I really enjoyed this medium-paced thriller. Not so fast paced that I sped through it, but a good ‘summer’ read perfect for putting down/picking back up again. I genuinely didn’t guess the ending, and the myriad of twists kept me turning page after page.

Told in the first person, present tense, the book begins with Marissa announcing her engagement to Nathan at a dinner party with two of her oldest friends. But her friend Lauren spends the whole night flirting with Nathan, then abruptly leaves, cryptically telling Marissa she needs to tell her something about Nathan. The next morning Marissa finds Lauren’s bruised and battered body at the bottom of a cliff, and the hunt for her killer begins.

An intriguing suspense novel about lies and betrayals, mental health, and domestic violence, After Nightfall has such a fantastic plot it will propel you right through to the very end.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for letting me read After Nightfall by AJ Banner in exchange for an honest review.

Who pushed Lauren off the cliff?

An enjoyable whodunit where everyone is a suspect. Every character has a twisted character in their past spreading their wicked influence into the present. The line between good and bad wavers. The main character Marissa, once the best friend of Lauren, finds herself swaying from one secret to the other.

My first book by author A. J. Banner, and the book captured me with easy prose, maintained tension, and a race to the finish. The author has understood how a murder mystery should be and has kept up the same fast pace from start to finish.

The protagonist Marissa, was a capable independent woman, she solved the mystery before the police. I wondered a bit about that. The cops are the last to know!!!

Could I guess the perpetrator? Nahhh!! I was so busy suspecting the obvious that I didn't think of the angle of the plot revealed. So overall a good read on a cozy evening.

Thank you to Netgalley & Lake Union Publishing for the ARC! Another awesome thriller from A. J. Banner. I really loved The Twilight Wife and After Nightfall did not disappoint, but I found myself internally screaming a lot at the narrator. Sometimes her stubborn ignorance really pissed me off. She's the type of person to shove her thumb in a wound and ask if it hurts with her head tilted; though I suppose I can't blame her, she was fraught with worry and just wanted answers. I really enjoyed the little clues left throughout the story to lead you to the end, and I was surprised with myself and my detective skills (totally honed from reading thriller after thriller, obviously) when I correctly guessed whodunit. This is an incredibly fast read, if I hadn't fallen asleep early like an old lady, I would have devoured this in four short hours. Definitely recommend.

When there are so many psychological thrillers out there to read, my expectations become very high. This was a quick read and kept me entertained where I wanted to know what happened. However, I felt that it was missing something... it didn’t have a jaw-dropping moment or a lot of twists. I’m glad I read it, but for me it was nothing special.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, and AJ Banner for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets, secrets are no fun…

How well do we know those we consider closest to us? Our friends, our partner, our family… Do we really know their secrets? Can we tell if they are keeping something from us, or does our love for them blind us to the lies? Would we know if we were betrayed? Would we survive it?

This is my first book by A. J. Banner and I really love the way she writes! Her characters are very rich and developed. They feel like people you would know. The story feels like one that could happen down the road from you or to a friend of a friend. The authenticity of her writing is such a refreshing break from the over-the-top thrillers I tend to read (and enjoy). This one grips you in an entirely different way. You want to get to the end because you care about the characters and you want everything to be ok.

About the Book

On the day of Marissa Parlette’s engagement announcement she schedules an intimate dinner party at home with just close friends. But are they close friends? Her best friend Lauren is flirting with her fiancé in front of her, and her future sister-in-law is clearly hiding something. And her future step-daughter Anna seems less than enthused, even though her fiancé Matt promised he’d break the news in advance.

As the party winds to a close, Marissa can’t help but feel unsettled. Why is Lauren, who is there with her own husband, flirting with Matt? And what is this news that Lauren says she needs to tell her in the morning, something about her own marriage and about Marissa and Matt? Has Marissa truly forgiven Lauren for her betrayal all of those years ago?

And then the unthinkable happens—Marissa wakes up to take her morning walk, and discovers Lauren dead on the beach. Did Lauren fall? Did she jump? Or is it possible she was pushed? Marissa needs to find the answers, to get the closure she has never had. But how can she get closure when the very person with all of the answers is dead?

