Where do I even start with this one!?!?! All the hype around this book is true. Emma in the Night is truly something else. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from the start. It’s one crazy story, and the craziness is why I started to believe anything was possible. Every few pages had me saying, “Oh My…”. The more Cass shared the more I wanted to believe her story, her narrative, because, why shouldn’t I?

Emma in the Night is a phenomenal story about a highly dysfunctional family, a narcissistic mother (Judy Tanner) who can hardly see past herself and needs constant validation that she is the best. As Judy’s daughters get older, Judy grows increasing insecure. Emma, her oldest, is bold and beautiful. She’s a lot like her mother. Judy and Emma are constantly fighting and struggling for power. Emma knows how to manipulate her mother and push her buttons. Judy’s youngest daughter, Cass, is more of the quiet type. She looks up to her older sister Emma.

One day the girls disappear and no one ever hears from them again. Then one night, Cass shows up at Judy’s doorstep, telling Judy about being kidnapped and held on some island. Everyone doesn’t know what to believe, is Cass telling the truth, is she even in the right state of mind? Is Emma really alive? The investigation and search for the girls led the detectives nowhere. Everyone’s last and only hope is Cass, they have to listen to her and find Emma.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with families as complicated as the Martins and the Tanners. I give Emma in the Night 4/5 stars because I would have liked to see Emma narrate part of the story too, especially towards the beginning of the book. She had such a powerful presence. I would have really enjoyed her perspective.

Wendy Walker puts the psych in psychological thriller with this novel, just as she did in "All is Not Forgotten". Only, this is a more emotional ride! (I cried at the end.)

The multilayered story of domestic mess is twisty good, but it's the writing that makes this book a standout.

In my opinion, it's the first sophomore hit this year in this category, after misses from Paula ("Into the Water") Hawkins and Shari ("A Stranger in the House") Lapena.

Fans of Gillian Flynn's "Sharp Objects" should really like it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

This was a book that really did keep me guessing - I thought I knew what was going on, but that turned out NOT to be the case! Although occasionally I felt the story slowed up a bit, I was sufficiently intrigued to want to continue - and I'm glad I did. I think it was very well written and I have spoken about the title to a few people now. I definitely recommend it to readers of thrillers and suspense.

This is my first novel by Wendy Walker. This novel alternates between Dr. Abby Winter's third person POV and Cass Tanner's first person POV. Dr. Abby Winter is a FBI psychologist who worked Cass's and Emma's disappearance case three years prior and in present time Cass suddenly appears home without her sister after being gone for three years.
Dr.Winter struggles with not solving this case three years prior and this case hits close to home for her because Abby is certain that Cass's mother is narcissistic and Abby's mother was also narcissistic. Abby desperately wants to believe that daughters of narcissistic mothers can break the cycle of narcissism.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel and I found it a very quick read. From the very beginning, I considered Cass's narrative to be unreliable and cryptic. Walker slowly drew out Cass's secrets until the reader discovered what happened to Emma that night. This novel definitely gave us an entertaining tale about an extremely dysfunctional family. A superb 4 star thriller!

Thank You to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of Wendy Walker's new novel, Emma in the Night, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Cass Tanner has returned to her mother's home after mysteriously disappearing three years earlier. Her sister, Emma, is still missing and Cass tells a story of a couple that are keeping Emma and Emma's toddler, captive on a remote island. Abby Winter, the forensic psychologist  has long suspected the girl's narcissistic mother is involved, but she doesn't have proof. The more Abby hears Cass' story, the closer she gets to finding out the truth.

LIKE- I have not read Wendy Walker's previous novel, but based on the buzz and the description of Emma in the Night, I had high expectations. 

I liked the contrast in settings. Cass and Emma come from a privileged background, spending summers in Europe and weekends at the country club. This juxtaposes with their captivity in the remote house on the island, where although they had their needs met (including ice cream and rented movies), they were still being kept captive. Emma in the Night features a variety of characters from different backgrounds, including a gruff fisherman from Alaska. I like how the worlds in the story collide, with a message of never to trust what is on the surface.

