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Sleepwalker
There’s a killer in the museum. With a faulty memory and no alibi, Web just hopes he’s not the murderer.
Daniel Weber (Web, to his friends) was on the fast track to success when his life was derailed by memory loss. A year ago, he was a grad student with a bright future. Now he’s the night watchman at a failing museum on the brink of shutting down.
Good thing he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
In a last-ditch effort to stay open, the museum hires an expert taxidermist from Iowa to clean up their collection. What they get instead is his son, Jesse Ray Jones. Young. Sharp. And way too normal to be into something as weird as taxidermy.
Jesse looks like a skatepunk and talks like a science major, which pushes Web’s every last hot-button. It’s lust at first sight…but hooking up proves difficult when a museum supervisor is found bludgeoned to death in the petroglyph alcove.
Web relies on his trusty pocket notebook to remind him of things he can’t afford to forget. But for the time of the murder, it offers up nothing to exonerate his new love interest…or, for that matter, him.
Daniel Weber (Web, to his friends) was on the fast track to success when his life was derailed by memory loss. A year ago, he was a grad student with a bright future. Now he’s the night watchman at a failing museum on the brink of shutting down.
Good thing he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
In a last-ditch effort to stay open, the museum hires an expert taxidermist from Iowa to clean up their collection. What they get instead is his son, Jesse Ray Jones. Young. Sharp. And way too normal to be into something as weird as taxidermy.
Jesse looks like a skatepunk and talks like a science major, which pushes Web’s every last hot-button. It’s lust at first sight…but hooking up proves difficult when a museum supervisor is found bludgeoned to death in the petroglyph alcove.
Web relies on his trusty pocket notebook to remind him of things he can’t afford to forget. But for the time of the murder, it offers up nothing to exonerate his new love interest…or, for that matter, him.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2010
20 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Castillo Price
138 books2,130 followersAuthor and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 6, 2011
I loved this story. The narrator is a young man coping with a brain tumor which causes moments of fugue and amnesia. In another writer's hands this would have been a tear-jerker. With Price's light touch, it becomes a sweet, engrossing and satisfying mystery with romance and self-deprecating humor. The little twist at the end explains a question most readers will have held in mind throughout the story (especially if you know anything about meningiomas being generally surgically treatable.) Highly recommended.
December 31, 2014
This was a really good m/m mystery suspense full of quirky characters and a sweet romance. I could have easily gone with five stars but I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. Other then that a very fun read!
November 16, 2017
4.5 Stars
So everything I've ever read by JCP has either a Supernatural, Paranormal or Science Fiction edge to it and IMHO she's one of the best in the business at all of that. Imagine my surprise at finding a perfectly normal contemporary whodunit with exactly everything I love in a story.
The setting was so normal (a museum), and yet I felt like it was an additional character because of it's small-town quirkiness. The humor was gallows in style (and hilarious) and the dialogue witty. Also, the characters - while not completely developed - were engaging; just average Joe guys. Only the main MC (Web) has a tumor and it causes him to dissociate ("sleepwalk") so that he'll snap to and not know what he'd done or where he'd gone.
And that ending was just...*sigh* For the whole of the book the reader isn't privy to the specifics - is it operable, malignant, growing, deadly - and so the reveal felt poignant and important, the decisions not made lightly given what it might cost.
Gawd, JCP really can write anything.
So everything I've ever read by JCP has either a Supernatural, Paranormal or Science Fiction edge to it and IMHO she's one of the best in the business at all of that. Imagine my surprise at finding a perfectly normal contemporary whodunit with exactly everything I love in a story.
The setting was so normal (a museum), and yet I felt like it was an additional character because of it's small-town quirkiness. The humor was gallows in style (and hilarious) and the dialogue witty. Also, the characters - while not completely developed - were engaging; just average Joe guys. Only the main MC (Web) has a tumor and it causes him to dissociate ("sleepwalk") so that he'll snap to and not know what he'd done or where he'd gone.
And that ending was just...*sigh* For the whole of the book the reader isn't privy to the specifics - is it operable, malignant, growing, deadly - and so the reveal felt poignant and important, the decisions not made lightly given what it might cost.
Gawd, JCP really can write anything.
