Friday 11 December 2020

#PublicationDayPush Sleepless by Louise Mumford


Today its the Publication Day Push for Sleepless by Louise Mumford.

About the Author

Louise was born and lives in South Wales. From a young age she loved books and dancing, but hated having to go to sleep, convinced that she might miss out on something interesting happening in the world whilst she dozed – much to her mother’s frustration! Insomnia has been a part of her life ever since.

She studied English Literature at university and graduated with first class honours. As a teacher she tried to pass on her love of reading to her students (and discovered that the secret to successful teaching is… stickers! She is aware that that is, essentially, bribery.) 

In the summer of 2019 Louise experienced a once-in-a-lifetime moment: she was discovered as a new writer by her publisher at the Primadonna Festival. Everything has been a bit of a whirlwind since then. 

Louise lives in Cardiff with her husband and spends her time trying to get down on paper all the marvellous and frightening things that happen in her head.

Her debut thriller, Sleepless, will be published by HQ on 11th Dec 2020.

Follow @louise_mumford on Twitteron Facebookon Goodreads, on Instagramon AmazonBuy Sleepless

About the book

Don’t close your eyes. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t let them in.

Thea is an insomniac; she hasn’t slept more than three hours a night for years. So when an ad for a sleep trial that promises to change her life pops up on her phone, Thea knows this is her last chance at finding any kind of normal life.

Soon Thea’s sleeping for longer than she has in a decade, and awakes feeling transformed. So much so that at first she’s willing to overlook the oddities of the trial – the lack of any phone signal; the way she can’t leave her bedroom without permission; the fact that all her personal possessions are locked away, even her shoes.

But it soon becomes clear that the trial doesn’t just want to help Thea sleep. It wants to control her sleep…

Review

Thea is coming to the end of her tether. Trying to survive on only an hour of sleep a day or none at all is taking its toll on her, so when an ad for sleep therapy turns up she can't wait to grasp the straw held out to her.

Shipped off to isolation, when she agrees to take part in a scientific sleep trial, to what appears to be a new age health resort, Thea starts to experience the advantages of the ideas this strange cult like company suggests. However something isn't quite right in the sleep lab or with the sleep community. Something rabid lurks just outside waiting for someone or something.

I can imagine it is quite hard for someone who has never had to endure insomnia to understand what it is like to be completely and utterly exhausted, and yet unable to sleep night after night. No warm milk, honey, soft music or lavender will help. Staring into darkness as others regenerate and enjoy their slumber.

Mumford uses the utter desperation insomniacs feel as they are willing to grasp at any possible remedy and turns it into a game of illusions, control and mind games.

Buy Sleepless at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ Digital; pub date 10 Dec. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. At Bookshop.org. At Waterstones.

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