My daughters have been trying to get me to listen to podcasts for the past couple of years, I know that one in particular was enthralled with “Serial”. I am usually listening to audiobooks so I have only listened to one or two podcasts but they were not based on any crime in real time. The idea that someone would just decide to take apart a case where a murder took place 13 years previous and run with it is scary. I also found it a bit hard to believe that the police wouldn’t push back against someone prying into an already closed case. But these are the times we live in, everyone’s life is an open book. I was therefore interested in what this novel would have to offer.

We find Josie Buhrman who has left her home town and reinvented herself including a new name and is finally happy with her life and with a great boyfriend, Caleb. Unfortunately she has never told him the truth about her past life and the tragedy that struck their family. When she turns on the TV and starts to hear about a new podcast that is reopening the case of her father’s murder she is somewhat paralyzed as to what to do.

Josie has a twin sister, Lanie, whom she hasn’t spoken to since she left home, for a betrayal that we find out about much later in the book.

The reporter who is running the podcast is named Poppy Parnell and she is very persistent in interviewing anyone that she can about the case. She wasn’t able to track down Josie at first because of her name change, but when Josie’s mother dies and she attends the funeral Poppy catches up with her.

The writer employs an interesting writing tool in this novel, she writes portions of the podcast and portions of interviews that Poppy has with those willing to talk. This includes Mrs. Cave, the mother of Warren Cave who was convicted of the murder and is presently serving a prison term for this.

If Warren didn’t kill her dad then who did? Lanie, Josie’s sister, admitted at the time of the killing to seeing Warren shoot her dad, but she was young and traumatized. Everything starts to be called into question and we are along for the ride.

I found the story to be a bit disjointed. I felt I found out about Josie’s mom in bits and pieces rather than a smooth narrative. Josie obviously never really sorted out her past traumas but buried them and so the podcast really makes her come unglued. She finds everything different when she goes home, particularly her sister Lanie who doesn’t even seem like the same person. What and why has she changed so much? Is this really the true Lanie? Her Aunt Amelia whom Lanie and Josie were living with after her dad died and her mom left has always been trying to get in touch with Josie, why didn’t she even connect with the one person who showed her love and caring? She didn’t even answer any of her e mails otherwise she wouldn’t have been as shocked at some of the changes “back home”.

This was an enjoyable read centering around how open to the public ours lives have become and how any good “techie” can gain access even to closed medical and other records. The mystery was a good one but I did guess the ending about ¾ of the way in, but it was just a “guess”.

I received an ARC of this book through the publisher, thank you!

Will also post to Amazon upon publication

This was a good book! Not sure what is up but the last few books I am getting from NetGalley are turning out to be good. In Are You Sleeping we are introduced to Josie who doesn't really want much to do with her family besides her cousin. She has changed her name, traveled, even has a boyfriend who doesn't know about her past. Her past is not something she is proud of, so when a podcast starts up about the man who murdered her father and could he be innocence Josie has to relive her past. Her mother left them in the care of their aunt and her twin sister Lanie went down her own path. It has always been that Lanie saw who killed their father but what she saw was that correct or is something wrong with the picture? The past will come to haunt Josie and Lanie and it is up to the both of them to remember that night 10 years ago.
I think the author did a great job with the tweets that were within the story, since this was a podcast and it was opened for all to discuss.
This is a great mystery and for the ending to go the way it did I so did not expect that. I like this author's writing style and her ability to pull you in once she has you hooked. I will be looking for more of her work to read!

Are You Sleeping? was inspired by Serial, a podcast I have never listened to. Talk radio, documentaries, and audio books – all of that stuff puts me to sleep almost instantly. I have read books by lawyers who have helped free innocent men who were wrongly convicted and the topic interests me. I am interested in those cold case volunteers who work to identify the John and Jane Does, but I am repulsed by openly encouraging internet mobocracy speculating about the lives of real people. I think of the armchair detectives who falsely accused some people of being the Boston Marathon bombers. So, I felt antagonistic to Polly Parnell, just as the Josie, the narrator of Are You Sleeping? does, though for far less personal reasons.

The story begins when Jose learns that her father’s murder has been taken up by a Serial like podcast called Reconsidered. The mother of the man convicted of murdering her father insists he is innocent. Josie is estranged from her family. She’s changed her last name and told the man she lives with and loves both her parents are dead and denies she has any siblings. However, she has a twin sister and her mother, perhaps set off by the podcast, hangs herself, drawing her home for the funeral and back, face-to-face with her sister whose existence she has denied for ten years.

Can she forgive her sister for betraying her? Why did her mother kill herself? Could the man serving time for her father’s murder be innocent? These are the questions that Josie must address to ever free herself from her past.



I enjoyed and was emotionally invested in Josie’s progress. I seldom find myself crying over a suspense novel, but the shattered memories and the fracture between Josie and her twin Lacey broke my heart. This is one of those stories with all sorts of good people who twist in the wind because they don’t talk to each other and because mental illness has such stigma, it is left undiagnosed and untreated.

