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Nick Ryan #1
Sleepless City
Every cop in the city knows his name, but no one says it out loud.
In fact, they don't talk about him at all. He doesn't wear a uniform, but he is the most powerful cop in New York. Nick Ryan can find a criminal who's vanished. Or he can make a key witness disappear. He has cars, safe houses, money, and weapons hidden all over the city.
With conflicted loyalties and a divided soul, he's a veteran cop still fighting his own private war. He's a soldier of the streets with his own personal code.
In fact, they don't talk about him at all. He doesn't wear a uniform, but he is the most powerful cop in New York. Nick Ryan can find a criminal who's vanished. Or he can make a key witness disappear. He has cars, safe houses, money, and weapons hidden all over the city.
With conflicted loyalties and a divided soul, he's a veteran cop still fighting his own private war. He's a soldier of the streets with his own personal code.
321 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2023
329 people are currently reading
3898 people want to read
About the author
Reed Farrel Coleman
166 books744 followersaka Tony Spinosa
Reed Farrel Coleman’s love of storytelling originated on the streets of Brooklyn and was nurtured by his teachers, friends, and family.
A New York Times bestseller called a hard-boiled poet by NPR’s Maureen Corrigan and the “noir poet laureate” in the Huffington Post, Reed is the author of novels, including Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, the acclaimed Moe Prager series, short stories, and poetry.
Reed is a three-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—and a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year. He has also won the Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards.
A former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America, Reed is an adjunct instructor of English at Hofstra University and a founding member of MWA University. Brooklyn born and raised, he now lives with his family–including cats Cleo and Knish–in Suffolk County on Long Island.
Reed Farrel Coleman’s love of storytelling originated on the streets of Brooklyn and was nurtured by his teachers, friends, and family.
A New York Times bestseller called a hard-boiled poet by NPR’s Maureen Corrigan and the “noir poet laureate” in the Huffington Post, Reed is the author of novels, including Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, the acclaimed Moe Prager series, short stories, and poetry.
Reed is a three-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—and a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year. He has also won the Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards.
A former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America, Reed is an adjunct instructor of English at Hofstra University and a founding member of MWA University. Brooklyn born and raised, he now lives with his family–including cats Cleo and Knish–in Suffolk County on Long Island.
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August 31, 2023With Sleepless City crime writer Reed Farrel Coleman adds a fifth series to his already incredible body of work. He introduces the reader to Nick Ryan, undercover detective with the NYBD, and the person who gets the call when a very messy situation needs to be handled. In this case, the messy situation involves a rookie policeman, a black adolescent boy, and a white adolescent girl. The situation Nick is called to handle could be two murders and a suicide, three murders, two suicides and a murder or any other permutation of three dead bodies in a stairwell of a high rise. But, of course, it quickly becomes far more than that.
There is a huge cast of characters: police detectives, police patrolmen, thugs, drug addicts, drug sellers, journalists, an ex-wife, a heretofore unknown daughter, and an anonymous puppet master, and I would suggest the the reader start listing characters within the opening pages of the book.
What the author does so well is depict place and in this case place is everything from the streets of Brooklyn to jails and jail cells to maximum security prisons. The author reveals just enough abouto Nick Ryan to whet the reader's appetite for more information. We know he was a soldier, we know he served in Afghanistan, we know he wasn't lilywhite there just as he is not lilywhite when he comes home. He's dangerous, clever, intelligent, and witty. Above all, he is someone you do not want to mess with. Nor do you want your family and your associates to mess with him. He knows his weapons and he knows his city. And he is practically never afraid.
The author is a terrific writer. He knows how to play out information to keep the reader glued to the page. If you like your crime hard-boiled and do not mind the occasional reference to Shakespeare, you will love this first book in what will probably become a winning series. I enjoyed the heck out of it...and I don't read hard-boiled crime novels as a general rule. In the future, I'll definitely make an exception for Reed Farrrl Coleman's Nick Ryan.
There is a huge cast of characters: police detectives, police patrolmen, thugs, drug addicts, drug sellers, journalists, an ex-wife, a heretofore unknown daughter, and an anonymous puppet master, and I would suggest the the reader start listing characters within the opening pages of the book.
What the author does so well is depict place and in this case place is everything from the streets of Brooklyn to jails and jail cells to maximum security prisons. The author reveals just enough abouto Nick Ryan to whet the reader's appetite for more information. We know he was a soldier, we know he served in Afghanistan, we know he wasn't lilywhite there just as he is not lilywhite when he comes home. He's dangerous, clever, intelligent, and witty. Above all, he is someone you do not want to mess with. Nor do you want your family and your associates to mess with him. He knows his weapons and he knows his city. And he is practically never afraid.
The author is a terrific writer. He knows how to play out information to keep the reader glued to the page. If you like your crime hard-boiled and do not mind the occasional reference to Shakespeare, you will love this first book in what will probably become a winning series. I enjoyed the heck out of it...and I don't read hard-boiled crime novels as a general rule. In the future, I'll definitely make an exception for Reed Farrrl Coleman's Nick Ryan.
August 18, 2024
Sleepless City is an introduction to a new style of detective with a fast paced plot and a dark and gritty feel, Reed Farrel Coleman takes us on a hardboiled ride. Nick Ryan has special skills, reliable contacts and a killer’s attitude and he’s capable of tracking down just about any criminal he puts his mind to.
The first book in a new series, Nick Ryan is a New York City detective who demonstrates that he’s not afraid to operate outside the law. When the court system fails to bring the most repugnant of criminals to justice, Ryan takes matters into his own hands and metes out his own brand of justice. But this kind of retribution has a way of getting noticed.
He’s “persuaded” to join an elite group of crime fighters by a mysterious handler who has noticed his skills and wants to put them to good use when the need arises. Ryan’s reluctant but eventually comes around, starting with the clean-up of a mess involving the son of the city’s top-ranking police officer.
His solution initiates a domino effect of attacks and counter attacks with some of the most outlandish action sequences imaginable. Suspension of disbelief is a must through some of the near misses and leaps in deductive theory that takes place as Nick works his way through a minefield of dangerous situations. But that’s all part of the enjoyment of this action thriller.
I appreciated an original take on the no holds barred style of hero. Think a cross between Reacher and Evan Smoak when coming to grips with Nick Ryan. His military training comes into frequent use and his experience in the field ensures he can handle himself in a slew of tight situations.
He has his vulnerabilities, and Coleman has provided him with a father’s legacy that makes him a pariah in the force and an alcoholic brother who resents every move he makes. It’s a skeleton-thin character backstory for book 1 but certainly something to add a little meat to in subsequent books in the series for sure.
