The police get involved to rule out a possible homicide. During this time, Phoebe is staying with Emma and Robert. Emma also starts getting the feeling that Phoebe and Robert are plotting against her in some way (think Gaslight but far creepier). As Emma gets her friend and fellow solicitor, Darcy, to represent her, she begins to dig into the past where all the answers must lie. She brings up the sad memories of a mother too unfit to raise her own daughters, who are forced into foster care. INSOMNIA is the type of book that very fittingly will cause many sleepless nights and continues to prove that Sarah Pinborough is a multilayered, complex writer capable of excelling at many different genres."

McClure is known for her role in BBC cop drama hit Line of Duty, ITV’s bomb disposal thriller Trigger Point and Shane Meadows’ Channel 4 show This Is England.But as Emma’s fortieth birthday approaches, her world begins to shift. Because thirty-five years ago her mother quite literally lost her mind on the cusp of her own fortieth birthday. Even worse, she had spent the first five years of Emma’s life warning her that she would lose hers as well. Now with the date looming, she finds herself unable to sleep and is plagued by terror drenched memories of her childhood. Is her greatest fear of following in her mother’s footsteps actually coming true? In this twisty, mind-bending thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past. Emma Averall is a successful divorce attorney with a loving husband who manages the day-to-day lives of their family as the stay-at-home parent of their two wonderful children. Granted, her husband has been a bit standoff-ish lately as his resentments about not being the money earner have festered. And sure, her teenage daughter has become a closed-off shell of the bright, bubbly girl she used to know and her endearing five year old son has become worryingly withdrawn. But surely with a little time everything will sort itself out. This book was a mixed bag for me because there was a lot to like here, but one or two big things I didn’t like. I’ll approach each in turn.

The next day while at work, Emma receives a call out of the blue from her older sister, Phoebe, with whom she is not close. Phoebe is only calling to let her know that their mother has been hospitalized and is not doing well. Emma reluctantly meets Phoebe at the hospital; as expected, Phoebe lays a huge guilt trip on her. All Emma can recall is that Mum is crazy, and everyone said she was just like her. This is the main reason she fears her 40th birthday; this was right around the time that Mum lost her mind. Jessica Burdett said: “Paramount+ is the perfect home for Sarah Pinborough’s brilliantly bold and unsettling story.”Even though Emma isn't a character I loved, she works well given the context of the story. You just don't know what to think as the author successfully strings everything along. I'm not going to lie, the ending is not the most satisfying, but I didn't exactly hate it either. Once again, Sara Pinborough delivers a book that is ripe for discussion. The cover definitely gave off a far more sinister vibe than was ever experienced underneath it, but there was a subtle eerie undertone that dogged all that occurred. This never became a truly horrifying novel but remained an entirely thrilling and intriguing one, throughout. Thirdly: I still absorb the revelations about the mystery about those numbers and the reason of Patricia’s madness! I did really enjoy the plot of this one, because it was much more complex than it seems - there are many characters to suspect here - even Emma herself - and Pinborough does a fantastic job at switching focus on each of them. I also liked Emma (although her character was perhaps a bit cliché - exhausted professional mother with a seemingly perfect house husband. Friends and neighbors find her cold and unfriendly with a husband who does little to alleviate this image, yatta yatta). I did not like Robert at all - I was hoping he would be the next pillow victim lol, and Phoebe was not much better. For the love of god, get these people a good family therapist! 🤦‍♀️ The one thing I will say is that I sometimes struggle with books where the gaslighting is so thorough that I feel uncomfortable and tense, as it leaves me unsettled. This is most assuredly one of those reads, and a few times, as much as I enjoyed the book, I just wanted it to end (if that makes sense!). I'm not sure I loved the ending either, but I will leave that there.

