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Valerie Keogh
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DEADLY SLEEP (A Hudson and Connolly novel Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Valerie Keogh (Author), LJ Book Creations (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 864 ratings
’Deadly Sleep will keep you awake and turning pages. Great characters and well thought out storyline. Twists you don't see coming and turns you don't expect. I'm hooked on this author's style and suspenseful telling of the story.’ Amazon Review. ‘Loved the character of Nicola, how deliciously evil she is, looking forward to what she gets up to next!’ Amazon Review. Nicola Connolly is a nurse. She is also a serial killer. She kills neatly, three victims every six months, moving around the UK, hiding in plain sight. Everything goes according to plan until she moves to Bath where the police are hunting a serial killer who kills and tortures his victims. A psychic connection develops between the two killers and Nicola starts to lose control. She really can't afford to do that and, in an attempt to break the link, to have the other killer caught, she goes to the police with what she knows. Can she help them without exposing herself? A serial killer and a burnt out policeman - can they really work together to stop him? And at what cost?
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    A Hudson and Connolly novel
  2. Print length
    420 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    1 July 2014
  6. File size
    2.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Shop this series

 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00LH45800
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 July 2014
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 420 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ A Hudson and Connolly novel
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 864 ratings

About the author

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Valerie Keogh

Valerie Keogh

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Valerie Keogh is the best-selling author of The Nurse. She lives in Wiltshire with her husband and a huge black cat, Fatty Arbuckle. She grew up reading Agatha Christie and initially wrote crime novels - she now writes psychological thrillers.

The Little Lies was shortlisted for the Crime Fiction Lovers Award 2021

Valerie has a BA in English and an MA in American Literature.

She is currently published with Boldwood Books.

Order of publication:

Deadly Sleep (2016)

Twisted Power (2016)

Bitter Business (2017)

Wicked Secret (2018)

Secrets Between Us (2018)

The Housewife 2019

The Dublin Murder Mysteries (2020)

The Three Women (2020)

The Perfect Life (2020)

The Little Lies (2020)

The Lies He Told (2021)

The Couple in the Photograph (2021)

A Taste of Deceit (2022)

The Lodger (2022)

The Widow (2022)

The Trophy Wife (2023) (previously published as Exit Five from Charing Cross)

The Librarian (2023)

The Nurse (2023)

The Lawyer (2023) (previously published as The Deadly Truth)

The Housekeeper (2023)

The Mistress (2024)

The Mother (2024)

The Wives (2024)

The Bookseller (2025)

The Writer (2025)

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
864 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's storyline engaging, with one review describing it as a highly unusual series of murder mysteries. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability and character development. However, the writing quality receives mixed reviews, with several customers noting spelling mistakes and missing words.

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StorylineReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting quality
22 customers mention ‘Storyline’19 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, finding it great and intriguing, with one customer noting it's compelling from start to finish.

"This was a refreshing story in the genre of crime fiction. I love the gruesome, gory details that were enough to make you squirm in your seat...." Read more

"...moves approximately 20 years forward in time and it becomes infinitely more interesting...." Read more

"...I found this book grew on me and kept me reading - an indicator of a good story, so don't make up your mind about this book too soon." Read more

"...It had the right amount of twists that intrigued me keeping me fully engaged and thoroughly entertained throughout...." Read more

16 customers mention ‘Readability’16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and amazing, with one describing it as a fantastic opening book and another noting it's a real page turner.

"...It wasn’t lacking anything and really kept you on your toes, eager to read on and keen to turn another page." Read more

"...Don't get me wrong though - it was a really good read and an extremely enjoyable page turner...." Read more

"...Despite my initial misgivings I found this book grew on me and kept me reading - an indicator of a good story, so don't make up your mind about this..." Read more

"...of twists that intrigued me keeping me fully engaged and thoroughly entertained throughout...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Character development’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...I also loved the strange and interesting characters...." Read more

"...The story and characters are well developed and the reader is led into a minefield of fear and horror...." Read more

"...I almost like Nicola, almost. The detective team were so well portrayed yet I didn't see the final twist. Unputdownable if that is a word." Read more

9 customers mention ‘Writing quality’6 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some finding it well written while others point out numerous spelling mistakes and punctuation errors.

