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Don't Fall Asleep
A guilt she can’t explain …
A murder she can’t remember …
A nightmare she can’t escape…
The sleep study is just supposed to be a way for Kelty Crawford to make a little extra cash to pay for her upcoming wedding. One night, one little drug, three thousand bucks. Easy money.
She should have known it was too good to be true.
Because the night of the study, Kelty has a vivid and violent dream. A man, dying in an alley. A bloody knife, next to her own hand.
And a familiar voice behind her saying, “You killed him, Kelty. You killed him.”
The dream would be bad enough. But things get more disturbing when, just two days later, Kelty sees a news report about a missing man.
Because it’s him.
The man from her dream. The man she watched bleed out in front of her.
The man she might have killed.
Desperate to figure out what really happened that night, Kelty is haunted by the nightmare … but the truth might turn out to be even more terrifying.
A murder she can’t remember …
A nightmare she can’t escape…
The sleep study is just supposed to be a way for Kelty Crawford to make a little extra cash to pay for her upcoming wedding. One night, one little drug, three thousand bucks. Easy money.
She should have known it was too good to be true.
Because the night of the study, Kelty has a vivid and violent dream. A man, dying in an alley. A bloody knife, next to her own hand.
And a familiar voice behind her saying, “You killed him, Kelty. You killed him.”
The dream would be bad enough. But things get more disturbing when, just two days later, Kelty sees a news report about a missing man.
Because it’s him.
The man from her dream. The man she watched bleed out in front of her.
The man she might have killed.
Desperate to figure out what really happened that night, Kelty is haunted by the nightmare … but the truth might turn out to be even more terrifying.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 8, 2022
175 people are currently reading
779 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 19, 2022
I finally found a good book! Ups and downs in the 2nd half kept me on the edge of my seat. Bad guy still came out not the person I was expecting 😉 highly recommended this book if you like a good thriller!!
October 8, 2024
Don’t Fall Asleep was my second read by Marissa Finch. I liked this one more than the first book I read of hers, Liars Anonymous. But loved the clever plots and flawed characters in both books. Don’t Fall Asleep was a mysterious mystery within itself. The plot was multi-layered, with captivating twists that propelled the storyline and had me engaged from the first page. On top of that, Finch had me guessing and re-guessing until the very end-there was never a dull moment.
Collectively, Marissa Finch has a distinct voice in the mystery thriller genre. Of the two books I’ve read by Finch, each story has had a prominent plot that stood out from other books I have read in the same genre. I believe her original storylines & characters make her a talented and memorable author.
Collectively, Marissa Finch has a distinct voice in the mystery thriller genre. Of the two books I’ve read by Finch, each story has had a prominent plot that stood out from other books I have read in the same genre. I believe her original storylines & characters make her a talented and memorable author.
August 2, 2022
Kelty is secretly joining a medical trial for sleep walkers. She lies in her interview, denying having post traumatic disorder. How dangerous or significant will that lie be going forward? And then of course there's the clinic and Dr. Baylor. He schedules her trial during non-operating hours while the clinic is otherwise empty. Not to mention, her sleeping quarters look exactly like a television set.
But it's only a sleep drug, only about twelve hours, and all she has to do is sleep and then she gets a cool three grand. What could go wrong?
Finch is an absolute master! She never disappoints. Her writing is superb, fast-paced, flowing. Her characters are vibrant, deep, believable. Her story plots are suspenseful, tense, clever, and filled with unexpected twists that send shockwaves. This story encompassed all of that.
But it's only a sleep drug, only about twelve hours, and all she has to do is sleep and then she gets a cool three grand. What could go wrong?
Finch is an absolute master! She never disappoints. Her writing is superb, fast-paced, flowing. Her characters are vibrant, deep, believable. Her story plots are suspenseful, tense, clever, and filled with unexpected twists that send shockwaves. This story encompassed all of that.
May 30, 2022
I’ve just found Marissa Finch and I’m enjoying her books a lot!
This story follows Kelty as she takes part in a sleep study to try to sort out her sleep issues. But little does she know that her nightmares are only going to get worse from now on.
I enjoyed the premise of this book and I also loved the red herrings, which left me guessing right up to the end! I love books about sleep and sleep walking and insomnia so this was a perfect read!
This story follows Kelty as she takes part in a sleep study to try to sort out her sleep issues. But little does she know that her nightmares are only going to get worse from now on.
