Status
Available
Genres
Collections
Publication
Gallery Books (2018), Edition: Reprint, 352 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Serial meets Ruth Ware's In A Dark, Dark Wood in this inventive and twisty psychological thriller about a mega-hit podcast that reopens a murder case and threatens to unravel the carefully constructed life of the victim's daughter�??now a major Apple TV+ series starring Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul, produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine! The only thing more dangerous than a lie...is the truth. Josie Buhrman has spent the last ten years trying to escape her family and with good reason. After her father's murder thirteen years prior, her mother ran away to join a cult and her twin sister Lanie, once Josie's closest friend and confidant, betrayed her in an unimaginable way. Now, Josie has finally put down roots in New York, settling into domestic life with her partner Caleb, and that's where she intends to stay. The only problem is that she has lied to Caleb about every detail of her past�??starting with her last name. When investigative reporter Poppy Parnell sets off a media firestorm with a megahit podcast that reopens the long-closed case of Josie's father's murder, questioning whether the wrong person may be behind bars, Josie's world begins to unravel. Meanwhile, the unexpected death of Josie's long-absent mother forces her to return to her Midwestern hometown where she must confront the demons from her past�??and the lies on which she has staked he… (more)
Original publication date
2017
User reviews
LibraryThing member maryreinert
Might be a good read for some people, but just not my thing. None of the characters were admirable and there was more than enough of throwing dishes (including a casserole of lasagna) around. Cover blurb mentioned the podcast "Serial" which caused me to pick this one up.
Twins, Josie and Lanie, are
Interspersed between chapters are tweets and posts from social media.
Twins, Josie and Lanie, are
Show More
the very opposite daughters of a loved professor who was killed in his home. Years later, a true crime podcast opens the case to find the killer. Interspersed between chapters are tweets and posts from social media.
Show Less
LibraryThing member flourgirl49
"Twisty psychological thriller" - I don't think so. "Boring" would be a better way to describe this book. The only truly interesting character, Lanie, who is spectacularly crazy, should have been the central focus, and then maybe the story would have been appealing. Not recommended.
LibraryThing member Shelby_Kuzma
Josie Buhrman has spent over a decade of her life running from her tragic past. Her father’s murder when she was a teenager, her mother’s disappearance into a mysterious cult soon after, her twin sister’s betrayal... Josie is finally moving on with her life in New York with her boyfriend
As a major fan of the podcast Serial this book instantly appealed to me, shedding light on the other side of sensationalized true crime podcasting. I loved the multiple formats used to help tell the story; while the majority is told from Josie’s perspective, Kathleen Barber also used podcast transcripts, tweets on Twitter, and reddit threads to demonstrate the widespread involvement of the public, as well as showcase multiple theories about what really happened the night of Chuck Buhrman’s death. I feel that this added another dimension to the story; rather than just the flat retelling of the story from Josie’s point of view, these elements added in many other perspectives. I also enjoyed the tension that was created by having ‘untrustworthy’ characters, including Josie’s twin Lanie, whose testimony was the main evidence used to solve the murder of their father. Throw in some faulty memories, and this book definitely reminded me of other popular thrillers such as Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. It is a great example of a classic ‘whodunit’ suspense novel with an interesting, modern twist.
However, I did feel that almost too much emphasis was placed on how untrustworthy the untrustworthy characters were, leading to a slightly predictable end. Additionally, I felt that the characters that the narrator, Josie, did not like had no redeemable qualities, particularly Poppy Parnell, the podcast host and journalist, and Melanie Cave, mother to Warren Cave, who was convicted of Chuck Buhrman’s murder. I felt that this made the characters seem two-dimensional, and diffused some of the tension. The narrator’s relationships with these characters was not complicated; she did not like them, and it was clear that you as a reader were not supposed to like them either.
Overall, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars. The storyline of Are You Sleeping was intriguing and kept me interested throughout. I particularly enjoyed the tension in Josie’s relationship with Caleb as she struggles to keep her lies a secret, as well as the suspense of Josie’s relationship with her twin and the slow reveal of the betrayal. However, I predicted the ending about halfway through (although there were theories that had me guessing), and I felt that the secondary characters were rather flat.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Serial, as well as anyone who generally enjoys mystery/thrillers. I look forward to seeing more from Kathleen Barber in the future!
