Excellent.

Was initially discouraged from listening to this book on reading a bad review; this has certainly taught me that, though we are entitled to our own opinion, sometimes it is worth giving a book a try despite being put off. I am so glad I did!

Excellent suspense thriller, with a well written story and an excellent plot. (No spoilers here!)

The reason I found this book is because I was looking for another read by Imogen Church. As I discovered in the previous book I listened to read by her, I cannot speak highly enough of her narration. She is very easy to listen to and has a lovely tone of voice and accent. Ideal for reading any kind of book. I will certainly carry on listening to any further books, in the genre I enjoy, narrated by Imogen. If I was an author, I would request it be read by this narrator without question.

73 people found this helpful

Gripping

a very exciting listen. It kept me wondering until the very end. I happened to be listening in the place where the final scene was set so it was spookily realistic !

22 people found this helpful

BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT TRIPTYCH THRILLER!

Like another reviewer here I had also been put off buying this excellent book even when it was offered as the deal of the day, but after returning a slew of thrillers which I could not get into or simply fizzled out, I found this in my wish list and then remembered I had really enjoyed STRANDED by the same author and after seeing the review suggesting that the bad review should be ignored I proceeded ....... and LOVED it.
Three parts to the book so in a lot of ways three thrillers in one, two great mysterious storylines and lots of interesting characters and backstories.
Imogen Church did a very good job narrating though I always find all her male voices sound like old hearty, beardy Santa/Captain Birdseye types which can be off putting when it is meant to be a dishy love interest and instead I am picturing him as some old duffer. This is why I deducted a star for performance as I did find the male voices annoying. Also in terms of production it would have been so much better for me if the two first parts, told by two different women had been narrated by two different women as it would have added so much to the story and their personalities if they had had their own "voice" instead of a shared one which really blurred the characters for me.
Like another reviewer I also did object to the way the previously devoted cat owner breezed off for several days thinking the cats would be able to "fend for themselves" before asking a neighbour to feed them and then ultimately rehoming them without a second thought. Another lack of continuity which an editor should have corrected before it went to press - though sometimes I wonder if there even are editors these days - though this well crafted book was a triumph especially compared to so many sloppy so called thrillers which I have returned in the past.
BUT ........... these are mere nitpicking niggles in an otherwise FABULOUS book which kept me gripped from beginning to end and did not fall away when the excellent and intricate plot was revealed. How I wish there were more thrillers like this ... I loved this thriller so much I have now just started reading Backpack also by Emily Barr and enjoying it so far though it has a very different feel to this book which shows just what a versatile author she is.
My recent favourites have been The Death of Mrs Westaway, Something in the Water, The Brighton Mermaid and The friend by Dorothy Koomson, Without a Word, Watching You and The Lies We Told, Our House, The Swimming Pool and The Disappearance of the Frasers so if you loved these as I did I think this book will be a real treat for you - Enjoy! Cannot wait for the next Emily Barr thriller.

7 people found this helpful

Great story. Good narration except male voices.

Story was great. A few unexpected twists. Narration was pretty good though some of the male voices sounded almost pantomime which detracted from them a little! Didn't ruin the story though.

6 people found this helpful

Don’t give up

Struggle through the first 14 chapters and then sit back and enjoy. Full of suspense, surprise and interest with changes in the story as it’s told from different angles, clever.

4 people found this helpful

Compelling and original!

There are so many formulaic books in this genre. The Sleeper is not one of them. It has a intriguing plot, with richly drawn characters. I especially liked fiesty, vegetarian Iris. It would be great if she turned up in later books by this author. Highly recommended.

4 people found this helpful

A bit disappointing - more melodrama than thriller

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Probably not. I found this download in the crime and thriller section, but this is a bit misleading. It is sort of 'chick-lit' with a twist. The thriller aspect is quite thin (even though endlessly drawn out) and very much secondary to the rather dramatic (I would say melodramatic) emotional experiences of the two female protagonists. The eventual 'baddie', when he shows his true colours, is almost a caricature villain.

Having said all that, it was a bit of fun and I didn't feel like asking for my money (credit) back. I did keep going to the end.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Shorten it by 25%, mainly by removing some of both Lara's and Iris's more longwinded emotional outbursts.

Have a more believable villain especially towards the end when he reveals himself.

What three words best describe Imogen Church’s performance?

Well done with some pretty awful dialogue.

Her presentation of Sam as the clinging husband was hilarious.

Was The Sleeper worth the listening time?

Just about.

24 people found this helpful

Awful

I've given up on this it was another recommendation from Audible and it is dreadfully slow never mind sleeper I'm in a coma!

21 people found this helpful

Fantastic!

What made the experience of listening to The Sleeper the most enjoyable?

The narrator was superb. Her ability to perform each part so believably aided my enjoyment immensely.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favourite character was Iris, she was very believable and warm, with immense likeability. She embodied all that is wonderful in true friendship, loyalty, a sense of humour and honesty. I would like a friend like Iris.

Which character – as performed by Imogen Church – was your favourite?

Olivia. Imogen's accent and acting ability is second to none. The tone of her voice summed up Olivia's difficult and dogmatic personality and her moodiness and sulkiness.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I was happy to listen to it in chunks, however, it only took me 3 days to complete it, as I was keen to keep following the plot development. The story really does have you sitting on the edge of your seat, and although it was slightly laboured at times, I enjoyed it tremendously.

Any additional comments?

Absolutely fantastic book, and one I would recommend. I will certainly be reading more by this author.

17 people found this helpful

Chick Lit thriller

Would you try another book written by Emily Barr or narrated by Imogen Church?

Never. Quite how she's been published I do not know. If Cecelia Aherne wrote trashy thrillers this would be the outcome.

What was most disappointing about Emily Barr’s story?

Characterisation. She's gone at it with a sledgehammer. There's a line about coffee in the book that literally made me cringe. Read it yourself to discover the horribly flaccid metaphor, bleurgh!

How could the performance have been better?

By the reader deciding not to play every male character as a dope or a spiv.

What character would you cut from The Sleeper?

The lead, Lara, what a wet weekend she is. And her husband Sam. Oh, where to start?!

Any additional comments?

The Sleeper is the kind of novel that makes me feel like I should take up writing, as I'm certain it'd be better than this drivel. The reality is I'd be crap, but seriously does one really want such nonsensical thoughts passing through ones grey matter when one is trying to enjoy a story?

52 people found this helpful