I found this book to be hard going, I so wanted to like it, I loved the sound of it but I really struggled ,it was too slow for an impatient reader like me. Hopefully other readers will enjoy it more.

Receiving bad news from the hospital, turns Rossi's world upside down but that is just the start of a really bad day.
Shutting down New York by putting everyone to sleep including the world leaders attending the united nations.
Terrorist, freedom fighters or global activists, the goal to divert funds to help the poorest and most affected by climate change.
Blow up New York or give in to the demands?
A book that will grip and astound you.
Enjoy I did.

Fast paced thriller that could easily be a blockbuster with Mark Wahlberg.

It’s well written and relevant, touching on issues in the real world.

Easy to read and entertaining.

An exciting fast paced thriller about eco terrorists using technology to put Manhattan to sleep and the world to ransom. I liked the characters of Nick, Sam and Zoe and the story was believable and thought provoking.

I found this novel rather comic book in style. All of a sudden 4 million people fall asleep, nobody external to Manhattan knows why and any that investigate are similarly cut down, except of course for the hero characters. They have particular traits which make them immune to whatever is causing people to sleep. I suppose the author might have got inspiration for the novel from reading about the Havana Syndrome and substituted a feeling of being unwell, to that of unconsciousness. The miscreants all have psuedonyms which happen to be the taken from the seven deadly sins. The twist in the plot could have come from many films including James Bond. The let down was with the delivery of the 'sleep ray'. Technically impossible to reach everybody like it did. In ranking the novel, I will give it three stars purely for the fun element of it.

An action packed book from the very first page the only thing the reader needs to do is open the book and hold on. As a lover of action films I felt right at home and this would make a great movie of the Die Hard, White House Down genre. A bit formulaic but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. I liked the main characters and cheered them on in their race to save Manhattan and the world. If you're happy to spend a few hours letting your imagination run riot in the name of just what human beings can think up to do to each other next this book is quite likely to be one you will enjoy. I certainly did. Can't wait for the movie!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a fascinating story with an absorbing cast of characters. The tension was very high right through the story and a scary prospect. Excellent conclusion.

**Manhattan Down** is a thrilling adventure that takes place in the heart of Manhattan, New York. Imagine this: nearly four million people suddenly collapse into a deep sleep, and only a few are left awake to figure out what’s going on. Sounds intense, right?

This book is a fun, fast-paced ride with a tight-knit cast of characters, making it easy to follow along. I really appreciated how original and believable the storyline felt. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing — some were a bit predictable, but others really took me by surprise!

While I didn’t click with all the characters, they were well-crafted and relatable in their own ways, which added some nice depth to the story.

The ending wrapped things up nicely, although I thought it might have been a bit too neat for my taste. It’s tough to share too much without spoiling the fun, but I truly think it’s best to jump in without knowing too much beforehand.

If you're looking for a gripping, high-stakes action thriller to keep you entertained, I highly recommend adding this one to your reading list!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Random House UK and Transworld Publishers, for letting me read an advance digital copy of this book. All the thoughts in this review are completely my own, and I am sharing them voluntarily.

Really enjoyed this ARC - thank you for my copy.

A well paced and satisfying read. Touching on eco-activism I was slightly concerned at one point that the bad guys weren't all that bad and were being misrepresented but all became clear. A really interesting premise - the city asleep - and a great delivery of an interesting tale.

Michael Cordy’s Manhattan Down is a wild ride from start to finish—think Die Hard meets Inception with a side of The Day the Earth Stood Still. The premise? New York, the city that never sleeps, suddenly takes an unexpected collective nap. Every single person on Manhattan Island—world leaders included—drops unconscious, except for two unlikely heroes: a single mom with her own battles and a detective who wakes up just in time for chaos.

The tension is high, the stakes even higher, and Cordy keeps the action moving at breakneck speed. Rossi and Lockwood are fantastic leads, thrown into an impossible situation with only their wits (and a serious sense of urgency) to guide them. The mystery of why this happened unfolds in a way that keeps you flipping pages, and the looming sense of a world held hostage adds an extra layer of suspense.