Everything Marissa thought she knew about her friends, her fiancé, and her loved ones is thrown into question, and she is desperate for answers. The only problem is, what if the answers reveal secrets she wish she’d never uncovered?

Reflection

This is a wonderful, suspenseful women’s fiction book. I’ve grown to love Lake Union Publishing because they have some truly outstanding books that speak to women’s fiction fans in such an authentic way. The setting for this one is the rainy Pacific Northwest, a place where I’ve lived, and I love that setting. The chilly air, the wooded surroundings, the rocky cliffs, and the icy waters of the coast are so vivid and set an unsettling tone where dangers lurk. It was the perfect atmosphere for this story!

I really like Marissa, and she reacted as many of us would. We’ve all been there, wanting to forgive someone but not sure if we have truly let it go. Wanting to trust someone but doubting ourselves because of our naivety in the past. Marissa goes through all of this. And yet, Marissa still loves these people. But at the same time, how can she not question the drunken flirtations, the late night disappearances, and the explanations that don’t quite make sense?

This was a vacation read for me and I couldn’t put it down! I will definitely be reading more A. J. Banner!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, A. J. Banner, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible. How the characters connected and all the hidden secrets kept the book exciting and interesting, and kept you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed this title, thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an advance copy!

Marissa and Nathan are surrounded by family and friends when they announce their engagement around the dinner table. Nathan's nine year old daughter Anna quickly heads to her room, phone in hand. Marissa's once best friend turned more acquaintance Lauren drunkenly flirts with Nathan while her husband Jensen looks on. Nathan's brother Keith and his wife Hedra offer their congratulations without much enthusiasm. All the dinner guests have a long history, tied together by childhood bonds and betrayals that we will learn about as the book progresses. This introduction to the characters offers a look into their tenuous relationships and hints at secrets being kept.
Lauren takes Marissa aside to say she has something to tell her about Nathan but it'll have to wait until tomorrow because she has to pick up her daughter. Marissa is curious but still has guests waiting so she drops the subject for the evening as Lauren leaves.
The following morning Marissa takes a walk down to the beach to clear her head of the wine and sleeping pill from the night before and finds Lauren's body at the bottom of the cliff. She knows Lauren was incredibly afraid of heights and refused to go near the cliffs as close as they were to her own home.
In shock, Marissa begins to look back on her strained relationship with Lauren from childhood until the present. What did Lauren have to tell her about Nathan? Where did Nathan go in the middle of the night?
Nathan's daughter Anna is acting strange and soon attempts to run away. Keith and Hedra leave and there's a sense of unease that something isn't quite right between them. It isn't unusual for Nathan to leave in the middle of the night because of his job as a paramedic but Marissa feels he's keeping secrets now.
Did Lauren accidentally fall after her night of drinking or was she pushed to her death? All the characters seem to hold a secret that could explain what happened to Lauren and Marissa is fiercely determined to learn the truth.
After Nightfall has a strong cast of suspicious characters! This was a quick read as I wanted to learn what each person was hiding and if/how they were connected to Lauren.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This thriller was really interesting. The book starts out with to estranged friends Lauren and Marissa trying to reconcile after years of betrayal. However that same night after their encounter Laura is found dead on the beach. This leaves Marissa to grieve and try to figure out what happened to her once close friend. This book was really good it had a way of wrapping you up in the mystery of what happened and everyone was a suspect. I found the main characters really interesting and I was instantly interested in what was happening. What I enjoyed about this book was even though it had a very serious subject matter and mysteries are also usually pretty serious this book didn't feel to dark and ominous. It still had its light moments and the words just jumped off the page at the reader. I really felt attached to the main character and when her friend died as well as all of the issues going on with her husband it really made you empathizes with her. She was very real with her feelings and I like how the author didn't show her as a shrinking violet. This book kept me guessing what happened to the very end and I loved all of the big surprises I didn't see any of them coming. Great read this is my second book by AJ Banner but after how great the first two were I will have to check out the third.

Betrayal. Deceit. Secrets. A great combo for a nail biting mystery! This is a fast-paced story with intriguing characters that continue to surprise.

