Teenage Silence of the Lambs? None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney: Book Review
- Cassie <3
- Mar 20, 2023
- 2 min read
My Review: 4 Stars
Silence of the Lambs and MindHunter meets A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
Reader disclaimer: One must have a strong ability to partake in suspension of disbelief to enjoy this book. Two teenagers recruited by the FBI to interview a teenage serial killer in hopes of finding another serial killer who murders (you guessed it) teenagers. It's fun, don't get me wrong...but don't think about it for too long.
None Shall Sleep is a solid crime thriller that's on par with other FBI-serial-killer shows like Silence of the Lambs and Mindhunter. I loved the whole 80's vibe in Quantico, and the young adult characters also bring a little Good Girl's Guide to Murder romance with them (though not as cute as Pip and Rav).
The main priority in a psychological crime thriller is having facinating characters to delve into the minds of and these criminals are just that. The serial killer they're searching for has a shocking MO that does not disappoint. And Simon Gutmunsson's whole vibe is sooo Hannibal Lecter. I'm not sure if I will read the upcoming sequel, but I hope Simon is in it too...possibly having an old friend for dinner?
However, the middle of the book lost me a little bit. Maybe I just didn't pay enough attention to the small forensic details that were supposed to be important, but I just found myself zoning out a lot. Because the story is so heavily plot-driven, I also didn't feel super connected to Emma and Travis despite the emotional backstories we get from them.
BUT the finale was amazing!! Which is why this gets a solid 4 stars. I may not have been paying enough attention in the middle, but the ending definitely had me glued to the pages. The reveal of the serial killer is very intense and...his reunion with Simon is very icky in the best way possible.
Overall: A great book for all the true crime junkies who self-identity as Clarice Starling and Agent Holden, but may want a little YA fluff to keep it fun.
Synopsis:
In 1982, two teenagers—serial killer survivor Emma Lewis and US Marshal candidate Travis Bell—are recruited by the FBI to interview convicted juvenile killers and provide insight and advice on cold cases. From the start, Emma and Travis develop a quick friendship, gaining information from juvenile murderers that even the FBI can't crack. But when the team is called in to give advice on an active case—a serial killer who exclusively hunts teenagers—things begin to unravel. Working against the clock, they must turn to one of the country's most notorious incarcerated murderers for help: teenage sociopath Simon Gutmunsson. Despite Travis's objections, Emma becomes the conduit between Simon and the FBI team. But while Simon seems to be giving them the information they need to save lives, he's an expert manipulator playing a very long game...and he has his sights set on Emma.
Purchase None Shall Sleep here:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/ilzM0LF
Comments