I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley the author for my honest review.

An intense suspenseful thriller. Wendy Walker tells the story of two girls who disappear on the same night leaving no clue as to the reason or their destination. Three years later Casandra tanner, the younger sister, unexpectedly returns. Her one aim is to get everyone involved in finding her older sister. Special Agent Leo Strauss and Dr. Amanda Winter, Forensic Psychologist, both from the FBI are called back into the case. Their job is to discover the truth of what happened the night the girls disappeared.

Thus, begins the story of Cass and Emma as told by Cass. Cass is very careful in her account of how and why things happened as they did, but something does not sit right with Dr. Winter. As the story develops we see the chaos and confusion of growing up with a narcissistic mother and a weak-willed father. The girls are left to fend for themselves. They develop strategies of their own in order to cope. An incredible psychological suspenseful tale with well-developed characters, detailed clinical information, and more turns than a garden maze. I couldn’t put the book down.

Emma and Cass Tanner were sisters who disappeared 3 years ago when they were 17 and 15. All clues indicate that Emma is dead but no one knows what happened to Cass. Now she is back saying that Emma is still on the island. Dr Abby Winters, a forensic psychologist with problems of her own, is working with the FBI again as she worked the disappearance 3 years ago. She has always felt that things as not as they appear with the family. As Cass reveals thing slowly, Abby realizes that Cass is leading them on a journey and the only way to find Emma is to go along for the ride. For me, that journey moved rather slowly at first and was a little hard to follow. To call Cass’s family dysfunctional would be a major understatement. None of the characters was particularly likeable. I felt as frustrated as Abby by the way the story was unfolding. As the story progressed I became more invested in finding out what happened to Emma. Everything ties together nicely in the end in rather surprising fashion. This book was more psychological than suspenseful and dealt with many issues including love, jealousy, secrets, lies, revenge and mental illness. It was an interesting read that just missed greatness for me. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wendy Walker for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Three years ago, seventeen-year-old Emma Tanner and her fifteen-year-old sister Cass disappeared. Emma's car was found by the beach, her shoes on the sand. Nothing of Cass was ever found. 

Until the day she showed back up and knocked on the door of her mother's house. 

She had been missing for three years. Emma is still missing. What happened? 

Told through the eyes of Cass and FBI forensic psychologist Dr. Abby Winter, the story of Cass and Emma, of the remote island where they were kept for three years, of why the girls had left in the first place, of why Cass came back and why Emma didn't--all this is pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle being slowly put together. Dr. Winter is sure that there is more going on than meets the eye, but Cass is holding back. And Cass is moving carefully, letting her story come out slowly, so that the FBI can complete the picture before she puts Emma--or herself--in real danger. 

Can Dr. Winter figure out Cass's secret in time? Can Cass share the pieces of the story that will lead her to the truth? And how can the members of this family survive what they've been through? 

Wendy Walker, author of All Is Not Forgotten, has brought us this suspenseful thriller told in fits and starts from (big favorite here!) not just one unreliable narrator, but two! Emma in the Night is a premiere psychological story with twist after masterful twist throughout. Each piece of Cass's story leave you wanting more, and each revelation just makes you dig deeper into the story. Don't start this one when you're tired--you won't be able to put it down! I recommend this one highly for anyone who loves a story with a dysfunctional family, narcissists, liars, unreliable storytellers, or a really good mystery. Wendy Walker is a name to remember, and her books will be shelved directly on my TBR shelf from here on out. 



Galleys for Emma in the Night were provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.com, with many thanks

3.5 stars – I liked it

EMMA IN THE NIGHT tells the tale of two sisters who go missing but only one returns three years later. Told from alternating viewpoints, the now eighteen year old Cass and forensic psychologist Abby, it is a fascinating case study in dysfunction and narcissism.

We have probably all called someone a self-centered narcissist at some time in our lives, but someone who suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder is something else altogether, a monster and master of cruelty and manipulation. Mother Judy Martin definitely fits the bill, and Dr. Abby Winter knows there is more to Emma and Cass Tanner’s disappearance than meets the eye, and it haunts her during the three years the girls are missing. When Cass appears out of the blue on her mother’s door step desperately saying to “find Emma”, Abby gets another chance to set the record straight. And, does Cass have a tale to tell, detailing Emma’s and her life during the past three years. But, you cannot help but think that Cass is not being completely honest and that there are more secrets to unearth, all in the name of finding Emma.

