The Sleep Police

By: Jay Bonansinga

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

When Detective Frank Janus falls asleep, people die. Either a killer is playing mind games with him - or he's a killer himself. Now, as the body count rises, so do Frank's deep-rooted nightmares - his inexplicable blackouts - and the fear that he's become the number one suspect.

©2001 Jay Bonansinga (P)2014 David N. Wilson

The best voice for this chilling thriller.

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

This book ranks high in the mystery/thriller/psychological category in Books on Fire's collection for 2014.

What other book might you compare The Sleep Police to and why?

I have not listened to anything quite like this to date.

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

I haven't heard Paul narrator before this but he is definitely a natural and I see him becoming an audio go-to narrator.

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

It made me wince most of all. Heitsch's voice is chilling which makes this book even more incredible. This was a great choice for a narrator..

Any additional comments?

Full review on Books on Fire Audio Book Reviews.

Just when you thought it was safe

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would. There are a few twists I didnt see coming. The story starts out slow, because you think you have it all figured out ... but then you find out that you dont. DUN DUN DUUUUN ... now your brain REALLY has to work.

Any additional comments?

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review

An Incredible Chiller From A Master Storyteller

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would definitely recommend this audiobook to a friend because it is extremely good. It's better than good. Jay is amazing.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. There were so many amazing twists. There was no way you could see where this was going. I'll tell you that this was top notch writing. Very well done.

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

This is the first performance thst I've listened to by Paul Heitsch and he did an outstanding job playing Frank. He was perfect and I will look for more from him in the future. Flawless!

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

The whole book was a thrill ride, so yes it was very moving. I loved it.

Any additional comments?

This was a fantastic thriller. I was impressed. Jay upped the game with this in my opinion. I will include more in my blog. I received the audiobook free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Thumb Sucker killer

My only previous experience from Jay Bonansinga, as many others I’m sure, is THE WALKING DEAD novels. If you read them, or heard the audio version, the work speaks for itself, it’s very good. I got offered to review this for ABR by Paul, the man behind the great site, not even knowing it was available. I snagged it up, ready to get started.

The story focuses on Frank Janus, a veteran homicide detective with a troubled passed. He grew up with a crazy mother who warned her children that the Sleep Police came for young boys who stayed up too late. Having lost their father early, Frank and his brother became accustomed to seeing a string of “uncles” come through their mother’s bedroom. One night Frank walked in on his mother sitting at the ended of the bed, mumbling to herself, with a dead body laying in her room. Mrs. Janus was committed to a psychiatric facility. This drove Frank Janus to pursue a career in law enforcement and he devoted his life to it, becoming destined to carry the badge.

Ten years ago, a young Detective Janus come across a case that would haunt his life for the following decade, The Thumb Sucker killer. The case went cold, but not before it really messed with Janus’s mind; causing blackouts and forcing him to start seeing a psychiatrist. Now in his late thirties, he’s walking into an all too familiar scene with his partner, Sully Deitz, with a woman curled in the fetal position, a thumb in her mouth. The Thumb Sucker was back, and Frank thought he might be breaking. While working the case, Janus comes across a videotape that sends his world spinning. It was the killer, confessing everything to Sully Deitz, even his name. He called himself…The Sleep Police. After a long talk with therapist, Dr. Pope, Janus starts investigating himself in hopes he’s wrong. Things get worse for Frank; he finds another tape, gets arrested, escapes, blacks-out again, and has to call his ex-wife.

The narration was great in this book, as was the audio quality. I was unfamiliar with Paul Heitsch prior to this book but, he brought the story to life. He fit the story perfectly with good voices, easily identifiable, and read at a good speed (this may seem silly but if you’ve ever heard a slow narrator, you’ll understand it can be a bit tedious). I hope I come across some more of his work soon.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com

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A Psychological Thriller

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Sleep Police?

It had to be when Frank started to figure out what was going on. When the light bulb went off in his head and he had to start taking things in his own hands.

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

I really enjoyed the part at the end between Frank and Chloe. (Not giving away any spoilers)

Any additional comments?

The Sleep Police is a psychological thriller that makes you look at how the mind works and how it can be shaped. Mr. Heitsch's narration of the book kept me interested in the story. I felt that he gave each character their own voice and personality and I would like to listen to more of his work. I liked this story and would recommend it to friends and family who like a thriller.

Am I going crazy!

Loved this story! Narrator makes you feel like you are in the mind of the detective.

Loved It!

This story is brilliant from beginning to end. Author Jay Bonansinga has written a wonderful story, filled with mystery, suspense, danger, intrigue, and so much more. It had me guessing till the very end. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire audio. I couldn't have stopped the story if I wanted to.

This wasn't the first audiobook I've listened to by narrator Paul Heitsch but I think this might be his newest story to date. I have noticed that he has improved a great deal since The Gates of Eden. His narrating skills improve with every audio he does. He does an exceptional job and his performance seem to get more enjoyable. His performance of Frank is superb, simply flawless. I think the author picked an amazing narrator when he chose Paul. I love when a narrator can connect me to the characters. Paul does an excellent job with distinguishing the characters and their accents. He brought the story to life and I find that unique for any narrator to be able to do.

The entire audiobook was an amazing rollercoaster ride. This is my first story I've listened to or read by author Jay Bonansinga . I'm extremely happy that I received this audio as a gift. The story was written to perfection. I loved the plot, the storyline, and all the amazing twists, and where this story took me. I highly recommend The Sleep Police. A great story, with a brilliant performer Paul Heitsch so you can't go wrong with this purchase. I know you'll love it as much as I have.

Didn't keep me awake....

What did you like best about The Sleep Police? What did you like least?

I kind of liked the plot, but it wasn't really taken anywhere. The writing was passable but not fantastic. I didn't think the final scene between Frank & Dr Pope would ever end. It went on far too long and on the other hand he plot development lacked and comprised fragmented bits which for me never really came together that well.

If you’ve listened to books by Jay Bonansinga before, how does this one compare?

I doubt if I will invest in any more of his writings, unless I really become desperate.

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

Paul Heitch did an admirable job and possibly improved this book's readability overall.

Could you see The Sleep Police being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Theo James looks just perfect for the role of Frank, while Donald Sutherland would make an excellent Dr Pope.

Any additional comments?

If your looking for an average suspense novel that has some good and some ordinary moments then this is for you.