Member Reviews
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.
This is a book I really couldn't put down. Anna opens the story by actually telling the reader that if you're reading this, then she must be dead - OK, better keep going then! A motorway accident she feels is her fault leads her to change her city life for the reception desk of a remote Scottish hotel. (There are several other intervening factors in that decision which would spoil things were I to write of them.) The story is well-written with good characterisation, and unfolds through the point of view of Anna herself and mainly the people involved in, and on the periphery of, the accident. But meanwhile she has greeted 7 guests of a walking tour to the hotel, where we begin to learn of, or guess at, their backgrounds. Unfortunately Anna begins to believe, through various happenings, that one of them has malicious intent - but which one?
Pure Agatha Christie - a tried and tested formula of mystery and intrigue, however, the author's excellent writing thoroughly conveys the menacing atmosphere, the fear, and horror of the situation. Miss-direction and twists abound, but I certainly didn't see that ending coming!
I have read all of C L Taylor’s previous books and love the author. This was just as good as the others. ‘Sleep’ Follows Anna after she was the driver in a serious accident, which killed two work colleagues and injured another. She blames herself even though the other driver was convicted and jailed for falling asleep at the wheel.
Her recovery is difficult and leads to her leaving her life behind and moving away to a remote Scottish Island. There are numerous twists and turns and although I never really warmed to Anna I found the whole story clever and intriguing.
Following her and realising how different people react and all the intensity towards the finale was excellently portrayed and I liked the ending.
Excellent Read. Recommended.
Following a serious accident, Anna is plagued by guilt and decides to escape by taking a job in a hotel on a remote Scottish island. As a number of guests arrive at the hotel for their walking holiday, a storm strikes and the guest house becomes cut off from the outside world. It becomes clear that some of the people have secrets to hide and that Anna is not as safe in her chosen retreat as she thought.
There were some good aspects to this, especially the sense of claustrophobia and some really tense moments. However, I thought that some of the plot twists were a bit unbelievable and some of the red herrings a bit obvious. It was engaging and kept me reading, but I don't think it is one that is very memorable. I didn't really like Anna that much, so it was quite difficult to be that invested in the outcome.
Overall, a lively and entertaining read, but not as twisty and clever as I had hoped.
I found this book gripping from the very beginning. I had a very slight problem with the very first paragraph in that it’s alnost the same as another book but apart from that I really enjoyed it. I must remember not to go to the Isle of Rum for a holiday!
Anna is in a terrible accident and The repercussions are her relationship fail, her health suffers and mentally she is exhausted. She moves to a remote Scottish island to start a new job in a small hotel but soon it’s obvious she is being stalked and someone wants to kill her.
I loved this, the small number of characters means it’s easy to establish who everyone is and how they are interlinked. Can’t wait for my book club to enjoy this at release date. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was delighted to get sent an early copy of Sleep and I was not disappointed. I loved all the twists and turns and the ending was unexpected. It’s a dark, intriguing thriller set on a remote Scottish island. The plot was a little far fetched at stages but enjoyable nonetheless.
If you’ve liked CL Taylor’s previous books, you’ll definitely enjoy this one too.
Thoroughly enjoyed this latest book by CL Taylor.
It had so many twists & turns & kept me enthralled throughout.
In some ways it reminded me of an Agatha Christie setting - isolated from the mainland, people dying, all characters could well be suspects.
So looking forward to the next adventure from this author.
C L Taylor is one of my favourite authors however I wouldn’t consider this book to be one of her best.
As ever there was a great plot with twists that caught me off guard; but, I wasn’t too taken with the characters and as a result I wasn’t invested in the outcome.