Overall I was kept thoroughly engrossed by the exploits of Nick Ryan and am looking forward to the prospect of finding out where he will be taken next.
The first book in a new series, Nick Ryan is a New York City detective who demonstrates that he’s not afraid to operate outside the law. When the court system fails to bring the most repugnant of criminals to justice, Ryan takes matters into his own hands and metes out his own brand of justice. But this kind of retribution has a way of getting noticed.
He’s “persuaded” to join an elite group of crime fighters by a mysterious handler who has noticed his skills and wants to put them to good use when the need arises. Ryan’s reluctant but eventually comes around, starting with the clean-up of a mess involving the son of the city’s top-ranking police officer.
His solution initiates a domino effect of attacks and counter attacks with some of the most outlandish action sequences imaginable. Suspension of disbelief is a must through some of the near misses and leaps in deductive theory that takes place as Nick works his way through a minefield of dangerous situations. But that’s all part of the enjoyment of this action thriller.
I appreciated an original take on the no holds barred style of hero. Think a cross between Reacher and Evan Smoak when coming to grips with Nick Ryan. His military training comes into frequent use and his experience in the field ensures he can handle himself in a slew of tight situations.
He has his vulnerabilities, and Coleman has provided him with a father’s legacy that makes him a pariah in the force and an alcoholic brother who resents every move he makes. It’s a skeleton-thin character backstory for book 1 but certainly something to add a little meat to in subsequent books in the series for sure.
Overall I was kept thoroughly engrossed by the exploits of Nick Ryan and am looking forward to the prospect of finding out where he will be taken next.
August 31, 2024
I’m on a hardboiled crime binge at the moment, and it’s taken me to one of this genre’s most reliable exponents, Reed Farrel Coleman. His Moe Prager books are amongst my all-time favourites, but I found this one hard going. I’m not sure if it was the penmanship or the somewhat over the top narration by actor Peter Giles. I’ve seen reviews that have praised his performance, but for me, it was all way too gruff, too overdone.
The front man here, Nick Ryan, is an archetypal hard man. A cop who has a few axes to grind and who seems to relish danger and even physical harm, he’s recruited to undertake covert tasks by a man calling himself Joe and representing who knows whom. The first of these missions involves three bodies found dead in a New York City stairwell, at a time when racial tensions are running particularly high. The fact that one of the dead is a young black man and another – a man who may have taken his own life – is a rookie cop, signals that there is a need to present a certain picture to the public.
In this, the first book in a promised new series, we’re introduced to a number of characters who I’m sure we’ll meet again. The story carries multiple strands, some of which are left open-ended as the book ends. There are some great lines here, and I did like a number of the characters I was to meet along the way, but I found it all a bit unconvincing – most of all, I found Ryan unconvincing The amount of physical harm the man endures would have put most of us in long-term recovery, but not Nick. He shakes it all off with a shrug and a ‘bring it on’ attitude.
I’m not sure if I’ll be back for episode two. I would like to see how the unresolved elements are tidied up, and I do have faith in Coleman to write a good story, so perhaps he’ll bounce back with the second book? We’ll see.
The front man here, Nick Ryan, is an archetypal hard man. A cop who has a few axes to grind and who seems to relish danger and even physical harm, he’s recruited to undertake covert tasks by a man calling himself Joe and representing who knows whom. The first of these missions involves three bodies found dead in a New York City stairwell, at a time when racial tensions are running particularly high. The fact that one of the dead is a young black man and another – a man who may have taken his own life – is a rookie cop, signals that there is a need to present a certain picture to the public.
In this, the first book in a promised new series, we’re introduced to a number of characters who I’m sure we’ll meet again. The story carries multiple strands, some of which are left open-ended as the book ends. There are some great lines here, and I did like a number of the characters I was to meet along the way, but I found it all a bit unconvincing – most of all, I found Ryan unconvincing The amount of physical harm the man endures would have put most of us in long-term recovery, but not Nick. He shakes it all off with a shrug and a ‘bring it on’ attitude.
I’m not sure if I’ll be back for episode two. I would like to see how the unresolved elements are tidied up, and I do have faith in Coleman to write a good story, so perhaps he’ll bounce back with the second book? We’ll see.
October 4, 2023
Nick stops a couple bad cops from beating up an innocent man.
Then goes to a bar meets a girl and they do the sex.
Then goes to his ex girlfriends house who he hasn't seen in years and she tells him to not come back.
Then he kidnaps a serial killer and before he can blow the guys brains out someone else does it.
What?
As he is walking away a car stops guy pulls out a gun and tells him to get in.
What?
Slow down
This all happened in the first 30 pages.
Slow down!
When you make chocolate pudding you stir slowly over a low flame to make it thick and tasty.
If the flame is too high you will burn it. The author burned the pudding.
This wasn't so much a book but a group of vignettes. Not my style.
Plus if your going to set the plot in NYC make the city a character.
Then goes to a bar meets a girl and they do the sex.
Then goes to his ex girlfriends house who he hasn't seen in years and she tells him to not come back.
Then he kidnaps a serial killer and before he can blow the guys brains out someone else does it.
What?
As he is walking away a car stops guy pulls out a gun and tells him to get in.
What?
Slow down
This all happened in the first 30 pages.
Slow down!
When you make chocolate pudding you stir slowly over a low flame to make it thick and tasty.
If the flame is too high you will burn it. The author burned the pudding.
This wasn't so much a book but a group of vignettes. Not my style.
Plus if your going to set the plot in NYC make the city a character.
July 15, 2023
Reed Farrel Coleman is a highly-decorated author with a slew of literary awards to his name and a firm grasp on the noir side of the crime/thriller genre. With his latest novel, SLEEPLESS CITY, Coleman introduces readers to a new protagonist named Nicky Ryan.
It is said that when people are in trouble they phone 911. However, when the police are in trouble they phone Nicky Ryan. SLEEPLESS CITY is appropriately set in the city that never sleeps --- New York City. It covers nearly all five boroughs that make up NYC and for those familiar with the territory gives some very real moments set in and around this locale. With Nicky Ryan, I was reminded heavily of Lee Child’s protagonist Jack Reacher. The main difference is that Reacher is walking the earth in search of his next adventure/mission while Nicky Ryan is firmly operating within the boundaries of NYC.
Ryan may be a feared and respected individual but he also lives under the extremely unpopular shadow of his father who was an infamous rat against the NYPD which he was a part of. Nicky went overseas to fight with special forces to escape some of this blowback while his younger brother Sean, also a cop, has wallowed in alcohol and self-pity with his middling law enforcement career.
Nicky’s strength is with undercover work and the story opens with him working a large fentanyl drug bust. He later will make some further waves within the NYPD when he rescues a young black man from being beaten by members of the police squad during a rally against recent police violence against black youths in the city. Nicky’s publicity from this as well as his prior background put him on the radar of some particularly important and influential people that have a special assignment for him.