Show More
Caleb. The catch? She has lied to Caleb about everything, telling him both her parents are dead, never mentioning her sister, and even lying about her true last name. When a podcast begins taking another look at her father’s solved murder case and becomes an instant media sensation, Josie knows she won’t be able to lie much longer. And when her mother dies and forces her to return to her hometown, Josie must revisit and reevaluate the events of her past.As a major fan of the podcast Serial this book instantly appealed to me, shedding light on the other side of sensationalized true crime podcasting. I loved the multiple formats used to help tell the story; while the majority is told from Josie’s perspective, Kathleen Barber also used podcast transcripts, tweets on Twitter, and reddit threads to demonstrate the widespread involvement of the public, as well as showcase multiple theories about what really happened the night of Chuck Buhrman’s death. I feel that this added another dimension to the story; rather than just the flat retelling of the story from Josie’s point of view, these elements added in many other perspectives. I also enjoyed the tension that was created by having ‘untrustworthy’ characters, including Josie’s twin Lanie, whose testimony was the main evidence used to solve the murder of their father. Throw in some faulty memories, and this book definitely reminded me of other popular thrillers such as Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. It is a great example of a classic ‘whodunit’ suspense novel with an interesting, modern twist.
However, I did feel that almost too much emphasis was placed on how untrustworthy the untrustworthy characters were, leading to a slightly predictable end. Additionally, I felt that the characters that the narrator, Josie, did not like had no redeemable qualities, particularly Poppy Parnell, the podcast host and journalist, and Melanie Cave, mother to Warren Cave, who was convicted of Chuck Buhrman’s murder. I felt that this made the characters seem two-dimensional, and diffused some of the tension. The narrator’s relationships with these characters was not complicated; she did not like them, and it was clear that you as a reader were not supposed to like them either.
Overall, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars. The storyline of Are You Sleeping was intriguing and kept me interested throughout. I particularly enjoyed the tension in Josie’s relationship with Caleb as she struggles to keep her lies a secret, as well as the suspense of Josie’s relationship with her twin and the slow reveal of the betrayal. However, I predicted the ending about halfway through (although there were theories that had me guessing), and I felt that the secondary characters were rather flat.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Serial, as well as anyone who generally enjoys mystery/thrillers. I look forward to seeing more from Kathleen Barber in the future!
Show Less
LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.
When she was a child, Josie's father was murdered, and her twin sister, Lanie, witnessed it. Their lives were completely torn apart, causing Josie to
I could not put this book down! It was so gripping and so suspenseful. Barber did a fantastic job of planting these little clues so the reader felt like Josie and the listeners of the podcasts, trying to put the true story together.
The use of a podcast-theme throughout was also genius. I loved Serial, and that immediately drew me to this book. I loved the use of social media throughout the book's pages, from podcast transcripts to reddit threads to twitter. I also really liked that through Josie and her family, Barber also explored the other side of these podcasts-how they affect the victims and their families, knowing everyone is talking and speculating about the crime that tore them apart.
There really wasn't anything not to like about this book. It completely drew me in, and kept surprising me.
Definitely read this book! You won't be able to put it down.
When she was a child, Josie's father was murdered, and her twin sister, Lanie, witnessed it. Their lives were completely torn apart, causing Josie to
Show More
pull away and even change her name. But now a new podcast is revisiting the case, and suggesting that Lanie lied, putting the wrong person in jail.I could not put this book down! It was so gripping and so suspenseful. Barber did a fantastic job of planting these little clues so the reader felt like Josie and the listeners of the podcasts, trying to put the true story together.
The use of a podcast-theme throughout was also genius. I loved Serial, and that immediately drew me to this book. I loved the use of social media throughout the book's pages, from podcast transcripts to reddit threads to twitter. I also really liked that through Josie and her family, Barber also explored the other side of these podcasts-how they affect the victims and their families, knowing everyone is talking and speculating about the crime that tore them apart.
