None Shall Sleep

August 3, 2020
Ever since she escaped from and helped to apprehend serial killer Daniel Huxton, Ohio State freshman Emma Lewis has kept her hair buzzed and her running shoes laced. When FBI agent Ed Cooper arrives to recruit her for a behavioral science unit, he offers her myriad
benefits in exchange for interviewing juvenile serial offenders with
a partner, 18-year-old Travis Bell, son of a U.S. Marshal killed by a serial offender. As Cooper hits a wall with an ongoing investigation—a string of teen murders in Pennsylvania by “the Butcher”—he pushes Emma to speak with Simon Gutmunsson, the artistic serial murderer responsible for Travis’s father’s death. Simon, intrigued by Emma’s prickly demeanor and traumatic history, tries to pull her out of her shell; Emma, learning Simon’s sensibilities and interest in the Burkean sublime, realizes that he may be the key to identifying the Butcher. Marney (Circus of Arts) has created a thrilling cat-and-mouse story in this taut, Silence of the Lambs–like thriller, which employs a teen behavioral psychologist’s trauma and resilience against a gripping, dangerous puzzle. While the propulsive investigation takes center stage, Marney also skillfully creates engaging and complex characters as well as a budding romance that tenderly juxtaposes the overarching plot. Ages 14–up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary.

July 15, 2020
From mastermind Australian YA writer Ellie Marney comes a gripping new psychological thriller. Although the novel is not set in Australia—Marney opts for the larger criminal playing field of the US—the author still brings an Australianness to her characters, who are complex and down-to-earth. Set in 1982 during the early stages of the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit, two teenagers—Emma Lewis, the lone survivor of a serial killer, and Travis Bell, a future US Marshall whose father was killed by a serial killer—are recruited to interview convicted juvenile killers. A twisted game ensues when incarcerated teenage sociopath Simon Gutmunsson manipulates them with information about a serial killer on the loose in Pennsylvania. While akin to a YA Mindhunter or Silence of the Lambs, nothing really compares to None Shall Sleep, an emotionally raw and nuanced exploration of the monsters that live inside us. The story unfolds slowly with captivating and spine-chilling finesse, and Marney expertly pulls off the ambitious omniscient narration, giving insight into the teen protagonists as well as some of the FBI agents and serial killers. Heading more into New Adult territory, None Shall Sleep tackles some challenging themes, but will appeal to readers who enjoy gritty realism and true crime thrillers. Freelance reviewer Mischa Parkee is a bookseller, primary school teacher and YA enthusiast.