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Karl Alberg #2
Sleep While I Sing
Karl Alberg was a big-city cop before moving to the "Sunshine Coast" of Canada. He solved crimes involving gangsters, druglords, real low-lifes. He can't possibly be stumped by a murder in this sweet little town? But he is. The woman was found propped against a tree, her pretty face scrubbed clean, and her slender neck slit from one side to the other. And that is all anyone can tell Alberg. Her name? Not so much. So Alberg hires a local artist to draw her picture; maybe someone will recognize her...without, you know, the sliced-up neck. It's a brilliant idea. The answers pour in. And they all point to one potential suspect, which should make Alberg very happy. But it doesn't.
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1986
410 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Wright
18Ìýbooks65ÌýfollowersL.R. Wright was born Laurali Rose Appleby on 5 June 1939 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Known as Bunny, Wright grew up in Saskatoon and in Abbotsford, British Columbia. She worked as a reporter in Calgary before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. After publishing her fourth book, Wright returned to school, receiving an M.A. in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University. She taught writing at the University of British Columbia and wrote adaptations for several of her books for radio, film, and television. L.R. Wright died of breast cancer on 25 February 2001.
Series:
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Awards
: Novel
* 1991 � A Chill Rain in January � Winner
* 1996 � Mother Love � Winner
Series:
*
*
Awards
: Novel
* 1991 � A Chill Rain in January � Winner
* 1996 � Mother Love � Winner
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 20, 2025
An atmospheric story, with police procedural elements.
August 28, 2021
A woman is found dead in a remote spot, but why was the blood washed off her face and she put in a sitting position by the murderer? Staff sergeant Karl Aberg must unravel the mystery to find the killer and determine whether he has a serial killer on his hands. Well-written and very atmospheric.
December 19, 2024
You’re bound to figure things out before the mystery in this low-key police procedural is officially solved, but that’s intentional—it only heightens the suspense. The writing here is surprisingly good—the setting really comes alive—and the characters have some depth (and develop in interesting ways from one book to the next). I liked this more than the first book in the series; I plan to stick with it for now.
January 30, 2025
I enjoy watching the tv show that is based on this series of books. I enjoyed this book. For some reason most of the books that I read get really good after chapter 15. This one was no exception. Even though I knew who the killer was, the books was more interesting than the tv shows. I can't wait to start book three in this series.
July 12, 2021
Life in Death
Not as surprising as the first book in the series. This one felt more ordinary in that the plot is familiar. Of course it’s the characters who give it life. (In death) life in death: you’ll know what I mean when you get to the conclusion.
Not as surprising as the first book in the series. This one felt more ordinary in that the plot is familiar. Of course it’s the characters who give it life. (In death) life in death: you’ll know what I mean when you get to the conclusion.
October 16, 2024
Amazing series
When I was halfway through the first book in this series I was recommending it to my WhatsApp book group and this second in the series confirms it. Completely captures the era and location and I will definitely be reading more. BTW, I read the first two in two days - could not stop reading.
When I was halfway through the first book in this series I was recommending it to my WhatsApp book group and this second in the series confirms it. Completely captures the era and location and I will definitely be reading more. BTW, I read the first two in two days - could not stop reading.
November 15, 2019
A young woman is found dead in a wooded area on B.C’s Sunset Coast. Mountie Karl Alberg has zero clues to who she is or why she was in the area. The man (and dog) who found her has a record for injuring another woman many years ago, so he is one suspect. An actor taking a break living with his sister may be another.
The actor Roger Galbraith is a particular problem for Alberg. Alberg was starting to have a relationship with town librarian Cassandra Mitchell. When she started dating Roger, Alberg backed off. Now their relationship is awkward. He does contact Cassandra for the suggestion of a local artist. The police need someone to do a sketch of the victim that they can circulate to see if they can identify, or at least track the movements of, the murdered woman.
Wright’s characters are interesting and believable. Most are likeable even if some are suspicious. The murderer will surprise many readers, but most will enjoy following the lives of the residents in this small area that experience some fairly quirky deaths. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Louise Penny’s Gamache series; Giles Blunt � Forty Words for Sorrow; Frank Smith � Night Fall; Karin Fossum � The Murder of Harriet Krohn; Bill Pronzini � The Violated; Kjell Eriksson � The Princess of Burundi; Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks mysteries; Barbara Fradkin � None So Blind; Roy Innes � Murder in the Monashees.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Complex, flawed
Story: intricately plotted
Writing style: Compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Sunshine Coast, B.C. Canada; 1980’s
Theme: Small Town Police
The actor Roger Galbraith is a particular problem for Alberg. Alberg was starting to have a relationship with town librarian Cassandra Mitchell. When she started dating Roger, Alberg backed off. Now their relationship is awkward. He does contact Cassandra for the suggestion of a local artist. The police need someone to do a sketch of the victim that they can circulate to see if they can identify, or at least track the movements of, the murdered woman.