Nicky, who recently found out he has a child with a now married woman he was involved with prior to his military service, takes it upon himself to eliminate a serial pedophile who seemingly escaped justice during a recent high-profile court case. It was also a case that saw Pete, his friend and mentor, eat his own pistol once he got busted for planting evidence in order to convict this individual. Nicky has resources and safe houses all around NYC and brings this newly freed criminal to the basement of a safe house in Brooklyn with the intention of executing him in the name of true justice.
Instead, Nicky is shocked when a third man shows up in the basement and does the deed in front of him. Nicky is then ushered from the house to a waiting car where two guys who look like fellow cops take him on a ride to the South Bronx. In a warehouse there, he meets with an anonymous man who looks like a lawyer that Nicky ends up calling ‘Joe.’ Joe lets him know he is representing another higher authority and they all know things about Nicky Ryan that no one could possibly know. This knowledge is used to demonstrate their reach and desire to have him work for them. At first, Nicky refuses, but later he comes around and agrees to assist them on a case as long as he can do things his way. He is promised complete carte blanche and anything he requires to complete his mission.
The mission involves Nicky getting to a man currently being held in prison out in eastern Long Island at Riverhead Penitentiary. It is there where Nicky will prove his worth by getting to the man called Aaron Lister who is also known as the new Bernie Madoff. Prior to this mission, Nicky was called in to help ‘clean up’ a serious situation involving a police officer who happened to be the son of an NYPD bigwig that was involved in what would be another explosive killing of an innocent black youth which could burn the entire city down. Nicky proves his worth by taking care of this situation in controversial fashion that involves utilizing the popular and infamous host of a hate speech/conspiracy theory podcast named Roderick Ford. He also finds himself on the radar of a hungry young Brooklyn journalist named Calista Barrows who is eager to make a name for herself.
This is all just the tip of the iceberg of the novel SLEEPLESS CITY which is jam-packed with suspense and non-stop thrills sure to please every reader who enjoys realistic, noir-like thrillers. I could not put this book down and became immediately attached to Nicky Ryan who is a larger-than-life but still very human character and extremely loyal citizen of the greatest city in the world. There are few who could have conceived of such a character outside of Reed Farrel Coleman and I am very eager to see where the Nicky Ryan saga takes us next!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
It is said that when people are in trouble they phone 911. However, when the police are in trouble they phone Nicky Ryan. SLEEPLESS CITY is appropriately set in the city that never sleeps --- New York City. It covers nearly all five boroughs that make up NYC and for those familiar with the territory gives some very real moments set in and around this locale. With Nicky Ryan, I was reminded heavily of Lee Child’s protagonist Jack Reacher. The main difference is that Reacher is walking the earth in search of his next adventure/mission while Nicky Ryan is firmly operating within the boundaries of NYC.
Ryan may be a feared and respected individual but he also lives under the extremely unpopular shadow of his father who was an infamous rat against the NYPD which he was a part of. Nicky went overseas to fight with special forces to escape some of this blowback while his younger brother Sean, also a cop, has wallowed in alcohol and self-pity with his middling law enforcement career.
Nicky’s strength is with undercover work and the story opens with him working a large fentanyl drug bust. He later will make some further waves within the NYPD when he rescues a young black man from being beaten by members of the police squad during a rally against recent police violence against black youths in the city. Nicky’s publicity from this as well as his prior background put him on the radar of some particularly important and influential people that have a special assignment for him.
Nicky, who recently found out he has a child with a now married woman he was involved with prior to his military service, takes it upon himself to eliminate a serial pedophile who seemingly escaped justice during a recent high-profile court case. It was also a case that saw Pete, his friend and mentor, eat his own pistol once he got busted for planting evidence in order to convict this individual. Nicky has resources and safe houses all around NYC and brings this newly freed criminal to the basement of a safe house in Brooklyn with the intention of executing him in the name of true justice.
Instead, Nicky is shocked when a third man shows up in the basement and does the deed in front of him. Nicky is then ushered from the house to a waiting car where two guys who look like fellow cops take him on a ride to the South Bronx. In a warehouse there, he meets with an anonymous man who looks like a lawyer that Nicky ends up calling ‘Joe.’ Joe lets him know he is representing another higher authority and they all know things about Nicky Ryan that no one could possibly know. This knowledge is used to demonstrate their reach and desire to have him work for them. At first, Nicky refuses, but later he comes around and agrees to assist them on a case as long as he can do things his way. He is promised complete carte blanche and anything he requires to complete his mission.
The mission involves Nicky getting to a man currently being held in prison out in eastern Long Island at Riverhead Penitentiary. It is there where Nicky will prove his worth by getting to the man called Aaron Lister who is also known as the new Bernie Madoff. Prior to this mission, Nicky was called in to help ‘clean up’ a serious situation involving a police officer who happened to be the son of an NYPD bigwig that was involved in what would be another explosive killing of an innocent black youth which could burn the entire city down. Nicky proves his worth by taking care of this situation in controversial fashion that involves utilizing the popular and infamous host of a hate speech/conspiracy theory podcast named Roderick Ford. He also finds himself on the radar of a hungry young Brooklyn journalist named Calista Barrows who is eager to make a name for herself.
This is all just the tip of the iceberg of the novel SLEEPLESS CITY which is jam-packed with suspense and non-stop thrills sure to please every reader who enjoys realistic, noir-like thrillers. I could not put this book down and became immediately attached to Nicky Ryan who is a larger-than-life but still very human character and extremely loyal citizen of the greatest city in the world. There are few who could have conceived of such a character outside of Reed Farrel Coleman and I am very eager to see where the Nicky Ryan saga takes us next!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
August 10, 2023
What's with the exceptional reviews. Unlike some books that are going nowhere in a hurry, this one is going everywhere in no hurry at all. Outlandish unreal solutions by Nick Ryan to problems thrown at him.
September 4, 2023
I have always been a fan of the hardboiled detective style books and Sleepless City By Reed Farrel Coleman is in my mind one of those. Sadly not many authors write in this style nowadays. This first in a new series with New York detective Nick Ryan makes a promising start. I found the book well written and the story has some unexpected twists and some new elements that makes it refreshing. I have liked Colemans way with words since the first book I read by him and I am glad I have a few that are still unread on my tbr pile. So I don't have to wait a whole year to read some more of his work. I do look forward to the next one in this series, I feel a need to see where it will go. I highly recommend this book and of course his other work.
