... another terrific thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end ... a triangle of secrets, deceit, crosses and double-crosses to the point that your head will be spinning. There is not a wasted word in Sleepless, and Hausmann ties everything up nicely. She also includes a heartwarming bit at the end, which makes the effort of reading this joyfully complex novel all worthwhile.
... a sprawling suspense story that explores the blurry region between what is morally right and legally just as the tale weaves through the crimes and infidelities of its characters ... The details and circumstances of [Nadja's] crime are revealed slowly through the novel, as are the events of the other murders, heightening the suspense as Hausmann drops in enough hints to provoke intrigue and arouse curiosity ... Overall, although Hausmann’s prose is descriptive and engaging, at times, the story is confusing. For example, the opening scene where Nadja has a panic attack in a market. The reader may question where the events are taking place and what is happening. And overall, the dual narratives are only loosely connected, making one question whether the narrative featuring Nelly Schutt was necessary and enhanced the other narrative in any significant way. In spite of this, the suspenseful action and Hausman’s engaging prose make Sleepless worth the effort.
For large parts of the narrative, the connection between both stories, of which I would say Nadja’s is the principal one, remains obscure. Could Nadja and Nelly be the same woman, you’ll wonder? I’m sure Hausmann wants her readers to consider this. When the connection is finally revealed, it feels underwhelming, and I was left wondering about the need for the second narrative at all ... There are great moments in Sleepless, particularly the scenes at the villa, as the double- and triple-crosses are revealed, but I felt Hausmann’s previously unerring compass has led her astray. The balance between intrigue and reader confusion is not correct, and large parts of the book will leave you frustrated.
... a complex web of death and subterfuge ... Anonymous letters to a therapist allude to a troubled childhood, which adds layers to this clever and disturbing story ... Hausmann's ominous psychological suspense tale masterfully uses restraint, inserting a continual flow of small but significant clues to create tension and a heavy tone. The multidimensional characters will keep readers questioning what they know. For fans of Fiona Barton and Gillian Flynn.
Haussman highlights the darkest sides of desire here, twisting Gero, Nadja, and Laura together in desperation and callousness until the final moments turn toward redemption. Fine story crafting and character building layer in chilling, realistic complexity; recommend this one to readers who favor Karin Fossum’s tense psychological thrillers.
... grim ... Though the mystery of how...story lines intersect provides tension and propulsion, the soapy, convoluted denouement fails to satisfy. Two-dimensional characters further disappoint. Fans will hope for better next time.
As dastardly events unfold, we are kept on edge not only by the author’s initially skillful evocation of Nadja’s troubled consciousness, but also by the novel’s restless shuttling between past and present. The eventual cinching together of near and distant events is clumsily handled, however, and the denouement utterly overwrought. A parallel plot involves the yearnings of a young woman who longs to escape her hometown backwater, embarks on an affair with a married visitor to her family’s inn, and pays a terrible price for her longings. Rather than enriching the novel, however, this drama, though potentially engrossing, seems more like a distraction. A superficially gripping but psychologically unconvincing thriller.