July 8, 2010
Web lives in small town Faris. He works in a museum that’s too big for the town, lives on the top floor of his cousin’s apartment and then there’s George too…
When the Faris museum is taken into consideration to be granted a much needed subsidy, Web and all his colleagues are expected to help enhance the image of the died out museum. Web doesn’t really mind, because the taxidermist hired to clean up the artifacts turns out to be a real catch.
But then something shocking happens…
Sleepwalker was a typical Jordan Castillo Price book in where the story telling is great, the world building is very true to life and the characters are engaging. But this time around the pacing didn’t start out as fast as we’re used to with her stories.
Price takes it slow and gives us little bits of information we need to put together over the course of the book. For some people this might be a trial, but please: keep going because you will be rewarded with a fantastic story, which ends up in a fast paced whodunit. Besides the suspense, we learn about George, Web’s past and his relationships with his cousin, colleagues and with the town Faris.
The town almost felt like a secondary character because it played a very important role in the story. It was vividly described and I got a real feel of this desolate place with a traumatic past which has influenced Web’s life severely.
Web is another great JCP protagonist. He is smart, sincere and funny, but also really passive and vulnerable. Web has pretty much closed himself off from the rest of the world and we soon learn that the title of the book goes far beyond describing Web's ‘real sleepwalking state’.
The secondaries were – in good JCP fashion- also great. I was enamoured by Jesse, loved Alex and ‘whatshername’ Kathy and laughed out loud about Marvin, Bridget and Theresa.
Sleepwalker is another great read by Jordan Price Castillo. I heard there’s a sequel in the works so I hope she hurries up with it!
4,5 stars
When the Faris museum is taken into consideration to be granted a much needed subsidy, Web and all his colleagues are expected to help enhance the image of the died out museum. Web doesn’t really mind, because the taxidermist hired to clean up the artifacts turns out to be a real catch.
But then something shocking happens…
Sleepwalker was a typical Jordan Castillo Price book in where the story telling is great, the world building is very true to life and the characters are engaging. But this time around the pacing didn’t start out as fast as we’re used to with her stories.
Price takes it slow and gives us little bits of information we need to put together over the course of the book. For some people this might be a trial, but please: keep going because you will be rewarded with a fantastic story, which ends up in a fast paced whodunit. Besides the suspense, we learn about George, Web’s past and his relationships with his cousin, colleagues and with the town Faris.
The town almost felt like a secondary character because it played a very important role in the story. It was vividly described and I got a real feel of this desolate place with a traumatic past which has influenced Web’s life severely.
Web is another great JCP protagonist. He is smart, sincere and funny, but also really passive and vulnerable. Web has pretty much closed himself off from the rest of the world and we soon learn that the title of the book goes far beyond describing Web's ‘real sleepwalking state’.
The secondaries were – in good JCP fashion- also great. I was enamoured by Jesse, loved Alex and ‘whatshername’ Kathy and laughed out loud about Marvin, Bridget and Theresa.
Sleepwalker is another great read by Jordan Price Castillo. I heard there’s a sequel in the works so I hope she hurries up with it!
4,5 stars
November 9, 2020
This was my first time reading Jordan Castillo Price; it won't be my last, but I do hope that I enjoy her other books a bit more.
I really liked Web. I like the whole 'George' thing, and his cousin, and his weird little job at a weird little museum.
I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of chemistry between Web and Jesse.
But the whole mystery/murder element doesn't kick in til the 50% mark, and felt more like a subplot to the romance and I would have preferred the reverse.
I really liked Web. I like the whole 'George' thing, and his cousin, and his weird little job at a weird little museum.
I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of chemistry between Web and Jesse.
But the whole mystery/murder element doesn't kick in til the 50% mark, and felt more like a subplot to the romance and I would have preferred the reverse.
September 22, 2010
Very good m/m romantic suspense about a night watchmen at a decrepit natural history museum who has a weakness for the skatepunk taxidermist brought in for some last minute exhibit cleanup. (Jordan reports that the followup book will be called Insomniac.)
July 5, 2010
I really enjoyed this one from JCP. A vulnerable protagonist, and a love interest who's willing to accept him warts and all. Secondary characters who were for the most part fully rounded, and a damning indictment of the US healthcare system as well! ;)
wrote
June 17, 2010A lot of elements I've been wanting to write about for ages came together and culminated in this book. I'm planning a sequel.
