I have wanted to love so many Wendy Walker books and ended up putting them down in frustration. I'm going to pass on this one, I just don't think this author is for me.

Three years ago, fifteen year old Cass and seventeen year old Emma disappeared. The book begins with Cass returning home, having escaped captivity on a tiny island, but she needs the FBI to find Emma. Dr. Abby Winter has been working on the case since the girls disappeared, and she feels like there’s more going on than what Cass is telling them. Part of it is due to her research about narcissistic mothers, and she’s pretty sure Judy Martin, the girls’ mother fits the bill.

I am so torn about how to rate this book. On the writing side, it was excellent. It was a page-turner thriller that was next to impossible to put down. The author did a great job of giving you the story a piece at a time, whether it was about the girls’ disappearance/Cass’ escape or their family life in the past. Enough to let you connect a couple more dots but not enough to answer all your questions or give too many things away, so you had to keep reading to find out more. Also some good twists that you don’t see coming from a mile away. As a thriller, definitely top-notch.

On the other hand, it’s not exactly pleasant subject matter. Kidnapping, manipulation, unhealthy sexual desires, and incredibly dysfunctional relationships, especially the awful narcissist mother. It’s terrifying to think there are people like her in the world. Also, language-wise it started off okay but ended up being full of f-words and other strong language in the second half. I’d probably give this a 3 1/2, but the excessive language is going to bump it down to a 3. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook.

Thank you to the NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Emma in the Night.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t really my cup of tea…there were parts that I thought was interesting while others not so much. Let’s start with the positives.

My favorite part of the book was the ending. I feel as if everything that was done and said made more sense once I reached the last few chapters and it made the book a better read. Without giving too much away, the author does a nice job in wrapping things up and providing a worthwhile explanation to what happened to both Cass and Emma all those years. It made me appreciate the story more.

The author also does well in describing what a dysfunctional and unstable family the protagonists are. It made me appreciate my own family. I must say I’ve never dealt with a person quite like Cass and Emma’s mother before. Her constant need of reassurance that she’s the best mother by making the girls repeat those words to her is quite disgusting and disturbing. She would be one of those people that I would stay away from for sure. Kudos on the author for making me have this strong emotion toward one of her characters.

With that being said, the lead up to the ending was not suspenseful enough for me. I believe this has to do with the writing more than pieces of the plot provided. Not only was there repetition in what was said a number of times, but the way in which the information was given was fairly bland. Cass continually shared what she experienced on the island and her life in general in a very tell, not show fashion, which made everything scripted and dull. It would have been better if the reader got to experience what Cass experienced first hand rather than Cass stating what she remembered for literally the whole book (both on the island and her family life). In general, this style of writing made it challenging to keep my focus on the story and I pretty much looked forward to finishing it.

Overall, this wasn’t a read for me. It was mainly due to the writing style and not the story itself. For those who enjoy psychological thrillers that are told in a tell, not show style, this might be enjoyable. For those who prefer psychological thrillers that show, not tell the events of the story, you might want to try another book.

"Emma in the Night" sounded interesting but got really convoluted really quickly. The story's resolution made almost no sense and it was so over the top and ridiculous that I'm not even sure what the author was trying to express.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cass and Emma, both sisters, have been missing for a few years until one day Cass comes back home and the truth eventually unfolds. I enjoy slow burns but with this one, I didn't feel like I totally enjoyed it completely. The plot twist seemed a little obvious to me since the beginning and when it was finally revealed I felt a little disappointed I had guessed the ending. However, there were parts I liked, for example, the psychologist's chapters and how she was analyzing the story.

Very intyguing and delightfull book, happy, that I finally had a chance to read it.
It was a real page turner and kept me at the edge of the seat whole time that I read it.

This book had some interesting characters. I appreciate the narcissist parent aspect as I can relate. I would read more from this author. Her writing is so inviting and flows smoothly. The plot of this book had me interested all the way thru and never seen the ending coming.

What a great thriller! The author sets the tone right from the beginning, adding in so many unexpected twists and turns that I couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more by her!

