• The Sleeper

  • By: Emily Barr
  • Narrated by: Imogen Church
  • Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (3,886 ratings)

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The Sleeper  By  cover art

The Sleeper

By: Emily Barr
Narrated by: Imogen Church
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Publisher's summary

A tense, gripping psychological thriller, with Hitchcockian overtones, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Sophie Hannah and Rosamund Lupton.

Lara Finch is living a lie.

Everyone thinks she has a happy life in Cornwall, married to the devoted Sam, but in fact she is desperately bored. When she is offered a new job that involves commuting to London by sleeper train, she meets Guy and starts an illicit affair. But then Lara vanishes from the night train without a trace. Only her friend Iris disbelieves the official version of events, and sets out to find her.

For Iris, it is the start of a voyage that will take her further than she's ever travelled and on to a trail of old crimes and dark secrets. For Lara, it is the end of a journey that started a long time ago. A journey she must finish, before it destroys her....

Emily Barr is the well-loved author of the best-selling Backpack, the original backpacking novel, and 10 other highly acclaimed novels. A former journalist, she has travelled around the world and written columns and travel pieces for the Observer and the Guardian.

©2013 Emily Barr (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

“Thrillingly sinister… Single White Female with a twist, only far, far less predictable” (The Guardian on Stranded)

“Sleep-sabotagingly moreish” (Cosmopolitan)

“Gripping escapism” (Red)

“We can’t praise Emily Barr’s novels enough; they’re fresh, original and hugely readable” (Glamour)

What listeners say about The Sleeper

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,975
  • 4 Stars
    1,314
  • 3 Stars
    441
  • 2 Stars
    101
  • 1 Stars
    55
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,401
  • 4 Stars
    863
  • 3 Stars
    243
  • 2 Stars
    47
  • 1 Stars
    35
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,744
  • 4 Stars
    1,177
  • 3 Stars
    472
  • 2 Stars
    124
  • 1 Stars
    65

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Very enjoyable throughout - had to listen constantly, which is why the end was so frustrating . The last two hours moved so slowly and had so much filler that I had to fast forward periodically. This change was very noticeable from the rest of the book. Instead of coming to a satisfying ending with the same intensity that it had all along, it came to a slow flat end.

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121 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

The train derails

It starts off great. A winner for several hours. Then it's like if another writer took over...or as if the author herself had no idea where the story was going. Suffice it to say that the characters end up having the most implausible lives! How could all this have happened to one person? To have the bad luck to have had so many disconnected evil people cross your life! Going into the final two hours, what had seemed like a solid four-star novel had degraded to three/stars already but, omg, the last two hours or so were absolutely unbearable. Ridiculous plot developments, one after another. Ridiculous out of character reactions from practically every character. I thought about stopping but for whatever reason kept going (was probably driving and it would have been too difficult to find another option). Can't recommend.

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114 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • MM
  • 08-24-16

Don't waste a credit

Any additional comments?

I listened to this book on a road trip or I would've returned it about an hour into it. It took 15 chapters to get slightly interesting. Then after all was said and done it was not a good story line! Felt like the book really dragged on and on. I wouldn't recommend it.

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96 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Imogen Church

Fantastic narrator! I find myself looking for books Imogen Church narrates because she embodies each character.

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52 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story

Reading some of the reviews prompted me to write this one so that men aren't scared away by it being characterized as "chick lit" as to me this book was far from it. The plot was engaging and well written and Imogen Church is a great narrator and it was in searching for books narrated by her that I found this one. I personally would highly recommend this one.

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51 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Decent page-turner

I love Imogen Church's narration. It improved this good but not great book.
I'd have rather rated the story a 3.5 but that's not an option.

This book held my interest and had a satisfying ending.
But it's not great enough to earn the enthusiasm I have for IN A DARK, DARK WOOD by Ruth Ware. Listen to that one! Same narrator. That book blew me away. But I digress.

THE SLEEPER redeems itself by avoiding cheesy love scenes and cringe-worthy dialogue. It does not focus on a hard-bitten detective, thankfully. Contemporary references ground this story in reality, which I also appreciate. It does contain a decent twist. Overall a credit well spent, but not an exceptional experience.

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48 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

The Big Sleepers

The narrator was great unfortunately this book goes from one extreme to the other leaving you wondering if your listening or in a nightmare. It starts off great.....splendid but leaves you feeling sweet & low.The character's lack depth and the creativity is a Hot Ace Mess...leaving you on the night train lost in a web of a nightmare of the authors auwful imagination.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A compelling listen from beginning to end

What made the experience of listening to The Sleeper the most enjoyable?

This book combines detailed characters with a complex and interesting story. It is told in sections in the first person by Lara and Iris and there are some good subtexts throughout.

Have you listened to any of Imogen Church’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't recall listening to Imogen Church but I really like her sound and style.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have a long drive to and from work, and while I was listening to this story I looked forward to the trip so I could keep listening.

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good, had to keep listening

Where does The Sleeper rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed it. Similar feel to In a Dark Dark wood, and The Girl on the Train.

What does Imogen Church bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She's an amazing narrator. I would listen to more of her stuff

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb story, superb narration!

What did you love best about The Sleeper?

The narration by Imogen Church. She is fantastic!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lara. I loved being inside of her head as she led her double life.

Which character – as performed by Imogen Church – was your favorite?

Again....Lara

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The main character's truthfulness and vulnerability in regards to her life situation, her upbringing/family relationships, and especially her candor in describing her feelings about her life partner.

Any additional comments?

I think I actually liked it more than "The Girl on the Train"

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17 people found this helpful