Want to read
December 19, 2017Thank you, Secret Santa!
May 27, 2014
Wow, this was a treat. With a paranormal feel but not a paranormal. Well developed likable characters who have a magnetic attraction but didn’t hop to it immediately, and some dark humor mixed in. All packaged in a nice little mystery based in sleepy, small-town middle-America.
So, Dan Weber (call him Web) is a security guard at a dusty old natural history museum in his quiet hometown. He’s sharp and resourceful and his job doesn’t nearly meet his expectations in life— he was a promising college student— but Web has this little affliction called ‘George’ that keeps him close to home and living quietly. You have to read it to see…
When a hottie McHot-Hot named Jesse, a taxidermist, blows into town to dust off the moldy exhibits in Web’s museum, the tension builds between him and Web. Poor timing though, ’cause there’s a mystery afoot and when a dead body shows up it throws a monkey wrench at the romance.
The author has a sweet voice, crafts a compact, nicely-woven plot, and delivers a playfulness in the two main characters that gets some laughs. And for a novella-length book, the mystery isn’t half-bad either. It’s a little slice of small-town thrills. I’m tagging with a HFN ending in that Web still has ‘George’ to deal with, and his romance with Jesse is really just taking off. I really need to read more of Castillo Price’s stuff. Like pronto. I sure hope there’s more of Web and Jesse to come, too.
July 1, 2010
3.5 stars
I had a hard time going into this story, compared to any other of Ms. Price's books. Maybe it's the setting or maybe it's the strange introduction of 'George' (once I know who Web means by 'George', it's a lot easier to continue). It's an interesting story, that's for sure, there is some social issues in here, including the health bill and insurance. All in all, a different story and while it's not my all time favorite but not a total bust for me.
I had a hard time going into this story, compared to any other of Ms. Price's books. Maybe it's the setting or maybe it's the strange introduction of 'George' (once I know who Web means by 'George', it's a lot easier to continue). It's an interesting story, that's for sure, there is some social issues in here, including the health bill and insurance. All in all, a different story and while it's not my all time favorite but not a total bust for me.
December 26, 2014
A surprisingly sweet murder mystery novella. Funny, poignant, and sexy, this book manages to offer some strong social messages without being preachy or condescending. Loved it, and highly recommend.
December 1, 2019
Sleepwalker
By Jordan Castillo Price
JCPbooks, 2010 (e-book edition 2019)
Four stars
A love story wrapped in a mystery? That’s essentially true of “Sleepwalker,” but it doesn’t quite do it justice. Both the romance and the mystery are slow burns, and the first half of the book is a set up that makes the brewing romance its center, while the mystery is a surprise that serves as a catalyst.
The place is New Faris, a fictional small town in the Midwest, whose claim to fame is a lead mine, and also a violent tornado that split it in two a generation earlier. The stage on which most of the action plays out is a failing local natural history museum, itself less than a generation old, built when tourism and the economy were strong.
Dan Weber, known as Web, is a young man whose ambitions were toppled by the discovery of a brain tumor, which he refers to as George. Enduring life as a night watchman in the museum that was new when he was a child, Web sees the museum’s slow decline every day. He stays because he needs the health coverage that his low-level employment offers him. His tumor, benign and deeply embedded, nonetheless has its impact, making Web sleepwalk – losing minutes or even hours of his life randomly every day.
Jesse Ray Jones is the son of an Iowan taxidermist, himself well on his way to being an expert in the care and conservation of natural history specimens. Called into the museum as a cheap alternative to a costly licensed conservator, Jones instantly understands Web and his silent passenger. Their gentle, low-key flirtation gives Web the first glimmer of hope he’s had since his diagnosis, while setting both young men up to be players in the mystery that unfolds in the museum’s dusty galleries.
This is not Jordan Castillo Price’s most mature work – but it is a quietly compelling and sweet-natured story, enriched with quiet drama and gentle humanity. I was slightly disappointed at the unresolved denouement, leaving many questions unanswered, only because I wanted more – but Price also leaves the reader with a sense that the story will continue. Like any good romance author, she lets us imagine where the story will go. Sometimes, that’s the best way to end a book.
