The premise of this book hooked me from the start - Dr. Ellie Thompson suffers from terrifying nightmares that she can’t distinguish from reality, especially when those nightmares appear to be happening in real life. Is she slowly losing her mind, or are these real-life nightmares the product of someone out to get her?

I enjoyed following along with Ellie and trying to figure out what was real and what wasn’t, however I did feel that the nightmares became repetitive as the book went along. I also found the plot twist and reveal to be a bit predictable, and the book wrapped up much quicker at the end than the rest of the book’s pacing. I had some issues with the author’s writing style as well, but despite this, the book was a page-turner I couldn’t put down and would recommend it for anyone looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book

Here is the blurb.

"Ellie has a problem. The monster in her dreams has come to life.
Dr. Ellie Thompson has always been haunted by her nightmares. But now they're bleeding into reality. She wakes to find there really is glass in her foot, a knife under her pillow.
How is this possible? Is she sleepwalking?
When threatening messages appear on her phone and then vanish, when incidents she vividly recalls prove to be imaginary, Ellie begins to wonder if there is something more sinister afoot. Is someone doing this to her, trying to drive her mad?
As her grip on reality slips away, Ellie suspects everyone around her. Her distant husband with his unexplained absences. Her obsessive ex who can't let go. Even her psychiatrist, whose connection to one of her own medical cases raises disturbing questions.
As Ellie fights to discover if these terrors come from inside her own mind or from someone outside, she will finally draw close to the truth. A truth more horrifying, more shocking, than even the worst of her nightmares…"

I think ideally I would have given 3.5 stars. The book kept my interest about average but I wasn't that invested in the character. I was more worried about the dog! It was a reasonable read with the usual twists and turns of a physiological thriller but I still felt there were some loose ends.

4.5⭐️ rounded up! What an incredible debut novel by Ian Blackwood! This book was exhilarating, heart-pounding, and so hard to put down. I thought about the characters when I wasn’t reading, wondering what was true.
I found this book somewhat predictable; however, I was shocked up to the last word! I would absolutely recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for providing an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ellie is a doctor, married to her husband Nick, living the perfect life she always wanted. Until her nightmares start coming back. Her parents died when she was young and she was plagued by vivid nightmares afterwards. For some reason, years later, her nightmares are coming back full force to the point where Ellie questions her own sanity and can't tell what events are real and what ones are nightmares. She is being stalked by someone and she is convinced that the person stalking her is the person making her feel crazy. She is determined to find out who is doing this to her so she can take her life back.

Wow, this started off STRONG. Talk about creepy. We start with the point of view of someone, we don't know who it is, and their experiences as a child (it's almost written like a diary). The book goes back and forth between the unknown person (italic chapters) and Ellie.

I really enjoyed this one. It kept me hooked and NEEDING to find out what happens. Is Ellie actually insane? Is someone really stalking her? Is she really having nightmares or is it reality? Trying to find the line where it all makes sense was so hard. I did guess the ending and I was right, but I still really enjoyed it and the reveal was very satisfying.

There were a couple things that I didn't like about it:

1. Some moments the story read as if he was doing the "long story short" thing. For example, sentences like "I walked to the car. Looked to the right. Grabbed the keys. Fumbled with the keys. dropped the keys..." etc. This threw me off a little bit because I felt like some of those details weren't really necessary.

2. I found that there were some plot holes - specifically with one incident where <spoiler> Ellie is in the hospital's parking garage and she starts getting followed and bashed by another car who she suspects is the person stalking her. She mentions as she's about to leave the parking garage that she has to swipe her badge to get out. Well, if she has to swipe to get out, she would have to swipe to go in, so it would make sense that the person ramming her bumper would be a colleague because they wouldn't be able to be in the garage without a badge. </spoiler>

3. I'm not sure if this is a UK thing, but the use of the word "cos" to replace "because" made reading a little bit slower. I've never seen that in a book before, so I wasn't sure if it was a normal UK thing.