The suspense and mystery plot is solid. I did not anticipate the ending, although Walker perfectly sets it up. 

DISLIKE- Unfortunately, much of the story fell flat. I finished Emma in the Night yesterday and I've spent the last day trying to pinpoint the disconnect. I think it has to do with the characters. I didn't connect with any of them. The story bounces between Cass and Abby. The Cass chapters are told in first person and the Abby chapters are told in close-third. I'm not sure why this choice was made. Walker provides background information for Abby, making it clear why this case is personal for her and I wish that she had written the character in a way that made Abby personal to the reader. I think writing both characters in first person would have helped this issue.

Although the plot is solid, there is a lot of telling, rather than showing the events leading up to solving this cold-case. Much of the story is told through interviews with Cass and this device grew tedious. I think my main disconnect, wasn't the story itself, but the way in which it was told. I wish we had been allowed a more personal look at the characters and that as a reader, I could come to my own conclusions, rather than having everything spelled out for me. 

RECOMMEND- No. I truly didn't enjoy Emma in the Night. However, I saw enough potential in Walker's storytelling and I've heard fabulous things about her debut novel, All is Not Forgotten, that I plan on buying it. Walker warrants a second chance.

Holy wow!

Those were the only words that I could form after finishing this book. As I'm sitting down to write this review it has been nearly 3 hours since I've finished it and my mind is still reeling. There were so many twists and turns throughout this novel, and for me personally, nearly all of them came out of nowhere - I didn't expect them at all. I think this book is great to check out if you want one that will keep you on your toes.

One, very interesting aspect in this book, was the mother. She has narcissistic tendencies and I have never read a book that had any sort of character like that. It was so fascinating to follow the mother and what the girls had to do to appease her and keep her happy. I mean, I felt terrible for them because of their upbringing, but that added a very interesting element to the story.

This book is so much more than just the story of two missing sisters, as I mentioned earlier, it delves into the world of a narcissist, but it also deals with an overprotective half-brother, a father who is very weak, a step-brother who is out of control, and a step-father who continues to cross the boundaries. This book delves deeper into those different aspects throughout the story, and what we find down that rabbit hole is very disturbing. 

The ending of this book literally had me on the edge of my seat and I was flipping through the pages of this book so quickly. I wish everyone could've seen my face when all the puzzle pieces fit together at the end of the story because I bet it was quite hysterical.

While I have all this praise for it, this definitely wasn't a perfect book. The pacing seemed a bit off and some points and some of the explanations went into great detail and I found myself skipping around sometimes, but all in all this was a very intriguing read and I think everyone should check it out. I ended up giving this book 4/5 stars.

I think this has to be one of the most dysfunctional families that I have ever read about in fiction. The mother suffers from a narcissistic condition that keeps her making sure that she is the best at everything there is. Her daughters must constantly tell her that she is the best mom. Her husband has to constantly tell her that she is the best wife and he has to insure that he does nothing to convey any other message. The penalties for not following the rules of the mother are very severe. You can be cut out of the mother's life very easily. A punishment that really messes with children, young and old alike.

The mother in this book has started a war and the daughters are done with being soldiers on a battlefield. The results are very dangerous in this well written book. I do have to say that I did not finish the first book written by this author. I didn't realize that until I had finished this one, however. My main concern was that there was a lot of psychological chatter and diagnoses. Something I was not expecting in the first book. With this book I went into it just knowing that two sisters ran away and one reappeared after three years. I think I enjoyed this one a lot better because I had no preconceived notions and the "psych" jargon didn't really bother. Actually, it was very interesting.

I read this book all in one sitting and will definitely take another look at Wendy Walker's first book as I didn't finish it the first time.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for the preview copy of Emma in the Night.

This novel was full of surprises! It kept me guessing right up to the end. I loved the character portrayal, especially the forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter. The underlying story of the destructive narcissistic mother was interesting and gave the whole novel more heft. I generally like most thrillers, mysteries and police procedurals and this had all of them wrapped up in one. The only criticism I have is the setting. Although the island was off the coast of Maine and we flip back and forth to Connecticut- I never got a feeling of place. This may or may not have been intentional.