By Jordan Castillo Price
JCPbooks, 2010 (e-book edition 2019)
Four stars
A love story wrapped in a mystery? That’s essentially true of “Sleepwalker,” but it doesn’t quite do it justice. Both the romance and the mystery are slow burns, and the first half of the book is a set up that makes the brewing romance its center, while the mystery is a surprise that serves as a catalyst.
The place is New Faris, a fictional small town in the Midwest, whose claim to fame is a lead mine, and also a violent tornado that split it in two a generation earlier. The stage on which most of the action plays out is a failing local natural history museum, itself less than a generation old, built when tourism and the economy were strong.
Dan Weber, known as Web, is a young man whose ambitions were toppled by the discovery of a brain tumor, which he refers to as George. Enduring life as a night watchman in the museum that was new when he was a child, Web sees the museum’s slow decline every day. He stays because he needs the health coverage that his low-level employment offers him. His tumor, benign and deeply embedded, nonetheless has its impact, making Web sleepwalk – losing minutes or even hours of his life randomly every day.
Jesse Ray Jones is the son of an Iowan taxidermist, himself well on his way to being an expert in the care and conservation of natural history specimens. Called into the museum as a cheap alternative to a costly licensed conservator, Jones instantly understands Web and his silent passenger. Their gentle, low-key flirtation gives Web the first glimmer of hope he’s had since his diagnosis, while setting both young men up to be players in the mystery that unfolds in the museum’s dusty galleries.
This is not Jordan Castillo Price’s most mature work – but it is a quietly compelling and sweet-natured story, enriched with quiet drama and gentle humanity. I was slightly disappointed at the unresolved denouement, leaving many questions unanswered, only because I wanted more – but Price also leaves the reader with a sense that the story will continue. Like any good romance author, she lets us imagine where the story will go. Sometimes, that’s the best way to end a book.
March 19, 2023
Classic JCP! I bought this in 2014 and kept it for when I really wanted it, which is now! JCP books are worth savoring and this one is no exception. It's top notch and very enjoyable. I'm still holding out hope for that sequel she mentioned...
May 2, 2011
Daniel "Web" Weber is another great J.C. Price's narrator. He's funny and kind of sweet and as focused as he can ever be, since he has George to share his life with. He works as a guard in a museum who is going to be closed if it's not granted a contribution by a benefactor. To keep the museum alive, the management is trying to revive the outer appearance of the museum. Jesse Ray Jones is the taxidermist who is called to do a little bit of last minute make-up on the exhibits.
Web and Jesse are immediately attracted to each other. Jesse's no-fuss acceptance of George is really moving, as Web's marvel at that. Their teasing and the way they get to know each other is a joy to read. There are great secondary characters around them, especially Alex - Web's cousin - and Alex's wife ... uhmmmm ... pick-up-her-laundry Kathy. Don't worry, you'll get it when you read the book. The museum with its resiliance and its staff are also protagonists of the story and they help give a slightly crazy touch to the story.
Web is a character who is dealing with the cards he's been given. He is trying to deal with George at the best of his abilities, devising little tricks to keep track of what's going on in his life. He holds on to his job because he needs it. He talks of his life before George with a bittersweet melancoly, but even if life has been pretty cruel with him, it didn't crash his spirit and his dignity. He is one of those characters you want to hold and protect.
It's a highly recommended, touching book. And before you ask, it's not about a threesome.
Web and Jesse are immediately attracted to each other. Jesse's no-fuss acceptance of George is really moving, as Web's marvel at that. Their teasing and the way they get to know each other is a joy to read. There are great secondary characters around them, especially Alex - Web's cousin - and Alex's wife ... uhmmmm ... pick-up-her-laundry Kathy. Don't worry, you'll get it when you read the book. The museum with its resiliance and its staff are also protagonists of the story and they help give a slightly crazy touch to the story.
Web is a character who is dealing with the cards he's been given. He is trying to deal with George at the best of his abilities, devising little tricks to keep track of what's going on in his life. He holds on to his job because he needs it. He talks of his life before George with a bittersweet melancoly, but even if life has been pretty cruel with him, it didn't crash his spirit and his dignity. He is one of those characters you want to hold and protect.
It's a highly recommended, touching book. And before you ask, it's not about a threesome.
July 6, 2010
I adored Jordan Castillo Price psy-cop series so of course I had to buy Sleepwalker.