4. There were a lot of typos. A LOT. I actually screenshotted a couple of them (only one of the below will be a spoiler):
- "'Hello Samson.' I kneeled, stroked him, and he rolled on his belly for me to scratch his
tummy." (Ch. 28)
- "It was Nick. My eyes popped open; I propped herself up on one elbow." (Ch. 31)
- "I climbed out of bed, showered, dressed: a casual pair of jeans, and a long-sleeved designer
T-shirt that I'd picked up at TK Maxx." (Ch. 34)
- <spoiler> "'But James, last night. Last night I sleepwalked in my nightmare, and I finished on
top of Nick, a knife at his throat.'" </spoiler> (Ch. 39)
These are obviously not all of them, but these are the ones that stood out the most.

Despite all of the above, I REALLY enjoyed this. The concept, the unreliable character trope, the story, and the way some of the scenes were written had me actually cringing (in a good way). This also reminded me a little bit of Scream, which was a cool idea. I do think the book could have been a little shorter because it felt a little repetitive at times. I will definitely be looking at more of Ian Blackwood's books in the future.

The Sleepwalker by Ian Blackwood is a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller that blurred the line between dreams and reality. From the very first page, the story pulled me in with its unsettling premise, centered around Ellie—a character whose grasp on reality grew increasingly fragile. I was never quite sure if she was unraveling or if someone truly was out to get her.

The author built tension and kept the pacing tight, slowly revealing key details that made me second-guess every character and event. The twists were clever, the emotional depth added weight to the suspense, and the eerie tone lingered long after I turned the final page. While a few moments felt a bit far-fetched, the overall experience was compelling and immersive.



It is a good read if you like dark, twisty psychological thrillers that mess with the mind

I would like to thank NetGalley, Ian Blackwood and Inkubator books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐ - When I read the summary of this book, I was sold.. a doctor that dreams about something and wakes up to find it actually happening to her? Sign me up!

Unfortunately the story was really predictable at times, which made me lose interest. Although it had some twists and turns, I expected a bit more of the story.

This is a fast paced, twisty book that is hard to put down! It is a little predictable in parts but not enough to take the reader out of the story.

This book started so well introducing different characters who all seemed to have the capacity to be guilty! I was enjoying the storyline up to a point where it all became a little mundane and not quite believable to me. I felt that the author was trying to stretch the story out as I completely lost interest as well as the plot! My personal thoughts only but found it hard to pick up where I left off. Not a book for me, sorry.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is definitely a psychological thriller! When Izzy can't work out dream from reality throughout the story it keeps you guessing.

At difference points there were multiple suspects with clues that weren't immediately obvious. What I liked was that I could empathise with Izzy as a character, and the main characters that surround her are human - they're not caricatures of clearly kind or evil. They come off the page like people you would know - which makes the psychological element of the story all the more compelling. Narrated by Izzy throughout there are points where as the reader you're not sure whether she's becoming increasingly mentally unstable.

The pacing of the book is good, there are no lulls within the story that makes it lag. As a debut novel it is strong and makes me want to see what other stories Ian Blackwood has in store.

This book absolutely broke my brain—in the best way possible. From the first page to the last, I had no idea what was real and what was a dream. The author masterfully blurs the lines between reality and illusion, keeping you constantly off-balance. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, the ground shifts again. I didn’t know who to trust, what to believe, or where the truth really lived.

This is a definite psychological thriller—twisty, disorienting, and completely immersive. If you like books that mess with your mind and leave you thinking about them long after the last page, The Sleepwalker delivers. Buckle up!

This book was right up my street! A good psychological thriller that gets the mind thinking. Just like Ellie in the story it’s hard to tell what is real, what is a nightmare, who can she trust and who’s telling the truth? Is she really going insane or hallucinating as the Dr suggests? For me the suspects changed throughout the book. Then just when I thought I had it there was a plot twist. Whip lash! Very concerning for the FMC that people around her could be so manipulative and deceitful. A great book that I’d highly recommend.