If you like mysteries- you'll want to try this novel.

I've been looking forward to "Emma in the Night" since reading Wendy Walker's smash hit "All Is Not Forgotten" about a year ago. And my goodness, it did not disappoint. I blew through "Emma" in two days because I could not put it down. Wendy Walker is an extremely smarter writer who manages to carve out a unique plot in this time when they're a dime a dozen -- it's difficult to be innovative in our thriller heyday, but she executes it piercingly well. There is absolutely no way any reader could figure out these plot twists before they're revealed. Wendy is clearly extremely smart and a diligent, thorough researcher, and you learn a lot reading her books. I have nothing but praise for this gripping psychological thriller. I've already recommended "Emma" to my reader friends, and I can't wait to see what she does next. I hope it's not too long of a wait!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is a strange and disconcerting psychological thriller. Two teenage sisters go missing and three years later, one of them returns home. The story alternates between the returned sister, Cass, recounting the sisters’ experiences, and Dr. Abby Winter, an FBI psychologist, recounting her initial investigation as she listens to Cass and leads the FBI search for Cass’ sister Emma.

From the outset, Dr. Winter’s recollections and observations let readers know that something isn’t right with Cass’ story. Dr. Winters also starts the story with a detailed description of women with narcissistic personality. For me, there were too many early revelations. I like to discover an unreliable narrator as a story unfolds. Here, we are told too much about key characters before we have a chance to see or know them. I still found myself surprised and I kept having to revise my predictions about Cass, Emma, and their mother, but I don’t think the information dump at the start of the story helps it in any way.

This is definitely a ‘tell’ book and not a ‘show’ book. As readers, we are fed information about characters and events through Cass and Dr. Winter’s narration. Early on, we know from Cass’ internal musings not to trust everything she says to her family and the FBI. This format works to keep readers guessing but it did little to develop characters that I cared for or felt emotionally invested in. At times, readers are given third-hand information when we get to see Dr. Winter’s responses to Cass’ revelations. This adds to the complexity of the story but it also makes for a long and drawn out story.

This is definitely an exciting story. By the time we get to the last essential revelations, I was desperate for the FBI to solve the mystery and find Emma. Unfortunately, I felt that ending was disappointing. After such a long and tangled investigation, things resolved too simply. The ‘telling’ format that I didn’t mind when Cass and Dr. Winter were recounting past events didn’t really work in an epilogue format. I wanted clarity, closure, and bad guys brought to justice, but the ending didn’t quite give me the satisfaction I was looking for.

In this story about two sisters who vanish and the one who returns years later, everyone has something to hide. The story Cass tells about her time away, stranded with Emma and an older couple on an island off the coast of Maine, is rich with detail - details not only crafted to explain why she was gone so long, why Emma is still missing, and what happened the night they vanished, but also details crafted to elicit specific responses in those around her. Wendy Walker is a masterful storyteller, and keeps us guessing until the final wrap. This one is sure to be a hit with those who love the many recent suspenseful stories featuring unreliable female protagonists.

Cass and Emma Tanner are the famous sisters that mysteriously disappeared three years ago. Now, only Cass has returned. What happened to Emma? That's exactly what Dr. Abby Winter is going to find out. What she has discovered in the last three years since the girls vanished and her investigation begun is one thing: nothing is what it seems. Dr. Abby Winter knows firsthand how traumatizing it can be to have a childhood ruled by a narcissistic mother. That is what got her into this line of work in the first place. But can she keep her past from clouding her judgement in the present?

I loved this book and found it masterfully created. Each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that made me as a reader want to read "just one more chapter" for several chapters. It was told in alternating perspectives between Cass and Abby (Dr. Winter) which I thought enhanced the story as it gave deeper perspective into both characters as well as gave different views on the supporting characters.