Web works as a night as a dead-end security job. In the beginning you'll often be wondering who is George? Is Web crazy? George is Web's nickname for his brain tumor, once a promising grad student he now has to write things down and can't even remember his sister in-laws name. He meets Jesse Ray Jones a taxidermist who is there to help Faris Natural Sciences Center secure the MAHPS Grant. Web can't seem to take his eyes off Jesse and offers to have his stay at his apartment while he is working. Lust gets put on hold after Web's supervisor is found dead, Web has 3 hours unaccounted for, and all fingers point to Jesse.
I keep having to remind myself that Jordan Castillo Price's books have more of a HFN(I just learned this today Happy For Now) ending. I struggle with this at time because I really want my HEA darn it. Sleepwalker is a well-written suspenseful read - filled with interesting characterization.
My only ho-hum: I didn't feel Jesse and Web had enough time to really grow or start a relationship. Most of the story is spent with both of them just getting to know one another at work, which makes sense since all of this takes place in a matter of a few days. Also, there didn't seem to be any light shed on Web's condition, will he get surgery? Will he regress etc? I can only hope a second book will come out so we can read more about Jesse and the fascinating Mr. Web.
Web works as a night as a dead-end security job. In the beginning you'll often be wondering who is George? Is Web crazy? George is Web's nickname for his brain tumor, once a promising grad student he now has to write things down and can't even remember his sister in-laws name. He meets Jesse Ray Jones a taxidermist who is there to help Faris Natural Sciences Center secure the MAHPS Grant. Web can't seem to take his eyes off Jesse and offers to have his stay at his apartment while he is working. Lust gets put on hold after Web's supervisor is found dead, Web has 3 hours unaccounted for, and all fingers point to Jesse.
I keep having to remind myself that Jordan Castillo Price's books have more of a HFN(I just learned this today Happy For Now) ending. I struggle with this at time because I really want my HEA darn it. Sleepwalker is a well-written suspenseful read - filled with interesting characterization.
My only ho-hum: I didn't feel Jesse and Web had enough time to really grow or start a relationship. Most of the story is spent with both of them just getting to know one another at work, which makes sense since all of this takes place in a matter of a few days. Also, there didn't seem to be any light shed on Web's condition, will he get surgery? Will he regress etc? I can only hope a second book will come out so we can read more about Jesse and the fascinating Mr. Web.
October 1, 2010
I thought this was going to be a scary/horror type book.....nope! At least not to me. It was interesting, I liked the MC (and George), but something just didn't click for me. There were some awkward scenes/dialogue that I had to reread to make sense of them.
In the end, a mediocre JCP is better then a lot of books I have read.....so there ya go :)
In the end, a mediocre JCP is better then a lot of books I have read.....so there ya go :)
May 29, 2016
4.5 stars
I LOVE JCP! Gah, every one of her stories. She writes these unique and original characters, but they're like regular folks, too. I don't know. Let me not try to explain cuz I suck at it.
I loved this story. Jesse tickled me and was so perfect for Web.
Recommend.
I LOVE JCP! Gah, every one of her stories. She writes these unique and original characters, but they're like regular folks, too. I don't know. Let me not try to explain cuz I suck at it.
I loved this story. Jesse tickled me and was so perfect for Web.
Recommend.
February 1, 2016
Enjoyable and kept me guessing! I wanted more by the time it ended.
September 27, 2019
A sweet, contemporary mystery romance. Nary a paranormal or supernatural element to be found, which is not what I usually expect from this author. Nice story, of course. JCP is always great. I am a little worried about Web's health insurance, though.
August 20, 2012
Very good m/m mystery suspense novella about Web, a former biology student who is working as a security guard for a local natural science center and living in the top apartment at his cousin's place.
Web's main conflict and secret from most people outside of his family is that he doesn't know when "George" will take over--George is the brain tumor that causes him to spontaneously "sleepwalk" and lose time, living but not knowing what he's doing, and not remembering what he did during those lost minutes or hours. Web couldn't cut it at school with George, and is desperate to keep his job for the health benefits.
The science center is on its last legs, and to prep for a special visit from a potential grant funder, his work calls in a taxidermist to help clean up the dusty and dilapidated exhibits. To Web's surprise, the taxidermist is a good-looking young man who doesn't shy away from him and things are finally looking up. That is, until a dead body is found in the center, and Web realizes he lost a few hours the night of the murder.