August 4, 2023
Sleepless City has been labeled in various press releases as “fast-paced” and a “tension builder” and those descriptions are entirely accurate. Sleepless City is indeed a fun, fast, crime-genre read. The book also uses every single trope the medium has to offer. Reed Farrel Coleman mixes those ingredients into a tasty blend but the distinct lack of originality in both plot and style waters down the cocktail into a sugary mess.
Introduced within is NYPD detective Nick Ryan. Ryan is something of a fixer. When the city, or the force, or (of course) a cute reporter faces a particularly nasty dilemma, Ryan is called in. He can make photos disappear or calls unlisted numbers holding unlisted favors. Yet Sleepless City is also Ryan’s origin story. Coleman tells the tale of how Nick is recruited by an elite institution within the walls of City Hall where his honor, street smarts, and (of course) good looks can benefit all of the Five Boroughs.
Nick’s first assignment is to cover up a housing project shooting that went wrong. Then he hunts a dirty financier who has stolen NYPD pension money – a financier who is already incarcerated and ain’t talking. Uh-oh.
Coleman makes Nick Ryan a likeable guy. He has Captain America morals with the Punisher’s instincts. He’s the right guy in the wrong place. Yet the set up? His actions? Reactions? Everything?
Has all.
Been done.
Before.
He drives a classic muscle car.
His father was unfairly branded a traitor.
He has a hot ex-wife whose social station orbits on interplanetary levels.
His friend is an Irish bartender with a (wait for it) mysterious past.
He has access to the slickest hacker on the Internet.
And I’m pretty sure he already has a five-season deal with Taylor Sheridan for Paramount+.
Hey, look. A wise baseball player once talked about learning your clichés. He said to know them; they’re your friends. Coleman has taken this as gospel. And he makes a good preacher within his religion. He is also sermonizing to a one-tune choir.
Coleman does know how to punch up the action and throw in some hard-boiled motions. Ryan and one of his operatives take down a rather nasty serial rapist in a rather satisfying way. Coleman also gets poetic on comparing the rhythm of the streets to classical, jazz, and punk rock – and gets it right.
Above all, Coleman knows that Sleepless City is pure escapism; his tempo is a success. Sleepless City is a fun novel to read into the wee hours of the night.
If only the main beats were more original so that it wouldn’t fade away in the morning fog.
Or get lost in a wet ring on a table in a dive bar.
Or soaked up by the sounds of the city that never sleeps.
You can choose the cliché.
Thanks all around to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced read along with a New York state of mind.
More crime cliches (and other original ramblings) await at Read @ Joe's
Introduced within is NYPD detective Nick Ryan. Ryan is something of a fixer. When the city, or the force, or (of course) a cute reporter faces a particularly nasty dilemma, Ryan is called in. He can make photos disappear or calls unlisted numbers holding unlisted favors. Yet Sleepless City is also Ryan’s origin story. Coleman tells the tale of how Nick is recruited by an elite institution within the walls of City Hall where his honor, street smarts, and (of course) good looks can benefit all of the Five Boroughs.
Nick’s first assignment is to cover up a housing project shooting that went wrong. Then he hunts a dirty financier who has stolen NYPD pension money – a financier who is already incarcerated and ain’t talking. Uh-oh.
Coleman makes Nick Ryan a likeable guy. He has Captain America morals with the Punisher’s instincts. He’s the right guy in the wrong place. Yet the set up? His actions? Reactions? Everything?
Has all.
Been done.
Before.
He drives a classic muscle car.
His father was unfairly branded a traitor.
He has a hot ex-wife whose social station orbits on interplanetary levels.
His friend is an Irish bartender with a (wait for it) mysterious past.
He has access to the slickest hacker on the Internet.
And I’m pretty sure he already has a five-season deal with Taylor Sheridan for Paramount+.
Hey, look. A wise baseball player once talked about learning your clichés. He said to know them; they’re your friends. Coleman has taken this as gospel. And he makes a good preacher within his religion. He is also sermonizing to a one-tune choir.
Coleman does know how to punch up the action and throw in some hard-boiled motions. Ryan and one of his operatives take down a rather nasty serial rapist in a rather satisfying way. Coleman also gets poetic on comparing the rhythm of the streets to classical, jazz, and punk rock – and gets it right.
Above all, Coleman knows that Sleepless City is pure escapism; his tempo is a success. Sleepless City is a fun novel to read into the wee hours of the night.
If only the main beats were more original so that it wouldn’t fade away in the morning fog.
Or get lost in a wet ring on a table in a dive bar.
Or soaked up by the sounds of the city that never sleeps.
You can choose the cliché.
Thanks all around to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced read along with a New York state of mind.
More crime cliches (and other original ramblings) await at Read @ Joe's
December 16, 2023
Can one cop do the right thing in a city where so much is wrong?
Nick Ryan is a good cop and former soldier working in NYC, where corruption and rot are everywhere…both within and outside of the police department. He also regularly confronts ill will from fellow cops, payback for the fact that his father had testified against bad actors within his own precinct. That is not a sin that is readily forgiven, and even though his father had done the right thing, it has cost him and his sons dearly. Nick’s friend and former mentor Pete Moretti let his last case get too personal, and when it became apparent that the pedophile and serial killer who had tortured, raped and killed several young boys was going to go free due to lack of evidence, Pete decided to plant some to seal a conviction,,,doing the wrong thing for the right reasons…but was caught and booted from the force in disgrace, and ended up eating his gun. Nick decides to use his knowledge of the city and his many skills to kill the pedophile himself but frame it to look like something altogether different. If it works, great, and if not he is prepared to take the consequences. He sets the plan in motion, and is on the verge of shooting the pedophile when a stranger appears and kills him instead, telling Nick to just leave. Nick does, and is in short order taken to meet a man he’ll come to call Joe, a lawyer representing a small group of people with an interesting proposition. There are times when situations arise that can not be brought to an appropriate resolution using normal channels. They would like Nick to become their go-to person in such matters, someone who can assess the situation, develop a plan of action that will have the desired result, and execute that plan. In return, this group will make sure that Nick has access to whatever information, tools, and people that he needs to get it done. For someone like Nick who is frustrated that the right thing to do is not always what is allowed, it is a tempting offer. Who are the people behind this group? And for someone like Nick, who has a strong sense of right and wrong, will he able to live with sometimes doing something very wrong in order to make something very right happen in the end?
In Nick Ryan, we have a new hero. He’s equal parts “The Equalizer”, Jack Reacher, and Evan Smoak, all against the noir backdrop of New York City, the city referenced in the title. He’s got his demons, including a failed romance that he’s not quite over, a father seeking refuge in a bottle as he deals with the fallout over turning on fellow cops, and a brother who is one step away from screwing up his life in spectacular fashion. He is a master plan maker, has a quirky group of resources of his own upon whom he can call when needed, and thinks that this unorthodox arrangement might just be the way to bring a little more justice to those to whom the system generally gives the short end of the stick. I throughly enjoyed Sleepless City, and look forward to what I hope will be future excursions of Nick Ryan. Readers of Lee Child, Michael Connelly, and Gregg Hurwitz (among others) should add this to their TBR list. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for access to an advanced reader’s copy.