I enjoyed the premise of this book and I also loved the red herrings, which left me guessing right up to the end! I love books about sleep and sleep walking and insomnia so this was a perfect read!
May 4, 2023
Honestly, at first I had a hard time getting into the story. But after a few more chapters I couldn’t read it fast enough. I’m a grab me right off, kind of reader. I loved this book. How many times I changed my thinking about it really showed me how much I was going to love it. I thought about the conclusion and changed my mind every day at every reading. I was wrong so many times. So don’t think you are wrong because it’s early in your reading. You may not be.
October 13, 2024
What I loved most about this book was that every time I picked it up, I was excited to read it! Very short chapters and high level of suspense. A different plot than I’ve read before in the thriller genre. I appreciated the uniqueness of the sleepwalking aspect mixed with a murder. Well done and a quick easy read! Thanks for the loan, Jackie! You always find the best books for us to read! ❤️❤️
October 24, 2022
Another solid read by this author. I love how the entire book is short chapters and fast paced. I honestly didn’t see the twists coming in this one either. I thought I had an idea and then I was wrong and they just kept coming and coming. Kelty was a very likable character the entire book too!
May 10, 2022
I read an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
On a positive note the story kicks off with main character Kelty Crawford who has suffered the trauma of an accident years before and being a sleep walker agreeing to participate in a sleep study to make much needed money.
I did question her intelligence when she willingly was injected with an unknown drug in a remote building. The payment she expected to receive isn't realised but the drugs have brought to the fore vivid nightmares in which she sees herself in an alley with a dead man and bloodied knife.
Things escalate rapidly when a few days later there is a news report about a missing man and the image featured is the man from Kelty's dreams. At the same time insomnia interspersed with nightmares take over Kelty's life.
The story lost a star because the back story was somewhat far-fetched. Nonetheless an enjoyable read. 4 stars
On a positive note the story kicks off with main character Kelty Crawford who has suffered the trauma of an accident years before and being a sleep walker agreeing to participate in a sleep study to make much needed money.
I did question her intelligence when she willingly was injected with an unknown drug in a remote building. The payment she expected to receive isn't realised but the drugs have brought to the fore vivid nightmares in which she sees herself in an alley with a dead man and bloodied knife.
Things escalate rapidly when a few days later there is a news report about a missing man and the image featured is the man from Kelty's dreams. At the same time insomnia interspersed with nightmares take over Kelty's life.
The story lost a star because the back story was somewhat far-fetched. Nonetheless an enjoyable read. 4 stars
September 1, 2023
Kelty has a shopping problem and an upcoming wedding to pay for. She decides to join an experimental study for sleepwalkers to make a quick $3000 to pay off some of the debt she has hidden from her fiancé. During the experiment, she dreams that she’s covered in blood standing over a dead man’s body. In the days following the experiment the nightmares continue and become debilitating and her sleepwalking is worse than ever. Soon after she sees the man from her nightmares on the news as a missing person and eventually his body is discovered. Could she have killed him in her sleep while under the influence of experimental drugs?
Okay, so I don’t LOVE the unreliable narrator trope but it is part of a lot of psychological thrillers so I deal with it. This was not that. This was more like an unreliable author and it felt lazy and deceptive. The story is told on different timelines and the reader isn’t even clued in on that until the book is more than halfway over. I almost DNF’d it at that point because I was irritated but decided to push through based on all the good reviews. I also knew pretty quickly into the book who the bad guy was going to be based on one line between two of the main characters. The ending felt kind of rushed but since I already guessed the twist/killer I was ready for it to be over anyway. Overall the story kept me engaged enough that I felt compelled to finish it even with the downfalls so 3 stars it is.
Okay, so I don’t LOVE the unreliable narrator trope but it is part of a lot of psychological thrillers so I deal with it. This was not that. This was more like an unreliable author and it felt lazy and deceptive. The story is told on different timelines and the reader isn’t even clued in on that until the book is more than halfway over. I almost DNF’d it at that point because I was irritated but decided to push through based on all the good reviews. I also knew pretty quickly into the book who the bad guy was going to be based on one line between two of the main characters. The ending felt kind of rushed but since I already guessed the twist/killer I was ready for it to be over anyway. Overall the story kept me engaged enough that I felt compelled to finish it even with the downfalls so 3 stars it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2022
I've been obsessed with books about insomnia and other sleep issues because consistent, restful sleep has eluded me for years. Marissa Finch has created a terrifying, engaging tale with DON'T FALL ASLEEP.