JCP has written a very complex mystery that is rich with details, characters, and suspense. It is a dense novella (but not too dense. It's just not something to skim. She packs a lot of information about people, setting, and the plot in a short amount of space.) Web's "condition" also means that he is an unreliable narrator since he doesn't know what happens when George takes over, and the reader is just as surprised as him when he finds out that he just jumped ahead by a couple hours. This character point offers a lot of suspense to both Web and us since we feel his first-person POV dread of wondering what happens during his "sleepwalking". Did he do something wrong? Say the wrong thing? Freak this new hot guy out?
Jesse Ray, the out-of-town taxidermist sent in to help clean things up, is a fresh breeze in Web's life, and it's easy to feel Web's warm surprise when Jesse didn't shy away when he learned about George. Their romance is a slow burn through the novella, which sometimes frustrates Web, but I appreciated JCP's realistic pacing considering the situation.
The author always does a great job of creating very realized characters, both main and side. My one niggle with this story is that I had a really strong grasp on Alex and Kathy, Web's cousin and his wife who so fiercely looked out for him, and their characters almost stood out more than Web and his developing relationship with Jesse. I don't normally gravitate towards side characters, but in this case, they were very interesting, and like other parts of the story, became richer and more developed as you continued on and learned more from Web's narration.
It's mentioned that there will be a sequel, so my guess is there will probably be more development for both Web and Jesse, which sounds great, especially since the ending here is very understandably "HFN".
It was also really interesting to read this after reading Mnevermind, also by JCP. Both works share a commonality of unreliable or lost memory and how this affects the characters, but each story takes that point in a different direction. For Web, he's dealing with George while also trying to solve a murder. For Dan in Mnevermind, a futuristic sci-fi story, his father has been implanted with false memories, and he himself in sometimes unaware if his experiences are real or if he's experiencing a "dream" at his memory-palace. Both Web in Sleepwalker, and Dan in Mnevermid have to do little tricks like write down their experiences, or mark their bodies to help them understand what's going on, even if they might not remember what's happening later. Those kinds of "marking" techniques are really neat ways to keep suspense up. You are just as much on your toes as the characters are.
Mnevermind is also a really good story, and the beginning of a new series too, so if you liked Sleepwalker, you will probably really enjoy that one, and vice versa, if you liked Mnevermind, you would probably enjoy the complex character-driven mystery within Sleepwalker. They're not the same story, but their commonalities are really interesting, and like JCP's other works, the writing and dialogue are top-notch. Very good read.
Web's main conflict and secret from most people outside of his family is that he doesn't know when "George" will take over--George is the brain tumor that causes him to spontaneously "sleepwalk" and lose time, living but not knowing what he's doing, and not remembering what he did during those lost minutes or hours. Web couldn't cut it at school with George, and is desperate to keep his job for the health benefits.
The science center is on its last legs, and to prep for a special visit from a potential grant funder, his work calls in a taxidermist to help clean up the dusty and dilapidated exhibits. To Web's surprise, the taxidermist is a good-looking young man who doesn't shy away from him and things are finally looking up. That is, until a dead body is found in the center, and Web realizes he lost a few hours the night of the murder.
JCP has written a very complex mystery that is rich with details, characters, and suspense. It is a dense novella (but not too dense. It's just not something to skim. She packs a lot of information about people, setting, and the plot in a short amount of space.) Web's "condition" also means that he is an unreliable narrator since he doesn't know what happens when George takes over, and the reader is just as surprised as him when he finds out that he just jumped ahead by a couple hours. This character point offers a lot of suspense to both Web and us since we feel his first-person POV dread of wondering what happens during his "sleepwalking". Did he do something wrong? Say the wrong thing? Freak this new hot guy out?
Jesse Ray, the out-of-town taxidermist sent in to help clean things up, is a fresh breeze in Web's life, and it's easy to feel Web's warm surprise when Jesse didn't shy away when he learned about George. Their romance is a slow burn through the novella, which sometimes frustrates Web, but I appreciated JCP's realistic pacing considering the situation.
The author always does a great job of creating very realized characters, both main and side. My one niggle with this story is that I had a really strong grasp on Alex and Kathy, Web's cousin and his wife who so fiercely looked out for him, and their characters almost stood out more than Web and his developing relationship with Jesse. I don't normally gravitate towards side characters, but in this case, they were very interesting, and like other parts of the story, became richer and more developed as you continued on and learned more from Web's narration.