To be more personal than I have been in any of my previous reviews, I cannot explain well enough to give it justice just how immensely tied to this book I was. I had to put it down some chapters because it related too well to my childhood with a narcissistic mother that too much of it in one sitting could be overwhelming. Fortunately, I were raised mostly by my (selfless, hilarious, and dedicated) father so I did not have the damages quite as bad as these girls, but the scars are still there. Time does not actually heal all wounds. Some scars will always remain, even if they are hidden just under the surface.

There are variances with every family and experience with any personality disorder. Yet there were pages and pages that I kept highlighting and excitedly screaming out "YES! Exactly!". It was fascinating to see what I experienced play out in a fictional tale. The quote that I had to read over and over because it was accurate, relatable, and glaringly honest was:

"Mrs. Martin had never been punished for anything she had ever done. She was a master illusionist. Even people trained to see, even people looking for exactly what was there to be seen, could still not see".

I am immensely pleased that Wendy Walker had the courage and skill to take this topic of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and create a story that is masterful regardless of if a reader has had an experience with it. There has only been one other book that I have read on this topic several years ago, Dr. Karyl McBride's Will I Ever Be Good Enough?. This book was nonfiction and absolutely changed my life because it put the facts of Narcissistic Mothers in my face and helped me learn how to cope and live my own life. If you are someone who has gone through an experience with someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, particularly with a Narcissistic mother, I highly recommend both Will I Ever Be Good Enough? and Emma in the Night. You should also know that you are not alone!

I would also recommend this book for those readers who are fans of surprise twists as there are several. Furthermore, the ending is unexpected, twisted, and genius.

For those who may be offended: there was foul language, sexually explicit scenarios, drug use, alcohol use, infidelity, incest, and child abuse.

Please note: an electronic copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Three years ago, teenage sisters Emma and Cass went missing. Now, Cass has returned to her childhood home – and the story she’s telling about where she and Emma have been is one filled with intrigue and salacious details – but how much of it is true?

Emma in the Night tells its story through two characters: Cass, as she recounts her ordeal as she and Emma were held captive on an island with Emma’s secret baby, and Dr. Abby Winters, an FBI forensic psychiatrist who talks to Cass to piece together what happened, and find Emma and her baby and bring them home.

If you're looking for a good thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat while still delivering a lot of information and at the same time, none at all, Emma in the Night will definitely enthrall.

If I had one complaint about the book, it is that the narrators are very obviously either lying to you or not giving you the whole truth throughout basically 90% of the story, which can be annoying for particularly impatient readers. I definitely know there were parts where I found myself yelling (internally, since I was usually on the subway and random screaming, while not uncommon in the New York public transportation system, is still viewed upon unfavorably) at the narrator to just tell us what actually happened.

But then again, where's the fun in that?

I would highly recommend Emma in the Night if you're looking for a good, clean thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat (and yelling), and wrap things up in a satisfying manner. In the meantime, I may need to stay away from Thrillers for a bit - Emma in the Night goes a long way to cover all the heart-pounding suspense I need for now.

The lack of dialogue (the majority of this book is the character's thoughts) makes this a slow read, but it's still an entertaining story. You're not quite sure where things are going until the end.

Talented Wendy Walker returns following her standout debut, All is Not Forgotten —landing on my Top Books of 2016, with another gripping and twisty, addictive psychological suspense thriller EMMA IN THE NIGHT revolving around narcissistic personality disorder and abuse.

Top Books of 2017! 5 Stars +

Two girls go missing. Three years later, only one comes home. What happened to Emma?

One of the most difficult things to understand in life is how someone who professes to love you can then go on to abuse you. Combine narcissistic behavior with obsession, insecurity, control, jealousy, love, hate, and revenge, and you have a nasty evil person.

Emotional coercion, blame, guilt, manipulation, negative comparison, jealousy, and possessiveness. (great character traits for a parent, right)?

Judy Martin (well I do like the name), but she is one evil horrible person. Her daughters call her Mrs. Martin. Readers will despise her. She lives to be the center of attention.

