A review by melbsreads
Don't Go to Sleep by Bryce Moore

challenging mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content warnings: blood, gore, murder, body horror, death of a parent, pandemic, grief, mentions of war, medical trauma, xenophobia, xenophobic slurs

I read and loved Moore's last foray into a historical thriller inspired by true events - The Perfect Place to Die - a year or so ago and was hooked from the get-go. So I was THRILLED when I saw that he'd published this one. There's just something so clever about the way he mixes fiction and actual events while remaining sympathetic to the stories of the actual victims. 

This one was, perhaps, slightly less compelling than the first for me, if only because I knew little about the case itself. But the combination of murder and the flu pandemic and a slight hint of magic/paranormal worked effectively. I liked the characters, and while there were times when this was a tad slower than I would have liked, I really enjoyed it nonetheless.