"...The first part of the book is written in the first person and it's very well done because it means that the main character's name is not divulged..." Read more

"The book starts in the first person and lays out the history of Nicola and quite why she became the person she is...." Read more

"...I'm not a fan of this new series - a bit too macabre for me and not as well written...." Read more

"This book had me from the beginning, so well written and a fantastic storyline. Psychopathic thriller it really is...." Read more

Amazing!
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
Fantastic opening book to a 4 part series, looking forward to seeing where Nicola ends up in the next book! :)
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Natasha Claire Orme
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 December 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This was a refreshing story in the genre of crime fiction. I love the gruesome, gory details that were enough to make you squirm in your seat. I also loved the strange and interesting characters.

    I wasn’t too sure if the paranormal element would work in a book of this nature as I’m not much of a fan of that kind of thing, but I was surprised and pleased with how Keogh addressed this particular part of the story. She was able to maintain the ‘real’ element of life and didn’t allude to any mystical beings, which was a relief.

    I really enjoyed how even two-thirds of the way through we were still no closer to a resolution and how Keogh had managed to keep the story going at such a great pace. It wasn’t lacking anything and really kept you on your toes, eager to read on and keen to turn another page.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • MarinaL
    4.0 out of 5 stars Don't get me wrong though - it was a really good read and an extremely enjoyable page turner
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2014
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    Although I've rated this as a 4, I have somewhat mixed feelings about it. Don't get me wrong though - it was a really good read and an extremely enjoyable page turner. The one big ... no, I'd have to say enormous moan actually ... is the horribly poor proof reading of this book! There are numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes, probably at least one per page, if not more and it's incredibly irritating after a while!

    The first part of the book is written in the first person and it's very well done because it means that the main character's name is not divulged until the second part of the book. I liked meeting Nicola Connolly in this way and it allowed me to appreciate her inner turmoil without being unnecessarily judgemental. An appallingly tragic childhood leads to Nicola killing her neighbour's pets at a very young age. This is a classic behavioural trait in serial killers and sure enough, Nicola progresses to her first human victim at the age of 12. She enjoys choosing her victims and planning their deaths and most of the 'thrill of the kill' is involved in these early stages, as far as she is concerned. I did wonder at this point in the book, whether I had bought something that was only going to become more disturbing and distasteful. Rarely do I find myself in a position where I consider giving up on a book and reading something else instead, but I have to say that it did cross my mind to do just that when it looked like the story was merely going to continue with the details of Nicola's many conquests ... although I did have some sympathy with her treatment of the neighbour paedophile who believed, (sadly for him, in error), that he was going to manage to have sex with her when she was only 14.

    It's lucky that I persevered with the story because it then moves approximately 20 years forward in time and it becomes infinitely more interesting. Nicola is now working as a nurse in a care home for the elderly and she is happily carrying out her 'Plan', which involves killing 3 residents at the care home every 6 months. She is careful, never staying in one job for long and moving around the country as the fancy takes her. Garry, the son of one of her victims at the care home, comes to thank her for looking after his dad in his final days and it is at this point that an inexplicable psychic link is formed between them. Both Nicola and Garry are very disturbed by their meeting, without really understanding why. The meeting acts as a catalyst for a nightmare that is so vivid and shocking that Nicola awakes feeling physically sick and bleeding from scratch marks on her face. Involving a fairly graphic rape and murder, the same nightmare continues night after night for a week until Nicola sees the dead victim that she has been seeing in her dreams on the front page of a newspaper. Putting this down to some weird coincidence, (really??!!), and given that the dreams have now stopped, Nicola gets on with her life for a bit. It is only when the next repeating nightmare involving a different victim also concludes with the dead girl's face splashed across the newspapers that Nicola goes to the police, in a desperate bid to ensure both the capture of the killer and the cessation of the terrifying nightmares. In light of the fact that Nicola herself is a serial killer, this seems a very odd and incredibly risky course of action for her to take. Combine this with the fact that the identity of the serial killer/rapist is blindingly obvious from a very early stage and like me, you'll probably be starting to wonder if there will be any worthwhile surprises left in this story.

    The police are understandably sceptical of Nicola's nightmare visions, but eventually accept that she is able to see this serial killer at work, although, frustratingly, not his face. When Nicola begins to have nightmares involving a new victim, the chase is on for the police to locate this woman and keep her safe before the serial killer finds her. The police must still try to identify the serial killer and they have hardly anything to go on apart from Nicola's description of plump, white hands and a crescent moon shaped scar on the right forearm. I won't spoil the ensuing police chase for you, as it really is worth reading.

