Sleepwalker was a truly suspenseful read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The writing style was incredibly flowy and easy to follow, which made it effortless to stay immersed in the story. I really liked the core idea—it was unique and unsettling in the best way. There were moments that genuinely gave me chills and goosebumps, and the atmosphere had just the right level of eerie tension. Best of all, the ending was very satisfying and tied everything together in a way that felt earned. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a gripping and haunting read.

The Sleepwalker grabbed my attention quickly. The book had me on my toes the entire time. A few dark twists that I never seen coming. I finished this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down.

5.0 ✨

omg!! it’s been 5 hours since i finished this book and my bones have not stopped shaking!

the pacing was incredible. it kept me glued to every single page, and the tension just wouldn’t let up. i felt completely locked into the story, desperate to figure out what was going on. and then... THE PLOT TWIST. listen, i live for plot twists in thrillers, and this one? it hit so hard it gave me chills. like, this is the kind of twist that earns a book an automatic top rating from me—no hesitation.
if you love thrillers that pull you in, mess with your mind, and leave you shook, this is the one for you. i couldn’t recommend it enough!

thank you to Netgally and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for honest review. 💋

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced review copy.

Okay so this book…I devoured it in about 12 hours. It’s an easy read but I feel like I went back and forth on liking the plot…..and the MC.

The Sleepwalker follows Dr Ellie Thompson as she deals with depression, anxiety, nightmares, and sleepwalking. As she progresses through the story she begins to question her own sanity. She feels her nightmares are being acted out in her real life, leading her to wonder if she’s still asleep or just crazy?!

Sometimes, the story had the vibe of those poorly written horror flicks, where the main character is running headfirst into danger and you wanna scream, “Don’t open that door!” or “Do not take that eerie alleyway!”

While Ellie is anxious about her sleepwalking and nightmares becoming real, she insists on continuing to put herself in situations where she is alone. Why do this to yourself?? if you think you’re in danger, or maybe a danger to yourself or someone else, wouldn’t you want to be in the company of someone you trust at all times?

I was never a fan of her husband Nick, and it eventually made sense why he seemed like an uncaring, creepy liar.

Overall, the storyline played out nicely. And the ending wrapped up the plot with no loose ends. I did enjoy the author’s writing style and she did have me stomped on who the villain was. I just wish the characterization had been better.

This story follows a girl who have severe nightmares that affect her in her daily life. She sees a therapist to figure out the trigger and how to stop them! These dreams feel a little too real.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, I got hooked right from the start. The middle got real confusing and I lost it

Oh my! So many twist and turns!
Really enjoyed this thriller was so intense and had me guessing the whole time as to whom was making Ellie think she was going mad. Was well written fast paced enjoyed it!

The Sleepwalker was a gripping and unsettling read that kept me hooked from the start. I really enjoyed how the story blurred the lines between dreams and reality. Ellie’s character felt raw and believable, and I found myself constantly wondering if she was losing her mind or if someone was actually out to get her.

The tension builds quickly and the pacing kept me turning the pages. Some parts felt a bit far-fetched, but overall it was a solid psychological thriller with some great twists. If you like books that mess with your head and keep you guessing, this one’s worth picking up.

4.25 Stars - Spoiler free review

Wow. I mean where do I start? This book was amazing from start to end, constantly keeping me engaged and guessing.

This book had me questioning reality right alongside Ellie. From the very first chapter, I was hooked, trying to discern what was real and what was a product of her sleep-deprived mind.​

The medical aspects of Ellie's condition were particularly intriguing. The detailed descriptions of her sleepwalking episodes and the subsequent consequences added a layer of authenticity to the narrative. It was evident that Blackwood did his research, and it paid off.​

The structure of the book, with its interspersed flashback chapters, was masterfully done. Each flashback peeled back another layer of the mystery, keeping me guessing about whose memories I was delving into. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would make me second-guess everything.​

Ellie's descent into uncertainty was palpable. There were moments where I genuinely couldn't tell if an event was a dream or reality, mirroring Ellie's own confusion. This immersive experience made the story all the more compelling.​

As for the twist—while some might find it predictable, I appreciated the seeds of doubt planted throughout the narrative. It wasn't just about the twist itself but how it was executed. And let's talk about her husband... not winning any 'Husband of the Year' awards, that's for sure.​..