Insomnia, part of the streaming service’s strategy to commission 150 international originals by 2025, joins the list of UK originations, which includes A Gentleman In Moscow, The Ex-Wife, The Flatshare, Sexy Beast, The Killing Kind, The Doll Factory, No Escape and The Burning Girls.WHAT I ALSO LIKED: The subject matter. As a fellow insomniac, I could definitely relate to the horrible feeling of being unable to sleep and going slightly mad about it. I also know that some people are getting tired of the “is the main character going crazy or being gaslit?” narrative, but I most certainly am still a fan of this trope. I am here for the alternate reality plot lines, and the feelings of claustrophobia and terror, and the creepy dread about one’s one mental health. (Haven’t we all worried at times if we were going a little crazy?) Emma is a successful solicitor, helping those in an unhappy marriage move on. As a divorce attorney, she's naturally made some enemies along the way. One day when she receives a haunting message from her older and estranged sister Phoebe, she rushes to her side at the hospital only to find it is in fact her mother who is ailing. Her mother, who has been in a psychiatric institution for the past 30 years, has unsuccessfully attempted suicide. All just days before Emma's 40th birthday. Three decades prior her mother in fact went mad on the same birthday, attempting to smother her older daughter. Fast forward to present day and Emma has put her family's dark past behind her with a successful career, a loving husband and two beautiful children. But on the night of the hospital visit she inexplicably encounters a case of insomnia. One night without sleep is followed by two, then three, then four, and so on. With each night Emma goes without rest, and the closer her 40th birthday approaches the more detached from reality and sanity she becomes. Strange events begin occurring, such as someone slashing her tires and keying her car, her son experiencing a trauma only he can communicate through horrifying drawings. Has someone, possibly a disgruntled former client, targeted Emma? Is her family truly in danger, as Emma believes, keeping her up all night every night, or is she simply paranoid on account of her past? OMG! What an utterly transfixing and mind-bending novel Insomnia was. The first I’ve read by Sarah Pinborough (what on earth has taken me so long?!?), there is no possible realm where I could have ever guessed where the plot was leading. And let me tell you, it was so deftly engineered that only an absolute maestro of the written word could have created such an absolutely perfect (I’m going to overuse this word in my review, so get used to it) novel.

Insomnia follows successful career woman Emma Averill, who fears she might be losing her mind, when her hard-won dream life starts to turn into a nightmare. A couple of weeks before her fortieth birthday Emma stops sleeping — just as her mother had done at the same age and right before she suffered a violent psychotic break on the night of her own fortieth birthday. Emma’s mother always told her she’d go the same way, that she had the same “bad blood,” and now Emma’s terrified it’s true. I want to make clear that had I not had such high expectations for this author, this would surely have probably been more impressive to me. I think a reader who has not read this author's previous work will most likely enjoy this one more than I did. The writing was on par with her previous efforts, and I was undoubtedly intrigued throughout, I just needed my reveal to hurry up and happen! The synopsis alone had me wanting to read this one ASAP! Unfortunately, I did feel like this book read a little bit long at times, and I truly felt like I was experiencing every single ounce of fatigue and anxiety as our protagonist! I knew that there was something more at work here than just the paranoia that accompanies insomnia, but I was conflicted in what exactly I thought could really be happening and I feel like this could have been less drawn out. One crazy sleepless ride building up to a hideously tense climax. Expertly done – Sarah Pinborough is the queen of unsettling, twisty reads’ Harriet TyceEmma's sleep problems have started before her fortieth birthday and of course without sleep, 💤 she is aware her view of reality is slipping. Her mother is in an asylum and from what we hear from Emma a truly horrible mother who set the tone years ago for their eventual estrangement. Emma's life is falling apart 😪 and as her birthday approaches, she becomes more and more irrational, unable to handle the stresses of family life and her high prestige position of lawyer in a very well-known firm. Emma feels like everyone is out to get her from her sister, to her husband, no one is spared her inability to be rational. It's a recipe for disaster 🌋 and the disasters 🌊 seemed to be headed straight for Emma's door. I became completely immersed in this story and felt as if I were going crazy along with Emma. I had no idea how this one was going to play out and for once I didn't even try to guess or figure it out. If you pay attention, there is even a nod to Behind Her Eyes at the end of Insomnia. Insomnia is a twisted, dark ride that keeps you gripped, unable to look away. Utterly addictive and highly recommended’ Lucy Clarke Fourthly: the reason I rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 is THAT AMAZING AND SMART ENDING! If you read “Behind Her Eyes”, you’re gonna adore this part! But you should read the book or watch the brilliant Netflix adaptation at first ( or do both for comparing the differences ) From the outside, Emma has the dream life – a loving husband, a beautiful house, two gorgeous children.