The private investigator who falls asleep on the job may be a common enough trope in noir fiction, but in Paul Tremblay’s fresh new mystery, The Little Sleep, P. I. Mark Genevich isn’t lazy.
He’s narcoleptic.
Yes, it’s a real disease, and quite inconvenient when you’re trying to follow a trail of clues, only to end up dozing off and setting your couch on fire, or hallucinating that your new client is hiring you to find her fingers, which she claims were stolen. The lines between truth and illusion get pretty hazy when you’re running on fitful snatches of shuteye.
Tremblay, a debut novelist but award-winning short story writer, was inspired to create such a unique sleuth by his own experience with sleep apnea, a disorder that caused chronic fatigue and bouts of drowsiness while driving. Genevich struggles to maintain his cognizance and consciousness while tracking down what seems to be a simple blackmail case.
When he comes to from one of his “waking dreams,” this private dick finds risqué photos on his desk of an American Idol-like TV show competitor—who also happens to be the daughter of the local DA. Genevich assumes the photos are a ploy to extort the girl’s wealth or connections. But there’s far more at stake in this investigation than fame and fortune. The dozing detective will have to delve into the past, and even his own family history, for answers.
Set in South Boston and Cape Cod, The Little Sleep is a dizzying, thrilling chase of a novel that is simultaneously reminiscent of both Raymond Chandler’s classic noir storytelling and Jonathan Lethem’s quirky urban crime novels. Brought to life with sparkling voice by Boston-area narrator Stephen R. Thorne, this is a refreshing and modern take on the classic noir thriller. This enthralling audio is sure to keep whodunit fans wide awake.
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