The Sleeping and The Dead

The first few pages of the book had me hooked. It was really interesting and I was drawn in pretty quick. But then I get to ‘part two' and instead of the detective I get this woman who I don't know and don't even like. Hannah was infuriating at times and every time I thought there's something to make me like her even a bit, she'd (not) say something or think something that would make me dislike her a little bit more.

I liked part one and three and I would have enjoyed the book way more if it would have been all written from Porteous' point of view. I was really interested in the investigation, how they figure it out, who they suspect, why, what does the forensics find, and all that exciting stuff, but instead I got this insecure librarian who's just been through a divorce, and her rebel teenage daughter who thinks she's all grown up. At some point I was so bored and ready to drop it. The only thing keeping me reading was wanting to know who did it.

On a second thought, I might have disliked Porteous too if I would have read more of his thoughts. After all I didn't really like anyone.

The plot was fine. It was interesting at first, but then I got caught up in Hannah's drama and lost focus, too busy being baffled at her. I see some reviews saying that the ending was rushed and thinking about it, yes, it was rushed, and it did rely on coincidence. One thing I like is that I did not expect the murderer to be who it was, although I probably should have seen it coming; also I was myself in a rush to finish the book so I can get to read something more entertaining.

Now that I think about it, there were also a few things left unexplained. Needless to say I do not recommend this book. There are far more interesting detective novels out there.


I don't know who wrote the synopsis, but it got two things wrong:

Michael Grey, an enigmatic and secretive young man who was reported missing by his foster parents in 1972.
Michael was reported missing after his foster parents died in a car crash by the guy who managed their wills. They didn't even know he'd been missing.

Michael had been her [Hannah] boyfriend, and she had been with him the night he disappeared.
Hannah had been with Michael the day before he went missing. He phoned her the next day in the morning, but she refused to meet him.