Wright’s characters are interesting and believable. Most are likeable even if some are suspicious. The murderer will surprise many readers, but most will enjoy following the lives of the residents in this small area that experience some fairly quirky deaths. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Louise Penny’s Gamache series; Giles Blunt � Forty Words for Sorrow; Frank Smith � Night Fall; Karin Fossum � The Murder of Harriet Krohn; Bill Pronzini � The Violated; Kjell Eriksson � The Princess of Burundi; Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks mysteries; Barbara Fradkin � None So Blind; Roy Innes � Murder in the Monashees.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Complex, flawed
Story: intricately plotted
Writing style: Compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Sunshine Coast, B.C. Canada; 1980’s
Theme: Small Town Police
December 31, 2018
You might not know L.R. Wright, the late Canadian mystery writer.
I knew OF her but had never read anything by her until I grabbed this from my own library.
She is an excellent writer. This novel has a strong plot with excellent characters.
A body of a woman is found in the forest just off a road in British Columbia. Her throat has been slashed, her ID unknown, no motive in sight.
An RCMP sergeant, Karl Alberg, is on the case but for a while but mostly off since he can’t figure anything out. A Hollywood actor, an old flame, a grouchy old farmer, his lonely talkative wife, and an artist figure in the mix. Well-constructed and plotted and engaging. Surprisingly effective but only because I had not read anything of hers before.
I knew OF her but had never read anything by her until I grabbed this from my own library.
She is an excellent writer. This novel has a strong plot with excellent characters.
A body of a woman is found in the forest just off a road in British Columbia. Her throat has been slashed, her ID unknown, no motive in sight.
An RCMP sergeant, Karl Alberg, is on the case but for a while but mostly off since he can’t figure anything out. A Hollywood actor, an old flame, a grouchy old farmer, his lonely talkative wife, and an artist figure in the mix. Well-constructed and plotted and engaging. Surprisingly effective but only because I had not read anything of hers before.
May 29, 2015
#2 in series--Set in Sechelt British Columbia-RCMP Karl Alberg and Librarian Cassandra Mitchell work on solving a light murder mysteries-likable characters
I was very sad when I heard this author passed away/several of us at work read her series and one co-worker actually visited the area in which her series was set.
I was very sad when I heard this author passed away/several of us at work read her series and one co-worker actually visited the area in which her series was set.
May 3, 2018
My least favourite of this wonderful series. There's at least one horrible scene in it that I could have done without. And overall, it has Cassandra acting stupid, which I also don't much appreciate. Really didn't further the main characters, though it did introduce a couple of new characters worth meeting. Overall, 3 stars.
February 8, 2025
I knew who the killer would turn out to be before I read this book, as this novel was the basis of one of the episodes of the TV series version of Wright's Alberg and Cassandra series. However, that made no difference to the pleasures provided by this book--as indeed is the case with any genuinely good crime novel. The mystery matters, of course, but mysteries or crime novels in which nothing else is really given attention, or much attention, are not IMO the best of the genre. Perhaps because Wright began as a "literary" writer, she is more interested in character and style than, statistically speaking, crime fiction writers are. Whatever the reason, Wright's prose is itself a pleasure to read; she is no stylistic show-off but instead writes with a subtle but poetic flair, rarely arresting but often surprising the reader. And she devotes a significant amount of space, especially for a novel of this economical length, to character development that is clearly extraneous to the plot. The best example here is Norma Hingle, wife of one suspect and involved with a semi-inappropriate, semi-flirtatious friendship with another. Wright drops into the minds of several characters, often counterpointing what is happening to/around them with what they are thinking. She is also not much interested in creating squeaky clean characters; all, even the protagonists, have flaws and less than admirable traits. The plot admittedly depends on a fairly unlikely coincidence (no spoilers), but then, may crime stories do so with less subtlety of effect than we see here. Fans of thoughtful crime novels can ignore the back cover claim on my edition that groups this book among "Classics of Mayhem" and be assured of a satisfying, meaty read that does have some nasty stuff in it, but in some ways, the nastiest stuff isn't the blood-letting.