Barber is excellent at telling just enough and letting readers figure things out. She never assumes we are just passively reading, counting on us to put things together. This makes for a satisfying and wholly engrossing mystery, one that is fair, that lets us figure it out, bit by bit.

Mixed with the narrative, there are transcripts from the podcast, adding to Josie’s pain and challenging her recollection. There are also comments from internet posters that were reckless and irresponsible as you might expect, though far less horrible and malicious as you would find in real life. Thankfully, they were only a small part of the book.

So, it’s a fair mystery with some surprises and emotionally involving without being manipulative. That’s a win in my book.

Are You Sleeping? will be released on August 1st. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was such a fun read and exactly what I needed to kick off my summer vacation! While of the lighter variety compared to many of the other psychological thrillers out there at this point in time, I enjoyed the originality in Barber’s debut novel and the fast pace of the plot (I was compelled to finish the book in a 24 hour period). It reminded me a lot of Clare Mackintosh’s I See You and I could also see fans of B.A. Paris’ The Breakdown really gravitating toward Barber’s writing.

The impact social media has on people’s perception of reality is a key point to the storyline and the inserted chapters with Twitter feeds and the podcast transcripts were an inventive addition to the plot. While the majority of the book is told from Josie’s point of view, it was interesting to see how the opinions of those on social media could easily stir up a storm of doubt in Josie and her previously solid convictions about her father’s murder (I was reminded of the popular documentary, Making a Murderer).

The one major issue I had with the novel is that the podcast author, Poppy Parnell (oh, what a name!) felt too much like a caricature and fit too easily into the “evil villain” role set out for her. While the rest of the characters in the book were multi-dimensional and didn’t easily fit into the “good” or “bad” mold, Poppy just seemed a bit comical in her portrayal as the “enemy”.

Ultimately, I flew through this book and enjoyed it for a lighter, summer read. Knowing this was Barber’s debut novel, I’m intrigued enough to see how Barber’s writing style will evolve with her future work.

Thank you, Netgalley and Gallery Books for providing me a copy of this book in return for an honest review!

In the end, I enjoyed this book - but it was the plot, not the characters, that turned the tide. For much of the first half, all I did was mutter to myself how much I detested main character Josie Buhrman (and to a slightly lesser extent, her twin sister Lanie). The latter sister struck me as the "evil" twin, just as apparently she did to the characters in the book who knew her. Josie was another story; she spent most of her time berating other people for their lying ways when she was arguably the biggest liar of them all.

To be fair, the now-estranged Josie and Lanie had it tough growing up. Their mother had some kind of mental illness, their father was murdered 13 years earlier, and not long thereafter, the mother ran off to join a hippy-dippy cult. If there was a saving grace, it was that their father's killer was caught and convicted - identified by Lanie, who claimed to have seen him do the dastardly deed. Throughout his years in jail, though, he's insisted that he's innocent.

Not long after their mother abandoned them, Josie left home, ending up in New York with her partner, Caleb, and zero intentions of ever going back to visit once-treasured relatives. But then, a self-described "investigative" reporter named Poppy Parnell reveals a podcast which she claims will shed new light on the twins' father's murder. Was a man wrongly convicted? Did Lanie, who changed her original story that she'd seen nothing, lie on the witness stand? And if those things are true, who is the real murderer and what was the motivation?

The podcast, downloaded by thousands including Josie, opens up old family wounds - especially, it seems, for the twins' mother; not long after the first one appears, she is found dead on the cult's property, clearly a suicide. Now, Josie feels compelled to return home for the funeral of the mother she loved, hoping to avoid interaction with anyone else. She also doesn't want to interact with Caleb, who's ready and willing to accompany her. Why? Simply because everything she's told him about herself is a big fat lie, including her last name - which she changed to rid herself of the stigmas of her past and live in relative anominity.

Although she was given ample opportunity and good reason to 'fess up, Josie refuses to come clean - reasoning that her beloved Caleb just wouldn't understand and would exit stage left. Instead, she manages to convince him to stay put while she heads home alone. If I didn't already dislike her, that sealed the deal for sure.

From then on, much of the story focuses on Josie's encounters with family members, most notably her sister, interspersed with text of the podcasts and readers' reactions as they are released. As tensions begin to heat up, Josie gets a surprise visitor; and from that time forward, the story starts to move quickly, capturing my attention to the somewhat-of-a-twist ending.

My conclusion? If you can stand neurotic, sometimes totally unhinged females, this is a very good, intriguing book with a plot that's a bit different (and thus welcome, especially given all the recent books featuring neurotic females). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it. It was gripping and haunting, and -- for me, the sign of a good book -- stayed with me long after I finished reading. Good storyline, and relatable characters.

I really enjoyed this book but the ending really bothered me. I loved the relationship of the sisters and I enjoyed watching the podcast unfold. Once the ending was revealed I wanted an update of how the sisters dealt with the reveal and how their relationship developed after the whole thing podcast paned out.

I'm alway a bit skeptical about book blurbs, especially since 7 times out of 10 it doesn't quite match the story or be anywhere near as great as it claims to be, but when this is described as the book version of Serial, it is spot on. 

