunt Amelia. When Caleb returns home, Josie again lies to him and tells him her Aunt Amelia died and she needs to return home for the funeral.
Another problem? Josie's twin sister, Laine. Josie has not seen her twin sister after she betrayed Josie years earlier. Josie knows nothing of her sister's life and wants to keep it that way but unfortunately, the past rears it's ugly head when Josie returns home and learns not only is Lanie married (to Josie's high school boyfriend) but they have a child together. Can you guess what the betrayal was?
Confronting the past and dealing with the present are difficult enough by Poppy Parnell is still investigating the murder and trying to find out what really happened the night in question. The continued podcasts and attempts at gaining an interview are stressful and only serve to create more drama. Then Caleb, trying to be a loving and supportive boyfriend, shows up to be a support for Josie only to learn that she has lied to him about her past and who she is.
Lanie, Josie's twin sister, was not a very likable character for me. After betraying her sister when they were younger, I thought it was disgusting that she tried to confuse Caleb by pretending to be Josie. Plus, she has mood swings and has a penchant for throwing things at people's heads (lasagna, pitcher) Also, she is a terrible mother. In a way, she is very similar to her own Mother. She forgets to pack her daughter lunch, forgets to pick her up from school and even sends her on an "adventure" where the child talks the mail main into driving her somewhere. Boy, the mandated reported in me wanted to report her for neglect.
This story is told narrative, twitter messages, reddit threads, the podcast and comments from listeners to the podcast. If Warren Cave did not murder Josie and Lanie's father then who did? Plus, Lanie testified that she saw Warren being shot..was she telling the truth? If Warren is as innocent as he and his Mother claim...then who is the killer? Why would Lanie say she saw him shoot her father if he didn't do it?
This book was addictive and I could not read it fast enough. In the end we learn the truth and it was not so much of a stretch and explained a lot of strange behaviors. I really liked the characters in this book. I enjoyed Josie. I felt for her for most of the book. Although I did find it a little extreme that she changed her name and did not tell the truth about her life, I can appreciate her reasons for doing so. She never thought she would see Caleb again when she first told him both of her parents were dead. Once you start down a path of lies is it easier to keep walking along that path or do you come clean with the truth?
Speaking of the truth..if you question what you saw or what you believe you saw, shouldn't you tell the truth about that? How do you live with yourself and your actions when you know you are wrong? This book is about many things: dysfunctional families, sibling relationships, betrayal, lies, grief, moving on and finding the truth. This book had some twists and turns which kept the pace moving and things interesting. What pissed me off - the betrayal, the "sudden" remembering of events from the past. I kept thinking seriously?????? Is she just remembering now or does she HAVE to remember because there is a journalist investigating the murder so either "remember" or have the journalist bring things out in the open? The sudden remembering was a little too quick for me but overall a very enjoyable read that left me thinking about it for days.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my review at www.openbookpost.com
July 6, 2017
My daughters have been trying to get me to listen to podcasts for the past couple of years, I know that one in particular was enthralled with “Serial”. I am usually listening to audiobooks so I have only listened to one or two podcasts but they were not based on any crime in real time. The idea that someone would just decide to take apart a case where a murder took place 13 years previous and run with it is scary. I also found it a bit hard to believe that the police wouldn’t push back against someone prying into an already closed case. But these are the times we live in, everyone’s life is an open book. I was therefore interested in what this novel would have to offer.
We find Josie Buhrman who has left her home town and reinvented herself including a new name and is finally happy with her life and with a great boyfriend, Caleb. Unfortunately she has never told him the truth about her past life and the tragedy that struck their family. When she turns on the TV and starts to hear about a new podcast that is reopening the case of her father’s murder she is somewhat paralyzed as to what to do.
Josie has a twin sister, Lanie, whom she hasn’t spoken to since she left home, for a betrayal that we find out about much later in the book.
The reporter who is running the podcast is named Poppy Parnell and she is very persistent in interviewing anyone that she can about the case. She wasn’t able to track down Josie at first because of her name change, but when Josie’s mother dies and she attends the funeral Poppy catches up with her.
The writer employs an interesting writing tool in this novel, she writes portions of the podcast and portions of interviews that Poppy has with those willing to talk. This includes Mrs. Cave, the mother of Warren Cave who was convicted of the murder and is presently serving a prison term for this.