Nick Ryan is a good cop and former soldier working in NYC, where corruption and rot are everywhere…both within and outside of the police department. He also regularly confronts ill will from fellow cops, payback for the fact that his father had testified against bad actors within his own precinct. That is not a sin that is readily forgiven, and even though his father had done the right thing, it has cost him and his sons dearly. Nick’s friend and former mentor Pete Moretti let his last case get too personal, and when it became apparent that the pedophile and serial killer who had tortured, raped and killed several young boys was going to go free due to lack of evidence, Pete decided to plant some to seal a conviction,,,doing the wrong thing for the right reasons…but was caught and booted from the force in disgrace, and ended up eating his gun. Nick decides to use his knowledge of the city and his many skills to kill the pedophile himself but frame it to look like something altogether different. If it works, great, and if not he is prepared to take the consequences. He sets the plan in motion, and is on the verge of shooting the pedophile when a stranger appears and kills him instead, telling Nick to just leave. Nick does, and is in short order taken to meet a man he’ll come to call Joe, a lawyer representing a small group of people with an interesting proposition. There are times when situations arise that can not be brought to an appropriate resolution using normal channels. They would like Nick to become their go-to person in such matters, someone who can assess the situation, develop a plan of action that will have the desired result, and execute that plan. In return, this group will make sure that Nick has access to whatever information, tools, and people that he needs to get it done. For someone like Nick who is frustrated that the right thing to do is not always what is allowed, it is a tempting offer. Who are the people behind this group? And for someone like Nick, who has a strong sense of right and wrong, will he able to live with sometimes doing something very wrong in order to make something very right happen in the end?
In Nick Ryan, we have a new hero. He’s equal parts “The Equalizer”, Jack Reacher, and Evan Smoak, all against the noir backdrop of New York City, the city referenced in the title. He’s got his demons, including a failed romance that he’s not quite over, a father seeking refuge in a bottle as he deals with the fallout over turning on fellow cops, and a brother who is one step away from screwing up his life in spectacular fashion. He is a master plan maker, has a quirky group of resources of his own upon whom he can call when needed, and thinks that this unorthodox arrangement might just be the way to bring a little more justice to those to whom the system generally gives the short end of the stick. I throughly enjoyed Sleepless City, and look forward to what I hope will be future excursions of Nick Ryan. Readers of Lee Child, Michael Connelly, and Gregg Hurwitz (among others) should add this to their TBR list. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for access to an advanced reader’s copy.
September 7, 2023
While I've been a huge fan of Coleman since the Mor Prager series, his latest, SLEEPLESS CITY, still amazed me with his virtuosity. The economy of his precise word choices heighten the action of this unputdownable noir story. Reminiscent of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, with an indominable hero searching for justice, there are discrete differences between them. Nick Ryan is a member of the NYPD working in the shadows but with authority and power behind him. And he definitely is a thinking person's knight errant avenger. Can't praise this enough, just read it.
July 19, 2023
This doesn't have the soul of the Moe books, but i guess those days are over. This new character and story is more action oriented with a lot less subtlety than the Moe or Gus characters but i will round up to 4 as the writing is decent and pages go by pretty good but in a more mindless way.
January 27, 2024
First DNF of the year.
Not terrible, but just not what I want to spend another 10 hours on 🤷🏻♀️
Not terrible, but just not what I want to spend another 10 hours on 🤷🏻♀️
September 25, 2024
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I really want to tell you everything about this book—and I also want to tell you nothing at all beyond what the jacket copy is going to say and just tell you that if that sounds good to you—it is, and maybe better than you think. If that doesn't sound good to you, it still is, but it's probably not your cup of tea. Let's see if I can accomplish something in-between.
WHAT'S SLEEPLESS CITY ABOUT?
Nick Ryan is a detective with the NYPD—that's all he's wanted to be, and he's good at it. Sadly, because his father did the right thing and testified against a number of dirty cops several years ago—Ryan (and his father) are hated by most of the rank and file (and probably more of those above those). It doesn't matter what Ryan does, his career is going nowhere. He's still doing good work and seems to accept his lot in life.
Until a few things happen—I'm going to ignore those and move on to the results: Ryan is recruited by a lawyer representing unnamed interests who are going to change things for him. He's going to get a promotion, he's going to get to choose what cases he works on—whatever strikes his fancy and curiosity. But when this lawyer calls, he will push pause on everything in his life to take care of whatever these interests want. He's basically going to be a fixer for the NYPD, cleaning up messes they can't, preventing problems, and essentially doing whatever needs done. They'll provide the resources (off the record and unseen), and he provides the results.
In Sleepless City we get the origin story for Det. Ryan, we see his first two cases, and get an idea what the resulting series should look like. Here's the best thing about these two cases (which I'm going to share even if some might consider it mildly spoilery to do so because it's a great selling point): unlike in 95% of thrillers/procedurals these two crimes that apparently have nothing to do with each other do not come around in the end to be related. They are actually distinct from each other. The resolution of one has practically nothing to do with the other (only that some goodwill generated by Ryan in one situation keeps him out of hot water in another).
PROBLEM 1
A few recent incidents (nationally and in the city) have tensions high between the police and black communities at the tipping point. Ryan's called into the scene of a shooting death of an interracial couple by someone who never should've joined the police. Ryan's impulse—and that of several others, it should be noted—is to let the facts come out honestly.
But with the city near the boiling point, the fear is that the ensuing riots will leave too many dead, too many homes and businesses (and survivors) ruined, and the outcome of the protests and riots uncertain. Ryan has to cover this up without turning the victims into anything but victims.
So right away, you know that this book/series is going to live in morally gray (at best) areas. The lengths Ryan goes to—and the means by which he tries to accomplish this coverup are, tell you just as much about the way this series is going to work while the ends tell you about the ethical quagmire it tries to navigate.
PROBLEM 2
The second issue centers around a Madoff-like character who stole a billion or so dollars—a large amount came from various law enforcement unions. The havoc wreaked on the first responders by this loss is great—and the consequences for Ryan's brother (as an example) are devastating.
They're going to be able to put Aaron Lister away for a long time—there's no doubt about that. But no one can find the money—and nothing that the police, the FBI, or the courts have been able to do can get Lister to reveal where it is so they can try to repay the retirement funds.
Enter Nick Ryan.