There really wasn't anything not to like about this book. It completely drew me in, and kept surprising me.
Definitely read this book! You won't be able to put it down.
Show Less
LibraryThing member debkrenzer
I loved this book!
Josie has made huge strides to let go of her family and her past. However, it all comes back to bite her in the butt when a blogger decides to do a podcast about the murder of her father a decade ago. This brings everything back to the surface and Josie has to put herself back
The secrets that come out when Josie has to attend her mother's funeral are dark and jaw dropping. I sped through this book and enjoyed it very much.
Huge thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Josie has made huge strides to let go of her family and her past. However, it all comes back to bite her in the butt when a blogger decides to do a podcast about the murder of her father a decade ago. This brings everything back to the surface and Josie has to put herself back
Show More
into the family again. Unfortunately, Caleb, her live-in boyfriend thinks her parents died in a car crash and she is an only child.The secrets that come out when Josie has to attend her mother's funeral are dark and jaw dropping. I sped through this book and enjoyed it very much.
Huge thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JaredOrlando
Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this book.
The pull of Kathleen Barber's Are You Sleeping is that the premise revolves around a true crime podcast, which, as most of us know, is a highly popular format these days. I myself listen to many podcasts, as the one
The pull of Kathleen Barber's Are You Sleeping is that the premise revolves around a true crime podcast, which, as most of us know, is a highly popular format these days. I myself listen to many podcasts, as the one
Show More
mentioned in Barber's novel, Reconsidered, reminds the reader of Serial, with the ruminations of My Favorite Murder and its gossip-like tellings of popular murders. What could've easily been a thrown together mess of weaving a story around the latest "it" thing in popular culture, Are You Sleeping takes a different route, one where the narrative and the podcast transcript work off one another, leading the reader along a thrilling and page-turning story. Highly reccomended. Show Less
LibraryThing member maggie1961
When I first started this book, I felt a little déjà vu with the similarities with it and the book I just finished “if you knew my sister”. In this book, Josie has a job she loves in a bookstore after working abroad. She’s in a long term relationship with Caleb, has a poisonous sister,
When Josie gets a phone call in the middle of the night, all she hears is quiet l, but she is sure it is the twin sister she hasn’t heard from in over 10 years. The next day she hears from her cousin Ellen, telling her that Josie’s mother has died and she needs to come home for the funeral. Josie has no intention of going to a funeral for a mother that deserted her and Lanie after their father’s murder. Josie adapted to living with their aunt and moving on while Lanie went off the rails with destructing her life and the two sisters went their separate ways.
Immediately preceding their mother’s death is the popular damaging documentary digging into their father’s murder and the possibility of Lanie’s testimony putting the wrong person in jail. Although Josie has spent her whole life hiding who she is, even from Caleb, she finds herself going back home and facing her past.
The funeral and time following is shadowed by the press and questions surrounding their father’s murder. Although they originally are all together for the funeral, it is a time for reflection, answers to unanswered questions and healing for the sisters.
I didn’t find Josie to be likeable as an adult. And I don’t have a sister, but I have daughters and I didn’t really find Josie to be very admirable. I get the betrayal involved and Lanie’s behaviour as they were teens but I don’t think it warrants totally writing off a sister, especially a twin and the only immediate family she had left. And her sister in this book has nothing on the psycho sister in “if you knew my sister”.
While this was a good psychological mystery and a quick read, I didn’t find it gripping or addicting; it didn’t grab me start to finish. Still a very enjoyable book though, definitely worth a 4.
Show More
lived with her aunt and her mom just passed away, all similarities of the previous book. Strange coincidence that I picked them back to back. While they started out similar though, the rest of the stories were quite different. And I have to say I enjoyed them both, but prefer the other more. When Josie gets a phone call in the middle of the night, all she hears is quiet l, but she is sure it is the twin sister she hasn’t heard from in over 10 years. The next day she hears from her cousin Ellen, telling her that Josie’s mother has died and she needs to come home for the funeral. Josie has no intention of going to a funeral for a mother that deserted her and Lanie after their father’s murder. Josie adapted to living with their aunt and moving on while Lanie went off the rails with destructing her life and the two sisters went their separate ways.