Two friends reconcile years after a betrayal, then one dies "falling" off a cliff... I chose this book for its vague plot similarity to one of my favorite teen thrillers from the 90s, Christopher Pike's Fall into Darkness. The resemblance to my beloved teen thriller ends with the manner of death, but this book is no less compelling.


The same night Marissa announces her engagement at a small dinner party of friends is the night her friend Lauren goes off a cliff to her death on the beach below. Author AJ Banner offers a host of possible perpetrators: Lauren's jealous husband, her oddly unemotional daughter; Marissa's fiancé, her soon to be brother in law...for a small cast of characters, the suspect list is endless!


A quick and easy beach read for those that want a straightforward suspense, you won't be sure whodunnit until the final chapters. I was glad to finally read a book that doesn't bow to the pressure for a huge twist on every other page—after all it's just not something that works for every book. Even without major shocks, it does offer a pleasing tweak at the very last second.


Another solid entry from bestselling author AJ Banner, After Nightfall hits shelves on August 7th, giving you plenty of time to peruse it poolside before the summer ends.

After Nightfall was the perfect thriller story. Marissa tries to rekindle an old friendship with Lauren, when Lauren turns up dead on a beach. I won’t give anything else away, in terms of plot. I like that the story is told from Marissa’s point of view. It is fast paced and left me guessing the entire time.

I think this is a good book that just wasn't for me.
It's intriguing, even though I found it to be really way too draggy and chatty from the first pages. Makes for a hideous main character if you ask me, but that might be the appeal when it comes to this kind of stories.

I mean it's about friends who you think you know but then starts thinking about it and...what do you really know...and more thoughts lead to new realizations...memories you'd forgotten you had...see where I'm going with this?

It felt a bit like a not so drunk version of Rachel from Girl On The Train. Like you can't stand her thoughts at times, but then the story also depends on them so you read on.

It makes for a good beach read for those who like friendships-families gone bad kind of murder mystery drama.

Thank you Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. A fast paced easy to read thriller! I thought I had the plot figured out, but A.J Banner surprised me with the ending. An enjoyable read.

Every time a new book by AJ Banner comes out, I get excited and want to read it immediately. This is because I read “The Good Neighbor,” and I thought it was very well written and it is one of my favorite books. The Twilight Wife was the next novel I read and so eagerly awaited. I liked "The Good Neighbor" more but still really appreciate the writing style of AJ Banner. I recently got the chance to read “After Nightfall,” the newest novel by AJ Banner. The first few chapters really reminded me of The Good Neighbor. I got really drawn in to this Who Dun It style which I think AJ does very well. Immediately I came up with some theories on what actually happened in this murder mystery. We were introduced to several people in the beginning of the novel, Marissa who is the main character, her best friend Lauren, Marissa’s fiancé Nathan and his daughter Anna, Nathan’s brother Keith and wife Hedra, and Nathan’s ex-wife Rianne, along with a slew of other minor characters of the novel. Because there are so many characters, I have to say that I think the book needed more character development. There was a lot going on here but not enough information to determine all of the relationship levels. I was not invested in any of the characters and felt somewhat disconnected. When I get really into a novel, I feel like I know the characters and I feel emotionally invested in their life and those that affect their life. I was able to connect with the characters in the two novels prior to this so I know A.J. Can serve up some great character development. I did not like Marissa, the main character, or any characters for the matter, which is rare. Besides the character development, there were a lot of pages that I did not feel added to the main storyline of this novel and could have been omitted. I also wish that the main character did not try to investigate everything on her own and that is possibly why I couldn’t connect with her. In the end, I was not totally shocked by the outcome but it was hard to see it coming and there were so many things that could have happened in the novel but ultimately I think AJ finished it exactly the way she intended to and I respect and admire that in an author. I think that is what makes me keep coming back to her novels and I will continue to do so. Overall, I give the novel 3.5 stars because it held my attention for the most part and a solid main story line, just didn't like the characters. Had I liked the characters and if there was a little more information into their lives and their characteristics, I think I would give this a 5 star because I would understand the thought process behind the ending of this novel a little more. I still very much like and admire AJ Banner as an author and look forward to the next great book!