It's mentioned that there will be a sequel, so my guess is there will probably be more development for both Web and Jesse, which sounds great, especially since the ending here is very understandably "HFN".
It was also really interesting to read this after reading Mnevermind, also by JCP. Both works share a commonality of unreliable or lost memory and how this affects the characters, but each story takes that point in a different direction. For Web, he's dealing with George while also trying to solve a murder. For Dan in Mnevermind, a futuristic sci-fi story, his father has been implanted with false memories, and he himself in sometimes unaware if his experiences are real or if he's experiencing a "dream" at his memory-palace. Both Web in Sleepwalker, and Dan in Mnevermid have to do little tricks like write down their experiences, or mark their bodies to help them understand what's going on, even if they might not remember what's happening later. Those kinds of "marking" techniques are really neat ways to keep suspense up. You are just as much on your toes as the characters are.
Mnevermind is also a really good story, and the beginning of a new series too, so if you liked Sleepwalker, you will probably really enjoy that one, and vice versa, if you liked Mnevermind, you would probably enjoy the complex character-driven mystery within Sleepwalker. They're not the same story, but their commonalities are really interesting, and like JCP's other works, the writing and dialogue are top-notch. Very good read.
June 23, 2010
This story took me a while to get into. It started slowly and I felt like I was sleep walking myself trying to make sense out of the snippets of information the author only gave out in tiny increments so I could get the whole picture. She builds on it slowly so you can take in all the little details.
If it weren't for the fact that this was written by Jordan Castille Price, and I know from her PsyCop series that she will deliver a very well written story, I might not have continued past the first chapter or so.
Without going into any of the story's details, as that would take away the flavor and, I believe, the intent she had when she wrote this the way she did, I will say that my patience and perseverance paid off in spades. Her characters come to life, I could almost map out the entire location where the story takes place by her descriptions that showed it to me without being an info-dump. The slow pace of a few pebbles eventually turn into a full-on rock slide that finally settles at the bottom of a ravine to lay all sprawled out with all the little details laid bare. The only thing I could wish for at the end of the story is for her to write a sequel. My only complaint is that this was too short.
Now that I know what's going on from the beginning, when I go back to reread this, it'll lose a little of the magic of being in the main character's shoes. What won't change is the quality of the writing, the storytelling and the characters she brought to life and who now play happily in the theatre of my imagination. :)
If it weren't for the fact that this was written by Jordan Castille Price, and I know from her PsyCop series that she will deliver a very well written story, I might not have continued past the first chapter or so.
Without going into any of the story's details, as that would take away the flavor and, I believe, the intent she had when she wrote this the way she did, I will say that my patience and perseverance paid off in spades. Her characters come to life, I could almost map out the entire location where the story takes place by her descriptions that showed it to me without being an info-dump. The slow pace of a few pebbles eventually turn into a full-on rock slide that finally settles at the bottom of a ravine to lay all sprawled out with all the little details laid bare. The only thing I could wish for at the end of the story is for her to write a sequel. My only complaint is that this was too short.
Now that I know what's going on from the beginning, when I go back to reread this, it'll lose a little of the magic of being in the main character's shoes. What won't change is the quality of the writing, the storytelling and the characters she brought to life and who now play happily in the theatre of my imagination. :)
October 3, 2010
Another sweet romance by JCP, right in the sleeve of "Sympathy". Remarkably little sex, but wonderful emotions. The fate Web, the first person narrator, has to endure, is creepy to imagine: walking around with big hunks of time just missing, keeping notes of how his almost-sister-in -law is called or how and when he's been together with his boyfriend.
The actual mystery was solid handiwork, particularly the way Web and Jesse were tangled into it.
Some things were really far-fetched, though, and the solution to the mystery was a bit awkward.
All in all, a fine, entertaining read laced with JCP's trademark dark humor and little plot twitches. Definitely recommended.
The actual mystery was solid handiwork, particularly the way Web and Jesse were tangled into it.
Some things were really far-fetched, though, and the solution to the mystery was a bit awkward.
All in all, a fine, entertaining read laced with JCP's trademark dark humor and little plot twitches. Definitely recommended.