NO WHITE HATS IN SIGHT
We get the idea early on that Nick Ryan is a stand-up guy, ready to do the right thing regardless of the consequences. But after the events that I alluded to before his recruitment, he takes a different position on the legality of his actions (and maybe that was present before, but it's certainly strengthened now)—it's about the end result for Ryan now.
He'll cut corners, he'll make deals with whatever devils he needs to, and he'll resort to methods that are so far beyond the pale of right, moral, or legal that they should be measured in light years.
In the real world—I'd hate someone like him and want to see anyone doing these vigilante acts imprisoned. And it's not just Ryan, all law enforcement characters like him—Raylan Givens should be tried on several charges, Jack Reacher should've been locked up (not for the reasons he was initially arrested when we meet him—but for everything else in that book, and the dozens following). I want Malcolm Fox to expose Rebus for the offenses he's committed (not necessarily the one's Fox thinks he has, though). Kate Burkholder should confess to shooting that man (in self-defense) and the coverup of that shooting in her teens. And so on.
But in fiction? Bring. It. On. I love this stuff. Particularly because I don't think Ryan's modus operandi is sitting well with him—I'm betting as the series progresses, we're going to see him having a harder and harder time with what he's doing. Possibly even driving him to eventually trying to bite the hand that feeds him and exposing the interests directing him to the world (and going down with them).
I don't have time to talk about the mess that is his personal life—but there's plenty of fodder there for personal subplots for years to come.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SLEEPLESS CITY?
I had a great time with this book—it's a great action ride and you can spend hours debating the ethical questions it raises (with yourself, with the book, or with others—and I can't wait until people I know have had the chance to read this so we can have those discussions).
The speed at which Ryan is able to pull off these fixes probably strains credulity, but this isn't the kind of book to care about how long things take. And by the time you start to wonder about plausibility, you've blown past the point where the question arose and you're more focused on what happens next.
Because he's the reigning gold standard, I will say there are a couple of scenes where Ryan gets to have a Jack Reacher-esque moment, scenes that have nothing to do with the plot, just a chance for Reacher/Ryan to demonstrate their abilities and stop a wrong outside of the primary storylines. The way that one of these resolves is so un-Reacher that I laughed and re-read it to see where Coleman made you think Ryan was going to try to match the ex-MP's style. Ryan can be violent when he needs to be (quite), but he starts with his brains and mouth when he can in a situation—as satisfying as a good fight scene can be, someone thinking and talking his way through a problem can be as fun.
I think Coleman pulled off quite the feat here—this doesn't feel like his previous work (although I freely admit I haven't read as much of his earlier work as I want to, so maybe it does). This is more about action and less about reflection and thought. But it's not mindless violence and the Ryan is a thoughtful character.
There are moments of fun—Coleman's able to slip in a joke or two, too. But really this book is all about forward momentum, as if once Ryan has taken on this role he can't stop moving and the book follows suit.
I assumed going in between the premise and my past experience with Coleman that I was going to enjoy the book—but Coleman and Ryan delivered something not quite what I was expecting—and Sleepless City is better for it.
I hope I'm reading these books for years to come—and suggest you pick up Sleepless City as soon as you can.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I really want to tell you everything about this book—and I also want to tell you nothing at all beyond what the jacket copy is going to say and just tell you that if that sounds good to you—it is, and maybe better than you think. If that doesn't sound good to you, it still is, but it's probably not your cup of tea. Let's see if I can accomplish something in-between.
WHAT'S SLEEPLESS CITY ABOUT?
Nick Ryan is a detective with the NYPD—that's all he's wanted to be, and he's good at it. Sadly, because his father did the right thing and testified against a number of dirty cops several years ago—Ryan (and his father) are hated by most of the rank and file (and probably more of those above those). It doesn't matter what Ryan does, his career is going nowhere. He's still doing good work and seems to accept his lot in life.
Until a few things happen—I'm going to ignore those and move on to the results: Ryan is recruited by a lawyer representing unnamed interests who are going to change things for him. He's going to get a promotion, he's going to get to choose what cases he works on—whatever strikes his fancy and curiosity. But when this lawyer calls, he will push pause on everything in his life to take care of whatever these interests want. He's basically going to be a fixer for the NYPD, cleaning up messes they can't, preventing problems, and essentially doing whatever needs done. They'll provide the resources (off the record and unseen), and he provides the results.
In Sleepless City we get the origin story for Det. Ryan, we see his first two cases, and get an idea what the resulting series should look like. Here's the best thing about these two cases (which I'm going to share even if some might consider it mildly spoilery to do so because it's a great selling point): unlike in 95% of thrillers/procedurals these two crimes that apparently have nothing to do with each other do not come around in the end to be related. They are actually distinct from each other. The resolution of one has practically nothing to do with the other (only that some goodwill generated by Ryan in one situation keeps him out of hot water in another).
PROBLEM 1
A few recent incidents (nationally and in the city) have tensions high between the police and black communities at the tipping point. Ryan's called into the scene of a shooting death of an interracial couple by someone who never should've joined the police. Ryan's impulse—and that of several others, it should be noted—is to let the facts come out honestly.
But with the city near the boiling point, the fear is that the ensuing riots will leave too many dead, too many homes and businesses (and survivors) ruined, and the outcome of the protests and riots uncertain. Ryan has to cover this up without turning the victims into anything but victims.
So right away, you know that this book/series is going to live in morally gray (at best) areas. The lengths Ryan goes to—and the means by which he tries to accomplish this coverup are, tell you just as much about the way this series is going to work while the ends tell you about the ethical quagmire it tries to navigate.
PROBLEM 2
The second issue centers around a Madoff-like character who stole a billion or so dollars—a large amount came from various law enforcement unions. The havoc wreaked on the first responders by this loss is great—and the consequences for Ryan's brother (as an example) are devastating.
They're going to be able to put Aaron Lister away for a long time—there's no doubt about that. But no one can find the money—and nothing that the police, the FBI, or the courts have been able to do can get Lister to reveal where it is so they can try to repay the retirement funds.
Enter Nick Ryan.
NO WHITE HATS IN SIGHT
We get the idea early on that Nick Ryan is a stand-up guy, ready to do the right thing regardless of the consequences. But after the events that I alluded to before his recruitment, he takes a different position on the legality of his actions (and maybe that was present before, but it's certainly strengthened now)—it's about the end result for Ryan now.
He'll cut corners, he'll make deals with whatever devils he needs to, and he'll resort to methods that are so far beyond the pale of right, moral, or legal that they should be measured in light years.