I struggled to get into Emma in the Night for what felt like ages. I know it was the references to Narcissism in a family dynamic, but I won't get into it. Once I really started reading the book, I could only be increasingly impressed by the setup and the unreliable narrator and the elaborate games this family was playing. Excellent book, and I'm looking forward to reading more Wendy Walker.

Another Wendy Walker book read in less than 24 hours! Such a twisty plot! In the course of reading this book, I learned a lot about narcissistic personality disorder. That information helps to explain the behavior of some of the book's characters.

Two sisters vanish one night. Did they drown? Run away? Were they taken by a kidnapper? The answers are slow in coming, and not what I thought they would be sometimes.

The writing is excellent, the plot is unusual and the characters are off-the-wall strange.

Prepare to be totally occupied once you begin reading this book.

Three years after two sisters are missing, one of them returns home. Telling a story to her family and the FBI, Cassandra leads everyone on a journey to find her sister Emma. But, Dr Winters, an FBI psychologist, can’t help but feel that something is off both with the story and the family dynamic.

This was a pretty interesting and thrilling story. I found the inclusion of a narcissistic parent both relatable and intriguing. I’d read more from Wendy Walker in a heartbeat.

Oh wow! The suspense and manipulation in this book kept me wanting more. I very much enjoyed the twists and the storyline. It was very interesting. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read.

Three years ago, 17-year-old Emma Tanner and her 15-year-old sister, Cassandra, left home, disappearing into the night. Now Cass is back but what happened to Emma? When a forensic psychologist, Dr. Abby Winter, is brought in to explore what happened, she uncovers that Cass is not a reliable witness but most disturbing of all is the girls’ mother. Is story is told in various viewpoints so I did like that but unfortunately I was not as engaged in this thriller as much as I had hoped.

Sisters Emma and Cassandra disappeared three years ago. Now three years later Emma returns home and her family and the FBI are full of questions about the night she and her sister disappeared and where her sister is.

I thought this was a pretty good thriller. I appreciated that the main character Emma remembered everything that happened when she disappeared and it wasn't another amnesia thriller. I liked the alternating perspectives between Emma and the FBI agent. I didn't think there was anything wrong with this thriller it just was mediocre for me.

Teen sisters, Emma and Cass, disappeared without a trace three years ago. Now, Cass has returned alone and is spinning a complex tale about their kidnapping. Where have the sisters been all of these years? And, most importantly, who is telling the truth?

Initially, I was intrigued by the mother’s narcissistic personality because it reminded me so much of the classic V.C. Andrews novels I devoured as a teen. Unfortunately, my interest soon waned mostly because I did not feel connected to any of the characters and didn't care what had happened to them. Poor Cass was kidnapped and held against her will for three years, so why didn't I care? Even without an emotional component, I at least hoped to enjoy the thriller aspect of this story (this family was so messed up and should have at least put the "fun" in dysfunctional in a dark and twisty way) but, nope, that fell flat for me as well.

Welp, at least I just felt meh about this book and didn't hate it like I did the author's previous book, All Is Not Forgotten (2 stars), so that's a plus.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own

I enjoyed reading this book but at times found it hard to keep reading as it’s quite slow at giving you anything to make you want to read on.
ARC from Netgalley

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

I was initially pulled in by this books cover. The cover promises a seriously good thriller and suspenseful read. it took me a little while to get into it, the support was moving really slowly, and I honestly considered putting the book down at one point but I decided to keep going and I'm glad that I did. This book was honestly great. Emma in the night was twisty and suspenseful and kept me on my toes. I didn't know where the story was going to go next or how all the characters fulfilled each role that they played. It wasn't easy to figure out what was going to happen next and I really like it when a book can make me wonder. Overall a really great book and I really enjoyed it.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and wouldn't let go!
Our narrator and MC seems to be a bit unreliable.... the story starts out with a missing girl suddenly showing up on her mother's doorstep after 3 years. Slowly the details unravel and we learn about where Cassie has been and what happened to her and her missing sister. It is a long and rough road and it gets even more twisted.
A nice change of pace for the slew of psychological thrillers out there... unique story with details all tied up neatly with a bow!
Definitely recommend for fans of Mystery, Thrillers, and Crime Novels.