Walker does an outstanding job with her characters. (I cannot imagine how difficult this book was to write). Judy inflicts pain (her ways and motives) onto everyone around her. A devil of a mother. She manipulates everyone around her. Everything is a game. Even Emma gets caught up in the game.

Everything is a competition. Not sure how either of these girls had time to live a normal life. Game on every day. Like an endless tennis match.

Two daughters. Emma and Cass Tanner.

Their mother remarried a guy she was having an affair with. Mr. Martin. Their biological dad is Owen.

The two girls have been missing for three years.

Cass was 15 and her older sister Emma was 17. No one knew whether they were dead or alive?

Now Cass shows up on her mother’s doorstep. She claims her sister is on an island and she escaped and needs help in rescuing her and her baby girl. Who knew she was pregnant?

Of course, at the time of the original investigation, there was the FBI psychologist, Abigail Winter (Abby) who was engrossed in the case. She herself lived with a narcissistic mother and was a pro on the subject.

Now Cass returns without Emma.

Is she telling the truth? Can she provide enough clues to lead them to her sister Emma? Are they really on an island? Apparently, her sister had a horrible argument with Judy the night she left and went to the beach. Cass hid in her car.

A man and woman who befriended them, turned against them and held them hostage. For three years they attempted to escape.

What is this family hiding? Everyone seems to be hiding a dark secret. From Mr. Martin (step-dad), his son—Hunter, Owen—the dad, Judy, Emma, and Cass.

Wow, this is one dysfunctional family! Nerve-wracking suspense. Walker knows how to build suspense with unreliable narrators. You know something is coming. Something is lurking around the corner. Which one will outsmart the other in this cat and mouse game?

You know there is a scheme, a plan; however, you are not sure where this story will lead. What is Judy hiding? Mr. Martin? Cass? Hunter?

The author keeps you guessing from the first page to the last. From slow burning manipulation, Walker hits on all cylinders.

I had a lot going on in my life during the reading of this book; however, I found myself rushing to get back to this saga. This subject is one I did quite a bit of research on years ago and have read many books on the subject. My ex-husband (I emphasize "EX" for 20 yrs. now), was a true narcissistic personality. He could give Judy a few lessons. Will give you chills.

Reading this book brought back all these dangerous, manipulative, and scary personality traits and their sense of entitlement, which he handed down to his own sons. (Thank goodness I did not have any children with him; however, mine saw the damage) and we were able to get away from this life after five years.

Narcissistic abuse was originally just defined as a specific form of emotional abuse of children by narcissistic parents, parental narcissistic abuse, where parents who require the child to give up their own wants and feelings in order to serve the parent's needs for esteem.

It is real. You can be assured a narcissist can have “intellectual empathy” and no emotional empathy. Not in their vocabulary. If faced with a narcissist, you will ask yourself, “How much abuse am I prepared to take?” RUN! However, if you are a child, this is somewhat difficult to do.

How could an island be any worse than living with Mr. and Mrs. Martin? There has to be a good reason to return. Yes, it was.

Walker works her way back to that night slowly as all the pieces unravel for dynamite ending. Outstanding twists, intense characterizations, and interesting subject matter make EMMA IN THE NIGHT a top psychological thriller.

I also purchased the audiobook and Therese Plummer and Julia Whelan provided an edge- of-your-seat award-winning performance!

What an intense mind-bending page-turner! Move this one to the top of your list. A devilish cat and mouse game. Who will win in the end? Read and find out. . .

Read more on the author’s website Behind the Book. Good Stuff!

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

JDCMustReadBooks

WOW! This is the first time I've ready Wendy Walker, and just wow! I love to solve puzzles and try to figure out the "twist". When I read the blurb for Emma in the Night, it was right up my alley. I love to try to solve the puzzle of why people do the things they do. It's like the ultimate riddle.

