The Sleepless

available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audio

Never dream again

In a near-future New York City where a minority of the population has lost the need for sleep, a journalist fights to uncover the truth behind his boss’s murder on the eve of a sinister corporate takeover—while his own Sleeplessness spirals out of control.

A mysterious pandemic causes a quarter of the world to permanently lose the ability to sleep—without any apparent health implications. The outbreak creates a new class of people who are both feared and ostracized, most of whom optimize their extra hours to earn more money.

Jamie Vega, a journalist at C+P Media, is one of the Sleepless. When his boss Simon dies in a suicidal overdose, Jamie doesn’t buy this too-convenient explanation—especially given its suspicious timing during a controversial merger—and investigates.

As Jamie delves deeper into Simon’s final days, he tangles with extremist organizations and powerful corporate interests, and must confront past traumas and the unforeseen consequences of being Sleepless. But he soon faces the most dangerous decision of all, as he uncovers a terrifying truth about Sleeplessness that imperils him—and all of humanity.

Rights inquiries: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc., eddie(at)awfulagent.com

Marketing and publicity inquiries: Martin Cahill, Erewhon Books, martin(at)erewhonbooks.com

High-resolution photos and writer bios: access Victor’s press kit here.

Press for THE SLEEPLESS

Praise For THE SLEEPLESS

Manibo neatly dissects the drawbacks of capitalist demands on society in this taut near-future procedural. It’s smart, high-tech noir.

- Publishers Weekly

[A] gripping, nightmarish descent into obsession, addiction, and the horrible journalistic pursuit of truth at the expense of literally everything else.... [A] deep, introspective reflection on the ways in which productivity has taken over our lives, and the novel crafts a compassionate treatise on what makes people’s lives worth living.

- io9's "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2022"

As a thriller, there is plenty of misdirection next to plenty of well-placed hints to make the mystery satisfying. Ultimately, this is a tale of the insidious, corporate-capitalist implications of a plague of people who can’t sleep, the environmental impact of people who never take a break, and the human consequences of a life without dreams.

- Booklist

A bracing page-turner . . . Manibo multitasks regarding theme and genre, blending sf and mystery/thriller tropes with social justice concerns to discuss discrimination, ambition, betrayal, family, memory as defining who we are, and capitalism’s devastating will to power.

- Library Journal

A great book. . . . Not so much a whodunit as a treatise on capitalism’s disastrous grip on the American soul. It pushes back against the pervasive idea that the future is unchangeable, that we are trapped on a path to chaos and exploitation.

- Tor.com

A thoroughly captivating journey. . . . Manibo’s sure-footed speculative mystery is ambitious and engrossing, bringing readers into an unsettling but familiar future.

- Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine

The Sleepless is a thrilling debut with a fresh, edgy voice.

- Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times Bestselling author

The Sleepless is the best kind of science fiction; it holds a mirror up to society and digs deep into what makes us human. A knockout of a debut that makes me excited for whatever Manibo does next.

- Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse and The Paradox Hotel

Fittingly titled, as the compulsive plot will keep you up past your bedtime turning pages. The Sleepless does what only the best science fiction can do: create a world so boldly changed—but so hauntingly true—that it teaches us loads about our own.

- Sam J. Miller, Nebula award–winning author of Blackfish City and The Blade Between

Move over Minority Report, because The Sleepless has everything I want in a near-future science fiction whodunit: an irresistible ‘what if’ premise, a twisty and desperate murder investigation, and a razor-sharp examination of the inevitable and chillingly recognizable dark side behind a seemingly shiny and bright futuristic society. The Sleepless delivers; I could not close my eyes.

- Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

Manibo has crafted a sharp, immersive dose of speculative fiction, a potent blend of science fiction and noir. The Sleepless will prove its name: you won’t be able to put it down, even as bedtime beckons.

- Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity

A meditative near-future thriller that explores grief, meaning, and time in a world that’s terrifyingly plausible.

- Lincoln Michel, author of The Body Scout

The Sleepless is an expertly crafted tale of exploitation and deceit set within the eldritch horror of a neverending capitalist grind.

- K. M. Szpara, author of First, Become Ashes

The Sleepless is just the beginning; Victor Manibo is an author to keep your eye on.

- Lara Elena Donnelly, author of The Amberlough Dossier and Base Notes

A fascinating murder mystery set in a world plagued by an epidemic of insomnia, The Sleepless is the corporate thriller our dystopias deserve. Manibo asks not merely how such a pandemic would change our society, but how the corrupt systems would exploit and perpetuate it.

- John Wiswell, Nebula-winning author of Open House on Haunted Hill