It’s cinematic, gripping, and packed with twists—basically, a popcorn thriller in book form. If you love high-stakes action with great characters and a touch of the unimaginable, Manhattan Down delivers. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Unreal, yet just real enough to make you think that it possibly could happen. An eco terror attack on the eve of the anniversary of 9/11 sends Manhattan into a deep slumber, with a few exceptions - those wishing to bring harm and those hoping for something more. This book would make an excellent blockbuster and was so easy to visualise events as they unfolded. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book so much, I really did find myself rooting for the characters and cheering them on. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

Very much a Dan Brown-style, high-concept thriller, Manhattan Down isn't full of political nuance and deep characterisation, but it is a fun, rollicking adventure with a trio of likeable leads, an intriguing premise, and a satisfying payoff.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.
Looking forward to more from Michael Cordy

This is a very interesting thriller, with an unusual premise. The main characters work well together and there are lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed it wasn’t a big fan of the final conspiracy reveal, but overall it was very enjoyable. If you like action and suspense this is one for you.

‘Manhattan Down’ is a familiar story of good guys hunting down the evil wrongdoers before the deadline for disaster and as expected they succeed. I don’t think I’m giving away too much there as I’m sure everyone always expects the heroes to win.
So what makes this book different? The setting is a city where everyone has been instantly put to sleep apart from a mother who is desperate to find her young daughter and a NY police detective who instead of falling asleep has woken from a coma! If you can suspend your disbelief the narrative moves along at a decent pace.
I finished the book, but not really my cup of tea, hence the three stars.

Sounded intriguing but didn't live up to its promise. I found it long winded and hard going. Everything was just so stereotypically American/MAGA and it just didn't connect with me. USA-fantastic, China- evil (again, I suppose it couldn't be Russia now could it). All the characters were straight out of good ol' USA fight the baddies/Chinese are all baddies casting . At least there didn't seem to be anyone with an English accent. Had I not got it as an ARC from Netgalley I wouldn't have finished it (and I think this is a first that's happened)
Not for me

This was an enjoyable read, if a bit cliched with the whole USA=good everyone else=bad narrative.
It would make a good movie, I can already see Zoe Saldana as Samantha and Chris Pratt as Lockwood!!
Definitely worth a read even if just for the ideas of what the super-rich should be doing to do their bit for the world.

Michael Cordy’s Manhattan Down is a riveting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Combining high-stakes drama, a chillingly plausible scenario, and relentless pacing, this novel is both a heart-pounding action story and a thought-provoking commentary on the fragility of our modern world.

Set against the sweltering backdrop of a climate crisis and the weighty symbolism of the 9/11 anniversary, Cordy weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue. The premise is utterly gripping: a mysterious event renders the entire population of Manhattan unconscious, except for two compelling protagonists—Samantha Rossi, a determined single mother, and Nick Lockwood, a damaged yet resilient NYPD detective. Their race against time to uncover the truth and protect what they hold dear is as emotionally resonant as it is thrilling.

The atmospheric tension in Manhattan Down is palpable, and the twists keep coming, making it impossible to put the book down. This story feels tailor-made for the big screen or a binge-worthy streaming series.

A must-read for fans of tech thrillers, disaster dramas, and stories that keep you guessing until the very end. Bravo, Michael Cordy!

Despite this thriller taking place over just a day or two, it seemed far too long to me. As a movie in the vein of inflated self-aggrandising American heroics like Independence Day, this would gross well, but as a novel I found it left me rolling my eyes. Naughty China! Go USA!
It was predictable and I only finished it because I feel obliged to write reviews for books I receive as ARCs.

Manhattan Down by Michael Cordy is an action packed thriller set in a Manhattan where almost every resident (almost four million) has just collapsed and fallen into a deep sleep. Or, to their death, depending on where they were at the time.

There are only a handful of people left - Samantha Rossi is fairly sure she knows why she's awake, and is worried for her teenage daughter Zoe.

Nick Lockwood is also fully conscious - ironic, given that he has spent the last week in a coma since his partner was killed on duty. His partner, O'Malley, was knee deep in conspiracy theories at the time of her murder, and now it seems that she wasn't far from discovering the truth.

A group who have identified themselves only by using the names of the Seven Deadly Sins are out for revenge - on everyone.
They have a list of demands, and if they're not granted, they'll destroy Manhattan - and everyone in it.
But are they as close as they've been led to believe?

This was entertaining enough. Reminiscent of books like I Am Pilgrim or Falling, or movies like Die Hard or Carry On. I could see it as a Netflix special, and it'd be really popular. I could imagine it being highly entertaining with someone like Nicolas Cage at the helm. As a book? I'm not sure if it works. There are a lot of questions left unanswered (Samantha and her condition, her mother, and certain characters that almost became caricatures). I didn't LOVE the whole "USA = Great, China = Evil" thing it had going on, but as I said, it's entertaining enough and for people who enjoyed the other books I mentioned, they might also enjoy this.