Walker didn't disappoint! Cass Martin is absolutely fascinating! She's delightfully damaged and flawed, yet still engaging and innocent. Dr. Abby Winter is a beautiful contradiction. Then there is everyone in between. There's not much to redeem Judy Martin, but Owen Tanner isn't going to win any parent of the year awards. Emma is so much more than what you want to believe, but at the same time, exactly what you expect.

Walker's prose is beautiful. She sprinkles classical references in way that doesn't intimidate the causal reader, but enhances the story for those who love words. I don't want to give away any of the twists Walker has created in Emma in the Night, because it's worth the read. Be careful, because once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.

When I first heard about this book, it reminded me a little of Room or Baby Doll, or something along those lines, but this book goes a completely different direction.

Yes, it tells the story of two sisters who were kidnapped, but it also tells their family's story and focuses on what was going on that made the girls leave in the first place.

Me, with my psych degree and working on my masters in mental health counseling, of course that aspect was right up my alley! I loved Room and Baby Doll, and this book added another aspect that I loved!

This book had me hooked almost immediately! I started trying to diagnose the mother before the psychologist even came into the story.

Holy crap! I knew that this book would have surprises, but I definitely did not see this ending coming! Maybe that's because my training is in counseling, not forensic psych, or maybe the author is just that awesome... probably a combination of both!

This book sucks you in and has you hanging on every word, trying to figure out exactly what happened and what led up to it, throughout the whole book. I thought I had an idea, but I never could have guessed everything that is uncovered at the end.

This book was AWESOME! If you like books like Room or Baby Doll, or psychological thrillers, I definitely recommend this book! Even if none of this sounds good to you, this book has such a surprising, touching ending that even made me cry, which is no easy task.

I absolutely ♥ ♥ ♥ this book! From the beginning to the end, I was HOOKED! The characters were so complex. The author did an excellent job of giving a complete background, followup and analysis of a story which seems like it would be ripped from the news headlines or an ABC 20/20 special. She developed such complex characters, with complex psychological profiles and put them in even more complex situations. Yet, she put all this together in a way that anyone without any knowledge of psychology could not only understand, but enjoy.

I also ♥ed Dr. Winter. She was always one step ahead of everyone else. I won't say anything else, because I don't want to give away any spoilers. All I have to say is READ THIS BOOK! It is awesome!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Wowza!  This book was absolutely phenomenal!  I read enough crime fiction/psychological thrillers/mysteries that, a lot of times, I can predict the ending.  This book, however, was NOT one of those books.

The story starts off with Cass ringing the doorbell of her mother's home.  Cass and her sister, Emma, have been gone for three years and no one knows why.  There is speculation the sisters ran away, but also thoughts it could've been a kidnapping.  Now that Cass has returned she has an extraordinary tale of where her and Emma have been for the past years.

This story leapt off the pages and sucked me in; I could not put it down!  The character development and storyline were so intricately put together that the time passed by so quickly.  At times, I forgot I was even reading!

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a great psychological thriller/mystery.  This book will definitely keep you guessing until the very last chapter!

Please note: This review isn't scheduled to post to my blog until August 16, 2017 at 12:01PM.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this amazing novel.

A fascinating read and certainly not your typical psychological thriller. Two sisters disappear and three years later only one, Cass returns. As a psychologist tries to find out from Cass what happened the truth proves hard to discover and just as you would think one aspect was solved the author throws in another twist and the story changes again. The ending was unexpected and although the whole story with its delving into narcissism and the disorder can affect a whole family was disturbing in many ways it kept me intrigued right up to the last page.

I read and didn't quite connect with Wendy Walker's first novel but was game for a try at her second. It still didn't really work for me. In this book, two sisters were kidnapped and one suddenly returns home three years later. It is Cass's mission to give the authorities enough information that her sister can be found. But the real basis of the book is about the mother in the family who has narcissistic personality disorder. Many time in the novel it felt to me that the author was trying to explore and digest her own personal struggles with a narcissist in her life. I think maybe she should have done the research and written a non-fiction book instead of trying to do fiction and explore her interest that way. Overall it was not my cup of tea although the twists and turns at the end did help my overall view of the book.