Murderer Oliver Lawrence has almost achieved his goal, to seek retribution on all those he considers responsible for the death of his father and his own failed career. With his end goal in sight, Oliver's descent into madness continues, and he begins to consider other targets outside his original remit. Can the police catch him in time?
Sleep No More by Guy Hale is the fourth and concluding book in the Shakespeare Murders series. Having read the previous three books in the series, I leapt at the chance to join the Readalong organised by Love Books Tours. If this series is new to you, I heartily recommend reading the first and third books in the series, The Croaking Raven and Put Out The Light. The second book, All Our Yesterdays, isn't essential to the plot; it simply gives a greater understanding of why Oliver Lawrence launched his murder spree.
The story opens directly following the shocking events at the end of Put Out The Light. Oliver feels triumphant, and the police are still no nearer to catching him. By this stage, the police are fairly sure who the murderer is; however, his appearance and location remain a complete mystery. You can feel the frustration of Fred and Toby; no matter what they do, they don't seem any nearer to catching the culprit.
Oliver has certainly gained a thirst for murder, as witnessed by his idea of widening his net. His friend, Felix, is even beginning to feel vulnerable. I couldn't feel any sympathy for Felix; he knew what he was getting involved with from the start. I liken him to Dr Frankenstein; he created a monster that he lost control of; he needs to deal with the repercussions of his actions.
The tone of this final book seems much darker, particularly when another character steps forward to encourage Oliver in his deadly plot. The machinations of this new character don't help you feel any more sympathetic towards Oliver, but they do divert some of your anger and horror away from him.
As with the previous book, there is a range of characters supporting Fred and Toby in their investigation. There's a bit of me who would love to see how these characters would transfer to the small screen, particularly Fred and Whomper.
The conclusion is a frantic race against time, with lives in peril from more than one direction. I did enjoy the slightly ambiguous ending and was pleased when I learned that DC Toby Marlowe and DS Fred Williams would be returning in a new story.
Sleep No More by Guy Hale is available in paperback and ebook format. My thanks to The Bullington Press and Love Books Tours for a review copy.
Author Details
Guy Hale was born in Worcestershire, England. His first job was as a Professional Golfer. He also played Rugby and raced motorcycles until his mid-twenties. When this failed to kill him he started writing plays, mostly two handers which he performed in pubs and assorted venues with his mate, Andy.
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