Doctor Sleep

by Madison Smartt Bell

First published 2007

Adrian Strother practices hypnotherapy in a run-down London neighborhood, helping patients find sleep while he himself cannot rest. His chronic insomnia becomes an asset when Scotland Yard calls him in to assist their investigations. Adrian's police work draws him into the orbit of a dangerous drug dealer operating in his area. When young girls start disappearing and turning up dead, Adrian must use his sleepless nights and therapeutic skills to penetrate the mind of the killer. The murderer believes he has unlocked the secret to living forever. Adrian walks a precarious line between his tortured waking hours and the strange visions that come with exhaustion. His unique condition may be the only thing that can stop a man who preys on children and dreams of immortality.

Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, psychological-thriller

Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: cat-and-mouse, unreliable-narrator

Setting: London

308 pages · Kindle Edition · Grove Press

Content warnings: murder, violence

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