Sleep No More

What’s going on at the Carnelian Sleep Institute in the quiet college town of Carnelian, Calif.? That’s the question at the heart of this enticing romantic suspense novel and Lost Night Files series launch from bestseller Krentz (Lightning in a Mirror). Months before the start of the book, Pallas Llewellyn and two strangers, Talia and Amelia, all lost their memories of the exact same window of time while staying at Lucent Springs Hotel. Since then, the women have become friends and started the podcast that gives this series its name, using it to investigate what happened to them and explore other potentially paranormal cases. Ambrose Drake turns to this podcast for help after a disturbing experience. While participating in an overnight sleep study, he’s positive that he heard screams from the adjoining room and believes a fellow patient may have been murdered, though the medical staff assure him he was only dreaming. The stakes ratchet higher when institute assistant Emery Geddings mysteriously disappears, leading Pallas and Ambrose to investigate—with explosive results. Krentz’s plot is characteristically twisty and her characters are well-shaded. The cliffhanger ending will undoubtedly frustrate some readers, but it successfully builds anticipation for future installments. Readers will be on the edges of their seats. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency. (Jan.)