Overall, The Sleepwalker is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of the human mind. It's a must-read for fans of the genre.

Unfortunately this one was pretty predictable. There seems to be a big trend at the moment of using the it was the spouse and best friend trope and from the first 2 chapters I had figured that out. There were a few twists and turns that made the book very enjoyable, but I think this is an overused trope at the moment which kind of spoiled the book a bit for me. Not because it was a bad book or bad writing (the writing was really good), just because of the trope used.

I really wanted to love this book. Based on the summary, I was immediately interested, but it was a DNF for me. I tried a few times to get back into it, and just couldn’t get past the writing.

I thought the premise was very interesting via the summary, unfortunately, for me, it ended up falling short. The writing, to me, felt very juvenile. Everything seemed very surface level—characters, setting, etc. I love a story where I feel immersed in a world and the story, but I could not get there, and eventually gave up altogether.

I was really looking forward to this one, too, because again, the premise seemed promising and interesting, which is what makes it disappointing. I know the author put much time and work into this, which I appreciate, but ultimately, I cannot recommend based on what I thought. This is the first book I’ve DNFed in 2025.

A binge worthy thriller by debut author Ian Blackwood.

The sleepwalker follows Dr. Ellie Thompson as she struggles with her marriage and terrifying nightmares. She can’t get a grasp on what’s reality or her dreams. It doesn’t help her sanity when her car is vandalized, she receives anonymous phone calls and has been chased and stalked in public but nobody believes her, including the police.

Readers must figure out is Ellie insane and suffering PTSD from her past or is someone out to get her and playing mind games while they do it.

I sped through this book in 1 day, you won’t be able to put it down! Thank you to NetGalley, Ian Blackwood and the publisher, inkubator books for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one had me questioning everything—my trust in the characters, what was real vs imagined, and even my own grip on reality at times.

The Sleepwalker follows Dr. Ellie Thompson, who’s always been haunted by nightmares… but now they’re bleeding into her real life. Waking up with glass in her foot and a knife under her pillow? Yeah, something is seriously wrong. The tension ramps up fast, and I loved how the story kept twisting just when I thought I had it figured out.

You can feel Ellie’s paranoia creeping in, and the book does an amazing job of making you feel it too. Her distant husband, obsessed ex, and strangely connected psychiatrist all make you wonder—who’s lying? Who’s gaslighting? Or is Ellie really just losing it?

It’s dark, twisty, and seriously addictive. I devoured this book very quickly, which is always a good sign that a book has gripped me.

Definitely one of those stories where the truth hits way harder than you expect! This book encapsulates the reasons why I love the thriller genre.

Dr. Ellie Thompson has always been haunted by her nightmares but now they are blurring into reality. She wakens to find there really is glass in her foot and a knife under her pillow. How did they get there? What is she doing in her sleep?

She swore someone was following her, she really did recieve that threatening phone call, but why is there no evidence of them? Is someone doing this to her? Has someone deleated the messages?

When Ellie finds it harder to tell what's real and what's a nightmare she starts to suspect everyone around her. Who can she trust? As she finally comes closer to the truth what she's about to discover is more terrifying than any of her nightmares....


I honestly loved this book, it's one of the best psychological thrillers I have read. I couldn't put it down, I was gutted when I had to eventually go to sleep🤣 It's a constant page turner from start to finish and the twists!! Done so perfectly, you'll never see what's coming, it was really well written. I loved Ellie's character, the book puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions and it's a total mind f***

This is why this genre is my favourite. Just love a good psychological thriller and Ian nailed this.

