Sleeping Bear: A Thriller (Mass Market)
Staff Reviews
An incredible debut, Connor Sullivan’s geo-political thriller, Sleeping Bear, is so propulsive, you’ll forget that you need to go to work the next day, and just read on with each, more gripping page! My favorite combination – wilderness, survival and political intrigue collide with star turns by tech gadgets, Russian scientists & Putin himself, but with strong character development of the flawed, but resourceful American Gale family. We first meet grieving youngest sister, Cassie Gale, as she ventures out solo in the Yukon wilderness trying to run from past demons. But since this is a first rate thriller, those demons and plenty more within her complicated family, propel this action-packed, spy-laced adventure into glorious view. Pick this up and call in to work!
— From Staff Picks by Maureen
A former Army veteran seeking solitude in the Alaskan wilderness after her husband’s death finds herself a pawn in a deadly game with Russia in this white-knuckled and “heart-stopping thrill ride” (Chris Hauty, author of Deep State).
After her young husband’s untimely death, Army veteran Cassie Gale decides to take a few days of solitude in the Alaskan wilderness before she starts her new job. But when she fails to show up on her first day and her dog is discovered injured at her wrecked campsite, her father knows that this is much more than a camping trip gone awry.
As it turns out, Cassie’s not the first person to disappear without a trace in Alaska’s northern interior. Bears. Wolves. Avalanches. Frostbite. Starvation. There are many ways to die in here. But not all disappearances can be explained. Cassie’s is one of them, along with a number of other outdoor enthusiasts who have vanished in recent years.
Regaining consciousness in a Russian prison, Cassie finds herself trapped in a system designed to ensure that no one ever escapes alive. It will require all her grit and skills to survive. Meanwhile, her father rushes to outrun the clock, scouring thousands of acres, only to realize she’s been taken by a nefarious adversary—one with the power of the Eastern Bloc behind it. Ties to his past life, one full of secrets, threaten to surface. He knows there’s a price to be paid, but he’s determined it won’t be his daughter.
Timely, electrifying, and perfect for fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, “Sleeping Bear clamps you in its jaws and doesn’t let go. A fierce, relentless beast of a novel” (Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author).
— James Patterson
"SLEEPING BEAR clamps you in its jaws and doesn't let go. A fierce, relentless beast of a novel!"
— Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author
“Authentic, compelling, and utterly gripping.”
— Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author
"SLEEPING BEAR is the best kind of thriller, an ice-water hit to the veins. With enviable talent, Connor Sullivan introduces himself to the book-loving public, earning a spot on the shelf among Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, and Jack Carr. Don’t miss this stunning debut."
— Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan X series
"Connor Sullivan's debut, SLEEPING BEAR, is a heart-stopping thrill ride that slingshots the reader from the primeval Alaskan wilderness to the most wretched recesses of a 21st-century Russian gulag. Mind-bending action is non-stop. The heroes are epically heroic. And there's plenty of villains to go around. Thriller fans, you're on notice: there's a new, must-read author in town."
— Chris Hauty, nationally bestselling author of DEEP STATE and SAVAGE ROAD
"This is the best first novel I've read in years--a warp speed, super-charged thriller with great characters, vivid Alaskan and Russian settings, and a villain I truly despised."
— Robert Crais, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of A DANGEROUS MAN
"Electrifying…Sullivan nails it out of the gate with a story that moves with confidence...This action thriller marks the arrival of a new talent."
— Publishers Weekly
*2021’s Best Debut Novel*
— BestThrillerBooks.com
"Think TAKEN set in Alaska, but with even more twists and turns . . . one of the hottest debut novels of 2021."
— The Real Book Spy
"For readers who enjoy a fast-paced international thriller, SLEEPING BEAR will keep you turning pages."
— New York Journal of Books
“This debut from Sullivan is an absolute pace-setting jaw-dropper from beginning to end.”
— Chris Miller, BestThrillerBooks.com
“Connor Sullivan’s debut novel SLEEPING BEAR is a tour d’ force, that is a little bit of Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, and a whole lot of action and thrills. This book grabs you by the jugular in the opening pages, and keeps you hooked until the final pages.”
— Derek Luedtke, BestThrillerBooks.com
“With a cold-war linked narrative that includes unethical-human experiments, relatable heroes, despicable villains and great twists, SLEEPING BEAR is a remarkable debut and an absolute must-read. It’s absolutely a book worth losing a night’s sleep over. I should know, since I stayed up all night to finish it!”
— Kashif Hussain, BestThrillerBooks.com
“Sullivan has created a cast of strong characters in an impossible situation. The reader feels every bit of desperation and fear the characters go through.”
— Sarah Walton, BestThrillerBooks.com
“This book was like a boulder rolling down a hill. The action was not going to stop until it was all over. Sullivan crushed this debut novel.”
— Stuart Ashenbrenner, BestThrillerBooks.com
“If Jack Carr’s Savage Son, Marc Cameron’s Stone Cross and Nelson DeMille’s The Charm School had a Ménage à Trois on the set of Yellowstone, the result would be a love child named SLEEPING BEAR.”
— Steve Netter, BestThrillerBooks.com
“The thriller genre has been blessed with a wealth of new talent in recent years and Connor Sullivan is poised to be the breakout star of 2021 with his roaring debut SLEEPING BEAR.”
— J. Todd Wilkins, BestThrillerBooks.com
"SLEEPING BEAR is not just a thriller. It’s a project too ambitious for a complete review. Though this is Connor Sullivan’s first book, it is by no means his last. He will occupy a place in the thriller genre with Brad Thor, James Patterson, and Eric Ambler."
— The News Herald