Kelty has two problems...she's been sleepwalking for years, and she's developed a shopping habit, one she's so ashamed of that she hides her purchases from her fiance. Desperate to earn money for her upcoming wedding, she is intrigued to hear her co-worker recommend an overnight sleep study that his friend participated in that paid $3,000.
When she visits the location of the sleep study, everything in her is screaming something is wrong, but desperation wins out. On the night of the study, it's just her and a doctor, who injects her with an unknown substance. She falls asleep almost instantly, only to have a vivid, violent dream of someone yelling, "You killed him, Kelty!" She sees a man dying in an alley next to a bloody knife. Terrified and disconcerted, she leaves the clinic and deposits her payment.
But those feelings of foreboding come back when the payment from the clinic bounces and worse, Kelty sees a news report about a missing man and realizes it's him, the man from her dream. Is her growing paranoia coming from her lack of sleep or the subconscious realization that someone in her inner circle isn't who she thinks they are?
A disturbing, tense, whirlwind of a read. Highly recommended! Available on KU.
Kelty has two problems...she's been sleepwalking for years, and she's developed a shopping habit, one she's so ashamed of that she hides her purchases from her fiance. Desperate to earn money for her upcoming wedding, she is intrigued to hear her co-worker recommend an overnight sleep study that his friend participated in that paid $3,000.
When she visits the location of the sleep study, everything in her is screaming something is wrong, but desperation wins out. On the night of the study, it's just her and a doctor, who injects her with an unknown substance. She falls asleep almost instantly, only to have a vivid, violent dream of someone yelling, "You killed him, Kelty!" She sees a man dying in an alley next to a bloody knife. Terrified and disconcerted, she leaves the clinic and deposits her payment.
But those feelings of foreboding come back when the payment from the clinic bounces and worse, Kelty sees a news report about a missing man and realizes it's him, the man from her dream. Is her growing paranoia coming from her lack of sleep or the subconscious realization that someone in her inner circle isn't who she thinks they are?
A disturbing, tense, whirlwind of a read. Highly recommended! Available on KU.
November 24, 2022
Kelty Crawford is living with her finance, Evan. She needs to plan for the wedding, but right now she has one thing on her mind, she has to pay off all those credit cards she has been hiding from Evan. See Kelty is a compulsive buyer and she finds when she goes into a store, she just can't help buying more things and hiding them in a storage shed the basement where Evan won't see all the things she bought.
Working at the local coffee shop with her best friend's boyfriend, he tells her how she can make a quick 3,000. There is a sleep study that if you participate for the one night, they will write you a check for 3,000. Kelty thinks this is a perfect way to get some money ahead and maybe this will also solve her sleepwalking problem.
This one will have you going down different scenarios all through it. I thought I figured it out, but then it changed again..A good one to keep you guessing all the way through!!
Working at the local coffee shop with her best friend's boyfriend, he tells her how she can make a quick 3,000. There is a sleep study that if you participate for the one night, they will write you a check for 3,000. Kelty thinks this is a perfect way to get some money ahead and maybe this will also solve her sleepwalking problem.
This one will have you going down different scenarios all through it. I thought I figured it out, but then it changed again..A good one to keep you guessing all the way through!!
December 2, 2022
Amazing author!
I just discovered Marissa Finch through kindle, and have already completed reading two of her thrillers in two days! Both were fantastic and I can,t wait to start the next one in my library. Totally enthralling and kept me amazed at every twist and turn...especially at the end, as both came as complete surprises. And I have read a gazillion psychological thrillers in my life! I beg you to read Don't Fall Asleep and A Friend Like Her so you can enjoy and appreciate Marissa Finch and her books as much as I do. She is an incredible author!
I just discovered Marissa Finch through kindle, and have already completed reading two of her thrillers in two days! Both were fantastic and I can,t wait to start the next one in my library. Totally enthralling and kept me amazed at every twist and turn...especially at the end, as both came as complete surprises. And I have read a gazillion psychological thrillers in my life! I beg you to read Don't Fall Asleep and A Friend Like Her so you can enjoy and appreciate Marissa Finch and her books as much as I do. She is an incredible author!