December 6, 2024
Sleep While I Sing by L. R. Wright is the second book of the Karl Alberg mystery series set on the Sunshine Coast in contemporary Canada. Enjoy her delightful, descriptive prose that sets the scene.
Blackberries grew in ferocious profusion everywhere on the Sunshine Coast.
Late one November evening, rain was falling upon the Sunshine Coast. It bounced and pattered upon the sea, painted the highway a glistening black, made soggy the lawns around houses in the several towns and villages that stretch along the coastline between Langdale and Earls Cove. It murmured in the tops of the tall evergreens and rustled in the undergrowth, and it fell with an adamance that suggested it was never going to stop.
Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg has a murder to solve. The woman was killed in a clearing in the woods, tightly enclosed by blackberry bushes. It's a small, quiet town, a small police force, no need (usually) for a police artist. Karl asks the school art teacher to create a portrait he can circulate to identify her.
Town librarian Cassandra has a new lover, an actor from LA. Roger makes it clear he wants only sex, and the loan of her car. This new relationship cuts off her previous budding romance with Karl. Easy for a reader to hate! Roger instantly recognizes the portrait. An outsider, he's easily the primary suspect.
But the facts, slowly and carefully gleaned by Karl, prove otherwise. The story left me feeling very sad.
Blackberries grew in ferocious profusion everywhere on the Sunshine Coast.
Late one November evening, rain was falling upon the Sunshine Coast. It bounced and pattered upon the sea, painted the highway a glistening black, made soggy the lawns around houses in the several towns and villages that stretch along the coastline between Langdale and Earls Cove. It murmured in the tops of the tall evergreens and rustled in the undergrowth, and it fell with an adamance that suggested it was never going to stop.
Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg has a murder to solve. The woman was killed in a clearing in the woods, tightly enclosed by blackberry bushes. It's a small, quiet town, a small police force, no need (usually) for a police artist. Karl asks the school art teacher to create a portrait he can circulate to identify her.
Town librarian Cassandra has a new lover, an actor from LA. Roger makes it clear he wants only sex, and the loan of her car. This new relationship cuts off her previous budding romance with Karl. Easy for a reader to hate! Roger instantly recognizes the portrait. An outsider, he's easily the primary suspect.
But the facts, slowly and carefully gleaned by Karl, prove otherwise. The story left me feeling very sad.
May 12, 2017
When an unidentified woman turns up dead, the usual suspects are rounded up and questioned. Police are sure that soon someone in this small community will recognize the woman and step forward, but weeks go by with few leads. The killer gets sloppy, though, and pieces begin to fall into place. Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg feels as if solving this crime is just out of reach, if only he can hang on to whatever nags at his subconscious.
The book is quite suspenseful, and the truth about the killer isn't obvious until later in the story. The characters are all given time to live on the pages, and soon we understand this small town as well as any of the residents do. A mixture of dread and hope keep the story moving along to its satisfactory conclusion.
The book is quite suspenseful, and the truth about the killer isn't obvious until later in the story. The characters are all given time to live on the pages, and soon we understand this small town as well as any of the residents do. A mixture of dread and hope keep the story moving along to its satisfactory conclusion.
June 30, 2019
The 2nd in L. R. Wright's Karl Alberg series. She can be very funny and she is at the beginning, but murder is sad so as Alberg tries to solve the murder of a young woman found stabbed on the side of the highway, the tone gets darker. Alberg's sometime girlfriend is seeing someone else who seems to be the only person in Sechelt who knew the dead woman, which doesn't make their friendship blossom. A page turner. Now to reread No. 3.
February 15, 2023
My feelings for this book are mixed. I definitely wanted to continue on once I'd begun reading. The writing was the strongest aspect--lean and literary. The characters were complete and individual with quite natural and believable dialog. The plot was quick and built suspense. However, the murderer was the weak link. His development just did not ring true. Still, though, I want to look at the rest of the series.
February 10, 2025
I with my parents immigrated from England in 1947 and settled first in Pender Harbour. Later in life I lived in Gibson and became very familiar with the area. So it kinda makes a nice read when one is familiar with all the places on the Sunshine coast referred to in "The Suspect" and"Sleep While I Sing".
I was however suspicious of the culprit quite early on; don't know why really.