Lately, I’ve been riding a thrilling wave of psychological suspense, and thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours—who specialize in gripping thriller reads—I’ve discovered some absolute gems. One standout is The Sleepwalker by Ian Blackwood, an ARC I couldn’t put down. This intense psychological thriller reminded me of Anna O by Matthew Blake with hints of Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake—a chilling mix of sleep disorders, unreliable perception, and dangerous secrets.
Dr. Ellie Thompson is the kind of protagonist who pulls you in immediately. A successful doctor, Ellie has always battled vivid nightmares. But now, those nightmares are seeping into her waking life. She finds blood on her hands, shards of glass in her bed, and knives under her pillow—without any memory of how they got there. As her grip on reality loosens, Ellie becomes desperate for answers, yet fearful of seeking help. After all, speaking to a therapist could mean suspension from her job—something she can’t risk.
What makes The Sleepwalker so engrossing is the constant sense of dread. Is Ellie losing her mind, or is someone manipulating her into believing she is? The theme of gaslighting is woven expertly through the story, with every chapter deepening the mystery. The dual timeline—shifting between past and present—adds further intrigue, gradually revealing the trauma and choices that shaped Ellie’s life and those around her.
One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is its exploration of the foster care system. Through Ellie’s past, we see the stark contrast between being adopted into a loving family or left behind. The book thoughtfully examines how childhood trauma can haunt us, but also how resilience and mindset determine our future.
And just when I thought I had it all figured out—bam!—Ian Blackwood throws in a twist that completely floored me. I was convinced I knew who the manipulator was, but the real mastermind caught me completely off guard. That reveal alone elevated the book from a solid thriller to an unforgettable one.
If you enjoy thrillers that mess with your mind, question your reality, and leave you breathless by the end, The Sleepwalker is a must-read. With a strong female lead, a gripping descent into paranoia, and a haunting psychological mystery at its core, this is one book that will make you question your own sleep schedules and patterns.

This book was really freaky.
Gripping and emotional. When Elle realizes that she is having nightmares and possibly doing crazy things while sleepwalking. This book kept me interested from beginning to end. It made me want to know more and had me second guessing the difference between dreams and the reality of what was going on in the book.
The ending.. I was totally caught off guard and was floored by the ending of this book. Definitely not what I had figured out. Not many psychological thrillers can do that to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkubator books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE SLEEPWALKER BY IAN BLACKWOOD.
Release date set for the 18th of May 2025.
I thought this was a good book. Good storyline. Even paced.
I didn't know if Ellie was actually losing her mind or not.
This is my first book by this author and I'll read more of his work

This was an entire mystery, from the flashbacks to the memories, it had me soaking it all in. The book had my undivided attention all day!

At sometimes while reading I couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. Some of the plots and twist were predictable but I enjoyed the wondering process.

The Sleepwalker was a wild psychological thriller that dug deep into the complexities of the human mind. It's a must-read for fans of those who love thrillers and suspense novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC!

Stayed up late to Read this in a night, I really enjoyed this book. I would read more books by this author

3*
Good story line and characters, easy to read and I read it fast.
It was abit predictable in places but I was hooked and enjoyed it

"Where do you go when you close your eyes?"

I received an advanced readers copy via NetGallery for an honest review.

Ian Blackwood caught my attention from page 1! This book had nonstop action which made the pages fly by, the short chapters and brief flashbacks of inner dialogue from one of the characters helped. I really thought Ellie was losing her mind throughout the story, but she just had a lot going on for her. I'm surprised she didn't break down sooner. I did not predict the plot twist, which usually I can spot these early on. So, thank you Blackwood for the surprise. This was the perfect psychological thriller!

I absolutely loved this book , I’m new to thriller reads but all I watch is thrillers / mysteries and this really had me stumbled , majority of the book made me question myself lol , so it really made me feel for the fmc so much was was happening you don’t know what to believe or who to believe or if it’s just a dream at all and there are certain chapters with letter I felt like that was a great add because as soon as you start to think you know something couple pages go by and you back at square one questioning everybody the unfolding was EVERYTHING because I was so stunned when the story revealed . I’m giving this a five star no fillers unneeded information but great plot / Mystery.

Check triggers : animal cruelty.

This was a bit predictable at times, but I was hooked by the premise and definitely didn’t see the end coming.

Ellie is being plagued by nightmares that feel like they are so real she can’t distinguish her dreams from reality. When she starts sleepwalking as well, she becomes more and more paranoid, especially when someone starts stalking her and terrorizing her.

The writing was just okay, but it was a quick read and overall I was entertained. I do think the author did a good job of making you believe one thing and then you are surprised at the end (at least I was!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.