November 6, 2021
This author has such a unique way of writing and she creates such wonderful characters. Web's life has took a left turn when George showed up and nothing has been the same since. Web is working as a security guard, purely for the insurance benefits, at a small museum that is floundering. Web is a little shocked to find an adorable man cleaning the displays and even more surprised when one of his bosses ends up dead. There is nothing complicated about this book and the mystery is pretty simple, but this is a really fun read.
January 26, 2014
This was a great read. I liked the characters. All of them. This could have been a lot longer though. I would have liked to get more involved with Web and what he's going through. The mystery was fun but I would have liked to know more about the lives of the characters. This one could definitely have as sequel.
September 8, 2016
Fantastically original setting and unique characters. This was thoroughly enjoyable to read.
Favorite Quotes:
"Lose your job. Fuck it. Figure out the details when they come to you. Go do what you've always wanted to do."
I tried to bite back a laugh, but it slipped out anyway in the way laughter does when it's completely inappropriate.
Favorite Quotes:
"Lose your job. Fuck it. Figure out the details when they come to you. Go do what you've always wanted to do."
I tried to bite back a laugh, but it slipped out anyway in the way laughter does when it's completely inappropriate.
August 14, 2010
This was a rather sweet story. Loved the slightly creepy setting of a run-down museum. Loved that Web talks to George. Um, I just loved the whole thing :)
June 21, 2023
4+ stars
Jordan Castillo Price can definitely write a mean novella. The settings and characters are always so good, just reading the first pages about a security guard doing his boring rounds already had me invested.
The main character and narrator of the story is definitely suffering from something not too often tackled. I have no idea about medical accuracy but it feels all very credible, and fascinating. And the two slightly weird young men seem to form a nice couple.
Add in a bit of a mystery also outside of narrators brain and there's quite a lot going on, but JCP manages to create a coherent story out of it. Of course I'd read more about this, but it's alright that not every story has 12 sequels.
Jordan Castillo Price can definitely write a mean novella. The settings and characters are always so good, just reading the first pages about a security guard doing his boring rounds already had me invested.
The main character and narrator of the story is definitely suffering from something not too often tackled. I have no idea about medical accuracy but it feels all very credible, and fascinating. And the two slightly weird young men seem to form a nice couple.
Add in a bit of a mystery also outside of narrators brain and there's quite a lot going on, but JCP manages to create a coherent story out of it. Of course I'd read more about this, but it's alright that not every story has 12 sequels.
December 14, 2024
I think JCP is an exceptional writer, but this is more an amuse bouche than a novella. I enjoyed both main characters, but it was easy to put the book down and then pick up a day or two later (I'm usually a stay up to 2 am to finish the book kind of gal.)
If you have never read JCP, the PsyCop Series is a great place to start. It starts with Among the Living and goes on for 11 books, which I have read and reread many times.
This one is a bit atmospheric but really too slight for me.
If you have never read JCP, the PsyCop Series is a great place to start. It starts with Among the Living and goes on for 11 books, which I have read and reread many times.
This one is a bit atmospheric but really too slight for me.
July 29, 2019
Kobo, 140 pages - updated (2019) edition with minor text changes; different cover.
The protagonist is suffering a brain tumour (to put it simply) and experiences blackouts - the sleepwalking of the title - and has no memory of what happens during them. This is difficult but more or less manageable (Web now works as a night shift security guard at a local museum). A snap inspection by a possible sponsor requires some cosmetic work on exhibits - and a young taxidermist is drafted in. Unfortunately both Jesse and Web have good reasons for sdeking the demise of another museum employee - and following a murder both suspect the other...
A well-written plot, unusual for Web's disability - and leaving us with the thread of their romance dangling somewhat...
The protagonist is suffering a brain tumour (to put it simply) and experiences blackouts - the sleepwalking of the title - and has no memory of what happens during them. This is difficult but more or less manageable (Web now works as a night shift security guard at a local museum). A snap inspection by a possible sponsor requires some cosmetic work on exhibits - and a young taxidermist is drafted in. Unfortunately both Jesse and Web have good reasons for sdeking the demise of another museum employee - and following a murder both suspect the other...
A well-written plot, unusual for Web's disability - and leaving us with the thread of their romance dangling somewhat...
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