If Warren didn’t kill her dad then who did? Lanie, Josie’s sister, admitted at the time of the killing to seeing Warren shoot her dad, but she was young and traumatized. Everything starts to be called into question and we are along for the ride.
I found the story to be a bit disjointed. I felt I found out about Josie’s mom in bits and pieces rather than a smooth narrative. Josie obviously never really sorted out her past traumas but buried them and so the podcast really makes her come unglued. She finds everything different when she goes home, particularly her sister Lanie who doesn’t even seem like the same person. What and why has she changed so much? Is this really the true Lanie? Her Aunt Amelia whom Lanie and Josie were living with after her dad died and her mom left has always been trying to get in touch with Josie, why didn’t she even connect with the one person who showed her love and caring? She didn’t even answer any of her e mails otherwise she wouldn’t have been as shocked at some of the changes “back home”.
This was an enjoyable read centering around how open to the public ours lives have become and how any good “techie” can gain access even to closed medical and other records. The mystery was a good one but I did guess the ending about ¾ of the way in, but it was just a “guess”.
I received an ARC of this book through the publisher, thank you!
We find Josie Buhrman who has left her home town and reinvented herself including a new name and is finally happy with her life and with a great boyfriend, Caleb. Unfortunately she has never told him the truth about her past life and the tragedy that struck their family. When she turns on the TV and starts to hear about a new podcast that is reopening the case of her father’s murder she is somewhat paralyzed as to what to do.
Josie has a twin sister, Lanie, whom she hasn’t spoken to since she left home, for a betrayal that we find out about much later in the book.
The reporter who is running the podcast is named Poppy Parnell and she is very persistent in interviewing anyone that she can about the case. She wasn’t able to track down Josie at first because of her name change, but when Josie’s mother dies and she attends the funeral Poppy catches up with her.
The writer employs an interesting writing tool in this novel, she writes portions of the podcast and portions of interviews that Poppy has with those willing to talk. This includes Mrs. Cave, the mother of Warren Cave who was convicted of the murder and is presently serving a prison term for this.
If Warren didn’t kill her dad then who did? Lanie, Josie’s sister, admitted at the time of the killing to seeing Warren shoot her dad, but she was young and traumatized. Everything starts to be called into question and we are along for the ride.
I found the story to be a bit disjointed. I felt I found out about Josie’s mom in bits and pieces rather than a smooth narrative. Josie obviously never really sorted out her past traumas but buried them and so the podcast really makes her come unglued. She finds everything different when she goes home, particularly her sister Lanie who doesn’t even seem like the same person. What and why has she changed so much? Is this really the true Lanie? Her Aunt Amelia whom Lanie and Josie were living with after her dad died and her mom left has always been trying to get in touch with Josie, why didn’t she even connect with the one person who showed her love and caring? She didn’t even answer any of her e mails otherwise she wouldn’t have been as shocked at some of the changes “back home”.
This was an enjoyable read centering around how open to the public ours lives have become and how any good “techie” can gain access even to closed medical and other records. The mystery was a good one but I did guess the ending about ¾ of the way in, but it was just a “guess”.
I received an ARC of this book through the publisher, thank you!
December 8, 2019
From Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way"
Josie Buhrman had reinvented herself, to escape her family's tragic past.
But Poppy Parnell, is a journalist trying to make a name for herself, with her new Podcast, "Reconsidered" which examines the murder of Josie's father, and questions if the right person is behind bars..
Told along with the Podcast transcripts, tweets, and interviews, this is a novel for recommended for fans of the real life podcast "Serial".
I have not personally listened to that podcast, but I did ENJOY this book and hope the author writes more with Poppy Parnell continuing her Podcast "Reconsidered" with a new case.
This is being adapted for an Apple TV series by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine studios!
Guess I will be subscribing!!
Josie Buhrman had reinvented herself, to escape her family's tragic past.
But Poppy Parnell, is a journalist trying to make a name for herself, with her new Podcast, "Reconsidered" which examines the murder of Josie's father, and questions if the right person is behind bars..
Told along with the Podcast transcripts, tweets, and interviews, this is a novel for recommended for fans of the real life podcast "Serial".
I have not personally listened to that podcast, but I did ENJOY this book and hope the author writes more with Poppy Parnell continuing her Podcast "Reconsidered" with a new case.
This is being adapted for an Apple TV series by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine studios!
Guess I will be subscribing!!