    I was however, disappointed with the staggering stupidity of DI Matt Foley in the end. Don't read any further if you'd rather I didn't give the game away, but I mean ... really!!! Having realised that Nicola is also a serial killer and in her own way, just as dangerous as the serial killer/rapist, he goes to her apartment ALONE, (doh!!) to confront her. For an experienced police officer to even consider doing this is quite beyond belief and I was so annoyed that I almost felt that he deserved what happened to him! This does leave a rather bad taste in the mouth at the end of the book, especially as Nicola is left to descend into her own special kind of madness in another part of the country, working in yet another care home with lots of vulnerable, defenceless, elderly victims at her disposal. Scary huh!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Flowers
    5.0 out of 5 stars A nice twist on a serial killer
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The book starts in the first person and lays out the history of Nicola and quite why she became the person she is. The transition to 3rd person was necessary for the telling of the tale and reasonably smooth. Better editing would have been a benefit but whilst mistakes can jolt me out of a story, I was able to gloss over any because I was totally engaged.
    I expected the book to last me a few days but finished it in one. I really enjoyed it. I cannot like Nicola but I cannot stop being interested to the point where I bought the next two books! Can't see me getting much else done once I begin the second book so off to do some house work and make food.
    I thoroughly recommend this book.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Aurora
    3.0 out of 5 stars Worth the effort.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I would have liked the opportunity to add a .5 star to this rating. I wasn't keen on the first part, in which we were given the Nicola's background and how she became what she is. Strangely, as I was being unsure about the book, I found it tightening its grip on me, and pulling me in. Before I had got very far into the second part I was reluctant to put it down to do other things. I didn't want to watch television nor did I want the radio on as it was distracting me. I found the dilemma in which DI Foley found himself when he identified the person who matched the description he had been given absolutely captivating. How could he manage that situation? In the end he did the only thing he could but it was quite a turning point for me. I dislike supernatural themes normally but got over that in this. It is a brave move for an author to make their central character so thoroughly unlikeable, but somehow it worked. I didn't have any empathy for Nicola and was keen for the DI and his team to work out what it was about her that they found so discomforting. The end was surprising and definitely not what I was expecting.

    Despite my initial misgivings I found this book grew on me and kept me reading - an indicator of a good story, so don't make up your mind about this book too soon.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • diddydi
    4.0 out of 5 stars A gripping suspense thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 August 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Oops! A fair number of errors that brought the rating down a peg but other than that it should be a 5* rating. A great storyline that picked up pace once I had read the numerous chapters finding out about Nicola. It's certainly creepy with the paranormal element in the book and it kept DI Foley and his team flummoxed! It had the right amount of twists that intrigued me keeping me fully engaged and thoroughly entertained throughout. Couldn't wait to found out how it would conclude....but at the same time not wanting it to end! I look forward to reading book two in the series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Although I was slightly out off from reading this book by reviews mentioning the bad grammar and errors I was unsure what to expect. I needn't have worried, thoroughly enjoyed this book and will certainly be reading more.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • doudou
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good plot
    Reviewed in France on 11 April 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Great read, original plot, I liked to overall idea. But many descriptions, quite longish for my taste.
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  • Zara Payne
    5.0 out of 5 stars How fun!
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 October 2016
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    This book grabbed me on the first page. It never let up, had to read it until it was done. I am looking forward to reading more. The character is an unusual person and the author writes her in a very interesting way. Not since the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, have I found such an interesting woman, even though the books are differently written. Thanks for the good read!
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  • Helen
    4.0 out of 5 stars A gripping story!
    Reviewed in Italy on 9 October 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This story keeps you gripped from the first pages. As soon as you read how 5-year-old Nicola treats the doll her mum gives her, you realise that this is no ordinary child. Nicola grows up and becomes a nurse, working in old people's homes, to feed a certain need inside her. But the story has a twist - girls are being murdered, and Nicola must help the police to find out who the culprit is.
    This is a gritty narrative which shows both sides of the story - the psychopath, her dark thoughts, what makes her commit her crimes, and the policeman, his weariness as the months pass and he is no closer to solving the case, having to put up with bickering among his team, the worry that his boss will remove him from the case. There is great interaction between all the characters, and the ending doesn't disappoint. If you like psychological thrillers, you'll love this book!
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  • Dagmar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting twist
    Reviewed in Australia on 21 September 2019
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    Unexpected end, very good read.
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  • nancyfreeman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Intrigued
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 February 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting and hard to put down. This writers ability to draw you to the story is amazing. This story has a haunting effect.
    I chose not to read the following book. I had enough suspense for
    awhile!
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