Marissa and Lauren used to be best friends, but they fell out over their college years and then reunited when Lauren and her husband move in next door to Marissa’s boyfriend. Marissa slowly tries to forgive Lauren, but she hasn’t changed much. This all comes to an end when Marissa finds Laurens body on the beach after Lauren saying she had something to tell Marissa about her now fiancée. Marissa suspects everyone and needs to find out what happened for her own sanity.

This novel gets right into it in the first few chapters, which is actually is refreshing. I loved the main character Marissa and I don’t blame her for being suspicious of everyone because everyone gives you a reason to doubt them. I loved that you had no idea who did it or even why because there were multiple people with different reasons to want to be rid of Lauren. The last 30% of this book is a whirlwind and I whipped through it because there was so much action! I did enjoy that this was told from only Marissa’s perspective with no detective perspective for a change.

I absolutely loved the ending and totally didn’t see it coming! The reveal was so well done and I wouldn’t have wanted anything different. The ending is quite curt and it did leave me wondering what happened to Anna or even Hedra, but they weren’t the main characters, so I guess that’s why we didn’t know more. Overall, I found this book was short and because of that Banner got right into the story and there was never a dull moment. I loved how all the characters were portrayed and will totally read more from this author!

Congrats to A.J. Banner for masterfully crafting a suspenseful, engaging, fast-paced whodunit! She included so many twists and reveals that I was constantly guessing the identity of the culprit only to change my mind within a few pages. While the reveal of the identity of the killer wasn’t shocking to me, the final scene was shocking, showing how cold and selfish some people can be. I enjoyed it and will definitely be reading her next one! Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.

This book was awesome - from the characters to the setting to the interlocking plots. It moved along quickly and pulled me in from the first page. I honestly didn't know whodunnit until the climax. The Author did an excellent job with character development and weaving together several subplots. I was definitely kept guessing the whole time.

*I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of After Nightfall.
I really enjoyed reading this book! It drew me in from the beginning. From the wine and flirting in the dinner scene to the memories that were scattered through the story you really got a feel of what Marissa and Lauren's friendship was like through the years. The emotions Marissa went through after the tragic death of Lauren were very realistic and portrayed her deeper self nicely. There was enough mystery and suspense that really kept me guessing to who the murderer could be. All the characters parts were well written and stood in their place nicely. Sprinkled through out are lies, secrets and betrayal, it really made me want more! I am glad I got the chance to read this!

This book follows a similar example of the latest trend of whodunnit. There's a sense of who to trust, do you even trust yourself? Can you trust your friends or your fiancee? I didn't see the ending coming and I do try to guess these as I go! I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the read. Even though my copy was an "unedited" version, I found FAR fewer errors (maybe one?) in this print that I have found in other books with similar "unedited" disclaimers. Overall, I enjoyed the book and read it in one weekend. Highly recommend.

ll” by A.J.Banner Lake Union Publishing. August 21,2018

WOW!!! My head is actually spinning after reading “After Nightfall” by A.J. Banner. This is a captivating, intense, intriguing, enthralling, suspenseful and riveting novel!! A.J. Banner knows how to write that tense and on-edge story with her descriptions of the landscape and her characters. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller.

The authors describes her dysfunctional characters as complex, and complicated. Each character could be a suspect. There are betrayals, lies, secrets, and twists and turns. Marissa Parlette , is celebrating her engagement. She has invited her fiancé’s brother and wife, and a friend from the past, who is back in her life. This friend married Marissa’s former boyfriend years ago, and now has bought a house next door to Marissa’s fiance.

Not to worry, she won’t be around long. After flirting with the men at the table and Marissa’s fiance, the friend is found dead as the bottom of a rocky cliff. Was it a fall, or was she pushed? There are more clues discovered that seem to indicate that she was murdered.

There are threats, temperamental outbursts, and danger. Someone has also been in Marissa’s house. She is left a friendly welcome home plant, but discovers her bedroom trashed.

This is an amazing book that you really get involved with. It is very hard to put down. I highly recommend this sharp book for readers that enjoy an intense mystery. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.