Immediately preceding their mother’s death is the popular damaging documentary digging into their father’s murder and the possibility of Lanie’s testimony putting the wrong person in jail. Although Josie has spent her whole life hiding who she is, even from Caleb, she finds herself going back home and facing her past.
The funeral and time following is shadowed by the press and questions surrounding their father’s murder. Although they originally are all together for the funeral, it is a time for reflection, answers to unanswered questions and healing for the sisters.
I didn’t find Josie to be likeable as an adult. And I don’t have a sister, but I have daughters and I didn’t really find Josie to be very admirable. I get the betrayal involved and Lanie’s behaviour as they were teens but I don’t think it warrants totally writing off a sister, especially a twin and the only immediate family she had left. And her sister in this book has nothing on the psycho sister in “if you knew my sister”.
While this was a good psychological mystery and a quick read, I didn’t find it gripping or addicting; it didn’t grab me start to finish. Still a very enjoyable book though, definitely worth a 4.
Show Less
LibraryThing member c.archer
A snoopy investigative reporter begins a series of podcasts on the thirteen year old murder of a respected professor, father of twin girls. She raises the question of whether one of the twins who witnessed the murder might have lied about who killed her father.
His murder and the subsequent
The podcasts bring the past intruding back into their lives, and they are forced to deal with it and each other after their long missing mother commits suicide in a California cult. Their reunion dregs up past family issues and opens doors long closed that could lead to more pain, but maybe along with that, the chance to mend old wounds.
While this is a thrilling mystery, it is just as much a relational story about a family that has to face the truth in order to move on and have any chance at a future together.
I found this a hard book to put down. It was a story that moved along quickly and held my interest. The plot piqued my curiosity and touched my heart. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and likes books about family dynamics and healing.
My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
His murder and the subsequent
Show More
desertion of the girls by their troubled mother leaves both girls with a lot of pain and confusion. Each deals with it in their own way. One chooses to escape through drugs and alcohol, and the other literally disappears after she finds out her boyfriend has slept with her sister.The podcasts bring the past intruding back into their lives, and they are forced to deal with it and each other after their long missing mother commits suicide in a California cult. Their reunion dregs up past family issues and opens doors long closed that could lead to more pain, but maybe along with that, the chance to mend old wounds.
While this is a thrilling mystery, it is just as much a relational story about a family that has to face the truth in order to move on and have any chance at a future together.
I found this a hard book to put down. It was a story that moved along quickly and held my interest. The plot piqued my curiosity and touched my heart. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and likes books about family dynamics and healing.
My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Show Less
LibraryThing member nomadreader
The basics: When Reconsidered, a podcast examining the murder of Charles Buhrman, becomes a huge hit, it sends many lives into chaos, including his daughter, Josie, who has done all she can to distance herself from the family after his murder.
My thoughts: Although I didn't love it as much as some
I knew very little about this novel going into it, and I think that's best. As we learn more about Josie and her past, it puts a very human face on pop cultural true crime obsession. In that sense, this novel is partially social commentary and partially an engaging mystery.
Favorite passage: "The truth is never complicated. It’s just the truth. Circumstances may be complicated, but the truth is always black and white."
The verdict: I enjoyed the mixed media elements of this novel the most. The mystery itself was underwhelming at times, but the premise as clever enough to elevate this novel. It's a fun, fast-paced reading experience, but the payoff wasn't as big as I hoped.
My thoughts: Although I didn't love it as much as some
Show More
people, I was caught up in the podcast Serial several years ago. That podcast inspired the fictional podcast in this novel. Josie narrates this novel, but her narration is intermixed with podcast transcripts, Reddit forums, and Tweets. As a narrator, Josie is frustrating at times. She's not necessarily unreliable, but she doesn't share all she knows (and to do so would ruin much of the suspense.) As a reader, I know I see situations differently when I'm reading a book and looking for clues than I would if it were my life, but it can still be a frustrating experience. I knew very little about this novel going into it, and I think that's best. As we learn more about Josie and her past, it puts a very human face on pop cultural true crime obsession. In that sense, this novel is partially social commentary and partially an engaging mystery.