Oh 9 absolutely loved this! I went into not thinking it'd be anything special but boy was i wrong. The concept was just so original and the plot was so perfectly played out. It was all on the verge of being normal enough to make you feel like this could happen to anyone. The entire way through the book, you have no idea what's reality and what's a dream and by halfway I could barely wait to find out what actually was going on!!! I was so invested from so early on, it's just a really easy read and an amazing one

This book was a wild ride from start to finish! Huge thanks to NetGalley, Ian Blackwood, and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Dr. Ellie Thompson has always been haunted by terrifying nightmares but now they’re bleeding into her real life. When she dreams of shattered glass, she wakes up with it lodged in her foot and so on. It’s chilling, and the lines between sleep and reality blur in the most disturbing way.

While I was hooked by the premise, one thing that stuck out was a pretty major plot hole. I just couldn’t get over how were the nightmares physically manifesting? No one could predict what she’d dream next, so it didn’t quite add up and it wasn’t explained that well. That said, the rest of the story more than made up for it.

The writing was fast-paced and compelling, with flashbacks to a mysterious child that added another layer of intrigue. I genuinely felt for Ellie, her sleepwalking was horrifying on its own, but the fact that no one believed her made it even worse. I was constantly second-guessing every character, pointing fingers at everyone, and still didn’t see that twist coming!

A gripping, unpredictable psychological thriller with clever reveals and strong atmosphere. Solid 3 stars!

A real edge of your seat read.
Fabulous psychological thriller.
Well written characters and the ending took my breath away.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

A definite pageturner! Dr Ellie Thompson has always battled haunting and terrifying nightmares but now they seem to be coming to life; when she dreams of broken glass, she finds broken glass in her foot and a knife under her pillow - how? Unfortunately that wasn't ever answered as nobody could get into her head and predict what nightmares were coming ahead of time, to plan what to leave, so that huge plot hole bothered me, but the rest of the book was brilliant!

I really enjoyed the writing style, the pace and the intriguing flashbacks to an unknown child. The twists at the end were very clever!

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Ian Blackwood and Inkubator for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I COULD NOT STOP READING!!!

The suspense. The mystery. The friendship. The sneaking around. EVERYTHING was put together so perfectly.

I knew as I kept reading & Ellie figuring out that her husband was having affair that it was with Penny. As I kept reading about her something felt off & I was right. Poor Ellie was going through a rough life & who would have thought it was her 2 most closest people in her life betraying her. Tom what a life saver. They do deserve each other!

Best part of the book, SAMSON! So glad he was alive.

Part 2? NEED! I’m curious if Penny will get out of jail because of the Ward.

This book was a WILD ride! I felt so bad for Ellie and what she was experiencing. Her sleepwalking was terrifying in itself, but the scariest part was no one believing her.

I was pointing fingers at everyone in this book. I had no idea who Ellie could trust, and everything/everyone seemed suspicious. While some parts were a little predictable, I did not expect that kind of twist!

I must be the odd reader out with this title. I rarely ever do this, but it was a DNF for me. I tried going back twice, and put it down each additional time. I thought the premise was very intriguing, unfortunately it didn’t deliver. What mainly kept drawing me out of the story was that it seemed like it could have really used a few more editing passes. I don’t mean copy edits like typos, it was good in that regard. I mean there were a LOT of completely superfluous sentences, that it seemed were only there to boost the word count. Things like “My car started on the first try.” (When her car starting had nothing to do with anything, and it’s a BMW not an old beater.) I know this sounds super small, but that is just one simple example that I remember off the top of my head. Or spending a chapter IN a dream with the MC, then mere pages later having her describe it…in detail…to her husband. (Instead of something like, “After I told him what happened in my dream…..” etc etc) Add to the fact that hubby apparently already knows exactly what she’s dreaming about anyway, because they are recurring and they’ve discussed them before. Again, just seems like either word count padding, or lack of an editor that helps the author focus/trim plot. Other negatives for me were how conversations between different characters seemed to come out of absolutely no where. One example off the top of my head is when the MC went to work the day following her dream, and coworkers (some who knew nothing about specific things happening in her life) were making very pointed comments that didn’t make any sense for them to make.

These things happened so after that it got to where at first I was just skimming ahead to skip parts, but eventually gave up.

I was really looking forward to this one, and honestly feel bad since I know any book costs the author a lot of blood, sweat and tears to finish. I just can’t recommend.
**Im giving 2 stars for the interesting premise.