Insomnia - Sarah Pinborough

Reading Challenge Category: Book club May read

Official Blurb:

From the outside, Emma has the dream life – a loving husband, a beautiful house, two gorgeous children.
But something is keeping Emma awake.
Scratching at her sanity at 1am.
She’s tried so hard to bury the past, to protect her family. But witching hour loves a secret – and Emma’s is the stuff of nightmares.

My Thoughts:

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough is a fast-paced psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The suspense builds up steadily throughout the story, leaving me eager to uncover the truth. However, I must admit that the premise of a paranoid woman whose life spirals out of control and no one believes her felt somewhat familiar. I've encountered similar plotlines in many other books, which was slightly frustrating.
The protagonist's inability to make the right decisions and improve her situation added to my exasperation. It seemed that if she had just managed to catch up on some much-needed sleep during the day, she would have been better equipped to handle the escalating events. It's always a struggle when you can see an obvious solution that the characters fail to grasp.
Nonetheless, considering my previous experience with Sarah Pinborough's work, particularly "Behind Her Eyes” in TV form, I approached Insomnia with an open mind, hoping to be dazzled once again. And I must say, the ending did not disappoint. It took an unexpected turn, standing out from the predictable outcomes I had anticipated. I appreciated how the author skilfully tied everything together, and the collision of events added an extra layer of satisfaction.
Overall, Insomnia proved to be a good read despite my frustrations with the protagonist's paranoia and the well-worn narrative trope. The author's ability to deliver a surprising ending and the clever weaving of events made it an engaging and worthwhile experience. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers and can overlook the occasional exasperating moments, I recommend giving Insomnia a try.