Sleep by M K Boers

Sleep
By M K Boers
Published on 1 September 2019
I received an Advance Reader Copy

Publisher's description

A marriage made in heaven, a murder made in hell.

Why kill the man you love?

Lizzy was struggling, everyone knew that.

He shouldn't have done those things.

He shouldn't have pushed her so hard.

And now, her children, her marriage, her hope - gone.

It was all her fault, she knew that, but was there a chance of redemption?

Lizzy Dyson’s on trial for her life. She knows she must pay for what she did, even if it wasn’t planned, but will the jury believe her?

My verdict
Sleep is a compelling read - a character-led psychological thriller and courtroom drama.

Lizzy is on trial for murder, spending most of her time locked in a cell, which means she has plenty of time to think about the past. And she certainly has plenty to think about it.

By getting into Lizzy's thoughts and following her conversations with her friends, family and legal team, the tiny details of her marriage are gradually revealed, with secrets unravelled and heartache exposed. This is well-written domestic noir with great characterisation - as well as a believable insight into a woman's breakdown and the impact of miscarriage and stillbirth (and the need for support).

This is one of those books where you think you know the story at the start, but your views and allegiance change as the book progresses. It made me want to shout and sigh and cry. I wanted to shake Lizzy at times to help her see the truth, to realise she wasn't the monster she thought she was and that she was much stronger (deep inside) that she had been led to believe.

I really felt that I knew Lizzy by the end - her honesty, her grief, her remorse as she took herself on a journey of self-discovery, all she could really do to pass the time. I found myself turning the pages faster and faster, and felt bereft when there were no more. The ending of the book was perfect - satisfyingly so.

Check out the Blog Tour in September