EMMA IN THE NIGHT gets off to a great start, and Cass’s story is gripping. Abby’s professional opinions and real life experiences with her own troubled mother add interest and credibility to the story. The truth is revealed layer by layer and makes for compelling reading. Throughout the book I held my breath waiting for the big twist or revelation, and it does come at the end, but it is a little of a letdown. As twisty as the tale is, I expected something shocking to explain it all. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable and captivating, if disturbing read.

None of the characters are particularly easy to like – they all have some serious baggage and do some amazing things. I cannot help but feel sorry for them (for the most part – step-brother Hunter creeps me out). Full of manipulation, love, jealousy, secrets, lies, and revenge, it is behavioral psychology at its best.

I recommend EMMA IN THE NIGHT to psychological suspense fans.

This is the first book I have read by Wendy Walker but it will certainly not be the last. In “Emma in the Night”, Ms. Walker has created a layered thriller mystery that turns the reader inside out and upside down.

It is the story of two sisters who go missing on the same night. The search for the two teenagers comes to a dead end and three years later, the younger sister, Cass returns home with a story that is mind-boggling. She is insistent that the FBI has to look for and find her older sister Emma.

Dr. Abby Winter is the forensic psychiatrist who has been working the case since day one. She works with her partner, Leo, to make sense of the information that Cass has provided.

The ending was a surprise and made complete sense. I was captivated by the book and could not put it down until I completed it.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

4.5/5

This book was quite the whirlwind of emotions. Now I don't want to spoil anything but, I think if you like books that deal with family secrets, betrayal, and facades, you'll enjoy this one. If you think your family is crazy, get ready to deal with the "mother of the year," Mrs. Martin.

We learn early on that Mrs. Martin/Judy is a narcissistic human. Let's call her difficult at best. She's not the warm, fuzzy Mom that we all hope for. She's cruel, conniving and always has some sort of agenda, especially when it comes to men. She gets what she wants and if she doesn't, there is hell to pay. With her first husband, Mrs. Martin has 2 daughters, Emma and Cass (Tanner). She plays favorites and she often pins them against one another for her affection.

Cass, the younger daughter is the main narrator of the story. It begins with childhood stories of first her life with her father (Owen) and mother. Then carries onto their new life with their stepfather (Mr. Martin), and step-brother Hunter. This new family is dysfunctional to the max. While I won't get into why, I'll just warn that these Martin men give you the ickies.

So we know that the Tanner girls (Emma and Cass)seem to suddenly go missing. 3 years later, Cass returns but Emma is not with her. The story begins to unfold while Cass explains where she has been and how to find Emma. Nothing is like it seems, and we start to wonder if we have a unreliable narrator. But the story must go on...

I really enjoyed the FBI detectives, Leo and Abby. The brain has always been such a interest to me, psychology is my jam. In another life, I was an FBI profiler for sure.

I'm still reeling on how to feel about this twisty, crazy mess of a family and their story.

Happy publication date to Wendy Walker for Emma in the Night! Thank you Wendy, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this hot mess of a novel (in the best possible way!!). My mind feels like it was just blown to smithereens and now I need to go pick up the pieces.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I read Wendy’s debut, All Is Not Forgotten, and when I saw this book- I knew I had to request it. I also was lucky enough to get to meet Wendy Walker and get a signed copy of Emma in the Night at Book Expo this year!



What I liked:

The cover.

How quick-witted Cass is. She’s telling this tale and she’s going to tell it to make sure that Emma is found.

The secrets. Listen, this family ain’t no Norman Rockwell type of family. Punishments are dealt out in ways that will make normal families cringe, moves and counter-moves are happening all the time, sibling rivalry is encouraged, and the house is a-buzz with all sorts of tension.



