The Sleepwalker

by Chris Bohjalian

When a sleepwalker who has experienced episodes of near violence while unconscious goes missing, her eldest daughter, Lianna, finds herself drawn to a lead detective who seems to know more than he is revealing.

• ISBN13: 9780385538916
• Publish Date: 10 January 2017
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Random House Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

I listened to the prequel The Premonition, and while not entirely necessary, it did give us insight into the Ahlberg family and Annalee's sleepwalking. The Sleepwalker begins on the morning that twenty-two-year-old Lianna is awakened by her teenage sister Paige who cannot find their mother.

My review may seem vague, but this is the type of tale where little details might spoil the reader's experience.

As a search party is formed to explore the woods and riverbed surrounding the Ahlbergs' Victorian home, the police begin to question the family. We are introduced to a young detective who seems to know more than he should. The tale unfolds from Lianna's perspective as she starts to wonder how well she really knew her mother. She forms a complicated relationship with the young detective. The tale took a darker turn into the world of sleepwalking than I expected and I found it all fascinating. Twists, turns, and surprises await you as you question everything and everyone.

Bohjalian is a masterful storyteller weaving in red herrings and scattering clues that begin to take form in the reader's mind. As Lianna searches for answers, things that happen inside the Ahlberg home start to raise questions. I was pulled in by the tidbits on sleepwalking and the discoveries made regarding Annalee. The author makes you comfortable, and you feel like an amateur Nancy Drew until you realize you're in over your head. Moments had me fearful, and others shocked me. The twist at the end had me smacking my forehead as all the scattered clues became glaring. Well done Mr. Bojalian, well done!

Fans of mystery and suspense will enjoy this well-researched and compelling tale found in The Sleepwalker. If you haven't read anything by Chris Bohjalian I encourage you to explore his titles, you'll find everything from historical to modern day whodunits. His writing is beautiful and his stories pull you into his imagination.

copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer