I was intrigued by the cover, title, and description of Are You Awake by Claire McGowan and loved the friendship/connection portrayed between the two main characters, a harried mom and a former detective. Are You Awake by Claire McGowan takes the reader on a mystery that is both surreal and recognizable at the same time. What a great read this is ,two people who have trouble sleeping see something untoward in the dead of night and in doing so a series of events follow which will change their lives .

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way and ultimately it's all a bit far-fetched, but enjoyable enough.The story is told in alternating chapters from multiple POV, which I enjoyed, but none of the characters was particularly likeable. The police take their account with a large pinch of salt and an unlikely friendship ensues as the pair hunt for clues and investigate themselves. For me , an average read from a usually very suspenseful author, hopefully her next will wow me more . The two main characters who are strangers both unable to sleep because of different reasons look out one night and both see something that unsettles them - they join together in an unlikely friendship to try and work out what they saw.

The story didn't really pick up until the end, and I can't really say if it was worth sticking it out. When these two sleepless people witness something concerning in the dead of night, perhaps linked to a recent crime, the unlikely pair - both experiencing their own form of desperation - come together to investigate. Unfortunately, this just didn't grab my attention in a meaningful way, so I ended up putting it down at 11%. This is the story of two sleep-deprived people whose life experiences are poles apart but who come together to solve the disappearance of a young woman and a series of historic murders.I would highly recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys good crime fiction combined with a feelgood ending.

This is my second experience of Claire McGowan's work, having previously read and enjoyed "I Know You". There was just nothing likeable about him; I found myself not even caring what had happened in his past to make him the recluse he is today. Granted, the first few chapters featured our sleep-deprived main characters but then it went off in a new direction - especially when the character Eric Johnson popped in with his big reveal. I have chosen not to have kids as I like my sleep, my time and everything that comes with not having kids. I wasn't fully convinced by Mary or Tim's motives in becoming so involved with the investigation, but I appreciate there wouldn't have been a story if they hadn't!By doing this, the author, Claire McGowan was able to add an exceedingly interesting element to the existing investigation that was taking place.