Utterly enthralling...I could not stop reading this book. Cuthbert, with his Holmes-esque mind and tortured existence, was captivating from the very beginning. The backstories were painted with such vivid detail and precision, and yet the reader is left yearning for more. Absolutely one of the best reads I have ever had. I'm usually not a fan of crime-related books (science fiction and fantasy are more my forte) but this particular one had me on the edge of my seat and opened my eyes to a whole new genre. Well-done!

This should have been catnip for me: traumatized WWI vet + crime investigation + (according to a previous review I saw) gay man dealing with social and internalized homophobia.

Unfortunately, the flat, clumsy prose and dialogue, as well as the weirdly inconsistent characterizations, did me in. I can't recommend this title.

The Silent House of Sleep blends three of my favorite genres: WWI fiction, mystery, and queer lit. If you're like me, that is a combination for engrossing reading. The central character in this novel is Dr. Jack Cuthbert, a closeted gay man (our term, not necessarily his) who served in WWI, returned from the war and pursued a career in medicine with, ultimately, a focus on pathology.

Cuthbert is a brilliant professional. He's a man who tends to hold others at a distance. He's also still learning to manage the shell shock that came with him when he returned to England. All of this makes Cuthbert the sort of character that a reader admires and also aches for.

The murder at the heart of this mystery is cruel to an extent that may make some readers uncomfortable, but Gaw's narrative pulled me through the novel despite this challenge.

If you're a reader of any of the three genres blended in this novel—WWI fiction, mystery, and queer lit—this is a title you'll definitely want to check out.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.