Sleep No More
by Jayne Ann Krentz
The Lost Night Files - Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 3, 2022
Reviewed by PJ
Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women's mysterious tipster.
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.
PJ's Thoughts:
Sleep No More may be the title of this newest Jayne Ann Krentz novel but it was also what happened to me once I turned to the first page and began reading. Krentz plunged me straight into the heart of the pulse-pounding action of this story and had me completely hooked before I reached page ten. And then she kept me hooked, guessing how it would all turn out, through unexpected twists and turns right up until the final scene. There would be no sleep for me until all of my questions were answered!
There are many things I enjoy about a Jayne Ann Krentz book. Her characters are complex and multi-layered; it usually takes me an entire book to figure them out. Her plots are twisty and, again, rarely do I guess the final outcome before the reveal. Her attention to detail is superb, creating an atmosphere that highlights both the suspense and romance. But what I find most fascinating about these novels is the fine line the author navigates between fact and fiction, between reality and possibility. The psychic/paranormal elements of these romantic suspense novels, while clearly fiction (Are they, though? Really?), walk that line, leaving me swinging between thoughts of "This could never happen" and "Whoa, what do I really know about that sleep clinic I made an appointment with?" She creates an immersive reading experience where it's all too easy to place myself in the positions of Pallas and Ambrose, thereby heightening both my enjoyment and my reader anxiety as I navigate the murky, murderous waters of Sleep No More.
Sleep No More is the first book in Krentz's new trilogy and a great place to begin if you're new to her writing. The romantic (and mystery) portion of Pallas and Ambrose's story is completed with this first book though there is an overarching mystery which will continue through the next two books in the series. I can't wait to find out how it will all play out.
Have you read Jayne Ann Krentz?
Do you enjoy romantic-suspense books with a paranormal/psychic twist?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 14 will receive a hardback copy of Sleep No More.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
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