Favorite passage: "The truth is never complicated. It’s just the truth. Circumstances may be complicated, but the truth is always black and white."
The verdict: I enjoyed the mixed media elements of this novel the most. The mystery itself was underwhelming at times, but the premise as clever enough to elevate this novel. It's a fun, fast-paced reading experience, but the payoff wasn't as big as I hoped.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
I'm going to use the publisher's description to introduce you to Kathleen Barber's wonderful debut novel novel - Are You Sleeping.
"Serial meets Ruth Ware’s In A Dark, Dark Wood in this inventive and twisty psychological thriller about a mega-hit podcast that reopens a murder case - and threatens
Uh huh - it definitely caught my eye - 'twisty' and 'psychological' always do! Would Are You Sleeping live up to this blurb? Yes it did - Barber delivers as promised - this was a wonderfully addicting read!
Father murdered, next door neighbour convicted on her sister's testimony, mother running off and joining a cult. It's no wonder Josie left home as soon as she was able. But with the death of her mother, she reluctantly returns home for the funeral. She has created a life for herself with the man she loves. But she's lied to him about everything. The podcast opens not just the case, but the wounds and secrets in this family.
Past and present are explored through Josie's narrative. Those memories, the tumultuous present and that podcast raise nothing but questions for Josie. I really liked Josie as a main character. And I disliked her sister Lainie just as much. The dynamic between the two is quite complicated and underlines how much our younger years affect the present. There's something 'off' about a number of supporting characters and I had suspicions about many of them.
I thought Barber's format was an inventive premise. I loved the inclusion of tweets, news articles, transcripts, blog comments and more. The podcast as a driving part of the plot is so very current - as is the public's fascination with such cases. The 'right of the public to know' and invasion of people's lives in the name of news also speaks to today's society. The investigative reporter - Poppy - is a perfect caricature of this style of reporting.
Are You Sleeping is a commentary on society, an exploration of familial relationships and a really good whodunnit. (Yes, it's a twisty ending!) I really enjoyed it and will be looking for Barber's next book.
"Serial meets Ruth Ware’s In A Dark, Dark Wood in this inventive and twisty psychological thriller about a mega-hit podcast that reopens a murder case - and threatens
Show More
to unravel the carefully constructed life of the victim’s daughter."Uh huh - it definitely caught my eye - 'twisty' and 'psychological' always do! Would Are You Sleeping live up to this blurb? Yes it did - Barber delivers as promised - this was a wonderfully addicting read!
Father murdered, next door neighbour convicted on her sister's testimony, mother running off and joining a cult. It's no wonder Josie left home as soon as she was able. But with the death of her mother, she reluctantly returns home for the funeral. She has created a life for herself with the man she loves. But she's lied to him about everything. The podcast opens not just the case, but the wounds and secrets in this family.
Past and present are explored through Josie's narrative. Those memories, the tumultuous present and that podcast raise nothing but questions for Josie. I really liked Josie as a main character. And I disliked her sister Lainie just as much. The dynamic between the two is quite complicated and underlines how much our younger years affect the present. There's something 'off' about a number of supporting characters and I had suspicions about many of them.
I thought Barber's format was an inventive premise. I loved the inclusion of tweets, news articles, transcripts, blog comments and more. The podcast as a driving part of the plot is so very current - as is the public's fascination with such cases. The 'right of the public to know' and invasion of people's lives in the name of news also speaks to today's society. The investigative reporter - Poppy - is a perfect caricature of this style of reporting.