I was drawn in and hooked on this novel the same way I was drawn in and hooked on the first season of Serial. I loved the fact that while the story is being told from the perspective of Josie Buhrman, it is interspersed with transcripts from the podcast, commentary from reddit forums, and the social media of an investigative reporter. It all goes together so well and has you unable to put down the book as you just want to know what happened. 

Josie is also a like-able narrator whose motives and actions always made sense, even when they are ill-advised. I loved every minute of this novel, and breezed thought it in a day. I just couldn't put it down and was so sad when it was over. This is a must-read

I enjoyed this book.I developed a relationship with the characters and wanted the girls to be ok. I did find parts of the plot a little over the top, Lanies breakdowns and odd behaviour, it was evident the author wanted us to question her guilt. I have to admit tho there were a few plot twists that kept me reading and overall i enjoyed the plt and the characters. A good read.

This was really dark all the way through. It takes place partly around a funeral, and the emotion in the book is just as draining as a funeral would be.
Centering mostly around Jo, as she attends her mother's funeral, and is confronted with an estranged sister, and the reexamination of her father's murder years before. Jo has been lying about her past, and isn't overly hopeful for her future.
I wondered where the author drew her inspiration for this book, as there were all kinds of twists. This was a good read, but be prepared for a lot of baggage.

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 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.

[From GoodReads]

4.5 - 5 stars

This was a really good read - interesting, unusual characters and setting helped along by the very realistic integration of social media (reddit threads, tweets and transcripts of the ongoing podcast).

Highly recommended!

[Will add Amazon UK review on 10 August publication date]

I was drawn to this book based on the description & cover. As you begin the book, you are introduced to Josie living with her boyfriend; as the past catches up with her, life starts to unravel.

I enjoyed the idea of the story revolving around a podcast about a murder; as those type of podcasts are currently very popular. However, for me, it was a bit slow due to a lot of focus on the family, their past, & what is they remember of the murder.
I gave 3 stars for a good story line, interesting cover, & I would recommend this to someone who might enjoy it.

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the serial podcast. It was a little predictable, but still an enjoyable read.

Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber---3 star

I finished the book, which means it was a decent book, as most I cannot get further than 10% when the adolescent writing skills of the author completely derail me. This is not the case here; on the other hand it is not a memorable book. For some reason, checking through my notes, I’m hard pressed to remember many details of the plot, although the few notes that I made were complementary. They were:

Good use of 1st person narrative writing

Very inventive to use a chat room and Twitter to convey information and advance the plot.

I did note that characterizations in general were superb, especially of Josie.

If you haven't listened to Serial or any of the other popular crime podcasts that delve into different crimes you are about to get a first hand look into what they can do. Josie and her twin sister don't speak anymore but after a podcast starts delving into her fathers murder her life gets turned upside down.

This is an interesting mystery with passages from the podcast thrown in here and there. Poppy Parnell's podcast is a bit more tabloid than the real crime podcasts I've listened to but it worked for the book. As the issues between Josie and her twin Lanie unfold you start to wonder what happened to Lanie that she took such a different turn. All of the characters are really well developed with the exception of Poppy who seemed more of a caricature than an actual person. Every horrible tabloid reporter was rolled into her character leaving her too unrealistic. I found that I wanted to know more about Josie and Lanies mother who seemed crazy even before all this madness went down. So I'm sure there would be a good backstory there.

This is Kathleen Barber's first book and it is a hit. The premise is refreshing and the writing simple and fast paced but the characters well developed. Overall a very well done read. I can't wait to see what else comes from this author.

Twelve years ago, a teenager was convicted of murdering his neighbor, based almost solely on the testimony of one of the victim's young daughters. In the present, a blogger has reopened the case through a popular podcast, stirring up all kinds of trouble.

The premise will be familiar to anyone who's seen the resurgence of true crime podcasts and TV shows, such as Serial and Making a Murderer. This familiarity makes the book compelling and addicting, but by the end, it unfortunately didn't live up to my expectations. The ending felt a bit rushed, and some of the plot points were a bit predictable. However, it was an entertaining read that I think fans of true crime podcasts and TV shows will enjoy for the different take/perspective.

A takeoff on "Dead Letters", with crumbs of "The Girl I Used to Be".

But despite the familiar story — and obvious whodunit — I kept reading! The narrative voice is that strong.

Everything including the kitchen sink is packed into the family drama, yet it works.

Readers of "Six Stories", "The Life We Bury", and/or "The Lost Girls" should enjoy it.

. . . I wonder if there'll be a followup book featuring Rita Skeeter, er, I mean, Poppy Parnell? If so, I'm in!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advance reader copy.

I've recently really gotten into true crime podcasts, so when I read the description of Are You Sleeping, I was really interested in reading it. And Barber did not disappoint. I loved the way it was set up, with excerpts of the podcast, tweet screenshots & Reddit posts. The story read just like many podcasts I've listened to, which was amazing. I loved how Barber kept me on edge throughout the whole book & how everything tied together in the end. Great writing & a great story... Loved it!