3.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, C L Taylor and Avon Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was delighted to get an early copy of Sleep and I wasn’t disappointed
Anna is the driver of a car, that kills two of her work colleagues and seriously injures another. She blames herself for what happened. The guilt makes her leaves her job. Her boyfriend is not supportive and they end up splitting up. So she decides to leave everything that is similar to her and she takes a job at a small hotel on the remote Scottish Isle of Rum. This change of career is not only a fresh start but, to help her forget what happened that fatal night. Seven guests arrive at the hotel and also the worse weather, the Island has seen for a long time. Each of them a different character. When Anna thinks someone is stalking her. She thinks it’s one of the guests.
This is another excellent un-put-down able novel from Callie Taylor. Her novels always captivate the reader, and keeps you guessing right up to the end. This was well written, I loved the descriptions of the remoteness of the island of Rum and the atmosphere. The island so small that there was nowhere to run.
Thank you Avon Books and Netgalley for a co
Creepy cally that's what I 'm caling this author now. She really ramps it up in this novel with the claustrophobic hotel and the storm and the strangers thrown together.
The plot was good from the start - a woman, Anna, wanting to escape the guilt of an accident and the guilt of her friends deaths. So, coming away to a nice island retreat should be nice even if she does have to work, right?
The fear is already there as Anna wants to escape the taunting messages being left around for her to find. Trouble is, they follow her to the most remote island in the world (probably). I've actually been to this island and can remember the sense of isolation and waves crashing onto the rocks and that was in the summer time. So this book took me back there and to the fear of being stranded with only one boat a day to escape. There were aspects to this which made me think of the Agatha Christie novel And Then There Were None. The only hotel was very like the one in The Shining...
A cracking thriller and the sense of place was frightening and unsettling. Plenty of twists and red herrings to enjoy along the way.
I was giving in advance Raiders copy in exchange for an honest review.
This one was so so. I could see the twists coming, and when everything is finally out in the open I no longer really cared that much about the characters or the mystery itself. Entertaining for a rainy day. Not the author’s best
Excellent. No disappointments here. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to pre-read this book. Enjoyed every minute. And now, I’m ready to sleep.
A really unusual psychological thriller. A very intriguing story, keeps the reader guessing to the very surprising end. Well worth a read, recommended.
After a terrible car accident which kills two of Anna’s colleagues and critically injures another, she is haunted by flashbacks and guilt. Anna was driving the car but she was not to blame for the accident. However, she survived and others did not and after the inquest some of the relatives are looking for more accountability. Anna is convinced that she is being followed and threatened. Her boyfriend isn’t very supportive and when they break up Anna heads to the island of Rum to try to put some space between herself and her memories. She has a receptionist position at the only hotel on the island where she is joined by seven guests. Gradually her retreat to Scotland turns into a nightmare as a violent storm isolates the hotel from the rest of the island and Anna becomes convinced that someone has followed her to Rum.
This is a real page turner of a thriller. The author conjures up an atmosphere of claustrophobia and impending terror. There are some very clever twists, one of which actually made me say ‘Oh my word.’ The background of the raging storm and the locked-in nature of the hotel make for a cracking context to an extremely well told story with well-drawn and intriguing characters.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and Avon, the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
I struggled with this book to be honest I couldn't really get gripped by it. It was an okay read but I wasn't totally enamored by any of the characters which probably didn't help
Sorry
Yet another electrifying read from this author. It rattled my nerves and tore my own 'sleep' to tatters – the thought of setting it aside to finish it the next day was just NOT going to happen!
Many reasons kept me reading straight through ‘til the early hours: narration that captures the growing unease of strangers, who are unexpectedly thrown together in a ‘wish you weren’t here’ kind of way, is just one. As the friction of their personalities rub together it slowly exposes their secrets until they have nothing left to hide.
There’s also a creeping sense of doom that arrives on the weather-whipped Isle of Rum and shows no intention of leaving along with a deep-rooted sense of guilt and regret burrowing further into the plot to gnaw at everyone’s emotions.
And what about the tremendous weight of the recent past bearing down on Anna? The little taunts she’s on the receiving end of but hasn’t a clue who’s responsible? No sooner does she cast doubt from her mind a fresh spark of anxiety ignites to keep her awake at night.