July 1, 2017
In the end, I enjoyed this book - but it was the plot, not the characters, that turned the tide. For much of the first half, all I did was mutter to myself how much I detested main character Josie Buhrman (and to a slightly lesser extent, her twin sister Lanie). The latter sister struck me as the "evil" twin, just as apparently she did to the characters in the book who knew her. Josie was another story; she spent most of her time berating other people for their lying ways when she was arguably the biggest liar of them all.
To be fair, the now-estranged Josie and Lanie had it tough growing up. Their mother had some kind of mental illness, their father was murdered 13 years earlier, and not long thereafter, the mother ran off to join a hippy-dippy cult. If there was a saving grace, it was that their father's killer was caught and convicted - identified by Lanie, who claimed to have seen him do the dastardly deed. Throughout his years in jail, though, he's insisted that he's innocent.
Not long after their mother abandoned them, Josie left home, ending up in New York with her partner, Caleb, and zero intentions of ever going back to visit once-treasured relatives. But then, a self-described "investigative" reporter named Poppy Parnell reveals a podcast which she claims will shed new light on the twins' father's murder. Was a man wrongly convicted? Did Lanie, who changed her original story that she'd seen nothing, lie on the witness stand? And if those things are true, who is the real murderer and what was the motivation?
The podcast, downloaded by thousands including Josie, opens up old family wounds - especially, it seems, for the twins' mother; not long after the first one appears, she is found dead on the cult's property, clearly a suicide. Now, Josie feels compelled to return home for the funeral of the mother she loved, hoping to avoid interaction with anyone else. She also doesn't want to interact with Caleb, who's ready and willing to accompany her. Why? Simply because everything she's told him about herself is a big fat lie, including her last name - which she changed to rid herself of the stigmas of her past and live in relative anominity.
Although she was given ample opportunity and good reason to 'fess up, Josie refuses to come clean - reasoning that her beloved Caleb just wouldn't understand and would exit stage left. Instead, she manages to convince him to stay put while she heads home alone. If I didn't already dislike her, that sealed the deal for sure.
From then on, much of the story focuses on Josie's encounters with family members, most notably her sister, interspersed with text of the podcasts and readers' reactions as they are released. As tensions begin to heat up, Josie gets a surprise visitor; and from that time forward, the story starts to move quickly, capturing my attention to the somewhat-of-a-twist ending.
My conclusion? If you can stand neurotic, sometimes totally unhinged females, this is a very good, intriguing book with a plot that's a bit different (and thus welcome, especially given all the recent books featuring neurotic females). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
To be fair, the now-estranged Josie and Lanie had it tough growing up. Their mother had some kind of mental illness, their father was murdered 13 years earlier, and not long thereafter, the mother ran off to join a hippy-dippy cult. If there was a saving grace, it was that their father's killer was caught and convicted - identified by Lanie, who claimed to have seen him do the dastardly deed. Throughout his years in jail, though, he's insisted that he's innocent.
Not long after their mother abandoned them, Josie left home, ending up in New York with her partner, Caleb, and zero intentions of ever going back to visit once-treasured relatives. But then, a self-described "investigative" reporter named Poppy Parnell reveals a podcast which she claims will shed new light on the twins' father's murder. Was a man wrongly convicted? Did Lanie, who changed her original story that she'd seen nothing, lie on the witness stand? And if those things are true, who is the real murderer and what was the motivation?
The podcast, downloaded by thousands including Josie, opens up old family wounds - especially, it seems, for the twins' mother; not long after the first one appears, she is found dead on the cult's property, clearly a suicide. Now, Josie feels compelled to return home for the funeral of the mother she loved, hoping to avoid interaction with anyone else. She also doesn't want to interact with Caleb, who's ready and willing to accompany her. Why? Simply because everything she's told him about herself is a big fat lie, including her last name - which she changed to rid herself of the stigmas of her past and live in relative anominity.
Although she was given ample opportunity and good reason to 'fess up, Josie refuses to come clean - reasoning that her beloved Caleb just wouldn't understand and would exit stage left. Instead, she manages to convince him to stay put while she heads home alone. If I didn't already dislike her, that sealed the deal for sure.
From then on, much of the story focuses on Josie's encounters with family members, most notably her sister, interspersed with text of the podcasts and readers' reactions as they are released. As tensions begin to heat up, Josie gets a surprise visitor; and from that time forward, the story starts to move quickly, capturing my attention to the somewhat-of-a-twist ending.