Are You Sleeping is a commentary on society, an exploration of familial relationships and a really good whodunnit. (Yes, it's a twisty ending!) I really enjoyed it and will be looking for Barber's next book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member irregularreader
In 2002, popular college professor Chuck Buhrman was brutally murdered. His teenage daughter, Lanie, watched as Warren Cave, the neighbor’s son, pulled the trigger. Buhrman’s death ripped his family apart. Lanie and her twin sister, Josie became estranged, and their mother abandoned her
It has been over a decade since Chuck Buhrman’s death, and Josie has survived by cutting herself off from everything and anything to do with her family. But suddenly a podcast revisiting the events of that night goes viral, and Josie finds that, ultimately, there is no escape from the past.
Dragged back home by the death of her mother, Josie is forced to confront the fact that Lanie may not have told the truth about what happened the night their father died. Afraid of both knowing and not knowing, Josie and her carefully constructed life slowly begin to unravel.
Thrillers like these are very much in vogue right now. I know I’ve been reading quite a few. That’s not a bad thing by any means, but when everyone is trying to get on the “Girl on a Train,” wagon, everything can start to look the same. This book, while similar to those put out to great effect by Paula Hawkins, Clare Mackintosh, and Ruth Ware, does stand out for it’s up-to-the-minute plot. With the rise of true-crime podcasts like Serial, obscure crimes and obscure people suddenly find themselves pushed into the limelight. Some will certainly relish their moments in the sun, but I think that many would find unexpected national scrutiny to be something out of a nightmare.
The use of the viral podcast and the effects of sudden and unwanted infamy make this story stand out. Writing this story from the point of view of the victim’s family, now with the sympathy of the nation turning against them, was an excellent choice, and the paranoia and claustrophobia caused by the sudden scrutiny was well written.
Those who have enjoyed books like The Girl on the Train, In a Dark, Dark Wood, or I See You will probably like this book. If you’re a fan of Serial or other such true-crime podcasts, this book might be right up your alley as well.
An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Show More
children to join a cult.It has been over a decade since Chuck Buhrman’s death, and Josie has survived by cutting herself off from everything and anything to do with her family. But suddenly a podcast revisiting the events of that night goes viral, and Josie finds that, ultimately, there is no escape from the past.
Dragged back home by the death of her mother, Josie is forced to confront the fact that Lanie may not have told the truth about what happened the night their father died. Afraid of both knowing and not knowing, Josie and her carefully constructed life slowly begin to unravel.
Thrillers like these are very much in vogue right now. I know I’ve been reading quite a few. That’s not a bad thing by any means, but when everyone is trying to get on the “Girl on a Train,” wagon, everything can start to look the same. This book, while similar to those put out to great effect by Paula Hawkins, Clare Mackintosh, and Ruth Ware, does stand out for it’s up-to-the-minute plot. With the rise of true-crime podcasts like Serial, obscure crimes and obscure people suddenly find themselves pushed into the limelight. Some will certainly relish their moments in the sun, but I think that many would find unexpected national scrutiny to be something out of a nightmare.
The use of the viral podcast and the effects of sudden and unwanted infamy make this story stand out. Writing this story from the point of view of the victim’s family, now with the sympathy of the nation turning against them, was an excellent choice, and the paranoia and claustrophobia caused by the sudden scrutiny was well written.
Those who have enjoyed books like The Girl on the Train, In a Dark, Dark Wood, or I See You will probably like this book. If you’re a fan of Serial or other such true-crime podcasts, this book might be right up your alley as well.
An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member tenamouse67
I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway. A good read!
LibraryThing member KimMeyer
The podcast-inspired format is so fun!
LibraryThing member cwhisenant11
It was not the twisty ending I was expecting.
LibraryThing member purple_pisces22
Love this. Quite a few unexpected little twists to keep you guessing. It took me until the end almost to guess the killer.
LibraryThing member purple_pisces22
Loved this. Lots of unexpected little twists. Took me until close to the end to guess the killer.
LibraryThing member wellreadcatlady
Entertaining overall, but as a podcast listener I thought they did the host dirty to make her out to be some opportunistic b*tch, when most podcast journalist are lovely & genuinely concerned. Also the whole mystery kind of lacked buildup and was just a information dump at the end.
