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by Allison Winn Scotch
The lives of four sleepless strangers intersect late at night as they attempt to solve not just their own anxieties but also the mysterious disappearance of one of their own, from New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch.
n the city that never sleeps, it's not always easy to share what's on your mind with the people who know you best. Huddled in an all-night diner over coffee and pancakes, a lonely middle-aged mom, an injured baseball pro, an elusive retiree, and a young waitress examine the thoughts that plague them in the middle of the night.
Empty-nester Sybil does what she does best: rolls up her sleeves and spearheads the efforts to turn this group of strangers into friends. Aimless after an injury threatens to ruin his career, Zeke finds genuine connection among the unlikely group. Tight-lipped Julian, who's seemingly adrift in retirement and attempting to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, expands their circle when he takes their cagey diner waitress, Betty, under his wing. Betty, cautious about strangers and uncertain about strokes of good luck, entertains the trio in an attempt to resolve her own problems, which she keeps close to the vest.
Within a few restless months, the group of strangers have become a fragile family. And when one of them goes missing in the dead of night, they're thrust into a propulsive mystery pulled straight from the true-crime podcasts Sybil obsesses over. Though ill-prepared and unequipped for the job, they begin to piece together the clues left behind. In chasing down answers, they uncover a reason for their friend's disappearance, and are forced to wrestle with the question of how well you can really know anyone—and once you do, how much are you willing to risk to save them? And in doing so, save yourself?
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/7/2026)
On Tuesday I finished The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch. It was a fun read with twists of mystery and romance. The plot centered on four sleepless strangers that connected with each other from a blog on th...
-Lynne_G
"Part rom-com, part mystery caper, a story for anyone who appreciates the magic of a sleepless night." —Kirkus Reviews
"Effective cliff-hangers and a cast of memorable characters keep the momentum up, but few readers will be satisfied with the far-fetched conclusion, which leaves too many questions unanswered. Still, there's enough charm on offer here to carry the day." —Publishers Weekly
"Whip smart...a compelling mystery whose ending readers won't easily predict." —Library Journal
"Four strangers' lives become irrevocably intertwined in the compelling latest from Scotch." —Booklist
"This is my favorite kind of novel: a taut, compulsively readable mystery wrapped around a found family of beautifully drawn, utterly relatable characters you'll want to linger with long after the last page. Propulsive and tender in equal measure—I couldn't put it down." —Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky and The Lightning Bottles
"The Insomniacs is a masterful blend of character-driven storytelling and riveting mystery. Allison Winn Scotch captures the hush of the midnight hour and fills it with longing, connection, and the kind of quiet heroism that unfolds when ordinary people decide to care—deeply and dangerously—for one another. These characters will linger with you long after the last page, their unlikely bond reminding us that sometimes, the most profound family is the one you find by accident. This novel is tender, smart, and utterly absorbing—don't miss it." —Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Ghostwriter
"Quirky, clever and tightly plotted, The Insomniacs lives up to its name—I stayed up late into the night turning pages, dying to know what happened next. Allison Winn Scotch is a master at her craft and just keeps getting better." —USA Today bestselling author Colleen Oakley
This information about The Insomniacs was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Allison Winn Scotch is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing, In Twenty Years, and Time of My Life. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and their two rescue dogs, Hugo and Mr. Peanut.
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