Overview

The Sleepless follows Grafton, a single dad and local radio worker who dreams of real journalism. He hears of a commune in Scotland where people reject sleep as a construct and decides to investigate. His search may hold answers about his estranged wife and missing son as he descends into a dangerous subculture.

Writing & Voice

We found Bell’s writing taut and unflinching. His voice holds a steady tension that suits the unsettling premise. The narrative blends introspection with creeping dread, pulling us deeper into the eerie logic of the Sleepless commune and Grafton’s growing desperation.

Content & Perspective

The story tracks Grafton’s investigation into the commune’s extremes as he confronts personal loss and larger societal questions about belief and isolation. Community rituals, escalating danger and fractured relationships shape both inner and outer conflict.

Themes

The Sleepless explores belief, family rupture, obsession and the cost of radical ideology. It looks at how far people go to find meaning and what happens when that search leads into harm rather than hope.

What Worked

• Original premise that blends cult behaviour with personal stakes.
• Strong sense of atmosphere in remote Scotland.
• Compelling lead driven by loss and curiosity.

Minor Quibbles

• Some scenes feel repetitive in building dread.
• Cult logic may stretch plausibility for some readers.

Final Thoughts

Unsettling and steadily tense, The Sleepless held us with its eerie cult premise, strong Scottish atmosphere, and the emotional pull of a father searching for answers.

Rating: ★★★★ / 5