In the real world—I'd hate someone like him and want to see anyone doing these vigilante acts imprisoned. And it's not just Ryan, all law enforcement characters like him—Raylan Givens should be tried on several charges, Jack Reacher should've been locked up (not for the reasons he was initially arrested when we meet him—but for everything else in that book, and the dozens following). I want Malcolm Fox to expose Rebus for the offenses he's committed (not necessarily the one's Fox thinks he has, though). Kate Burkholder should confess to shooting that man (in self-defense) and the coverup of that shooting in her teens. And so on.
But in fiction? Bring. It. On. I love this stuff. Particularly because I don't think Ryan's modus operandi is sitting well with him—I'm betting as the series progresses, we're going to see him having a harder and harder time with what he's doing. Possibly even driving him to eventually trying to bite the hand that feeds him and exposing the interests directing him to the world (and going down with them).
I don't have time to talk about the mess that is his personal life—but there's plenty of fodder there for personal subplots for years to come.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SLEEPLESS CITY?
I had a great time with this book—it's a great action ride and you can spend hours debating the ethical questions it raises (with yourself, with the book, or with others—and I can't wait until people I know have had the chance to read this so we can have those discussions).
The speed at which Ryan is able to pull off these fixes probably strains credulity, but this isn't the kind of book to care about how long things take. And by the time you start to wonder about plausibility, you've blown past the point where the question arose and you're more focused on what happens next.
Because he's the reigning gold standard, I will say there are a couple of scenes where Ryan gets to have a Jack Reacher-esque moment, scenes that have nothing to do with the plot, just a chance for Reacher/Ryan to demonstrate their abilities and stop a wrong outside of the primary storylines. The way that one of these resolves is so un-Reacher that I laughed and re-read it to see where Coleman made you think Ryan was going to try to match the ex-MP's style. Ryan can be violent when he needs to be (quite), but he starts with his brains and mouth when he can in a situation—as satisfying as a good fight scene can be, someone thinking and talking his way through a problem can be as fun.
I think Coleman pulled off quite the feat here—this doesn't feel like his previous work (although I freely admit I haven't read as much of his earlier work as I want to, so maybe it does). This is more about action and less about reflection and thought. But it's not mindless violence and the Ryan is a thoughtful character.
There are moments of fun—Coleman's able to slip in a joke or two, too. But really this book is all about forward momentum, as if once Ryan has taken on this role he can't stop moving and the book follows suit.
I assumed going in between the premise and my past experience with Coleman that I was going to enjoy the book—but Coleman and Ryan delivered something not quite what I was expecting—and Sleepless City is better for it.
I hope I'm reading these books for years to come—and suggest you pick up Sleepless City as soon as you can.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
July 21, 2023
Reed Farrel Coleman is one of the best existing crime writers. He masterfully wrote several of the late Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series novels. And so much more. Now with SLEEPLESS CITY, he introduces a new series, and an intriguing new character. Nick Ryan is a veteran cop, but more than that, he’s a “fixer” in the truest sense of the word. Need to find someone, manipulate someone, eliminate someone? Nick can handle that. He stalks the mean streets of New York with skills that few possess. SLEEPLESS CITY is a relentless, unflinching, torridly paced story that is populated by wonderful characters, plot twists you’ll not see coming, and writing that is as good as it gets. Do not miss the beginning of a series that will be around for many years.
DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series
DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series
November 13, 2024
Reed Farrel Coleman has a quite prodigious back catalogue but I’ve only previously read a few of his novels, a couple of the Moe Prager series and the two Gus Murphy novels, of which I hoped there would be more.
Sleepless City is his latest novel and introduces us to a new character, Nick Ryan, of which it would appear is the first in a series of novels. Ryan is an undercover detective with the Narcotics Division of the NYPD but it would appear from the off that Ryan works to his own agenda, as he dishes out some comeuppance to a pair of racist fellow officers. Ryan is soon recruited to a secret squad within the NYPD and becomes a ‘fixer’ within the department, where he surreptitiously right’s potential wrongs and metes out justice, as directed by his handlers.
I did finish the novel but to be honest I just found it all to be a bit unbelievable and way over the top. I know most of us read as a form of escape but I do like my fiction to be grounded in reality for the most part but this was all a bit too much for me. There just seemed to be too much going on in the plot and there was one aspect of the plot, which I won’t disclose in case I spoil it for future readers, that has been used countless times in other novels and films.
It’s an action packed read with lots of close calls and near impossible escapes but sorry it wasn’t really for me but I’m sure there’s an audience for this type of stuff.
Sleepless City is his latest novel and introduces us to a new character, Nick Ryan, of which it would appear is the first in a series of novels. Ryan is an undercover detective with the Narcotics Division of the NYPD but it would appear from the off that Ryan works to his own agenda, as he dishes out some comeuppance to a pair of racist fellow officers. Ryan is soon recruited to a secret squad within the NYPD and becomes a ‘fixer’ within the department, where he surreptitiously right’s potential wrongs and metes out justice, as directed by his handlers.
I did finish the novel but to be honest I just found it all to be a bit unbelievable and way over the top. I know most of us read as a form of escape but I do like my fiction to be grounded in reality for the most part but this was all a bit too much for me. There just seemed to be too much going on in the plot and there was one aspect of the plot, which I won’t disclose in case I spoil it for future readers, that has been used countless times in other novels and films.
It’s an action packed read with lots of close calls and near impossible escapes but sorry it wasn’t really for me but I’m sure there’s an audience for this type of stuff.
October 13, 2023
I had heard this author is one of the best of crime writers today but the book was of no interest to me. I kept wondering if the book was based on the type of books Lee Childs write.s.The entire tone and attitude was so aggressive and so macho that it just didn’t appeal to me. Clearly there is a large audience for this sort of work but I’m not part of that group. I happened to listen to the book on audio and the narrator’s voice was by far the least pleasant I’ve ever read. His voice just reinforced the hard edge of the book which didn’t appeal to me.
Read
March 27, 2024Confusing. Crime drama but not my kind of writing style. Just didn’t take to the authors way of writing.
August 22, 2023
Sometimes I wonder if authors and publishers realize what time of the year is the best time to release certain novels. Sleepless City is a novel perfect for a beach or summer read for the purpose of pure escape from the day-to-day world.
Nick Ryan is a very capable detective with a complicated life and troubled past. He is known for solving explosive issues with an almost uncanny ability to pull solutions right out of a magician's hat, while successfully implementing them to achieve his desired results.
Soon, Ryan is contacted by a mysterious man associated with a secretive and shadowy group specializing in solving such problems by any means so long as the problem is solved to the group's liking. Ryan agrees to work for the group after he is made an offer he is unable to refuse.
Soon, Ryan is rubbing shoulders with the elite and depraved, making new friends and enemies, all as he enters this clandestine world, soon becoming not only the hunter, but also the hunted.