LibraryThing member rmarcin
Psychological thriller with a Serial-like podcast theme. Josie has recreated a life for herself after a tumultuous childhood that included her father being murdered, witnessed by her twin sister, and her mother’s abandonment. She hasn’t been honest about her family with Caleb, her boyfriend.
I thought I knew who the killer was early on, and I turned out to be correct. However, I did enjoy the story, and it kept me interested.
Show More
Now, Josie’s Mother is dead and Josie must face her past. Meanwhile, the podcast, Reconsidered, is examining the murder of Josie’s father, and wondering if an innocent man was convicted.Lainie, Josie’s twin sister, tries to win Josie over. I thought I knew who the killer was early on, and I turned out to be correct. However, I did enjoy the story, and it kept me interested.
Show Less
LibraryThing member thelibraryladies
Like a lot of people, I was damn well obsessed with the podcast “Serial” when it aired it’s first season a few years ago. I had held off on listening to it for awhile, but then I gave in and was able to binge almost all of it over the course of a few days. As someone who has always been
The plot starts out common enough; Josie is living a happy life in New York with a genuinely good man named Caleb. But what Caleb doesn’t know is that Josie hasn’t told him about her past. Her father, Charles Berman, was shot in the head when she was a teenager, and her twin sister Lanie said that their Goth and rebellious neighbor Warren pulled the trigger. Shortly thereafter, their mother Erin ran off and joined a cult, and Josie split town as soon as she could and swore she’d never talk to her sister again, and never return. But then a popular podcast hosted by the duplicitous and fame hunger Poppy Parnell has started raising questions as to Warren’s guilt, and tragedy sweeps Josie back to her hometown, the secrets and lies she’s told her whole life starting to plague her. Pretty common fare for this kind of book. But what sets is aside from others I’ve read is that it makes use of the podcast format, as well as the social media frenzy that can come with it, to help frame the plot and the characters that we meet. It was great seeing twitter feeds, reddit posts, and transcripts from the episodes to get various pieces of the puzzle that we may not have otherwise seen, and it was kind of fun sifting through them like the reader, too, was an armchair detective. The pacing and tone was fast and tense from the starting gate, and I was basically hooked the moment that I sat down and committed to it, reading most of it in one day. The mystery itself wasn’t that hard to figure out, but it was definitely a fun ride to take even if I predicted the destination pretty early on.
That said, it wasn’t really doing much different or unique from this genre. While I definitely enjoyed it more than, say, “Every Last Lie” or “Into The Water”, it didn’t blow me away as some other thrillers this year have (“Everything You Want Me To Be”, anyone?). Josie wasn’t as large a mess as these kins of protagonists can be, which was incredibly refreshing, but Lanie was REALLY hard to take at times just because she very much WAS a huge, honking trainwreck. I’m relieved that the book wasn’t from her POV, because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t take that. None of the characters, however, really stood out as more than pretty standard players in this kind of book (the dutiful boyfriend, the ex who caused you pain, the uptight female relative). I had been hoping that there would be a little bit of experimentation with these tropes, but alas, it wasn’t to be.
But run of the mill characters and kind of easy to see ending aside, I really did have a fun time reading “Are You Sleeping”. Given that the holiday season is basically upon us and travel may be in some of your futures, I would definitely recommend this book for a long plane ride, a road trip, or just reading in the coziness of your home as the weather turns colder. But don’t let it shame you from listening to your favorite true crime podcast, okay?