Bottom line: This book is getting the buzz and it’s worth reading.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*



*Emma in the Night is an August #FuturisticFriday selection from Traveling With T.**

I really enjoyed the writing style of this. Grabbed my attention from the beginning. I was surprised I didn't guess the twist at the end. https://beaniepipbooks.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/emma-in-the-night-wendy-walker-review/

Fifteen-year-old Cassandra and seventeen-year-old Emma disappeared three years ago. Cass has now returned, but not Emma. Cass, now eighteen-years-old, claims they were kidnapped and held on an island for the pass three years. FBI forensic psychiatrist Abigail Winter and Agent Leo Strauss investigate the incident. Abby isn't sure she believes Cass's story.

The book takes place in the week following Cass's return. It is written from the point of view of both Cass and Abby and alternates between the past and the present. It focuses on the dysfunctional family and explores the relationships between and among the two sisters, their mother Judy Martin, stepfather Jonathan Martin, and his son. The mother suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and the stepfather and son are just plain cruel. This is a fast-paced and very suspenseful novel with many unexpected twists. I would recommend it.

Wendy Walker's All Is Not Forgotten was one of my favorite books in 2016. That's why I started Emma in the Night with fairly high expectations. By the end of it, I was a bit disappointed.
Emma in the Night is the story of two teenage sisters who disappear one night. Three years later, one of them, Emma, suddenly returns to her family's home.
Dr. Abigail Winter is a forensic psychiatrist who was involved in the FBI investigation into the girls' disappearance and is now called back in to find out what happened to Emma and her sister.
Told in alternating chapters from Emma's first-person and Abi's third-person perspectives, we soon discover that Emma and Abi have something in common: a narcissistic mother.
While I was fascinated with the psychological aspects the author covered so skilfully in her previous book, the same can't be said for her exploration of narcissistic personality disorder in this story. It became a bit repetitive. The writing style unfortunately didn't draw me in either this time. Compared to the previous book, it was far more simplistic and the dialogue seemed wooden. As far as the plot is concerned, it was a matter of reading to the end to have confirmed most of the things that I had anticipated. There was very little suspense or surprise. I think I was hoping for more of a meaningful relationship between Emma and Abi in her role as a psychiatrist, hoping for more dialogue between them, but that just wasn't the way the story was revealed.
Overall, an interesting idea for a story but the execution was just ok. 2.5 stars rounded up.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.

4.5 stars! Dysfunctional families are my favorite! Unreliable characters and outrageous stories to shock the reader? yes yes yes. Emma in the night is a story that had me hooked from the beginning. There is so much mystery and so many unanswered questions that it keeps you reading to figure out more. Can I just say that the cover alone is creepy as hell and it was enough for me to want to read it? Three years after Emma and her sister, Cass disappear, a line of questions is all that is left of them. A thriller story told in different POV leads the reader on a journey that will satisfy and confuse you all at once. I like the personal involvement of the the doctor/forensic psychologist, it makes things a little more unreliable because you have to wonder if her involvement may lead the investigation on a different direction. The only complain I had is that the different POV seem to tell the same story and I didn't understand the purpose because it didn't change anything or my view of things, so I found myself confused as in "didn't I read this already?" Other than that, it was a very exciting story and I highly recommend this disturbing, exciting, thrilling, and somewhat confusing story!

Three years ago, Emma and Cass disappeared without a trace. Cass returned to her mother's home after three years without Emma, and an investigation is launched to look for her. It reopens the three-years-old investigation into the disappearance, as well as family secrets that others desperately wanted hidden.

This is a fantastic psychological thriller, with shifting and unreliable narrators. Writing unreliable narrators can be tricky because it's a fine line between a sympathetic but confused narrator and one that out and out lies to the reader.

Little details make and break the story, and draw in forensic psychologist Abby Winter. The shifts are clearly marked with each chapter (and at the end, within the chapter) which normally I find annoying. In this case, it's absolutely critical and didn't always help me keep track of whose POV we were in. I think some sections blended a bit, and the current events are interwoven with memories of the past, which also made it more difficult.

We know from the start that Cass's agenda is to find Emma; for all of their conflicts and the dysfunction in their family, Cass loves Emma and is drawn to her.

Their mother is also a piece of work, and I think pity for what Cass and Emma had to endure while growing up also helped make her more sympathetic. Even better, there is hope for some of the characters at the end of the book, as well as an explanation for the twist that I didn't see coming.