Sleepless City comes along with a very interesting story and well-developed characters and is highly recommend to those seeking something a bit different to entertain themselves during the dog days of summer.
Nick Ryan is a very capable detective with a complicated life and troubled past. He is known for solving explosive issues with an almost uncanny ability to pull solutions right out of a magician's hat, while successfully implementing them to achieve his desired results.
Soon, Ryan is contacted by a mysterious man associated with a secretive and shadowy group specializing in solving such problems by any means so long as the problem is solved to the group's liking. Ryan agrees to work for the group after he is made an offer he is unable to refuse.
Soon, Ryan is rubbing shoulders with the elite and depraved, making new friends and enemies, all as he enters this clandestine world, soon becoming not only the hunter, but also the hunted.
Sleepless City comes along with a very interesting story and well-developed characters and is highly recommend to those seeking something a bit different to entertain themselves during the dog days of summer.
September 25, 2023
A story with no heroes, with plenty of bends in the road, and a large cast of characters. Do I like any of these people? Not really. Was I sucked in by the world building just as I recognized some uncomfortable parallels with our current news cycle? Yes. Cops protecting cops while our hero metes out justice thanks to his own street smarts and back door dealings. Most of the bad guys are punished and there was a dynamite twist at the end that I'm ashamed I didn't see coming. This is the closest I've come to finding a book to scratch my Matthew Scudder itch since I plowed through Lawrence Block's series in 2022 and it's getting 5-stars on the strength that it's going to take me a few days to stop thinking about it.
October 9, 2023
In the Author's Note, at the end of the book, Reed Farrel Coleman asks the reader two questions. First, "Is Nick Ryan a hero?" If, as Niccolo Machiavelli stated, "The ends justify the means" then the answer would be yes.
The second question was, "What would you have done in Nick's shoes if you were placed in a high stakes situation under stressful circumstances and faced with difficult, sometimes all-but-impossible, moral decisions." Thankfully, that has never happened to me, and I pray it never does.
The second question was, "What would you have done in Nick's shoes if you were placed in a high stakes situation under stressful circumstances and faced with difficult, sometimes all-but-impossible, moral decisions." Thankfully, that has never happened to me, and I pray it never does.
April 19, 2024
I will admit this was quite a fast paced, crime fiction, almost to the point of incredulity. The issue I have is the timeline between that doing 2 tours in Afghanistan & becoming NYPD Detective? I'm going to assume that the character is late 20s maybe early 30s.
I enjoyed it & will probably pick up the following books as they become available.
I enjoyed it & will probably pick up the following books as they become available.
August 16, 2023
Not really sure how I feel about this Nick Ryan character. I got pulled in by the promo "When the cops are in trouble, they call Nick". I will stick around and give the 2nd book a try when it comes out.
Gritty, very gritty. Very much a New York City police thriller.
Gritty, very gritty. Very much a New York City police thriller.
September 18, 2023
Robert B. Parker he’s not, even though he tried to be for many years. First book in a new series. I wish him luck. Nick Ryan, the NY city cop/detective survives explosions, beatings, stabbings, gunshots that anyone of which would have killed anyone of us. But he’s a tough Afghanistan veteran with a cop dad and has powerful connections that come to his rescue. Maybe.
September 29, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. Very captivating and intriguing. Also love that it’s based in NYC and she’s a main character. Will read the next in the series.
July 23, 2024
Sleepless City is a non-stop thrill ride packed with suspense. Nick Ryan is a likable character, a good cop who tries to do the right thing albeit with unconventional methods at times. The book was hard to put down and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Loved it and recommend!
July 30, 2023
SLEEPLESS CITY will give you some sleepless nights as you devour Reed Farrel Coleman’s gripping new novel. Coleman’s wonderfully crafted prose plunges you deep into the non-stop threats and violence that are part of the protagonist’s, Detective Nick Ryan’s, world. Ryan is a guy you can root for as he takes a stand—one not supported by many of the cops he works with—against the dark forces that have insidiously wormed their way into our contemporary culture.
While you can root for Ryan, he’s not necessarily a guy you will like. (I didn’t.) But I think this was by design. Ryan is essentially a vigilante, an individual with his own morale framework through which he deals with the aforementioned “dark forces.” But that’s what makes him so interesting and his story so compelling. Even Ryan’s romantic entanglements are complicated. In summary, he’s an engrossing character. Just not one I’d like to have a beer with.
But Coleman I would like to have a beer with and discuss how he came up with such a complex, multi-faceted protagonist. SLEEPLESS CITY is a page turner, one that will leave you thinking about, and maybe even trying to analyze, the hero.
While you can root for Ryan, he’s not necessarily a guy you will like. (I didn’t.) But I think this was by design. Ryan is essentially a vigilante, an individual with his own morale framework through which he deals with the aforementioned “dark forces.” But that’s what makes him so interesting and his story so compelling. Even Ryan’s romantic entanglements are complicated. In summary, he’s an engrossing character. Just not one I’d like to have a beer with.
But Coleman I would like to have a beer with and discuss how he came up with such a complex, multi-faceted protagonist. SLEEPLESS CITY is a page turner, one that will leave you thinking about, and maybe even trying to analyze, the hero.
January 24, 2025
A bit confusing in parts. Good cast of characters.
August 21, 2023
It’s 2023. And while I do not begrudge my fellow cishet white men their need to write characters in their image, I really wish (naively did I think) that we were over the Chandler-esque “Write Who You Want to Be.” Because Nick Ryan is so obviously who Reed Farrell Coleman wants to be: handsome, good with the ladies, possessing an appropriate degree of tortured soul, liberal with minorities but Still A Cop. And as a character, there’s not much here that’s not derivative. And it’s a shame because the plot is So Much Fun and this had such potential of being more than another super cop novel. Alas. It’s still good, but probably something you’ve read many times.
April 17, 2023
Sleepless City by Reed Farrel Coleman
Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A rock star New York City cop is a problem solver for the NY elite that do not want problems. He is given any means to fix the problems that arise from a bad police shooting. This leads to more problems to be solved.
Comments: I really liked the premise of the story, but for some reason the flow was just a touch off for me. Good news, it appears Coleman has a second novel with Nick coming soon
Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A rock star New York City cop is a problem solver for the NY elite that do not want problems. He is given any means to fix the problems that arise from a bad police shooting. This leads to more problems to be solved.
Comments: I really liked the premise of the story, but for some reason the flow was just a touch off for me. Good news, it appears Coleman has a second novel with Nick coming soon
April 1, 2024
Despite the mixed reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what it was...pure escapism! The author has created a great protagonist in Detective Nick Ryan. Love his sidekicks, too. I raced through this book and can't wait to read more!
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