August 27, 2025
2.5 but mayyyybbbeee 3 ⭐️ this was the type of thriller where the main character furthers the plot by doing the most unhinged things ever and then us having to believe it lol. i did audibly gasp when we figured out the timeline was goofy and it did make it more interesting but only bc she was the most unreliable narrator ever. which i understand is the point of the book but also the ending was too perfectly tied up in a bow like if you’re gonna make a messy thriller commit to the bit
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2023
Incredible Book
This has been one of my favorite books. It’s a very fast read, I read it in about 3 days total. I couldn’t put it down and there are so many twists and turns that you’re always guessing what’s going to happen. 10/10 highly recommend and will definitely be reading again, and more by this author.
This has been one of my favorite books. It’s a very fast read, I read it in about 3 days total. I couldn’t put it down and there are so many twists and turns that you’re always guessing what’s going to happen. 10/10 highly recommend and will definitely be reading again, and more by this author.
March 29, 2023
Clever and different mystery/thriller! It got a little confusing midway when past and present points of view were revealed, but it was a unique twist once everything came together. I guessed the big ending about 70% through, but there were still a few little details that surprised me. My 2nd book by this author and I will definitely read more of hers
August 10, 2022
good read
It was the best book I have read in a long time, I didn’t have it figured out by the second chapter.and when the killer was revealed I was surprised.I will read more books by marissa Finch
It was the best book I have read in a long time, I didn’t have it figured out by the second chapter.and when the killer was revealed I was surprised.I will read more books by marissa Finch
September 26, 2022
UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK
This book is extremely well written. The author takes you on a journey with Kelzy. Page after page you follow her and her friend Brianna. Looking for more works by MELISSA FINCH SHE IS MY NEW AUTHOR TO FOLLOW.
This book is extremely well written. The author takes you on a journey with Kelzy. Page after page you follow her and her friend Brianna. Looking for more works by MELISSA FINCH SHE IS MY NEW AUTHOR TO FOLLOW.
October 17, 2022
Too predictable
There were no surprises in this book. I knew who the killer was almost immediately. I would have liked to be a little surprised. I kept reading it because I wanted to be wrong but I wasn't.
There were no surprises in this book. I knew who the killer was almost immediately. I would have liked to be a little surprised. I kept reading it because I wanted to be wrong but I wasn't.
October 28, 2022
Good ending
This book was really good. Got a little confused were the past met the present with Brianna and kelty, but all in all I liked the surprise ending and definitely would check out this author's other books she's written.
This book was really good. Got a little confused were the past met the present with Brianna and kelty, but all in all I liked the surprise ending and definitely would check out this author's other books she's written.
February 12, 2023
Heart pounding!
It seems every book I read written by Marissa French I read in one day. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the characters and the twists that came. I'm not great with words but thank goodness Marissa is!
It seems every book I read written by Marissa French I read in one day. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the characters and the twists that came. I'm not great with words but thank goodness Marissa is!
December 26, 2024
hang on to your hat
This is a good one. I had started to suspect the true villain but couldn’t put it together…and I wasn’t sure. The big reveal at the end cleared up everything in an easy way. I’d like to read more by this author. Well written.
This is a good one. I had started to suspect the true villain but couldn’t put it together…and I wasn’t sure. The big reveal at the end cleared up everything in an easy way. I’d like to read more by this author. Well written.
August 27, 2025
4.5!! I was genuinely thrown by a few different things and love when timelines mess with your head. But I could’ve guessed the culprit from the literal beginning and the ending felt a bit too thrown together in a rush. Regardless, definitely worth reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2022
A bit qwirky
It seemed a little slow at first but by the time I was about half way through, I couldn't put it down until the end.
It seemed a little slow at first but by the time I was about half way through, I couldn't put it down until the end.
October 5, 2022
This was a great read. Kept me interested the whole way and kept giving twists along the way! I am excited to read more book by her!
October 10, 2022
It was good. Right to the very end It kept me guessing. Read it in one night
I just wrote all of that above. Just read that. It was good I enjoyed it. I think you will too
I just wrote all of that above. Just read that. It was good I enjoyed it. I think you will too
October 27, 2022
Pretty middle of the road compared to everything else I've been reading. I was engaged but I did put the book down a few times throughout the day/night
October 31, 2022
The twist in the middle was kind of a rough transition, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it!
November 4, 2022
Was really good, then confusing, then ending dramatically! Overall a decent read!
December 7, 2022
This is definitely a page turner.....I was totally shocked at the ending! A bit confusing once some details are revealed but it all comes together at the end.
December 12, 2022
5 shiny bright solid stars !!! That's my kind of a psychological thriller....I devoured it within a few hours!!! Well done Marissa Finch !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews