Insomnia: A chilling psychological thriller of 2022 from the queen of twists and the No.1 Sunday Times Bestselling author of BEHIND HER EYES, now a Netflix series!

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Insomnia is Sarah Pinborough’s best thriller since Behind Her Eyes. Emma is a terrific unreliable narrator and had me guessing until the very end. While I did guess the Who, I did not figure out the Why. Some readers may feel that the book is overly repetitive, but there are frequent hints at new clues so I never lost interest. And, it is super creepy! OMG! What an utterly transfixing and mind-bending novel Insomnia was. The first I’ve read by Sarah Pinborough (what on earth has taken me so long?!?), there is no possible realm where I could have ever guessed where the plot was leading. And let me tell you, it was so deftly engineered that only an absolute maestro of the written word could have created such an absolutely perfect (I’m going to overuse this word in my review, so get used to it) novel. I went into this book giddy with anticipation as Sarah Pinborough is one of the most creative writers in the thriller genre. Even when I'm not totally on board with an ending, and that's the case with Insomnia, I can still say I enjoyed the crazy and wild ride. Twelve days before her birthday, Emma begins to suffer from terrible insomnia. She is slowly losing time and is compelled to do the same things her mother did right before she went mad. Emma Averell Is zooming up to her big 4…0 and this brings worried events to the forefront of her mind. Her Mother went mad when she was 40. Is this what’s happening to her?

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough | Goodreads

One crazy sleepless ride building up to a hideously tense climax. Expertly done – Sarah Pinborough is the queen of unsettling, twisty reads’ Harriet Tyce

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This book was a mixed bag for me because there was a lot to like here, but one or two big things I didn’t like. I’ll approach each in turn. As someone who has suffered from chronic Insomnia, I can say that going without sleep can truly make you feel like you are going crazy. The stress and anxiety that you feel from not being able to fall asleep at night and the state of exhaustion you feel all day is the absolute worst. Sarah Pinborough upped the ante and made an already terrible condition into something completely nightmarish. I want to make clear that had I not had such high expectations for this author, this would surely have probably been more impressive to me. I think a reader who has not read this author's previous work will most likely enjoy this one more than I did. The writing was on par with her previous efforts, and I was undoubtedly intrigued throughout, I just needed my reveal to hurry up and happen! I did really enjoy the plot of this one, because it was much more complex than it seems - there are many characters to suspect here - even Emma herself - and Pinborough does a fantastic job at switching focus on each of them. I also liked Emma (although her character was perhaps a bit cliché - exhausted professional mother with a seemingly perfect house husband. Friends and neighbors find her cold and unfriendly with a husband who does little to alleviate this image, yatta yatta). I did not like Robert at all - I was hoping he would be the next pillow victim lol, and Phoebe was not much better. For the love of god, get these people a good family therapist! 🤦‍♀️ The one thing I will say is that I sometimes struggle with books where the gaslighting is so thorough that I feel uncomfortable and tense, as it leaves me unsettled. This is most assuredly one of those reads, and a few times, as much as I enjoyed the book, I just wanted it to end (if that makes sense!). I'm not sure I loved the ending either, but I will leave that there.

Insomnia | Sarah Pinborough | 9780008289140 | NetGalley Insomnia | Sarah Pinborough | 9780008289140 | NetGalley

Ultimately, this story was filled with too many rehashed, overdone stereotypes. Also, characters would appear to be diabolical or ruthless, only to appear lamb-like or "not so very bad" at the end. So exhausting and annoying! And yet, the first part of this book was a riveting read - very reminiscent of the author's earlier efforts. Overall, if you liked Behind Her Eyes then this one will appeal too. It’s well written, a bit different, fast paced with numerous plot twists and turns. When she is accused of murdering her mother, a chain of events is set into motion that threaten to upend Emma’s perfect life.

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And that monster emerged right around their mother’s fortieth birthday, the same milestone Emma is approaching now. What I love about Sarah Pinborough’s books is that they are wholly original, and always take big fictional risks. Sometimes the risks pay off and sometimes they don’t, but the experience of getting to the end is always a unique and wild ride. At 40, her mother went mad and ended up in a psychiatric facility. Emma is just like her mother because she is also the second child. Is she doomed to the same terrible fate? Emma Averell just can't fall asleep. Emma went through a traumatic event when she was only 5 years old at the hands of her mentally ill mother, on her mother’s 40th birthday. The week before the incident, Emma’s mother also suffered from Insomnia. Emma turns 40 in one week and is terrified that she is going to follow in her mother's madness and a terrible history will repeat itself. Emma is a successful solicitor, helping those in an unhappy marriage move on. As a divorce attorney, she's naturally made some enemies along the way. One day when she receives a haunting message from her older and estranged sister Phoebe, she rushes to her side at the hospital only to find it is in fact her mother who is ailing. Her mother, who has been in a psychiatric institution for the past 30 years, has unsuccessfully attempted suicide. All just days before Emma's 40th birthday. Three decades prior her mother in fact went mad on the same birthday, attempting to smother her older daughter. Fast forward to present day and Emma has put her family's dark past behind her with a successful career, a loving husband and two beautiful children. But on the night of the hospital visit she inexplicably encounters a case of insomnia. One night without sleep is followed by two, then three, then four, and so on. With each night Emma goes without rest, and the closer her 40th birthday approaches the more detached from reality and sanity she becomes. Strange events begin occurring, such as someone slashing her tires and keying her car, her son experiencing a trauma only he can communicate through horrifying drawings. Has someone, possibly a disgruntled former client, targeted Emma? Is her family truly in danger, as Emma believes, keeping her up all night every night, or is she simply paranoid on account of her past?