Sad that the author has passed away.
I was however suspicious of the culprit quite early on; don't know why really.
Sad that the author has passed away.
March 16, 2025
I know this was written a while ago so attitudes about dating are dated, but this book was pretty frustrating to read, characters who were clearly assholes were treated like nice guys a woman would like to date, and not with any authorial overview like the characters are making bad decisions. More like just as a matter of course, for instance,
January 27, 2021
Yikes, another scary culprit, although he's relatively benign compared to the serial killers on the bestseller lists in 2020. I almost quit reading this, but Karl Alberg himself feels like a friend, and I was curious to see how his relationship with the local librarian was progressing. This is a great series that never quite got its due in the US.
February 13, 2021
I love this series. This is the second of the Karl Alberg series and it does not disappoint. This story finds our main character trying to solve the mystery of an unidentified woman found in a clearing. With little to go on, Alberg gets creative in his approach and of course, gets his man in the end. You may be wondering if he also gets his woman, if you've read the first in the series. Well, that is for you to find out.
Definitely worth the read. Excellent series.
Definitely worth the read. Excellent series.
August 1, 2021
Second book in an excellent Canadian mystery series. Set in a small town on the coast of British Columbia, the books are atmospheric and tense, with believable characters. This is a reread for me. Having probably read it not long after its 1986 publication, I was not surprised that I didn’t remember the details - and didn’t want to put the book down.
February 18, 2024
Man I am loving this author. Wasn’t sure who the bad guy was until close to the reveal. In fact I suspected the cop that liked women for a bit. Was glad it wasn’t him. Don’t like Karl and Cassandra being on the outs so hope that changes in the next book or so. Already ordered the next. Love the serial killer aspect as well. Didn’t see that one coming until the dog. Good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2025
Entertaining but slower than the first one. I didn't become as invested in Sleep While I Sing as I did The Suspect. I didn't like Cassandra's fling with Roger Galbraith. It came out of nowhere and took away from the relationship that at started between her and Alberg in Book 1. I still love Alberg. He was the best part of the story.
February 8, 2025
This author uses beautiful prose in writing police procedural type books. I like the recurring characters of Karl and the librarian, even though they did not make much progress in their relationship. I was very concerned that the murderer was going to be someone I liked, but the unease that Karl felt when looking at the portrait made me uneasy also.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2025
Great author.
I missed these books in their time of publication, what a treasure to read them now.
I did find my killer early on, realized the author gave up the who-done-it and delved into the why-done-it.
Character and scene development is well written. Since these books are a series, the author leaves the reader with questions about each character, thus I’m eager to read the next book.
I missed these books in their time of publication, what a treasure to read them now.
I did find my killer early on, realized the author gave up the who-done-it and delved into the why-done-it.
Character and scene development is well written. Since these books are a series, the author leaves the reader with questions about each character, thus I’m eager to read the next book.
January 12, 2025
Quite an interesting book
This story had good twists and turns. Never knowing who done it, until the end. It's the first time reading this author. I am going to read another one and see if I continue to like the books.
This story had good twists and turns. Never knowing who done it, until the end. It's the first time reading this author. I am going to read another one and see if I continue to like the books.
January 14, 2025
Another enjoyable read. I remember this episode from the TV series albeit the plot in the book was more detailed and varied, although I knew who the murderer would be. I find Cassandra somewhat frustrating in the book. Her thoughts are not as clear as their portrayed in the TV show.
February 21, 2025
Sleep While I Sing
Interesting book, I never guessed who the killer was. Cassandra was a little too judgemental for my taste . Karl is a silent stalker, always thinking quietly and ready to pounce. The author really told a story.
Interesting book, I never guessed who the killer was. Cassandra was a little too judgemental for my taste . Karl is a silent stalker, always thinking quietly and ready to pounce. The author really told a story.
March 14, 2025
The tv show was very true to the book. Well paced and beautifully set against the Sunshine Coast. The author’s phrasing was a bit awkward at times which distracted from the story. I’d read another of hers though.
April 1, 2025
I am enjoying this series despite the age-old tension of unrequited passion between Karl and Cassandra. It opens with a crime that had a pretty predictable culprit but I still enjoyed seeing the characters interact and advance the story.
April 11, 2025
I like this series a lot. The stories are well written, great characters and descriptions of what’s going are well done, Will continue reading the Murder In A Small Town collection of murder mysteries. .
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