Back to the original topical request:
Several of the books I’ve been reading over the past year or so indicate that 1st century Judaism (roughly speaking) had a wide variety of concept on the state of the dead; and that early Christianity picked up on this (outside the texts of the canon).
However, a consensus emerged in orthodox Christianity fairly quickly, based on various scriptural indications of Christ’s descent to preach to and/or free the dead in hades, that the dead (significant numbers of them if not all of them) were at least partially conscious after death.
The first part of this book collects primary sources indicating how and why this doctrinal consolidation happened: [.
Hope that’s helpful, Catherine! (Although it may not be helpful in the way you were hoping for. Sorry if so.)Christ the Conqueror of Hell: The Descent Into Hades From an Orthodox Perspective](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881410616)