Emma and Cass Tanner disappeared three years ago. The girls had been students at a private school. Their mother is a classic narcissistic woman who demands that the girls adore her and plays them against one other. When the parents divorce, their mother immediately remarries a man with a son a few years old than the girls. When Cass suggests that the girls should live with their father, she is furious. But she wins custody and punishes Cass for wanting to leave her. It was then that Emma becomes her mother’s favorite and they act like best friends, leaving Cass an outsider.

When the girls disappear, Dr. Abby Winter a psychologist with the FBI, becomes very involved with trying to solve the mystery of where they went. It is something she cannot like let go of as it eats at her and she becomes nearly obsessed with the case.

But now, Cass has returned home alone saying they need to call the police and find Emma. She tells them that the girls had been kept on an island and the couple who had them would not let them go home. She says Emma is still there.

The story follows the search by the FBI for Emma and it delves into the past relationships that Emma and Cass had with their mother, father, step-father, and step-brother.

This is a book that delves into the aspects of narcissistic personality disorder and how it affects everyone around anyone afflicted with this order.

I found this book to have some good information to impart but I also found the story to be a bit convoluted and not one that I can say I fully enjoyed. However, I am sure there are many readers out there who will find it riveting.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

If you could see the look of disillusionment coloring my face right now—or were made privy to the number of times I rolled my eyes through this convoluted storyline or huffed in pure exasperation as I succumbed to page after page of pure messiness—you might have some idea that this book wasn’t a great fit for me. But you can’t and you weren't, so I guess I’ll just have to lay it all out with my thoughts instead. Yes, that’s right, once again, I’ve fallen victim to another overly-hyped ‘psychological thriller’. What’s the deal? Am I just incredibly picky or with variety and exposure have I become more in tune with what works for me and what doesn’t? Or who knows, maybe it's a combination of both?

I’m not a reader that gave Wendy Walker's debut, All Is Not Forgotten, a chance. There was something about the synopsis that didn’t appeal to me and at this point, I’m thinking that was a very wise decision. After this book, I don’t feel like I connect with the author’s point of view or her writing style, to be quite honest. Just like everything else in life, reading is subjective and this just so happens to be one of those times that reader and writer weren’t a good fit.

One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is being told what happens versus actually having the chance to experience what the characters are going through firsthand. So above all else, it was the fact that almost the entire book consisted of ‘stories’ that Cass relayed to other people—rather than flashbacks, memories or scenes with actual dialogue that we could live through—that dragged this story down for me. What happened to show, not tell? When an author chooses to take the tell route it severs any chance this reader will forge an emotional connection to the storyline—be it the characters or the situations they find themselves in. It doesn't matter how much the author throws around the idea of some psychological disorder.

Now, to give Wendy Walker some credit, there is a reason behind the story being told in this manner, but it was so borderline mediocre, it didn’t make up for the incredibly messy, overly wordy and downright blah experience, I found it to be.

What happens when two teenage sisters disappear and only one resurfaces randomly, three years later, with an outlandish story and a plea to help find her sister? Well, I'll tell you—the author beats the reader over the head with the ‘emotional’ turmoil this family endures as a result of a narcissistic mother. She explores the struggle that ensues for ultimate control and the importance of breaking that cycle, but honestly, I didn’t care. Ms. Walker failed to make me care about any of these people—not the mother, the daughters or even the broken detective with her own mommy issues. Again, throwing that disorder around and not really allowing us to fully experience the emotions that surround the psychosis firsthand, didn’t work for me.

Being the optimist I am, of course I held out hope the ending or the twist would somehow redeem the story for me, but no shocker that didn’t happen. Let’s be honest, it rarely does. I think I was too far gone at that point to find any sort of enjoyment in the outcome or even believe that anyone would go to those lengths when the facts could have been proven so easily. Trickery? I think not.

Emma in the Night is a chilling psychological thriller about the stories people create in order to survive.

Sisters Emma and Cass had to endure their mother’s narcissistic personality throughout their childhood. As they begin to grow up, they come to recognize their mother’s dangerous nature. Older sister Emma shines; she is the one that everyone sees and wants a piece of. She is her mother’s greatest competition. Younger sister Cass hides in the shadows, keenly observing those around her. Engrossed in a world of manipulation and games that is fueled by sick and twisted competition, the sisters must do what they can to survive.