Show More
interested in true crime, the thought that someone may have gone to prison for a murder he didn’t commit, and that perhaps those around him may have known his innocence the whole time, I found the premise compelling. I know that some people found it ghoulish, as the podcast used the murder of Hae Min Lee as a framework for it’s investigation. Such grievances are raised in the novel “Are You Sleeping”, a debut from Kathleen Barber, and makes the reader look at it through the eyes of a murder victims family as old wounds are opened up for sensationalism and ‘entertainment’. I’ll admit I felt a little yucky with myself as I read this book. But I wasn’t just chastened; I was also sucked into the story of Josie, her twin sister Lanie, and the family that is still suffering from the fallout of the murder of the family patriarch.The plot starts out common enough; Josie is living a happy life in New York with a genuinely good man named Caleb. But what Caleb doesn’t know is that Josie hasn’t told him about her past. Her father, Charles Berman, was shot in the head when she was a teenager, and her twin sister Lanie said that their Goth and rebellious neighbor Warren pulled the trigger. Shortly thereafter, their mother Erin ran off and joined a cult, and Josie split town as soon as she could and swore she’d never talk to her sister again, and never return. But then a popular podcast hosted by the duplicitous and fame hunger Poppy Parnell has started raising questions as to Warren’s guilt, and tragedy sweeps Josie back to her hometown, the secrets and lies she’s told her whole life starting to plague her. Pretty common fare for this kind of book. But what sets is aside from others I’ve read is that it makes use of the podcast format, as well as the social media frenzy that can come with it, to help frame the plot and the characters that we meet. It was great seeing twitter feeds, reddit posts, and transcripts from the episodes to get various pieces of the puzzle that we may not have otherwise seen, and it was kind of fun sifting through them like the reader, too, was an armchair detective. The pacing and tone was fast and tense from the starting gate, and I was basically hooked the moment that I sat down and committed to it, reading most of it in one day. The mystery itself wasn’t that hard to figure out, but it was definitely a fun ride to take even if I predicted the destination pretty early on.
That said, it wasn’t really doing much different or unique from this genre. While I definitely enjoyed it more than, say, “Every Last Lie” or “Into The Water”, it didn’t blow me away as some other thrillers this year have (“Everything You Want Me To Be”, anyone?). Josie wasn’t as large a mess as these kins of protagonists can be, which was incredibly refreshing, but Lanie was REALLY hard to take at times just because she very much WAS a huge, honking trainwreck. I’m relieved that the book wasn’t from her POV, because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t take that. None of the characters, however, really stood out as more than pretty standard players in this kind of book (the dutiful boyfriend, the ex who caused you pain, the uptight female relative). I had been hoping that there would be a little bit of experimentation with these tropes, but alas, it wasn’t to be.
But run of the mill characters and kind of easy to see ending aside, I really did have a fun time reading “Are You Sleeping”. Given that the holiday season is basically upon us and travel may be in some of your futures, I would definitely recommend this book for a long plane ride, a road trip, or just reading in the coziness of your home as the weather turns colder. But don’t let it shame you from listening to your favorite true crime podcast, okay?
Show Less
LibraryThing member JillHannah
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
I may be one of the few left in the USA who hasn't listened to a podcast before! That, in itself, was an interesting twist for me in this great suspense novel.
Josie and Lanie are twins, a good-and-evil combination of sorts...or is
I'd always wanted a sister and thought it would be so cool to be a twin. I'm rethinking that after reading this story! (j/k) Lanie has many layers that are revealed little by little, keeping us in suspense as to what really happened years ago.
Josie has her own secrets she's keeping, and you find yourself not trusting any character - which makes it a good thriller/suspense. The whole podcast view was a good reminder of how often people find their personal grief in the spotlight for all to judge. It makes you realize how much we've invaded each other's lives through social media and news and what an awful effect it has on those in their personal grief-made-public.
I may be one of the few left in the USA who hasn't listened to a podcast before! That, in itself, was an interesting twist for me in this great suspense novel.
Josie and Lanie are twins, a good-and-evil combination of sorts...or is
Show More
it? The author weaves you through an interesting family past that these women have lived through, a great example of how our past shapes who we become.I'd always wanted a sister and thought it would be so cool to be a twin. I'm rethinking that after reading this story! (j/k) Lanie has many layers that are revealed little by little, keeping us in suspense as to what really happened years ago.
Josie has her own secrets she's keeping, and you find yourself not trusting any character - which makes it a good thriller/suspense. The whole podcast view was a good reminder of how often people find their personal grief in the spotlight for all to judge. It makes you realize how much we've invaded each other's lives through social media and news and what an awful effect it has on those in their personal grief-made-public.
Show Less
Pages
352