The personal circumstance affecting each character is as individual as they are – some people make peace with their ghosts, and others simply can’t persuade them to leave. Whether it’s for rest, escape, or to depart this world completely "Sleep" is not simply a title of a book, it’s also an anchor mooring this simple word to the interpretation surrounding it.
Cracking read. Loved it.
Utterly absorbing (I nearly missed my train station because I was so immersed in this story) and edge-of-your-seat action. I had no idea who 'did it' until very near the end of the book and I am tempted to go back and read it again to see if I can pick up anything I missed the first time round. You wont be able to relax until you've finished the story...and maybe not even then.
Was really thrilled to be approved to read the latest from C L Taylor and it certainly didn't disappoint .
After being involved in an horrific car crash Anna ups sticks and flees to a remote Scottish Island where she is working in a small hotel . A group of guests check in and Anna's paranoia that someone is stalking her really sucks you in . As the weather takes a turn for the worst which pretty much confines all the guests to the hotel , secrets , lies , a death all combine to really push Anna to the edge , is someone really out to get her or is she becoming more and more desperate and imagining things that aren't really happening / easily explained .
This was a fantastic read and you really feel Anna's desperation as she works through the list of suspects , I have to say I suspected all of them at one point or another , it almost made me feel claustrophobic reading it the descriptions were so well written .
Brilliant yet again , another 5 star for me . Thank you .
C L Taylor is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive a copy of her latest book Sleep. I cold not put it down and read it over the weekend.
Anna is in a serious road accident with three of her work colleagues. There are fatalities and Anna feels responsible because she was driving. After she is released from hospital she decides that she can't go back to her job and takes a position in a hotel on the small Scottish island of Rum.
Anna was sure that she was being stalked and targeted before she left for Scotland and she has the uneasy feeling that someone is out to harm her.
When a group of walkers check into the small hotel for a week, things start to happen that makes Anna convinced that the stalker has followed her to Scotland.
Lots of twists and turns in the story and the tension increases with each chapter.
All the guests look suspicious and I didn't guess the guilty character until the end.
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next book from this author.
I would like to thank Elke Desanghere from Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sleep Is the story of a woman who is career driven and wants to succeed. Anna is successful and while her colleagues may not be fully supportive she is confident in the prospects for a promotion. Until the drive home. An accident happens and Anna ends up in hospital, lucky to be alive, but shes a changed person, lacking in confidence and courage. Her relationship with Alex isn’t great, she blames herself and she needs a change. After watching a TV show about the Scottish Isle of Rum she finds a job opportunity in a hotel there and changes her whole life’s plan. Here she hopes she’ll finally be able to sleep, and be away from the nightmares that are plaguing her.
The Island is small. Remote and away from the stalker Anna thinks is leaving her creepy messages back home. She’s not sleeping properly and is worried that she’ll make a mistake – then someone’s room is rifled through, and a key is missing. Is Anna making mistakes because she’s tired or is something going on?
The story takes you on a fast ride through life at the hotel over a handful of days, all during a bad storm that cuts them off from the real world – no phone service, 4g or Wi-Fi is a nightmare on its own. The hotelier dies, havoc ensues and Anna doesn’t really know what she’s doing – or if her stalker is has followed her.
There are some interesting characters in this book, which all come together beautifully at the end, the links and connections are almost so obvious you miss them and some of the characters you follow don’t seem like major players, but turn out to be more important than you could realise. There were parts where I probably should have wondered why we were reverting to some characters storylines because their part was done, and remembered the six degrees of separation rule! I like that you really got to understand some of their motives and drivers without making it obvious how it would turn out for each of them.
This book is brilliant, its engrossing and easy to read, although not a brilliant advert for any walking companies who promote business on the Isle of Rum! It didn’t stop me googling the location afterwards and marvelling at its beauty though!