One night, the sisters go missing without a trace. Their case stays unresolved for three years until Cass returns home out of the blue. She says she escaped captivity on an island and tells a story about Emma, who is still trapped. Cass’s story slowly unravels and it becomes clear that she is hiding something about the night she and Emma disappeared.

I got sucked into the darkness and delusion of Cass's tale. I was captivated by her voice, and was eager to see how her story was going to play out. I found their mother fascinating, yet cringe worthy. The only part that didn’t work for me were the chapters told from Abby Winters’ POV (but they serve a purpose). I highly recommend for those who enjoy psychological thrillers!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{My Thoughts}

What Worked For Me
An Unreliable Narrator – Eighteen-year old Cass narrates half the chapters and the reader is never quite sure about Cass. She is desperate for her sister, Emma, to be found, but are the tales she tells about where Emma is true or an illusion? Is she sane or a little crazy? What isn’t she telling us? Adding to her unreliability are Cass’s thoughts. She has a lot figured out about those around her and even more about herself. Cass is an angry girl bent on revenge. She can barely keep the “scream inside” contained.

“I wanted to scream at him. I need things, too! I need to tell my story before it explodes right out of my chest! No one seems to care about my things.”

You’ve got to love her!

A Dysfunctional Family – The Tanner/Martin family was a family at war, literally! They fought; they spied; they strategized; they delivered devastating blows; they were awful. Leading the war was Judy Martin, the girls’ narcissistic mom. Judy wanted all the attention, all the love. When she didn’t get it there were consequences. Devastating consequences. Her two husbands were largely inept when it came to reining her in, but her stepson, Hunter, was a worthy opponent. He fought a battle of lust and hate with both Judy and Emma, who had her own battle going with mom. Cass, often a victim in their skirmishes, watched it all unfold, gathering her own arsenal.

“I looked at my mother and smiled, because she was about to find out that she was not the smartest woman in the world. And I had just raised the stakes in a game she didn’t even know she was playing.”

Foreshadowing – At the end of the chapters narrated by Cass, there was always a last line that left me wondering. These made me want answers and compelled me to keep going.

What Didn’t
Forensic Psychologist Abby Winter – I wasn’t enamored with the parts of the story told from the perspective of this young FBI psychologist. Her personal connections with the lives of Cass and Emma seemed unlikely and a bit of a stretch. Had these been more fully developed, I might have seen a more relevant purpose. Professional choices Abby made I also found questionable.

Wise Beyond Her Years – Cass had a lot of thoughts on everything. Too many thoughts for my taste. She got a little rambly at times and the depth of her 18-year old psychological insights didn’t feel real.

{The Final Assessment}

I liked Emma in the Night very much. The story was fast and compelling with a unique spin. I can’t say that the twists or the ending surprised me, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I thought the way Walker wove the whole thing together really worked. If you like a good psychological thriller, you should definitely add Emma in the Night to your reading list! Grade: B+

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Talk about twisty... I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, it is a tale about a totally dysfunctional family, and you wonder if you are getting the right information.Two sisters disappear one comes back years later and the the story unfolds.Throw into the mix a mother who certainly has her own issues and you do have to question if anything adds up.I do like books like this where you are not sure if the narrative is all it seems to be and you have to look out for clues,it keeps me on my toes when I am reading and gets the old brain cells working overtime.It must be great to be able to write such a twisty tale with some cracking characters, and I do believe this is a very clever writer.I am grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for a chance to read and review this book, and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

This was a pretty good read. It held my attention for the most part, although there were a few laggy parts. The ending wrapped up nicely.

Talk about dysfunctional! This is less a thriller than a tale of a family which is just so messed up. Cass and Emma both disappear but only Cass comes back. Why? Can't tell you because of spoilers. This is a easy plot driven quick read where you'll periodically want to just shake your head. Abby is terrific and this novel would not have been as good if she hadn't been written so well. The shifting time lines and viewpoints were periodically distracting but that does contribute to the sense of unease you'll feel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one for a good read.