My conclusion? If you can stand neurotic, sometimes totally unhinged females, this is a very good, intriguing book with a plot that's a bit different (and thus welcome, especially given all the recent books featuring neurotic females). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2017
Josie Buhrman's father, Chuck, was shot in the head in their family home when Josie and her twin sister, Lanie, were teens. Their seventeen-year-old next-door neighbor, Warren Cave, was convicted of the crime, based mainly on Lanie's testimony that she saw Warren shoot her father. Now, twelve years later, Chuck's case is being featured on a new podcast, called RECONSIDERED (think SERIAL), featuring crime reporter Poppy Parnell. Poppy has unearthed the case at the behest of Warren's mother, Melanie, who claims he's innocent. Suddenly, everyone in America is talking about the Buhrman family. For Josie--who has changed her last name and fled her home state of Illinois--this is particularly disturbing, since she's never told her boyfriend, Caleb, about her family. Josie and Lanie are estranged, their mother lives in a cult in California, and she only has sporadic contact with her family through her Aunt A and cousin Ellen. However, when Ellen calls with the news that Josie's mom has passed away, she realizes she needs to return to Illinois and face her demons. And the fact that perhaps Warren isn't her father's killer.
This was a compelling first novel that definitely kept me reading. It offers an interesting commentary on our society's focus on these sorts of "lurid" family crimes and the media formats in which we rapidly digest them. However, as the novel points out, society gets sucked into true crime shows without realizing the impact the focus may have on those associated with said crime. For Josie, Lanie, and the entire Burhman family, RECONSIDERED roars through their life like a freight train. The novel features excerpts from the podcast itself, which is an incredibly effective format--interspersing the chapters with the podcast excerpts, reddit threads, and Twitter feed is powerful and really builds suspense. Further, Josie tells the story in the present, but often remembers back to the past, only adding to the tension.
For a while, thanks to the format and storyline, I thought this would be a 4-star for sure. I did not enjoy, however, how the book relies on one of my least favorite devices (well-known to those who read my reviews frequently): a relationship or plot built on shaky lies. So much of Josie and Caleb's relationship is just so, and it drove me crazy; it just seemed ridiculous that she wouldn't tell him the truth, and I was so frustrated. So, there's that. The plot also felt vaguely familiar at times--maybe I'm just reading too many thrillers anymore. But the whole blame the kid with a satanic background for a crime, sisters fighting too much over silly things--that all felt a bit done. Also, Lanie and Josie's fighting and drama was a tad much for me at times.
In the end, this one wasn't a shocker, but it was certainly compelling. It kept me reading the entire time: it's captivating and disturbing. I loved the format of the book, and I'm impressed that this is Barber's first--I look forward to her next novel. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/01/2017.
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This was a compelling first novel that definitely kept me reading. It offers an interesting commentary on our society's focus on these sorts of "lurid" family crimes and the media formats in which we rapidly digest them. However, as the novel points out, society gets sucked into true crime shows without realizing the impact the focus may have on those associated with said crime. For Josie, Lanie, and the entire Burhman family, RECONSIDERED roars through their life like a freight train. The novel features excerpts from the podcast itself, which is an incredibly effective format--interspersing the chapters with the podcast excerpts, reddit threads, and Twitter feed is powerful and really builds suspense. Further, Josie tells the story in the present, but often remembers back to the past, only adding to the tension.
For a while, thanks to the format and storyline, I thought this would be a 4-star for sure. I did not enjoy, however, how the book relies on one of my least favorite devices (well-known to those who read my reviews frequently): a relationship or plot built on shaky lies. So much of Josie and Caleb's relationship is just so, and it drove me crazy; it just seemed ridiculous that she wouldn't tell him the truth, and I was so frustrated. So, there's that. The plot also felt vaguely familiar at times--maybe I'm just reading too many thrillers anymore. But the whole blame the kid with a satanic background for a crime, sisters fighting too much over silly things--that all felt a bit done. Also, Lanie and Josie's fighting and drama was a tad much for me at times.
In the end, this one wasn't a shocker, but it was certainly compelling. It kept me reading the entire time: it's captivating and disturbing. I loved the format of the book, and I'm impressed that this is Barber's first--I look forward to her next novel. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 08/01/2017.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Google+ ~ Instagram
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